Church of the Brethren leaders have released a statement following on a week of shootings that have rocked the nation. The statement is signed by Carol A. Scheppard, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference; Samuel Sarpiya, moderator-elect of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference; and Dale E. Minnich, interim general secretary of the Church of the Brethren. The statement follows in full:
Congregational Life Ministries
Greensboro’s Civil Rights Museum Offers Learning Opportunity for Brethren
According to the Christian folk song, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going.” There were certainly many bright lights shining in the darkness during the epic Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ’60s.
Open Roof Fellowship Welcomes Six New Churches
Six churches were welcomed into the Open Roof Fellowship at the Mission and Ministry Board meeting in advance of Annual Conference in Greensboro, N.C. The fellowship recognizes Church of the Brethren congregations that have made great strides in becoming more accessible to people with disabilities.
Network of Spiritual Directors Meets for Annual Retreat
For over a decade, spiritual directors from throughout the Church of the Brethren have met annually for a retreat and continuing education. Shepherd’s Spring Outdoor Ministry and Retreat Center in Sharpsburg, Md., provides a beautiful and quiet setting for this event, which includes opportunities for worship, prayer, silence, creative expression, peer supervision, and keynote presentations.
National Young Adult Conference Seeks to Create Harmony
Over Memorial Day weekend, more than 45 young adults from across the country met at Manchester University in North Manchester, Ind., for National Young Adult Conference (NYAC). The weekend was filled with worship, workshops, and Bible study focused around the theme of creating harmony in everyday life.
New Church Planting Conference Calls for Development of Hope and Imagination
“Hope, Imagination, Mission”–the theme of the Church of the Brethren new church planting May 19-21 in Richmond, Ind., hosted by Bethany Theological Seminary–prompted a new call to the whole church to develop its imagination and foster a new hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some 100 people participated in worship, keynote presentations, workshops, and a special training track in Spanish. The conference was sponsored by Congregational Life Ministries.
Congregational Life Ministries Announce Interim Plan for Sharing Executive Duties
The Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren has announced an interim plan for staff to share executive duties, following the resignation of former executive director Jonathan Shively. Using a collaborative team approach, the plan focuses on sharing oversight of the work of the department and development of staffing and programming.
CCS Participants Learn About the Root Causes of Mass Incarceration
“Brethren, our game is strong…and the story ain’t over yet!” This call to action from Richard Newton heralded the start of Christian Citizenship Seminar (CCS) 2016. Each year CCS brings together high school youth to learn about a social justice issue and put their faith into practice through political advocacy on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
May is Older Adult Month
Youth Sunday, graduations, Pentecost, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day–May is a busy month! The Office of Intergenerational Ministries encourages congregations to also celebrate May as Older Adult Month.
Jonathan Shively Resigns as Executive for Congregational Life Ministries
Jonathan Shively has resigned as executive director of Congregational Life Ministries for the Church of the Brethren, effective April 30. He has served in the position since July 2008, working out of the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.