Committee recommends small increase to minimum cash salary table for pastors in 2021

In light of the cancellation of this year’s Annual Conference, the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee is offering a recommendation rather than a delegate-approved decision. The committee is recommending a 0.5 percent (one half of one percent) increase to the 2021 recommended Minimum Cash Salary Table for Pastors.

Ministerial ethics training shifts to online format

Church of the Brethren ministers needing to complete the advanced level ethics training requirement for credentialing renewal have found increased options in today’s virtual world. In mid-March the Office of Ministry began transitioning to offering such sessions online.

Ministry Summer Service interns for 2020 serve home congregations or serve remotely

Seven interns are serving as a part of Ministry Summer Service (MSS) despite alterations to the program due to COVID-19. Instead of meeting in-person for a week-long orientation and then spending nine weeks serving alongside a ministry mentor in a local setting, interns are meeting weekly for education, formation, and fellowship sessions via video conference. Interns offer leadership to their home congregations, as possible given local COVID-19 guidelines where they live, or to another congregation through technology.

Church districts offer recommendations regarding in-person gatherings

By Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, director of Ministry for the Church of the Brethren Leadership teams of several Church of the Brethren districts have issued recommendations recently regarding congregations gathering in buildings. Districts that have begun sharing guidance include, among others, Mid-Atlantic, Middle Pennsylvania, and Southern Ohio and Kentucky. Mid-Atlantic District leadership recommended that congregations not gather

Brethren Academy celebrates students who have completed their ministry training

By Janet Ober Lambert The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership celebrates 10 students who have completed their ministry training program this year. Four students will receive certificates from the Training in Ministry (TRIM) program. Six students will receive certificates from Seminario Bíblico  Anabautista Hispano de la Iglesia de Los Hermanos (SeBAH-COB). These six represent the

Michigan District announces new district executive team

The Leadership Team of the Michigan District of the Church of the Brethren has appointed a district executive team to care for the essential functions of the district. In addition, the district is seeking a part-time administrative assistant. Edward “Ike” Porter had served as interim district executive minister from Jan. 1, 2019, through April 30,

Unprecedented virtual love feast events get large audience

Two virtual love feasts offered during Holy Week gained a large online audience. The two were unprecedented, church-wide events, held in addition to the virtual love feasts offered by individual congregations in the Church of the Brethren. As of April 15, a week after the live-streamed event, the love feast coordinated by the Office of

Brethren Academy offers two-part webinar on ‘The Impact of COVID-19 on Pastoral Care’

“The Impact of COVID-19 on Pastoral Care” is a two-part webinar for pastors, chaplains, and other ministering people, offered by the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership. The presenter is Debbie Eisenbise, a pastor, spiritual director, and cofounder of Through the Threshold: End of Life Doula Services providing assistance in advance care planning and honoring death

Holy Week events are available online

Church of the Brethren events are offered online during this Holy Week. They include congregations that are holding love feast and Easter Sunday worship services online; a love feast coordinated by the Office of Ministry to be streamed live on Thursday, April 9, at 8 p.m. (Eastern time) with pre-service music starting at 7:30 p.m.

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