Ilexene Alphonse, pastor of Eglise des Freres Haitiens, a Haitian Brethren congregation in Miami, Fla.; Jenn Dorsch-Messler, director of Brethren Disaster Ministries; and Eric Miller, co-executive director for Global Mission traveled to Saut Mathurine in southwest Haiti in the second week of September.
Athanasus Ungang, Church of the Brethren Global Mission staff in South Sudan, was released from prison this week after a detention lasting more than three weeks. He and other church leaders and colleagues had been held for questioning following the murder of a church leader in May, although he was not a suspect in the case and the authorities did not press formal charges.
Every other month, leaders from the Church of the Brethren around the world meet to discuss issues facing the global church. In the most recent meeting, the group continued to discuss the meaning of being Brethren and watched a video produced by Marcos Inhauser, a leader of the church in Brazil. “No other church is like this,” several noted.
The general secretary of Eglise des Freres Haitiens (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti), Romy Telfort, is expressing appreciation for prayers from the US Church of the Brethren following the assassination of Haiti’s president Jovenel Moïse.
A disaster relief response to the volcanic eruption that has affected the area around the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and around the city of Gisenyi, Rwanda, is planned by Brethren Disaster Ministries. Brethren church members and congregations have been affected in both the DRC and Rwanda, with damage to homes and church buildings reported. Continuing damage is occurring from the earthquakes that followed on the volcanic explosion that took place May 22.
Norman and Carol Spicher Waggy have concluded an interim assignment as directors of Global Mission for the Church of the Brethren, as of May 14. They served in the position on a part-time basis starting March 2, 2020.
Hillcrest School in Jos, Nigeria, has issued a statement about former principal James McDowell’s admission of having molested students. He was principal from 1974-1984. He made the admission in a Facebook post on April 15. McDowell was not a Church of the Brethren mission worker.
Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) held its General Church Council Annual Conference, also known as Majalisa, with successful approvals, deliberations, commendations, celebrations, and presentations on April 27-30. About 2,000 pastors, delegates, and heads of programs and institutions were in attendance at the EYN Headquarters in Kwarhi, Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State.
Do you wonder about what is going on in mission work these days? Ever since the Mission Alive Conference of 2012, it has been the goal of the Global Mission office to have a network of mission advocates who want to answer this question for you.
Ruoxia Li and Eric Miller begin March 8 as co-executive directors of Global Mission for the Church of the Brethren. The married couple will guide the international mission program of the Church of the Brethren, direct and administer denominational mission efforts, and provide administrative and clerical support for Global Mission staff, volunteers, and committees.
