News Archives September, 2015
1) Brethren Disaster Ministries directs $50,000 in grants to refugee and migrant crisis; 2) Global Food Crisis Fund allocates money to evaluate work in Haiti; 3) Haitian Brethren hold march in Port-au-Prince to mark Peace Day 2015; 4) Church of the Brethren volunteer honored by Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria; 5) Youth explore faith and call at Bethany Seminary; 6) Brethren Academy announces upcoming courses for fall, winter, spring; 7) Workcamp Ministry celebrates 2015 season, announces theme for 2016; 8) Strengthening our core: A letter from the Mission and Ministry Board chair; 9) Church vitality: Nurturing the strong heartbeat of God within us; 10) Brethren bits Read more »
I used to be a cross country runner (emphasis on “used to be”). Cross country always has been a fairly simple sport with the object to run far and run fast, or at least faster than members of other teams. During my years of running, the training was also simple: we were supposed to log a certain number of miles each week of the summer (emphasis on “supposed to”), adding up to hundreds of miles before the season even began. The way to train for long races, it seemed, was to run even longer in practice. Read more »
“Side by side” is truly how the 341 youth and advisors worked this summer during the 2015 Church of the Brethren Workcamps. Thank you to all of those who participated, as well as the 39 who contributed their time and talents through their leadership of the workcamps. Read more »
Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed $50,000 from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to support ecumenical partners who are serving people affected by the refugee and migrant crisis. Other recent EDF grants include the allocation of $30,000 to continue the Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding project in Spotswood, N.J. Read more »
Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) marked the International Day of Prayer for Peace 2015 with a march to the center of Port-au-Prince, the Haiti’s capital city. Read more »
The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership has announced courses for fall 2015, and winter and spring 2016. Courses are open to Training in Ministry (TRIM) and Education for Shared Ministry (EFSM) students, pastors seeking continuing education units, and all interested persons. Read more »
The leadership of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) conducted a get-together fellowship in honor of Jim Mitchell, one of the three Church of the Brethren volunteers completing terms of service with the Nigeria Crisis Response. Mitchell had been in Nigeria for three months, where he participated in different events at various regions. Read more »
An allocation from the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) of the Church of the Brethren will fund an evaluation of the agricultural and community development work being undertaken by Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti). Read more »
In this issue: Remembrances, an update from CDS volunteers in northern California, prayers for the reopening of EYN’s Bible college and a secondary school in Kwarhi, Nigeria, personnel notes, job openings, a new Ice Bucket Challenge from Denver Brethren, congregations in the news, more than $250,000 raised by Southern Pennsylvania District, and much more. Read more »
Nurturing the strong heartbeat of God within us. This came through vibrantly at Annual Conference this year through the Nigerian witness, the invitation of Roger Nishioka to have God’s heartbeat live strongly in us, and the insight of Standing Committee about the hope for church vitality. Read more »
A REVIEW OF NOAC 2015 1) Deanna Brown focuses first NOAC keynote on women’s stories 2) Brian McLaren calls NOAC to get back to the Bible, in a different way 3) Bob Bowman’s Bible studies focus on Prodigal Son parable 4) Dialogue urges Christians to work intentionally across racial divides 5) Chief Junaluska of the Cherokees: A story from the NOAC Coffeehouse 6) ‘You’re the bear, Kim’: An interview with Dub, the NOAC bear 7) NOAC by the numbers 8) ‘Today at NOAC’ pages, photo albums offer daily view of the conference 9) Brethren bits Read more »
In this issue: A focus on the refugee and migrant crisis, plus news of Children’s Disaster Services response to California wildfires, Sept. 20's Mission Offering Emphasis, the 39th annual Brethren Disaster Relief Auction, personnel notes and job openings, prayer requests from Global Mission, a “March for Peace” in Haiti, church anniversaries, Brethren in the news, and more. Read more »
“I can tell you love each other,” Brian McLaren said to the NOAC congregation as he began his morning keynote address. McLaren is a popular author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. His two most recent books are “Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road? Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World” and “We Make the Road By Walking.” Read more »
A lot of well meaning people assume that the Civil Rights struggle is over and that we won, said Alexander Gee Jr., during an afternoon dialogue event at NOAC 2015. “We don’t talk about it in seminary, in churches, or from the pulpit,” he said. “Like polio or tuberculosis, we say we’ve solved it!” Read more »
The 2015 National Older Adult Conference, which was the Church of the Brethren’s 13th NOAC, gathered 906 people at the Lake Junaluska (N.C.) Conference Center on Sept. 7-11. This number includes registered participants, staff, volunteers, guest speakers, and young adult assistants. Here are some more NOAC numbers: Read more »
A review of events on the concluding day of NOAC 2015 Read more »
Frank Ramirez of the NOAC Communication Team recently had an opportunity to interview Dub the Bear, who has been seen almost everywhere at this year’s NOAC. Dub, it appears, came specifically to NOAC this year to honor Kim Ebersole for her contributions to the Church of the Brethren through this ministry and many others. At least we think that’s what she’s telling us. Read more »
Reviewing the day at NOAC 2015 in Lake Junaluska, N.C.a Read more »
