— Remembrance: James Lyle (“Jim”) Kinsey, 82, a former denominational staff member and district executive in the Church of the Brethren, passed away on July 28. He lived in Lake Odessa, Mich., and died peacefully in his sleep. He was born on Feb. 9, 1943, to William Forest Kinsey and Margaret Elizabeth (Dacken) Kinsey. He graduated from Mt. Morris (Ill.) High School in 1961 and from Manchester College (now Manchester University) in North Manchester, Ind., with a degree in religion and philosophy in 1965. In 1968, he completed a master of divinity at Bethany Theological Seminary in Oak Brook, Ill. He was ordained to ministry in the Church of the Brethren. His first pastorate was in Marion, Ohio, at First Church of the Brethren. Later he pastored Hope Church of the Brethren in Freeport, Mich., where he was still a member and valued contributor at the time of his death. For more than 20 years he served in leadership at the district and denominational levels in the Church of the Brethren. From 1983 to 1999, he was district executive minister of Michigan District and also was co-executive of Ministry for the denomination. This ended in 2000, when he became a consultant for the former Congregational Life Ministries of the denomination. He retired from ministry in 2008. In addition to ministry, his many passions included writing and he shared stories and poems and was known as a story-teller. He also maintained a love for the earth and “never lost the farmboy in himself,” said the detailed obituary that may be found online at the link below. In 1965, he married Barbara Ellen Pyle from Detroit, Mich., and they had two daughters. She passed away in 1979. He enjoyed 45 years of marriage with Elizabeth Ann Polzin, whom he married in 1980, and they had one son. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Kinsey; daughter Lisa Kinsey Callaway (Douglas) and children; daughter Jennifer Riccius (David) and children and grandchild; and son Noah Kinsey (girlfriend, Jennifer James). A celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Sunfield United Brethren Church (8436 W. Grand Ledge Hwy., Sunfield, MI 48890) preceded by visitation at 9 a.m. and followed by a luncheon. Memorial gifts are received to Heifer International and Church World Service/CROP. Kinsey’s poem “Whistling in Spring” is featured at the end of the full obituary at www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/lake-odessa-mi/james-kinsey-12469624
— Eder Financial seeks applicants for the position of Client Services manager. This position will deepen client relationships and manage client satisfaction while enhancing operational efficiency. Eder Financial provides retirement, insurance, and organizational investing to more than 5,000 individuals and client organizations nationwide. It is an agency of the Church of the Brethren, a Christian denomination that believes in peace, simple living, and service to neighbors. This is a full-time, exempt position working for a nonprofit, faith-based organization that aligns with peace church traditions. Eder employees practice their faith in a diverse array of worldviews and denominations. Eder’s manager-level positions require individuals who can appropriately solve for the spoken and unspoken needs of external and internal customers. While some tasks and meetings require an onsite presence, most work is done remotely from home offices or onsite at client locations. Employees must be able to work well independently. Eder provides a fair compensation structure with a strong benefits package that includes organizational contributions for retirement and medical, life, and long-term disability insurance, as well as options to add dental, vision, and short-term disability insurance coverage. In addition, 22 days of vacation are offered, accrued at the beginning of the year, alongside flexible work hours within a basic workday structure. Relevant knowledge and experience include at least an undergraduate degree, four to eight years of experience, effective oral and written communication skills, and experience in managing client service initiatives to support the brand and its products and services. Designations such as CRPC and/or financial or insurance licenses are encouraged. The candidate should enjoy working in a team environment, coordinating and executing client service visits, and networking. The ideal person is detail- and data-oriented, knowledgeable in employee benefits and asset management, and comfortable presenting business reviews, workshops, and employee group sessions. Working knowledge of CRM software is a plus. The position is expected to have 25 to 50 percent travel associated with it. It requires attendance at an annual conference each July with other conference opportunities and networking or educational travel as needed in order to fulfill client and professional development needs. Organizationally, Eder staff meet in person a few times a year. To learn more about Eder Financil, visit www.ederfinancial.org. To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to Tammy Chudy at tchudy@eder.org
— Grossnickle Church of the Brethren has been sharing about its Growing Project with Mid-Atlantic District. The Growing Project is part of the Growing Hope Globally effort, formerly known as the Foods Resource Bank. “We have been so richly blessed by this opportunity to partner with our sisters and brothers in the developing world and to share our mission with others in our community,” said a piece in the district newsletter. “Twenty years later, our project is stronger than ever, and continues to grow! Since 2006, we have raised $473,000, and our goal is to reach $500,000 in this our 20th year!” Grossnickle has been partnering with several other Church of the Brethren congregations including Harmony, Hagerstown, Myersville, Manor, Welty, Beaver Creek, and Edgewood.
