A plan to expand Church of the Brethren agriculture and trauma recovery programing in South Sudan is receiving support from Brethren Disaster Ministries and the Global Food Initiative. A joint allocation directs $29,500 to the work in South Sudan, including $24,500 from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and $5,000 from the Global Food Initiative (GFI).
Plans have been announced for the next Moderator’s Town Hall hosted by Paul Mundey, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. The online event is titled “The Global Church: Current Happenings, Future Possibilities” and will take place Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. (Eastern time). Norm and Carol Spicher Waggy, interim directors of Global Mission for the Church of the Brethren, will be the featured resource people.
Among other news from EYN, Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has reported on fighting between government forces and Boko Haram in the Askira Uba area of Borno State in northeast Nigeria, with many people forced to flee and at least one church member suffering gunshot wounds.
Twenty-two representatives of 10 of the 11 Church of the Brethren denominations around the world met by Zoom on Dec. 15 in the second virtual meeting of the Global Brethren Communion.
On Dec. 8, the annual Tripartite Meeting between the Church of the Brethren, Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), and Mission 21 (a German and Swiss mission organization) was held via Zoom. EYN staff participated from the Technology Center in Jos, Nigeria, that was constructed with support from Bethany Theological Seminary.
In December 2019, Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) hosted a gathering of representatives from seven global Church of the Brethren denominations. A second gathering in person was not possible this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the first virtual Global Church of the Brethren Communion meeting was held on Nov. 10.
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
Brethren Press is publishing a book in which Nigerian Brethren who have suffered violence at the hands of Boko Haram tell of their experiences and their heartache. Titled “We Bear It in Tears,” the book is a collection of interviews recorded by Carol Mason, with photographs by Donna Parcell. It may be pre-ordered from Brethren Press at www.brethrenpress.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=9780871782915 .
Two members of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) were among the five humanitarian aid workers who have been killed execution-style by a faction linked to Boko Haram.
In June, Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) made the decision to transition the summer orientation for Unit 325 from in-person to virtual. As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in communities around the country, the staff have made the decision to also offer a virtual orientation for the fall orientation for Unit 327. BVS staff are excited to be able to continue sending volunteers to project sites while prioritizing the health and safety of incoming volunteers and the communities where they will be serving.