“What kind of authority does the Bible have for us?” asked Karoline Lewis, one of the keynote presenters at the “Biblical Authority Conversations” on April 23-25. The Marbury E. Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary, she joined with Jason Barnhart, director of Brethren Research and Resourcing for the Brethren Church’s denominational office, in leading a group of about 100 Church of the Brethren ministers and lay people at a meeting called by the midwestern districts.
Brethren Press has published a book of poetry by Ken Gibble, titled “A Poetry of the Soul,” among new resources from the Church of the Brethren denominational publishing house. The summer quarter of the Shine curriculum, jointly produced by Brethren Press and MennoMedia, is now available to order on the theme “God’s Creation.” A new children’s Advent devotional by Christy Waltersdorff and Mitch Miller is anticipated in June.
The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership has announced its course offering for the rest of this year and into next, see the following listing. These courses are for everyone, with Training in Ministry (TRIM) and Education for Shared Ministry (EFSM) students receiving 1 unit per course, credentialed clergy earning 2 continuing education units, and others enrolling for their own personal and spiritual enrichment. To register for one of the following courses, go to bethanyseminary.edu/brethren-academy or contact academy@bethanyseminary.edu or 765-983-1824.
Theologian and author Diana Butler Bass is the featured speaker for the Church of the Brethren Ministers’ Association annual continuing education event this year, held just prior to Annual Conference. “Gratitude: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks” is the theme for the gathering on July 3-4 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Six midwestern districts of the Church of the Brethren including Illinois and Wisconsin, Michigan, Northern Indiana, Northern Ohio, South Central Indiana, and Southern Ohio, are sponsoring a conference titled “Conversations about Biblical Authority.”
The Global Women’s Project (GWP) provided financial help to women members of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) participate in courses at the new Bethany Seminary technology center in Jos, Nigeria. The GWP is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It is a Church of the Brethren-related nonprofit working for women’s empowerment and economic justice and provides grants to a variety of projects for economic empowerment of women all around the world.
The Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center (SVMC) is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018. “To commemorate this milestone, we will be sharing devotions on the 25th day of each month,” said an announcement. The first devotion is written by the center’s executive director Donna Rhodes. In related news, SVMC is publicizing several upcoming continuing education events.
The Ventures in Christian Discipleship initiative hosted at McPherson (Kan.) College offers series of courses aimed at empowering small congregations. The courses offered in coming months cover the topics of “How the Bible Came to Be the Bible,” “Revitalizing Worship Through the Arts,” and “Congregations Nurturing a Culture of Call.”
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) is offering several training workshops for volunteers this spring, in a variety of locations across the country. CDS volunteers work at the invitation of the American Red Cross and FEMA to care for children and families affected by disaster. Find out more about the ministry of CDS and how to become involved at www.brethren.org/cds.
A multi-million Naira Technological Centre was dedicated and commissioned by Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) president Joel S. Billi on Monday, Jan. 8, in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. In his address at the occasion, the president stated that the facility would not be standing today if it were not for the tremendous financial support received from brothers and sisters in America.