The 2020 Standing Committee of district delegates to the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference met by Zoom on the evening of Sunday, June 28. The meeting took place at the time when the committee would have gathered in Grand Rapids, Mich., to begin an in-person meeting in advance of the now-canceled 2020 Annual Conference.
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Press conference by EYN president brings attention to recent Boko Haram attacks, calls on government and international community for action
“While we remain committed as Nigerian citizens in supporting the government of the day in achieving its mandate, EYN was shocked at the Democracy Day Speech of President Buhari on June 12, where he said, “All the local governments that were taken over by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa have long been recovered and are now occupied by the indigenes of these areas who were hitherto forced to seek a living in areas far from their ancestral homes.” That was unfortunate, misleading, and demoralizing….”
Elizabethtown Church ‘walks to Nigeria’ in virtual challenge
Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren is holding a “Walk to Nigeria Team Challenge” in which church members and friends of the congregation are invited to log walking miles in their own neighborhoods toward enough miles to walk to Nigeria. “That’s 5,710 miles!” said an announcement.
Chambersburg Church of the Brethren gets record attendance at virtual VBS
“It went really well” was an understatement from Jamie Rhodes, director of Christian Education and Youth at Chambersburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. In fact, the congregation’s virtual vacation Bible school (VBS) was a smash hit, connecting with close to double the children and families than in a usual year. “We were tickled pink,” she said.
Ministerial ethics training shifts to online format
Church of the Brethren ministers needing to complete the advanced level ethics training requirement for credentialing renewal have found increased options in today’s virtual world. In mid-March the Office of Ministry began transitioning to offering such sessions online.
Ministry Summer Service interns for 2020 serve home congregations or serve remotely
Seven interns are serving as a part of Ministry Summer Service (MSS) despite alterations to the program due to COVID-19. Instead of meeting in-person for a week-long orientation and then spending nine weeks serving alongside a ministry mentor in a local setting, interns are meeting weekly for education, formation, and fellowship sessions via video conference. Interns offer leadership to their home congregations, as possible given local COVID-19 guidelines where they live, or to another congregation through technology.
Brethren bits for June 26, 2020
In this issue: Denominational staff to continue to work from home through August, Brethren Press offers new face masks, personnel and job openings, a “loaves and fishes” story from Venezuela, need for prayer for Nigeria, and more news by, for, and about Brethren.
Webinar series will focus on ‘Lessons from the Latinx Church’
“Lessons from the Latinx Church” is a webinar series provided by the Freedom Road Institute for Leadership and Justice to help church leaders and pastors learn and live into the new possibilities for ministry. A free introductory session is taking place on June 30 at 12 noon (Eastern time). Sessions will continue at 12 noon (Eastern time) every Tuesday through July 28.
Young adult webinar is dedicated to uncovering the complexity of racism
Two days before George Floyd’s murder, National Young Adult Conference (NYAC) participants gathered to watch Drew Hart present on the systemic racism that was about to once again become front-page news. But for far too many of us in the church, particularly those of us who are white, it is all too easy to ignore when it doesn’t dominate the headlines.
Newsline for June 26, 2020
NEWS
1) Young adult webinar is dedicated to uncovering the complexity of racism
2) EYN officials dedicate church for IDP camp funded in the name of a ‘spirited sister’
3) Digital hymn sing keeps West Green Tree singing all week long
UPCOMING EVENTS
4) Webinar series will focus on ‘Lessons from the Latinx Church’
RESOURCES
5) Brethren Press digital curriculum for the Fall offers Christian formation options during pandemic
6) Brethren bits