NEWS
1) Annual Conference agenda will include one item of unfinished business and seven items of new business
2) April 15 is deadline for Yearbook forms
3) Bridgewater College receives $1 million gift to create Rebecca Quad
UPCOMING EVENTS
4) Late fee deadline extended for National Youth Conference, shuttle registration now open
5) Ecumenical Advocacy Days calls for ‘fierce urgency’ on civil and human rights
6) Next in ‘Nurturing Ministry Skills’ series to address ‘Leadership in Times of Crisis’
JESUS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: STORIES FROM CONGREGATIONS
7) New church building to be dedicated in Los Banos, Calif.
FEATURE
8) Give the fig tree one more season: A song for the start of April, Earth Month and National Poetry Month
9) Brethren bits: Job openings, Living Stream makes pysanky for Easter, Manchester announces peace and environmental studies trip, latest Dunker Punks Podcast features Galen Fitzkee on the call to be peacebuilders, latest Brethren Voices features two best friend BVSers from Germany
Quote of the week:
“My cousin was a bright, promising 14-year-old from Chicago. My family was devastated that no one was held responsible for the abduction, torture, and murder of Emmett. But we are heartened by this new law, which shows that Emmett still speaks in powerful ways to make sure that no one can get away with a racist crime like this ever again.”
— Emmett Till’s cousin, Wheeler Parker Jr., thanking legislators for enshrining the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act into law on Tuesday, March 29. The law makes lynching a hate crime under federal law. The law is named for Emmett Till who, in 1955 at age 14, was kidnapped, beaten, and killed in Mississippi after being accused of whistling at a white woman. ABC News reported that “Congress failed to pass anti-lynching legislation over 200 times before the bill finally moved forward this year. The bill is the first legislation of its kind in more than 100 years to be signed into law…. Black Americans remain the most targeted group in the U.S. when it comes to reported hate crimes. They made up 2,871 of the 8,263 reported hate crimes in 2020–or 34%–according to the FBI.” Read the full article at https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-sign-legislation-named-emmett-till-making-lynching/story?id=83739175.
A note to readers: As many congregations return to in-person worship, we want to update our listing of Churches of the Brethren at www.brethren.org/news/2020/church-of-the-brethren-congregations-worship-online.html. Please send new information to cobnews@brethren.org.
Lifting up Brethren who are active in health care: www.brethren.org/news/2020/brethren-active-in-health-care.html. Add a person to the list by sending first name, county, and state to cobnews@brethren.org.
1) Annual Conference agenda will include one item of unfinished business and seven items of new business
The business items for the Church of the Brethren’s Annual Conference on July 10-14 in Omaha, Neb., are now posted online. The Conference is returning to a full business agenda complete with queries and other new business after several years in which the compelling vision took precedence.
The Conference will address one item of unfinished business, “Update to Polity Regarding Annual Conference Agencies,” and seven items of new business.
New business includes queries on “Standing with People of Color” and “Breaking Down Barriers–Increasing Access to Denominational Events”; three items related to pay and benefits for pastors: a new Integrated Annual Ministry Agreement and Revised Guidelines for Pastors’ Salaries and Benefits, a Revised Minimum Cash Salary Table for Pastors, and the annual cost-of-living adjustment to the Minimum Cash Salary Table for Pastors (the latter recommendation to come in June); amendments to the appeal section of the Ethics in Ministry Relations polity document; and revisions to the denomination’s bylaws.
The delegate body also will vote on a ballot and will receive numerous reports including from the denomination’s Leadership Team, the work of the Church of the Brethren’s board and staff, the Annual Conference agencies (Bethany Seminary, Brethren Benefit Trust, and On Earth Peace), Conference committees including the Program and Arrangements Committee and the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee, and representatives to ecumenical organizations.
To watch the business online you must register as a virtual nondelegate. Business sessions will no longer be live-streamed free of charge. Go to www.brethren.org/ac2022/registration.
Update to Polity Regarding Annual Conference Agencies
This item originated at the 2017 Annual Conference when, in response to a recommendation from On Earth Peace, the denomination’s Leadership Team was tasked to update current polity for the Annual Conference agencies. This year the Leadership Team brings its proposal back to the Conference.
