In this issue: National Youth Conference registration opens; Brethren Volunteer Service Christmas list and Winter orientation; study guide for Tod Bolsinger’s plenary at Annual Conference; Nigerian Brethren dedicate annual theme and devotional for 2022; personnel notes; and more.
A webinar titled “US-China Relations: Reconstructing the Escalating US-China Relations Through Peacebuilding” is sponsored by the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy. The online event is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern time).
Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed grants from the Church of the Brethren Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to a rebuilding project site in Pamlico County, N.C.; Syrians displaced by civil war; and people displaced by the war in Yemen. To support these grants financially, give online at https://churchofthebrethren.givingfuel.com/bdm.
The Brethren Faith in Action Fund has given its most recent grants to three congregations: Ellisforde, Lorida, and East Dayton. The fund gives grants to Church of the Brethren congregations and camps in the US and Puerto Rico, using money generated by the sale of the upper campus of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The eligibility of camps to apply for grants concludes at the end of 2021. Find out more at www.brethren.org/faith-in-action.
The Part-time Pastor; Full-time Church program of the Church of the Brethren Office of Ministry is offering a book study on Flourishing in Ministry: How to Cultivate Clergy Wellbeing by Matt Bloom. The online event is planned once a week from Jan. 4 to March 3, 2022, on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. (Eastern time). Continuing education units are available.
The deadline for nominations for the Annual Conference ballot has been extended until Jan. 1, 2022. The Church of the Brethren denomination and its agencies depend on leaders elected at Annual Conference from nominees proposed by the wider church. We need you!
Jen Jensen has been hired by the Church of the Brethren as the Thriving in Ministry program manager in the Office of Ministry, to start Dec. 13. Her work will include the Part‐time Pastor; Full‐time Church program.
Brethren Press’ Forerunners card game has me curious about the new faces that were added in the second edition. One of the new faces is a Northern Plains woman, Julia Gilbert (1844-1934).
The 2021 Advent devotional from Brethren Press, Do Not Be Afraid by Angela Finet, has broken previous sales records for the devotional booklets. More than 7,000 copies of the devotional have gone out so far this Advent season, including copies in regular and large print, and as digital downloads.
In 2020, MSS was held online due to the COVID pandemic. In 2021, as the pandemic continued and MSS applications declined further, the program took a sabbath rest. Facing a third summer of pandemic-affected program, as well as the long-term trends, 2022 will provide a chance to listen. Instead of moving ahead with the program or taking another sabbath, the future of the program will be intentionally considered.
