The last few months at First Church of the Brethren North Fort Myers, Fla., has shown us all that God is truly in the details of our lives and our church. The strategic location of our building and the large parking lot made us the focal point of essential water and food distribution after the devastation our community received from Hurricane Ian.
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.
Jesus Lounge Ministry has partnered with the Student Life Alliance in West Palm Beach, Fla., where pastor Founa Augustin Badet is the treasurer, and the Delray Beach Library “Let’s Talk Period” program to support at-risk teens and tweens with hygiene and feminine hygiene kits. The ministry is a Church of the Brethren new church start in Atlantic Southeast District.
Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren voted unanimously to run a full-page advertisement in the Sunday edition of the Lancaster, Pa., newspaper. The statement, titled “The Perils of Christian Nationalism,” was written “in response to the Christian Nationalism that we encounter daily in our communities and nationwide,” said pastor Pamela Reist.
This year for their Witness Weekend, Cabool (Mo.) Church of the Brethren will be hosting a workshop on Nov. 5-6 at the church and online featuring David Radcliff, director of the New Community Project.
“Sing Me Home” welcomes regional musicians and artists to North Manchester, Ind., for a Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 8. The free outdoor event is hosted on the grounds of Manchester Church of the Brethren from 4-10 p.m., featuring educational workshops, intergenerational activities and games, a local artisans marketplace, original music, a community sing-along, local food trucks, and more.
Lafayette (Ind.) Church of the Brethren developed a statement in response to recent violent events around the country: “The Lafayette Church of the Brethren strongly denounces racially motivated violence such as the recent murders in Buffalo, New York. As Christians, we know God loves everyone and calls us to love our neighbors and our enemies. We confess that we have been silent when we should have been speaking out against racial violence. We will not be silent anymore….”
Hollidaysburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren will host Shane Claiborne–a prominent speaker, peace activist, and best-selling author from the Simple Way in Philadelphia–for a day of celebrating peace on Sunday, Sept. 11.
For the past five years, Shepherd’s Heart Fellowship in Osceola, Ind., has held a Paper and Hygiene Pantry to help those on food stamps, which does not provide such products. Also, these items are not readily available at food pantries. Every month, people come to our facility to receive three paper products, three to four personal or cleaning products, and laundry soap. We have had as many as 60 patrons.
When Un Nuevo Renacer, a Spanish speaking church in Atlantic Northeast District, faced a significant challenge in recent months, pastor Carolina Izquierdo reached out to the district to share their dilemma and found a solution for their need.
