July 4, 2018
Today’s worship theme: “Called to Be Living Parables”
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers
into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38).
Quotes of the day:
“Ministry means service. Everyone who professes Christianity must serve Christ…. Together we have been called to serve each other.”
— Annual Conference moderator Samuel Sarpiya, in his report to the Standing Committee of district delegates
“God is counting on us to be the hope in a society that seems to be going down the drain…. To go out and simply and peacefully live out the call–Brethren, that is our charge.”
— Moderator Sarpiya, preaching the opening sermon of the Conference
“We ask you to pray that the Venezuela political situation changes soon and the doors open for you all to visit.”
— Jose Ramon Peña of Iglesia de los Hermanos Venezuela (the Church of the Brethren in Venezuela), one of the international guests welcomed by the Mission and Ministry Board
By the numbers:
Registration total at the end of the day: 2,138 people including 672 delegates and 1,466 nondelegates
Worship offering received for Nigeria Crisis Response: $14,774
| Recognitions and awards: |
At today’s Mission and Ministry Board meeting, the Bittersweet Gospel Band received the Revelation 7:9 Award given by the Intercultural Ministries. Present to receive the award were current and past members of the band including (from left) Gilbert Romero, Scott Duffey, Leah Hileman, David Sollenberger, Andy Duffey, and Thomas Dowdy. |
Three congregations received Open Roof recognition by the Discipleship Ministries (formerly Congregational Life Ministries) staff Stan Dueck and disabilities advocate Rebekah Flores: Columbia City (Ind.) Church of the Brethren, Harrisburg (Pa.) First Church of the Brethren, and Snake Spring Valley (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. |
| International guests:Global Mission and Service executive Jay Wittmeyer welcomed guests from Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and the Church of the Brethren in Venezuela at the Mission and Ministry Board meeting.
(Above) guests from EYN include president Joel Billi and his wife, Salamatu Billi; Yuguda Mdurvwa, director of EYN’s Disaster Response Ministry; and EYN liaison officer Markus Gamache and his wife, Janada Markus. (Below) guests from Iglesia de los Hermanos Venezuela (ASIGLEH) are Jose Ramon and Anna Peña, shown here with their son Joel Peña. Jose Ramon Peña serves as spiritual advisor and a pastoral leader for ASIGLEH.
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For more onsite coverage of Annual Conference go to www.brethren.org/ac/2018/coverage .
The news coverage of Annual Conference 2018 is made possible through the work of communications staff and a volunteer news team: Frank Ramirez, Conference Journal editor; photographers Glenn Riegel, Regina Holmes, Keith Hollenberg, Donna Parcell, Laura Brown; writers Frances Townsend, Karen Garrett, Alyssa Parker; youth team member Allie Dulabaum; web staff Jan Fischer Bachman, Russ Otto; Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services; Wendy McFadden, publisher. Contact cobnews@brethren.org.
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