By Chris Elliott When the global Brethren event was held last November in Nigeria, leaders from Eglise des Freres au Congo (the Church of the Brethren in the Democratic Republic of Congo or DRC) came across the EYN Pastor’s Manual. The gathering was hosted by Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren
Summarized from reporting by Zakariya Musa Reports from the Disaster Relief Ministry of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), dated July and August, have outlined the latest disaster relief work by the Nigerian Brethren. The work is centered in places that have suffered recent attacks, violence, and destruction by
The town of Garkida in northeast Nigeria was attacked by Boko Haram the night of Feb. 21-22. Garkida is considered the birthplace of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN–the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) as the place where the Church of the Brethren was started in Nigeria in 1923. Many buildings were burned in the
The Church of the Brethren Emergency Disaster Fund has issued a major grant for the Nigeria Crisis Response and a smaller one to assist with tornado recovery efforts in Iowa.
The first of a series of workcamps to rebuild churches has been taking place in Nigeria. The series is connected with the Nigeria Crisis Response, a joint effort of the Church of the Brethren and Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). At this workcamp, a group of nine Brethren from several different congregations have helped construct a church for displaced Nigerians.
Joel S. Billi, president of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), is calling on members to be strong with endurance in times of hardship. He said this in a sermon during the granting of church autonomy to the Lumba congregation on Sunday, Nov. 13. This is the sixth granting of church autonomy by the present EYN administration, and is to a church established from EYN’s LCC (Local Church Council) Mararaba church in the DCC [district of] Hildi.
Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has welcomed a visit from Global Mission and Service executive staff Jay Wittmeyer and Roy Winter, who also heads up Brethren Disaster Ministries. The two church staff from the US have been meeting with Nigerian church leaders including EYN president Joel S. Billi and leaders of EYN’s Disaster Relief Ministry, as well as other groups.
In August, a group of seven Church of the Brethren members traveled to Nigeria with the goal of building relationships, encouraging, praying with, and physically standing by our brothers and sisters of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria).
Rev. Daniel Mbaya, general secretary of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), in a text he passed across the church asked all the EYN DCC [church district] secretaries, heads of programs, and institutions to a one-day fasting and prayer for the Church of the Brethren in the United States.
Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) was founded by the American Church of the Brethren in 1923 at Garkida, Nigeria, where it had its 75th anniversary in 1998. EYN president Joel S. Billi has inaugurated a 13-member committee for a 100 Years Anniversary of EYN-Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. This is coming less than one month after he assumed office as the EYN president, and is coming from a decision of the EYN National Executive Committee at its meeting held on April 12.