Keynote speaker Dennis R. Edwards of North Park Theological Seminary, and preachers Etienne Nsanzimana of the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda and Jeff Carter of Bethany Theological Seminary, led the main sessions at the first-ever L.E.A.D. Conference of the Church of the Brethren on Nov. 15-17.
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) deployed a local team of volunteers to Ventura County, Calif., providing a calm presence to children affected by the recent Mountain Fire. Volunteers living within a two-hour drive served at a Local Assistance Center (LAC) in Camarillo, Calif.
In this issue: Nominations still needed for the ballot for the 2025 Annual Conference, order the 2024 Advent Devotional from Brethren Press, Katy Gray Brown joins the Bethany Seminary board, Sing Me Home hosts its final event of 2024 this Saturday, at Manchester Church of the Brethren, the December episode of Brethren Voices, and a new resource from Creation Justice Ministries.
Upcoming events from the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership include the annual Clergy Tax Seminar with leadership from Deb Oskin, scheduled for Feb. 1, 2025, as an online webinar; and the course “Brethren, We Have Met to Worship” with leadership from Christy Waltersdorff, scheduled for Jan. 15-March 11, 2025, as an online course via the Moodle virtual classroom.
The South Sudan Matching Gift Campaign that celebrates the Church of the Brethren ministry that is growing in South Sudan is in its last weeks. We are raising funding to help support a variety of projects in South Sudan that include agriculture, community development, theological training, and equipment for ministry.
On election day, Annville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren—which served as a polling site—also offered voters a separate “poll” inviting them to pledge actions that strengthen the community. In a world of political division, it recognized the importance of uniting around shared values and everyday service that uplifts everyone in the neighborhood.
Recent grants made from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) have been directed by Brethren Disaster Ministries
The director of Brethren Disaster Ministries, Jenn Dorsch-Messler, traveled through Virginia and North Carolina the week of Oct. 21 to visit with Church of the Brethren district and church leaders. The trip responded to the impact of Hurricane Helen in both states.
Let’s take the opportunity, in small groups of three or four people, to share, listen to, and process our feelings and observations about racial justice and racism in our lives as Brethren by coming together via Zoom on Nov. 23 from 1-5 p.m. (Eastern time). During this four-hour session, members of the Standing with People of Color Committee will help you experience the “7 Prompts” and the BELOVED model of communication first-hand.
Jeff Lennard has announced his retirement from Brethren Press, effective March 28, 2025. He has served as director of Marketing and Sales for the Church of the Brethren publishing house for 18 years, since Nov. 2006.