Bridges newsletter (for small screens)
- Children’s Disaster Services team serves in Missouri following tornadoes
A Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) team of four volunteers (three from Iowa and one from Missouri) will provide disaster child care in Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARCs) in areas of Missouri hit by tornadoes last week.
- Brethren bits
In this issue: Remembering Marianne Rhoades Pittman; New and Renew offers March Madness discount; prayer requests for South Sudan, those affected by severe weather, those continuing to suffer impacts of fires in southern California; truck for Uganda; "Toward COP30" webinars from the WCC; threat to the US Institute of Peace, which got its start with help from the Church of the Brethren among other religious groups
- EDF grants since start of year fund Nigeria Crisis Response and aid responses to wars in central Africa, Gaza, and Ukraine
Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to continued support for the Nigeria Crisis Response, to aid those affected in three central African countries by the warfare in Goma and the surrounding area, to aid those affected by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, and to aid those affected by the war in Ukraine, among others.
- Church of the Brethren signs ‘Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge’
The Church of the Brethren has signed the “Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge” as one of the Covenant Members of Church World Service (CWS).
- Children’s Disaster Services offers new volunteer training events
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) is preparing to hold three new volunteer training events in March, April, and May 2025. Upcoming CDS Volunteer Training events are as follows:
- Children’s Disaster Services fields large response to Los Angeles fires
In January, Children's Disaster Services (CDS) sent four volunteer teams to care for children in the Los Angeles area in response to the wildfires that engulfed the city and surrounding area.
- Brethren Disaster Ministries and two Church of the Brethren districts announce collections for those affected by California fires
“Give now to support California wildfire response through Brethren Disaster Ministries,” said an appeal shared by denominational staff this week. “Children’s Disaster Services is already responding to the needs of children and families. Working with the Pacific Southwest District and partner organizations, Brethren Disaster Ministries is planning to address short- and long-term needs of vulnerable people impacted by the fires.”
- Children’s Disaster Services begins caring for children in shelters in Los Angeles area
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) has been requested by the Red Cross to send two volunteer teams of seven to serve in shelters in the Los Angeles, Calif., area.
- Pacific Southwest District requests prayer for Conexion Pasadena congregation affected by fire
Pacific Southwest District executive minister Russ Matteson today (Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025) shared the following prayer request for the Conexion Pasadena congregation of the Church of the Brethren, which has been directly affected by the Eaton fire in the Los Angeles area, as well as other church members and congregations across the area.
- Emergency Disaster Fund extends aid to organizations working in response to the Israel-Hamas war, in addition to other grants
Recent grants made from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) have been directed by Brethren Disaster Ministries to extend aid to organizations working in response to humanitarian needs created by the war between Israel and Hamas, with the violence now extended beyond Gaza into the West Bank and Lebanon
Bridges newsletters
Bridges – Winter 2025 (2 MB)
California fires, DR Congo, 2024 volunteer totals, personal stories, Annual Conference blood drive, and more.
Bridges – Fall 2024 (1.7 MB)
Hurricane response, CDS updates, Rebuilding news, global updates, and more
Bridges – Summer 2024 (2 MB)
Haiti, South Sudan, Ukraine, spring storm season, Annual Conference blood drive, and more
Bridges – Winter 2023/4 (500KB)
Ways to serve, Rebuilding updates, 2023 projects and expenses, Nigeria, DR Congo, and more
Bridges – Fall 2023 (2 MB)
CDS deployments, BVS volunteers, Hurricane Ida response, global updates, and more
Bridges – Summer 2023 (943 KB)
Rebuilding and CDS updates, Kentucky project, assistance in the DR Congo and Rwanda, and more
Bridges – Winter 2023 (2 MB)
A New Home for Survivors and BDM Volunteers, Trauma and Children: Why CDS is Important to Children After Disasters, and more
Bridges – Fall 2022 (2 MB)
2022 Hurricanes Response, BVS Volunteer Joins BDM Rebuilding Team, North Fort Myers Church of the Brethren: Responding to God’s Call, and more
Bridges – Summer 2022 (2 MB)
Ukraine, Children’s Disaster Service and Rebuilding updates, disaster response auctions, and more
Bridges – Winter 2022 (1 MB)
Hurricane Florence long-term recovery, winter tornado response, volcano response in DR Congo, Homes for Haiti, Nigeria Crisis Response update, CDS news, and more
Bridges – Fall 2021 (1 MB)
CDS updates, Nigeria Crisis Response, volcano relief in DRC, Afghan refugees, Haiti earthquake response, Rebuild updates, and more
Bridges – Summer 2021 (1 MB)
Hurricanes, tornadoes, migrating children, volcanoes, and northeast Nigeria
Bridges – Winter 2021 (1.8 MB)
2020 reports (BDM, CDS, Nigeria Crisis), hurricanes in Central America, Puerto Rico celebration, house blessings, and more.
Bridges – Fall 2020 (293 KB)
Rise up Brethren! COVID-19 pandemic grants, DR Congo flood relief, Lebanon explosion, Iowa derecho response, and more.
Bridges – Summer 2020 (904 KB)
Choosing to serve in these challenging times: COVID-19 grants, CDS updates, Rebuild news and plans, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo
Bridges – Winter 2020 (1.50 MB)
EDF grant supports district response to Puerto Rico earthquakes, Home sweet home, Angels serving after forgotten storms, Wrapping up in Nichols, S.C., Rebuilding updates, Hurricane Dorian response in the Bahamas
Bridges – Fall 2019 (1.34 MB)
Puerto Rico partnership, CDS updates, American Red Cross honors CDS volunteers, Rebuilding news, border crisis, Nigeria progress, Hurricane Dorian – Bahamas
Bridges – Summer 2019 (699 KB)
Rebuilding updates, Puerto Rico, VOAD conference, South Sudan relief, cyclones hit southern Africa, CDS updates
Bridges – Winter 2019 (435 KB)
Art, CDS news, Puerto Rico recovery, USVI report, upcoming disaster auctions, 2018 report, Nigeria update, Honduras flood response, and more
Bridges – Fall 2018 (1.04 MB)
Hurricane response, Rebuild update, CDS deployments, Nigeria Crisis, lessons during the hurricane
Bridges Summer 2018 (837 KB)
Puerto Rico: The race to rebuild; DRSI in the USVI; Kathy Fry-Miller retirement announcement; BDM at National VOAD 2018, and more.
Bridges – Winter 2018 (414 KB)
Children’s Disaster Services report, Hurricane Maria response, Rebuild program update, disaster response in Missouri, Nigeria, and more.
For older back issues of Bridges, contact the BDM office.
