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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/banners-proclaim-move-in-our-midst.jpg\")
Banners hang high during the 2013 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren, proclaiming “Move in Our Midst” — the quote is from Ken Morse’s hymn text, “Move in our midst, thou Spirit of God.”<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
NEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n 1) New connections for Bethany Seminary in Brazil PERSONNEL<\/strong><\/p>\n 3) Huma Rana to become director of Financial Operations for Brethren Benefit Trust UPCOMING EVENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n 5) General secretary to hold listening sessions across denomination 8) Brethren bits: Corrections, remembering Kaydo Petry and David Leatherman, Terry Goodger ends her work for Material Resources, Bethany Seminary welcomes nine new students this fall, team honors Ted Studebaker at Dayton\u2019s Peace Heroes Walk, Shanks return for another semester at PUST, the sinking of the Zam Zam, Bridgewater College enjoys record enrollment, more<\/p>\n Quotes of the week:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cKindle our hearts to burn with thy flame, — A stanza from Ken Morse\u2019s hymn text, \u201cMove in Our Midst,\u201d which was read at a reception for new general secretary David Steele on Friday, Sept. 9, at the Church of the Brethren General Offices. A welcome speech by Global Mission and Service executive Jay Wittmeyer noted the appropriateness of this season for Steele to take up his new position of leadership for the denomination, and shared blessings for the new general secretary\u2019s work among the Brethren.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cTransform us into people of your peace, seeking the wholeness and welfare of all people with our actions and speaking your love with our words….\u201d<\/p>\n — This prayer is among the resources for observances of the 9\/11 anniversary, including prayers, litanies, study resources and more. Go to www.brethren.org\/peace\/911anniversary.html<\/a> .<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n By Jenny Williams<\/em><\/p>\n Building on a new connection with the Church of the Brethren in Brazil (Igreja da Irmandade-Brasil), Bethany Theological Seminary president Jeff Carter joined Dan Poole, coordinator of ministry formation, for a visit in the S\u00e3o Paulo area Aug. 20-22.<\/p>\n Helping to host them were current Bethany student Alexandre Gon\u00e7alves and his wife, Gislaine de Souza. Gon\u00e7alves is completing his work to earn a master of divinity degree from Bethany in his ministry formation placement, a partnership between his congregation and the social service agency he works for, which facilitates peaceful family environments.<\/p>\n The visit was both a scheduled academic observation of Gon\u00e7alves in his placement–as he and Brazilian Brethren leader Marcos Inhauser gave a lecture on the family–and the opportunity to learn more about the Brethren in Brazil.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m deeply curious as to what God is doing in the world and what forms ministry takes in different contexts,\u201d said Carter. \u201cBethany is now part of conversations we didn\u2019t know were happening.\u201d<\/p>\n Carter noted three aspects to the visit experience: education, strong social relationships, and community-focused worship. In addition to experiencing Gon\u00e7alves\u2019 ministry service, Carter and Poole attended the opening of a community center in the suburb of Campinas, and joined Gon\u00e7alves\u2019 congregation for worship on a family farm near Campinas where \u201cthe love of Jesus Christ was palpable.\u201d<\/p>\n — Jenny Williams is director of communications for Bethany Theological Seminary, the Church of the Brethren graduate school of theology located in Richmond, Ind.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cReaching the Batwa (pygmy) for Christ in the Great Lakes region of Africa is deep on my heart, writes Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service. \u201cThe formerly forest-dwelling hunter-gatherers suffer profound discrimination, marginalization and violence and because of the depletion of their historic forests and access restrictions by government, the Batwa are being forced to acculturate to the modern, agrarian world–it is not going well.