Some highlights from the day at the 2015 National Older Adult Conference Read more »
“You’ve probably taught this parable yourself...but its my turn this time,” said Bob Bowman, introducing the first of his three daily Bible studies at NOAC, focused on Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15. Read more »
Why would the Celtic Christian church choose the image of a wild goose for the Holy Spirit instead of a dove? Read more »
This is one of the stories shared at the NOAC Coffeehouse, submitted by Willard “Duly” Dulabaum: Read more »
An overview of the second day of NOAC 2015, the National Older Adult Conference of the Church of the Brethren. NOAC is being held in Lake Junaluska, N.C., Sept. 7-11. Read more »
A review of the first day of the 2015 National Older Adult Conference (NOAC), an event for 50-plus participants. The conference is held in Lake Junaluska, N.C., from Sept. 7-11. Read more »
Since the Michael Brown incident, as a congregation we have been looking for ways to avert such from happening in Rockford, knowing that back in 2009 we had a similar incident. We have been working with the Police Department to build a healthy and positive Nonviolence Community Policing and Community relationship. Read more »
Is it truly possible to forgive someone who has hurt you so grievously that you can hardly function? Some of the IDPs (Internally Displaced People) in Nigeria have been hurt in ways that most of us can only imagine. To understand the healing process let me begin with a definition of trauma and move through some of the important steps necessary to accomplish this goal. Read more »
Nominations are being accepted for all Annual Conference-elected offices in 2016 including Annual Conference moderator-elect; Program and Arrangements Committee member; Mission and Ministry Board members for Areas 3, 4, and 5; On Earth Peace Board member; Brethren Benefit Trust board member; Bethany Theological Seminary laity and college representatives; and Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Committee member. Descriptions of these offices are available at www.brethren.org/ac . Read more »
The Powerhouse Regional Youth Conference will return to Camp Mack in Milford, Ind., again this year for its sixth edition, providing a weekend of worship, workshops, music, recreation, and more for Midwest senior high youth and their advisors. We hope you can join us Nov. 21-22 for this great weekend! Our theme will be “An Attitude of Gratitude,” looking at ways we live out and express thankfulness. Read more »
John Mueller has announced his resignation as district executive of Atlantic Southeast District, effective Dec. 31. He began his ministry with the district on July 1, 2013. Read more »
Having recently returned from a short trip to Nigeria, we were encouraged by the relief efforts headed by the EYN Disaster Team of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). The church’s large-scale program of assistance is funneling money to EYN with a five-pronged approach. We were happy that progress has been made in all five areas that we have designated. Read more »
At this year’s Annual Conference, Global Mission and Service presented the “Wall of Healing,” a poster exhibit commemorating the thousands of Nigerians who have been killed in recent years through terrorist violence and persecution. The exhibit is based on the information collected by Rebecca Dali and the Center for Caring, Empowerment, and Peace Initiatives, and was put together by Brethren Volunteer Service workers Pat and John Krabacher. Read more »
On Tuesday evening, Sept. 1, the African Methodist Episcopal Coalition held a worship service in Washington, D.C. I had received the invitation from the National Council of Churches (NCC) the week before in my capacity with the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Public Witness, but it was also relevant for my role as a minister in Washington City Church of the Brethren. Read more »
In this issue: Remembrances, note from General Secretary Search Committee, job openings at Bethany and Camp Mack, NRCAT seeks human rights fellow, Haitian Dominican Brethren get temporary work permits, Brethren Service Center hosts fashion show, 45th annual Dunker Church Service at Antietam, ecumenical webinar on evangelism, and more news by, for, and about Brethren. Read more »
“This Sunday, we are lucky to get a sneak peek at the fun happening at Lake Junaluska next week,” said an announcement of a webcast worship service by Living Stream Church of the Brethren, an online ministry. The service will be webcast from the Lake Junaluska (N.C.) Conference Center where the National Older Adult Conference is set to begin Monday, Sept. 7. Read more »
NEWS 1) An open letter to members and clients of Brethren Benefit Trust 2) John Mueller resigns from leadership of Atlantic Southeast District NIGERIA UPDATES 3) Nigeria Crisis Response co-directors report from trip to Nigeria 4) Nigerian children face dangers as they seek education 5) Volunteer observes a Trauma Healing Workshop in Nigeria 6) Trauma healing is the path to forgiveness in Nigeria 7) Small-scale ‘Wall of Healing’ display is available from Global Mission office UPCOMING EVENTS 8) Living Stream worship webcast from Lake Junaluska to kick off the 13th NOAC 9) Nominations are sought for Annual Conference-elected offices 10) McPherson College offers ‘Ventures in Christian Discipleship’ courses 11) Powerhouse Regional Youth Conference to celebrate an ‘Attitude of Gratitude’ SPECIAL SECTION: REFLECTING ON FERGUSON 12) Ferguson: An invitation for the church to participate in dismantling racial discrimination 13) Thinking About Ferguson--again 14) This is an effort which the faith community must lead 15) In wake of Ferguson, Rockford church works to build nonviolent community 16) Brethren bits Read more »
The Trauma Healing Workshop is held at a displacement camp that is filled with EYN members from the northeast area of Nigeria where the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency has done much of its terror, killing, and destruction. EYN stands for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Read more »
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