{"id":14090,"date":"2019-06-15T17:08:12","date_gmt":"2019-06-15T17:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.brethren.org\/news\/?p=14090"},"modified":"2019-07-31T18:14:22","modified_gmt":"2019-07-31T18:14:22","slug":"newsline-for-june-15-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2019\/newsline-for-june-15-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsline for June 15, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Where
Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\u201cNow the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom\u201d (2 Corinthians 3:17).\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEWS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1) Anabaptist Church Consultation on the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service<\/a>
2) Thriving in Ministry completes survey of multivocational pastors<\/a>
3) General secretary signs letter about war in Yemen<\/a>
4) Xenos Project is launched by Intercultural Ministries<\/a>
5) Atlantic Northeast District ministry commission shares update on recent work<\/a>
6) Pacific Southwest District shares support to those affected by Camp Fire<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PERSONNEL <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

7) Christine and Josiah Ludwick complete year of work in Rwanda<\/a>
8) Ministry Summer Service interns begin ministry placements<\/a><\/p>\n

9) Brethren bits<\/a>: NJHC, personnel and jobs, Nigeria update, We Are Able, Conference on Drone Warfare, \u201cWhy We Can\u2019t Wait,\u201d course on Brethren history, Juneteenth in Chicago, \u201cCandid Conversations\u201d in Denver, tornado response in S. Ohio\/Kentucky, cuts at Elizabethtown, more<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Quote of the week:<\/strong>
\u201cCelebration rises, up from the deep places,
finding voice in the light and air no longer denied.\u201d <\/p> — An excerpt from Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) worship resources for Juneteenth. The National Council of Churches shared the ELCA worship resources for the annual June 19 celebration of freedom from slavery. It was on June 19, 1865–more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was made on Jan. 1, 1863–before slaves were freed in the last two states to do so, Texas and Louisiana. Find the worship resources at http:\/\/download.elca.org\/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository\/Juneteenth_observance_0619.pdf<\/a> . <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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1) Anabaptist Church Consultation on the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Anabaptist Church Consultation on the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service on June 4, 2019, in Akron, Pa., was hosted by Mennonite Central Committee US (MCC). Speakers included (from left) J. Ron Byler, executive director of Mennonite Central Committee U.S.; Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach, director of the MCC U.S. Washington Office; Donald Kraybill, senior fellow emeritus of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College. Photos by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

An Anabaptist Church Consultation on the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service was held in Akron, Pa., on June 4, 2019, hosted by Mennonite Central Committee US (MCC). At the table were representatives from 13 Anabaptist bodies.<\/p>\n

The day included a review of the commission, a presentation by Donald Kraybill, senior fellow emeritus of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, and time spent articulating responses to the commission\u2019s interim recommendations.<\/p>\n

The commission was established by Congress in 2017 with a mandate to review Selective Service registration, particularly whether women should be required to register for the draft, and to recommend ways to increase participation in military, national, and public service. The commission is expected to present final recommendations to Congress next spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Thriving in Ministry completes survey of multivocational pastors<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Dana Cassell<\/p>\n

The Thriving in Ministry program, a new denominational initiative supporting multivocational congregational pastors, has completed a large-scale online survey gathering information about the joys and challenges of pastors working in bivocational and part-time ministry. Between two-thirds and three-fourths of Church of the Brethren pastors serve as multivocational leaders, and more than 600 were invited to take part in this survey. The results of the survey will inform the next steps for the program.<\/p>\n

An insight session at Annual Conference in Greensboro, N.C., titled \u201cPart-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church\u201d (Friday, July 5, at 12:30 p.m. in the Pebble Beach Room) will share key learnings from the survey and plans for the program\u2019s next steps.<\/p>\n

The Thriving in Ministry program, which will include one-on-one conversation and support from experienced pastoral leaders, opportunities to connect with other multivocational and part-time pastors, and access to resources, education, and support designed especially with multivocational, part-time pastors in mind, will begin welcoming participants in the fall of 2019.<\/p>\n

