At the beginning of December 2013, leaders of a number of Anabaptist denominations gathered for the annual Council of Moderators and Secretaries meeting. Attending from the Church of the Brethren were general secretary Stanley J. Noffsinger and Annual Conference moderator Nancy Sollenberger Heishman. The gathering was hosted by the Conservative Mennonite Conference at its Rosedale International Center in Columbus, Ohio.
General Secretary
Former General Secretary Judy Mills Reimer Is Remembered for Her Leadership to the Church of the Brethren
Judy Mills Reimer, 73, who filled a number of key leadership roles in the Church of the Brethren including service as a former general secretary and Annual Conference moderator, died the morning of Nov. 13 in a hospital in Charlottesville, Va. She had suffered a series of strokes over the past few weeks.
Assembly Adopts Documents Addressing Concerns for Unity, Politicization of Religion and Rights of Religious Minorities, Peace on the Korean Peninsula, Among Others
The WCC Assembly adopted a number of documents addressing public issues, a statement on unity, and a “message” coming out of the experience of the assembly.
Church of the Brethren General Secretary Takes Part in Plenary on Peace
“When Jesus said ‘Love your enemies,’ I think he probably meant don’t kill them,” said Stan Noffsinger at the plenary on peace at the World Council of Churches 10th Assembly. He was quoting a popular Brethren bumper sticker written by San Diego-based peacemaker Linda Williams.
First Impressions: Words and Images from the Opening Days of the WCC 10th Assembly
Sound bites in words and images from opening days of the World Council of Churches Assembly in Busan, South Korea–the 10th for the WCC. Held only every 7 or 8 years, each WCC assembly represents the largest and diverse gathering of Christian denominations from around the world. The Church of the Brethren is a founding member.
On the Way to Busan: The Brethren Delegation Share Their Hopes and Dreams for the WCC Assembly
It is not unusual that this size of a delegation from the Church of the Brethren would be present at a World Council of Churches (WCC) Assembly, says general secretary Stan Noffsinger. What has changed is the number of delegates “and our involvement in the deliberations,” he adds.
The WCC Assembly by the Numbers
The WCC Assembly in South Korea will be the largest and most diverse gathering of Christians ever. What will happen in Korea will be a unique moment in the worldwide Christian ecumenical movement. According to a release by Ka Hyun MacKenzie Shin and Roddy MacKenzie, those coming to Korea for this extraordinary gathering include….
MMB Adopts Budget, Revision of Ministerial Leadership Polity, Recommendation on Equitable Representation
A budget for 2014 and responses to business sent back by Annual Conference–the Ministerial Leadership document and a query on equitable representation–were on the agenda of the Mission and Ministry Board Oct. 18-21. The meeting was chaired by Becky Ball Miller. Also on the agenda were the strategic plan, financial policies, capital proposals, discussion of the Brethren Service Center, celebration of Gather ’Round, the Annual Conference delegate travel stipend, terms of board members, and reports.
Brethren Bits for September 27
Brethren bits for Sept. 27. This week: Shine seeks curriculum writers, September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, a banquet celebrates Carlisle Truck Stop Ministry, solidarity and concern for Christians in Pakistan following the bombing of All Saints Church, and much more.
Church Leaders Discuss Moving Syria to Peace; General Secretary Attends with Syria, Russia, US, Europe Leaders
Following a World Council of Churches (WCC) meeting with church leaders from Russia, Syria, the United States, and Europe on the role of the church moving all parties in Syria toward a peace agreement. Kofi Annan, former United Nations secretary-general, and Lakhdar Brahimi, Joint Representative for Syria, joined the group of Christian leaders today at the WCC Ecumenical Institute Center. Church of the Brethren general secretary Stanley J. Noffsinger was one of the American church leaders at the meeting.