Newsline
— Messenger magazine is offering online puzzle pages for children and families staying safe-at-home during the pandemic. The two pages of puzzles have been put together with help from Zoe Vorndran, intern at the Brethren Historical Library and Archives, based on the Church of the Brethren camps at www.brethren.org/messenger/articles/2020/puzzles-brethren-camps.html and the church-related colleges and universities at www.brethren.org/messenger/articles/2020/crossword-brethren-colleges.html . “Zoe, thank you for the challenging clues!” said a note from the Messenger editorial team. Messenger is the denominational magazine of the Church of the Brethren.-- The World Council of Churches (WCC) has announced a webinar and a new e-book offering examples of “best practices” from churches across the world that are taking their ministry and services online because of COVID-19..
— Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) has added a number of new resources for children and families to its COVID-19 resources page. Go to https://covid19.brethren.org/resources-for-children-families .
— The document “Checklist for Reopening Church Buildings” offers practical suggestions for congregations navigating the transition of returning to their church buildings. Now available in both Spanish and English, the resource was developed by members of the Recovery Response Task Team of the Church of the Brethren denominational staff: Stan Dueck and Joshua Brockway of Discipleship Ministries, Roy Winter of Global Mission and Service and Brethren Disaster Ministries, and Nancy S. Heishman of the Office of Ministry. Go to https://covid19.brethren.org .
— An updated edition of the Church of the Brethren Manual of Organization and Polity–with footnotes instead of endnotes for easier research–is now available at www.brethren.org/ac/ppg.
— Applications are being received for the James E. Renz Pinecrest Memorial Scholarship, a $1,000 scholarship given by the Pinecrest retirement community in Mount Morris, Ill. The scholarship recognizes a graduating high school senior who intends to pursue an education in healthcare, social services, or ministry studies. To be eligible, students are either a member of a Church of the Brethren congregation in the northern region of the Illinois and Wisconsin District, an Oregon (Ill.) High School senior, a Pinecrest employee or dependent, or a home- schooled or private school student from within the Oregon school district. The scholarship is in honor of the lifetime contributions of Jim Renz including 40 years on the board, with 24 years as secretary. For more information and the application form go to www.pinecrestcommunity.org/images/pdfs/2021_Renz_Scholarship_Application.pdf.
— Annual Conference registration opens March 2 at 1 p.m. (Eastern time) at www.brethren.org/ac. The Church of the Brethren annual meeting is online-only this year. Worship services are free and open to the public, but registration and a fee are required to attend the business sessions, Bible studies, workshops, insight sessions, concerts, and more. The Annual Conference office has begun publishing a newsletter with details about the 2021 annual meeting, find the first issue at www.brethren.org/ac2021.
— Creation Justice Ministries seeks applicants for the position of executive director. The Church of the Brethren relates to this organization, which is a former ministry of the National Council of Churches. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the executive director will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Creation Justice Ministries’ programs and execution of its mission. The overarching responsibility will be to continue and enhance the program ministries and to encourage and enable member communions to address eco-justice issues through their own programs. The executive director is responsible for day-to-day operations, ensuring financial stability, focusing on mission-related programs and activities, overseeing and directing staff, and maintaining accurate and complete financial and organizational records. The executive director is the chief fundraiser, administrator, and ambassador for the organization. For more information see www.creationjustice.org/join-our-team–we-are-hiring-an-executive-director.html.
— Bethany Theological Seminary has announced its 2021 Peace Essay Contest, made possible by the Jennie Calhoun Baker Endowment and sponsored by Bethany’s Peace Studies program. This year’s topic is “Civil Resistance and Nonviolent Social Change in an Increasingly Virtual World.” Said an announcement: “More than five decades after civil resistance movements worldwide, communities local and global continue to be threatened by state-sanctioned violence. From movements in opposition to police brutality in Nigeria led by #ENDSARS and in the United States organized by #BlackLivesMatter, to the farmer protests in India and the pro-Navalny movement in Russia, people are joining in solidarity to rise up and demand a better world. How can we create and participate in nonviolent social change in an increasingly violent–and virtual–world?” Prizes of $2,000, $1,000, and $500 will be awarded for the top three essays. The contest is open to full- and part-time students in high school, college, seminary, and graduate school who are en-route to a degree. International, ecumenical, and interfaith students are encouraged to participate. Essay submissions must be received by May 15. Find the contest rules and submission guidelines at https://bethanyseminary.edu/events-resources/2017-peace-essay-contest. For more information, contact Susu Lassa at lassasu@bethanyseminary.edu.
