Church of the Brethren

Making connections is one of my life’s joys, and the Christian Citizenship Seminar (CCS) held on April 11-16 in Washington, D.C., was a place to make them.

An appropriation of $143,000 from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) is being directed by Brethren Disaster Ministries for a humanitarian response to multiple crises in Haiti. The money will provide emergency food distributions at all the congregations and preaching points of l’Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti).

The staff of Brethren Disaster Ministries have directed a large grant of $225,000 from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to extend the Nigeria Crisis Response for another year. The grant is given in conjunction with a plan to phase out the program over the next three years, created in collaboration with the Disaster Relief Management Team of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria).

In addition to the large grant of $225,000 that extends the Nigeria Crisis Response program through 2024, the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) has provided grants to various countries including a grant that will help start a new South Sudan Crisis Recovery Initiative with staff from Global Mission.

The United Nations Civil Society (NGO) conference will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 9-10. At that time, a “Summit of the Future” will be held on the continent from where millions of people were transported as commodities between the 16th and 19th centuries. This report covers a portion of the UN events that I've attended in 2023 through March 2024, along with information that can be found at the United Nations websites.

In this issue: Denominational staff join ecumenical prayer service for Gaza, registration is extended for the Young Adult Conference, Brethren Academy seeks bilingual writing coach, international partners request prayer, “A Breath of Fresh Air” (Acts 2:2) is theme for the Church of the Brethren’s Pentecost Offering on May 19, and much more.

Planning is beginning now for the “every five years” retreat open to all licensed and credentialed clergywomen in the Church of the Brethren. Past retreats have provided beautiful opportunities to connect with sisters in ministry, find rest and renewal, and return home inspired and encouraged. Make plans now to attend!

Registration is still open for the Ecumenical Advocacy Days Spring Summit 2024, an in-person event on May 17-19 in Washington, D.C. The Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy is a sponsor of the event and director Nathan Hosler is on the planning team, alongside other ecumenical partners.

Atlantic Southeast District has called Michaela Alphonse to serve as temporary director of program, a part-time role she began this past February and will resume Aug. 1 after she completes a pastoral sabbatical. The district has called Larry O’Neill to serve as director of English ministries, a role he began on March 23.

David Banaszak has announced the conclusion of his service as executive minister for the Church of the Brethren’s Middle Pennsylvania District, a position he has held for the past six-and-a-half years since Sept. 5, 2017. He plans to conclude his ministry for the district on July 28.

Part-time Pastor; Full-Time Church is beginning a book study of From Weary to Wholehearted: A Restorative Resource for overcoming Clergy Burnout by Callie Swanlund.

The 77th Majalisa of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has successfully concluded, marking a significant milestone in the church's history. Held April 16-19 at EYN Headquarters in Kwarhi, Adamawa State, the Majalisa (or annual conference) brought together thousands of members, leaders, and guests from across Nigeria and beyond. On the agenda were elections and appointment of a new top leadership team.

The Church of the Brethren’s Global Food Initiative (GFI) has given its first round of grants for 2024, supporting an aquaculture project in the Dominican Republic, a grain mill project in Burundi, a maize mill project in Uganda, and Syntropic training in Haiti. Two grants made in 2023 have not previously been reported in Newsline, for a school-based organic food production and environmental awareness effort in Ecuador, and to First Church of the Brethren, Eden, N.C., for its community garden.

The Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA) has aided seven congregations with grants in these first weeks of the year. The fund provides grants using money generated by the sale of the upper campus of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.

Remembering Gary Dill, Idaho and Western Montana District seeks applicants for the position of district executive minister, EYN holds its 77th Majalisa, WCC welcomes the International Criminal Court policy establishing accountability for environmental crimes

As part of developing our 2024 Earth Day Resource: “Plastic Jesus, Real Faith in a Synthetic World,” we commissioned six artists to gather in retreat and to collaboratively create songs for use in worship that reflect on caring for God's creation in the face of the plastic pollution crisis. Sarah Macias was their host at Sister Grove Farm.

We're looking forward to our special district creation care event next Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill. We hope you can join us! There is no charge for this event, and all are welcome.

“We hope you will join us this summer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 3-7, 2024, for the 237th recorded Annual Conference,” said an invitation from the Conference office. This article provides a preview of the Conference including business items, special events, and more.

As part of their final processing of potential business items for the 2024 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference (www.brethren.org/ac2024), the Annual Conference officers (www.brethren.org/ac2024/leadership) have returned the Illinois/Wisconsin District’s query titled “Regarding Greater Congregational Latitude on Matters of Sexuality” back to the district for further revision and potential resubmission in 2025.

The Program and Arrangements Committee is once again holding a silent auction at Annual Conference in Grand Rapids this summer. The idea emerged during a discussion about how we could intentionally contribute to the vitality of and increase traffic in the Exhibit Hall. However, it also offers us an opportunity to raise some additional funds.