Praise the Father for a new Pastoral Couple in Argentina. On Sunday, November 3, 2024, Nancy and Agustin Bidondo were ordained and set as pastors for the congregation in Santa Fe, Argentina. Elders Willy Romanenghi and Guillermo Rojas presided over the ceremony, releasing this amazing young couple into the ministry as the church's pastors. Over the past couple of years, Willy and Guillermo have been working to identify and mentor young men and women and prepare them for the service. This marks the third new elder in Argentina in 2024, with Willy’s own son, Guillermo, preparing for ordination soon. Let us praise God for all he is doing with our partners worldwide! What a testimony to the faith and love of his people and their willingness to accept the call to ministry in the pastorate and in the workplace. God's word continues to be heard, and his kingdom continues to advance. Amen!!! Scott Soden Global Partners Coordinator

Duolingo is a language-learning app. You play games and complete exercises, and your proficiency in a new language increases as you practice. Currently, Duolingo offers courses for over 40 languages on its platform. I am the proud owner of a 2+ year streak on Duolingo; as of this writing, yours truly has completed exercises in Spanish for 981 (and counting) straight days. You might think that my ability to communicate en español should be pretty good by now. Maybe I’m even borderline fluent. But you would be totally wrong. My Spanish is still pretty lousy. A 365-day streak is enough to put me in the top 20% of users in my age bracket. I have nearly tripled that. So what gives?  Well, being a busy human being, I did what busy human beings do: I found a shortcut. I discovered an exercise that would keep my streak going, and it only took about a minute and a half a day. So, instead of investing the recommended 10-15 minutes a day studying Spanish, I started spending less than two. I’ve been doing that for the entire last year, at least. My ability to use more complicated forms and tenses plateaued and then began declining. Despite my consistency, the effort and time I invested almost nearly three years wasn’t nearly as fruitful as it might have been if my heart had really been in it. God, through his prophet Isaiah, called out his people, saying, “[They] come near me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29:13). Doing and saying the right things is the easy part. I can attest that you can earn a 1,000-day streak in Duolingo and not actually learn much Spanish. According to scripture, it’s possible to prophesy, cast out demons, and perform miracles without actually knowing Jesus! (Matthew 7:21-23) Clearly, just doing and saying the right things – and even incredible, powerfully good things - isn’t enough. There’s one story in the Bible that came to my attention recently, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Right after Pentecost, Peter and John are in Jerusalem. The two of them have been preaching, teaching, and healing, and the church has been growing by the thousands. In Acts 3, they healed a lame man. In the very next chapter they were arrested by the Sadducees and brought before the Sanhedrin. The religious leaders ask them where their power to heal comes from. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, gives a powerful testimony of Jesus. After hearing Peter’s bold witness, the religious leaders marveled—not because of the eloquence of Peter’s words. Peter and John were “uneducated” and “untrained.” They didn’t marvel anew at the miraculous healing of the lame man now made whole and standing before them. They marveled because they realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13) The Sadducees had spent their entire lives learning about God, talking about God, and teaching others about God. They knew more about God than anyone else. But now their eyes have been opened: John and Peter didn’t just know about God. John and Peter were transformed because they had been with Jesus. As a result, the members of the Sanhedrin were left speechless (v. 14). Here’s the lesson I’m learning about my halfhearted Spanish studies and my walk with Jesus: Your heart has to be in it. Transformation comes through sitting in the presence of Jesus. Intentionally. Consistently. Let our prayers not just be a fleeting moment to list things we want but leisurely, meaningful time spent seeking the face and heart of Jesus. May we seek him with a hunger and thirst as real as any we’ve ever felt. And like John and Peter, I pray that those around us might know when they look at us that we, too, have been with Jesus.

