DENOMINATIONAL NEWS/NEWSLINE

The Church of the Brethren Intercultural Ministries Jubilee Celebration that had been scheduled to take place Nov. 18-21 in Gotha, Fla., at Camp Ithiel has been cancelled, citing concerns over immigration enforcement and other issues.

FaithX is hosting a special service trip for adults ages 50-plus at Camp Ithiel in Gotha, Fla., Feb. 22-27, 2026. Previous trips included camp projects of painting a cabin, tree trimming, invasive species removal, deep cleaning, and kitchen assistance as well as Bible study, games, bird watching, puzzles, rocking chair relaxation, and recreational trips away from camp. Photos from the 2024 trip at Camp Ithiel can be viewed at www.yogile.com/gotha2024. Registration for the FaithX older adult trip is open at www.brethren.org/faithx. For questions, please reach out to Marissa Witkovsky-Eldred in the FaithX Office at faithx@brethren.org or 847-429-4337.

The 2025 Advent Devotional by John Fillmore offered by Brethren Press for this coming season “reminds us of God’s choice to enter into human experience in a physical way, by sending Jesus…. Advent is an invitation to witness again the way Jesus navigates the landscape of our human division, tearing down the dividing walls and calling us back to a rightly ordered relationship with him.” The author is pastor of Nampa Church of the Brethren and district executive minister of Idaho/Western Montana District. Go to www.brethrenpress.com/product_p/adventdev.htm.

The L.E.A.D. Planning Team has scheduled the next in-person denominational L.E.A.D. Conference for May 1-3, 2026, again hosted by Ephrata (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. Keynote leader will be Tod Bolsinger of Sloan Leadership Inc. and executive director of Fuller’s De Pree Center Church Leadership Institute. Learn more at The L.E.A.D. Conference – Discipleship and Leadership Formation.