The Brethren Church

A major role of the National Office is to maintain communication with our denomination. To keep all of our ministries up to date on what is going on in the Brethren Church, this “National Office Update” is a bi-weekly letter to inform pastors and leaders of the current events in our denomination.

It is our hope that by offering these updates, we will strengthen our communication as well as join together, so we may move forward in the mission of the Brethren Church. Please feel free to pass along this information to all of those in your church who are interested in staying up to date with the ministry of the Brethren Church.

2007 Bridge Festival & BYIC Convention Registration

BYIC Students and Young Adults will begin their travels to Ashland for a week of BYIC Convention and Bridge Festival. Please be praying for these individuals as they go about their week. There will be several opportunities to interact with the young adults as well as youth during General Conference week, so be sure to take advantage of these times.

General Conference Book Sale

Have any books that you just don’t read or reference anymore? Why not donate them to the General Conference Book Sale? Make plans to bring any unwanted books with you to General Conference and drop them off at the Book Sale early in the week. Money raised from the book sale will go to support Hispanic Outreach in Florida.

Mark and Brenda Ray, Ben and Fra

Mark and Brenda Ray, along with two other young men from Ireland, arrived safely into Indiana this past weekend. They will be joining us for the week at General Conference. Please keep them in your prayers as they travel (and everybody is traveling) and as they share about their ministry in Ireland.

Camp Berea, California Trip

Are you interested or somebody in your church interested in traveling to California to help with their camp clean-up? It’s not too late to get signed up to go. Contact Bill Ludwig at the National Office for more information. The dates of the trip are set for the first two weeks in August.

First Brethren Church in North Manchester – Discipleship Coordinator

The First Brethren Church in North Manchester (Indiana) is looking to hire a part-time employee (averaging 20 hours per week) as a Discipleship Coordinator. The aim of this position includes supporting and resourcing SS class teachers, small group facilitators, and other leadership team members. This coordinator will provide direction for assimilating new attendees into connecting groups as well as provide assistance in the discovery and use of spiritual gifts. Recruiting and training potential leaders, casting a vision for discipling, assisting in the planning of related events and partnering with staff in our mission to lead people in a growing personal relationship with Jesus.

For more information contact:
Search Committee
First Brethren Church
407 N. Sycamore St.
North Manchester, IN 46962

Churches Looking for Pastors

Please be in prayer for these churches as they seek new pastors.

Elkhart First Brethren Church, IN
Falls City First Brethren, NE
Lanark First Brethren, IL
Mathias Brethren, WV
New Song Community Church, Union, MI
Roann First Brethren Church, Roann, IN
Wabash First Brethren, IN

Congratulations to Steven Cole (not the one in Masontown, PA!) who has accepted the call to pastor at Northgate Community Church in Manteca, CA. Steven was recommended to us by his former Senior Pastor Rickey Bolden. Be sure to meet Steven next week at General Conference.

Mike Weber has accepted a call to the Wheaton Evangelical Free Church in Wheaton, IL. Steve Ganger of the New Song Community Church (Union, MI) congregation will step in part time to provide leadership while the church begins a self-study in preparation for a new pastor.

Please let us know if there are any specific ministries that you would like to know more about, that we could feature in future updates.