Church of the Brethren interim general secretary Dale Minnich and On Earth Peace executive director Bill Scheurer were among 28 faith leaders from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh traditions who sent an interfaith letter on drone warfare to President Barack Obama. Staff of the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Public Witness were among those who created the letter on behalf of the Interfaith Drone Network.
Peace
On Earth Peace Announces Theme for Peace Day 2016
“Called to Build Peace” is the theme for Peace Day 2016, held annually on Sept. 21, which is the International Day of Prayer for Peace. This year’s campaign from On Earth Peace invites churches, peacebuilders, and seekers of justice to participate. “Plan a prayer service or community action event and reflect on how you and your community are called to build peace during the week surrounding Sept. 21, 2016,” said an invitation from organizer Bryan Hanger.
Ministry of Reconciliation Manual is Made Available Online
About a year ago, in the wake of celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Ministry of Reconciliation (MoR) as a program of On Earth Peace, program director Leslie Frye wondered if it might be worthwhile to revise the 1995 “Ministry of Reconciliation Discipleship and Reconciliation Committee Handbook.”
Nigeria Crisis Response Continues to Meet Needs in the Face of Devastating Trauma
The response to the Nigeria crisis from the Church of the Brethren has been nothing short of spectacular. Over the last 16 months we have been able to provide support for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and five NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations).
EYN and CAMPI Receive the Michael Sattler Peace Award in Germany
“Now I’m back to my roots!” said pastor Ephraim Kadala of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) as he waded in the Eder River in Schwarzenau, Germany. “This is where we come from!”
On Earth Peace Offers Opportunities to Learn About Kingian Nonviolence, Anti-Racism
On Earth Peace is offering opportunities to learn about Kingian nonviolence and to get involved in anti-racism work. “Kingian Nonviolence is a philosophy and curriculum which applies agape love to relationships and community problems,” explained an announcement. “The approach was developed by David Jehnsen and Bernard Lafayette Jr., who both worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s.”
CCS Participants Learn About the Root Causes of Mass Incarceration
“Brethren, our game is strong…and the story ain’t over yet!” This call to action from Richard Newton heralded the start of Christian Citizenship Seminar (CCS) 2016. Each year CCS brings together high school youth to learn about a social justice issue and put their faith into practice through political advocacy on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
New Resources Include Summer Guide for Biblical Studies, Curriculum Guide for ‘Seagoing Cowboy’
New resources from Brethren Press include a summer quarter of A Guide for Biblical Studies–the Bible study curriculum for adult Christian education–on the theme “Toward a New Creation,” and a new curriculum guide for the illustrated children’s book “The Seagoing Cowboy.”
Brethren Letter Urges US to Take Part in Nuclear Disarmament Talks
The Church of the Brethren’s interim general secretary Dale Minnich has sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry urging the United States to participate in international talks about nuclear disarmament.
CDS Presents New Training Program in Nigeria
Along with Paul Fry-Miller, John Kinsel, and Josh Kinsel (John’s son), I returned this week from a trip to Nigeria. While John Kinsel and I presented a new training program on trauma healing for children, on behalf of Children’s Disaster Services, Paul Fry-Miller and Norm Waggy presented medical training to 16 community health workers.