Jeff Thomson has been hired as director of Brethren Disaster Ministries for the Church of the Brethren. In his previous role as chief housing officer and general contractor with Interfaith Housing and Community Services, he collaborated with numerous volunteers while leading home repair programs for families in need in Hutchinson, Kan.
Brethren Disaster Ministries
Special Annual Conference events are offered in Fort Wayne this summer
The 2026 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren is offering a number of special events and opportunities this summer in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Adam Lane to begin as program assistant for Children’s Disaster Services
Adam Lane begins May 27 as program assistant for Children’s Disaster Services (CDS), a ministry within Brethren Disaster Ministries, working from the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
Grant of $500,000 to the Church of the Brethren will support Brethren Disaster Ministries
The Church of the Brethren has been awarded a half-million dollar grant to support Brethren Disaster Ministries, reported Roy Winter, executive director of the Church of the Brethren’s Service Ministries and Brethren Disaster Ministries. The grant will support “a three-year program expansion and improvements to US based programs,” he said. The grant was received from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative, “Hope After the Storm: Capacity Building for Faith-Based Disaster Relief Organizations.”
Brethren Disaster Ministries Rebuilding Program serves Hurricane Helene and Western Maryland storm survivors
The Brethren Disaster Ministries Rebuilding Program is transitioning toward recovery from 2024’s Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, beginning in April 2026 when it is serving survivors in Ashe, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties.
EDF grants continue Nigeria Crisis Response, support Lebanese affected by war
Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to continued support for the Nigeria Crisis Response as well as to support people in Lebanon who are affected by the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Children’s Disaster Services responds following tornados in Illinois and Michigan
On March 16-17, Children’s Disaster Services (CDS), responded in Aroma Park, Ill., a suburb of Kankakee. The CDS volunteers served at a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) supporting the community following a tornado that passed through Aroma Park on March 10.
Emergency Disaster Fund gives large grants for Church of the Brethren mission in South Sudan, relief for Congolese refugees
Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed large grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to the church’s mission in South Sudan and to provide relief for Congolese refugees in Burundi and families continuing to be affected by violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
EYN disaster relief staff, EYN Media share news of violence affecting the church in Nigeria
Two departments of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) have shared information about recent violence affecting members and congregations of EYN in northeast Nigeria.
Brethren Disaster Ministries seeks skilled volunteers for special project in Louisiana in April
Brethren Disaster Ministries, with leadership from Cliff Kindy, is organizing a team of skilled volunteers to serve in Pointe-au-Chien, La., from April 7-28 to rebuild a home destroyed by Hurricane Ida in 2021.
