The Reflector - June/July 2026
Monday, June 01, 2026
The Village ILWIDIot
Walt Wiltschek
“When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” —Psalm 11:3, NIV
My vacation travels earlier this month took me to Eastern Europe, exploring some bits of family heritage as well as some places that had long been on my list to see.
One stop that covered both those aims was a difficult one: The Auschwitz memorial sites, in the Polish town of Oświęcim. I approached it with both anticipation and dread, wanting to learn but also wary of the emotional load such a visit would carry. More than a million people died at the Auschwitz camps during World War II, most of them Jews. The site also had a profound impact on the surrounding town and villages, with thousands of homes destroyed and many people displaced.
Seeing the railroad cars still on the tracks that led to extermination, the remains of gas chambers, and still-standing wooden barracks looking forlorn and almost haunted in open fields was a potent experience. While I think most of my own ancestors died in other camps, the echoes of what they and so many others must have experienced rang loudly.
Since returning, someone asked me what it was like, and I couldn’t really describe it adequately. I still haven’t found the right words for what I felt. But one that kept recurring while I was there was likely a common one: “How?” How could the world have let this happen? How would it have felt for those in the midst of it all? How did people hold on to any hope?
I also visited Oskar Schindler’s factory site in Kraków, another place surrounded by stories of death, but one with an undercurrent of life. Schindler’s efforts, as famously portrayed in the Steven Spielberg film, saved the lives of 1,200 Jewish people he was able to keep employed in his factories. While Schindler was far from a perfect individual, his tomb in Jerusalem bears the inscription “Righteous among the nations” because of his ultimate actions.
Perhaps that is one answer, or part of an answer, to “How?” In the face of evil, we do what we can. In the face of injustice, we find ways to change the rules of the game. We might not always be able to prevent terrible things from happening, but we don’t turn away, and we don’t let the terrible-ness consume us.
I wonder, decades from now, how people will look back on the events of our own time. As Auschwitz survivor Elie Wiesel wrote, “The opposite of love is not hate; it’s indifference.” What does “righteousness” look like today?
DISTRICT EXECUTIVE SCHEDULE
In addition to regular meetings, Walt will spending time at Camp Emmanuel June 16-19, worshiping at Woodland June 21, and doing church visits in the DecaturChampaign area June 22-24 (including worship at Champaign June 24) before heading to Annual Conference in Indiana. Then in July, tentative stops will include Mount Morris on July 5, Dixon on July 12, and West Branch on July 26, with some time helping with youth camps at Camp Emmaus in between.
Walt is available to visit your church, do pulpit supply, lead sessions, have conversation times, or otherwise connect with your congregation. Please contact IWDDE@outlook.com to schedule a time. He is half-time and is usually on district duty late afternoons/evenings on weekdays plus weekends.
REMINDER: Please use the correct district office address for all mail correspondence: Church of the Brethren IL/WI District, 1S071 Luther Ave., Lombard, IL 60148. As noted previously, please do not send district mail to Canton, as there is no longer a district office there. Thank you!
THE COURAGE TO IMAGINE
by Jocelyn Watkins, 2026 Illinois/Wisconsin District moderator
“I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you” (2 Timothy 1:6)
“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:17-18)
Every year, Annual Conference themes arrive long before the gathering itself, quietly working their way into our conversations, worship planning, newsletters, and expectations. The more I sit with this year’s theme, “Imagine!”, drawn from Acts 2:17-18, the more timely it seems. Perhaps that is because imagination feels increasingly difficult in a world so practiced at anticipating conflict, decline, disappointment, and division. Fear, after all, requires very little imagination. We encounter it in headlines, political rhetoric, and in the anxieties many congregations quietly carry about attendance, finances, aging membership, and the future itself. Over time, it becomes easy to speak the language of scarcity more fluently than the language of possibility.
