The Brethren Church

Brethren Church National Office Updates
Sept. 24, 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.

CHURCH MOBILIZATION: Coach Certification Training Event, Round 1

Here’s an excerpt from the web page of CoachNet’s founder Dr. Bob Logan:

“I longed to have someone come alongside me as a Barnabas… someone who would listen to my dreams and visions… encourage and cheer me on… someone who would ask probing and powerful questions to sharpen my thinking… help me turn obstacles into opportunities… believe in me when it seemed like nobody else did… care about my family relationships… pray for me strategically and personally.”
“What I needed — but did not have the vocabulary for at the time — was a coach to help me discover what God wanted me to do so I could cooperate with the Holy Spirit and others to see my vision become a reality. I am convinced that my fruitfulness as a church planter would have doubled through a consistent, quality coaching relationship.”
“Coaching is not just for those starting out in ministry. Today, I still need a coach to walk with me through the journey, perhaps more than when I was a church planter. As my vision increases, so does the tension between what is and what could be. With my coach I take time to reflect and refocus on the truly important, the few essential things which, if done with excellence, really make a difference. As I’ve often said, “There’s always enough time to do God’s will.” I don’t need to go through life overloaded and overwhelmed. As I grow in character, cultivate wisdom, and hone my leadership skills, life can be more fruitful with less pressure. I am still learning and relearning how to do this effectively.”
“I am convinced that coaching is key to making and multiplying disciples, to raising and reproducing leaders, to starting and multiplying churches.”
Brethren pastors and leaders are no different. That’s why we’re launching a process to raise up trained and certified coaches within our denomination, beginning with the first group of 16 Brethren leaders in Round 1. Work has already started for those participating, so please pray that the learning process and the workshops on September 24-25, 2008, and May 13-14, 2009 will begin transforming the way we Brethren relate to one another through powerful coaching. Contact Gary Diehl at the BCNO for more information.

2008 Richmond, VA General Conference & BYIC Convention Reviews

Now that conference has come and gone we would like to hear your testimonies.
1. How did the 300th Anniversary General Conference or BYIC Convention impact you?
2. How were the visits of our International Leaders in your churches?
3. Can you send us Pictures of their visit?
We would like to hear your NEW DAY stories. Please send your stories to Jenn Pinto at jenn@brethrenchurch.org so we can celebrate together what God has done through these amazing events and our faithful international servants.

Pastors & Spouses Retreat (Feb. 27- Mar. 2, 2009)

Jim Koontz, Scott Soden, and Tim Garner serve on the Nurture and Support Commission of the NABCE. We are planning the 2009 Pastors and Spouses Retreat (PSR).

Most responders to my survey sent out a few months ago who indicated they would attend the PSR said that they either don’t have a preference as to weekends or week days for the event. Another group indicated that holding the retreat over a weekend would be preferred so that their spouses could attend. Based on these replies, we would like to host the PSR - Phoenix the weekend of Friday, Feb. 27 to Monday, March 2, 2009.

We need to know, given the economy and the costs of attending General Conference this year, if you would be able to handle the costs of an event in Phoenix in 2009. (As a reminder, the retreat would occur in a new budget year and for us mid-easterners conference is in Ashland next year.) We need to know if people are willing to participate before we go much farther in the planning.

We propose Friday, Feb. 27-Monday, Mar. 2 at the Four Points Sheraton - near Metro Center Mall in Phoenix. This hotel is adjacent to a 190-store mall, an amusement park, library, and multiple restaurants all within walking distance.

Friday Session 1 7-8:30 pm The basic theme & schedule are under construction. Here’s a suggestion.
Saturday Session 2 9-11:30 am Free time in the afternoon
Session 4 5-7:30 pm Sheraton would provide an outdoor themed barbecue with a dive-in movie. Lounge around or in the Olympic-size pool and pretend you are on a cruise with dinner and a movie.
Session 5 7:45-9:15 pm
Sunday Session 6 9-11 am Morning worship and prayer time - free-time on Sunday afternoon or some may leave for home
Session 7 6:30 - 8 pm A final session for those remaining overnight on Sunday.

Costs
Two nights and five meals: $155 per person plus transportation (based on dbl occupancy).
Three nights and eight meals: $227 per person plus transportation (based on dbl occupancy).
The $150 plus tax rooms have been reduced for our group to $107 per night including taxes and a breakfast buffet - a steal of a deal for Phoenix in February-March. This is their most popular vacation time. Visit www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints to view the accommodations and area.
Additional expenses: Gold Rush Shuttle service will provide for $30 per person gets a ride to and from the airport and one other trip. Car rentals from Thrifty and Payless have “midsized” cars for $15 a day - others are in the $20-$40 a day range.
Flights from various locations as of August 1, 2008. (Frontier seems to have the best rates when I checked)

Round Trip flights from Indianapolis to Phoenix - $220-$250
From Akron to Phoenix - $240-$280
From Washington, D. C. to Phoenix - $300-$400

Depending on flight costs and ground transportation, the retreat would cost between $400 and $550, and for two $800 to $1100. Please reply not later than August 31. We will make the sessions worth your time and effort. The city and area are beautiful this time of year with highs in the 70/80’s, lows in the 40/50’s and sunny blue skies.

Please reply not later than August 31 with a simple reply:
1. I, or my spouse and I, plan to attend.
2. The maximum I can afford is $_________per person.
3. I will not be attending the retreat.

