New videos: — Paul Mundey, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, has posted a video Easter message. The message frames the COVID-19 crisis in the hope of Easter/Eastertide, in a video filmed at the historic Dunkard Church on the Antietam Battlefield, Sharpsburg, Md. The video titled “God’s Glad Surprise” can be viewed at https://youtu.be/5Eim7SZyeCw . — “Spend
Messenger
Brethren bits for April 11, 2020
n this issue: Brethren Village reports COVID-19 cases and deaths, Juniata professor develops new way to test for COVID-19, “New Yorker” piece on hospice care in China features Church of the Brethren worker, National Youth Sunday Idea Swap, Good News Youth Devotional, new online form to submit information for Messenger “Turning Points” pages, and more.
Brethren bits for March 28, 2020
—Brethren Benefit Trust through the Church Workers Assistance Fund has created a COVID-19 Emergency Grant Program. The program has a streamlined application process to provide financial support to church workers (pastors, office staff, etc.) whose financial situation is adversely affected because of COVID-19 related issues. This would include help for bi-vocational pastors whose non-church work
Brethren bits for Nov. 18, 2019
— Remembrance: Dorothy Brandt Davis, 89, passed away Sept. 30. She authored three iconic Brethren Press books for children, “The Tall Man,” “The Middle Man,” and “The Little Man,” about historical figures in the Church of the Brethren. She was born in Pomona, Calif., on Dec. 8, 1929, followed shortly thereafter by her twin brother Daryl. Her
Brethren bits for March 22, 2019
In this issue: Remembering Charles Lunkley, personnel notes, job openings, Messenger Online offers “So many changes! How the new tax code affects you” by Deb Oskin, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy recommends “Faith Over Fear” training, “Look at Life” conference at Bethany Seminary, and more news by, for, and about Brethren.
Messenger magazine receives awards
Messenger, the Church of the Brethren magazine, has received two awards from the Associated Church Press. The first is an award of excellence for publisher Wendy McFadden’s online essay “A Playlist of Mercy and Hope.” The second award is an honorable mention for redesign of the Messenger website.
Remembering Slim Whitman, the Church’s ‘Mr. Songman.’
Country singer Slim Whitman, 90, who was a longtime member and deacon emeritus at Jacksonville (Fla.) Church of the Brethren, passed away June 19 at Orange Park (Fla.) Medical Center. He was the subject of the book “Mr. Songman,” written by Kenneth L. Gibble and published by Brethren Press in 1982.
Of Math and Grace: Remembering the Prophetic Voice of Ken Morse
We know Ken Morse as the author of “Move in Our Midst,” the hymn that provides the theme for Annual Conference this year. But Morse also was a poet, author of worship resources, writer of Sunday school curriculum, and editor and associate editor of Messenger magazine for 28 years.
Historic Brethren Documents Now Available Online
How has Brethren theology changed since 1708? What was the discussion in church conferences in the late 1800s? What was life like on the mission field in the 1960s? When did my own congregation begin to meet? These are among the questions that until a few years ago could only be answered by turning pages of dusty, fragile Brethren publications located in basement archives of colleges and denominational offices.