The eastern plains of Colorado are a wide and windswept expanse with few people and fewer churches. As the nation expanded westward in the early 1900s, a number of new church plants were undertaken. Bethel Church of the Brethren, 9 miles north of Arriba, is one of those still in existence today.
Randall Yoder of Huntingdon, Pa., began June 1 as interim district executive minister for the Church of the Brethren’s Western Plains District. He will serve primarily in a virtual capacity, with travel to the district as needed.
The Church of the Brethren’s Western Plains District has named a transition team to serve during the period of securing interim leadership and pursuing the search process for hiring a new district executive minister.
Sonja Sherfy Griffith has resigned as district executive minister of the Church of the Brethren’s Western Plains District, effective March 31. She has been district executive for 11 years, starting in the half-time position on Jan. 1, 2010. She has served as a bi-vocational minister, carrying out duties as pastor of First Central Church of the Brethren in Kansas City, Kan., a position she has held for the past 23 years.
The Western Plains Leadership Team, as part of our employment/appointment duties, discussed and adopted a Nondiscrimination Statement. As followers of Christ, it has been an unwritten ideal that we strive to be non-discriminatory in our actions and speech, but like so many other organizations, we felt the time had come for the district to make a formal declaration of these ideals.
Brethren bits for Jan. 18, 2019
Newsline is the Church of the Brethren e-mail news service. Go to www.brethren.org/newsline to subscribe or unsubscribe. Extra: Districts End-of-Year Wrap-Up Dec. 30, 2009 “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19a). REPORTS FROM DISTRICT MEETINGS 1) Gathering V calls Western Plains District to
Newsline is the Church of the Brethren e-mail news service. Go to www.brethren.org/newsline to subscribe or unsubscribe. Sept. 24, 2009 “But we speak God’s wisdom…” (1 Corinthians 2:7a). NEWS 1) NOAC makes connections between wisdom and legacy. 2) Leadership Team welcomes invitation from German church. 3) Brethren funds give grants for disaster and hunger relief.