Brethren bits

— Remembrance: Wilbur McFadden, 92, a former mission doctor with the Church of the Brethren, died unexpectedly on May 22 at Parkview Wabash (Ind.) Hospital. He was living at Timbercrest retirement community in North Manchester, Ind. He was born June 7, 1931, in Dalton, Ohio. He met Joyce Arlene Snyder while they were students at Manchester College where, together, they dreamed of and planned for service in the mission field. After graduating from Manchester in 1953, he completed his medical degree at the University of Illinois in 1957, an internship at Hurley Hospital in Flint, Mich., and a residency in general surgery at Mount Carmel Mercy Hospital in Detroit, all with support of the Church of the Brethren. The couple immediately moved to Castañer, P.R., for an interim assignment with the Church of the Brethren before securing their visas to travel to Ambon, Indonesia, and then to Tohomon. While in Tomohon, he served as chief of staff for a small hospital and as the only surgeon for approximately 200,000 people. In total, the couple served nearly seven years in Puerto Rico and Indonesia. In 1969, they returned to North Manchester and he served as a general practitioner with two college classmates at the Manchester Clinic. Over the next 30 years, he provided compassionate medical care for multiple generations of Wabash County residents. He also served on the medical staff of Wabash Hospital, including as chief of staff, and founded the Wabash Addiction Care Center. He was pleased to be known as a family doctor, often making house calls late at night and on weekends. Together with his wife, he was active in addiction recovery programs and supportive of her work in that field. He was active in the life of Manchester Church of the Brethren, serving in a multitude of roles, including as a board member and Sunday school teacher. He was a supporter of the programs at Manchester University and the on-campus Wilbur’s cafe was named for him in 2013. During the pandemic, he wrote and distributed a regular update on all things COVID-19 to the Timbercrest community and served as a passionate advocate for vaccination. His wife, Joyce, passed away in 2011 after nearly six decades of marriage. He also was preceded in death by his brother Robert and daughter-in-law Renée. He is survived by children Dan (Wendy), Dave, Tim (Rosanna), and Joy, and grandchildren and great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 22, at Manchester Church of the Brethren in North Manchester, Ind., at 1 p.m., with visitation to follow. From 9 to 10 a.m., there will be visitation at Timbercrest. Memorial gifts are received to the McFadden Family Scholarship Fund at Manchester University. Find a full obituary at www.mckeemortuary.com/obituaries/Wilbur-McFadden#obituary.

— Eder Financial seeks applications for a position managing content marketing efforts. Eder Financial provides retirement, insurance, and organizational investing to over 5,000 individuals and client organizations nationwide. It is an agency organization of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. Manager-level positions require individuals who can appropriately solve the spoken and unspoken needs of external and internal customers. Most work is done remotely from home, requiring candidates who work well independently. A fair compensation structure with a strong benefits package is offered. This is a full-time, exempt position working for a nonprofit, faith-based organization that aligns with peace church traditions. Our employees practice their faith in a diverse array of worldviews and denominations. Requirements include enjoying working in a team environment; holding at least an undergraduate degree preferably in marketing, journalism, writing, or a relevant field; with working knowledge of marketing software such as SEMRush, ZoomInfo, Google Analytics, design software such as InDesign, Canva, programing skills, and social medial platforms a plus. Responsibilities include coordinating marketing projects including digital and traditional marketing collateral, social media content, blogs, website content, business development enablement materials, and lead generation content. The ideal candidate is a creative marketing professional, preferably with a writing and design background. The candidate should be able to develop engaging content to attract and retain customers. For this position, it is also essential to be up to date with new technologies and marketing trends. The ultimate candidate should be able to expand the organization’s digital footprint and brand awareness, creating content for each stage of the buyer’s journey to attract and retain clients. The position is expected to have up to 10 percent travel and may require attendance at an annual conference each year in July. Other conference opportunities and networking or educational travel may also be available. Organizationally, the Eder staff meet in person a few times a year. To learn more about the organization go to www.ederfinancial.org. To apply, email a cover letter, resume, and three references to Tammy Chudy at tchudy@eder.org.

— The Church of the Brethren’s Southern Pennsylvania District seeks a district executive minister for a part-time position equal to approximately 25-30 hours per week. The district board envisions a District Executive Team that includes the district executive minister as well as a district minister of Pastoral Care and a district minister of Nurture and Outreach. The need for these two additional roles will be determined approximately 6-8 months after the part-time district executive minister has begun his or her role. The district includes 27 congregations, with the district office in Gardners, Pa. The district executive minister may work remotely or on location at the office. Travel is required both within and outside of the district. Compensation will be negotiated with reference to the denominationally recommended salary and benefits for district executive ministers. Responsibilities are outlined in the position description available upon request. Required qualifications and experience include ordination through an accredited program; a minimum of Brethren Academy ACTS-level training; personal skills in organization, administration, and communication; commitment to the Church of the Brethren locally and denominationally; willingness to work ecumenically; demonstrated leadership skills; pastoral experience. Apply by sending a letter of interest and resume to Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, director of the Church of the Brethren’s Ministry Office, via email at officeofministry@brethren.org. Applicants are requested to contact three people to provide a letter of reference. Upon receipt of a resume, the candidate will be sent a Candidate Profile that must be completed and returned before the application is considered complete. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Listen in on the Messenger website:

Messenger Radio: “Voices of the Death Row Support Project” (DRSP) offers a series of five podcasts celebrating 45 years of the DRSP. As founder Rachel Gross retires, faithful penpals share stories of their relationships with people sentenced to death. Those interviewed include Kurt Borgmann, Paige Butzlaff, Jess Hoffert, Paul Stutzman, and David Waas, who share about their experiences writing to people on death row. Find the series at www.brethren.org/messenger/uncategorized/messenger-radio.

