DENOMINATIONAL NEWS/NEWSLINE

Brethren Disaster Ministries has recently directed grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to continued support for the Nigeria Crisis Response ($95,000) as well as to support people in Lebanon who are affected by the war between Israel and Hezbollah ($25,000).

The Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board, meeting March 13-15 in Modesto, Calif., issued a resolution on immigration that emphasizes the church’s longstanding commitment to civil disobedience when government policies are unjust or conflict with biblical teachings. The board drew on decades of church statements to urge individuals, congregations, districts, and the denomination to support immigrant communities, speak out against policies that harm families, and engage in civil disobedience when necessary. “Church of the Brethren history and tradition include radical discipleship, conscientious objection, and participation in civil disobedience,” the board said. The seven-page resolution, titled “Walking Together: Immigration, Peacemaking, Conscience, and Supporting One’s Neighbors,” will be provided online in multiple languages.

The Church of the Brethren Office of Peacebuilding and Policy has signed on to an interfaith letter opposing the proposal for a $1.5 trillion budget for the Pentagon. On Friday, April 3, the White House issued the Presidential Budget Request that included the $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget for Fiscal Year 2027. “This staggering 50% increase comes at a moment when millions of Americans are losing access to health care, food assistance, and other vital support,” said organizers of the letter.

Intercultural Ministries Café: Faith & Culture Conversations—rooted in relationship, discipleship, and practical intercultural engagement—will be held once a month for the next few months. The online event starts on Tuesday, April 21, and continues on a monthly basis through Oct. 20. The registration link is available at www.brethren.org/intercultural/#cafe.

Annual Conference moderator Donald Fitzkee and his wife, Carolyn, along with Roy Winter as executive director of Service Ministries, attended the 79th Majalisa or annual meeting of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) in March.20

The Church of the Brethren denomination suffered a ransomware attack in mid-December 2024 that breached the organization’s computer network. Since then, staff have been working with attorneys and insurance companies to compile a list of those whose personal information may have been in the data that was affected, while the Finance and IT staff have worked tirelessly to assess the damage, rebuild and fortify online protections, and recover data and files. The list of those whose personal information may have been affected is now complete and a formal letter was sent to those people. The delay in sending this information has come as denominational leadership adhered to the procedures and policies that are advised for this type of event. The majority of the Church of the Brethren membership is not affected and will not receive a letter. Only those whose personal information may have been affected will receive a letter.

The Church of the Brethren’s webpage on conscientious objection to war is at www.brethren.org/peacebuilding/co. Links on this page direct young people who want to learn more about what conscientious objection means and its biblical and Brethren roots to a free downloadable curriculum titled “Call of Conscience.” The direct link to the curriculum is www.brethren.org/peacebuilding/co/introduction.

Registration for the 2026 Song and Story Fest taking place July 5-11 at Inspiration Hills in Ohio is now open. Access all the information about this event at: On Earth Peace Event Page for Song and Story Fest. The organizers note that they have added more detail to the online registration form about which meals and nights participants will be present for. Also, if any members of a family will have different arrival and departure times and therefore different numbers of meals and/or nights at the camp, please have those individuals register separately.

The deadline to apply for the Church of the Brethren’s Health Care Education Scholarship in 2026 has been changed to May 22. This scholarship, made possible by the Health Education and Research Endowment, is available to members of the Church of the Brethren enrolled in degree programs for nursing, medicine, dentistry, physical and occupational therapy, and other health professions. Scholarships of between $5,000 and $10,000 are awarded to a limited number of applicants each year. For more information and to apply, go to www.brethren.org/healthcarescholarship.