The Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center (SVMC) has announced upcoming continuing education events. Two Spring events will be held virtually via Zoom. The Fall event currently is planned to be in-person. Descriptions and registration links are below. For more information contact svmc@etown.edu.
The Annual Conference office has released two ballots to be presented to the delegates at the Church of the Brethren annual meeting on June 30-July 4, 2021. The event is online-only.
Chris Douglas will retire from the Church of the Brethren staff on Oct. 1. She has worked for the denomination for more than 35 years, since 1985. Most recently, she has served as director of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.
NEWS
1) Church of the Brethren denominational membership falls below 100,000
2) World Council of Churches issues statement for International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2021
PERSONNEL
3) Hannah Shultz resigns as coordinator of short-term service with BVS
4) Victoria Ehret to serve as interim district executive for Atlantic Southeast District
UPCOMING EVENTS
5) Denomination-wide online worship gathering titled ‘Venturing Forth Boldly as a Faith Family’ is set for Feb. 27
6) Next Moderator’s Town Hall will look at the global church
7) Drew G. I. Hart to headline webinar series on ‘Healing Racism Congregations and Communities’
8) Ventures course to focus on multivocational ministry
RESOURCES
9) Lenten devotional for 2021, The Wild Way of Jesus, is available from Brethren Press
10) ‘Keeping Our Eyes on God’: Preparing for Annual Conference through Bible study
REFLECTIONS
11) Inaugurating Jesus as Lord
12) Brethren bits: Longtime BVS House is sold, personnel notes, job openings, update of the Church of the Brethren Manual of Organization and Polity, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy signs on to statements, Material Resources travels the country to pick up materials for Lutheran World Relief, “Archives Live: 19th Century Notables” is next virtual archives tour, and more
Brethren bits for the Newsline issue of Jan. 30, 2021
The Atlantic Southeast District of the Church of the Brethren has hired Victoria Ehret to serve as interim district executive minister for a period of six months, starting Jan. 25. She currently serves the district as director of ministry in a quarter-time position.
The February offering from the Ventures in Christian Discipleship program at McPherson (Kan.) College will be “The Gift of Multivocational Ministry.” The course presented by Dana Cassell will be offered online on Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. to 12 noon (Central time).
Plans have been announced for the next Moderator’s Town Hall hosted by Paul Mundey, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. The online event is titled “The Global Church: Current Happenings, Future Possibilities” and will take place Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. (Eastern time). Norm and Carol Spicher Waggy, interim directors of Global Mission for the Church of the Brethren, will be the featured resource people.
Traditionally the moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference calls the church to Bible study and prayer as we anticipate Annual Conference. This year is no exception, but with an added plus: the availability in mid-February of 13 Bible studies focused on the themes of the proposed compelling vision for the Church of the Brethren (www.brethren.org/ac/compelling-vision).
The Program and Arrangements Committee of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference has announced a denomination-wide online worship gathering titled “Venturing Forth Boldly as a Faith Family,” scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. (Eastern time). In a season of disruption and despair, the service will assure us of what “God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9) and how we can faithfully respond.
