Church of the Brethren

Expertly designed using the Common English Bible translation, the Anabaptist Community Bible will connect you more deeply to the biblical story, the Anabaptist story, and your own story. More than 7,200 marginal notes alongside the biblical text feature commentary from Anabaptist scholars, historical notes from the tradition, and the insights of nearly 600 Bible study groups.

A complimentary set of Bible activity cards has just been shipped to congregations that use the Shine: Living in God’s Light curriculum. The “Follow the Peace Path” cards are a signature part of a new initiative of Brethren Press and MennoMedia, which co-publish Shine.

After more than 40 years of creating videos for the Church of the Brethren, David Sollenberger realized that nearly all of the recordings were in formats that are no longer used. With Sollenberger, Brethren Historical Library and Archives interim manager Allison Snyder and Church of the Brethren web producer Jan Fischer Bachman have created a new YouTube channel for historical Church of the Brethren videos.

The FaithX office has shared commissioning resources for the 2024 FaithX season. These resources are available to be used by congregations for the sending out of their FaithX participants.

Eric Miller on May 15 concluded his work with the Church of the Brethren as executive director of Global Mission. Roy Winter, executive director for Service Ministries, will provide interim leadership for Global Mission.

Jacqueline Claire Flowers of Blacksburg, Va., has been hired by the Church of the Brethren as director of the Brethren Historical Library and Archives (BHLA). She holds a master of divinity degree from Bethany Theological Seminary and a bachelor of arts in Psychology from Argosy University. She will begin working from the General Offices in Elgin, Ill., on July 15.

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.