The first Brethren baptisms in America were held on Christmas Day 1723 in the Wissahickon Creek in Philadelphia. On the 300th anniversary of that event, West Shore Church of the Brethren held a baptism in the Conodoguinet Creek in Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County, Pa.
February Ventures course to focus on creative church
The February online offering from the Ventures in Christian Discipleship program at McPherson (Kan.) College will be “Divine Creativity and Holy Imagination: Cultivating a Creative Church” to be presented by Liz Ullery Swenson. The course will be held online in two Tuesday evening sessions, Feb. 13 and 20, both at 7:30 to 9 p.m. (central time).
Travel grants available for course ‘Polarization as an Opportunity for Ministry’
As part of Bethany Theological Seminary’s initiative to “Build Bridges Across Ideological Divides,” the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership is offering a series of TRIM-level courses to help clergy recognize and meaningfully address division in their congregations and communities. First up is “Polarization as an Opportunity for Ministry,” a course with Russell Haitch, professor of Theology and Human Science at Bethany.
Stuart Murray Williams and colleagues to lead webinar centered on new book
The Church of the Brethren’s Discipleship and Leadership Formation department is sponsoring a webinar to be held Feb. 8 with Stuart Murray Williams and colleagues Alexandra Ellish, Judith Kilpin, and Karen Sethuraman centered around the forthcoming book The New Anabaptists: Practices for Emerging Communities. The book is to be released in late January.
Brethren bits
In this issue: Germantown Church of the Brethren’s 300th anniversary gets great media coverage; remembering Phoebe Hayes; happy 75th to SERRV; job opening at Camp Bethel; “Palestine Power Hour” hosted by On Earth Peace; ceasefire prayer vigil hosted by CMEP; Church of the Brethren pastor arrested calling for ceasefire; Bethany Seminary professor to lead Academy of Homiletics
‘Soul Sisters’ for multi-vocational clergywomen, book study on flourishing in ministry
The Part-Time Pastor; Full-Time Church program of the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Ministry is planning events for the next few months. Multi-vocational pastors are invited to a study of the book Flourishing in Ministry by Matt Bloom. Multi-vocational clergywomen are particularly invited to join Erin Matteson for “Soul Sisters…Connecting and Deepening Together.”
‘Beloved’ is theme for FaithX in 2024, registration opens Jan. 10
Registration for FaithX 2024 is opening on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. (Eastern time) at www.brethren.org/faithx. The schedule, pricing, and more details about FaithX trips for 2024 is at www.brethren.org/faithx/schedule.
People killed, church communities attacked in Christmastime violence in Nigeria
Congregations and communities of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) were among those suffering attacks during the Christmas season in northern Nigeria, reported EYN staff.
Brethren Disaster Ministries celebrates house blessings, attends events with Kentucky governor
Brethren Disaster Ministries staff and volunteers celebrated house blessings for homes that the disaster rebuilding program completed last year in Kentucky. House blessings were held last summer and fall for homes completed for tornado survivors in Dawson Springs, Ky.
Standing with People of Color Committee offers facilitator training for upcoming conversations
The Standing with People of Color Committee put in place by the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in 2022 is laying groundwork for the denomination to engage issues of race for a decade into the future.