NEWS
1) Children’s Disaster Services aids children displaced by flooding in Louisiana
2) Haiti Theological Training program celebrates graduation of 22 ministers
3) Song and Story Fest gathers multiple generations for relaxation, reflection, rejuvenation
UPCOMING EVENTS
4) Ventures webinar will train leaders for congregational ethics self-study
5) Series of workcamps is planned for church rebuilding in Nigeria
6) Brethren bits
A Ventures online course is planned to aid congregations in training leaders to help them study the Congregational Ethics document adopted recently by Annual Conference. Ventures is a ministry training initiative hosted at McPherson (Kan.) College.
In this issue: Congratulations to Olympian Clayton Murphy who grew up in the Church of the Brethren, plus corrections, remembering Bill Kaysen, personnel notes, mission prayer requests, church anniversaries, and more news by, for, and about Brethren
The Nigeria Crisis Response and Brethren Disaster Ministries are offering new ways to support Ekklesiyar Yan’ua a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), including a collection of “Books for Nigeria” and a new church rebuilding program.
NEWS
1) BBT updates ministers on IRS rule changes for medical insurance premiums
2) BBT offers new Periodic Payment Plan for members of the Pension Plan
NIGERIA UPDATES
3) Nigeria Crisis Response continues food aid in response to new food shortages, but begins to shift to long-term recovery
4) Initiatives for Nigeria will rebuild churches, collect books for children and Bible college
PERSONNEL
5) Carl Hill resigns from Nigeria Crisis Response, Roxane Hill to continue part-time
UPCOMING EVENTS
6) SVMC continuing education events look at art in worship, preaching the reign of God
7) Brethren Academy announces upcoming courses
8) Brethren bits
Upcoming courses offered through the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership are open to students in the Training in Ministry (TRIM) and Education for Shared Ministry (EFSM) programs, pastors and other ministers, and all interested persons.
As the situation in northeast Nigeria becomes more stable and many displaced people move back home, the Nigeria Crisis Response program is beginning to transition to long-term recovery activities, while still supporting basic needs of displaced Nigerians and members of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). This week, EYN leaders confirmed food shortages in some areas of the northeast, and have requested continued food aid at least through the end of 2016.
Carl Hill has resigned as co-director of the Nigeria Crisis Response, a joint program of the Church of the Brethren and Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). He and his wife, Roxane, have served as co-directors since Dec. 1, 2014. Roxane will continue supporting the Nigeria Crisis Response, working half time as coordinator. Carl ends his term Aug. 31, to become pastor of Potsdam (Ohio) Church of the Brethren.
The Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center (SVMC) based at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College is publicizing two continuing education events for ministers and other church leaders: “Reimagining Art for Worship” on Sept. 10, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, led by Diane Brandt; and “Preaching the Reign of God: Prophets, Poets, and Conversations” on Nov. 10, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Von Liebig Center at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., led by Dawn Ottoni-Wilhelm.
In this issue: A correction, Pleasant Dale Church and Plymouth Church celebrate 100 years, Robins Church holds closing service, “Justice Like Water” event is hosted at Lancaster, Renacer Fall Fundraiser, World Hunger Auction is this Saturday, plus festivals and auctions and other special events across the denomination, among other news.