Church of the Brethren ministries are assisting survivors of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona through shipments by Material Resources, Children’s Disaster Services teams in Florida, and acts of love and compassion in Puerto Rico.
Approval of a budget for the denominational ministries of the Church of the Brethren and the naming of the next chair-elect topped actions taken by the Mission and Ministry Board at fall meetings. The board met at the General Offices in Elgin, Ill., on Oct. 13-16 led by chair Carl Fike, assisted by chair-elect Colin Scott and general secretary David Steele.
Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) Unit 332 held orientation at Camp Brethren Heights in Rodney, Mich., from Oct. 11-20 for nine volunteers.
In its most recent set of grants, the Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA) distributed grants to five congregations across the Church of the Brethren. The fund provides grants using money generated by the sale of the upper campus of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Find out more at www.brethren.org/faith-in-action.
In this issue: Remembering Paul Willis Hoffman, Larry Lee Elliott, Ruben D. Deoleo, and Glen M. Faus, and more news by, for and about Brethren.
Upcoming Youth and Young Adult Ministries programs and events include National Junior High Sunday on Nov. 6, 2022; Christian Citizenship Seminar on April 22-27, 2023; National Youth Sunday on May 7, 2023; Young Adult Conference on May 5-7, 2023; and National Junior High Conference on June 16-18, 2023.
Beginning Friday, Oct. 14, an online art auction to support the Ukrainian crisis response, overseen by Brethren Disaster Ministries, will open and receive bids for 180 donated art items.
More than two dozen faith groups, including the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, have written a letter to President Biden urging the abolition of nuclear weapons, and stating that “the possession and use of nuclear weapons cannot be justified.” The letter comes after the Biden administration responded with threats of “catastrophic consequences” to Russian Pres. Putin’s veiled threats to use nuclear weapons.
Beth Sollenberger is concluding her service as interim district executive minister and member of the Michigan District Executive Leadership Team over the past several years. She has served in an interim role for the last several years, specifically during the calendar year of 2018 and then beginning again in May 2020. In January 2022, she was called to another interim term. She will conclude her service on Dec. 31.
South Central Indiana District of the Church of the Brethren has called Marie Willoughby as co-interim district executive minister, as of Oct. 15, serving alongside Anna Lisa Gross. She replaces Kay Gaier, who served in the position from Jan. 15, 2022.