— Remembrance: Jennifer Quijano West, 39, passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 31 in Brooklyn, N.Y. She was for a time coordinator of SeBAH-CoB, a training program for Spanish-speaking ministry students, and was a leader in Atlantic Northeast District. On the denominational level she had been a popular speaker at National Youth Conference and National Junior High Conference, as well as serving on groups working on racial justice including the initial Standing with People of Color Committee. She was born in Brooklyn on July 20, 1985, and her involvement in the church began at an early age when she began singing and serving at Brooklyn First Church of the Brethren, according to a remembrance from Atlantic Northeast District. Her district involvements included serving on the district youth cabinet, and she also served on the denomination’s National Youth Cabinet and Young Adult Steering Committee. More recently she was one of the district’s Standing Committee delegates to Annual Conference. She was a graduate of Bethany Theological Seminary and a member of Brooklyn First Church of the Brethren. She was a teacher of science at Xaverian High School, Brooklyn. “The school shared she had become a cornerstone of their academic class, had innovative teaching techniques, and a special gift for connecting with students,” said the district remembrance. She is survived by her husband, Samuel West, and their son; her parents, Jazmin and Edwin Quijano; and other family members. A memorial service and visitation took place on Nov. 8 with burial on Nov. 9 at Evergreen Cemetery, Brooklyn. On Saturday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m., a Celebration of Life memorial service will be held at Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, and all are welcome. “Please be in prayer for the family and friends of Jennifer Quijano West following her passing,” said the district remembrance. Find an obituary at www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/33606013/jennifer-quijano-west
— Church World Service (CWS) has shared information about how it is planning to continue to support immigrants and refugees in upcoming years, responding to statements from the incoming administration about its plans “to diminish or dismantle the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, end crucial humanitarian pathways like parole, and separate families via mass deportation,” said the announcement. “As we face times of tremendous uncertainty, Church World Service will continue to fight to protect and advance safety and freedom for those seeking safe harbor.” CWS is inviting people of faith to “join us in calling on policy makers to choose welcome in this critical moment” and listed ways to take action including contacting members of Congress and the administration to support refugees and newcomers and invest in welcoming communities in upcoming funding legislation; signing up to receive information about how to join community preparations and be notified of key policy updates and opportunities to take action; and post and share CWS information on social media. To find out more go to https://cwsglobal.org/action-alerts/take-action-call-on-congress-and-the-biden-administration-to-protect-refugees-and-newcomers-before-trump-takes-office. For a Church of the Brethren Annual Conference statement on “Undocumented Persons and Refugees in the United States” (1982) go to www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1982-refugees.
— At COP29, religious leaders have called for “regeneration and renewal of our only planetary home” according to a release from the World Council of Churches (WCC). Religious leaders attending the international climate conference “are emphasizing the need to care for the creation that God made, and to safeguard the most vulnerable who have contributed the least to climate change—yet face its worst impacts,” said the release which quoted several of the leaders attending who are related to the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development. “Parties must respect the UN agreements, and at the last COP, it was agreed that the world should transition away from fossil fuels,” said Mattias Söderberg, co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group. “That means that there will be an end of the fossil fuel era, and all countries must therefore ensure that their development paths become green and sustainable.” Said Henrik Grape, coordinator of the WCC Working Group on Climate Change, “Today we are living in a climate emergency and still COP29 acts like we have all the time in the world for the transition. But we are in need of a transformation if we are to avoid the most dangerous effects of climate change. And this transformation must start among the 10 percent richest of the world since they are responsible for 50 percent of the emissions.” The ACT Alliance, Lutheran World Federation, and WCC are three of the almost 60 faith-based organizations who have signed a Call to Action. Read the full release at https://oikoumene.org/news/at-cop29-religious-leaders-call-for-regeneration-and-renewal-of-our-only-planetary-home. Find the full message at https://oikoumene.org/resources/documents/cop29-interfaith-call-to-action.
— A call by Armenian churches for the world to pray for hostages being held by Azerbaijan has been shared by the WCC, which also publicized a prayer service that was held a few days ago. The WCC invited all people of good will to join a prayer day for Armenia, for peace, for support for refugees, and the release of war hostages, on Nov. 10, the day before the opening of the COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan. That nation carried out “military aggression against the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh in September-October 2020, followed by the ten-month-long total blockade of the Lachin corridor and the forced displacement of around 120,000 Armenians from their ancestral lands in September 2023,” said the release, which said that the situation “remains a critical concern. COP29 presents a unique opportunity to advocate for the unconditional release of the 23 Armenian hostages, as well as the Azeri political prisoners and journalists detained in Azeri jails.”
— “The Golden Rule: Sailing for a Nuclear-Free World – Part 1” is the title of the November episode of the community television program Brethren Voices, produced by Portland (Ore.) Peace Church of the Brethren. It features the Golden Rule Sailing Boat which just completed a tour of the West Coast of the US including Portland. “They share a story of peace without nuclear weapons, which Brethren can agree with,” said an announcement from producer Ed Groff. “In 1958, four Quaker peace activists sailed the Golden Rule Sailing Boat toward the Marshall Islands of the South Pacific. It was an attempt to halt nuclear weapons testing. The U.S. Coast Guard intervened in Hawaii by boarding the 36-foot-boat and arresting the crew. They were jailed, causing an international outcry. The Golden Rule is a project of Veterans For Peace, in opposition to nuclear weapons and war.” Mike Stern, a Church of the Brethren song writer, composer, and singer, performs his song, “Phoenix and the Golden Rule,” to the scenes of the Golden Rule as it sails on its West Coast tour this September. Brethren Voices also received permission from Veterans For Peace to share the documentary, “Making Waves: The Rebirth of the Golden Rule.” Find episodes of Brethren Voices on YouTube.
— Patricia Cole Stauffer of Polo (Ill.) Church of the Brethren is interested in collecting any stories of Brethren women who achieved important firsts, were great teachers or nurses, were missionaries, or gave people good ideas that helped improve the world. Contact stauffer.patty@gmail.com.
#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving
———-
Find more Church of the Brethren news:
- Young Adult Conference 2026: Identity in community
- CMMB joins Brethren Service Center as new partner renting warehouse space
- Annual Conference worship services will be livestreamed
- Review and Evaluation Committee to ask questions of delegates
- Shine Everywhere reaches midpoint, strengthening faith formation at home and church