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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/annual-conference-moderator-2.jpg\")
Annual Conference moderator Carol Scheppard leads chapel at the Church of the Brethren General Offices, on the theme for the 2017 Conference, “Risk Hope.”<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
NEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n 1) Group of Chibok schoolgirls are released from captivity UPCOMING EVENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n 4) National Junior High Sunday calls youth to \u2018Grow in Wisdom\u2019 6) Brethren bits: Remembering Parker Marden, Nat. Campaign for Peace Tax Fund seeks volunteers, Lick Creek ice cream social for Habitat, W. Pennsylvania\u2019s 150th district conference, World Hunger Auction distributions, Bridgewater students give meals to CROP, and more<\/p>\n Quote of the week:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWith memory came hope. Remember who you are.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n — Annual Conference moderator Carol Scheppard, leading chapel at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., this past Wednesday, Oct. 12. She was preaching on the Annual Conference theme for 2017, \u201cRisk Hope,\u201d and stories from the Old Testament about the experiences of the ancient Israelites who turned back to God and remembered what it meant to be faithful when the prophets reminded them of their true identity as people of God. Find out more about Annual Conference at www.brethren.org\/ac<\/a> .<\/em><\/p>\n A Sunday morning consecration service for general secretary David Steele will be live-streamed<\/strong> via Facebook, during the fall meeting of the Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board. The denomination\u2019s board meets this weekend at the General Offices in Elgin, Ill. <\/small> <\/p>\n The Nigerian government says 21 of the Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in April 2014 have been freed in negotiations with the insurgents, according to reports from media outlets today including the Associated Press and ABC News. The negotiations were carried out with help from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Swiss government.<\/p>\n Church of the Brethren staff have received confirmation of this news from Ekklesiyar Yan\u2019uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). EYN president Joel S. Billi sent confirmation after he talked with Chibok parents and the Bring Back Our Girls organization in Nigeria. The majority of the girls abducted from the school in Chibok are from Nigerian Brethren families.<\/p>\n \u201cWe receive this news with great joy,\u201d said Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service. \u201cAs a church we have been in active prayer for these individuals since their abduction. Congregations continue to pray specifically for each girl. Jesus said that we should pray always and not lose heart and we have steadfastly been doing so and we will continue to do so.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also express gratitude to all parties involved in this negotiated release. We know that both the IRC and the Swiss government have been actively involved in working toward peace and relief in Nigeria in many ways, and we are not surprised that they have been involved in this settlement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do continue to call for the release of all individuals held against their will,\u201d Wittmeyer said, \u201cnot just those from Chibok.\u201d<\/p>\n Some 197 of the Chibok students remain in Boko Haram hands, and \u201cit is not known how many of them may have died,\u201d said the AP report, as published on AllAfrica.com. According to AP, the freed girls are in the custody of Nigeria\u2019s Department of State Services, which is the country\u2019s intelligence agency. Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu told the AP that talks will continue for the release of the rest of the Chibok girls.<\/p>\n Find the AP and ABC News report at http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/International\/wireStory\/nigeria-21-abducted-chibok-schoolgirls-freed-42771802<\/a> . Find information on the Nigeria Crisis Response of the Church of the Brethren and EYN at www.brethren.org\/nigeriacrisis<\/a><\/p>\n Breaking:<\/strong><\/p>\n The “Premium Times” of Nigeria has reported the 21 names given by the Nigerian government:<\/p>\n 1. Mary Usman Bulama Find the newspaper report at www.premiumtimesng.com\/news\/headlines\/212705-breaking-nigeria-releases-names-freed-chibok-girls-full-list.html<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Staff of Global Mission and Service and Brethren Disaster Ministries have been assessing storm damage and needs in areas affected by Hurricane Matthew. A Church of the Brethren response is being planned, with funding through donations to the Emergency Disaster Fund; go to www.brethren.org\/edf<\/a> to support this effort.