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 stan@brethrenchurch.org or 1-877-289-1708.

Website Updates

We are now making much needed updates on the website thank you for your patience. Please visit regularly www.brethrenchurch.org check out the new Missions pictures and Richmond, VA Conference & BYIC Convention reviews which are coming soon.

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

THANK YOU

to Linda Immel and Heidi Stout of the North Manchester Brethren Church in North Manchester, IN. These two have begun to assist the National Office in coordinating our extensive list of India pastors and orphans that are sponsored by individuals, classes, and churches throughout our denomination. Many of you have already had contact about your continuing sponsorship or beginning a new one. Our goal is to increase even more the number of pastors (100) and orphans (approx. 85) through the Brethren Mission in Rajahmundry who are being sponsored. Thank you Linda and Heidi!

Announcements/ Ministry opportunities:

Terry Koons has begun ministry at Hammond Avenue Brethren Church in Waterloo, IA. Terry previously served as Associate Pastor at Mt. Olive Brethren Church in McGaheysiville, VA.

Congratulations to Pastor Larry Brown, on his ordination at Gretna Brethren Church on Sunday September 14.

Gary Castro has arrived safely back in The Philippines, resuming his duties as Senior Pastor of Jesus Our Firm Foundation (JOFF) congregation there. Pray for Gary and the congregation in this transition after four years here in Ashland during seminary. Pray for the congregation as they continue to grow and launch more daughter churches under Gary’s leadership.

Welcome to the Albion St. John’s congregation near Ashland, Ohio as our newest Brethren congregation. This church has benefited from Brethren seminary student pastors for many years. The church is currently seeing a renewed sense of purpose and identity under the leadership of Pastor Paul and Traci Cherry. This church was recognized as a Brethren congregation upon recommendation from the Ohio District. Welcome!

Park Street Brethren Church, Ashland, OH
Dr. Arden Gilmer, lead 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. A Formal Job Description is attached.

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
Elkhart First Brethren Church, IN
North Georgetown First Breth., OH
Winding Waters Brethren Church, IN
Wabash First Brethren Church, IN
County Line Brethren Church, IN
Roanoke First Brethren Church, IN

Pray to the Lord of the Harvest for passionate and transformed pastors, leaders and congregations. Pray that every Brethren will reach one person for Christ this year.
-Tim Garner

BRETHREN PEACE INITIATIVE

The Commandment of Love:
“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or
arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not
rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things. Love never ends!”
I Corinthians 13:4-8a

Echoes from General Conference:
I was privileged to present Brethren Peace Initiative, at General Conference in Richmond, during a National Association of Brethren Church Elders meeting and also with some brief remarks in one Conference Business Session. I began by saying that although Brethren Peace Initiative is a new title for a new group working in the Brethren Church, we’re really not “the new kid on the block.”
For, in truth, the emphasis we represent was present in the several Peace Passages in the Old Testament.
In that respect, we were present in the life of Jesus, and the teachings of Jesus and Paul and others in the New Testament.
We were present in the early church (especially in the first 300 years).
We were present at Schwarzenau, Germany, 300 years ago in August of this year …..right there in the Eder River with Believers’ Baptism, and not taking oaths, and Counting the Cost, and no use of force in religion, and 3-part Holy Communion, and not resisting with violence, and Anointing with Oil for Healing. We were present through the many years of Colonial History, in the Minutes of the Brethren. We have been present in the history of our branch of the Brethren, the Brethren Church, especially beginning in the 1940’s and 1950’s - according to the records I have listing the first Peace Committee members in 1940 (R.R. Haun, E.M. Riddle, W.S. Bell).
We were present through the 1960’s, and 1970’s, and 1980’s. AND NOW, after an absence over several years, we’re getting back on track. We appreciate your growing interest and desire to become involved. Following are some opportunities for you to be supportive right now.

Conscientious Objectors - A repeat Request:
The number is not large, but there have been some Brethren Conscientious Objectors during the 20th Century (and since then?). Dr. Dale Stoffer, for historical purposes, and I (personal interest), want to learn the names and any details about their lives you may know (hometown, church, area of C.O. service, dates, etc.). Please inquire of people in your church. Send that information to me (address below) for my records, and I will forward everything to Dale for his records and the archives. Already 2 replies produced 3 names and addresses! Thanks!!

Join the PEACE EMAIL LIST:
As I’ve written before, this additional list is for both clergy AND laity. It’s our only regular “contact for peace” with interested lay-men and lay-women - and you ministers will receive some extra peace information too, if you sign up. So please invite your people to send the following information to me (name, email address, postal address, and church you attend). Send to: Phil Lersch (PhilLersch@verizon.net OR 6301 56TH Ave, North, St. Petersburg, FL 33709).

Financial Support: We haven’t reached $500 yet, so Jean and I are still planning to match every donation. Please send your checks for Brethren Peace Fund to: Stan Gentle, 524 College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805. Gifts small and large, our only income, are much appreciated.

Brethren Peace Initiative now appears, on page 4, in the Brethren Church Directory (online) with other denominational organizations. Current members of the Peace Leadership Team are Jason Barnhart, Matt Black, Rich and Carolyn Hagopian, Wende Lance, and Phil Lersch.

A Parting Peace Thought:
“Nonviolence doesn’t always work - but violence never does.” (Madge Michaels-Cyrus)

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