By Kendra Flory The Ventures in Christian Discipleship program at McPherson (Kan.) College is moving into its eighth year of providing useful, affordable education to small church congregations. The first two online courses of the year will focus on creation care. All classes are donation-based and continuing education credit is available for $10 per course.
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) has announced its fall training workshop line-up. The training workshops are for those interested in volunteering with CDS, and for returning volunteers to re-certify. Go to www.brethren.org/cds for more information and to register.
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 Ministry Summer Service (MSS) participants for this summer have completed orientation and 4 interns have begun serving for 10 weeks in ministry placements. MSS orientation began May 31 at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. Mentors arrived June 3, and orientation ended on June 5.
A newly commissioned ministerial ethics workbook is being featured during the current renewal cycle. Every five years ordained and commissioned ministers in the Church of the Brethren are required to take ministerial ethics advanced level training in order to renew their credentialing. Licensed ministers and those new to the denomination are required to take the basic level of training as part of the credentialing process. The ministerial ethics training is the responsibility of the Office of Ministry, working with district leadership and ministry commissions.
The Office of Ministry is holding a continuing education event on the opening day of National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) titled “Labor Day Sabbath Rest.” The event on Monday, Sept. 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Atkins House at Lake Junaluska, N.C., is open to ministers and spouses and all laity. The 50-plus age requirement for NOAC does not apply. Ministers may earn 0.6 continuing education credits.
In this issue: Remembering Charles Lunkley, personnel notes, job openings, Messenger Online offers “So many changes! How the new tax code affects you” by Deb Oskin, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy recommends “Faith Over Fear” training, “Look at Life” conference at Bethany Seminary, and more news by, for, and about Brethren.
The April offering from the “Ventures in Christian Discipleship” program at McPherson (Kan.) College will focus on “Healthy and Safe Congregations.” Almost all congregations aspire to welcome the stranger into our midst. Our tradition, sacred texts, doctrines, teachings, and cultural values can be a resource to visitors, members, and the community. But sometimes those very things we love become a roadblock to others. This course will look specifically at how congregations can be a safe place for those who are vulnerable.
“Conflict Competent Leadership” is the title of a “New and Renew Webinar” offered through the Discipleship Ministries. The webinar is scheduled for March 19 at 1-2 p.m. (Eastern time). Participants in the live event may earn 0.1 continuing education credit.
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) has announced its 2019 training workshop calendar for the year. An online map of the locations and dates is available at https://maps.esp.tl/maps/_CDS-2019-Training-Workshops/pages/map.jsp?geoMapId=620310&TENANT_ID=178622&fbclid=IwAR0cOJkkd1sBKF4WgVt44d82P8zyQfYqyMaGehROjAj6UwSzBrP9i9-80cE . Go to www.brethren.org/cds for more information and to register for a workshop.
