threat in the US for 18 months now, is soon to be behind us, or taking a second run with vaccination challenges and variants that are harder for our systems to fight off. At Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT), when the pandemic began in March 2020, staff immediately kick started discussions on how to address the inevitable financial woes that would hit some of our members and clients hard–such as pastors and other employees of churches, districts, and camps.
to Ecuador on June 16-24 was to spend time meeting with Alfredo Merino, executive director of La Fundacion Brethren y Unida (FBU–Brethren and United Foundation).
The Church of the Brethren Office of Peacebuilding and Policy has signed an interfaith letter encouraging action by the US administration to ensure everyone has equitable access to a COVID-19 vaccine and other tools necessary to contain the pandemic. The letter gained 81 signatories.
Athanasus Ungang, Church of the Brethren Global Mission staff in South Sudan, was released from prison this week after a detention lasting more than three weeks. He and other church leaders and colleagues had been held for questioning following the murder of a church leader in May, although he was not a suspect in the case and the authorities did not press formal charges.
NEWS
1) Disaster grants fund Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding project in Dayton, relief work in Honduras, the DRC, India, Iowa
2) Global Food Initiative grants go to Haiti agriculture program, community garden, food distribution program
3) Office of Peacebuilding and Policy signs letter to Senate Armed Services Committee regarding Selective Service
4) Global Brethren leaders discuss the essence of being Brethren
UPCOMING EVENTS
5) Children’s Disaster Services resumes volunteer training
6) Annual Conference office co-sponsors webinars on theme of equipping for leadership
JESUS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: CONGREGATIONAL STORIES
7) Dunker Punks Vespers service held at Oakton Church of the Brethren
8) Lititz church’s Tree House Playground hosts National Night Out event
9) Pennsylvania congregations aim to donate thousands of shoes
10) West Shore Church of the Brethren hosts free gospel concerts
11) Brethren bits: Annual Conference worship services continue to be available online, prayer concerns from South Sudan and Pacific Northwest District, historic photos of the construction of the General Offices are online, Ecumenical Advocacy Days are hiring, and more
In this issue: Annual Conference worship services continue to be available online, prayer concerns from South Sudan and Pacific Northwest District, historic photos of the construction of the General Offices are online, Ecumenical Advocacy Days are hiring, and more.
Every other month, leaders from the Church of the Brethren around the world meet to discuss issues facing the global church. In the most recent meeting, the group continued to discuss the meaning of being Brethren and watched a video produced by Marcos Inhauser, a leader of the church in Brazil. “No other church is like this,” several noted.
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) is announcing its first volunteer training workshops since pandemic restrictions started last year. At this time, three events have been announced:
The Church of the Brethren Office of Peacebuilding and Policy has signed a letter sent by peace church organizations and other peace groups to the Senate Armed Services Committee. The letter urges an end to the Selective Service System and rejection of any attempt to add women to the group on which the burden of draft registration is imposed. The letter supports a piece of bipartisan legislation, S 1139, that would repeal the Military Selective Service Act.
The Church of the Brethren’s Global Food Initiative (GFI) has given grants to support transition of an agriculture program of Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) to a self-sustaining ministry. Also among recent grants are allocations in support of a community garden of Grace Way Community Church of the Brethren in Dundalk, Md., and a food distribution program of the Alpha and Omega Community Center in Lancaster, Pa.
