Congregational Life Ministries staff are supporting and overseeing grants from the David J. And Mary Elizabeth Wieand Trust to two church plants in the Chicago area. The Wieand Trust explicitly names Christian work in Chicago as one of three purposes for its grants.
In this issue: Personnel notes, Brethren Disaster Ministries responds to Missouri flooding, new tractors for the Nigeria Crisis Response, BVS office hosts its annual Think Tank meeting, upcoming auctions support disaster relief, and more news by, for, and about Brethren.
With the closing of the upper campus of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., 10 employees of the Church of the Brethren end their work with the denomination. A few more will do so in coming weeks.
Messenger, the Church of the Brethren magazine, has received two awards from the Associated Church Press. The first is an award of excellence for publisher Wendy McFadden’s online essay “A Playlist of Mercy and Hope.” The second award is an honorable mention for redesign of the Messenger website.
A worship service on Sunday afternoon, April 30, closed the upper campus of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Some 125 people gathered on the lawn in front of the Old Main building on a warm, sunny afternoon to remember and celebrate the ministries that have taken place at the campus.
NEWS
1) Group receives training in ‘Farming God’s Way’ in Africa
2) New scholarship program is offered by Bethany Seminary
3) On Earth Peace board continues its anti-racism emphasis
PERSONNEL
4) Bob Chase retires from leadership of SERRV, Loreen Epp named president and CEO
UPCOMING EVENTS
5) Celebrate the generations during Older Adult Month, National Youth Sunday
6) Bethany Seminary commencement is scheduled
REFLECTION
7) ‘Feetwashing’ in the garden: The most meaningful love feast ever!
8) Brethren bits
In this issue: Correction, remembering Marie Flory, personnel, job openings, congregational news, “Becoming a Leader in Memory Care” webinar, the 2017 Brethren Bible Institute, an Easter hope message from South Sudan, and more news by, for, and about Brethren.
In my 27 years of pastoral ministry tonight was the most meaningful Maundy Thursday love feast experience ever for me! Any other church I have been part of would have fired me on the spot for messing with the “Holy Ground,” but not Community of Joy.
Each May congregations are encouraged to celebrate the contributions of members of all generations to our life together. The first Sunday in May (May 7) is National Youth Sunday, a day when youth are engaged in planning, organizing, and leading worship. The entire month is designated as Older Adult Month, an opportunity for congregations to celebrate God’s gift of aging and the contributions of elders in our midst.
Bob Chase has announced his retirement from his long-term leadership of SERRV International, Inc., as of the end of April. SERRV is a fair trade organization that had its start as a Church of the Brethren program. Chase is retiring as president and CEO, and has been part of the SERRV team and part of the global fair trade community for more than 27 years.