On May 16-19 about 120 people–including seminary and academy students–gathered at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., for the 2012 New Church Planting Conference. The event is held every other year, sponsored by the New Church Development Advisory Committee and Congregational Life Ministries.
Tag: Congregational Life Ministries
Revised Deacon Manual to Be Published in Two Volumes
A newly revised and expanded “Deacon Manual” is nearing completion, with delivery scheduled for this summer, reports Donna Kline, director of the Church of the Brethren’s Deacon Ministries. The new two-volume set offers one volume for individual and group study, while the second volume is designed to accompany deacons as they minister in homes, hospitals, and the many other places they serve.
May is Older Adult Month on Theme, ‘Aging with Passion and Purpose’
This May, the Church of the Brethren’s Older Adult Ministry invites congregations to celebrate God’s gift of aging and the contributions of older adults to our lives and faith communities.
Youth Peace Travel Team Is Named for 2012
The 2012 Youth Peace Travel Team has been named. As they spend time with junior and senior high youth this summer at camps across the Church of the Brethren, the team will teach about peace, justice, and reconciliation.
Resources for Lent: Devotional and Blog Challenge Believers to Engage the World
In “A Community of Love,” the Lenten devotional from Brethren Press, author Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford encourages readers to engage in personal introspection that leads to participation in the community of faith. Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is hosting a blog as one way to invite readers into this larger community of faith. The site will offer simple prayers and questions growing out of the Lenten devotional. Also find more resources for Lent and Easter from Congregational Life Ministries, Global Women’s Project, and the Springs Initiative.
Deacon Ministry Offers Pre-Conference Workshops
Two deacon training workshops will be held in St. Louis on Saturday, July 7, prior to the start of the 2012 Annual Conference. The workshops are sponsored by the Church of the Brethren Deacon Ministry, a part of Congregational Life Ministries. Both workshops will be held in the America’s Center convention center, Room 122.
‘Naked Anabaptist’ Author Murray Featured in Upcoming Webinar
A one-day workshop and webinar titled “Changing World, Future Church, Ancient Paths” will be led by Stuart Murray Williams and Juliet Kilpin on March 10, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (Pacific), or 12-6 p.m. (central). The event will address the question, “What does it mean to follow Jesus in a changing culture, in which the Christian story is no longer familiar and the church is on the margins?”
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
There are many ways the church can respond to varied adverse conditions of children, not the least of which is when children are victims of abuse. Congregations are encouraged to observe Child Abuse Prevention Month during the month of April.
New Church Development Conference Registration Opens Jan. 17
Registration for the Church of the Brethren’s New Church Development Conference opens online Jan. 17 at noon (central time) at www.brethren.org/churchplanting/events.html . Conference information including a schedule, workshop list, and logistical details, is available now at the same web address.
Dueck Offers Coaching, Resources on ‘Emotional Intelligence’
Emotional intelligence accounts for more than 50 percent of a person’s leadership capacity. In 2011, Stan Dueck, the Church of the Brethren’s director for Transforming Practices, completed the certification process in “Emotional Intelligence with Multiple Health Services.” Emotional intelligence is an important companion to a pastor’s or church leader’s spiritual foundation, especially while serving congregations during this time of profound change for many churches, he reports.