“Each aspect of the assignment has been addressed,” said the team in its proposal. “This proposed update to polity provides the definition of an Annual Conference Agency; it specifies the process to become an Annual Conference Agency; it identifies the process for resolving issues of conflict or dispute between the policies and/or practices of an Annual Conference Agency and the polity, policies, and positions of Annual Conference; it identifies the process for reviewing Agency status if conflicts cannot be resolved; and the Leadership Team consulted with each Annual Conference Agency in making this update. The Leadership Team believes this polity update for Annual Conference Agencies will help navigate the reality that each organization is a separately incorporated but genuinely engaged partner in providing a ministry on behalf of the Church of the Brethren that Annual Conference cannot or does not chose to provide or accomplish itself.”
Query: Standing with People of Color
From the board of Southern Ohio and Kentucky District, adopted by the district conference last October, this query asks, “How can the Church of the Brethren stand with People of Color to offer sanctuary from violence and dismantle systems of oppression and racial inequity in our congregations, neighborhoods, and throughout the nation?”
Query: Breaking Down Barriers–Increasing Access to Denominational Events
From Living Stream Church of the Brethren, the denomination’s only fully online congregation, and approved by the Pacific Northwest District Conference in September 2020, this query asks, “Should the Brethren explore the possibilities of how we can faithfully, in good order and with proper representation, use technology to remove barriers and facilitate the full participation of delegates and those desiring to be present for Annual Conference and other events, who might be better served–and could better serve the body–from a distance?”
Integrated Annual Ministry Agreement and Revised Guidelines for Pastors’ Salaries and Benefits
Brought by the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee, the proposed Integrated Annual Ministry Agreement would replace the present Start-Up and Renewal Agreements for pastors and congregations to complete each year. The Revised Guidelines for Pastors’ Salaries and Benefits provides detailed explanations regarding recommended benefits for pastors.
Wrote the committee in the proposal: “We came to this review knowing that 77% of our pastors are serving in less than full time or less than fully compensated roles; that our churches are growing smaller, not larger; and that our overall membership is shrinking, not growing. Other considerations included the frustrations we have heard from pastors and congregations alike about trying to meet the dollar amounts in the Minimum Cash Salary Table published by our Committee every year; the pressure to perform full-time ministry on part-time pay; and the lack of a framework that would assist our congregations to participate in ministry with our pastors. Knowing all this, the Committee decided to re-imagine the compensation and working relationships between pastors and congregations.”
The Integrated Annual Ministry Agreement includes several fillable or worksheet-like forms for use by pastors and congregations: the Annual Compensation Agreement, an Annual Compensation Table, and an Annual Shared Ministry Priorities Agreement.
Also included are a glossary and explanations of terms such as pastoral housing and designated housing exclusion, along with information about pastoral taxation and how a congregation should fill out the IRS Form W-2 for a pastor.
Revised Minimum Cash Salary Table for Pastors
The Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee recommends a revision that would include a number of changes, such as in the percentage increase between a pastor’s years of experience and the range between education columns, narrowing the increase for each year of experience, as well as a progressive narrowing of the range between education levels as a pastor gains more experience, and raising the starting salary for pastors to become more competitive with vocations that have similar education requirements and responsibilities.
Amendments to the appeal section of the “Ethics in Ministry Relations” polity document
The Standing Committee of district delegates to Annual Conference recommends amendments to the Ethics in Ministry Relations polity for appeals that involve the termination of a ministerial license by a district ministry commission or the termination of an ordination by a district board.
The amendments would make changes recognizing Standing Committee’s need for more time to prepare to receive appeals; providing leeway when two or more appeals are received within a stated time period, that instead of “will” be heard an appeal “could” or “may” be heard; and clarifying in polity the current Standing Committee Appeal Process requiring that “the dissatisfied party shall have exhausted every means of resolution or reconsideration” at the district level before asking that an appeal be heard by Standing Committee.
Revisions to the bylaws of the Church of the Brethren
Brought by the denomination’s Mission and Ministry Board, the revisions include a variety of nonsubstantial changes to the bylaws. The changes would correct inconsistencies and grammatical errors, ensure greater clarity, and align polity with current practice.
Find the full background documents for the business agenda linked at www.brethren.org/ac2022/business.
For more information about the 2022 Annual Conference go to www.brethren.org/ac2022.
2) April 15 is deadline for Yearbook forms
By James Deaton
April 15 is the deadline for congregational forms to be received by the Yearbook Office in order for information to be included in the 2022 Church of the Brethren Yearbook.
