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Together we join Jesus in the neighborhood Together as members, supporters, leaders, staff, and volunteers of the Church of the Brethren, we grow courageous disciples, love and serve one another, extend generosity and witness, and steward God’s blessings. Through all that we do together, we intentionally call leaders, embrace our neighbors, serve our communities, and pursue holistic peace. TOGETHER we passionately live as the body of Christ as we join Jesus in the neighborhood. Thanks again for your faithful partnership! |
Together we grow as courageous disciples
We call and equip disciples who are innovative, adaptable, and fearless.
We nurture the discipleship and leadership formation of the people of God to embody and articulate their faith through relationships, resources, and events. We prepare leaders and set-apart ministers for the challenges of ministry and encourage a culture of calling. We build relationships to understand and engage with the ministry needs of the church.
WE GROW AS COURAGEOUS DISCIPLES BY:
• Providing support to district leaders and ministers.
• Partnering with leaders to provide training and educational opportunities for members, laity, and ministers.
• Co-creating with ministers and leaders to produce resources that will aid them in leading their congregations.
• Offering valuable curriculum and events for Brethren to learn from and participate in meaningful conversations with the larger, diverse body of Christ.
• Arranging opportunities for people of all ages to grow in faith and form a supportive community.
We accomplish these initiatives through: Discipleship and Leadership Formation (the Ministry Office, Identity and Discipleship, the “Part-time Pastor; Full-time Church” program, the Rural and Small Town Initiative, Intercultural Ministries, and Youth and Young Adult Ministries).
Together we love and serve one another
We cultivate relationships and commit ourselves to a life of service.
We seek to strengthen faith and relationships with our partners around the world while developing a structure to encourage autonomy and partnership in mission. We create opportunities for Christ-like service that equip volunteers for relationship-based community engagement. We nurture relationships that are life-giving and endure through generations.
Current partner denominations in the Church of the Brethren Global Communion include: Brazil, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, India, Nigeria, Rwanda, Spain, the United States, Uganda, and Venezuela.
WE LOVE AND SERVE TOGETHER BY:
• Strengthening the development of a Church of the Brethren Global Communion that is critical for future mission and living into global Church of the Brethren values.
• Nurturing relationships between partner churches for mutually beneficial opportunities for ministry.
• Exploring new mission partnerships for assistance and/or affiliation with the Church of the Brethren.
• Empowering global churches to address hunger and poverty in their communities through income generation and sustainable agriculture projects.
• Preparing people of all ages to be the hands and feet of Jesus as they live and worship in community for short-term and long-term service placements in a variety of ministry and non-profit settings.
• Offering education and resources to help establish food security, and building community where programs and projects are implemented.
• Supporting congregations to address community hunger through church gardens, food pantries, community meals, and more.
• Revealing God’s love as we walk with and care for communities affected by emergency, violence, or disasters both nationally and globally.
• Providing humanitarian relief to the most vulnerable.
• Developing a sense of community while rebuilding homes.
• Training and sending volunteers to establish safe and healing spaces for children during times of disaster and crisis.
We achieve these initiatives through: Global Mission, Brethren Disaster Ministries (Children’s Disaster Services, the Rebuilding Program, Global Response), Brethren Volunteer Service, Faith Outreach Expeditions (FaithX), and the Global Food Initiative.
Together we extend generosity and witness
Together we engage our neighbors, seek justice, and share the holistic peace of Jesus Christ.
We bear witness to the peace of Christ and the justice of God. We tell the current story of the church and invite members into conversation so that all may deepen their commitment. We reach out to congregations and individuals to create community and offer thanks for their generosity.
WE EXTEND GENEROSITY AND WITNESS BY:
• Growing faith through resources that help congregations and individuals deepen their faith.
• Telling the story of the Church of the Brethren using a variety of media.
• Working alongside Church of the Brethren members and in coordination with ecumenical, interfaith, and secular organizations.
• Inspiring individuals to strive for a more just and peaceful reality in which needs are met for anyone facing harm, persecution, and violence around the world.
• Educating and interpreting the mission and ministry of the Church of the Brethren while nurturing fruitful relationships and partnerships.
We accomplish these initiatives through: Brethren Press, Messenger magazine, the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy (including the Death Row Support Project), Communications, and Mission Advancement.
Together we steward God’s blessings
Together we encourage transformation through effective stewardship practices and overseeing the resources we have been blessed with in the past and present. We document the ministry of the church and preserve its historical memory to serve as a foundation for the future. We tend to our facilities and staff carrying out the mission and ministry of the denomination. We attend to the financial needs of the organization.
WE STEWARD GOD’S BLESSINGS BY:
• Curating records and detailing the work of the Church of the Brethren.
• Maintaining facilities to create a safe environment for staff and ministry teams.
• Providing accessibility for staff to stay connected and to be sustained in their work.
• Caring for the essential financial systems and processes that help the church achieve its mission.
We achieve these initiatives through: Organizational Resources (the Brethren Historical Library and Archives, Buildings and Grounds, Finance, and Information Technology).
How Church of the Brethren, Inc. thrives and shares vitality
Crucial to the effective stewardship of our resources is keeping the Church of theBrethren on a path toward a sustainable and thriving future—a future in which each of our members, supporters, leaders, staff, volunteers, and partners are healthy andeffective in their vocation and purpose. This includes how denominational ministries operate internally, but also how they provide resources and reach outwardly.
Non-profit organizations do not typically interpret administrative tasks or organizational needs as ministry or program-related. However, we would not be able to implement the mission and ministry of the Church of the Brethren without the staff and properties that make them happen. While our ministry priorities reflect most of this work, administrative tasks and organizational needs are also essential for our ministry.
