— Remembrance: Estella Ruth Boggs Horning, 96, a former Church of the Brethren mission worker and Bethany Theological Seminary faculty, passed away on June 1 in Durango, Colo. Born in Havelock, Neb., on March 18, 1929, she moved to Iowa and then, after her father was killed when she was only four, she moved with her mother and her sister Barbara to Chicago, Ill., where they lived in Douglas Park and later in Oak Park. She met John Horning when they were both students at Manchester College, now Manchester University, in North Manchester, Ind. They both graduated in 1949, she with a degree in nursing. She worked as a night supervisor of nurses at Bethany Hospital in Chicago and at the same time studied part-time at Bethany Seminary, which at that time was just across the street from the hospital. Over the years she also earned an RN degree from Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital; a master of divinity from Bethany Seminary; and a doctorate in Religious and Theological Studies from Northwestern University and Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. The couple married in 1951. Five years and two children later they accepted the call of the Church of the Brethren to become missionaries to Ecuador. In Ecuador, from 1965 to 1971, besides caring for their family she worked as a school teacher, nurse, and teacher of Bible in the Church of the Brethren Indian School. When the family moved to Quito, she set up the library for the Center of Theological Studies, wrote courses, and became one of its principal teachers. She established and catalogued a library of 3,000 volumes, and also taught at extension centers in various parts of the country. After returning to the US in 1971, the church again sought them out, this time to go to Nigeria from 1973 to 1976. They were recruited to set up the rural health program, a portion of the program known as Lafiya. She also taught Bible knowledge in a government secondary school in Uba, as well as English, sewing, biology, and health science. Again back in the US, upon receiving her thesis, she began her professorship at Bethany Seminary in Oak Brook, Ill. She was a member of the faculty beginning as part-time adjunct in 1978, continuing through the time when the seminary moved to Richmond, Ind. She specialized in New Testament and Greek and also filled various roles such as supervising the doctor of ministry faculty, directing special studies, and advising international and multilingual students. At neighboring Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, she taught New Testament Greek and biblical Hebrew, in both English- and Spanish-speaking classrooms. At North Park College in Chicago, she taught college-level courses in religion for the Hispanic Program. Among her numerous publications, she wrote for Messenger and academic journals including Biblical Research and Brethren Life and Thought, authored Bible studies for Brethren Press, and presented papers at the Society of Biblical Literature. She was on the editorial council of the Believers Church Bible Commentary beginning in 1980 and wrote the volume on Hebrews with co-author Debra J. Bucher. Her volunteer leadership in the church included serving as moderator for Illinois and Wisconsin District, representing Bethany Seminary on the former Ministry Council, serving on the former Committee on Interchurch Relations of Annual Conference, serving on two Annual Conference study committees on deacons and on Christian lifestyle, and serving on the Index Committee when Hymnal: A Worship Book was being created. She participated in a World Council of Churches Conference on Baptism, Eucharist, and Ministry in 1986. She served on the Bethany Hospital Foundation and the board of the former Bethany Hospital in Chicago. She was active with the Brethren Health Foundation and with New Call to Peacemaking. In 1988, she was one of four candidates for moderator-elect of Annual Conference but was not elected to the position. She was an ordained minister and was active in York Center Church of the Brethren as well as Goshen (Ind.) City Church of the Brethren. Her family moved into the York Center Cooperative near the seminary in September 1978 and then she and her husband moved to Indiana in 2001. After her husband’s death in 2007, she moved back to Lombard. Most recently, she lived in Durango with her daughter Judith. She is survived by children Ann Blind of Carmel, Ind.; James of Goshen, Ind.; Judith (William Sailor) of Durango, Colo.; Kathleen (Finn Moe) of Skokie, Ill.; Carolyn (Mike Neher) of Lombard, Ill.; and grandchildren and great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Oct. 11 at 10:30 a.m. at York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, Ill. Memorial gifts are received to the York Center Church.
The family of Earle Fike Jr. is sharing more information about the livestream of the Celebration of Life service that took place at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren last Saturday. The link to view the service online is at www.youtube.com@bridgewaterchurchofthebret7630/streams . Also, the family has announced that memorial gifts are received to Bridgewater College, Bridgewater Church of the Brethren, Bridgewater Retirement Community, and Bethany Theological Seminary. Find the full remembrance at www.brethren.org/news/2025/brethren-bits-76
Rock Run Church of the Brethren in Goshen, Ind., is celebrating its 175th anniversary with a two-day event on Sept. 13-14. Events take place on that Saturday from 2:30-8 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Plans include a guided cemetery walk, dedication of a newly created garden, a large timeline illustration, many photos, a meal each day, and other activities. Everyone interested will be welcomed.
