EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

• The denomination’s Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church program will offer a webinar titled “From Weary to Whole-Hearted” on June 12 at 6:30 p.m. Central. Focusing on clergy burnout, the webinar will be led by author Callie Swanlund. It is free and will be offered via Zoom. Register ASAP at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iv2gX4wFRXKKkbYw-HjP4w.
 

• Upcoming courses from the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership include “Interim/Transitional Ministry: More than Maintenance,” online July 31-Sept. 24, led by Tara Hornbacker (registration deadline June 16); “Church of the Brethren History,” online Aug. 21-Oct. 15, led by Denise Kettering-Lane (registration deadline July 17); “Introduction to the New Testament,” online Oct. 16-Dec. 10, led by Matt Boersma (registration deadline Sept. 11); “A Place of Refuge,” travel seminar to Atlanta, Jan. 7-15, led by Josh Brockway (registration deadline Nov. 1). Register and pay online at Brethren Academy Course Registration/Biannual TRIM Payment | Bethany Theological Seminary (bethanyseminary.edu).

• Upcoming Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center (SVMC) continuing education courses include “Autism and the Church,” led by Lisa Kruse, Tim Miller, David Crumrine, and Stan Dueck, Sept. 26, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Central, via Zoom, cost $45 (with 0.5 CEU’s); and “Grief Literacy,” led by Julie Guistwite, Oct. 1, 12-3 p.m. Central, via Zoom, cost $35 (with 0.3 CEU’s). Course prices are $10 less without CEU’s. Register by visiting the SVMC course page or by contacting Karen Hodges at karenhodges@svmccob.org.

• Lombard Mennonite Peace Center offers a variety of training sessions. It recently added nine one-day online training events to the schedule, including “Healthy Congregations” June 19, “Conflict Transformation Skills” July 17, and “Restorative Conversations” Aug. 13. For details and registration information, go to https://lmpeacecenter.org/all-events/.

• NCP Learning Tours: New Community Project will offer an educational trip to Lybrook, N.M., June 20-26; to the Denali/Kenai Fjords region of Alaska July 28-Aug. 4; and to Arctic Village, Alaska, Aug. 4-12. These trips are open to all ages and explore the beauty of and challenges facing God’s creation and God’s children. Learn more at https://www.newcommunityproject.info/learning-tours.

• A Church of the Brethren L.E.A.D. (Listen – Equip – Adapt – Disciple) Conference is planned for Nov. 15-17, 2024, sponsored by the denomination’s Discipleship and Leadership Formation department. The event will be hosted at Ephrata (Pa.) Church of the Brethren on the scripture theme 2 Timothy 2:2. This will be a leadership development conference for congregational leaders such as pastors and church board members. The focus will be on raising the leadership skills of congregational leaders to help them be more effective in their local ministries. The event will be a mix of plenary and break-out sessions. Attendance will be capped at 250 participants. More information and registration will be available closer to the date.

• Video recordings of online events sponsored by the Part-time Pastor, Full-time Church program of the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Ministry are available online at https://vimeo.com/ptpftcbrethren. Among them is a webinar with Jon Ritner, author of the book Positively Irritating: Embracing a Post-Christian World to Form a More Faithful and Innovative Church, hosted by Ryan Braught, church planter and pastor of Veritas Community, a Church of the Brethren congregation. For more information contact Tabitha H. Rudy, administrative assistant for Part-time Pastor, Full-time Church, at adminptpftc@brethren.org