Church of the Brethren Newsline
October 7, 2017
by Kendra Harbeck
Mission Alive 2018, a conference sponsored by the Global Mission and Service program of the Church of Brethren, will take place April 6-8 at Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren. The theme is “A Gathering of God’s People…a Global Church of the Brethren,” seeking inspiration from Revelation 7:9.
Mission Alive events seek to revitalize Church of the Brethren members’ interest, awareness, and involvement in Global Mission programs and partnerships. The 2018 conference specifically explores how Brethren can live into the vision of a global church based on mutuality and relationship.
Speakers for Mission Alive 2018 include:
Michaela Alphonse, pastor of Miami (Fla.) First Church of the Brethren and Global Mission worker with Eglise des Freres d’Haiti, the Church of the Brethren in Haiti.
Hunter Farrell, director of the World Mission Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and former director of World Mission for the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Alexandre Gonçalves, minister of Igreja da Irmandade (Church of the Brethren in Brazil) and educator with CLAVES, an international domestic violence and child abuse prevention program.
David Niyonzima, founder and director of Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services (THARS) and vice chancellor of the International Leadership University-Burundi.
Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service for the Church of the Brethren.
Through workshops, conference participants will hear updates from international Brethren leaders, dig deeper into the developing mission philosophy of a global church, and explore many other topics related to Global Mission and Service. Information about workshop offerings will be available soon.
In keeping with the conference theme, Mission Alive 2018 will provide the opportunity to celebrate love feast with international sisters and brothers, and will celebrate the different national bodies in the Church of the Brethren family.
The conference begins at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 6, and concludes with worship on Sunday morning, April 8. Registration for the full conference is $85 per person through Feb. 15, going up to $110 on Feb. 16. Family, student, and daily rates are available. Housing will be in local homes, with sign up for housing included in the registration process. Participants have the option to stay in local hotels at their own cost.
More detailed information about Mission Alive 2018 can be found at www.brethren.org/missionalive2018 .
— Kendra Harbeck is manager of Global Mission and Service for the Church of the Brethren.
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