A devastating outbreak of 59 confirmed tornados occurred overnight on Dec. 10 to 11 in the central US, followed by powerful storms on Dec. 15. District Disaster Response Coordinators (DDCs) from the affected Church of the Brethren districts–Illinois and Wisconsin, Missouri and Arkansas, Northern Plains, Southern Ohio and Kentucky, and Western Plains–report little to no damage in the communities with Church of the Brethren congregations.
Earlier this year, the Church of the Brethren Yearbook Office conducted a survey asking congregational leaders to weigh in on their worship habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 300 Church of the Brethren congregations participated in the survey, representing more than a third of the close to 900 total number of congregations in the denomination.
We in the Southern Ohio and Kentucky District have always strived to be intentional about addressing the concerns in our society. For instance, during a Missional Renewal Team meeting shortly after George Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020, the conversation centered on that tragedy and the epidemic of violence against people of color, along with the systemic racial injustice in our country triggering this violence.
Here are some pictures from our first Service Sunday. We are planning to find another date this spring,” reported Joy Kain to Newsline. She is chairing the Outreach Committee at Northview Church of the Brethren in Indianapolis, Ind., which is hoping to hold a Service Sunday quarterly.
Central Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va. (Virlina District), formed a Race Education Team in 2019. Through racial justice studies led by the team, Central’s congregation learned about disparities in educational achievements, particularly the ability to read well, in low-income schools with large Black and Hispanic populations.
I recently visited northeast Nigeria after a three-year absence. This was my fifth trip to Nigeria and my travel was centered around my role as an international adviser to a UNESCO World Heritage Site encampment at Sukur near Madagali on Aug 1-10, 2021 (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/938). However, what I came to discern as the “theme” of this trip was unexpected encounters–people, places, and things.
NEWS
1) Annual Conference planners shift away from ‘insight sessions’ to ‘equipping sessions’
2) EYN medical worker regains freedom; EYN president Joel S. Billi issues Christmas message
UPCOMING EVENTS
3) Speakers, Youth Speech Contest announced for National Youth Conference
4) ‘I am because we are’: National Young Adult Conference focuses on life-giving quality of community
5) Deadline nears to register for the Clergy Tax Seminar on Jan. 29
JESUS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: STORIES FROM CONGREGATIONS
6) Frederick Church creates new website inviting people to accept Jesus Christ
7) Community of Joy shares ‘Food and Faith’ podcast
8) Bethany Church brings friends to worship
9) Warrensburg Church hosts birthday celebration for minister emeritus and Heifer International
10) Brethren bits: Correction, Young Adult Advent Worship, religious workers now eligible for student loan forgiveness, webinars from On Earth Peace, celebrating the ministry of Dave Shetler in Southern Ohio and Kentucky District, new Jesus in the Neighborhood Mini-Grants in Mid-Atlantic District, and more
Correction, Young Adult Advent Worship, religious workers now eligible for student loan forgiveness, webinars from On Earth Peace, celebrating the ministry of Dave Shetler in Southern Ohio and Kentucky District, new Jesus in the Neighborhood Mini-Grants in Mid-Atlantic District, and more
The National Youth Conference (NYC) office has been hard at work confirming speakers for the event to take place on July 23-28, 2022. Each week on Saturday, a speaker is announced via the NYC social media pages–all part of series titled “Speaker Saturday.” Be on the lookout for more NYC speaker announcements, which will be available on the NYC social media (Facebook: National Youth Conference, Instagram: @cobnyc2022).
After so much pandemic living and the isolation it’s caused, the centrality of community in this scripture compelled the Young Adult Steering Committee to choose Romans 12:5 as the theme for National Young Adult Conference (NYAC) 2022.
