New resources recently posted by the Ministry Office offer support to congregations and leaders by interpreting the concept of a shared ministry team model. In some congregations lacking a settled pastor, new life and energy have emerged from reclaiming a traditional Brethren team-focused approach to providing pastoral leadership.
New resources from Brethren Press, the Church of the Brethren publishing house, include the 2025 Lenten devotional titled Take Up Your Cross written by Tim Harvey; two new Covenant Bible Studies including God’s Earth Our Home written by David Radcliff and Sabbath: God’s Call to Peace written by Angela Finet; and the 2024 edition of the Church of the Brethren Yearbook
Wish you could have attended more equipping sessions during Annual Conference? Recordings of the hybrid equipping sessions are still available to registered attendees on the Eventsquid platform (links are provided to those who registered for the Conference).
A team of Church of the Brethren denominational staff members has begun coordinating work on translation efforts in order to increase the number of printed resources and provide more interpretation at events. The group, which began meeting last year, is identifying the highest priorities for projects, assembling style guides for use by different translators, and locating funding beyond individual departments.
The Mutual Aid Agency, which is related to the Church of the Brethren, and its partner agency Brotherhood Mutual are offering a set of resources that are available free to congregations and their leadership. The following may be downloaded from online links: “Child Protection in a Ministry Environment–Guidelines for Ministry Workers,” “Protect Your Ministry’s Directors and Officers,” “Protect Your Roof from Early Failure,” and “Three Payroll Problems to Avoid.”
The Church of the Brethren’s Standing with People of Color Committee is pleased to share two announcements
Resources to facilitate learning and growth from the Church of the Brethren Standing with People of Color Committee are part of the three-year denomination-wide study/action process. Kindly read through and share within your own congregation or district.
The National Youth Cabinet met Feb. 2-4, 2024, to discern the theme for National Youth Sunday. The cabinet selected Jeremiah 29:11 as their focus scripture, with the theme “Your life; God’s direction.”
The Shine curriculum of Brethren Press and MennoMedia is introducing a new initiative called Shine Everywhere. Shine Everywhere will provide new avenues of communication between those who create Shine curriculum and the congregations and families who use it. The purpose of the new initiative is to listen attentively to congregations and families and then incorporate their input into new Shine resources.
Through Thick and Thin: Devotions for Ash Wednesday Through Easter, written by Beth Sollenberger, is the 2024 Lenten devotional from Brethren Press. This year, the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on Feb. 14. The daily devotions continue through Easter Sunday, March 31.