When the Spirit is poured out in Acts 2, it is not upon people who feel secure, settled, or certain about what comes next. The disciples are living under occupation and political tension. They are navigating uncertainty, grief, confusion, and the lingering disorientation that follows upheaval. And still, into that reality, the Spirit speaks through visions, dreams, prophecy, courage, and community. “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,” Peter declares. “Your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.”
Peter’s description of the Spirit’s work in Acts 2 is remarkably communal. The young are seeing visions. The old are dreaming dreams. Sons and daughters prophesy, and servants receive the Spirit. Imagination, in Peter’s telling, is not reserved for a select few. The Spirit is poured out broadly across the community, and the miracle unfolding in that moment is not simply that people are speaking. The miracle is that people are hearing one another, each in their own language, across difference and distance in ways that should not have been easily possible.
I wonder sometimes whether we still expect the Spirit to work like that among us. Too often, I suspect we have become more practiced at imagining what the church is losing than imagining what the Holy Spirit may still be capable of doing within and through us. We know how to talk about shrinking attendance, aging buildings, limited budgets, and uncertain futures. Those realities deserve our attention. I wonder whether we devote the same energy to imagining what faithfulness, renewal, and Spirit-led community might look like in the years ahead. We grow fluent in the language of decline, anticipating conflict before conversation has even begun and assuming younger generations are disinterested while older generations feel unheard. Before long, our attention turns toward protecting what remains rather than discerning what new thing God may still be unfolding in our midst.
Again and again, our Brethren story has unfolded in seasons of uncertainty, carried forward by ordinary people willing to gather, listen, ask difficult questions, and trust the Spirit's guidance through community and discernment. Perhaps that, too, is part of what it means to be “Kindled Anew.”
Rekindling may begin with recovering the courage to imagine differently: congregations where disagreement does not immediately become division, where younger and older voices listen to one another with genuine curiosity, and where communities are known not only for surviving difficult times, but for embodying hope, generosity, patience, and peace within them. Imagination itself may be a kind of spiritual discipline, because what we imagine inevitably shapes how we live. Congregations shaped primarily by narratives of decline often begin behaving defensively and fearfully. Congregations that expect the Spirit to remain active among them often begin asking different questions. They may become more willing to listen, to experiment, to make room for voices that have not always been heard, and to believe that faithfulness and future are not the same thing as institutional preservation.
As we gather for Annual Conference this month, and as we continue our life together in the weeks that follow, my hope is that we will carry some of that imagination with us. Not imagination detached from reality, but imagination deeply rooted in the conviction that the Holy Spirit has not stopped speaking, not stopped stirring, and not stopped kindling new life among God's people.
In a season that so often encourages fear, suspicion, exhaustion, and retreat, one of the most faithful things we can do may be to remain open to the possibility that God is still doing more than we can presently see. If that is true, what might our congregations notice, nurture, or attempt differently?
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
Annual Conference briefing for Illinois/Wisconsin District, June 20, 10 a.m.
Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, June 28-July 2, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference, July 18-23, Estes Park, Colo.
Program & Arrangements Committee, July 29, 6:30 p.m.
Leadership Team, Aug. 4, 6:30 p.m.
Church Revitalization and Development Team, Aug. 15, 9 a.m.
Ministry Leadership Development Team, Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m.
2026 Illinois/Wisconsin District conference, Nov. 6-7, Polo (Ill.) Church of the Brethren
[all meetings via Zoom unless otherwise noted]
IN OUR PRAYERS
A district prayer calendar has been created for your use in praying for our district and related programs through the year. We invite you to include the following in your prayers in coming weeks:
Week of June 14: Pray for the Cerro Gordo congregation, and for the work of the Church of the Brethren Ministry Office as it equips and supports pastors across the denomination.
Week of June 21: Pray for the Woodland congregation in Astoria, and for the work of the Church of the Brethren’s Global Missions office as it connects and works with Brethren communities around the world.
Week of June 28: Hold in prayer the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference meeting this week in Fort Wayne, Indiana, as delegates make decisions for the church and Brethren come together for worship and conversation and education. Pray for moderator Don Fitzkee and moderator-elect Dennis Beckner, for Conference secretary David Shumate and Annual Conference director Rhonda Pittman Gingrich, and for all those providing leadership for the denomination.
