Church of the Brethren

The keynote speakers for the 2025 National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) have been announced. The event takes place Sept. 1-5 in Lake Junaluska, N.C., a Spirit-filled gathering of adults 50 and older. This year’s theme is “Alive in the Spirit!” (Romans 15:13).

“Mark your calendar for BVS Visionary Voices!” said an announcement from the Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) office. This new quarterly speaker series highlights inspiring professionals sharing what they do, why they do it, and how you can get involved.

Looking to address hunger in your community? Congregations are invited to apply for a Global Food Initiative (GFI) grant to support efforts to address domestic hunger and homelessness.

The April offering from the Ventures in Christian Discipleship program at McPherson (Kan.) College will be “A Place for Everybody: Creating Communities of Belonging” to be presented by Jeanne Davies, executive director of the Anabaptist Disabilities Network.

In this issue: Remembering Doris Cline Egge, prayer for the Democratic Republic of Congo, immigration vigil and advocacy visits in Washington, D.C., job openings at camps, installation service for Mid-Atlantic District executive Douglas Veal, book launch of Christ in the Rubble, '10 Books Every Brethren Should Read,' David Jehnsen and Barbara Daté receive awards from On Earth Peace, Womaen's Caucus address change, and much more

A new webinar, free to attend, is offered on Wednesday, March 26, at 2 p.m. (Eastern time), offering 0.1 continuing education credit. “Dinner Church in Every Context” is presented by Verlon Fosner, director of Dinner Church Collective, Fresh Expressions North America.

The Church of the Brethren has signed the “Ash Wednesday Ecumenical Declaration: Defending Refuge” as one of the Covenant Members of Church World Service (CWS).

The Nominating Committee of the Standing Committee of district delegates to the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference is presenting the following ballot for the 2025 Conference taking place in Greensboro, N.C., on July 2-6.

More than 70 clergywomen from 16 church districts attended a denominational retreat traditionally offered every five years by the Ministry Office of the Church of the Brethren.

Here is an update on the lawsuit filed on Feb. 11, 2025, on behalf of the Church of the Brethren and more than two dozen other Christian and Jewish religious denominations and associations, in response to the Trump Administration’s rescission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “sensitive locations” policy that had restricted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from conducting immigration raids, arrests, and other enforcement actions at houses of worship.

New resources from Brethren Press, the Church of the Brethren publishing house, include the 2025 Lenten devotional titled Take Up Your Cross written by Tim Harvey; two new Covenant Bible Studies including God’s Earth Our Home written by David Radcliff and Sabbath: God’s Call to Peace written by Angela Finet; and the 2024 edition of the Church of the Brethren Yearbook

Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) is preparing to hold three new volunteer training events in March, April, and May 2025. Upcoming CDS Volunteer Training events are as follows:

Recently, Creekside Church of the Brethren near Goshen, Ind., challenged the other congregations of Northern Indiana District to participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring. The aim was to see which congregation could gather the most ounces of soup to feed the hungry in our local communities by Super Bowl Sunday.

On Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, Jim Bridgeman was ordained at Lancaster (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. We always celebrate when someone accepts the call of God to serve the church as a minister, and Jim is no exception. That is, for one important detail: Jim is 93 years of age.

Seven Church of the Brethren districts in the midwest and plains regions partnered to hold an online workshop titled "Changing Mindsets for Ministry" on Feb. 22, with about 80 people participating. The event featured Jeff MacDonald, a journalist and pastor from the Boston area, as keynote speaker.

In this issue: Prayers concerns from Global Mission, Annual Conference registration opens March 5, disabilities leader to present Ministers' Association pre-Conference event, BVS "Visionary Voices" speaker series, job openings, National Council of Churches prayer webinar, Green Lectionary podcast for Lent, Seven Weeks for Water Campaign from the World Council of Churches.

The March offering from the Ventures in Christian Discipleship program at McPherson (Kan.) College will be “Acknowledging Grief, Claiming Hope: Reflections from Around the Church of the Brethren” to be presented by Dava Hensley, Church of the Brethren ordained minister and 2025 Annual Conference moderator.

Tim Button-Harrison has announced his retirement from leadership of the Church of the Brethren’s Northern Plains District. At the Feb. 7-8 meeting of the district board, it was announced that he will retire on Dec. 31, 2025, after having served the district for more than 19 years.

The Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center (SVMC) has hired Audrey Hollenberg-Duffey as the new director, beginning May 1. Prior to May, Hollenberg-Duffey will be working with retiring executive director Donna M. Rhodes to provide a good transition.