On the International Day of Peace, Sept. 21, Mountville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren hosted a candlelight peace vigil to lament the 100-plus lives lost to gun violence in Lancaster County, Pa.
The Living Legacy memorial event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on Friday, Sept. 19, was an evening highlighting 80 years of achievements, advances, failures, and assessment of where we are today, while setting a goal for a future UN contained in the Pact for the Future and the Sustainable Development Goals among others.
The Deportation Defense Response Team provides the following update on the numbers, first initials, and locations of Church of the Brethren immigrant congregants affected by detention or deportation. This information was updated on Sept. 19. The team continues to urge congregations to take up special offerings and fundraise within their communities to support the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund.
The volunteers from Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) Unit 338 have begun work at their project sites, after completing orientation earlier this month. This was the fall 2025 unit of BVS.
On Sept. 22, the Church of the Brethren and other plaintiffs filed their opening brief in their appeal of the district court’s decision denying their motion for a preliminary injunction in Mennonite USA v. DHS.
Angella F. Haranzo began Sept. 21 as half-time associate district executive minister for the Church of the Brethren’s Virlina District. She has been interim director of District Conference, Nurture and Witness for the district.
At the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference this summer, On Earth Peace challenged the denomination to raise $100,000 to provide a Legal and Mutual Aid Fund to support Church of the Brethren members facing challenges as a result of the detention and deportation efforts of agencies that are part of the government’s Homeland Security administration.
The Shine curriculum jointly published by Brethren Press and MennoMedia is offering an online workshop on “Using Shine in Worship: A Workshop for Pastors and Worship Leaders” at 2 p.m. (Eastern time) on Sept. 30, via Zoom.
The Deportation Defense Response Team created by four Church of the Brethren districts with the Intercultural Ministries and On Earth Peace continue to host online events.
Faith leaders from many congregations including Churches of the Brethren in the area around Dayton, Ohio, are gathering for an ecumenical service of lament and mourning in support of detained and deported immigrants. The event is planned for this Sunday evening, Sept. 14, at 6:30 p.m., at the East Dayton Fellowship which is jointly affiliated with the Church of the Brethren.