The Church of the Brethren Yearbook is published annually by Brethren Press and includes a statistical report and a directory for the denomination. The directory features detailed information about denominational structure and leadership, congregations, districts, ministers, and more. The statistical report on membership, worship attendance, giving, and more derives from self-reporting by congregations.
Guidance on counting online worship attendance for 2021 is found on the Yearbook web page at www.brethren.org/yearbook. Remember to keep in‐person and online worship statistics separate.
Paper copies of all forms have been mailed to each congregation. If you have not received them or would like digital copies, please contact Jim Miner, Yearbook specialist, at 800‐323‐8039 ext. 320 or yearbook@brethren.org.
Mail completed forms to: Yearbook, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120, or email to yearbook@brethren.org. If you’ve already done so, thank you!
— James Deaton is managing editor for Brethren Press and serves on the Yearbook staff.
3) Bridgewater College receives $1 million gift to create Rebecca Quad
A release from Bridgewater College
Thanks to a $1 million gift from chair of the college’s Board of Trustees, Bruce Christian, and his wife, Spas, of Lynchburg, Va., Bridgewater (Va.) College will break ground this summer on its Rebecca Quad project, creating a new outdoor gathering area adjacent to the Kline Campus Center and the campus mall.
The Rebecca Quad project will transform an underutilized space into a hub of campus activity with a variety of meeting and socializing areas in which students, faculty, and other members of the Bridgewater College community can come together to interact, connect, and enjoy the beauty of the college’s campus mall.
“The Christians’ generous gift enables us to build on the success and popularity of the outdoor gathering areas around the new John Kenny Forrer Learning Commons by adding similar elements to the other side of our campus mall,” said president David W. Bushman. “So much of our community and the success of our students is built on the connections we make here with one another. By creating yet another area where students can engage with a friend or faculty mentor, discuss a group project, attend class outside, or even reflect silently in the fresh air, we are nurturing the sense of togetherness and community that is a hallmark of the Bridgewater experience.”
Plans for the space include hardscape walkways and gathering areas complete with dining tables and Adirondack chairs, landscaping to complement that of the campus mall, and–notably–a nod to the college’s original walkway and historical entrance to campus, which will be highlighted by a large inlay of the college’s seal.
The Christians, parents of David ’06 and his wife, Caitlyn ’07, have developed an affinity for Bridgewater College. “Bridgewater College is small enough for you to know many people personally and for them to know you. They help make you the best you can be. At the same time, BC is big enough to provide all the opportunities to widen your horizons, whether it’s student-faculty research partnerships, internships, or study abroad. The experience is transformative,” said Bruce Christian. “Bridgewater is a difference maker, and Spas and I are thrilled we can be a part of making that difference.”
The Rebecca Quad project is a piece of the college’s ongoing, long-term capital and grounds plan, which began with the renovation and expansion of Nininger Hall, a re-envisioning of the Kline Campus Center, and the creation of the John Kenny Forrer Learning Commons. Plans are also underway for a full renovation of Bowman Hall and the renovation and expansion of the Old Alumni Gym.
“It is through the many generous donors who believe strongly in the mission and future of the college that we are able to move forward in making our plans a reality,” said vice president for Institutional Advancement Maureen Silva. “BC is fortunate to have experienced several recent record-breaking fundraising years. That is a testament to the way we educate our students, the ways they thrive following graduation, and the deep sense of connection they demonstrate in strengthening the college for current and future generations of Eagles.”
UPCOMING EVENTS
4) Late fee deadline extended for National Youth Conference, shuttle registration now open
By Erika Clary
With National Youth Conference (NYC) only months away, the NYC Office announces that the deadline to register before paying the $50 late fee will now be April 15 rather than April 1.
Haven’t registered yet? Do so today at www.brethren.org/nyc. National Youth Conference 2022 will take place July 23-28 on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. The theme is “Foundational,” based around scripture from Colossians 2:5-7. NYC registration costs $550, which includes all lodging, meals, and programing for the event.
Registration for the NYC shuttle service is now open. This shuttle is the quickest, easiest, and most inexpensive way to travel between the Denver Airport and Colorado State University. The shuttle is only available to registered NYC participants. The shuttle costs $30 per person one way or $50 per person roundtrip. Shuttles can be booked at www.nyc2022shuttle.org. The deadline to register for the shuttle is July 1. After this date, there will be a $10 per person fee. Questions? Contact NYC shuttle coordinator Brian Yoder, nationalyouthconference2022@gmail.com or 623-640-1782.
