— The Church of the Brethren seeks an administrative assistant for Discipleship and Leadership Formation, a fulltime salaried position located at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. The major responsibility is to enhance and support the ministries of Discipleship and Leadership Formation through administration of a variety of tasks and projects. Skills and knowledge required include bilingual ability in English and Spanish, preferred; strong communication skills in English, both verbal and written; skill in Windows-based computer systems and applications, particularly Outlook, Word, Access, Excel, Explorer, and Publisher, with the capability and willingness to learn new software; ability to problem solve; good judgment in prioritizing tasks; ability to work independently; knowledge of financial processes; ability to handle sensitive information and maintain confidentiality; ability to communicate effectively with multiple agencies and constituencies and deal gracefully with the public; ability to work with minimum supervision, be a self-starter, readily adapt to change, work well in a multi-dimensional program; excellent organizational skills, ability to work with details, complex assignments, and simultaneous tasks; ability to work with established style guides and have an eye for print and image design; appreciation for the role of congregations and their leaders in the life of the church, perspective on the church’s role in mission, and an awareness of the Church of the Brethren’s values; sensitivity to other cultures and an understanding of organizational development and capacity building; ability to work as part of a diverse team. Required experience includes three to five years of administrative assistant experience with a preference for experience in a not-for-profit environment. Required education includes a bachelor’s degree or other education relevant to the position. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Apply by sending a cover letter with a resume to COBApply@brethren.org. The Church of the Brethren is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The lectionary texts through Easter 2026 have been posted on the Church of the Brethren website. This free worship resource is provided by Brethren Press and accompanies the bulletin cover themes, scripture texts, and devotions. It is based on the Revised Common Lectionary: all of Year C, then Year A through Easter. The sequence of readings is Old Testament, Psalms, New Testament Epistles, and Gospels. Go to www.brethren.org/lectionary
— The Mid-Atlantic District Disaster Response Auction is this Saturday, May 3, at the Carroll County Ag Center in Westminster, Md. “Come for breakfast at 7am and stay for all the auctions and good food,” said an invitation from the district. “Proceeds go to Brethren Disaster Ministries.” In 2024, following the auction on May 4 that year, $72,000 was given to the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF), which funds the work of Brethren Disaster Ministries, to help victims recover from many disasters all around the world. Find the auction schedule and booklet at www.madcob.com/disaster-response-auction
— Northern Plains District has announced a Salem Church Historical Marker Dedication to take place on May 31 at 1 p.m. The district’s Stewards Commission “invites you to join us for the dedication of our recently installed Salem Church of the Brethren historical marker at the site of the former church building,” said the district newsletter. “With input from our District Executive, Tim Button-Harrison, and our 2025 District Moderator, Gordon Hoffert, the Stewards will provide an opportunity to hear some of the history of the Salem Church, create a space to share memories and connections to the church, and will enable all of those gathered to participate in the dedication of the marker. We will gather at the marker in front of the Salem Cemetery located on Redwood Avenue between 240th Street and 250th Street near Lenox, IA … Following the dedication, you are invited to join the Stewards for a late lunch at El Guero Mexican Restaurant and Cantina located at 111 N. Main Street, Lenox, IA. We hope to see you there!”
— Bridgewater (Va.) College has announced this year’s Commencement and Baccalaureate speakers: Bethany Seminary president Jeffrey W. Carter ’92, and Church of the Brethren pastor and former Mission and Ministry Board chair Carl Fike ’78, Church of the Brethren pastor, respectively. Some 323 undergraduate students and 31 master’s students are expected to receive degrees at the Commencement on Saturday, May 3, at 10 a.m. on the Campus Mall. The Baccalaureate service will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 2, in Cole Hall.
— McPherson (Kan.) College has announced its Citation of Merit award recipients for 2025: Richard Brindle ’72, Paul ’89 and Marla ’87 Ullom-Minnich, and the Appel family, including Colleen Appel ’74, Gayle Appel Doll ’76 and Rick Doll ’76, Mark Appel ’78 and Kathy Burkholder ’82 (posthumously), Bruce Appel ’83 and Joelle Neher Appel ’84, and Lori Appel-Flores ’85. Find the full release with detailed information about each honoree at www.mcpherson.edu/2025/04/mcpherson-college-honors-alumni-5
The college release noted the extensive Church of the Brethren involvement of honorees Paul and Marla Ullom-Minnich. The couple are physicians and members of McPherson Church of the Brethren. For more than 30 years, they have been serving the rural health needs of McPherson County in a practice they founded with two other physicians, called Partners in Family Care. The practice also offers college students, faculty, and staff convenient on-campus access to health care. Their additional involvements include Paul’s service as the medical director for the McPherson County Health Department, as a Network Site Coordinator for the Office of Rural Medicine, as a preceptor for medical students and residents for the Kansas University School of Medicine, as one of the founders of the Haiti Medical Project and as chair of the project working group, as a board member for the former Association of Brethren Caregivers, as a member of the Church of the Brethren Mission Advisory Board; and Marla’s service as a clinic assistant professor volunteer in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, as co-director of the South-Central Kansas Medical Education Network at the Kansas University School of Medicine in Wichita, as a member and chair of the Outdoor Ministries Team for the church’s Western Plains District. Paul also served on the college’s Board of Trustees for 20 years, and both were recognized with the Young Alumni Award in 2002.
#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving
———-
Find more Church of the Brethren news:
- Church of the Brethren Inter-Agency Forum sends letter regarding multicultural commitments and welcome at Annual Conference
- Intercultural Ministries seeks volunteer ‘frontliners’ (in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole)
- Church of the Brethren staff and leaders meet in Uganda to plan for increased humanitarian needs in South Sudan
- Grants support increased humanitarian needs in South Sudan, among other responses to violence and war
- Messenger magazine receives three awards from the Associated Church Press