Fledgling Church of the Brethren mission projects in two areas of the world–Venezuela and the Great Lakes region of Africa–have been formally approved by the denomination’s Mission and Ministry Board, at its March 3-8 meeting.
The Church of the Brethren has signed a purchase agreement with Shanghai Yulun Education Group for the “upper campus” of the Brethren Service Center property in New Windsor, Md. The purchaser intends to establish a private school on the property. The agreement is effective today, Nov. 14, 2016, but it is anticipated that a sale will not be finalized until spring 2017.
Two teams of Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) volunteers have begun work in Baton Rouge, La., this week, and more teams have been requested to help care for children and families who have been displaced by massive flooding.
During the month of July, 480 clean-up buckets and approximately 510 school kits were sent to aid flood relief efforts in West Virginia, shipped by the Church of the Brethren Material Resources program based at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The aid was shipped on behalf of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) in partnership with Church World Service (CWS).
The Church of the Brethren Material Resources program has loaded two 40-foot containers filled with Hygiene Kits and School kits, and shipped them to aid Syrian refugees fleeing from the violence afflicting the Middle East. This shipment was arranged by the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) in partnership with Church World Service (CWS), reports Material Resources office coordinator Terry Goodger.
Mary Ann Grossnickle begins as manager of Zigler Hospitality Center, at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
At its fall meeting the Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board took a number of significant actions, including approval of up to $1.5 million in funding for a greatly expanded response to the crisis in Nigeria; authorizing marketing of the Brethren Service Center property in New Windsor, Md.; and approval of a budget for denominational ministries in 2015. Chair Becky Ball-Miller led the meeting on Oct. 17-20 at the General Offices in Elgin, Ill.
Cori Hahn has tendered her resignation as hospitality coordinator at the Zigler Hospitality Center, located at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Her last day at the hospitality center will be Nov. 14.
Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed a grant of $25,000 from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to support the Church World Service response to the surge of unaccompanied child refugees entering the United States.
“We are talking about the facility, not the programs,” said Becky Ball-Miller, chair of the Mission and Ministry Board, addressing a packed room at a hearing about the disposition of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Sharing the dais with her were treasurer LeAnn Harnist, chair-elect Don Fitzkee, and general secretary Stan Noffsinger.