NEWS
1) April 4 events mark 50 years since death of Martin Luther King Jr.
2) Compelling Vision Process Team to begin its work
3) ‘Mission Advancement’ is new name for denomination’s Donor Relations
4) EYN celebrates its 95th anniversary
5) Brethren bits
Brethren bits for April 7, 2018
President Joel S. Billi of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has said EYN will remain one until Christ returns, and warns any attempt to divide the denomination. He said this in a message at EYN’s 95th Anniversary during Sunday service at Kulp Bible College Chapel on March 18. March 17 is the date of the anniversary and considered “Founder’s Day” by the Nigerian church.
The office of Donor Relations is delighted to announce a new team name, the office of Mission Advancement. This new name better clarifies the intentional focus to cultivate passion to advance the mission of the Church of the Brethren. The team is working to provide ways for passionate supporters to offer each gift as “a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (from Philippians 4:18) to sustain and support the ministry of the larger church.
The Church of the Brethren was represented at the “A.C.T.–Awaken, Confront, Transform–to End Racism” rally in Washington, D.C., on April 4 by Gimbiya Kettering, director of Intercultural Ministries. Also in attendance were Tori Bateman of the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy and the denomination’s representative to the United Nations, Doris Abdullah, along with other church members from various parts of the country.
The nine people who will make up the Compelling Vision Process Team have been named. The team’s first meeting will be April 17-19 at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.
NEWS
1) Leadership Team issues call to Christ-like discourse
2) Denominational ministries experience positive financial results in 2017
3) Office of Peacebuilding and Policy director signs letter on militarization of Middle East
4) Northern Plains District task force issues letter on child sexual abuse prevention
UPCOMING EVENTS
5) Junior high students invited to ‘Immerse!’ at Bethany Seminary
6) Brethren bits
Job openings, National Youth Sunday materials, Intercultural Ministries conversation about “Black Panther,” Children’s Disaster Services training, March for Our Lives breakfast in DC, ACT NOW: Unite to End Racism, On Earth Peace endorses Poor People’s Campaign, “This Evil Thing” at Highland Avenue Church and Manchester University, Ventures Course on culture of call, and more.
Positive financial results for the Church of Brethren denominational ministries in 2017 include increased nets assets, positive investment returns, increased giving to core ministries, and increased giving to some restricted funds. Concerns include the continued use of designated funds to supplement income and a few self-funding ministries that sustained a net expense.
The Leadership Team of the Church of the Brethren has issued a letter calling for Christ-like discourse at this time in the life of the church. The Leadership Team of the denomination includes the general secretary, the Annual Conference officers, a representative of the Council of District Executives, and the director of the Annual Conference office.