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Haitian Church of the Brethren (l\u2019Eglise des Freres d\u2019Haiti) \u201ccontinues a comprehensive evaluation of the impact on Brethren families and communities,\u201d reported Roy Winter, associate executive director of Global Mission and Service and Brethren Disaster Ministries. \u201cEarly reports indicate flooding and mudslides damaged homes in a number of communities with Brethren families. The heavy rains destroyed crops and killed livestock, causing great concern about longer term hunger and food insecurity in this already food insecure country.\u201d<\/p>\n Brethren Disaster Ministries plans to work closely with the Haitian Brethren, the Global Food Initiative (GFI), and the Haiti Medical Project in carrying out a response effort. Winter noted that a supply of canned chicken provided by the Southern Pennsylvania and Mid-Atlantic Districts arrived in Haiti recently and will be the first point of distribution to the most vulnerable families.<\/p>\n Although Children\u2019s Disaster Services (CDS) was put on alert and had volunteers ready to provide childcare on the east coast, the American Red Cross has asked them to \u201cstand down\u201d for the moment. CDS expected to be asked to respond in Florida, but the hurricane actually caused more flooding and damage in North Carolina. Associate director Kathleen Fry-Miller today reported that another CDS team is being identified and will be ready to go if and when CDS receives the call for North Carolina.<\/p>\n Updates from Haiti<\/strong><\/p>\n Ilexene Alphonse, Global Mission staff in Haiti, has been traveling to affected areas and sent a brief report on Wednesday, after returning from the town of Cayes.<\/p>\n \u201cThree of us went to Cayes in public transportation,\u201d he reported. \u201cWe went to a village called Mathurine, what we saw there is heartbreaking. Everything destroying, houses, schools, churches and gardens. They lost everything. We didn\u2019t see anyone there to help them.\u201d<\/p>\n The Brethren group brought along a small amount of relief goods, children\u2019s clothing and shoes, which \u201cthe people received like manna from Heaven,\u201d Alphonse reported. \u201cWe saw children crying for food, they are really hungry. Places people are sleeping are places many of us will never let our dogs sleep in.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw a lot of relief trucks but all went to Jacmel at this point and left those people in dire need.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Alphonse also has visited a place that suffered much destruction close to the Church of the Brethren ministry center in the Croix des Bouquets area near Port-au-Prince. \u201cWhen I got there and saw where mothers sleeping with their children I could not hold my tears. I can’t really find words to describe what I saw in those communities,\u201d he reported.<\/p>\n There are other places where Brethren families are affected, Alphonse said, but he has not yet been able to visit them. In the two communities he has visited, there was no loss of life but losses of houses, schools, churches, livestock, clothing, and household supplies.<\/p>\n He reported that the following numbers issued by the Haitian government are being quoted in the Haitian media, showing the effects of the hurricane on the whole nation: 473 deaths, 75 people still missing, 339 people injured, 175,000 people displaced.<\/p>\n GFI manager Jeff Boshart also has reached out to Haitian Brethren leaders in the United States and in Haiti, and has received some reports.<\/p>\n From Haitian Brethren leader Jean Bily, Boshart learned that news from Brethren communities is still coming in, but reports so far indicate that most damage is to agriculture with loss of crops and animals, and impacts on health including the fear of further cholera outbreaks. \u201cThe only exception is in the extreme northwest of the country and that isn\u2019t getting much press,\u201d Boshart reported. \u201cThe news is on the southwest but the storm tracked over the northwest part of the island as well, and we [the Church of the Brethren] have a presence in the town of Bombardopolis.\u201d<\/p>\n For five years the GFI has funded a goat-raising project with school students in Bombardopolis through CEPAEB (Coordination des Enfants Pour le Progres Agricole et Educationnel de Bombardopolis). The program has lost livestock Bily reported, and there was damage to numerous houses. Bily plans to travel to Bombardopolis to get pictures and more details.<\/p>\n Boshart also shared brief reports from other areas where Haitian Brethren staff are gathering information: Ludovic St. Fleur, a minister based in Florida and a founding minister of the church in Haiti, reported from his contacts in the Bombardopolis area as well as the south of the country. St. Fleur\u2019s congregation in Miami is considering taking on the task of receiving donations of material goods to help out those in need in Haiti, but is assessing the associated costs of shipping the goods and distributing them.<\/p>\n BDM seeks funding for hurricane response<\/strong><\/p>\n Brethren Disaster Ministries is working on a funding request to support the Church of the Brethren and the Church World Service (CWS) responses in Haiti. Winter plans an initial emergency grant request from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to fund emergency relief operations and to develop a larger response plan, in cooperation with the Haitian Brethren, GFI, and the Haiti Medical Project.