We’re looking forward to our special district creation care event next Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill. We hope you can join us! There is no charge for this event, and all are welcome.
As part of their final processing of potential business items for the 2024 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference (www.brethren.org/ac2024), the Annual Conference officers (www.brethren.org/ac2024/leadership) have returned the Illinois/Wisconsin District’s query titled “Regarding Greater Congregational Latitude on Matters of Sexuality” back to the district for further revision and potential resubmission in 2025.
The Church of the Brethren’s Illinois and Wisconsin District met for its district conference Nov. 3-4 at Lanark (Ill.) Church of the Brethren, with about 125 people attending including 57 delegates. Phyllis Batterton of the Woodland congregation (Astoria, Ill.) served as moderator, with the theme “Encouraging One Another.”
Madtown Church of the Brethren, East Dayton Fellowship, and Gordonsville Chapel were recognized as new projects, fellowships, and congregations respectively, during the July 5 business session at Annual Conference 2023.
Randall Westfall has been called as the next camp manager of Camp Emmaus, a camp/outdoor ministry center affiliated with the Church of the Brethren Illinois and Wisconsin District. He will begin in the role in late August.
Following the news of the sale of the Pinecrest Community, a member of Mount Morris (Ill.) Church of the Brethren–which is located just down the street from Pinecrest–decided they wanted to do something to support the retirement community’s staff.
Pinecrest Community, a retirement community and nursing care facility in Mount Morris, Ill., has been sold to the for-profit Allure Healthcare Services. The sale was finalized on Friday, Dec. 2.
Ventures in Christian Discipleship at McPherson (Kan.) College is offering courses in March and May. The March offering will be “From Tragedy to Community” online March 31, starting at 9 p.m. (Eastern time), presented by Andrew Sampson, pastor at Modesto (Calif.) Church of the Brethren. The May offering will be “Spirituality on the Screen” online May 2, at 7 p.m. (Eastern time), presented by Walt Wiltschek, district executive minister for the Church of the Brethren’s Illinois and Wisconsin District and a member of the editorial team for Messenger magazine.
The Church of the Brethren’s Illinois and Wisconsin District has called Walt Wiltschek to serve as district executive minister. He will begin in this half-time position on Sept. 1, planning to relocate to the district in November.
The Illinois and Wisconsin District Leadership Team has called Connie Burkholder to serve as interim district executive minister, beginning Jan. 1, 2021. She has previous experience in district leadership in Northern Plains District, where she was district executive minister 1996-2006.