NEWSLINE
With the threat of a Russian invasion looming in Ukraine, faith communities are uniting in their message to Congress and the Biden administration, calling for leaders to protect human lives and prevent war. The Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy has joined other Christian denominations and interfaith groups in sending a joint letter to Congress and the Biden administration. The letter, dated Jan. 27, 2022, urged leaders in the US, Russia, and Ukraine to invest in diplomacy, reject a militaristic response, and act to prevent human suffering.
Beginning Jan. 1, Brethren Benefit Trust officially adopted a work-from-home model for all staff, a strategic move that now allows all positions to be remote from a centralized office space. BBT is maintaining a small suite of offices at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., where teams may gather to work on collaborative projects and processes. However, more than half of the organization’s former office space has been relinquished to accommodate this new model with the expectation that the entire team will gather in person at least twice annually for business and team-building purposes. BBT also began implementing a new organizational structure on Jan. 1. The former seven-person management team has been succeeded by a four-person executive team consisting of the president; CFO and vice president of investments; vice president of products and services, which includes retirement, insurances, organizational investing, and client relations; and the vice president of vitality, which includes support areas to ensure the firm is successful, such as data, IT, marketing, sales, communications, HR, and special project management.
Brethren Disaster Ministries has received a report of another violent attack affecting Nigerian Brethren in northeastern Nigeria, reported by Zakariya Musa, head of Media for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). The report concerns a Jan. 20 attack on the community of Pemi in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, in which 1 person was killed and 17 children, including a 4-year-old boy, were abducted. It is believed that the attackers use abducted children as shields against military interference. In addition, the attackers burned and/or looted the main auditorium of the Pemi EYN church, six shops, eight houses, and other properties. “The same church was burnt in December 2020 by Boko Haram during the kidnap of Pastor Bulus Yakura, and was renovated recently by the Borno State Government,” he wrote.
The Leadership Team of the Michigan District has approved the hiring of Beth Sollenberger as Interim District Executive Minister for a two-year term. Beth began as Interim District Executive consultant in May 2020 and continues her role with this position of 10 hours per month. Frances Townsend, pastor of the Onekama and Marilla congregations, will serve as the district’s representative to the Council of District Executives.
South/Central Indiana District of the Church of the Brethren has called Kay Gaier and Anna Lisa Gross to serve as co-interim district executive ministers in a half-time position beginning Jan. 17. Gaier will focus on supporting pastors and congregations, connecting with district committees and teams, and continuing orientation and educational opportunities for pastors. Gross’s role will feature her experience with interim work as she relates to congregations, the district board, and other constituent bodies. She will focus on pastoral and congregational transitions and will represent the district with the Council of District Executives, Camp Mack, Timbercrest retirement community, Manchester University, and the Annual Conference agencies.
Jim Winkler has completed his service as president and general secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the US (NCC), having completed two terms in the position.
Bethany Theological Seminary has received a gift of $1.2 million from the estate of the late David Thomas Wood and Jane Merchant Wood of Boones Mill, Virginia. Their gift is one of the largest estate gifts in the 116-year history of the seminary. Their gift will help support the vital functions of the seminary including faculty support and student scholarships.
Manchester University president Dave McFadden in November announced a board decision to raze the Administration Building on the university campus in North Manchester, Ind. A service was held at noon on Jan. 21 in Petersime Chapel to honor the legacy of building. Destruction of the building has now begun. Find a release at www.manchester.edu.
Beginning Jan. 1, Brethren Benefit Trust officially adopted a work-from-home model for all staff, a strategic move that now allows all positions to be remote from a centralized office space. BBT is maintaining a small suite of offices at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., where teams may gather to work on collaborative projects and processes. However, more than half of the organization’s former office space has been relinquished to accommodate this new model with the expectation that the entire team will gather in person at least twice annually for business and team-building purposes. BBT also began implementing a new organizational structure on Jan. 1. The former seven-person management team has been succeeded by a four-person executive team consisting of the president; CFO and vice president of investments; vice president of products and services, which includes retirement, insurances, organizational investing, and client relations; and the vice president of vitality, which includes support areas to ensure the firm is successful, such as data, IT, marketing, sales, communications, HR, and special project management.
Brethren Disaster Ministries has received a report of another violent attack affecting Nigerian Brethren in northeastern Nigeria, reported by Zakariya Musa, head of Media for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). The report concerns a Jan. 20 attack on the community of Pemi in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, in which 1 person was killed and 17 children, including a 4-year-old boy, were abducted. It is believed that the attackers use abducted children as shields against military interference. In addition, the attackers burned and/or looted the main auditorium of the Pemi EYN church, six shops, eight houses, and other properties. “The same church was burnt in December 2020 by Boko Haram during the kidnap of Pastor Bulus Yakura, and was renovated recently by the Borno State Government,” he wrote.
The Leadership Team of the Michigan District has approved the hiring of Beth Sollenberger as Interim District Executive Minister for a two-year term. Beth began as Interim District Executive consultant in May 2020 and continues her role with this position of 10 hours per month. Frances Townsend, pastor of the Onekama and Marilla congregations, will serve as the district’s representative to the Council of District Executives.
South/Central Indiana District of the Church of the Brethren has called Kay Gaier and Anna Lisa Gross to serve as co-interim district executive ministers in a half-time position beginning Jan. 17. Gaier will focus on supporting pastors and congregations, connecting with district committees and teams, and continuing orientation and educational opportunities for pastors. Gross’s role will feature her experience with interim work as she relates to congregations, the district board, and other constituent bodies. She will focus on pastoral and congregational transitions and will represent the district with the Council of District Executives, Camp Mack, Timbercrest retirement community, Manchester University, and the Annual Conference agencies.
Jim Winkler has completed his service as president and general secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the US (NCC), having completed two terms in the position.
Bethany Theological Seminary has received a gift of $1.2 million from the estate of the late David Thomas Wood and Jane Merchant Wood of Boones Mill, Virginia. Their gift is one of the largest estate gifts in the 116-year history of the seminary. Their gift will help support the vital functions of the seminary including faculty support and student scholarships.
Manchester University president Dave McFadden in November announced a board decision to raze the Administration Building on the university campus in North Manchester, Ind. A service was held at noon on Jan. 21 in Petersime Chapel to honor the legacy of building. Destruction of the building has now begun. Find a release at www.manchester.edu.
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