— A prayer request is shared for those affected by severe flooding in communities across Indiana, including areas where several Church of the Brethren congregations and Bethany Theological Seminary are located. Brethren Disaster Ministries is in communication with district disaster coordinators in both South Central Indiana District and Northern Indiana District and is ready to support both districts and affected congregations as needs emerge. Please join in prayer for those who have been displaced or experienced damage, for first responders and volunteers, and for communities beginning to assess needs and recover.
— Children’s Disaster Services has announced its next volunteer training events. “CDS is working to provide more training in communities so that, when a small local response is needed, CDS volunteers can mobilize with the New Windsor office and respond quickly,” said the announcement. “If you, or your church or organization you work or volunteer for, would be interested in hosting a training, CDS would love to have more volunteers in your town, county, or state so we can provide quicker responses. If you are interested in hosting a training, please get in touch with Carolyn Neher, and we can work together to continue growing our CDS base.” Contact Neher at cneher@brethren.org or cds@brethren.org or 410-635-8734. Register for one of the following scheduled trainings, or share this link with someone 18 or older who may want to become a volunteer.
Upcoming trainings:
Oct. 9-10 at Chalice Christian Church in Virginia Beach, Va. (Friday 4:30 p.m. to Saturday 5 p.m.)
Oct. 16-17 at Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren (Friday 4:30 p.m. to Saturday 5 p.m.)
— Bethany Theological Seminary is hosting a comprehensive evaluation visit for reaffirmation of accreditation by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) Commission on Accrediting. The visit takes place Sept. 28-Oct. 1. “The purpose of the visit is to verify that the school meets all applicable Commission Standards of Accreditation,” said the announcement. “Comments regarding how well the school meets those standards and/or generally demonstrates educational quality may be sent to accrediting@ats.edu at least two weeks before the visit. Comments may also or instead be sent in writing to deansoffice@bethanyseminary.edu. All comments will be shared with the onsite evaluation committee.”
— The Peace and Justice Committee of the Church of the Brethren’s Atlantic Northeast District is sponsoring “Pathways to Peace and Justice,” announced as “a gathering where Church of the Brethren congregations can share ideas and learn from one another’s work for peace and justice in the way of Jesus. All are welcome to attend!” This is the first of two regional gatherings for district congregations, intended to focus on the western section of the district. A second gathering for the eastern section of the district will be held at a later date. The event takes place Saturday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with lunch provided, at Lancaster (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. “We encourage participants to come ready to share how their congregation cultivates peace and justice!” said the announcement. RSVP by Oct. 3 with the number of people attending from your congregation. Or call the district office at 717-367-4730. Contact Suzanne Schaudel with questions at suzanne.schaudel@gmail.com
— Camp Alexander Mack seeks an accomplished relational leader, grounded in Christian faith, to serve as the next executive director. This is a fulltime, year-round position at the camp located near Milford, Ind. This leader will serve as the chief executive of Camp Mack, providing vision, direction, and stewardship for all aspects of the organization. They will be equally comfortable engaging with campers and congregations, collaborating with board members, developing staff, managing budgets, overseeing facilities, and representing the ministry at large. For more information or to apply.
— “Join our 10th annual Camp Bethel PEP! 5K Run and Walk fundraiser!” said an announcement from Camp Bethel in Fincastle, Va. “Our 5K course covers some of the many trails, fields, and forests on the 470 acres of Camp Bethel.” The $40 participant fee includes fully stocked water/aid stations, a race t-shirt, post-race packaged snacks, and brunch. The event on Saturday, Sept. 5, is a benefit for the camp. Register and find out more.
— The Death Row Support Project (DRSP), a project of the Church of the Brethren Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, will be holding informational sessions for people interested in learning more about writing to those on death row. “Join us on Zoom at any of the below times,” said an announcement. “During the session we will go over some basics of how this project works, introduce members of the team who are here to support you, and talk about expectations of DRSP writers. We typically have a fairly small group and ask all attendees to briefly introduce themselves.”
Sessions are offered on
Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 2-3 p.m. (Eastern time)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83320687053
Meeting ID: 833 2068 7053
Saturday, Aug. 22, 2-3 p.m. (Eastern time)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85152917581
Meeting ID: 851 5291 7581
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2-3 p.m. (Eastern time)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83320687053
Meeting ID: 833 2068 7053
Monday, Sept. 21, 7-8 p.m. (Eastern time)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85152917581
Meeting ID: 851 5291 7581
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Find more Church of the Brethren news:
- Beth Sollenberger to retire from leadership role in Atlantic Southeast District
- Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 339 begins service
- Global Food Initiative grants support ministries of congregations in Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania
- EDF grants support rebuilding in North Carolina and Western Maryland, aid Ukraine, Gaza and the West Bank, the DRC, Nigeria, Venezuela, Cuba
- Brethren bits