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will take awhile for the Haitian Church of the Brethren to develop their goals and to work with them on a response plan,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n A second EDF grant request will be made in support of the CWS response. \u201cThis will support the CWS work in the far southwest and northwest departments of Haitil,\u201d Winter said. \u201cThis grant will support home repair and rebuilding, a focus on agriculture and livelihood programs including seed distribution, animals, and micro-credit activities, and psychosocial programs.\u201d<\/p>\n Church World Service update<\/strong><\/p>\n A CWS report issued this week focused on areas where the humanitarian organization has been active following the 2010 earthquake. It also reported a much higher death toll than the Haitian media reports that Ilexene Alphonse shared, saying that there have been 842 deaths.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the towns of Ganthier and Boen, Haiti, CWS has led an ACT Alliance program to build and repair houses for families displaced by the 2010 earthquake. Ganthier has been flooded, but all of the houses in this program as well as schools that CWS helped construct in the aftermath of the earthquake are still standing,\u201d the report said. \u201cSome are now serving as shelters.\u201d<\/p>\n CWS is taking part in the ACT Alliance response, which will support housing repair, help to rebuild damaged or destroyed infrastructure, animal shelter, seed distribution and grain storage, road repair, micro-credit, soil conservation, and psychosocial support.<\/p>\n \u201cBased on learning from the 2010 earthquake, CWS will advocate with Haitian authorities (Ministry of Agriculture, IBESR -child welfare agency, CNSA-National Commission on Food Security) and selected agencies of the UN system (UNICEF) that the voice of local Haitian organizations and communities be heard and that they have a role in recovery and rehabilitation efforts,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n For more about the work of Brethren Disaster Ministries go to www.brethren.org\/bdm<\/a> . For online donations to the Emergency Disaster Fund go to www.brethren.org\/edf<\/a> . To send support for the hurricane response by mail, send checks to Emergency Disaster Fund, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Global Food Initiative (formerly the Global Food Crisis Fund) issued a grant of $660 for representatives of Iglesia de los Hermanos (the Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic) to travel to Santiago, DR, for a week of training with Medical Ambassadors International. Other recent grants support cultural\/garden exchanges partnering indigenous communities in Lybrook, N.M., and Circle, Alaska, as well as agriculture in Haiti.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Medical training in the DR<\/strong><\/p>\n Six representatives were selected by the junta or board of the church in the DR to attend the medical training. They came from both the Dominican and Dominican Haitian congregations of the church. The training, which took place Aug. 23-27, was the first phase of the training program with more in-depth training to follow. The grant was used to cover lodging, meals, and books related to Medical Ambassador’s Community Health Evangelism program.<\/p>\n Cultural\/garden exchanges<\/strong><\/p>\n Cultural\/garden exchanges will connect two indigenous communities, the Gwich\u2019in community of Circle, Alaska, and the Navajo community of Lybrook, N.M. An allocation of $3,775 will pay for three representatives involved with community gardening efforts in Lybrook to travel to Circle for an exchange of gardening ideas and cultural concerns–Jim Therrien of Tokahookaadi Church of the Brethren, along with two Navajo representatives from Lybrook.<\/p>\n A grant of $3,103.40 funds four representatives involved with community gardening efforts in Circle to travel to Lybrook for an exchange of gardening ideas and cultural concerns with Navajo gardeners–Bill and Penny Gay, members of Pleasant Dale Church of the Brethren in Decatur, Ind., along with two Gwich\u2019in representatives from Circle.<\/p>\n The community gardens in Lybrook and Circle have received grants through the Going to the Garden initiative of the Office of Public Witness and the GFI.<\/p>\n Haiti agriculture<\/strong><\/p>\n An allocation of $4,410 from the Global Food Initiative Fund has funded an evaluation of agriculture projects in Haiti for the 2015-16 program year. The project is nearing completion of year 4 of a 5-year plan. This year’s evaluation is jointly sponsored by the Haiti Medical Project in order to be more comprehensive and to include an evaluation of community health work. To strengthen this year’s reporting, a statistician has been added to the evaluation team. The statistician, a lawyer by training, has worked with Haiti Medical Program doctors in the past to provide mobile clinic statistics. The grant will cover salary, food, and lodging for the evaluation team; fuel costs; report preparation; and a concluding meeting with the National Committee of Eglise des Freres in Haiti.