Playlist: “Welcome and Worthy” was curated by Madalyn Metzger, 2024 Annual Conference moderator, for the Conference theme “Welcome and Worthy.” The songs reflect four emphases: known and loved by God, belonging to one another, extending mutual care, and nurturing dignity and wholeness. Use Spotify (requires a free account) or access the playlist on YouTube. Go to www.brethren.org/messenger/playlists/playlist-welcome-and-worthy.

Playlist: “Pacifism on Repeat” is a “Church of the Brethren anti-war playlist” curated by Cornelius Raff, a Brethren Volunteer Service volunteer working at the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy. “As we find ourselves in the midst of conflict and war, in a world of escalating violence and civilian despair in many parts of the world, including the home countries of many of our international congregations, finding resilience and tranquility sometimes seems impossible,” he writes in an introduction to the playlist. “With a long tradition of embracing and living peace in the teachings of Jesus, we tirelessly oppose all aspects of war through our personal lives and in our communities, and our advocacy as denomination. Since the beginning of time, people have written music and sung songs to deal with trauma and to send political messages through the spirit of their compositions and music.” The playlist includes several songs sung and/or written by Church of the Brethren members. A thank you to Jacob Crouse who helped adding songs by Brethren artists. Go to www.brethren.org/messenger/playlists/playlist-pacifism.

— The Center on Conscience & War seeks an executive director to steward the 84-year old organization into its next phase, while continuing to honor its rich history and critical mission. Founded in 1940, CCW is a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights of conscience, opposes military conscription, and serves all conscientious objectors to war. CCW is the only national organization whose mission is to extend and defend the rights of conscientious objectors to war. For detailed information about responsibilities and qualifications and how to apply, see https://centeronconscience.org/ccw-seeks-next-executive-director. Location is hybrid, preferably within reasonable commuting distance of Washington, D.C. Exceptional candidates living outside of the DC area will be considered. “CCW is seeking the right person to lead this very special and unique organization,” said the announcement. “Even if you do not meet all of the qualifications listed in the job description, if your heart is moved by our mission, we encourage you to apply.” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, as received. Expected start date is July 1, 2024.

— A special briefing webinar on Israel, Palestine, and Jordan will feature Nathan Hosler, director of the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy. The event is sponsored by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP). The event titled “Special Briefing: Reflections from May 2024 Travel in Palestine, Israel, and Jordan,” is planned for July 1. Said an invitation: “Join Churches for Middle East Peace staff and board members for a special briefing on their May 2024 travels across Palestine, Israel, and Jordan, including the 2024 Christ at the Checkpoint (CATC) conference in Bethlehem. Our panelists will share their major takeaways from their travels and time in the Middle East, update constituents about how CMEP is continuing to show solidarity with our Palestinian Christian siblings, and reflect on the vital role the church must play in calling for peace in the Holy Land.” Register at https://cmep.org/event/cmep-special-briefing.

— Brethren Disaster Ministries director Jenn Dorsch-Messler was one of the alumni honored by Juniata College in Hungtingdon, Pa., at a recent alumni weekend. She received the William E. Swigart ’37 Alumni Humanitarian Award.

— Camp Emmaus earlier this year dedicated a new “council rings” of large cut stones. The dedication event gathered camp supporters at the ring of stones, which may substitute for benches around a central fire ring. The dedication event took place April 13.

— Zakaria Bulus of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), and a graduate of Manchester University and Ohio University who is currently at the University of Michigan, was among several Nigerians presenting earlier this year at the Notre Dame Student Peace Conference sponsored by the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. Bulus is researching “Emerging Technologies, Legislation, & Framework” in collaboration with the US Department of State and the Gerald Ford School Diplomacy Lab. The theme for this year’s Notre Dame Student Peace Conference was “Peace by Piece.” The conference took place in mid-April. Bulus spoke on “Navigating Humanitarian Assistance in Nigeria: The Dynamics Involving Local and International Stakeholders.” At least three other Nigerian students presented including Nubwa Chama Josiah, a master’s degree student at Ohio University, who presented on “Elevating the Voices of Women and Girls in NE Nigeria”; Mark J. Shimave, a doctoral student from Boston College working “in theological ethics with primary interest in the virtue of hope and theology of reconciliation,” who presented on “Between Despair and Hope in Peacebuilding Today: Augustine on Political Hope”; and Tarhyel Awobajo, a masters student from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, who presented on the “10th Anniversary of the Kidnapping of Schoolgirls from Chibok.” Other student attendees at the conference also presented their research on strategies to build peace from around the world via Zoom and in-person. Among the conference attendees were Church of the Brethren members Pat Krabacher and Norm Waggy, who have worked for the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. Krabacher reported on the event to Newsline, writing that “peacemakers must have a strategy to build incremental peace one step at a time” in this complicated and broken world, where conflicts rage in about 26 nations from Cameroon, Israel, Lebanon, to Ukraine.