Church of the Brethren membership in the United States and Puerto Rico has fallen below 100,000, according to the 2020 Church of the Brethren Yearbook from Brethren Press. For 2019, the Yearbook reported 98,680 members in 24 districts and 978 local worshiping communities across the Church of the Brethren denomination–a net loss of 5,766 over the previous year.
The Wild Way of Jesus: Devotions for Ash Wednesday Through Easter, written by Anna Lisa Gross, is the 2021 Lenten devotional from Brethren Press. “This Lent, walk with Jesus along his wilderness way,” said an announcement. “Look to the birds in the air, taste mustard growing along the path, and greet people deemed outcasts. Follow Jesus through the world’s wild edges and experience life-giving good news.”
Brethren Press is highlighting a round dozen resources for use by individuals and churches in this fourth quarter of 2020. On the list are new resources published by Brethren Press for education and enjoyment of young and old. Also recommended are new books by Brethren authors, from other publishers but available to purchase through Brethren Press.
Brethren Press is offering a variety of new resources that combine fun and learning about Brethren history, heritage, theology, and the Bible. The mix of new Brethren Press products includes a jigsaw puzzle of the Eder River, a new Forerunners card game, and new digital resources from Shine, the Sunday school curriculum jointly published with
“Give now to ensure the future of Brethren Press!” said an invitation from the Church of the Brethren denominational publishing house. Congregations that have been supporters of Brethren Press recently received a letter from publisher Wendy McFadden with an update. “The plain truth is that the pandemic has seriously hurt Brethren Press,” the letter said,
New from Brethren Press are the Shine curriculum’s All of Us: God’s Story for You and Me, a Bible storybook for children, and the 2020 Advent devotional Give Light, written by James Benedict. Brethren Press resources may be ordered from www.brethrenpress.com or call 800-441-3712. All of Us The new Bible storybook from Shine, a curriculum
The 50th annual Dunker Church Service at the old Brethren meetinghouse on the Antietam battlefield will be virtual this year, and available to view online. Brethren Press and “Messenger” magazine publisher Wendy McFadden is the featured speaker and will share a message on “The Wounds of War and a Place for Peace.” The Dunker meetinghouse
Because of financial difficulties in budgets for this year and next, including the significant drop in Brethren Press sales due to the pandemic, Steve Bickler and Margaret Drafall conclude their work with the Church of the Brethren on Aug. 28.
Brethren Press is publishing a book in which Nigerian Brethren who have suffered violence at the hands of Boko Haram tell of their experiences and their heartache. Titled “We Bear It in Tears,” the book is a collection of interviews recorded by Carol Mason, with photographs by Donna Parcell. It may be pre-ordered from Brethren Press at www.brethrenpress.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=9780871782915 .
“People of faith across the centuries have used the Psalms, laden with powerful images and emotions, in their devotional life,” said an announcement from Brethren Press about its newest Covenant Bible Study. “God’s Steadfast Love in the Psalms” is written by Christina Bucher, a professor of religion at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College.