<\/p>\n Art show fees benefit hunger<\/strong><\/p>\n In more news from the initiative, a donation has been received from Janelle Cogan, who organizes an on line art competition where fees are collected and donated to a worthy cause. This is the second time the initiative (formerly as GFCF) has received a donation from this online art show called \u201cColors of Humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are welcome to check out our Landscapes show, where the donation came from,\u201d wrote Cogan to initiative manager Jeff Boshart. Go to www.colorsofhumanityartgallery.com\/Landscapes-2016\/Landscapes-2016-Show\/n-ZGcfhX<\/a> . The show will run until the end of this month.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n UPCOMING EVENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cLet no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity…. Do not neglect the gift that is in you\u201d (1 Timothy 4:12, 14a).<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The theme for the 2016 National Junior High Sunday in the Church of the Brethren is \u201cGrow in Wisdom\u201d with a scripture theme from 1 Timothy 4:12-15. The suggested date for the annual observance is Sunday, Nov. 6. Find worship resources, logos, and more free downloads at www.brethren.org\/yya\/jr-high-resources.html<\/a> .<\/p>\n This special Sunday is an opportunity for congregations to call youth into leadership, and invite junior highers to help lead worship for the whole church. Resources are offered to aid junior high youth and their adult advisors to plan and lead a worship focused on the theme.<\/p>\n Resources include calls to worship and benedictions and other liturgy, aids for preparing a sermon and ideas for responding to a sermon, a children\u2019s story, ideas for music and hymns, and more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By Matt DeBall<\/em><\/p>\n The annual Advent Offering for Church of the Brethren ministries is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 4, the second Sunday of Advent. The theme, \u201cVision for New Hope,\u201d is inspired by Isaiah 11:1-10 from the lectionary.<\/p>\n Worship resources related to the theme and scripture were written by Eric Landrum, pastor of Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. These free resources may be downloaded at www.brethren.org\/adventoffering<\/a> .<\/p>\n The biblical exegesis for Isaiah 11:1-10 was written by Debbie Eisenbise, director of Intergenerational Ministries for the Church of the Brethren, and a staff member of Congregational Life Ministries. A theme interpretation and children\u2019s activity sheet were prepared by Matt DeBall and Cherise Glunz of the denomination\u2019s Donor Relations staff.<\/p>\n — Matt DeBall is coordinator of donor communications for the Church of the Brethren.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n — Remembrance: Parker Marden,<\/strong> 77, the 13th president of Manchester University in North Manchester, Ind., has died. Manchester president Dave McFadden shared a remembrance and prayer request with the university community: \u201cPlease keep Parker\u2019s wife, Ann, and their children, Jon and KerriAnn, in your thoughts and prayers.\u201d Marden had been in failing health for some time, and had been living in Topsham, Maine, since his retirement. He led the school–then Manchester College–from 1994-2004. \u201cOn Parker\u2019s watch, Manchester increased diversity among students and faculty,\u201d wrote McFadden. \u201cHe elevated our national profile and raised our international consciousness. He led the institution through most of The Next Step comprehensive campaign, which strengthened the endowment, made significant capital improvements to campus, and expanded the donor base. During a 31,000-mile national tour, Parker met with 10 percent of Manchester\u2019s living alumni. He liked to tell them why he was proud of Manchester and that they should be too.\u201d He was a native of Worcester, Mass. He graduated from Bates College in Maine. He earned a master\u2019s degree and doctorate from Brown University. He taught sociology at Cornell University, Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., and St. Lawrence University. He came to Manchester from Beloit College, where he had been vice president for academic affairs and dean. Find the remembrance from the university at www.manchester.edu\/about-manchester\/news\/news-articles\/parker-marden-2016<\/a> .<\/p>\n — The National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund (NCPTF) is seeking a volunteer<\/strong> in each congressional district to communicate with representatives about the Peace Tax Fund Bill and urge for its passage. Time commitment is two to four hours a month. The NCPTF will provide resources, information, and contacts for this work. To learn more go to www.peacetaxfund.org<\/a> . To sign up contact 888-PEACE-TAX or info@peacetaxfund.org<\/a> .<\/p>\n — Lick Creek Church of the Brethren has donated $1,037.94<\/strong> to Habitat for Humanity of Williams County, representing \u201cthe entire proceeds from its annual ice cream social,\u201d according to the \u201cBryan Times.