In this issue: Answered prayer in South Sudan, personnel notes including the retirement of Doug Philips as director of Brethren Woods and the selection of Brian Bert as executive director of Camp Blue Diamond, job openings, Office of Ministry newsletter, and more news by, for, and about Brethren.
Janelle Bitikofer’s June webinar, “Providing Mutual Support when People Are Experiencing Mental Illness,” was so engaging, and viewers had so many questions, that we will be offering a part two. In this continued conversation, we’ll discuss practical ways for congregations to engage in mutual care.
All Church of the Brethren congregations–whether they offer online worship or not–are encouraged to complete this survey. Pastors and worship leaders are the primary audience for completing the survey.
22? Do you love NYC? Applications to be a youth worker at NYC 2022 are now open! Youth workers are an integral part of NYC. They carry out programing, help facilitate the organization of NYC, and take care of the behind-the-scenes details.
NEWS
1) A statement of concern for Afghanistan from Church of the Brethren general secretary David Steele
2) Haitian Brethren leaders travel to earthquake zone
3) Brethren Volunteer Service holds in-person summer orientation, plans in-person fall orientation
4) Cabinet gathers in Colorado for onsite meeting preparing for National Youth Conference
5) ‘How has the pandemic changed your worship habits?’ Yearbook takes survey
PERSONNEL
6) Dana Cassell resigns from the Thriving in Ministry Initiative
7) Church of the Brethren says goodbye to three BVSers, welcomes new intern
UPCOMING EVENTS
8) New Ventures season begins with course on ‘Christ, Culture, and God-talk for the Coming Church’
9) COBYS celebrates 25th Annual Bike & Hike
JESUS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: STORIES FROM CONGREGATIONS
10) Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren tends its community garden
11) Pleasant View Church celebrates 245 years
12) Stone Bridge Church celebrates 150 years
13) Lower Miami congregation to support Honduran family
14) Coventry and Parkerford congregations adopt families after apartment fire
15) Brethren bits: The logo for the 2022 Annual Conference is released, prayer requests from Global Mission, job opening, Calling the Called, ‘The Truth About Military Recruiting,’ Atlantic Southeast’s Family Peace Camp, McPherson record enrollment, more
he Church of the Brethren stands by our conviction that “all war is sin” and “we may not participate or benefit from war” (1970 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference statement on war, www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1970-war) but we must ask how we have been complicit in the war in Afghanistan and how we are called to turn now to repentance and right living.
reres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) this week met and traveled to the area of southern Haiti most affected by the recent earthquake. The trip was to identify emergency needs and possible response by the church.
Dana Cassell has resigned as program manager of the Thriving in Ministry Initiative for the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Ministry, effective Sept. 16. She has served in this role since Jan. 7, 2019, most recently managing the Part-time Pastor; Full-time Church program.
The Church of the Brethren’s National Youth Cabinet gathered Aug. 6-10 in Fort Collins, Colo., at Colorado State University for an onsite visit preparing for National Youth Conference (NYC) 2022.
COVID-19 affected the ways in which we worship. Many congregations responded by offering ways to gather online, and this shift will change how worship attendance is counted and then reported to the Church of the Brethren Yearbook Office. All Church of the Brethren congregations–whether they offer online worship or not–are encouraged to complete this 5-minute survey.
