The Brethren Church

Brethren Church National Office Updates
Aug 1, 2008

Pastors and Leaders,

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.

BCNO Staff Updates:

Hello! Wow so much has happened since our last memo update. Conference has come and gone and my prayer is that we are all giving testimony of what God is doing as we walk into a NEW DAY!

I have not been in the office since conference so I would love to hear feedback from you all. Please send and comments you may have to jenn@brethrenchurch.org so we can start making adjustments and begin planning for next years General Conference.

 

BCNO Staff Travel Updates:

Please continue to pray for our staff as we continue to serve outside the office.

Ken Hunn

Germany

Jenn Pinto

Leading a Mission Trip to Puerto Maldonado Peru July 18-29

Vacation Aug. 4-18

Tony VanDuyne, Paula Strickland, & Bill Ludwig

BYIC Conference

International Leaders and Missionaries

Most all leaders have returned to their Home. Ruggles, Abuid, Morillas are all still in the country and will return mid Aug. Lets be sure to keep in touch with all our international leaders We have learned so much from them.

The Brethren Home Mission Revolving Fund

The Brethren Home Mission Revolving Fund was created to plant new Brethren Churches and to help existing Brethren Churches grow. Money from this fund is available for low interest loans for various building programs of Brethren Churches.

We gratefully accept gifts to the Revolving Fund. Your tax-deductible gifts not only become available to help Brethren Churches, but they also reduce the cost of the loans issued to Brethren Church plant and existing churches for their building and expansion programs.

You can donate to the Revolving Fund through gifts, financial or estate planning, or through deferred gifts. If you’d like to know more, or if you’d like to receive free information pamphlets, please call or Email Stan Gentle at the National Office (877-289-1708).

BRETHREN PEACE INITIATIVE:

Christ’s Way of Meeting Evil: “When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly.” (I Corinthians 4:12b-13a)

General Conference PEACE-RELATED Happenings:

(1) Two reports from our Peace Leadership Team about Brethren Peace Initiative were presented — at the Ministers’ meeting and during a regular Business Session. Our thanks to Lynn Mercer, Dave Stone and Tom Schiefer for making those possible.

(2) One feature of our Peace Display Table was great Peace Pictures by Latino children from the Smoky Row Church in Columbus. Here are their written “captions”:

“Outside all is peace” - by Ivette

“World Peace – One Family Under God”

“Peace to the Earth” - by Luanda

“Peace is when everyone gets along” by Micah

“Peace for me is no global warming and everything has a home” - by Eric

“This is a map of Bethlehem where the King of all kings was born and if all kings and peoples obey Him there will be peacefulness” - by Luanda

“The man is breaking his axes so they can’t be used to chop trees and this helps prevent global warming” - by Sebastian

“The man is passing out free newspapers because the war is over” - by Oscar

(3) Peace Literature distributed included the following:

Peace-Related Scriptures

Peace Quotes (from famous and not-so-famous people)

Peace Bibliography sheet

Listing of Possible Peace Activities

Page of “Shalom” meanings

Paraphrase from Romans 12

How to give Financial Support to BPI …… and a few other handouts.

[If you haven’t received this free set of resources, please write Phil Lersch – address below.]

Affirmation is Appreciated:

When some folks asked us to add their name to the Peace Email List, they also wrote:

“I would love to receive information regarding Peace Initiatives of the Brethren church. I am excited that the Brethren Church is getting back to it’s roots of peace and nonviolence and I am looking forward to reading more.” (B.F.)

“I am interested in learning what is going on in the Brethren Church with regard to social issues … and peace is a huge issue. As a young person growing up in the Church, it is not always easy to find information about what is current. We need to get better at informing members and others about where we stand as a church on certain issues. I guess I am passionate about … standing up and standing out.” (C.C.)

“I am excited to hear about the efforts of Brethren Peace Initiative. My own path to understanding the important role of peacemaking in our Christian witness evolved as I grew up in the Church and was exposed to experiences and literature at General Conference in Ashland in the 1960’s.” (R.H.)

“Peacemaking has always been a strong interest ever since my participation in a war-peace honors seminar in college. And it puzzles and intrigues me that we hear so little about this in Brethren churches despite our historic peace church tradition.” (B.T.)

“I would like to be involved with Brethren Peace Initiative as much as possible. I feel the need for the Brethren Church to reexamine and stand for their position of non-resistance as I feel you and your committee are doing.” (M.B.)

And then there were several affirmative verbal comments at General Conference by J.H. - J.S. - D.W. - F.M. - P.V. - D.K. - R.M. - V.T. - K.H. - T.G. - M.L. - C.L. - S.M. [Shall we give a prize to the first person who can correctly put names to all those initials? Give it a try!]

To join the Peace Email List – Send your name, email address, postal address, and church you attend to: Phil Lersch (PhilLersch@verizon.net OR 6301 56^TH Ave, North, St. Petersburg, FL 33709).

Financial Support: Please send your checks for Brethren Peace Fund to Stan Gentle, 524 College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805. Thanks. {Phil & Jean’s offer still stands!}

Directory Updates: There have been several updates made to the directory. We now have it available on line http://brethrenchurch.org/about/2008-brethren-church-directory

It is password protected. User Name: directory

Password: brethrenchurch1708

Announcements/ Ministry opportunities:

Park Street Brethren Church, Ashland, OH

This past month Dr. Arden Gilmer, pastor of Park Street Brethren Church in Ashland, Ohio, announced his retirement effective June 30, 2009. He has served the church as the senior pastor for 29 years. A Transition Task Force has been appointed to oversee the process of the pastoral transition. The task force is open to the reception of any questions or resumes related to the position of senior pastor of the church. Please send any inquiries to Dale Stoffer, Chair of the Transition Task Force, 2217 Oakcrest Lane, Ashland, Ohio 44805 or to his email: dstoffer@ashland.edu . The pastoral search process will remain open until the position is filled.

Garber Brethren Church, Ashland, OH

Pastor Troy Cummins announced officially that he will complete his service at Garber Brethren Church effective June 30, 2008.For more information please contact the church moderator Conrad Griffith at 419-281-2693.

Hammond Avenue Brethren Church, Waterloo, IA

Hammond Avenue Brethren Church is searching for a senior pastor for its pastoral team. For more information, write to: Search@HammondAvenueBrethren.com, or visit the church website at http://www.HammondAvenueBrethren.com/search .

Wabash First Brethren, IN

We want to welcome Pastor Stan Gray to the ministry in Wabash First Brethren Church.

County Line Brethren Church, Lakeville, IN

Welcome Steve Barber as the interim Pastor at County Line Brethren Church.

Roanoke First Brethren Church, IN

Welcome Pastor Kurt Snyder to the ministry at Roanoke First Brethren Church!

Churches Looking for Pastors

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

Park Street Brethren Church, OH Garber Brethren Church, OH

Lanark First Brethren, IL Hammond Ave. Brethren, Waterloo, IA

Elkhart First Brethren Church, IN North Georgetown First Breth., OH

Winding Waters Brethren Church, IN

Sarver Brethren Church, PA

Keep praying for NEW DAY activities in local congregations, in districts, among pastoral and leadership and around the denomination!

The National Office Update is a publication sent out to the pastor’s mail group and

also published on our website: www.brethrenchurch.org under “About.”