\u201d<\/p>\n Working through a nascent Brethren church in the region, the Church of the Brethren sponsored a capacity-building conference to bring Batwa together from Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The following is excerpted from a report by Dr. David Niyonzima, detailing the conference and some of the learnings gained from the interaction:<\/p>\n Report of the Capacity Building Conference of the Twa of the Great Lakes Region of Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n The Twa of Rwanda, Congo and Burundi, being the most affected of all other communities, are still marginalized, discriminated, and locked into a poverty that needs serous initiatives from both themselves and the concerned supporters.<\/p>\n It is with this concern that the representatives of the Brethren of Rwanda, the Shalom Ministries of Congo, and the Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services in Burundi joined efforts to facilitate a capacity building and an exchange of experience among the Twa of the Great Lakes Region of Africa, that was held in Burundi on Aug. 15-19, at the THARS Center at Gitega, with the support of the Church of the Brethren.<\/p>\n Seeing that the objective was to build the capacity of participants through an exchange of experience, the conference was facilitated with a participatory approach. There was a session that was organized in a \u201cget to know each other\u201d format where each country shared their way of life with questions and answers.<\/p>\n This was so interesting. For example we heard the Burundi Twa asking the Twa from Congo if truly they ate other human beings as rumors had spread. The answer was, \u201cNo, we do not eat our fellow human beings.\u201d The Twa from Congo were shocked to learn that some of the Twa in Rwanda and in Burundi were out on the streets begging, instead of getting into the forest to hunt animals for food and for sale. The Twa of Rwanda were impressed to learn that the Twa of Burundi were going to church and they said they were going to try it as well. Twa of Congo and Burundi, empathized with the Twa of Rwanda when they heard that the government had put a law prohibiting them to go into the forest to get honey to sell.<\/p>\n The learning from each other and practical exchange of experience was prioritized through group sharing and group presentation, questions and answers after brief presentations by the facilitators, as well as an exposure visit at Taba, one of the Twa communities in the Gitega province.<\/p>\n Participants were put in groups to discuss fully on the topics on their own and express themselves in an effort to establish an ownership of the issues being raised during the presentation. Those who were not able to speak found opportunities to do so, with the support of the group members. Groups were mixed ethnically and internationally for discussion on presented topics:<\/p>\n 1. Improving the Twa\u2019s wellbeing, facilitated by Ron Lubungo. The climax of the conference was time when the participants were boarded in minibuses to go to Taba to visit a Twa Community. Upon arrival in the village, the hosts broke into dancing and singing, welcoming the visitors with whom they knew they had a lot in common. The hosts proceeded to show the visitors where they lived, taking them right inside their houses. The language barrier particularly for Congo Twas and Burundi Twas did not seem to be a handicap for understanding each other\u2019s living conditions. According to the participants\u2019 report, the Twa from Congo and Rwanda were shocked to realize the dire poverty of the Taba Twa.<\/p>\n Recommendations: The last day was concentrated on proposing some recommendations, which were worked out in groups. Some of the main points, voiced with hope that their cry would reach the supporters, were the following (we have translated the statements in the Twa\u2019s own wording):<\/p>\n 1. Please help us so that this conference may be organized in Congo and in Rwanda for more capacity building.<\/p>\n 2. We need schools in our Twa villages and parents must get sensitized to send children to school.<\/p>\n 3. We Twa communities should develop our own self-esteem before seeking it from others.<\/p>\n 4. We Twa communities must break the habit of begging on the streets and develop a working mentality on income-generating activities.<\/p>\n 5. We agreed that we are lazy but this mindset should change because we are as capable as other ethnic communities, except that our governments have discriminated us for so long.