— Remembrance: James Earl Jones, 93, who died Sept. 9, had a little known relationship to the Church of the Brethren as a youth growing up in the area of Brethren, Mich. Described in a Washington Post obituary as “a nonpareil American actor of stage and screen” and “a towering figure who shook solar systems” he was lauded for his deep, sonorous voice and is perhaps best known for his vocal performances as Mufasa in The Lion King and as Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies. He was a commanding actor and won many honors throughout his life on the stage and screen including three Tony Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, an Honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2011, and a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017. He also was the narrator and “tour guide” for Compton’s Multimedia Bible on CD, published in 1995. “If you’re not already born again going in, Jones’ powerful reading of the 10 Commandments just might serve the ticket,” said a review in the Chicago Tribune. However, as a young boy Jones suffered from a severe stutter. In high school his teacher, a Church of the Brethren member named Donald Crouch, helped him overcome the stutter. During interviews over the years, Jones consistently gave credit to Crouch for “giving me my voice.” He said in an interview published by Time in June 2005, “Professor Crouch discovered I was writing poetry on the sly. One day he read one of my poems and said, ‘Jim, this poem is too good for you to have written so to prove you wrote it, get up in front of the class and say it by heart, out loud.’ And I did. I wanted to prove that I wasn’t a plagiarist! … I don’t know whether Professor Crouch did it as a trick, but he got me to talk. He had a conviction that if you like words, you should be able to say them out loud. Reading my poems out loud helped me to speak and to deal with my stutter.” For more about Jones’ extraordinary life, his autobiography written with Penelope Niven is titled Voices and Silences, first published in 1993 by MacMillan, with subsequent editions available.
— Prayer for flooding in Nigeria is requested by Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and by Brethren Disaster Ministries.
Brethren Disaster Ministries posted on Facebook a prayer concern “for the people of Northeastern Nigeria who have been impacted by heavy rains and flooding, and in particular for those affected by massive flash flooding in Maiduguri (Borno State) due to the collapse of the Alau dam. The Church of the Brethren is in touch with EYN leaders and is waiting for further information on the situation. Please keep the survivors, those who have lost family members, EYN leadership, and local leadership in your prayers as they assess the situation and determine the best way to provide relief services.”
EYN president Daniel Y. C. Mbaya issued a call to prayer and urgent action, writing “with a heavy heart, as our nation faces yet another devastating disaster. The recent flooding in Chibok, Madagali, Michika, and now Maiduguri has left a trail of destruction, displacing countless individuals and causing untold suffering. The EYN Leadership sympathizes deeply with the affected communities, our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods. We stand with you during this difficult time. We call on all EYN members and the entire nation to join us in fervent prayer for:
–Comfort and strength for the bereaved and displaced.
–Quick relief and support for those affected.
–Wisdom and prompt action from our government to address this crisis.
–Protection and preservation of lives and property.
–Furthermore, we urge the government to take immediate action to:
–Provide emergency assistance and relief materials to affected areas.
–Implement measures to prevent further flooding and mitigate its effects.
–Support rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts.
To our dear brothers and sisters in the affected areas, please prioritize your safety and evacuate to higher ground if you are at risk of flooding. Let us take all necessary precautions to save lives. May God Almighty grant us comfort, wisdom, and strength during this challenging time. Let us pray without ceasing.”
Find the EYN call for prayer at https://eynnews247.wordpress.com/2024/09/10/call-for-prayers-and-urgent-action.
Find the Brethren Disaster Ministries Facebook post at www.facebook.com/bdm.cob.
— Material Resources has prepared a two-container shipment of quilts to be sent to the Republic of Georgia on behalf of Lutheran World Relief. The shipment included 750 bales of quilts. Material Resources based at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., warehouses and ships relief materials on behalf of a number of partner organizations. Photo courtesy of Glenna Thompson
— There are new additions to the YouTube channel of historical Church of the Brethren videos, created by videographer David Sollenberger working with the Brethren Historical Library and Archives and Church of the Brethren website producer Jan Fischer Bachman. The additions include three classic videos by Paul Grout. Sollenberger reports: “His seven-minute ‘race through the Bible’ using several hundred of his painted images, called ‘For Such a Time as This,’ which was shown at the 2002 National Youth Conference; and the Stations of the Resurrection project, also featuring his art work.” Also included are the Hymnal Jubilee celebration at the 1992 Annual Conference in which Nancy Faus unveiled the new hymnal through group singing and musical presentations, and the first five Annual Conference Wrap-Up videos beginning in 1989. A listing of offerings on this channel is at www.brethren.org/bhla/video.
— Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren took part in the launch celebration of a new nonprofit called “We Make Indiana,” which will serve St. Joseph County. “More than 30 congregations and organizations across the region gathered Sunday to celebrate the launch,” said an article from WSBT Channel 22 in South Bend. The new organization builds on the work of the St. Joe County chapter of Faith in Indiana, said the report, and is a multi-racial and multi-faith network aimed at working with public officials to affect public policies. Prince of Peace pastor Ken Miller Rieman was quoted as saying, in part, that the goal is building relationships between people of faith and public officials “so when we recognize shared concerns, we find the ways we can leverage our concern and our energy so we are productive.” For the full report go to https://wsbt.com/news/local/non-profit-organization-we-make-indiana-hosts-launch-celebration.
— Gettysburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren hosted a presentation by leaders of the Fruitbelt Farmworkers Christian Ministry (FFCM), executive director Christian Aguilar and his wife, Ximena Suarez, when they spoke at the Adams County Church Women United’s monthly luncheon last week. The couple “spoke about the Fruitbelt Farmworkers ministry’s work to bridge cultural divides and provide support to over 2,500 migrant workers in Adams, Cumberland and Franklin counties,” said a report in the Gettysburg Times. “Migrant workers face many challenges, including isolation, mental health issues and language barriers, according to the speakers, who noted the camps they visit range from mobile homes, dormitories, houses and wilderness camps, ranging from six to 200 migrant workers. FFCM now has over 35 churches participating in its mission, according to Aguilar.” Read the full article at www.gettysburgtimes.com/news/local/article_63f4c2de-6af0-11ef-a29d-af46c0381f41.html.
— The University of La Verne, a church-related school in southern California, is hosting several events under the title “Connecting Hispanic Communities to Higher Education Opportunities.” Said a release: “As we approach National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week (Sept. 9-15) and Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct.15), the University of La Verne, a federally recognized Hispanic- and Minority-Serving Institution, is preparing to host the following free community events.” Among the events is the Sept. 14 NCRF Latino College Expo which will bring the largest Latino College Expo and Education Fair in the region to the ULV campus, with more than 3,000 people expected to attend. “This 11th annual National College Resources Foundation (NCRF) event is an opportunity for students of all ages, even current college enrollees, and families to explore higher education opportunities.” Registration link: www.eventbrite.com/e/11th-annual-latino-college-expo-free-tickets-924189665167. And on Sept. 20, the ULV Sara and Michael Abraham Campus Center will celebrate a milestone 15 years with a Quinceañera in the tradition of the common Mexican and Latin American cultural celebrations of a girl’s 15th birthday. The celebration will be from 5-8 p.m. RSVP link: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1636/lg21/form.aspx.
— The Death Row Support Project, which is a project connected with the Church of the Brethren Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, seeks writers to serve as pen pals for people on death row. Those who are interested in writing may attend an upcoming online information session to learn more:
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2-3 p.m. (Eastern time)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89832373518?pwd=Edvus8Mn7JfbsAXcGbNe4pIagHWYRW.1
Meeting ID: 898 3237 3518
Passcode: 251092
Thursday, Oct. 3, 8-9 p.m. (Eastern time)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86714973021
Meeting ID: 867 1497 3021
Saturday, Oct. 12, 2-3 p.m. (Eastern time)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81013038148
Meeting ID: 810 1303 8148
— The Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College is holding a symposium on the topic, “What Does It Mean to Be Church? Anabaptist and Pietist Perspectives” on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Members of various Brethren and Mennonite groups of plain or mainline identity will discuss their concepts of church. Co-leaders are Tony Walsh, director of the Centre for the Study of Irish Protestantism at Maynooth University, Ireland, and a past Young Center fellow; Sam Funkhouser, director of the Brethren and Mennonite Heritage Center in Harrisonburg, Va.; and Jeff Bach, emeritus director of the Young Center. The event is free and open to the public with no registration is required. Lunch will be provided. Church of the Brethren ministers who want continuing education credit for the fee of $10 may contact the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center. For more information, please contact Jeff Bach by email at bachja58@gmail.com.
— “7 Questions with…Pastor Frances Townsend” was published recently in the Manistee (Mich.) News Advocate offering a profile of Townsend’s life and work as pastor of two Church of the Brethren congregations in Michigan: Onekama and Marilla. “She is also a mainstay at local events with her tie-dye stand, Onekama Dye and Design,” wrote reporter Scott Fraley, who interviewed her at her stand at the Brethren Days festival on Aug. 31. “You can’t just be a pastor. You have to have a life. So this is part of what my life is,” Townsend said about her tie-dye business, as she answered questions including “How did you get started in tie-dyeing?” “How long have you been pastoring at the Church of the Brethren?” “What sold you on Onekama?” “How does your tie-dye work overlap with your church work?” and more. Townsend’s tie-dye helps the churches raise money to send children to the district camp. She also is involved in a project to fix old sewing machines, some of which go to Bethany Christian Services for their work with the refugee community. Read the full interview at www.manisteenews.com/news/article/pastor-frances-townsend-tie-dye-19747188.php.
#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving
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Find more Church of the Brethren news:
- The Church of the Brethren extends condolences on the death of Pope Francis
- Witness to the Host City will benefit BackPack Beginnings in Greensboro
- Annual Conference and virtual blood drives: Putting faith into action
- Annual Conference office encourages districts to hold delegate briefings
- Global Church of the Brethren Communion delegates and alternates meet online