A complimentary set of Bible activity cards has just been shipped to congregations that use the Shine: Living in God’s Light curriculum. The “Follow the Peace Path” cards are a signature part of a new initiative of Brethren Press and MennoMedia, which co-publish Shine.
Making connections is one of my life’s joys, and the Christian Citizenship Seminar (CCS) held on April 11-16 in Washington, D.C., was a place to make them.
An appropriation of $143,000 from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) is being directed by Brethren Disaster Ministries for a humanitarian response to multiple crises in Haiti. The money will provide emergency food distributions at all the congregations and preaching points of l’Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti).
The staff of Brethren Disaster Ministries have directed a large grant of $225,000 from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to extend the Nigeria Crisis Response for another year. The grant is given in conjunction with a plan to phase out the program over the next three years, created in collaboration with the Disaster Relief Management Team of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria).
In addition to the large grant of $225,000 that extends the Nigeria Crisis Response program through 2024, the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) has provided grants to various countries including a grant that will help start a new South Sudan Crisis Recovery Initiative with staff from Global Mission.
The United Nations Civil Society (NGO) conference will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 9-10. At that time, a “Summit of the Future” will be held on the continent from where millions of people were transported as commodities between the 16th and 19th centuries. This report covers a portion of the UN events that I’ve attended in 2023 through March 2024, along with information that can be found at the United Nations websites.
In this issue: Denominational staff join ecumenical prayer service for Gaza, registration is extended for the Young Adult Conference, Brethren Academy seeks bilingual writing coach, international partners request prayer, “A Breath of Fresh Air” (Acts 2:2) is theme for the Church of the Brethren’s Pentecost Offering on May 19, and much more.
Planning is beginning now for the “every five years” retreat open to all licensed and credentialed clergywomen in the Church of the Brethren. Past retreats have provided beautiful opportunities to connect with sisters in ministry, find rest and renewal, and return home inspired and encouraged. Make plans now to attend!
Registration is still open for the Ecumenical Advocacy Days Spring Summit 2024, an in-person event on May 17-19 in Washington, D.C. The Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy is a sponsor of the event and director Nathan Hosler is on the planning team, alongside other ecumenical partners.
Atlantic Southeast District has called Michaela Alphonse to serve as temporary director of program, a part-time role she began this past February and will resume Aug. 1 after she completes a pastoral sabbatical. The district has called Larry O’Neill to serve as director of English ministries, a role he began on March 23.