<\/p>\n 6. We need help for more advocacy and lobbying for our economic and social situation to improve<\/p>\n With all gender and ethnic groups represented, there was a total of 39 participants including 25 Twa, 4 Hutu, 4 Tutsi, 3 facilitators who were at the same time representatives of the three sponsoring organizations, 1 expert in community development from Congo, and 2 THARS staff for logistics, beside the kitchen staff.<\/p>\n We wholeheartedly thank the Church of the Brethren for supporting this important conference.<\/p>\n — This report was provided to Newsline by Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of the Church of the Brethren Global Mission and Service. For more information about the ministries of Global Mission and Service, go to www.brethren.org\/global<\/a> <\/p>\n PERSONNEL<\/strong><\/p>\n Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) has announced that Huma Rana has accepted the role of director of Financial Operations, effective Sept. 19. She has served as assistant director of Financial Operations since July 21, 2015.<\/p>\n Late in 2013 BBT put a succession plan in place to seek a successor to current director of Financial Operations, Sandy Schild, after she announced her intention to enter retirement sometime next year.<\/p>\n Schild will continue to work for BBT until her retirement, and has accepted a new role as Finance Project Manager and Operations Support effective Sept. 19. She will focus on continuing to guide Rana through certain annual processes, manage a wide range of financial operations projects, and support the analysis of financial systems and procedures for maximum effectiveness.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease offer your good wishes to both of these women in their new and important BBT roles,\u201d said the announcement from Donna March, BBT director of Human Resources and Administrative Services.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) Unit 313 has completed orientation and the 14 volunteers in the unit have begun work at their project sites. The volunteers, their congregations or hometowns, and their project sites follow:<\/p>\n Andrew Bollinger<\/strong> from Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren is serving at the Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Ark.<\/p>\n Paige Butzlaff<\/strong> from La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren will spend her BVS term at Cooper Riis, in Mill Spring, N.C.<\/p>\n Sam Crompton<\/strong> from Koblenz, Germany, and Sarah Uhl<\/strong> from Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, will work at Abode Services in Fremont, Calif.<\/p>\n Emmy Goering<\/strong> from McPherson (Kan.) Church of the Brethren will serve in the Church of the Brethren Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n Laura Hassel<\/strong> from Essen, Germany, will serve with the Gubbio Project in San Francisco, Calif.<\/p>\n Michelle Janzen<\/strong> of Neuwied, Germany, has gone to Portland, Ore., to serve with SnowCap.<\/p>\n Kristin Munstermann<\/strong> from Antrochte, Germany, will be serving with Sisters of the Road in Portland, Ore.<\/p>\n Rebecca Neiman<\/strong> from Forsyth, Mont., will go to Bosnia-Herzegovina to work with OKC Abrasevic.<\/p>\n Clara Richter<\/strong> from Berlin, Germany, will serve with the Center on Conscience and War in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n Travis Therrien<\/strong> from Cuba, N.M., and Tokahookaadi Church of the Brethren, has gone to New Orleans, La., to work with Capstone.<\/p>\n Helen Ullom-Minnich<\/strong> from McPherson (Kan.) Church of the Brethren, and Jana Zerche<\/strong> from Bruhl, Germany, will be serving in Baltimore, Md., at Project PLASE.<\/p>\n Destinee Wells<\/strong> from Cadillac, Mich., has gone to Tuscon, Ariz., to work with the Primavera Foundation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For more information about Brethren Volunteer Service go to www.brethren.org\/bvs<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n UPCOMING EVENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n David Steele, who began Sept. 1 as general secretary of the Church of the Brethren, is planning to hold listening sessions across the denomination over the next several months. He describes the sessions as an opportunity to get acquainted and to share hopes and dreams for the church.