The Compelling Vision Team is developing a 13-session Bible study series around the compelling vision being proposed for the Church of the Brethren. Designed for use by youth and adults, the series will be available at no cost on the compelling vision webpage in February 2021. Sample sessions will be posted in mid-January.
Church of the Brethren
Brethren bits for Dec. 20, 2020
In this issue: Remembering John Gingrich and Georgianna Schmidtke, prayers for Quinter Church of the Brethren and the residents of Gove County, Kan., personnel notes, letter to President-elect Biden on Israel and Palestine, Brethren Press matching gift challenge, Bethany Seminary recruits international students from the Brethren-related colleges, Virlina District’s Race Education Team, and more new by, for, and about Brethren.
Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding program sites are ‘paused,’ to restart in 2021
Both of the current Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding project sites will be closed after this week for a holiday break. In 2021, the Brethren Disaster Ministry program will be down to one rebuilding site at a time throughout the year. The North Carolina site is scheduled to reopen Jan. 10 and close at the end of March. The Ohio site will reopen after Easter to continue for the rest of 2021.
Church of the Brethren youth cabinet is named for 2021-2022
The Church of the Brethren’s Youth and Young Adult Ministries has named the denomination’s National Youth Cabinet for the years 2021-2022.
Christian Citizenship Seminar 2021 will study economic justice
Christian Citizenship Seminar (CCS) 2021, focused on economic justice, will take place online April 24-28, 2021. The event is sponsored by the Church of the Brethren’s Youth and Young Adult Ministries and the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy.
Moderator’s Town Hall on ‘Faith, Science, and COVID-19–Part Three’ is slated for Jan. 21
Annual Conference moderator Paul Mundey is offering the next Moderator’s Town Hall on “Faith, Science, and COVID-19–Part Three” on Jan. 21, 2021, at 7 p.m. (Eastern time). Dr. Kathryn Jacobsen, who has been the resource person for the previous two town halls on this topic, will again be featured.
Webinar will explore God’s work of healing self and relationships
“Do We Want to Get Well? Healing What Divides Us,” is the title of a webinar planned for Jan. 21, 2021, at 2 p.m. (Eastern time), sponsored by the Discipleship Ministries of the Church of the Brethren in collaboration with the Anabaptist Disabilities Network. Featured presenter is Amy Julia Becker.
Intercultural Ministries announces new Racial Justice mini-grant program
We are grateful to announce that the Church of the Brethren is a grant recipient of the Healing Illinois grant of $30,000 towards racial justice initiatives. The Gathering Chicago in the Illinois and Wisconsin District also is among the recipients. Healing Illinois grants are administered by the Chicago Community Trust.
Western Plains District Leadership Team adopts non-discrimination policy
The Western Plains Leadership Team, as part of our employment/appointment duties, discussed and adopted a Nondiscrimination Statement. As followers of Christ, it has been an unwritten ideal that we strive to be non-discriminatory in our actions and speech, but like so many other organizations, we felt the time had come for the district to make a formal declaration of these ideals.
EYN reports on fighting in Askira area, assistance to Chibok orphans and student refugees in Cameroon
Among other news from EYN, Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has reported on fighting between government forces and Boko Haram in the Askira Uba area of Borno State in northeast Nigeria, with many people forced to flee and at least one church member suffering gunshot wounds.