The advisory committee for the Thriving in Ministry program includes Mayra Calix, a multivocational pastor from Atlantic Northeast District; Dana Cassell, Thriving in Ministry program manager; Ken Frantz, representative of the Church of the Brethren Ministers Association and a multivocational pastor from Western Plains District; Nancy Heishman, director of the Church of the Brethren\u2019s Office of Ministry; Mark Kell, a multivocational pastor from Northern Ohio District; Janet Ober Lambert, director of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership; Russ Matteson, district executive minister of Pacific Southwest District; and Steve Schweitzer, academic dean at Bethany Theological Seminary.<\/p>\n

— Dana Cassell is program manager for Thriving in Ministry. Direct questions to her at dcassell@brethren.org<\/a> or 847-429-4330.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) General secretary signs letter about war in Yemen <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Church of the Brethren general secretary David Steele is one of 21 Christian leaders from across the country to sign a letter regarding the war in Yemen. Coordinated by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), the letter was sent to Congress, including the leadership of the House and Senate and relevant committees.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow entering its fifth year, [the war] has brought unimaginable horrors upon the Yemeni people, especially children,\u201d the letter said, in part. Noting that the war has sparked the world\u2019s largest humanitarian crisis, the letter urged elected leaders \u201cto exhaust every possible legislative option to end US support for the war in Yemen; hold all warring parties accountable; and help foster peace that people of Yemen desperately need and deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

The full text of the letter follows:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cDear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and Minority Leader McCarthy,<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAs Christian faith leaders from across the United States, we write to you about the war in Yemen. Now entering its fifth year, it has brought unimaginable horrors upon the Yemeni people, especially children. Collectively, we represent tens of millions of constituents in every state. We thank you and Congress for playing a key role in pushing for humanitarian relief and ensuring the U.S. government does more to apply pressure to the warring parties, as most recently demonstrated through its unprecedented passage of the Yemen War Powers Resolution. We believe that the President\u2019s veto of that Resolution must strengthen the resolve of Congress to ratchet down the fighting and help broker peace.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe therefore urge you, as elected leaders, to exhaust every possible legislative option to end U.S. support for the war in Yemen; hold all warring parties accountable; and help foster peace that people of Yemen desperately need and deserve. Given the magnitude of human suffering as a result of this war, we call for the immediate end to any policy that continues military support in the form of intelligence, logistical support and through the sale and transfer of weapons.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe war in Yemen has sparked the world\u2019s largest humanitarian crisis and all parties are to blame. The fighting has killed innocent civilians, destroyed health clinics, schools, factories, farms, and precipitated a severe cholera epidemic that has spiked in the number of confirmed cases in recent months. Yemen\u2019s economy has been halved since 2015. Food prices have soared even as household incomes have dwindled. 80% of Yemenis now live below the poverty line, and as a result, nearly 16 million Yemenis do not know where their next meal is coming from. Children, in particular, are among the most vulnerable; with more than one million children malnourished. Given the incredibly bleak humanitarian situation, we call upon Congress to support robust humanitarian assistance to the people of Yemen.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA recent report by the United Nations Development Program reveals perhaps the grimmest statistic to date: nearly 250,000 Yemenis will have died as a result of this war by the end of this year; \u201cof the dead, 60 percent are children under the age of five.\u201d1<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe ask that you take advantage of the political momentum built in Congress to push for an end to the fighting and to help broker peace.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOur faith compels us to care for the most vulnerable and work for peaceful ends to conflict. Like the prophet Amos, we long for the day when \u201cjustice will roll down like waters\u201d (Amos 5:24) for the people of Yemen and throughout the world. As people of faith we will continue to pray for peace in Yemen, and a future for her children, but we call on you, our elected leaders, to make the tangible actions to put an end to this conflict.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4) Xenos Project is launched by Intercultural Ministries <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Xenos<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

By Mary Ann Grossnickle and Stan Dueck                                                     <\/p>\n

The Intercultural Ministries of the Church of the Brethren has launched a venture called the Xenos Project. The word Xenos is a Greek word meaning stranger or alien. The purpose of Xenos is to build a community of congregations feeling called to speak up, stand up, and take action supporting immigrants within our nation.<\/p>\n

