#LoveOurNeighbors #NewTestamentGiving
Attending the Global Church of the Brethren Communion gathering on Spain’s northern coast in April was one of the greatest joys thus far in my role as executive director of Global Mission for the Church of the Brethren. After many meetings on Zoom with the delegates and alternates, it was a joyous occasion to see all of our plans coming together—and for some of us, to meet in person for the first time.
The Church of the Brethren has been awarded a half-million dollar grant to support Brethren Disaster Ministries, reported Roy Winter, executive director of the Church of the Brethren’s Service Ministries and Brethren Disaster Ministries. The grant will support “a three-year program expansion and improvements to US based programs,” he said. The grant was received from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative, “Hope After the Storm: Capacity Building for Faith-Based Disaster Relief Organizations.”
Church of the Brethren Global Mission executive Sharon Brugger Norton visited the Church of the Brethren in Burundi in late March and early April. The Church of the Brethren in Burundi is the newest member of the Global Church of the Brethren Communion.
Gaston Pierre-Louis has joined the Part Time Pastor; Full Time Church program of the Church of the Brethren’s Ministry Office as a “circuit rider.” He will be filling in after Founa A. Badet, director of Intercultural Ministries, steps down as a “circuit rider” effective July 31.
On Earth Peace has joined the HOPE-PV network (Harnessing Our Power to End Political Violence), a growing movement of communities across the country that are learning together how to respond to the rise of political violence and repression with something more powerful than fear or retaliation.
The National Youth Conference (NYC) office has been a flurry of activity recently! With NYC set for July 18-23, now less than three months away, many final preparations are underway. (Find out more about NYC at www.brethren.org/nyc.)
Mission Advancement has launched a campaign to preserve the historic Germantown property in Pennsylvania, and the history of the Church of the Brethren in the Americas. We invite you to prayerfully consider helping us to take the next step by supporting this effort to raise $300,000.
The Brethren Disaster Ministries Rebuilding Program is transitioning toward recovery from 2024’s Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, beginning in April 2026 when it is serving survivors in Ashe, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties.
The Faithful Response Immigration Gathering on March 17-19 at Camp Christian in Marysville, Ohio, drew participation from the four sponsoring denominations and others involved in immigration ministries.
The latest round of grants from the Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA), which provides grants to outreach ministries of Church of the Brethren camps and congregations, are going to eight Church of the Brethren congregations and one camp.