Scott Holland has been awarded professor emeritus status at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., as of July 1. Now in semi-retirement, he is continuing to teach the core courses in the seminary’s groundbreaking theopoetics program that he helped to develop. He also continues to represent the seminary and the theopoetics program “on the road” as a preacher and guest lecturer.
The fall series from the Ventures in Christian Discipleship program at McPherson (Kan.) College began this morning, Sept. 17, with “Middle Knowledge: How Can Humans Have Free Will if God Knows Everything?” led by Kirk MacGregor, associate professor of Philosophy and Religion and Department Chair at McPherson. The series continues on Nov. 12 with “Human Trafficking: A Call for the Church to Respond,” led by Vivek Solanky, and on Dec. 6 with “Beyond Burned Out to Boundaries and Balance” led by Jen Jensen.
The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership is offering a new type of continuing education experience for ministers. Strength for the Journey brings together small groups of ministers to share experiences, hone skills, explore ideas, wrestle with common dilemmas, and take on topics that spark new energy for ministry, all while earning continuing education units (CEUs).
Continuing the work of Jesus, the Part-Time Pastor; Full-Time Church program exists in the Church of the Brethren to walk with, listen to, and advocate for part-time, multi-vocational, and not-paid-to-scale pastors. The program empowers them to live and lead well by enriching their journey through intentional relationships and thoughtful wisdom sharing.
Part-Time Pastor; Full-Time Church is making the May webinars on clergy burnout and “the great resignation” available to view, share, and download.
Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) is changing its orientation and placement process. Beginning with the upcoming summer and fall units, volunteers will engage in a process in which they will be pre-placed prior to the start of orientation. Orientation, in turn, will be shortened from three weeks to one week.
The Global Food Initiative (GFI), a Church of the Brethren fund, has made several grants in these first months of 2022. Funds are supporting agricultural efforts of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and La Fundación Brethren y Unida (FBU-the United and Brethren Foundation), a training workshop related to THARS (Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services) in Burundi and Eglise des Freres au Congo (the Church of the Brethren in the Democratic Republic of Congo or DRC), and a number of church-related community gardens.
Part-Time Pastor; Full-Time Church is hosting a 10-week discussion centered on the book How Your 21st Century Church Family Works by Peter Steinke. Based on Family Systems Theory pioneered by Murray Bowen and further developed and applied in the religious context by Edwin Friedman, Steinke discusses emotional systems, anxiety, generational transfer, and the forces that draw us together and keep us apart.
Registration is now open for a webinar titled “Where Did They Go? Reconnecting with Kids and Families,” offered by the Shine curriculum, a joint program of Brethren Press and MennoMedia. The online event is free, scheduled for Monday, May 16, at 7 p.m. (Eastern time).
Dementia affects individuals, their family members, and the congregation. We often want to offer support, but we do not know where to start. We often back off because we don’t want to do the wrong thing.
