Registration is still open for the Ecumenical Advocacy Days Spring Summit 2024, an in-person event on May 17-19 in Washington, D.C. The Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy is a sponsor of the event and director Nathan Hosler is on the planning team, alongside other ecumenical partners.
Atlantic Southeast District has called Michaela Alphonse to serve as temporary director of program, a part-time role she began this past February and will resume Aug. 1 after she completes a pastoral sabbatical. The district has called Larry O’Neill to serve as director of English ministries, a role he began on March 23.
David Banaszak has announced the conclusion of his service as executive minister for the Church of the Brethren’s Middle Pennsylvania District, a position he has held for the past six-and-a-half years since Sept. 5, 2017. He plans to conclude his ministry for the district on July 28.
Part-time Pastor; Full-Time Church is beginning a book study of From Weary to Wholehearted: A Restorative Resource for overcoming Clergy Burnout by Callie Swanlund.
The 77th Majalisa of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has successfully concluded, marking a significant milestone in the church’s history. Held April 16-19 at EYN Headquarters in Kwarhi, Adamawa State, the Majalisa (or annual conference) brought together thousands of members, leaders, and guests from across Nigeria and beyond. On the agenda were elections and appointment of a new top leadership team.
The Church of the Brethren’s Global Food Initiative (GFI) has given its first round of grants for 2024, supporting an aquaculture project in the Dominican Republic, a grain mill project in Burundi, a maize mill project in Uganda, and Syntropic training in Haiti. Two grants made in 2023 have not previously been reported in Newsline, for a school-based organic food production and environmental awareness effort in Ecuador, and to First Church of the Brethren, Eden, N.C., for its community garden.
The Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA) has aided seven congregations with grants in these first weeks of the year. The fund provides grants using money generated by the sale of the upper campus of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
Remembering Gary Dill, Idaho and Western Montana District seeks applicants for the position of district executive minister, EYN holds its 77th Majalisa, WCC welcomes the International Criminal Court policy establishing accountability for environmental crimes
As part of developing our 2024 Earth Day Resource: “Plastic Jesus, Real Faith in a Synthetic World,” we commissioned six artists to gather in retreat and to collaboratively create songs for use in worship that reflect on caring for God’s creation in the face of the plastic pollution crisis. Sarah Macias was their host at Sister Grove Farm.
We’re looking forward to our special district creation care event next Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill. We hope you can join us! There is no charge for this event, and all are welcome.
