— Remembrance: Stanley G. Barkdoll, a former camp administrator in the Church of the Brethren and a disaster relief project coordinator for many years, passed away on Sept. 18 in Ranson, W. Va. He was a member of the second unit of Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS), then became an ordained minister and served churches in Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Michigan, and Maryland. He also served as an administrator at Camp Brethren Heights and as a project coordinator for Brethren Disaster Ministries for many years. Although he never attended college, he attended Bethany Theological Seminary from 1973 to 1976. He was most recently a member of Downsville Church of the Brethren in Williamsport, Md. He was preceded in death by his wife, Hazel (Trimmer) Barkdoll. He is survived by his sister Ruth Willstead, and by children Larry Barkdoll and Naomi Rohrer, Pamela and Vernon Ragsdale, Linda and Gerry Stewart, Debi and Kevin Zagumny, Scott Barkdoll and Pamela Berenbaum, and by grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Downsville Church of the Brethren, 8228 Dam Number 4 Road, Williamsport, MD 21795.
— Job opening: The Cedars, a retirement community in McPherson, Kan., affiliated with the Bluestem Communities, seeks a fulltime chaplain to provide compassionate spiritual care and emotional support to residents, families, and staff in alignment with the Christian mission and values of Bluestem Communities. This role fosters an inclusive and respectful environment where individuals of all faith backgrounds feel valued, supported, and connected throughout all stages of aging and life transitions. The chaplain serves as a spiritual leader, counselor, advocate, and collaborator by offering worship services, pastoral care, grief support, and opportunities for spiritual growth while promoting holistic well-being of body, mind, and spirit. The chaplain also carries out collaboration and community engagement and holds administrative and professional responsibilities including the maintenance of accurate records and appropriate confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA regulations. Qualifications and experience include, among others, a seminary degree or other graduate degree in the field of caring ministry, ministerial credentials in good standing within a recognized ecclesiastical body, a minimum of one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education or three years of pastoral ministry, an understanding or working knowledge of Anabaptism and/or familiarity with Mennonite and Church of the Brethren history, values, and theology. For a detailed job description, a list of benefits, and a link to apply.
— Brethren Disaster Ministries has updated its volunteer schedules for the rebuilding project site in Buncombe County, N.C. Volunteers are rebuilding and repairing homes following Hurricane Helene, with volunteer housing in a conference center in Montreat, N.C. The following weeks have openings for volunteers (full groups number 15 volunteers, half groups number 7 volunteers). Please contact the Brethren Disaster Ministries office for more information about how to volunteer: 800-451-4407 or BDM@brethren.org:
Dec. 6-12, 2026, open for a full group
Dec. 13-19, 2026, open for a half group
Jan. 24-30, 2027, open for a full group
Mar. 28-Apr. 3, 2027, open for a full group.
— Greenville (Ohio) Church of the Brethren on Sat., Oct. 24, at 9 a.m. (Eastern time) will host a Sewing Bee/Church World Service (CWS) Prep on behalf of Southern Ohio and Kentucky District. Volunteers will sew school bags for CWS kids’ kits. “Please bring your sewing machine and an extension cord,” said an announcement. “Non-sewers will prep items in the morning for CWS kits. Bring a sack lunch and come for a time of service and fellowship.”