Week of July 5: Pray for the La Place congregation, and for the Church of the Brethren (Iglesia de los Hermanos) in the Dominican Republic.
Week of July 12: Pray for the outdoor ministry of Camp Emmaus, for all the volunteers and staff assisting there this summer; for all the children, youth, and others who will be part of the camps happening there, and for manager Randall Westfall and his family.
Week of July 19: Pray for the Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference taking place this week in Colorado, and for all the youth of our district as they continue to grow and explore who God is calling them to be. Pray also for the denomination’s Youth/Young Adult Ministries office and all the ways it equips youth and advisors, and for director Becky Ullom Naugle (Highland Avenue).
Week of July 26: Pray for the Charismatic Christian Center in Chicago, and for the faculty, staff, and students of Bethany Theological Seminary.
Week of Aug. 2: Pray for the Springfield First congregation, and for the students, staff, and faculty at Manchester University in Indiana as they prepare to begin a new year of learning.
Week of Aug. 9: Pray for the Freeport congregation, and for all those working against gun violence and supporting victims of these too-frequent tragedies.
REMEMBERED
Marilyn Harshbarger, a member at Peoria First and long-time active volunteer in the Mountain Mission project at Henderson Settlement in Kentucky, passed away May 13. Originally from Kansas City, she spent many years as a teacher and office manager. A memorial service was held May 30 at Peoria First. Our prayers are with the congregation and her family and friends. The full obituary can be found here.
Dale E. Minnich, former denominational staff and leader, passed away June 3. Dale served as interim general secretary in 2016. He was a member of the denominational board from 2004 to 2011, serving as chair from 2009 to 2011 during the merger of the former General Board and the former Association of Brethren Caregivers board, forming the Mission and Ministry Board. He spent nearly 20 years on the denominational staff filling a variety of positions, at one point serving as associate general secretary and executive for the General Services Commission. Dale spent many years volunteering and was instrumental in advocating for the work of the Haiti Medical Project. Nancy Miner, co-district executive in Western Plains and former member of this district, called Dale one who “served with grace, wisdom, and deep faith.” A celebration of life service will take place Sept. 5 at McPherson (Kan.) Church of the Brethren. The full obituary can be found here.
MINISTRY NEWS
The search committee at Highland Avenue (Elgin) has recommended Krista Dutt, who has been serving the congregation in a part-time interim capacity since last year, as the candidate to be Highland Avenue’s full-time settled pastor. Question and answer times with Krista have been held in recent weeks, and a meeting and call vote will take place July 12.
York Center (Lombard) will hold an installation service for Gay Bouwmeester, who began as the congregation’s settled pastor in May, during worship on Aug. 16.
Congratulations to Laura Lipscomb (Springfield First), who will be starting in the denominational TRIM (Training In Ministry) program this summer! Laura is among several people in the district exploring a call to ministry.
The Ministers’ Association pre-Annual Conference event this year focuses on “Redeeming AI: Biblical Guidelines,” with Bethany Theological Seminary professor Russell Haitch as keynote speaker. It will take place June 27-28 at the convention center in Fort Wayne, Ind. Sessions will look at the optimism and anxiety surrounding AI, ways to maintain our humanity in a world of technology, a tool kit for ministry, and consideration of how all this affects the church. Learn more at www.brethren.org/ministryoffice.
The denomination’s Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church program will be offering two more online listening sessions through the summer to give opportunity for multivocational pastors (MVP’s) to meet with other MVP's and share their thoughts, ideas, and ways that the program can be helpful and supportive of their lives and ministries. One will be Wednesday, July 29, from 6-7:30 p.m. Central (https://forms.gle/LANW8VRXVc938S1FA); and the other will be Tuesday, August 26, from 6-7:30 p.m. Central (https://forms.gle/fuzTdcg5rc9KrpVj8). In addition, there will be an in-person listening session at Annual Conference the morning of Tuesday, June 30 and an equipping session that evening from 8:30-9:30 p.m. entitled “Betwixt and Between: Following Jesus in the midst of liminality.” If you cannot make one of the inperson or online sessions, a survey can also be completed at https://forms.gle/pG1BFAUY9MF22sdi9.
