The cross is lit above Lake Junaluska on an early morning at National Older Adult Conference
“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.
The webcast starts at 8 p.m. (Eastern time) on Sunday evening, Sept. 6. Go to http://livestream.com/livingstreamcob .
MarySue and Bruce Rosenberger, two of the Living Stream ministers, will be in Lake Junaluska to attend this year’s NOAC on the theme of story-telling inspired by Jesus, the great story teller, said the announcement. “On Sunday, the Rosenbergers will give us a preview of what’s to come for those on site.”
Special guests for the webcast include NOAC coordinator Kim Ebersole and Debbie Eisenbise of the Congregational Life Ministries staff.
Church of the Brethren holds 13th NOAC
More than 850 people already are registered to attend the Church of the Brethren’s 13th National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) on Sept. 7-11. Anyone age 50 and older is invited to register and attend. New participants and those from any faith background will be welcomed. Registration will continue up to the start of the conference. A $25 first-timer discount is available toward the $199 registration fee for those attending NOAC for the first time.
Storytelling focus
“Then Jesus Told Them a Story” is the conference theme, based on the Bible text from Matthew 13:34-35. Storytelling in many forms will be interwoven throughout the event.
A great line up of speakers and performers is planned, including
— well known author, speaker, activist, and public theologian Brian McLaren
— Christian songwriter and musician Ken Medema
— Covenant Baptist Church minister Christine Smith, author of “Beyond the Stained Glass Ceiling: Equipping and Encouraging Female Pastors”
— Alexander Gee Jr., founder and president of the Nehemiah Urban Leadership Institute and senior pastor/founder of Fountain of Life Family Worship Center in Madison, Wis.
— comedian Bob Stromberg
— storyteller Gary Carden
— Terra Voce, a cello and flute duo
— the J. Creek Cloggers, a high-energy dance team based in Haywood County, N.C.
Church of the Brethren leadership includes Robert Bowman, Deanna Brown, Robert Neff, LaDonna Nkosi, Jonathan Shively, and the NOAC News Team, who always delight NOAC audiences with their zany antics.
New this year is a NOAC Coffee House featuring West Coast Brethren singer/storyteller Steve Kinzie. NOAC participants also are invited to perform at the coffeehouse.
In addition there will be numerous workshops and creative arts classes, recreational opportunities, and service projects.
Continuing education units are available for many presentations and workshops, which is a great benefit for ministers attending the conference.
Service projects
Thursday, Sept. 10, is designated as “Service Day.” People who have served in Brethren Volunteer Service, Brethren Disaster Ministries, Children’s Disaster Services, or Church of the Brethren workcamps are invited to wear t-shirts from their experience.
“Share a Story,” an outreach project to the Junaluska Elementary School, has the goal of donating at least 350 new illustrated children’s books for students in grades K-5. Books should be non-religious and without any inscription. The Brethren Press bookstore at NOAC will feature a display of appropriate books.
A walk/run around Lake Junaluska on Thursday morning will be held on the theme “One World, One Church: NOAC for Nigeria!” The event benefits the Nigeria Crisis Response of the Church of the Brethren and Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) aiding those affected by violence and displacement in northeast Nigeria. Many Nigerian Brethren have lost family members, homes, and businesses, and have been displaced by the Boko Haram Islamist extremist insurgents. Since Oct. 2014, close to $3.3 million has been donated for the effort that is distributing food and relief goods, building resettlement communities, providing education for displaced children and orphans, supporting employment opportunities for displaced people, offering trauma healing for Nigerians, and supporting the EYN leaders and staff, most of whom also have been displaced. See www.brethren.org/nigeriacrisis.
The “Kits for Kids” project collects and donates School Kits and Hygiene Kits for Church World Service to distribute to disaster survivors. Monetary donations to purchase items for kits will be received, along with donations of items needed for the kits. Kits will be assembled onsite by NOAC participants. See www.brethren.org/noac/documents/cws-noac-service-project.pdf .
Visit www.brethren.org/NOAC for more information.