— In the news, the Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio, held a gala and annual fundraiser that drew generous support for residents, according to MyCountyLink.com. “Dueling Pianos entertainment highlights evening benefiting Resident Aid Fund and resident Wish List,” read the subhead of the article. The event at the John & Iris Hathaway Education & Community Center featured entertainment by Dueling Pianos that “combined music, humor and audience participation for a high-energy show.” Said John Warner, president and CEO: “We couldn’t be more overwhelmed with the generosity of our community, from the sponsors to the donors and supporters, from the people who attended tonight…. Every dollar we earn here tonight will go back into improving resident quality of life, which is our mission.” Read more
— Also in the news, Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren recently held a new music festival according to the Daily News-Record. The goal of the Garden Grow Festival, held for the first time on Saturday, Oct. 17, was to raise money for the church’s Food Pantry Garden. “The music festival will feature 20 bands performing on two outdoor and two indoor stages, and organizers hope to raise $8,000, a number that matters because the Food Pantry Garden grows about 8,000 to 9,000 pounds of produce per year,” said the newspaper. “This is our inaugural event,” said church member Michael Palmer, one of the organizers along with John Gullman of Harrisonburg. “The Food Pantry Garden at Bridgewater Church of the Brethren supports several food pantries in the area, said David R. Miller, one of the church’s pastors.” Read more
— Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) has affirmed a statement from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem concerning recent settler attacks against Palestinians in Taybeh and a visiting European Diplomatic delegation. CMEP is a partner organization for the Church of the Brethren Office of Peacebuilding and Policy. “CMEP stands in solidarity with the people of Taybeh as they face increasing intimidation and attacks from settlers,” said a release. “This pattern is occurring throughout the West Bank as Palestinians are subject to growing restrictions on movement and increased harassment and violence from settlers acting with impunity.” Along with the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, CMEP called “upon the competent authorities to bring those responsible to justice, and we urge the international community to intensify its efforts to ensure the protection of the people of Taybeh and the West Bank, as well as all those who visit these areas to express their solidarity.” CMEP also called on the US government “to act swiftly and use its diplomatic leverage to pressure the Israeli government to hold violent settlers accountable for their actions in Taybeh and throughout the West Bank.” The full statement
— The Pacific Conference of Churches, in a message on Oct. 19, rejected a US call to end the mandate of the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization. The World Council of Churches reported on the message. “Decolonisation is complete when the peoples still on the list have freely determined their future,” the message read. “The Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism ends in 2030; this is a time to accelerate the work, not abolish it.” The right of peoples to self-determination is not a matter of opinion, emphasized the message. “The International Court of Justice, most recently in its 2019 Chagos advisory opinion, has treated Resolution 1514 as declaratory of the customary right to self-determination,” the text read. “To call the foundation of the UN decolonisation process ‘non-binding’ is to tell colonised peoples that their rights are optional…. Pacific churches have stood for a nuclear-free and independent Pacific for more than five decades,” read the text. “Our region still carries the fallout of nuclear testing in Mā’ohi Nui and the Marshall Islands.” The peoples of the territories deserve better than to be used in other governments’ political campaigns, the message noted. “That applies to every government, administering powers included,” the text reads. “The peoples of our region are not asking for favours. They are asking for a promise made in 1960 to be kept.” Read the full message
— The World Council of Churches (WCC) is commending the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Navanethem “Navi” Pillay for her efforts to promote peace and international law. “The prize committee noted that she has been instrumental in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide are prosecuted,” said a release. “Born into a family of Indian Tamil origin under apartheid in Durban, South Africa, Pillay became a lawyer and legal pioneer, confronting deep structural discrimination, segregation, and exclusion. A common thread runs from her early work defending Nelson Mandela and others who stood up against apartheid to her service as a judge in some of the key international court cases of our time. She has served as a judge on the High Court in South Africa, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the International Criminal Court. She was the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and, until recently, she chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Today Pillay is a judge on the International Court of Justice in the case where Myanmar stands accused of genocide. In historic international court cases, she has shown that legal measures can help prevent acts of war and violence. Pillay has also contributed to strengthen the institutions of international law.” Read the full release
— Equal Exchange is offering to help Church of the Brethren congregations to “jump start” fair trade ministries by sending free samples of fair trade coffee to serve at church. Said an invitation: “Email interfaithreps@equalexchange.coop to request coffee and we’ll send you free product to have at your fellowship hour!” Equal Exchange, which over the years has had a relationship with the Church of the Brethren, is an employee-owned co-op that sells fairly traded goods from small-scale farmers all over the world. “We help many Church of the Brethren churches with their fair-trade ministries and we’d love to grow this program!” said the announcement. To learn more about the Equal Exchange partnerships with congregations, which has been growing for 30 years.
Below: A visual report from Atlantic Northeast District on the recent Brethren Disaster Relief Auction.
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Find more Church of the Brethren news:
- Annual Conference moderator shares theme statement for 2027
- El moderador de la Conferencia Anual comparte la declaración temática para 2027.
- Moderatè konferans anyèl la pataje deklarasyon tèm pou 2027 la
- What faithful witness asks of churches today: CCT’s 20th anniversary forum
- Sa temwen fidèl yo mande legliz yo jodi a: fowòm 20yèm anivèsè CCT a