By Frank Ramirez
The Brethren Disaster Ministries and Child Disaster Services breakfast at Annual Conference always has the feel of a reunion, looking backwards, and a planning committee, looking forward. This year was no different as the past and future were celebrated.
After a prayer that recognized God in the storm, wind, earthquake, and the sound of sheer silence, Roy Winter cataloged new initiatives, strategic planning, and trends in the field of disaster relief. Winter is executive director of Service Ministries for the Church of the Brethren.
“The greatest need is for more volunteers,” he said, adding later, “We’re not getting rid of anything we do, but how do we work in more things around that.” In recent years, the focus has been on running one disaster rebuilding project site at a time, but Winter emphasized the importance of operating several simultaneously.
In recent months, Brethren Disaster Ministries has been partnering with consultants on the east and west coasts who are helping the ministry look for new partners. “We’re working to integrate individuals not affiliated with any church,” Winter said. “There are people not associated with any church but who still care.” These people may have been turned off by religion, but they consider themselves spiritual. “How do we build relationships with them, but keep our culture, building community with volunteers and the communities we serve?” he asked.
To that end, Brethren Disaster Ministries is taking advantage of a new Lilly Endowment grant “to help equip faith-based programs for disaster relief.” Winter added and emphasized, “Lilly came to us!”
Jeff Thomson, newly hired as director of Brethren Disaster Ministries, was introduced. He will be based in Kansas and work remotely. He had begun in the job a scant seven days ago. He told the breakfast crowd that his recent background has been with non-profit housing and coordinating volunteers. He had been looking for a new challenged and prayed, “Lord, if you open the door, I’ll step through it.”
In an update on recent disasters, it was reported that the 45 congregations of ASIGLEH, the Church of the Brethren in Venezuela, were not directly affected by the recent disastrous earthquake but that with the help of an immediate Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) grant directed to them through Brethren Disaster Ministries, they are seeking ways to help.
In a special moment during the event, Roy Winter was presented with an award by Yuguda Mdurvwa, former director of Disaster Relief Ministries for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). The award celebrates Winter’s many years of service to the Church of the Brethren and EYN. Mdurvwa began by quoting from the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,” and then said, “For the past 10 years what I have seen in Brother Roy is Christ’s love and compassion.” Citing the constant support through the persecution from Boko Haram, he said, “Your love and commitment has kept us alive through troubled waters. Peace be with you.”
As the breakfast event ended, attendees were reminded, “Every act of service truly matters. Thank you for all you do.”
–– Frank Ramirez is a member of the 2026 Annual Conference Press Team.
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Find more Church of the Brethren news:
- Amy Gall Ritchie to serve as Annual Conference moderator-elect, among other election results
- Church of the Brethren welcomes a new church plant and a new fellowship
- International guests attend Annual Conference
- Loving our immigrant neighbors
- A reunion and a planning committee: The Brethren Disaster Ministries and Children’s Disaster Services breakfast