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I step into these new days of my ministry with the Churches of the Brethren,\u201d he says, \u201cI would like the opportunity to get acquainted with one another–sharing our hopes and passions for the Church of the Brethren, while listening to identify the barriers that are hindering our fulfillment of Christ\u2019s mission.\u201d<\/p>\n The listening sessions are open events, and all are invited. Currently, five sessions are scheduled, most around district conferences this fall. More events will be held in other districts after the first of the year.<\/p>\n Here are times and locations of the five listening sessions that have been scheduled so far:<\/strong><\/p>\n — Saturday, Sept. 17, to start immediately following conclusion of the Southern Pennsylvania District Conference at Buffalo Valley Church of the Brethren in Mifflinburg, Pa.<\/p>\n — Saturday, Oct. 1, to start immediately following conclusion of the Southern Ohio District Conference at Oakland Church of the Brethren in Bradford, Ohio<\/p>\n — Saturday, Oct. 8, to start immediately following conclusion of the Atlantic Northeast District Conference at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College\u2019s Leffler Chapel<\/p>\n — Thursday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m., at the Bridgewater (Va.) Retirement Community in Shenandoah District<\/p>\n — Saturday, Nov. 12, during a break-out session at the Pacific Southwest District Conference at Modesto (Calif.) Church of the Brethren<\/p>\n For more information contact Mark Flory Steury,Donor Relations representative, at mfsteury@brethren.org<\/a> .<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership will offer a Spanish language version of the Healthy Boundaries 201 training on Oct. 22, as a webcast led by Ramon Torres. This is offered for ministry training students and newly licensed or ordained clergy.<\/p>\n The event will be webcast from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern time), with a lunch break from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The registration fee is $15 for current SeBAH-CoB\/ACTS students and $30 for Church of the Brethren pastors, newly licensed or ordained. This fee includes a book that will be mailed to the participants. Pastors also will receive a certificate for continuing education credit.<\/p>\n The registration deadline is Oct. 7. No registrations made by telephone or e-mail will be accepted after this deadline date. Please e-mail the Brethren Academy at academy@bethanyseminary.edu<\/a> to request a registration form.<\/p>\n Torres is pastor at Puerta del Cielo Church of the Brethren in Reading, Pa., and previously led two sessions of the Healthy Boundaries training class in Atlantic Northeast District and Puerto Rico District.<\/p>\n — Fran Massie is administrative assistant for the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Entrenamiento en Limites Saludables y en La \u00c9tica de Relaciones Ministeriales Dirigido por Ram\u00f3n L. Torres. El s\u00e1bado, 22 de octubre, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. hora est\u00e1ndar del este (descansado para el almuerzo a las 1-2 p.m.).<\/p>\n Un webcast por medio de la tecnolog\u00eda de \u201cZoom\u201d se ofrecer\u00e1 por la Academia Hermanos de Liderazgo Ministerial para estudiantes en programas de entrenamiento ministerial y ellos y ellas con licencias nuevas o pastores reci\u00e9n ordenados y ordenadas.<\/p>\n Ram\u00f3n L. Torres:<\/strong><\/p>\n — Pastor en Puerta del Cielo Iglesia de Los Hermanos en Reading, Pa., desde el 2001.<\/p>\n — Entrenado en Faith Trust Institute, presentando seminario L\u00edmites Saludables en el distrito Atlantic Northeast y en Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n — Nacido en Barranquitas, Puerto Rico y viviendo en Reading, Pa., por 25 a\u00f1os, junto a su esposa y parte del equipo ministerial, Gloria.<\/p>\n — Cuatro hijos y cinco nietos mantienen nuestra vida familiar saludable.<\/p>\n — Licenciado en 2001, y ordenado en 2011, la mayor parte de nuestra educaci\u00f3n ministerial en Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center, el programa de ACTS.<\/p>\n — Desde Reading, Pa., Dios nos ha permitido viajes misioneros en Guatemala y la Rep\u00fablica Dominicana, as\u00ed como ayuda ministerial a Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n — Desde el comienzo en Cristo como Se\u00f1or hemos participado en trabajos del templo desde limpieza, estudiante, adorador, maestro, moderador y pastor.