— The July and August episodes of “Brethren Voices,” the community television program produced by Portland (Ore.) Peace Church of the Brethren, feature the two-part “A Gift from China: University Students Share Their Stories.” In May, Brethren Voices producer Ed Groff attended a Seattle Mariners baseball game and happened to meet two students from China, which led to the topic for these episodes. Toward the end of the game Groff “noticed that a young lady and her friend started taking selfies with the stadium field in the background,” he wrote to Newsline. Having experience with video and photography, he offered to take their picture and then found out where they were from and that it was their first experience of a baseball game. Groff explained about his work with Brethren Voices and asked if the students would give an interview with him and host Brent Carlson. The program is available to view on YouTube at www.youtube.com/brethrenvoices
— The deadline to apply to be in the next EcoPreacher Cohort of Creation Justice Ministries has been extended to Aug. 11. “If you are a faith leader seeking to integrate creation care into your preaching—or you know someone who is—we invite you to apply or share this opportunity with the preachers in your life,” said the announcement. “With the desire to support, educate, and engage preachers in the integration of climate consciousness into their preaching, Creation Justice Ministries has partnered with The BTS Center and Lexington Theological Seminary to offer a ten month cohort for preachers of learning, companionship, and exploration that will begin in September 2025. This cohort will offer monthly sessions to help preachers understand climate change and other environmental justice issues more deeply as spiritual crises that require creative, faith-rooted action.” The program fee is $200 (payment plan options and need-based financial assistance available). The start date is Sept. 18. Find out more at www.creationjustice.org/ecopreacher.html
— Rebecca Dali’s historic ordination service is scheduled for Aug. 17 at Panther Creek Church of the Brethren, 24527 J. Ave., Adel, Iowa, where she and her husband, Samuel Dali, have been serving as co-pastors. She will become the first EYN woman to be ordained into ministry in the Church of the Brethren.
Her family has issued a statement of appreciation, which is included below, in part:
“We the family of Dalis sincerely thank God for calling Rebecca Dali into the ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We thank God for empowering her late mother to dream that Rebecca will one day be a preacher and a pastor. We owe a special heartfelt appreciation to all members of the Church of the Brethren, especially the South Waterloo church leadership and members who unanimously voted to call and recommend her to the Northern Plains District leadership for ordination. We extend much appreciation to the Northern Plains District leadership for concurring with the South Waterloo church’s decision and recommendation. Our appreciation will be incomplete without thanking our beloved members of God’s family, the Panther Creek Church of Brethren leadership and all members, who first called us into practical pastoral service since 2021 and have unanimously agreed to Rebecca’s ordination.
“Why so much appreciation? And why is her ordination special? As many of you may have known, Rebecca and Samuel Dali were initially members of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Though EYN is a sister Church of the Brethren in Nigeria [it] has never ordained women into pastoral ministry. Rebecca following her mother’s dream and challenged the leadership of the church by writing her first degree thesis on the issue of women’s ordination. She received very negative opposition labeling her view as radical feminist ideology which has no place in EYN. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, she boldly approached some pastors in the local church that the Holy Spirit has sent her to preach. These pastors agreed that they cannot oppose the Holy Spirit. She was allowed to preach her first sermon and since then, several local churches invited her to preach. Seeing this, one of the former presidents of EYN, Rev. Filibus Gwama, moved a motion to ordain women in EYN but was rejected due the church’s ordination procedure and even now EYN has not moved to ordain women….
“We hope and pray that Rebecca’s example and conviction will pave the way for EYN to change the church’s negative view on women’s ordination and in the nearest future allow women to be ordained into pastoral service.”
#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving
———-
Find more Church of the Brethren news:
- Conference business includes resolutions on weapons transfer, care for immigrants and refugees, polity adjustments for licensed and commissioned ministers
- Essential services of ordinances now available online as For All Who Minister prepares for reprinting
- Brethren Disaster Ministries Rebuilding Program serves Hurricane Helene and Western Maryland storm survivors
- Shine Everywhere free six-week worship series helps churches nurture faith at home
- Feature for Earth Month and Poetry Month: Invitations to look up, to seek abundant life