— The Material Resource staff loaded two 40-foot containers headed to Liberia this week. Material Resources is a Church of the Brethren program that processes, warehouses, and ships relief goods out of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The shipments made this week contained equipment and supplies to build an airplane hangar, including things like a roof access hatch, plain tail stand, grinder, vise, gantry crane, and sheet metal. “We have been receiving items for more than a year to complete this shipment,” said director Loretta Wolf.
— The Brethren Historical Library and Archives (BHLA) is saying goodbye to archive intern Allison Snyder, who is closing out two years in the job. An online, Facebook Live event in her honor will be held on Thursday, July 7, at 10 a.m. (central time). Go to www.facebook.com/events/1526481817748564.
The Global Food Initiative has shared a prayer request from Fundacion Brethren y Unida (FBU) in Ecuador, which is an organization that grew out of the former Church of the Brethren mission in Ecuador. They asked for prayer as what had been largely peaceful protests seemed to be on the verge of taking a turn. Some staff and families had to leave the area where FBU has its farm in Picalqui, an hour from Quito. For some days their dairy farm has been unable to deliver any of its milk and the refrigerators are full of cheese and butter with nowhere else left to store it. Read about the concerns of indigenous groups in Ecuador in this report from Reuters: www.reuters.com/world/americas/ecuador-indigenous-groups-block-road-protest-economic-policies-2022-06-13.
— Ashley Scarr begins June 27 as the 2022-2023 intern in the Brethren Historical Library and Archives. She is a graduate of San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in English and has most recently been administrative assistant for San Diego (Calif.) First Church of the Brethren.
— “Refugia and Resilience: Sanctuaries for Our Spirit, Climate, and Creation” is the title of an upcoming webinar offered by Creation Justice Ministries on Thursday, June 30, starting at 6 p.mm. (Eastern time). “Come soak in wisdom from Dr. Debra Rienstra, Dr. Tim Van Deelen, and Dr. Rick Lindroth,” said an announcement. “As the etymology of the term implies, refugia are places of refuge. They are places to find shelter–but only for a time. More importantly, refugia are places to begin, places where the tender and harrowing work of reconstruction and renewal takes root. Join us to explore how your congregation can be a place of refugia, creating space for healing spirit, climate, and creation.” Register for the online workshop find out more at https://secure.everyaction.com/2eCR2YShfkmDXUZsAm7BsQ2.
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