Brethren bits includes remembrances for Jim Sampson, John Post, Roy Edwin McAuley, and Ruth Clark. Also featured: the Gemmer Peacemaking Award from Atlantic Southeast District, an opening for BL&T editor, a 100th birthday at the Westminster Church, and lots and lots more church news from across the denomination.
Pre-Publication Price Available for Lenten Devotional from Brethren Press
The 2013 Lenten devotional from Brethren Press is now available to order at pre-publication pricing. To place orders, call 800-441-3712 or go to www.brethrenpress.com . “The Practice of Paying Attention: Devotions for Ash Wednesday through Easter” is written by Dana Cassell
Congo Journal: A Brethren Pastor’s Run/Walk for Peace
Gary Benesh, pastor of Friendship Church of the Brethren in N. Wilkesboro, N.C., was inspired to return to long distance running after he heard Global Mission and Service executive Jay Wittmeyer share the story of the Congo Brethren. “Coming from the most violent area on earth, they were particularly interested in taking seriously Jesus as the Prince of Peace, and the Gospel being a ‘Gospel of Peace’ (Romans 10:15, Ephesians 6:15),” he explained. Benesh set out to “run, walk, or crawl” 28 miles across Wilkes County in the northwestern North Carolina foothills of the Blue Ridge escarpment to raise money for the Congo mission and for peace in that region of the eastern Congo. Here is his story:
Committee Shares Hopes for Sunday of Renewal, Releases Logo for 2013 Annual Conference
A logo for the 2013 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren, and more details about the schedule including a Sunday focused on spiritual renewal, have been released by the Program and Arrangements Committee. The 2013 Conference takes place June 29-July 3 in Charlotte, N.C. The largest block of the committee’s meeting was spent “fleshing out the Sunday plans as a day of renewal,” reported Douglas. This is a new initiative of Program and Arrangements, following calls for an emphasis on spirituality at the annual meeting, along with a worshipful context for the carrying out of church business.
Sandy Shipments from New Windsor Center Now Exceed $900,000 in Value
Shipments of relief materials have been heading out from warehouses at the Brethren Service Center ever since superstorm Sandy was churning through the Caribbean on its way to the northeast US. The Church of the Brethren Material Resources staff has done the processing, warehousing, and shipping of relief materials on behalf of Church World Service. Material Resources staff were filmed by WBAL TV Baltimore as they continued to fill orders for relief goods. Rob Roblin of Channel 11 news in Baltimore, Md., taped the report on the shipments sent to the Hurricane Sandy response, to air Wednesday, Nov. 14, during the 6 p.m. newscast (www.wbaltv.com ).
Church Fund Makes Grants for Sandy Response, New BDM Project in Binghamton, NY
“During a disaster such as this, now is the time to remember that the most important humanitarian donation an individual can make is cash,” notes Brethren Disaster Ministries in an e-mail update this week about its response to Hurricane Sandy. The reminder comes at a time when the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF)–which spports the work of Brethren Disaster Ministries–has made its first grants toward the Sandy relief effort.
“Once damage assessments are complete, Brethren Disaster Ministries will develop plans for future long-term recovery activities including major home repairs and rebuilds,” reports Roy Winter, associate executive director.
Children’s Disaster Services Cares for Children in Shelters in New Jersey and New York
Two teams of volunteers from Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) are at work caring for children in shelters in New York and New Jersey. The teams have set up child care centers in a shelter at Nassau Community College in Garden City, N.Y., and in a new shelter that just opened in Tuckerton, N.J.
New Windsor Center Ships $600,000 of Relief Goods to Storm Survivors on Behalf of CWS
Shipments of relief materials have been heading out from warehouses at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., to Hurricane Sandy survivors. The shipments–amounting to $605,152 worth of relief–are made on behalf of humanitarian organization Church World Service (CWS), a coalition of Christian denominations and nonprofit agencies.
Children’s Disaster Services Works in New Jersey, New York; Brethren Service Center Ships Materials for CWS
Brethren Disaster Ministries and ecumenical partner Church World Service (CWS) have issued updates on their responses to the unfolding disaster and continuing human needs in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Church members who are considering donating to the response are encouraged to give through the Emergency Disaster Fund (www.brethren.org/edf ) in support of the Brethren response including the work of Children’s Disaster Services (www.brethren.org/cds ).
Newsline for Oct. 31, 2012
“And the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14, NRSV). NEWS 1) Denomination’s ministries to be supported by $8.2 million budget in 2013. 2) Disaster response to Sandy begins, Brethren still without power in some areas. 3) EDF grants support Brethren Disaster Ministries projects in Virginia and Alabama. 4) Global Food Crisis Fund