\u201d The social was held July 23. The newspaper reported that church members Sherrie Herman, Marge Keck, and Jim Masten–who also is a member of the Habitat board for the county–presented the check to Mary Ann Peters, the county\u2019s Habitat executive director, and board members Michael Cox and Joe Pilarski. Find the newspaper report at www.bryantimes.com\/news\/local\/lick-creek-brethren-donates-to-habitat\/article_80e89b41-b8fb-51cb-b34b-05a25dd71c86.html<\/a> .<\/p>\n — Western Pennsylvania District holds its 150th annual district conference<\/strong> on Saturday, Oct. 15, at Camp Harmony near Hooversville, Pa. The theme is, \u201cAll for the Glory of God\u201d (1 Corinthians 10:31).<\/p>\n — \u201cThe World Hunger Auction steering committee was blessed to be able to disburse $60,000<\/strong> from the various 2016 activities,\u201d reports the Virlina District newsletter. The committee distributed $30,000 to Heifer International, $15,000 to Roanoke (Va.) Area Ministries, $6,000 to the Church of the Brethren\u2019s Global Food Initiative, and $3,000 each to Heavenly Manna Food Bank, Stepping Stone Mission, and Lake Christian Ministries. \u201cMany people shared their talents, resources, time and efforts to make these results possible,\u201d the newsletter said. \u201cThe committee expresses deep appreciation to all who participated in the many events and activities in 2016.\u201d<\/p>\n — Bridgewater (Va.) College will hold a CROP Meal<\/strong> from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, in the main dining hall in the Kline Campus Center. Faculty, staff, and members of the community will be able to purchase CROP Meals surrendered by students and enjoy \u201cdinner out\u201d in the dining hall. The meals have been paid for on the student meal plan, and all proceeds go directly to CROP\u2019s hunger relief, education, and development programs in the US and around the world. Cost of the meal is $8 for adults, $6 for children 12 and under. College students also will be seeking sponsors for the Bridgewater\/Dayton area CROP Hunger Walk that begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30, at Bridgewater Community Center. A release from the college said that \u201clast year\u2019s CROP Meal and Hunger Walk raised more than $6,300 for Church World Service.<\/p>\n — \u201cSeek Peace and Pursue It,\u201d an exhibition showcasing nine noted peacemakers,<\/strong> will open at the Alexander Mack Memorial Library at Bridgewater College on Oct. 22. The exhibition, which centers on peacemakers whose papers and artifacts are in Bridgewater College Special Collections and the Reuel B. Pritchett Museum Collection, will run through Dec. 9. Admission is free and open to the public. A release from the college noted that \u201cindividuals honored in the exhibition are former Bridgewater College president and peace advocate Paul H. Bowman; local Civil War evangelist John Kline; Peace Corps volunteer Lula A. Miller; author and teacher Anna B. Mow; founder of the Brethren Alexander Mack Sr.; Brethren ambassador W. Harold Row; missionary to China Nettie M. Senger; humanitarian Naomi Miller West; and Nobel Peace Prize nominee M. Robert Zigler.\u201d The exhibition will feature displays of documents and artifacts from the lives of these peacemakers. Bridgewater seniors Charlotte McIntyre and Allegra Morrison and Bridgewater College special collections librarian Stephanie S. Gardner curate the exhibition.<\/p>\n — \u201cHave a listen to the latest podcasts created by Brethren young adults,\u201d<\/strong> invites Arlington (Va.) Church of the Brethren, which hosts the Dunker Punks podcasts. New episodes include \u201cSpiritual Training Regimen (#14)\u201d and \u201cGender is a Galaxy (#15).\u201d Subscribe to the podcast series on iTunes or stream it from arlingtoncob.org\/dpp .<\/p>\n Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Ilexene Alphonse, Jeffrey S. Boshart, Matt DeBall, Kathleen Fry-Miller, Kendra Harbeck, Mary Kay Heatwole, Suzanne Lay, Roy Winter, Jay Wittmeyer, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org<\/a> . Newsline appears every week, with special issues as needed. Stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. The next regularly scheduled issue of Newsline is set for Oct. 21.<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NEWS UPCOMING EVENTS 6) Brethren bits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[129],"wf_post_folders":[],"class_list":["post-12024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-newsline"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12024"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12027,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12024\/revisions\/12027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12024"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=12024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n2) Disaster ministries, mission staff assess hurricane damage, begin planning for response
\n3) Global Food Initiative supports medical training for Brethren in DR, cultural\/garden exchanges<\/p>\n