The 1982 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference statement on \u201cUndocumented Persons and Refugees in the United States\u201d ( www.brethren.org\/ac\/statements\/1982refugees<\/a> ) reaffirms the longstanding position of the church on immigration and the biblical basis to extend welcome to immigrants and refugees. \u201cWe need to affirm that everything belongs to God and that we are an immigrant people…. Our brother and sister immigrants are reminders of who we are and whom we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Intercultural Ministries has created a Xenos website where congregations that are involved and working on immigration can communicate with each other and with other congregations interested in becoming involved, connecting congregations that are passionate and want to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this area.<\/p>\n

The Xenos website will be a place for a respectful, biblically centered conversation and response to family separations occurring at the nation\u2019s borders, the plight of immigrants, and sanctuary churches in the United States, building a network of those concerned about brothers and sisters in need and about immigration, refugee, and asylum issues and justice.<\/p>\n

Learn more about the Xenos Project by visiting www.brethren.org\/xenos<\/a> . Begin by taking a survey on concerns and actions about immigrant, refugee, and asylum issues. Ir a la encuesta en espa\u00f1ol. Pran sondaj nou an an Kreyol.<\/p>\n

For additional information or to become involved in the project contact Mary Ann Grossnickle at xenos@brethren.org<\/a> .<\/p>\n

— Mary Ann Grossnickle is coordinator of the Xenos Project, working with Stan Dueck, co-coordinator of Discipleship Ministries.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5) Atlantic Northeast District ministry commission shares update on recent work <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Following the action of the 2018 Atlantic Northeast District Conference to not approve the proposed same gender marriage policy, the district ministry commission began discussions on next steps in continuing their work on this issue. Discussion included the 1983 Annual Conference statement \u201cHuman Sexuality from a Christian Perspective\u201d as well as acknowledging the importance of all the Annual Conference statements in the life of the church and all those who serve as set-apart ministers. <\/p>\n

As a result of the ministry commission\u2019s work and discernment, following is their report:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Atlantic Northeast District (ANE) Ministry Commission affirms all of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference Statements, and strongly encourages all ANE licensed and ordained ministers to give them \u2018serious attention.’1<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the service of Ordination of Ministers in \u2018For All Who Minister,\u2019 the fourth set of questions to be asked by the district representative is: \u2018Do you affirm your devotion to the church of Jesus Christ, and specifically to the Church of the Brethren, which calls you to ministry? And do you promise to live in harmony with its principles, ordinances, and doctrines, being at all times subject to its discipline and governance?\u20192<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cChapter 5 of the \u2018Manual of Organization and Polity\u2019 makes clear that the district has authority for the credentialing of ministers: \u2018All licensed, commissioned and ordained ministers are accountable to both the district and the denomination. Annual Conference charges districts with the responsibility of credentialing ministers in the Church of the Brethren, and the denominational Office of Ministry works to resource and support districts in this process.\u20193<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIn questions involving ministerial conduct, the District Ministry Commission affirms the Polity and standard practices established by Annual Conference and the District Executives.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIf a District Executive receives a report based on direct knowledge that a minister has engaged in questionable conduct, the information shall be reported to the district’s credentialing body as a matter of ministerial conduct where it will be determined if further action is necessary. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIf, through their discernment, the District Ministry Commission determines it is a potential ethics violation, the process for dealing with complaints of ministerial misconduct will be followed as outlined in the 2008 Ethics in Ministry Paper.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe ANE District Ministry Commission, May 2, 2019″<\/em><\/p>\n

1. 2008 \u201cEthics in Ministry Relations\u201d: C. Code of Ethics for Ministerial Leaders; 1.d. Integrity of the Ministerial Life.<\/em>
2. \u201cFor All Who Minister: A Worship Manual for the Church of the Brethren\u201d (Elgin, IL: Brethren Press, 1993), 299.  <\/em>
3. 2014 Minutes, \u201cRevisions to Ministerial Leadership Polity,\u201d 244.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6) Pacific Southwest District shares support to those affected by Camp Fire <\/h2>\n\n\n\n