Congregational vacancies/updates:
Cerro Gordo: David Biggs began as part-time interim pastor for a one-year period beginning May 15. The search committee will remain active, and a congregational profile is available.
Highland Avenue (Elgin): Krista Dutt is currently serving as part-time interim pastor and has been named as candidate to become the congregation’s full-time settled pastor. A call vote will take place July 12.
Mount Morris: Lynda Willmann is currently serving as quarter-time interim pastor through at least September. Jonathan Shively is also doing a consultation process with Mount Morris this year as they discern direction. Conversations about next steps for pastoral ministry are ongoing, and the congregation is working on a profile.
Naperville: Tony Asta began as part-time interim pastor beginning June 1. The search committee is continuing its work, and a profile for their full-time pastoral position is now available.
Oakley Brick: Pastor David Roe retired in March. Initial conversations have begun with the congregation about next steps. They are currently using pulpit supply.
CONGREGATIONAL/LOCAL NEWS
The next Illinois/Wisconsin District Potluck Experience event will take place in spring 2027 at Cerro Gordo Church of the Brethren. Watch for more details in the coming months.
Help for Honduras: Bill and Betty Hare’s daughter, Beth Taylor, is working on completing one more big project as part of Bill’s long-running mission work with impoverished communities in Honduras. A shipping container of 50,000 pounds of food originally brought to Honduras by a different mission group is awaiting distribution. Bill’s group has someone ready to go to Honduras to pick up the food from the warehouse, move it to another location, divide it up into family packages and then deliver it to many remote villages in need. The cost for all of this will be close to $20,000. Contributions toward that goal are urgently needed. Any donations can be made payable to “Honduras Mission Project” and sent to Bill and Betty Hare at 408 S. McKendrie Ave., Apt. 144, Mount Morris, IL 61054.
Ecumenism Metro Chicago will hold an ecumenical “Blessed Are the Peacemakers” service on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 6:30 p.m., at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Plans are also in the works for a possible ecumenical Festival of Sacred Arts in fall 2027.
Canton on May 31 held a 95th birthday celebration for member Bob Champlin, themed with cows and Caterpillar equipment.
Chicago First recently announced the Heaven’s Window Scholarship Program 2026 to support its young people who are attending college. For the 2026-2027 school year, scholarships of up to $1500 will be awarded through an application process. Awards will be announced during worship on June 21. Funding for this scholarship is through an initial donation from longtime members of Chicago First, Brian Miller and his parents, Don and Phillys Miller, and Brian’s grandparents.
Freeport recently held a surprise celebration with gifts and cake to mark the 10th anniversary of pastor Christina Singh’s ministry with the congregation. We wish Christina well on the next decade!
Highland Avenue (Elgin) will share worship with Elgin’s First Presbyterian Church over several weeks this summer to promote community and relationships. First Presbyterian members will worship at Highland Avenue July 5 and Aug. 9, while Highland Avenue will worship at First Presbyterian July 19 and Aug. 16.
Naperville will hold Vacation Bible School June 19-20 with the theme “Galaxy: Launching Kids on a Mission of God’s Love.”
Neighborhood (Montgomery) on May 3 held a Pray for Peace Sunday, with six areas of concern forming specific prayer focus areas that covered places around the globe. Various congregation members participated through readings, music, and prayers. It has sparked continued study on some of the areas in the weeks since.
Polo on May 24 held a retirement celebration for Martin Stauffer, who wrapped up 26 years of teaching science at Milledgeville High School. Congratulations and best wishes, Martin!
York Center (Lombard) is working on plans for a 75th anniversary celebration this fall. Details are still in the works. The congregation also held an outdoor Worship in the Park Sunday on June 14, and earlier, on May 24, the congregation held a session on refugee resettlement with Exodus World Service following worship.
DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2026
The district Program & Arrangements Committee (P&AC) has confirmed that 2027 Annual Conference moderator Dennis Beckner (whose wife, Beth, is originally from the Franklin Grove area and grew up attending Camp Emmaus!) will be joining us for the event and leading an equipping session focusing on congregational renewal.
Before the official conference starts on Friday, the district Ministerial Leadership Development Team will offer a workshop around the theme of discipleship led by Josh Brockway of the denomination’s Discipleship and Leadership Formation office.
An exhibit area featuring various denominational and district organizations will be available. Based on the feedback received, activities for children and youth will not be offered this year at the conference.
Watch for more details in the coming months!
DEPORTATION DEFENSE RESPONSE
A denominational effort, organized by five districts with large numbers of undocumented members in partnership with On Earth Peace and Intercultural Ministries, has been formed to provide support, advocacy, and legal assistance as needed. A Deportation Defense Response (DDR) webpage is now online at www.onearthpeace.org/deportation_defense_response_team. A toolkit of resources is at https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/168SYbD3cMBO8ORb4sDXMqMbA2yvSGCN. To be dded to the DDR newsletter list, to share other helpful resources for the toolkit, to share how a resource from the toolkit benefited your congregation or community, to find out how to get involved with the work, or for other questions, email migrantjustice@onearthpeace.org.
Two special events are being offered this week: On Wednesday, June 17, from 5-6 p.m. Central, a World Refugee Day Ecumenical Service will feature Founa Badet, Vildor Archange, and Julie Avila. ) alongside other denominational leaders. The link to register and description of the event is here: Register for World Refugee Day Ecumenical Service. And on Thursday, June18, from 6-7:30 pm Central, a Faith in Motion event will have Pastor Irv Heishman share about his experience visiting two church members who were deported to Honduras. There will be a time for Q&A, reflection, and finding out some ways to support and advocate for immigrants. RSVP Here!
The group is inviting local partnerships and offering a process for online donations for the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund at www.onearthpeace.org/legal_mutual_aid_fund_donations. You can also mail checks payable to Atlantic Southeast District with “DDR” in the memo line. Checks can be sent to Atlantic Southeast District, 64954 Orchard Dr., Goshen, IN 46526. For questions contact atlanticsoutheastcob@gmail.com. Congregations needing financial help to aid their immigrant church members may apply for grants from the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund by contacting ddrcobcoordinator@gmail.com or 561-647-8981 to receive the application form. The team will distribute funds received to members of the church facing immigration challenges who need legal support.
Biweekly Prayer Gatherings for Immigrant Justice are now held every other Thursday from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Central over Zoom. Find more information and RSVP at Prayer Gathering for Immigrant Justice - On Earth Peace.
The DDR team also is looking for stories of individuals in congregations directly impacted by immigration enforcement and policy changes, and for stories of people practicing “faith in motion” on behalf of immigrant neighbors and siblings in Christ. Contact migrantjustice@onearthpeace.org with a short, written story or to schedule a virtual call.
Do you have congregational news: celebrations, milestones, “Jesus in the Neighborhood” stories or other things to share with our district family? Please send them to iwdde@outlook.com.
CAMP NEWS
Summer camp dates still upcoming at Camp Emmaus include the following, for which registration is still open at www.campemmaus.org:
July 5-11: Senior High Camp
July 12-18: Survivor Camp
July 19-23: Intermediate Camp
July 24-26: Young Adult/Young at Heart Camp
July 26- Aug. 1: Middle School Camp
August 6-8: Women's Camp
September 4-7: Labor Day Weekend Family Camp
Summer camp dates still upcoming at Camp Emmanuel include the following:
June 16-20: Junior Camp
June 25-28: High School Camp
July 10-12: Mommy and Me
July 13-17: Day Camp
August 7-9: Men's Camp
September 4-7: Family Camp
Learn more at www.campem.com.
NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE
The NYC service project this year will involve making fleece tie blankets to donate for children’s hospitals, in partnership with Fleece and Thank You. In addition, NYC youth participants are invited to create and send in various worship elements built around the NYC theme. The plan is to use these worship elements as part of the worship services during NYC, which gives youth the opportunity to help shape what worship looks like. Find the submission form at https://forms.gle/UP9Y5et17G1FANdz5. Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@brethren.org with questions.
*Six Illinois/Wisconsin congregations (Canton, Highland Avenue, Naperville, Neighborhood, Peoria First, and Springfield First) will have youth and advisors attending this year’s NYC. The district Leadership Team has approved scholarships from the Youth Fund to aid the attendance of our youth participants. Please be in prayer for them during this important week!
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2026
Our district Annual Conference briefing will be Saturday, June 20, at 10 a.m., via Zoom. We will share updates and the Annual Conference video, and our Standing Committee representative, Kevin Kessler, will provide insights on business coming to Conference this year and answer any questions. No registration is needed. Join at https://zoom.us/j/92067963849?pwd=t4T9PnPFHSlk30Y59H0qY1O5Psut0j.1. If you need call-in information, please contact the district office.
Attendance for the virtual portions of the Conference are offered at no charge this year, thanks to generous contributions from Living Stream Church of the Brethren and Pacific Northwest District. This gives people who cannot attend in-person the opportunity to engage in business, a number of Equipping Sessions, and the Wednesday evening concert featuring Brethren musicians—all virtually. Those wishing to participate virtually still need to register to gain access to the streaming platform. Virtual attendees are encouraged to make a donation to the ministry of Annual Conference as an expression of appreciation. Donations can be made at www.brethren.org/giveAC.
Annual Conference organizers have announced the preachers for the five daily worship services to be held during the Conference. Each worship service will focus on a theme and symbol from the Church of the Brethren’s biblical heritage. Speakers will be asked to reexamine and reappropriate historic Brethren themes for our time. They include moderator Don Fitzkee, Sunday evening; Beth Jarrett on Monday evening; James Washington on Tuesday evening; Becky Zapata on Wednesday evening; and Caleb Kragt on Thursday morning. The daily worship services will be livestreamed and available free of charge with no registration required, although donations will be appreciated. The worship livestream can be viewed at www.brethren.org/ac2026/webcasts either live–starting with the Sunday evening worship service at 5:45 p.m. Central on June 28–or later via recordings.
The Nominating Committee of the Standing Committee of district delegates to the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference has announced the ballot for the 2026 Conference, topped by Amy Gall Ritchie of North Manchester, Ind., and Gilbert Romero of Glendora, Calif., as candidates for moderator-elect. Complete biographical information for all nominees is online at www.brethren.org/ac2026/business/ballot and will be printed in the Conference booklet.
The business agenda for the conference has been announced. Along with numerous reports and the ballot, the delegate body will receive an interim report from the Review and Evaluation Committee and will consider four items of new business: resolutions on weapons transfer and care for immigrants and refugees, polity adjustments for licensed and commissioned ministers, and the yet-to-be-announced recommended cost of living adjustment for the pastoral scale.
As of last report, the following congregations from our district have registered delegates: Canton, Cerro Gordo, Dixon, Freeport, Highland Avenue, Lanark, Mount Morris, Naperville, Neighborhood, Polo, Springfield First, and York Center, plus our Standing Committee delegate, Kevin Kessler. We encourage other congregations to consider sending delegates to this important meeting in the life of the church. Find more details and register at www.brethren.org/ac2026.
DISASTER RESPONSE
Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM) is transitioning toward recovery from 2024’s Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. In April it began serving survivors in Ashe, Henderson, and Transylvania counties. For more than three years, beginning in October 2022, BDM ran shortand long-term projects in Kentucky to respond to devastating July 2022 flooding in the south and southeastern part of the state.