— “Welcome to a new season of the Dunker Punks Podcast!” says an invitation to the first episode in the new season, which teams up with Michaela Mast and Harrison Horst from the Shifting Climates Podcast to talk about the human right and need to access nature. “Listen as they follow instances of environmental racism and address the need for climate justice activism in the church today.” Find the Shifting Climates Podcast at www.shiftingclimates.com to learn more. Listen to the new season of the Dunker Punks Podcast at bit.ly/DPP_Episode110 or on iTunes and Stitcher.
— The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center is offering a new one-day refresher course for those who have participated the Mediation Skills Training Institute. Sessions are available on May 11 and June 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Central time).
The fee is $99. The full five-day version of the course is available at various dates. Find out more at www.lmpeaceCenter.org. For questions and more information contact 630-627-0507 or admin@lmpeacecenter.org.
— The deadline has been extended for young adults to apply for the Stewards Program at the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in 2022 in Karlsruhe, Germany. Joy Eva Bohol, WCC program executive for Youth Engagement, notes that the new deadline is made with the view to encourage a wider diversity participating in the program, bringing their faith, experiences and visions to an ecumenical experience of togetherness and friendship. The deadline extension also takes into consideration the delays imposed by the current COVID-19 situation, and requests received from aspiring young participants. The new deadline for applications is now June 30, 2021. Click here for guidelines and the application form: www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/guidelines-application-form-wcc-stewards-programme-2022.
— The Brethren Historical Library and Archives (BHLA) is hosting a “Q&A with Bill/Digital Retirement Party” as a Facebook Live event on April 6 at 10 a.m. (Central time). This is “the proper sendoff that Bill [Kostlevy] deserves before he heads into his retirement,” said an announcement. “His wealth of knowledge on Church of the Brethren history has served the BHLA so well in his tenure as director and will be greatly missed. We will talk about his works and research he has done and the chat feature during the live event will be open for the questions you have for Bill.” Find out more at www.facebook.com/events/430362324692878.
— Brethren Disaster Ministries is announcing a new program from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will be rolling out in April to help assist individuals with funeral costs for those who have died from COVID-19. Families struggling to pay for funerals of loved ones who experienced COVID-19 related deaths in the United States after Jan. 20, 2020, and meet eligibility requirements will be able to apply. An official death certificate will be required that attributes the death to COVID-19 or indicates the death may have been caused by or was likely the result of COVID-19 or COVID-like symptoms. Eligible funeral expenses are capped at $9,000 per applicant, and must not have been reimbursed through another source. Brethren Disaster Ministries will be sharing more information soon about the program.
— The document “Checklist for Reopening Church Buildings” offers practical suggestions for congregations navigating the transition of returning to their church buildings. Now available in both Spanish and English, the resource was developed by members of the Recovery Response Task Team of the Church of the Brethren denominational staff: Stan Dueck and Joshua Brockway of Discipleship Ministries, Roy Winter of Global Mission and Service and Brethren Disaster Ministries, and Nancy S. Heishman of the Office of Ministry. Go to https://covid19.brethren.org .
— An updated edition of the Church of the Brethren Manual of Organization and Polity–with footnotes instead of endnotes for easier research–is now available at www.brethren.org/ac/ppg.
— Applications are being received for the James E. Renz Pinecrest Memorial Scholarship, a $1,000 scholarship given by the Pinecrest retirement community in Mount Morris, Ill. The scholarship recognizes a graduating high school senior who intends to pursue an education in healthcare, social services, or ministry studies. To be eligible, students are either a member of a Church of the Brethren congregation in the northern region of the Illinois and Wisconsin District, an Oregon (Ill.) High School senior, a Pinecrest employee or dependent, or a home- schooled or private school student from within the Oregon school district. The scholarship is in honor of the lifetime contributions of Jim Renz including 40 years on the board, with 24 years as secretary. For more information and the application form go to www.pinecrestcommunity.org/images/pdfs/2021_Renz_Scholarship_Application.pdf.
— Annual Conference registration opens March 2 at 1 p.m. (Eastern time) at www.brethren.org/ac. The Church of the Brethren annual meeting is online-only this year. Worship services are free and open to the public, but registration and a fee are required to attend the business sessions, Bible studies, workshops, insight sessions, concerts, and more. The Annual Conference office has begun publishing a newsletter with details about the 2021 annual meeting, find the first issue at www.brethren.org/ac2021.