Every year, churches from all over prepare and send teams out into the world to engage communities, learn from new friends, develop relationships, make disciples, and serve in unique ways. This October, the Mount Olive Brethren Church (McGaheysville, VA) sent a team to Peru. They had several objectives, including helping construct the new building in Puerto Maldonado and refurbishing the building in Lima. What a blessing they were and what a time they had! Read on to hear from Chyann Mackey, Youth Pastor at Mount Olive and Global Partners Team Member, about what she observed and how God used the team’s time in Peru for the people there and the team. “Seven Members from Mount Olive traveled to Peru at the beginning of October to spend some time working in Puerto Maldonado and Lima. Our trip began in the jungle as we reunited with our friends, Pastor Segundo and his wife Vilma, and David Abuid. When we arrived on Tuesday at the work site, they already had the foundation and columns, so we worked to level out the floors. As we shoveled the dirt, we sprinkled down pieces of paper with Bible verses written on them that our church back home prayed over this new Brethren Church. Tuesday afternoon, many kids from the church came to join us, and we were able to fellowship and share a meal with them, as well as share some hygiene kits and t-shirts we brought. We mixed, wheelbarrowed, poured, and spread concrete over the floors on Thursday. The way the Peruvian team and the American team worked together was remarkable. Everyone had their own job and worked smoothly to set the floors. We worked for five long hours before running out of concrete, but we could see that the floors were 90% finished. We shared a meal with the team of workers, and it was so good to get to know all of them! We headed to Lima on Friday and spent the evening with Pastor Luis Angel and his youth group. We folded pamphlets with the church's information, times, address and an encouraging message. Then we went out and walked through the community, sharing and praying for people. On Saturday, we went to Ticlio Chico and had field day activities and games with the kids, which was so much fun. Despite the language barrier, their joy and laughter was unmistakable. On Sunday, we met with the congregation for a beautiful service led by Pastor Luis Angel. He spoke about the honor and sacrifice of serving the Lord. After church, we painted the room where the church is held. Again, it was a beautiful time to reconnect with friends and work together as a body of believers. This entire trip felt like a big, warm hug and a blessing to be a part of. I am deeply encouraged by the stewardship I witnessed by Pastor Segundo, Pastor Luis Angel, and their congregations. They both have extraordinary dreams and are called by God. They lead so humbly as faithful servants in a very inspiring way.” Chyann Mackey Is your church taking a team into the field? Let us know because we want to tell your story! Contact me at scott@brethrenchurch.org today, and let’s help your church tell the story of how God continues to use the Brethren Church to advance the kingdom!

Over 40 people from the North Central Region met Saturday, October 19, 2024, for their annual regional gathering. They represented nine of the region’s congregations. Gretna Brethren Church, Bellefontaine, Ohio, hosted the event. Jack Radcliffe, Radial Church lead staff and adjunct professor at Malone University, presented two training sessions: “Starting [Small] Kingdom Works” and “Mission and Discipleship in the Rhythms of Everyday Life.” He shared principles to help churches and individuals shift their focus toward their communities and answer the question, “What is our posture toward the world today?” In the first session he addressed leading congregations through a transformational process in their relationship with their communities. He used examples from his experience of helping a traditional church transition into a network of house churches. He emphasized, however, that the principles can be used in any model of church organization and size. In his second session, Radcliffe focused on how we, individually and in small missional groups, can implement engagement in mission that enhances our personal growth in discipleship. He also involved participants in table discussions on the principles he had shared and how they might implement them in their own lives and churches. Drew Meziere, Regional Resource Coordinator, served as the MC. Cory Smith (Smoky Row) and Amber LeMaster (Five Stones/Garber) led the group in worship. Reports on regional activities were shared by Sarah Wells (Park Street), Regional Leadership Team chair; Cory Smith (Smoky Row) and Ken Van Duyne (Park Street), Camp Bethany; and Lynn Mercer (West Alexandria), regional golf outing. The morning’s activities concluded with a catered box lunch and fellowship. Ron Waters Donor Care Team The Brethren Church

WOW… 40 YEARS! On Saturday, October 26, 2024, the Cheyenne Brethren Church in Wyoming gathered together to celebrate Rev. Dr. G. Emery Hurd’s 40th Anniversary of Service. Pastor Hurd was called to Cheyenne in July of 1984 and has been the Senior Pastor ever since. Numerous members and friends gathered to commemorate his years of dedicated ministry. National and regional representatives as well as other Brethren Church Elders joined us for a night of dinner, photos, videos, and fun memorable moments. Pastor Emery and Sue Hurd were grateful for the love expressed to them and are excited to continue their last few years serving their congregation until they retire. Pastor Emery is one of only a few Brethren Elders to serve over 40 years at the same location and is honored to claim that commendable achievement. If you’d like to congratulate Pastor Emery & Sue Hurd, send your greeting cards to: Cheyenne Brethren Church 2600 E. 12th Street Cheyenne, WY 82001. Thank you! Cheyenne Brethren Church Pastoral Care Committee Coordinator Tracy Navarro