<\/p>\n — La mayor pasi\u00f3n ha sido funcionar desde la paz de Cristo; y el foco de vida personal, el ser hallado haciendo la voluntad del Padre.<\/p>\n Esta sesi\u00f3n de entrenamiento se llevar\u00e1 a cabo a trav\u00e9s de un webcast el s\u00e1bado 22 de octubre, de 10 a.m. a 4 p.m., hora est\u00e1ndar del este, con un descanso para el almuerzo de 1-2 p.m. Un enlace del sitio web de \u201cZoom\u201d se enviar\u00e1 a los participantes unos d\u00edas antes de la transmisi\u00f3n. Este enlace de Zoom le permitir\u00e1 conectarse a la sala de conferencia por internet. Dan Poole, Director de Tecnolog\u00eda Educativa en el Seminario Betania, proporcionar\u00e1 el apoyo tecnol\u00f3gico para este evento.<\/p>\n Si est\u00e1 interesado en asistir a este entrenamiento en lengua espa\u00f1ol a l\u00edmites saludables y una visi\u00f3n general del documento de la \u00c9tica en Relaciones Ministeriales, env\u00ede el formulario de inscripci\u00f3n con el pago adjunto. Para preguntas relacionadas con este evento, se comuniquen con la Academia Hermanos a: academy@bethanyseminary.edu<\/a>. Hay una cuota de inscripci\u00f3n de $30 para esta actividad de educaci\u00f3n continua y un cr\u00e9dito de 0.5 CEU se conceder\u00e1 para los y las pastores de habla hispana, con licencias nuevas o pastores reci\u00e9n ordenados o ordenadas. La cuota de inscripci\u00f3n para estudiantes de SeBAH-CoB o del programas de ACTS es de $15. Inscripci\u00f3n y pago deben ser enviados a la Academia Hermanos antes del 7 de octubre de 2016. No se aceptar\u00e1n inscripciones por tel\u00e9fono o correo electr\u00f3nico despu\u00e9s de esta fecha l\u00edmite.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\n2) Brethren sponsor capacity-building conference for Batwa from Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo<\/p>\n
\n4) BVS Unit 313 volunteers begin their terms of service<\/p>\n
\n6) Brethren Academy offers \u2018Healthy Boundaries 201′ training as a Spanish language webcast
\n7) Entrenamiento en Limites Saludables y en La \u00c9tica de Relaciones Ministeriales<\/p>\n
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\nRaise up thy banners high in this hour.
\nStir us to build new worlds in thy name.
\nSpirit of God, O send us thy pow\u2019r!\u201d<\/p>\n
\n1) New connections for Bethany Seminary in Brazil<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/bethany-seminary-staff-in-brazil.jpg\")
Jeff Carter (second from right) and Dan Poole (right) of Bethany Theological Seminary, with their host family in Brazil.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n2) Brethren sponsor capacity-building conference for Batwa from Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/a-group-of-batwa-hold-discussion.jpg\")
A group of Batwa hold a discussion during the capacity-building conference sponsored by the Church of the Brethren, and held in the Africa Great Lakes region.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n2. Counteracting the Twa\u2019s discrimination, facilitated by David Niyonzima.
\n3. Increasing the Twa\u2019s self-esteem, facilitated by Etienne Nsanzimana.
\n4. Overcoming the Twa\u2019s economic indigence which was facilitated by Nelson Alaki, from Congo since Joseph Kalegamire (Congo World Relief) was not able to attend the conference due to other commitments.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/one-of-the-batwa-leaders-who.jpg\")
One of the Batwa leaders who shared at the capacity-building conference<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\n3) Huma Rana to become director of Financial Operations for Brethren Benefit Trust<\/strong><\/h4>\n
4) BVS Unit 313 volunteers begin their terms of service<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/brethren-volunteer-service-1.jpg\")
Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 313 completed orientation in late summer 2016<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n5) General secretary to hold listening sessions across denomination<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\n6) Brethren Academy offers \u2018Healthy Boundaries 201′ training as a Spanish language webcast<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/10\/logo-of-brethren-academy-for.jpg\"){kind=logo}
By Fran Massie<\/em><\/p>\n7) Entrenamiento en Limites Saludables y en La \u00c9tica de Relaciones Ministeriales<\/strong><\/h4>\n
8) Brethren bits<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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