— Creation Justice Ministries seeks applicants for the position of executive director. The Church of the Brethren relates to this organization, which is a former ministry of the National Council of Churches. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the executive director will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Creation Justice Ministries’ programs and execution of its mission. The overarching responsibility will be to continue and enhance the program ministries and to encourage and enable member communions to address eco-justice issues through their own programs. The executive director is responsible for day-to-day operations, ensuring financial stability, focusing on mission-related programs and activities, overseeing and directing staff, and maintaining accurate and complete financial and organizational records. The executive director is the chief fundraiser, administrator, and ambassador for the organization. For more information see www.creationjustice.org/join-our-team–we-are-hiring-an-executive-director.html.
— Bethany Theological Seminary has announced its 2021 Peace Essay Contest, made possible by the Jennie Calhoun Baker Endowment and sponsored by Bethany’s Peace Studies program. This year’s topic is “Civil Resistance and Nonviolent Social Change in an Increasingly Virtual World.” Said an announcement: “More than five decades after civil resistance movements worldwide, communities local and global continue to be threatened by state-sanctioned violence. From movements in opposition to police brutality in Nigeria led by #ENDSARS and in the United States organized by #BlackLivesMatter, to the farmer protests in India and the pro-Navalny movement in Russia, people are joining in solidarity to rise up and demand a better world. How can we create and participate in nonviolent social change in an increasingly violent–and virtual–world?” Prizes of $2,000, $1,000, and $500 will be awarded for the top three essays. The contest is open to full- and part-time students in high school, college, seminary, and graduate school who are en-route to a degree. International, ecumenical, and interfaith students are encouraged to participate. Essay submissions must be received by May 15. Find the contest rules and submission guidelines at https://bethanyseminary.edu/events-resources/2017-peace-essay-contest. For more information, contact Susu Lassa at lassasu@bethanyseminary.edu.
— “Welcome to a new season of the Dunker Punks Podcast!” says an invitation to the first episode in the new season, which teams up with Michaela Mast and Harrison Horst from the Shifting Climates Podcast to talk about the human right and need to access nature. “Listen as they follow instances of environmental racism and address the need for climate justice activism in the church today.” Find the Shifting Climates Podcast at www.shiftingclimates.com to learn more. Listen to the new season of the Dunker Punks Podcast at bit.ly/DPP_Episode110 or on iTunes and Stitcher.
— The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center is offering a new one-day refresher course for those who have participated the Mediation Skills Training Institute. Sessions are available on May 11 and June 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Central time).
The fee is $99. The full five-day version of the course is available at various dates. Find out more at www.lmpeaceCenter.org. For questions and more information contact 630-627-0507 or admin@lmpeacecenter.org.
— The deadline has been extended for young adults to apply for the Stewards Program at the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in 2022 in Karlsruhe, Germany. Joy Eva Bohol, WCC program executive for Youth Engagement, notes that the new deadline is made with the view to encourage a wider diversity participating in the program, bringing their faith, experiences and visions to an ecumenical experience of togetherness and friendship. The deadline extension also takes into consideration the delays imposed by the current COVID-19 situation, and requests received from aspiring young participants. The new deadline for applications is now June 30, 2021. Click here for guidelines and the application form: www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/guidelines-application-form-wcc-stewards-programme-2022.
— The Brethren Historical Library and Archives (BHLA) is hosting a “Q&A with Bill/Digital Retirement Party” as a Facebook Live event on April 6 at 10 a.m. (Central time). This is “the proper sendoff that Bill [Kostlevy] deserves before he heads into his retirement,” said an announcement. “His wealth of knowledge on Church of the Brethren history has served the BHLA so well in his tenure as director and will be greatly missed. We will talk about his works and research he has done and the chat feature during the live event will be open for the questions you have for Bill.” Find out more at www.facebook.com/events/430362324692878.
— Brethren Disaster Ministries is announcing a new program from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will be rolling out in April to help assist individuals with funeral costs for those who have died from COVID-19. Families struggling to pay for funerals of loved ones who experienced COVID-19 related deaths in the United States after Jan. 20, 2020, and meet eligibility requirements will be able to apply. An official death certificate will be required that attributes the death to COVID-19 or indicates the death may have been caused by or was likely the result of COVID-19 or COVID-like symptoms. Eligible funeral expenses are capped at $9,000 per applicant, and must not have been reimbursed through another source. Brethren Disaster Ministries will be sharing more information soon about the program.
The full archive of past issues of Messenger, the Church of the Brethren denominational magazine, is now online. Available to the general public are Messenger issues from 2000-2019 at www.brethren.org/messenger/archive, where there also is a link to access the issues of Gospel Messenger and Messenger from 1883-2000 that are saved in the Brethren Digital Archives. The most recent two years of the magazine–currently 2020 and 2021–are reserved for subscribers to the print magazine, who receive a password to access those digital copies. For questions contact cobweb@brethren.org.
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