By Nancy Sollenberger Heishman The Office of Ministry of the Church of the Brethren will host a Zoom webinar conversation on March 26 focused on Holy Week worship planning. Many congregations have suspended in-person worship during the COVID-19 crisis yet are seeking to find ways to stay deeply connected to one another and their communities.
A new webpage with resources for congregations and church leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic has been posted at www.brethren.org/discipleshipmin/resources . This webpage, which will be updated on a regular basis, is focused on ministry resources to support congregations and church leaders during a time when congregations may not gather in person. Brethren Disaster Ministries continues to offer
The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership has updated its course listing for 2020 into 2021. Courses are offered for continuing education credit (2 units per course), for personal enrichment, and for TRIM/EFSM credit. To register and pay for courses go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/brethren-academy or contact academy@bethanyseminary.edu or 765-983-1824. The updated course listing is as follows: “Science and Faith,” a weekend
Church of the Brethren clergywomen gathered in retreat at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Ariz., in the Phoenix area, on Jan. 6-9. The 57 women from across the denomination were led by presenter Mandy Smith on the theme, “Treasure in Clay Pots” (2 Corinthians 4:7). Originally from Australia, Smith is lead pastor of University
By Nancy Sollenberger Heishman A “Calling the Called” committee has been formed to carry out the work of challenging every Church of the Brethren district to hold an event for persons to discern a call of God to the set-apart ministry. The original “Calling the Called” event was developed by Atlantic Northeast District. Virlina District
Elsie Koehn has retired as district executive minister for the Church of the Brethren’s Southern Plains District. She has served in district leadership for more than 10 years. She concluded her service and was recognized during the district conference held in Falfurrias, Texas, on Aug. 8-9. The Southern Plains District board, chaired by Matthew Prejean
J. Colleen Michael retired July 31 as district executive minister for Pacific Northwest District, having served for more than seven years since Jan. 1, 2012. The district has appointed a three-member interim team to care for essential functions during a time of discernment regarding organizational structures that will serve the district in the future.
The Church of the Brethren director of Ministry, Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, wrote a letter to pastors across the denomination after the shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. Her letter followed on that of general secretary David Steele, and encouraged pastors in their work to reduce violence in their own communities.
The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership has announced upcoming courses open to TRIM and EFSM students, pastors (who may earn 2 continuing education units per course), and other interested people. The academy is a joint program of Bethany Theological Seminary and the Church of the Brethren.
The Thriving in Ministry program, a new denominational initiative supporting multivocational congregational pastors, has completed a large-scale online survey gathering information about the joys and challenges of pastors working in bivocational and part-time ministry. Between two-thirds and three-fourths of Church of the Brethren pastors serve as multivocational leaders, and more than 600 were invited to take part in this survey. The results of the survey will inform the next steps for the program.