In addition to the operations of the organization, we provide sustainability and vitality
for the larger church through resources like:
Brethren Faith in Action Fund: Provides grants to Church of the Brethren congregations and camps for outreach ministry projects that serve their communities, strengthen their ministries, and expand the reign of God.
Emergency Disaster Fund: Provides grants for domestic and international disaster response and enables funding for the Brethren Disaster Ministries Rebuilding Program and Children’s Disaster Services as well as care for communities after disasters.
Global Food Initiative Fund: Provides grants to fund agricultural and community development projects seeking to invest in small-scale economic development, join efforts to improve diet and health practices, champion good agricultural practices such as soil conservation, and promote awareness and advocacy for hunger-related issues.
Global Mission Development Fund: Provides grants to global Church of the Brethren Communion denominations, partners, and mission points to launch new mission initiatives and empower communities for a sustainable future.
Ministry Assistance Fund: Provides assistance to ministers and their families who are facing crises or emergencies and are at risk of professional or personal hardship.
Sustaining our shared work
FUNDING
All the work of the Church of the Brethren is supported by many funds. Some of these include Core Ministries, Special Purpose funds, and Restricted funds. Some ministry expenses are offset by registrations, sales, subscriptions, other income, and restricted contributions. All these funds support programs and services that empower us to join Jesus in the neighborhood as we grow courageous disciples, love and serve one another, extend generosity and witness, and steward God’s blessings.
Core Ministries represent programs that are central to the nature of the church or are part of the administration and organizational resources needed to carry out these ministries. Ministries such as the Brethren Historical Library and Archives, Brethren Volunteer Service, Discipleship and Leadership Formation, Global Mission, the Ministry Office, and the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, for example, are funded by gifts to Core Ministries.
Special Purpose Funds provide funding for the work of Brethren Disaster Ministries, Children’s Disaster Services, the Global Food Initiative, and emerging domestic and global church initiatives.
Restricted Funds are ministry programs that would not be available if we did not receive restricted contributions from generous donors. Some of these programs include the Haiti Medical Project, the Ministry Assistance Fund, and Nigeria Church Rebuilding.
Self-Funding Ministries are considered self-sustaining because they are not primarily supported by donations. Instead, they are supported by other sources of income, like registration fees. This includes the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, which “exists to unite, strengthen, and equip the Church of the Brethren to follow Jesus.” Held annually in different geographic locations, Annual Conference brings Brethren together to conduct business, but more importantly to worship, learn, build faith, and renew relationships.
A Ministry Enablement Contribution of 9 percent is applied to restricted donations to support the work of Core Ministries staff who ensure each gift fulfills the donor’s intended purpose. It also helps cover the cost of travel expenses for volunteers, visas, travelers’ insurance, and other administrative costs.
Giving Opportunities
Immediate Opportunities
Individuals and congregations may support the mission and ministry endeavors they are passionate about by mailing a check (to the address on the back cover) or giving online. Donors can also set up recurring automatic gifts (monthly, quarterly, or yearly) for each ministry featured at www.brethren.org/give to be regular partners in the mission and ministry of the Church of the Brethren.
Monthly direct mail appeals, twice monthly “eBrethren: Testimonies of the Church of the Brethren and its Ministries” emails, and other special communications create specific opportunities to give. Each communication highlights stories about the impact of gifts to the Church of the Brethren.
Each congregation in the Church of the Brethren has a covenantal agreement to support the work of denominational ministries as they are able through setting aside a percentage of their annual budget, discerning a particular amount, or giving to special offerings.
Some individuals choose to donate their Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from certain retirement plans as a qualified charitable distribution (QCD). Once you reach a specific age (73 in 2026), you must withdraw a specific amount or risk a tax penalty. The law concerning RMDs took effect in 2023. It is recommended to talk with a financial advisor concerning your individual situation. If a person does not depend on income received from an RMD, a QCD is a beneficial option to consider.
Individuals and congregations may choose to give to any of the quarterly special offerings: One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost, Mission, and Advent Offerings. These special offerings highlight different ministry areas and primarily support Core Ministries. Some congregations receive full standing orders of print materials for these offerings, but all congregations are encouraged to use resources that are provided online (for printing and electronic use). Unless otherwise requested, donors who have given within the last three years also receive the offering materials as a regular direct mailing.
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One Great Hour of Sharing reaches those near and far, sometimes changing the life of someone in distress in your own community, while at other times impacting the lives of those we may never meet but who need our compassion. Gifts support Core Ministries, Brethren Disaster Ministries, and the Global Food Initiative.
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The Pentecost Offering highlights our passion for calling and equipping fearless disciples and leaders, renewing and planting churches, and transforming communities. This offering features the work of Discipleship and Leadership Formation and gifts are directed to Core Ministries.
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The Mission Offering highlights our passion for international mission and serving with our sisters and brothers around the world. This offering features Global Mission and gifts are directed to Core Ministries.
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The Advent Offering highlights our passion to live out the holistic peace of Jesus. This offering features the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy and Brethren Volunteer Service and gifts are directed to Core Ministries.
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Sustaining Opportunities
Individuals may support the mission and ministry of the Church of the Brethren by including one or more of our church programs in their long-term giving plan of a will, trust, gift annuity, life insurance policy, or another form of a deferred gift. Those who enroll become members of the Faith Forward Donor Circle (www.brethren.org/ffdc). This type of gift is an investment in the future, allowing the lifelong work of individuals to continue the work of Jesus.
Starting an endowment is another sustaining way of giving to the church. Creating an endowment requires a minimum gift of $100,000, but any amount may be contributed to an existing endowment. An endowment is a gift fund from which investment earnings are used to support the mission and ministry of the church, providing stability into the future.
Reach out to the Mission Advancement Team for more information.
All photos were taken by denominational staff, partners, and volunteers unless otherwise noted.