Throughout the Strengthening Your Small Congregation event, leaders of small churches received essentially the same guidance from various speakers and workshop leaders: know yourself, know your congregation, seek out God’s purpose for you and your church. Organized in large part by the Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren, the event was the brainchild of the pastors of two small congregations in Indiana–Kay Gaier of Wabash Church of the Brethren and Brenda Hostetler Meyer of Benton Mennonite Church.
Training
COBYS Conference to Address PTSD in Foster Children
People often associate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with soldiers returning from battle, but foster children sometimes exhibit similar symptoms as a result of the trauma they have experienced in their lives. COBYS Family Services therapist Laura Miller, LCSW, will lead a one-day seminar on PTSD in children on May 31 at Lancaster (Pa.) Church of the Brethren.
Tools for Vital Ministry Journey Include New Bible Study Resources
Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is making available a set of Bible study tools for congregations and districts embarking on the Vital Ministry Journey. Three Bible studies have been published as paperback booklets.
Agape-Satyagraha Program Now at Six Sites Across the Country
The On Earth Peace program to teach nonviolence and Christian peacemaking to youth, called Agape-Satyagraha, is now active at six sites across the country. Reports Marie Benner-Rhoades, Youth and Young Adult Peace Formation director for On Earth Peace: “Agape-Satyagraha Leadership Training helps junior and senior high youth learn to deal with conflict without using violence by presenting concepts and skills training through the completion of five levels.
Peace Witness Ministries Staff Organize Webinar on ‘Just Peace’
As part of his work as joint staff with the National Council of Churches (NCC), Nathan Hosler has organized a webinar on March 19 at 12 noon on the “Ecumenical Call to Just Peace.” Hosler is director of Peace Witness Ministries for the Church of the Brethren, working out of Washington, D.C. This webinar will feature presenters from four distinct streams of church life.
Ten Receive Church of the Brethren Nursing Scholarships in 2012
Ten nursing students are recipients of Church of the Brethren Nursing Scholarships for 2012. This scholarship, made possible by the Health Education and Research Endowment, is available to members of the church enrolled in LPN, RN, or nursing graduate programs.
Nursing Scholarships Are Available Through the Church of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren awards a limited number of scholarships each year to individuals enrolled in a nursing program. Candidates for the scholarships must be enrolled in a LPN, RN, or nursing graduate program, and be members of the Church of the Brethren.
Children’s Disaster Services Offers Workshops in Georgia, Connecticut
Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) is holding volunteer training workshops in Georgia and Connecticut in February and March, respectively. An article about the recent–and first–CDS workshop in Connecticut is at http://canton-ct.patch.com/articles/group-learns-how-to-help-children-in-the-midst-of-a-crisis .
Stuart Murray Williams to Lead Webinar on ‘Living the Biblical Vision’
Courtesy of Stuart Murray Williams A webinar titled, “Living the Biblical Vision of a Multi-Voiced Church,” will be offered in January as a collaborative resource from the Church of the Brethren’s Congregational Life Ministries and the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership. The webinar will take place in two parts: — Webinar 1, “Monologue or Multi-Voiced
Save the Date for Next Deacon Training Events, Says Deacon Ministry
“It’s not too late, save the date,” reminds the Church of the Brethren’s Deacon Ministry office. Just a few days remain before registration ends for the first deacon training event of 2013.