Brethren Church members of the West Region gathered in Tucson, Arizona in early October for some fun in the hot sun. Over 120 people from six churches in the region participated in activities over the weekend which included a Q&A time with Executive Director Steven Cole, prayer, site seeing, line dancing, a bonfire, games, and some great southwestern food. The weekend culminated in a worship service Sunday morning. Gary Castro, our Brethren Global Partner from the Philippians, shared a fantastic message and testimony of what God has been doing in his life and life of the Brethren Churches there. The following churches that participated are: Carson Oaks Community Church: Stockton, CA Northgate Community Church: Manteca, CA Pasadena Centro Cristian: Pasadena, CA Cheyenne Brethren Church: Cheyenne, WY First Brethren Church: Tucson, AZ Summit Ridge Community Church: Tucson, AZ This marked the second time the region gathered together since regionalization. There were several goals for our gathering: to create and strengthen relationships among our churches in the West, to meet and hear from a Brethren Global Partner, to interact with some of our National staff and hear what was happening in the Brethren Church, and finally, to have fun. Which we did! The schedule for this weekend was designed to maximize relational connection and help create an environment to help achieve our goals. It was an incredible time of gathering together and we are looking forward to our next regional gathering, maybe in Northern California. Who knows?? Respectfully submitted, Dan Acker Pastor, Summit Ridge Community Church West Regional Resource Coordinator

Me and We . Four letters; two small words; two big concepts. Both lie at the heart of the faith and function best when working in tandem. Me is the individual. Brethren have always emphasized the individual, to a point. They understood that God is readily accessible to individuals and that grace—the water of life—is free for all who thirst. When the early Brethren accepted Christ, they changed, and this hinged on them, on their decision. Many Brethren still believe in God’s active presence in their lives and in the power of individuals to choose. Moreover, the Me has historically benefitted American religion. Innovators, empowered by the First Amendment, have swept aside synods, presbyteries, conferences, and assemblies to determine for themselves God’s will and then test their conclusions with public opinion. Until recently, the free-for-all in the religious marketplace, resulting from individual discernment, has kept American religion fit, trim, competitive, and relevant, unlike its European, tax-supported counterpart. We is the faith community. For generations Brethren believed in the church as the ultimate source of authority. The collective wisdom of the gathered community outweighed individual judgment, which could drift into error, and the congregation expected individuals to yield to its greater wisdom. Brethren used their freedom of choice to obey God, non-conform to the world, and conform to the fellowship of believers. When Me and We are out of balance, problems erupt. Individualism can easily spin out of control. If believers have a direct one-on-one relationship with God, if they have Jesus in their hearts, if they converse freely with the creator of the universe, they reason that no other authority is required. Doesn’t the church with its preachers, councils, and seminaries just get in the way or, at least, become superfluous? In modern times, self-fulfillment has added to the dominance of individual authority. Taking a page from Norman Vincent Peale, Joel Osteen, and others, many now believe that the heart of faith is the inner self, true and noble. Just find yourself. How can the church exist if we all march to our own, unique beat, and if we’re all getting in touch with ourselves as the ultimate authority? Even a casual glance at the news and current social problems reveals that excessive reliance on individualism is dysfunctional. But overweighting community authority is another potential trap. If, as the early Brethren insisted, the church’s authority is the ultimate, what room exists for individual quirks, idiosyncrasies, and creativity? At what point does obedience to the congregation become oppressive and stifling? Do we have the right to be wrong without getting into trouble with the faith community? The traditional Brethren system, from which The Brethren Church eventually rebelled, had more wiggle room for individualism than we might think, but sometimes it wasn’t enough. Currently, the social pendulum swings at apogee towards individualism. I have a friend pursuing a graduate degree in ministry, and she reports that her classmates fundamentally distrust authority, leaving unsaid that they only consider themselves as legitimate authority. But I, too, struggle with individualism. Sometimes my idiosyncrasies help me practice my faith in a secular world, but finding a comfortable counterweight to my individualism is challenging. Perhaps the starting point is to accept that it’s hard to be faithful alone. Eighteenth-century Pennsylvania Quakers had a wonderful metaphor for this. They believed in the inner light, that everybody has a little of God in them. This inner light resembles a hot coal. If the hot coal is left to itself, isolated, it will likely die out, but if gathered with other coals, it will burn brighter than ever. In this scheme, Me and We both have vital roles. May Brethren gather together and with humility listen to others, including those with more experience, more expertise, and more education than us. May we seek role models, both lay and clerical. If the Bible is our authority, may we be open enough to change our minds on interpretation. May we learn from and be inspired by the church. Steve Longenecker is Professor of History, emeritus, Bridgewater College (VA).