— The Church of the Brethren’s Atlantic Northeast District is seeking candidates to fill two new positions on the district staff: director of Discipleship Ministries and director of Finance
The director of Discipleship Ministries is a part-time position of 25 hours per week. The district is seeking a dedicated and experienced ministry leader to fill this vital role focused on strengthening pastors and church leaders by providing essential resources, training, and support to equip congregations for effective ministry in today’s ever-changing culture. The position will play the following crucial roles: Empowering Leaders: provide workshops, seminars, and training opportunities throughout the year; Building Community: create pastoral cohorts and networking opportunities for support and encouragement; Developing Churches: oversee church planting strategies and revitalization efforts through the Church Development Commission; Supporting Ministries: encourage the work of the Witness and Outreach Commission and Nurture Commission initiatives. Key responsibilities including leadership development and support through facilitating workshops and seminars on relevant ministry topics, collaborating with the District Executive to create pastoral cohorts, providing leadership resources and coaching opportunities, offering Leadership Team and Board retreats; church development through developing and promoting church planting philosophy and strategy, monitoring fiscal aspects of church planting and revitalization projects, identifying and evaluating potential church planters and new ministry opportunities; commission support through supporting Witness and Outreach Commission initiatives including disaster response and peace and justice efforts and mission support, supporting Nurture Commission programs including youth and children’s ministry and older adult programs. Essential qualifications include ordination in the Church of the Brethren with proven pastoral experience, strong theological foundations with deep understanding of Church of the Brethren theology and values, excellent leadership and facilitation skills with ability to engage diverse audiences, outstanding communication and interpersonal abilities, strong organizational and project management skills, passionate commitment to the Church of the Brethren mission and values. Remote work is available with at least one day per week in the district office. Regular travel throughout the district is required. Compensation includes salary and benefits according to Church of the Brethren guidelines. To apply send a cover letter with a resume to the Atlantic Northeast District office at pkontra@ane-cob.org
The director of Finance will fill a part-time position of 15 hours per week. This role offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to the financial stewardship and ministry operations of the district. Key responsibilities include financial planning and oversight through collaboration with the Treasurer and Stewardship Commission to develop the annual Ministry Investment Plan, tracking and analyzing district financial statistics, conducting annual district financial reviews and quarterly staff ledger reviews, overseeing annual review of special funds; investment and fund management through working with Eder Financial to oversee investments and investment fund policies, serving on multiple fund committees including Barnabas, Seeds of Faith, Facilities Assistance Fund, and Helping Hands Benevolence Fund; serving as staff liaison to the Germantown Trust Board and Bucher Meeting House Committee; strategic support through partnering with the Stewardship Commission on various initiatives, assisting the district executive with legal matters related to district and congregational properties; supporting leadership development with stewardship education programs. Meeting commitments include regular participation in Stewardship Commission meetings, Fund Committee meetings, the Germantown Trust Board, the District Board, District Conference, and others as needed. District staff members may represent the district at ministry functions and serve on various ministry- related subcommittees, providing opportunities for broader engagement and professional development. To apply send a cover letter with a resume to the Atlantic Northeast District office at pkontra@ane-cob.org
— “Are you ready to deepen your call to preach in a climate-changed world?” asks an invitation from Creation Justice Ministries for pastors to join the next EcoPreacher Cohort. The cohort is a year-long, online experience that supports, educates, and engages preachers in the integration of climate consciousness into their preaching. Creation Justice Ministries is partnering with the BTS Center and Lexington Theological Seminary to offer this 10-month cohort beginning in September. “As our climate-changed and changing world continues to demand courage, imagination, and resourcefulness, congregations and their leaders have a unique opportunity to offer prophetic voices of possibility. With their skills and community connections, preachers are in a special position to offer spiritual guidance in the quest for understanding, connection, and resilience in a world in need of environmental healing and wholeness.” The effort is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative. Applications are due Aug. 4 and are reviewed on a rolling basis. Places are limited, so apply soon. For more information and to apply go to www.creationjustice.org/ecopreacher.html
— Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) has issued a statement welcoming the Iran-Israel ceasefire and urging the US to prevent further escalation. The organization, of which the Church of the Brethren is a member denomination, also called for an immediate focus on ending the war in Gaza. The June 24 statement said, in part: “We commend efforts by regional and international actors who helped broker this cessation of hostilities and strongly encourage all parties, including the United States, to ensure the ceasefire holds. Any further provocations or violations risk reigniting a dangerous new round of violence that could engulf the region in wider war. The United States must now act as a responsible stakeholder and diplomatic leader by using its influence to reinforce the ceasefire and prevent either side from breaking it. This moment must not be wasted as it is a critical opportunity to step back from the brink of full-scale war and pursue long-term diplomatic solutions to the root causes of conflict in the region.” The statement noted CMEP’s gratitude for a ceasefire but said that the United States “should not have attacked Iranian nuclear facilities to start with. These actions were not only reckless and deeply destabilizing but also in violation of international law. This escalation nearly ignited a regional conflict with consequences that could have reverberated across the Middle East and the world for generations.” The statement went on to lift up Palestinians in Gaza who “have continued to be killed, often while seeking humanitarian aid at distribution centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Starvation, displacement, and mass civilian casualties persist. We urge the U.S. and the international community to immediately refocus their attention on ending the war on Gaza. The ceasefire between Iran and Israel must now be matched with a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.” Read the full statement at https://cmep.org/press-news/public-statements-letters/?_years=2025
— A “Statement on Palestine and Israel: A Call to End Apartheid, Occupation, and Impunity in Palestine and Israel” was among numerous statements and minutes issued by the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) during its recently concluded meeting in South Africa on June 18-24. Citing scripture texts from Amos 5:24, “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream,” and from James 3:18, “And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace,” the statement expressed “deep lamentation and outrage as the crisis in Palestine and Israel escalates to levels that flagrantly violate international humanitarian and human rights law as well as the most basic principles of morality.” The statement made a clear distinction “between the Jewish people, our siblings in faith, and the acts of the Government of Israel,” and reaffirmed that the WCC stands firm against any kind of racism including antisemitism, anti-Arab racism, and islamophobia. “However, the unbearable suffering inflicted on the people of Gaza, and the escalating violence and oppression in the West Bank and in Jerusalem compel the global fellowship of churches to speak with clarity, urgency, and commitment to the principles of justice under international law and ethics,” it said, in part. “The Government of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has entailed grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention which may constitute genocide and/or other crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Simultaneously, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem continue to experience intensified violence, illegal settlement expansion, and systemic human rights violations. These actions defy international legal norms, including the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Conventions, international human rights treaties, and numerous Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.” The Central Committee called for naming the reality of apartheid, the implementation of sanctions and accountability, the affirmation of Palestinian rights and freedom, and support for the resilience and witness of Palestinian Christian churches and communities, upholding their right to remain on their land and to freely practice their faith. Read the full statement at www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/statement-on-palestine-and-israel-a-call-to-end-apartheid-occupation-and-impunity-in-palestine-and-israel
— In more news from the WCC Central Committee meeting, the council has begun an “Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action” with prayer and reflections on June 21. The launch of the new ecumenical decade focus occurred at the conclusion of a “Pilgrimage Encounter with Creation” with a plenary session featuring theological reflections and prophetic witness from church leaders spanning six continents pledging commitments and actions for the Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action. “Our lifestyle consumes 1.8 times what Earth can renew,” said Charissa Suli, president of the Uniting Church in Australia, during a theological reflection on “Jubilee for People and Earth.” “Economic transformation must begin in the heart; theology must shape discipleship and discipleship must shape the world.” Other speakers called for churches to move beyond charitable responses toward addressing root causes of climate injustice. “Those who represent the Lion of Judah must roar like lions, not meow like house cats,” declared Chief Edmund Stuurman, Khoi-San elder from the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, challenging faith leaders to pursue bold action. Urgent realities that focused the session ranged from Pacific islands threatened by sea-level rise to migrant farmworkers exposed to extreme weather without protection. The session was led by moderators Angelique Walker Smith, WCC president from North America, and François Phiaatae, WCC president from the Pacific.
#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving
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Find more Church of the Brethren news:
- ‘Protecting asylum seekers is a biblical responsibility’: Washington pastor speaks at vigil for Noem v. Al Otro Lado
- Church of the Brethren supports asylum seekers in case before Supreme Court
- ‘The Space Between Us’ to be next online book discussion from Part Time Pastor; Full Time Church
- National Youth Conference seeks workshop leaders
- Children’s Disaster Services responds following tornados in Illinois and Michigan