\n5) \u2018Vision for new hope\u2019 is theme of Advent Offering for Church of the Brethren ministries<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The consecration service will be streamed on Sunday, Oct. 16, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (central time), on the Church of the Brethren Facebook page at www.facebook.com\/churchofthebrethren<\/a> . This is the first time denominational staff will use Facebook Live for this purpose, and viewers are asked to be understanding of any issues that may occur. The service also will be recorded and will be available to view via Facebook following the service, or later in the week at www.youtube.com\/churchofthebrethren<\/a> .<\/small>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On the board\u2019s business agenda are an orientation for new board members, 2016 financial updates, a 2017 budget, discussion of the Annual Conference query \u201cLiving Together as Christ Calls,\u201d a new mission philosophy document, and a proposal for use of proceeds from any eventual sale of part of the Brethren Service Center property, among other business.<\/small>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A full report from the board meeting will appear in Newsline next week.<\/small><\/p>\n
\n1) Group of Chibok schoolgirls are released from captivity<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/a-prayer-circle-for-chibok-girls.jpg\")
Students at Mount Vernon Nazarene University are just one of the groups around the world who have been praying for the release of the schoolgirls abducted from Chibok. These students formed a prayer circle, Nigerian style, after hearing a presentation by Carl and Roxane Hill about the Chibok girls and the Nigeria Crisis Response.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n2. Jummai John
\n3. Blessing Abana
\n4. Lugwa Sanda
\n5. Comfort Habila
\n6. Maryam Basheer
\n7. Comfort Amos
\n8. Glory Mainta
\n9. Saratu Emannuel
\n10. Deborah Ja\u2019afaru
\n11. Rahab Ibrahim
\n12. Helen Musa
\n13. Maryamu Lawan
\n14. Rebecca Ibrahim
\n15. Asabe Goni
\n16. Deborah Andrawus
\n17. Agnes Gapani
\n18. Saratu Markus
\n19. Glory Dama
\n20. Pindah Nuhu
\n21. Rebecca Mallam<\/p>\n
\n
\n2) Disaster ministries, mission staff assess hurricane damage, begin planning for response<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/destruction-caused-by-hurricane.jpg\")
Destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew in the Cayes area of Haiti.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/11\/a-home-destroyed-by-hurricane.jpg\")
A home destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in the area around Croix des Bouquets, Haiti.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n— The Tom Gato community southwest of Port-au-Prince, in the mountains above Leogane, where houses were rebuilt following the earthquake, also lost crops and animals.
\n— Morne Boulage and La Ferrier lost crops and animals. There was already a project underway there to build latrines in coordination with Haiti Medical Project, and a further response effort may be an opportunity to work on more latrines for these communities.
\n— Remosaint is a very isolated mountain community to the north of Port-au-Prince, and a member of the National Committee of l\u2019Eglise des Freres d\u2019Haiti plans to visit there and bring back news.
\n— Another concern in Haiti is the downing of avocados from many trees. Bily reported that at this time of year, school children count on avocados for one meal (likely breakfast) on their way to or from school. Also, earlier this year a new pest arrived in Haiti, the sugar cane aphid, and wiped out the sorghum harvest in many places. \u201cThis on top of widespread hunger from last year’s El Nino drought will mean much hunger in the coming months,\u201d Boshart said.<\/p>\n3) Global Food Initiative supports medical training for Brethren in DR, cultural\/garden exchanges<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/10\/global-food-initiative-logo-1.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n4) National Junior High Sunday calls youth to \u2018Grow in Wisdom\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\n5) \u2018Vision for new hope\u2019 is theme of Advent Offering for Church of the Brethren ministries<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\u201cA shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord\u201d (Isaiah 11:1-2).<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n6) Brethren bits<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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A prayer concern shared by Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) asks for prayer for a new team of peacemakers. \u201cGive thanks for seven new CPTers who recently completed training in the Czech Republic and the fresh energy they will bring to teams working in the field. Pray for their strength and wisdom as they join our Indigenous, Palestinian, Kurdish, and Colombian partners and partners working with refugees and migrants to transform violence through the nonviolent power of God\u2019s truth.\u201d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n1) Group of Chibok schoolgirls are released from captivity
\n2) Disaster ministries, mission staff assess hurricane damage, begin planning for response
\n3) Global Food Initiative supports medical training for Brethren in DR, cultural\/garden exchanges<\/p>\n
\n4) National Junior High Sunday calls youth to \u2018Grow in Wisdom\u2019
\n5) \u2018Vision for new hope\u2019 is theme of Advent Offering for Church of the Brethren ministries<\/p>\n