Being a missionary was never on my mind. I always thought, "Living overseas is for other people," or "Missionary work is for someone else. I want to stay in the U.S. and stick with what I am used to." I wanted to get through college with my Early Childhood and Elementary Education degree, begin my career, and establish myself wherever I got a teaching job. My plans changed during the spring and summer of my fourth year of college at Ohio University. During my five years at Ohio University, I was actively involved with an organization called Cru, formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ. Through Cru, I was allowed to live as a missionary in Bratislava, Slovakia, for a year. I went on a mission trip with Cru at OU to Bratislava, Slovakia, for a month in the summer of 2022, between my fourth and fifth years. On the summer mission, I had the opportunity to interact with and initiate conversations with university students studying in Bratislava. I shared the gospel with them and how my relationship with God has impacted me. During the trip, I felt the Lord soften my heart towards Slovaks and grow my heart for the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). While on the trip, two of the staff members with Cru at OU approached me about the idea of living in Bratislava for a year as an intern with Cru. At the time, I was very unsure and intimidated by the idea, but as I prayed and laid this decision before the Lord, I felt a strong pull toward being a missionary in Slovakia. So, in the fall of 2022, I applied to go to Bratislava for a year with Cru and was accepted. I left for Slovakia on August 18th, 2023, and stayed there until June 26th, 2024. Being in Slovakia for nearly a year was one of the most fruitful and difficult years of my life. It was, of course, challenging to be so far from home, but there were also many other difficulties during my year in Slovakia. My team and I faced challenges acquiring temporary residency, navigating cultural barriers, and communicating clearly. I also faced many personal challenges. I believe one reason the Lord called me to Slovakia this past year was to remove me from the crutches and distractions I had back home in the U.S. The way I describe this is through the image of treating a bullet wound. For a bullet wound to heal properly, first you need to remove the bullet, then clean the wound, and bandage it. In my case, the bullet represented the hurt, brokenness, or trauma I had experienced in the past. While I was in the U.S., I felt like I left the bullet in, put a bandage over the wound, and pretended everything was fine. All the crutches I had at home distracted me from the hurt I was dealing with. I didn't process things well and would force down the hurt I was experiencing, moving on without addressing it. While I was in Bratislava, God really slowed me down and brought my brokenness to the surface. He removed the "bandages" I had put over my wounds, and He brought forth proper healing. While the process of healing and addressing past hurts and trauma was difficult, it was also freeing. So, even though different things were difficult, I wouldn't change anything about this past year because of the healing and growth I experienced. As I mentioned, I also experienced a lot of fruit this past year. God is doing amazing things in Bratislava and Slovakia as a whole. There has been a Cru movement in Bratislava, Slovakia, for a little over 30 years now. But when COVID hit in 2020, the movement in Bratislava dwindled. So, Cru at Ohio University and Ohio State University partnered with Cru in Bratislava to help revive the movement there. When my team and I arrived and joined the team already established in Bratislava, there were zero students involved with the ministry. By the time we left in June, we had a solid group of about 20 students involved. I met one-on-one with three guys on a weekly basis. One of the guys I met volunteered with Cru in Slovakia at a camp they host each summer. He invited his brothers to the camp, and one of his brothers accepted Christ into his heart! One of the other students I was meeting with was not a believer when I initially met him, but before I left in June, he accepted Christ! We also established a weekly meeting where we would worship, watch an episode of a TV show called "The Chosen" on Jesus' life, and then discuss the episode afterward. We also established a weekly men's Bible study. We went from having zero students involved to having two weekly events and a strong core group of students excited to deepen their relationships with God. Praise the Lord! While leaving Slovakia was sad, I trust that the Lord will continue to move and work in the lives of Slovaks. I trust that the students I invested in this past year are in the Lord's hands and that He will lead and guide them. I pray that a community of faith would continue to develop there and that revival would take place. God is good all the time. I am now in Athens, Ohio, working with the Cru team at Ohio University. It is such a blessing to be back at my alma mater and with the staff team that had such an impact on me when I was in college at OU. I do not know what is next beyond this year, but I trust that the Lord will lead me to where He wants me, just as He has always done. Matthew Boyd Five Stones Community Church Ashland, Ohio

Last month, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE): Evangelical Chaplain Commission hosted a training on Pastoral Crisis Intervention in Charleston, SC. All three of our actively serving military chaplains were present at the training, and enjoyed getting to reconnect with each other. The NAE provides the ecclesiastical endorsement for Brethren Chaplains that allows them to serve in the military. Our three military chaplains pictured here (left to right) are David Miller (Air National Guard), Matthew Incorvaia (Air National Guard), and Timothy DeLaughter (Navy). Serving in the military as a chaplain is one incredible place to shine the light of God outside the walls of the church. If you are interested in becoming a military chaplain - or feel like God may be leading you in that direction - and want to talk through it with someone, let us know. There is a clear pathway to military chaplaincy and we can walk you through each step to make it as smooth as possible.