Traci Rabenstein has assumed leadership of the Church of the Brethren Donor Relations team, as of Oct. 9. John Hipps has concluded his work with the Church of the Brethren as director of Donor Relations, a position he has held since Sept. 24, 2012.
The Church of the Brethren earlier this year received a check of $50,000 from Brethren Mutual Aid Agency and Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, representing a benefit earned through the Ministry Partner Program. The denomination’s Leadership Team has decided to use the money to fund work to frame a “compelling vision” for the denomination, with $1,000 provided to the Finance Office to cover costs of administering the money.
Roy Winter is on a trip to Puerto Rico this week to assess needs following Hurricane Maria and to meet with Church of the Brethren leaders in Puerto Rico District. Winter is associate executive director of Global Mission and Service and Brethren Disaster Ministries.
NEWS
1) CDS deploys Critical Response Childcare team to Las Vegas
2) Iran deal represents meaningful step to prevent nuclear conflict
3) New students begin at Bethany Seminary
4) Northern Indiana District issues resolution against racism
5) Nobel prize-winner ICAN says it will work for full nuclear ban
PERSONNEL
6) Atlantic Northeast hires Pete Kontra as district executive
UPCOMING EVENTS
7) NYC registration will open Jan. 18, youthworker applications are due Nov. 1
8) Mission Alive 2018 to be hosted at Frederick church
9) Next Nigeria workcamp is scheduled for January
10) Brethren bits
In this issue: Personnel, job opening, disaster response efforts, district conferences, and more.
Global Mission and Service invites participants to join a workcamp organized by Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Workcamp dates, including travel to and from Nigeria, are Jan. 5-22, 2018.
Mission Alive 2018, a conference sponsored by the Global Mission and Service program of the Church of Brethren, will take place April 6-8 at Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren. The theme is “A Gathering of God’s People…a Global Church of the Brethren,” seeking inspiration from Revelation 7:9.
National Youth Conference (NYC) takes place next summer, July 21-26, 2018, in Fort Collins, Colo., at Colorado State University. This Church of the Brethren conference is held every four years for youth who have completed grade 9 through 1 year of college (or the age equivalent).
Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren has called Pete Kontra to the position of district executive minister effective Jan. 1, 2018. He has been in pastoral ministry for more than 20 years, and currently is senior pastor at Hempfield Church of the Brethren in Atlantic Northeast District.
Among other business accomplished by Northern Indiana District at its district conference this year was the affirmation of the resolution “We Reaffirm that Racism is a Sin Against God and Our Neighbors.” The conversation was characterized by a unified desire to express the pain felt by the gathered body on the heels of the protests and counter-protests witnessed in Charlottesville, Va., and in other places around this country.