{"id":25478,"date":"2025-07-03T02:12:41","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T02:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=25478"},"modified":"2025-07-03T02:12:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T02:12:42","slug":"revelation-79-awards-are-presented","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2025\/revelation-79-awards-are-presented\/","title":{"rendered":"Revelation 7:9 Awards are presented by Intercultural Ministries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The annual Revelation 7:9 Awards were presented to eight individuals this year, in an event held during the Mission and Ministry Board\u2019s pre-Conference meeting on July 2 in Greensboro, N.C. Intercultural Ministries director Founa A. Badet presented the awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of the award is to recognize church members and congregations for their contributions to a vision of intercultural ministries in their communities, within the denomination, and in the world at large. The award is named for the scripture verse that shares this vision: \u201cAfter this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands\u201d <\/em>(Revelation 7:9, NRSVue).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The eight people who received the award this year:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Drew G. I. Hart<\/strong> of Harrisburg (Pa.) First Church of the Brethren is an associate professor of theology at Messiah University where he has directed the Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice program since 2021. He is the author of Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism, Who Will Be a Witness?: Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love, and Deliverance<\/em>, and co-editor of Reparations and the Theological Disciplines: Prophetic Voices for Remembrance, Reckoning, and Repair<\/em>. His forthcoming book, Making It Plain: Why We Need Anabaptism and the Black Church<\/em>, will be released on Sept. 2.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Irv Heishman<\/strong> is a pastor at West Charleston Church of the Brethren in Tipp City, Ohio, and formerly served in the Dominican Republic as a mission worker for the Church of the Brethren. It was during his service at Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren that he and others formed the ad hoc group that evolved over time into the Church of the Brethren\u2019s Intercultural Ministries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Nubwa Chama Josiah<\/strong>, an intern with On Earth Peace, is a dedicated racial justice organizer, faith-based advocate, and community educator who is serving on the Standing with People of Color Committee of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Josiah Ludwick<\/strong>, co-pastor at Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren, ministering alongside co-pastor Lexi Aligarbes. He and his wife have been mission workers for the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda. He currently is a member of the Church of the Brethren\u2019s Mission and Ministry Board. This month he begins a term as the board\u2019s chair-elect.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Rhonda Pittman-Gingrich<\/strong> is director of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. She has been proactive in opening the lines of communication between the Program and Arrangements Committee of Annual Conference and the Intercultural Ministries Advisory Committee, advocating for the fuller welcome and inclusion of brothers and sisters of color in leadership and programing at Annual Conference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Bruce Rosenberger<\/strong> of Living Stream Church of the Brethren, a fully online congregation, is a retired pastor. He volunteers for CRIS, the Community Refugee and Immigrant Services organization in Columbus. Ohio. Since 2022, he has served on the Standing with People of Color Coordinating Committee of Annual Conference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Beth Sollenberger<\/strong> serves in leadership of the Church of the Brethren\u2019s Atlantic Southeast District, where she finds great satisfaction and joy working in a multicultural district where things must be communicated in Haitian Creole, Spanish, and English. Semi-retired, she has served as a pastor, on the denominational staff, and as district staff since she was ordained in 1981.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/strong> is the Church of the Brethren\u2019s director of News Services and associate editor of Messenger<\/em>. She was born in and grew up in Nigeria. Her international experience includes providing news coverage from Church of the Brethren and ecumenical events around the world. She also has covered most of the recent intercultural events of the denomination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

For more about the Revelation 7:9 Award go to www.brethren.org\/intercultural\/revelation-7-9-award<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving<\/p>\n\n\n\n

———-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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