For more information about NYC including speaker biographies, schedules, and frequently asked questions, please visit www.brethren.org/nyc.
— Erika Clary is the coordinator for NYC 2022, serving through Brethren Volunteer Service.
5) Ecumenical Advocacy Days calls for ‘fierce urgency’ on civil and human rights
By Galen Fitzkee
Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) is an annual gathering of conscientious Christians uniting to speak for global peace and justice. As people of faith, EAD attendees understand every person to be created in God’s image, deserving of life, safety, dignity, and a voice loud enough to be heard and heeded.
This year, EAD’s theme “Fierce Urgency: Advancing Civil and Human Rights” (https://advocacydays.org) promises to call attendees into solidarity with marginalized groups to restore, protect, and expand voting rights in the US and to realize human rights around the world. The Church of the Brethren has recorded a desire to eliminate racial disparities, such as access to voting rights, from as early as 1963 (www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1963-racial-brokenness) and has consistently expressed support for the security of internationally recognized human rights. Now is the time to take action!
This year’s virtual conference will take place online on April 25-27 and will feature worship, prayer, inspiring keynote speakers, expert panel discussions, educational workshops, and the opportunity for attendees to speak truth to power on Capitol Hill. In past years, Brethren have attended EAD to lift their collective voice about topics like climate change, mass incarceration, refugees and immigrants, and more.
Former Brethren Volunteer Service worker Tori Bateman recalls, “EAD was a great chance for me to connect with the people of faith that are doing amazing work on today’s social justice issues, and helped me build skills in policy advocacy that I still use to this day.”
Register to take advantage of this unique and important opportunity at www.accelevents.com/e/eadvirtual2022! As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said in his 1967 Riverside Church Speech, “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late.”
–– Galen Fitzkee is a Brethren Volunteer Service worker serving at the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy in Washington, D.C.
6) Next in ‘Nurturing Ministry Skills’ series to address ‘Leadership in Times of Crisis’
The Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center (SVMC) is offering the second event in a series on “Nurturing Ministry Skills,” a virtual educational opportunity to nurture ministry skills for clergy and lay leaders of congregations.
The online event on May 3 at 7-8:30 p.m. (Eastern time) will be on the topic, “Leadership in Times of Crisis” led by Paul Mundey, immediate past Annual Conference moderator, former senior pastor at Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren, and a former member of the denominational staff where he was director of evangelism and congregational growth and staff for Korean ministry.
“How do you navigate a ‘blizzard,’ e.g., an overwhelming rush and deluge of challenge?” said a description of the event. “Whether you reference the ongoing (albeit waning) pandemic, the tragedy in Ukraine, the deepening of polarization, and division–this is a demanding, draining season for leaders. In our session, we will focus on a way forward, exploring best practices of crisis leadership. We will accent hope, and the reality: we can do all things in Christ, who strengthens us.”
Registration is free but required. For a $10 fee, ministers may earn 0.15 continuing education units. Registrants may make an optional donation to SVMC. Please note there is a non-refundable “event platform fee” for credit card payments.
Register at https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ej3epothb23185e9&oseq=&c=&ch=.
SVMC is a Church of the Brethren ministry education partner with Bethany Theological Seminary, the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, and the church districts of Atlantic Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Middle Pennsylvania, Southern Pennsylvania, and Western Pennsylvania.
JESUS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: STORIES FROM CONGREGATIONS
7) New church building to be dedicated in Los Banos, Calif.
Pacific Southwest District of the Church of the Brethren announced an open house and dedication of a new church in Los Banos, Calif. The church is located at 285 Mercey Springs Blvd., Suites B & C, in Los Banos.
“You are invited to come and see the new church building that is home to Centro Ágape en Accíon Church of the Brethren in Los Banos,” said the announcement. “Please hold this new church in your prayers as they continue to put God’s love in action, now from their new base of ministry.”
The open house is scheduled for Saturday, April 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. (Pacific time). At 2 p.m. there will be a time of singing, prayer, and some sharing about the building project. Refreshments will be served.
