December 2008

After coaching men’s basketball at Westmont College for 17 years, Chet Kammerer (right) worked with the Lakers and a professional squad in Germany before going to Miami as a scout for the Heat. Here is an excerpt from the Santa Barbara, CA, Independent. See original by clicking here. Chet Kammerer Gets FlooredFormer Westmont Basketball Coach

The choir at Worthington Christian High School, a ministry of the Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, Ohio, has advanced to the finals in the Sunny 95 Christmas Idol contest, giving them a chance to win a brand new piano! They could also win a slot to perform on the station’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Show Christmas Eve

The national ministry executives, moderators, and Fellowship Coordinator Tom Avey have been meeting the past three days in Indianapolis for their annual strategy conference. Agenda items include adjustments to achieve more leadership continuity, evaluation and plans for past and future national conferences, and significant discussion around the “Commitment to Common Mission” document that emerged from

A total of $170,000 was raised for organizations like Asia’s Hope and Feed My Starving Children as a result of Je’Rod and Samua Cherry’s selfless action to sell his treasured Super Bowl ring. The couple, who are members of Western Reserve Grace Brethren Church in Macedonia, Ohio (Jason Haymaker, pastor), were at Momentum East, the

As temperatures begin to drop with the changing seasons, living on the streets can be dangerous, even in a southern city like Raleigh, N.C. In the November-December issue of FGBC World, learn how the vision of one Grace Brethren church member has led to a church-wide ministry to the homeless. This issue is available at

What is your church doing during the Christmas and New Year seasons to reach people for Jesus? Christmas and New Year provides great opportunity to talk about Jesus. Almost everyone celebrates Christmas but few know what it is really all about. We can help! Let’s share our best ideas with one another using this link:

From RNS: Dr. Henry Brandt, Pioneer in Modern-Day Biblical Counseling Dies Singer Island, Florida, November 25, 2008–Dr. Henry Brandt, acknowledged by many as the “Father of Modern-Day Biblical Counseling” died yesterday from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. He was 92. For over five decades, Dr. Brandt–international consultant, educator, counselor, author, and conference speaker–impacted the lives

The Olentangy (Ohio) Valley News yesterday ran this feature on Kary Oberbrunner (pictured), associate pastor at Powell, Ohio: Local author pens work linking Christianity, culture By GARTH BISHOP A local pastor hopes his new book will give guidance to modern Christians looking for a new model by which to live their faith. The Fine Line,

Adapted from the NCO update newsletter (Todd Scoles): Shawn Kaeser is the church planter at Darby Grace in Plain City, Ohio. He also teaches at Grizzell Middle School in Dublin. On Veteran’s Day, Shawn brought Ed Jackson (pictured, Powell GBC) to speak to his students about Ed’s time as a Marine in World War II.

New BMH author, Bruce W. Triplehorn, thanks his family as he begins a presentation at a authors@bmhbooks reception this afternoon (December 3) at the International Missions Center in Winona Lake, Ind. Triplehorn’s book, Worship, the Golden Thread, was recently released by BMH Books. Family and friends gathered to celebrate the book and to hear Triplehorn