{"id":24950,"date":"2025-03-13T18:14:24","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T18:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=24950"},"modified":"2025-03-20T17:56:16","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T17:56:16","slug":"annual-conference-2025-preachers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2025\/annual-conference-2025-preachers\/","title":{"rendered":"Annual Conference organizers announce preacher line up for 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Annual Conference office has announced the daily line up of preachers for the 2025 annual meeting of the Church of the Brethren, as well as the daily themes and scripture texts and the worship planning team and music leadership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annual Conference is to take place on July 2-6 in Greensboro, N.C. Registration is now open online at www.brethren.org\/ac2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preachers and daily themes and scriptures<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday evening, July 2:<\/em> Annual Conference moderator Dava Hensley<\/strong> of First Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va., will speak on the theme \u201cFaith Working Through Love\u201d (Galatians 5:6b and 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 and 8-13).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday evening, July 3: <\/em>Moderator Hensley has planned a \u201cCowbell Service\u201d<\/strong> following an old tradition in Virlina District. Each of three speakers will prepare a sermon on the same theme and scripture text: \u201cFaith Working Through Love: Love is Patient\u201d (1 Corinthians 13:4a, Galatians 5:6b, and Ephesians 4:1-3). They will take turns preaching with only a certain amount of time before the cowbell is rung\u2014even if in mid-sentence\u2014and the next preacher takes the pulpit. The three preachers are Becky Baile Crouse<\/strong> of Warrensburg (Mo.) Church of the Brethren; Josiah Ludwick <\/strong>of First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa.; and Tony Price<\/strong> of Cedar Grove Church of the Brethren, New Madison, Ohio.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Friday evening, July 4: <\/em>Lupita Ortiz<\/strong> of Monte Hermon Church of the Brethren in Bassett, Va., will preach on the theme \u201cFaith Working Through Love: Love is Kind\u201d (1 Corinthians 13:4a, Galatians 5:6b, and Ephesians 4:31-5:2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday evening, July 5: <\/em>Gennifer Brooks,<\/strong> the Ernest and Bernice Styberg Professor of Preaching and director of the Styberg Preaching Institute at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill., will speak on the theme \u201cFaith Working Through Love: Love is Not Envious, Boastful, or Arrogant\u201d (1 Corinthians 13:4b-6, Galatians 5:6b, and Philippians 2:1-8).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday morning, July 6:<\/em> Dave Kerkove<\/strong> of South Waterloo (Iowa) Church of the Brethren will preach on \u201cFaith Working Through Love: Love Never Fails\u201d (1 Corinthians 13:7-8a, Galatians 5:6b, and John 18:25-27 and 21:15-17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worship and music leadership<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worship Planning Team:<\/em> Jacob Crouse<\/strong> of Washington (D.C.) City Church of the Brethren (Program and Arrangements Committee liaison and chair); Gabriel Dodd<\/strong> of Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren in Hagerstown, Md.; Terri Luzynski <\/strong>of Montezuma Church of the Brethren in Dayton, Va.; Audri Svay<\/strong> of Eel River Community Church of the Brethren in Silver Lake, Ind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music coordinator:<\/em> Bev Anspaugh<\/strong> of Roanoke (Va.) Central Church of the Brethren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choir director: <\/em>David Tate<\/strong> of Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren in Weyers Cave, Va.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pianist:<\/em> Alex Ramirez<\/strong> of First Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia, Pa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organist:<\/em> Jonathan Emmons<\/strong> of Antioch Church of the Brethren in Rocky Mount, Va.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children\u2019s choir director:<\/em> Laura Hoal-Harrington<\/strong> of Cloverdale (Va.) Church of the Brethren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— For more information and to register, go to www.brethren.org\/ac2025<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

———-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find more Church of the Brethren news:<\/p>\n\n\n