The building dedication will take place on Sunday, April 10, during the morning worship service that begins at 9 a.m. (Pacific time). The leadership of the congregation and district leadership will share in dedicating the building to the work of Jesus and sharing the gospel. A simple meal will follow.
The service will be shared on the Centro Ágape en Accíon Facebook page.
Those planning to attend are requested to complete an online response card at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMknzCdKyjzqZ75ttpg8ywrx_U93_3hb5NNci4R8sCSiQ7HA/viewform.
FEATURE
8) Give the fig tree one more season: A song for the start of April, Earth Month and National Poetry Month
By Frank Ramirez
I write lyrics for certain scriptures when I can’t find one that suits. Most of them are one-offs, but I’ve had people ask me if they can share this one with others, and of course the answer is yes. It’s set to the tune of the hymn “Will You Let Me Be Your Servant?” It goes with Luke 13:1-9, about the Galileans, the Tower of Siloam, and the parable of the fig tree and the gardener.
Give the Fig Tree One More Season
(Text copyright Frank Ramirez. Sing to the tune of “The Servant Song,” number 307 in Hymnal: A Worship Book)
Give that fig tree one more season. I’ll prune branches, work the soil.
Let me fling manure around it. This old tree is wo—rth the toil.
Lord, you walked about the vineyard, came upon this aging tree,
Found the branches bare and barren, where the fruit should ri—ghtly be.
Give me one more year, my master, I will tend with love and care,
I’ll awaken from these branches figs so all may fre—ly share.
None of us will be forsaken by our Savior, by the Lord,
As this parable reminds us taken from God’s ho—ly word.
When we’re weary and forsaken, when our lives are fruitless too,
Jesus will our hearts awaken and restore us throu—gh and through.
— Frank Ramirez is pastor of Union Center Church of the Brethren in Nappanee, Ind., and a prolific writer for Brethren Press, Messenger, Newsline, and a wide variety of other publications.
9) Brethren bits
— The Brethren and Mennonite Heritage Center in Harrisonburg, Va., invites applications for the position of director of Advancement. This is a new role at the center that will focus on fundraising and marketing. It will be a half-time to full-time salaried position depending on the candidate’s interest. A position description and application information can be found at https://brethrenmennoniteheritage.org/employment.
— The World Council of Churches (WCC) is accepting applications for staff leadership positions from people who want to continue and build on the momentum of the global fellowship in its ongoing work for unity, justice, and peace. The four open staff leadership positions include program director for Unity and Mission, program director for Public Witness and Diakonia, director of the Commission on Faith and Order, and director of the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism. The new positions will take up the momentum built at the upcoming WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, this fall. The deadline for all applicants is April 30.
About the positions:
The program director for Unity and Mission, based in Geneva, Switzerland, will be responsible for coordinating all related activities, will lead the implementation of programmatic work in collaborative ways with churches and partners, and will lead, coach, and develop a team of more than 20 staff members, among other responsibilities. Programmatic areas: Unity and Mission work including the Commission on Faith and Order, the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism, Mission from the Margins, the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network, the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, Youth Engagement in the Ecumenical Movement, Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation, and Spiritual Life. For a complete announcement go to https://wcccoe.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0snqy.
The program director for Public Witness and Diakonia, based in Geneva, Switzerland, will be responsible for coordinating all related activities, will lead the implementation of programmatic work in collaborative ways with churches and partners, and will lead, coach, and develop a team of more than 30 staff members, among other responsibilities. Programmatic areas: Public Witness and Diakonia work including Public Witness (Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, Peace Building, the Jerusalem Liaison Office, the Ecumenical Office to the United Nations), Economic and Ecological Justice (Economy of Life, Ecumenical Water Network, and the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance), and Human Dignity (Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy, Health and Healing, Diakonia and Ecumenical Solidarity), as well as Just Community of Women and Men, Overcoming Racism and Human Sexuality. Find the complete announcement at https://wcccoe.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0sci4.
The director of Faith and Order, based in Geneva, Switzerland, will be responsible for coordinating all related activities, will coordinate and actively participate in a wide range of studies approved by the Faith and Order Commission, and address theological, social, and historical factors related to the unity of the churches. Objectives include to lead, inspire, and direct the work of Faith and Order, sustaining and developing close relationships with the Faith and Order Commission and its leadership, ensuring its involvement in the production and promotion of studies on contemporary global Christianity and in the framework of The Church: Towards a Common Vision. Find the complete announcement at https://wcccoe.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0scoh.
