Church of the Brethren

The Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board held its spring 2024 meeting on March 15-17 at the denomination’s General Offices in Elgin, Ill. Board chair Colin Scott presided, assisted by chair-elect Kathy Mack and general secretary David Steele.

During their meeting on March 18, 2024, the Church of the Brethren’s Leadership Team issued a clarification around their May 2020 statement related to On Earth Peace (www.onearthpeace.org) joining the Supportive Communities Network.

Ephrata (Pa.) Church of the Brethren invites the whole Ephrata community and beyond to celebrate the 125th anniversary of being a church family in the Ephrata landscape. There will be multiple events on the weekend of April 26-28, all at 201 Crescent Ave, Ephrata.

The collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore, Md., was such a shock and very emotional for the staff of the Material Resources program of the Church of the Brethren. The loss of lives and loss of a critical bridge were on our minds. Now, almost three weeks later, alternate plans are being explored for shipments of relief goods from our warehouse facilities at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.

Church of the Brethren general secretary David Steele was among more than 140 global Christian leaders signing a new letter, released during Holy Week ahead of Easter, calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The 2023 year-end financial reporting covered both Core Ministries and the Self-Funding Ministries, including Material Resources and the Conference Office. Special purpose funds, including the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF), which supports Brethren Disaster Ministries, the Global Food Initiative Fund (GFIF) which supports the Global Food Initiative, and the Emerging Global Mission Fund were also reported on.

“The only hope many people have is the light of God in the church,” said Ilexene Alphonse, describing the desperate situation of the Haitian people. Living as the church in Haiti right now is “stressful and it is painful, but the most part is that everybody, they live in a limbo. They are never certain about what will happen,” he said. “There is the constant fear of being kidnapped.”

John Jantzi has announced that he will conclude his service as district executive minister for the Church of the Brethren’s Shenandoah District, as of March 1, 2025. He has served in the position for almost 12 years, since Aug. 1, 2012. During these years, he has given leadership to district ministries during a season of significant change while faithfully guiding district staff and leaders in their work.

ASIGLEH (the Church of the Brethren in Venezuela) held its annual conference in Cucuta, Colombia, on March 12-16 with about 120 church leaders and families in attendance. The conference was led by Roger Moreno, who is president of ASIGLEH.

J. Michael Lausch has been appointed executive director of COBYS Family Services, a non-profit organization based in Lancaster County, Pa., that is related to the Church of the Brethren’s Atlantic Northeast District. Mark Cunningham retired from COBYS in Dec. 2023 after serving as executive director for the last 14 years of his 26-year tenure.

FaithX registration closes April 1, two facilitator trainings for the "7 Prompts" conversations are offered in early April, the Sounds of the Mountains Storytelling Festival line-up, seventh annual Neurodiversity Symposium at the University of La Verne, an Easter Vigil live from Palestine, and more

L’Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) has sent a response to a pastoral letter from David Steele, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren. The pastoral statement for Haiti was sent to the church in Haiti on March 7. In related news, brief updates on the situation of the church in Haiti have been received from leaders in l’Eglise des Freres d’Haiti. Vildor Archange, who works with the Haiti Medical Project, reported.

The staff of Brethren Disaster Ministries and Iglesia de los Hermanos (the Church of the Brethren) in the Dominican Republic (DR) are working together on an effort to aid displaced Haitians. A grant of $5,000 is being requested from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to provide emergency food to Haitian citizens fleeing across the border to the Dominican Republic and away from the violence in Haiti. Haiti and the DR share the same Caribbean island.

The Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy was one of the endorsing organizations for a prayer vigil calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, held Thursday afternoon, March 21, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as part of the Lenten Ceasefire Campaign organized by Christians for Ceasefire.

The Church of the Brethren Gun Violence Prevention Action Team is seeking congregational ambassadors. At an organizing meeting on March 2, the group introduced a new path for individuals feeling a call to help their congregations take action on gun violence prevention.

On March 20, Childrens Disaster Services (CDS)--a ministry within Brethren Disaster Ministries--deployed volunteers to two Multi Agency Recovery Centers (MARCs) in Ohio, in collaboration with longtime partner Child Life Disaster Relief.

Jennifer Hosler has been hired by the Church of the Brethren as part-time manager of the Global Food Initiative (GFI), in the Global Mission office. She begins working for the GFI as a remote employee from Washington, D.C., on April 22.

In this issue: Request from Mennonite Disaster Service, Juniata College's 146th commencement, Womaen's Caucus online book discussion sessions, Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2024, National Council of Churches 75th Anniversary plans, Kaitlyn Slate to be president and CEO of Growing Hope Globally

Douglas Veal has been called as district executive minister for the Church of the Brethren’s Mid-Atlantic District, beginning June 25. Veal is currently pastor of Wabash (Ind.) Church of the Brethren in South Central Indiana District and also has served pastorates in Southern Ohio and Kentucky District and in Virlina District.

The Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church program of the Office of Ministry invites multi-vocational clergymen, as we wrap up our Easter celebrations, to make a simple yet vital commitment for setting aside intentional time to commune with God and peers. This is offered as you begin a journey of self-recognition and support of other clergy in the Church of the Brethren.