The director of the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism, based in Geneva, Switzerland, will be responsible for coordinating all related activities, will help churches and missionary bodies or movements to dialogue on each other’s understanding and practices of mission and evangelism with a view to enhance common witness and mission in unity, will develop a network of relationships with persons and bodies responsible for and/or involved in mission and evangelism, will inspire and promote theological reflection on the ecumenical understanding and practices of mission and evangelism through production of material, in particular the regular editorship and publication of the International Review of Mission. Objectives include to lead, inspire, and direct the work of Mission and Evangelism, sustaining and developing close relationship with CWME and promoting programmatic work conducted within the framework of the WCC towards the visible unity of church. Find the complete announcement at https://wcccoe.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0s4iv.
— “Please consider joining us for our spring student and alumni trip to Toledo, Ohio. The Peace Studies Institute and the Environmental Studies program are coming together for this trip to learn about ecological and environmental justice,” said an announcement from Manchester University, a church-related school in North Manchester, Ind. The trip departs late afternoon on Friday, April 29, and returns early Sunday afternoon, May 1. Registration covers the program, lodging, and Saturday lunch. Transportation is available, but participants are encouraged to drive themselves for maximum social distancing and to ensure there is space for everyone. The trip costs are as follows: student $15, non-student programing and meals with no overnight $75, non-student private room with no roommate $200, non-student seeking roommate $100, non-student registering with roommate $75. Register at https://secure.touchnet.net/C23277_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=92&SINGLESTORE=true.
–– “To the extent that you’re able, I encourage each of you to pay attention to what’s going on in the world around you, and to be involved in the political process in some capacity.” The spring season opener of the Dunker Punks Podcast features Galen Fitzkee, a Brethren Volunteer Service worker serving at the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy. He joins other speakers in a discussion of “our call as Anabaptist Christians to be active peacebuilders in the face of war and conflict and its devastating aftermath,” said an announcement. Listen at https://arlingtoncob.org/126-count-well-the-cost.
— “This is a nice story about two young BVSers from Germany who have known each other since 6 & 7 years old,” writes Ed Groff, producer of the community television production Brethren Voices. The April episode titled “Two Best Friends, Filling the ‘Gap’ with Brethren Volunteer Service” tells the story of Florian Wesseler and Johannes Stitz. The two young men are serving in Brethren Volunteer Service at SnowCap Community Charities in Gresham, Ore., helping those who are in need of emergency food assistance. However, “it all started in Gutersloh, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, when I was 6 years old,” said Florian Wesseler in a release. His family moved from Bielefeld to Gutersloh in 2003 and at the age of 6 and 7, respectively, Wesseler and Stitz met on the soccer field and became teammates, leading them to becoming “really good friends…. We did confirmation together at our home church. After that we volunteered together as staff members for a Confirmation Camp in Berlin, for the youth of the community. We served as counselors for the young confirmands, providing lessons and recreation,” said Wesseler. “It’s quite common in Germany to do a ‘gap year’ following high school graduation and the beginning of college. This was first discussed in the 10th grade of my English class. It allows students to gain experiences before entering college.” Added Stitz, “Both of us didn’t want to start college right after high school, as we were uncertain about what to do after graduation.” The two applied to German organizations that work with volunteers and were referred to Brethren Volunteer Service. This eventually led them to SnowCap, which received high recommendations from previous volunteers. “This isn’t work–it’s what happens when two best friends work together for others,” said the release from producer Ed Groff. This episode will be available soon alongside previous episodes of Brethren Voices on YouTube at www.youtube.com/brethrenvoices.
Newsline is the email news service of the Church of the Brethren. Inclusion in Newsline does not necessarily convey endorsement by the Church of the Brethren. All submissions are subject to editing. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Contributors to this issue include Logan Bogert, Erika Clary, James Deaton, Galen Fitzkee, Sam Funkhouser, Rhonda Pittman Gingrich, Ed Groff, Karen Hodges, Abbie Parkhurst, Frank Ramirez, Howard Royer, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. Please send news tips and submissions to cobnews@brethren.org . Find the Newsline archive at www.brethren.org/news . Sign up for Newsline and other Church of the Brethren email newsletters and make subscription changes at www.brethren.org/intouch . Unsubscribe by using the link at the top of any Newsline email.
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