Our district’s volunteer week this year has shifted to the summer, in late August/early September
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
• Upcoming courses from the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership include “Multivocational Ministry,” online, Aug. 19-Oct. 13, led by John Fillmore (registration deadline July 22), 2 CEU’s available; “Cultivating an Everyday Faith,” online, Sept. 23-Nov. 17, led by Joan Daggett (registration deadline Aug. 19); and “Introduction to the New Testament,” online, Oct. 21-Dec. 15 (registration deadline Sept. 16). Register and pay online at Brethren Academy Course Registration/Biannual TRIM Payment | Bethany Theological Seminary (bethanyseminary.edu).
• Lombard Mennonite Peace Center offers a variety of training sessions. Upcoming options include a special in-depth training for Shalom Teams, July 13-17 in Glen Ellyn, Ill. (cost: $850); “Conflict Transformation Skills,” Aug. 26 via Zoom; and “Strengthening the Body of Christ,” Sept. 16 via Zoom. For details and registration information, go to https://www.lmpeacecenter.org/trainings. LMPC has also begun offering free quarterly clergy roundtable events. The next will be June 25, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., led by Jay Wittmeyer (Highland Avenue), on “A New Era of Societal Regression: Re-Thinking No Contact.” Watch their website for details on future roundtable opportunities.
• New Community Project continues to offer learning tours to “Go. Meet. Learn. Grow. Change – yourself and your world.” Upcoming trips include: Lybrook, N.M., July 8-14 (Dineh (Navajo) life and culture, Chaco Ruins, magnificent vistas, medicine woman, daily work around the site); Denali/Kenai Fjords, July 27-Aug. 4 (hiking, wildlife (sheep, moose, bears), volunteer day at dogsled kennels; whales and puffins along the coast); Yellowstone/Tetons, Aug. 9-16 (thermal springs, waterfalls, bison, 'mazing mountains, camp and hike); and Nepal, January 12-24, 2027 (hosted by Shakti Samuha, learn about human trafficking and meet survivors; visit Chitwan National Park (rhinos!)). NCP also offers guest speakers, worship resources, Vacation Bible School offering projects, climate change materials, and more. Find more information at www.newcommunityproject.info or contact dradcliffncp@yahoo.com.
• The 53rd annual Brethren Bible Institute, sponsored by Brethren Revival Fellowship, will run July 27-31 on the campus of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College. Courses include “Introduction to Theology,” “The Book of Psalms,” and “Women in the Early Church.” Cost is $125 for commuters, $300 with on-campus food and lodging. To register, write to Brethren Bible Institute, 155 Denver Rd., Denver, PA 17517. Deadline is June 25.
• Designed particularly for ministers new to the Church of the Brethren denomination, Bethany Theological Seminary’s new certificate of achievement in ministry studies (CAMS) includes six courses that focus on Brethren history and theology, practical experience with the ordinances and preaching of the church, biblical interpretation, and peace studies. The certificate can be completed in two years or even one year, depending on course offerings. Five of the six courses can be completed at a distance. For more information go to https://bethanyseminary.edu.
PERSONNEL NOTES
Beginning June 15, Madalyn Metzger will serve as interim executive director of Engagement and Communications for the Church of the Brethren, providing leadership for both the Communications and Mission Advancement teams. Madalyn, who grew up in the Springfield First congregation, served as the 2024 Annual Conference moderator and brings more than two decades of experience in marketing, communications, and organizational leadership, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer at Everence. Her work has centered on helping mission-driven organizations strengthen their voice, deepen relationships, and align communications and engagement to support growth, generosity, and long-term stewardship. Madalyn will begin part-time and move to full-time on July 13, allowing for a thoughtful transition leading up to Wendy McFadden’s retirement. She will work remotely from northern Indiana and be onsite in Elgin regularly.
Rhonda Pittman Gingrich will step into a part-time interim leadership role with Brethren Press in addition to her ongoing responsibilities as director of Annual Conference. Brethren Press remains a vital ministry of the church, with work that spans publishing, curriculum, and broader engagement. During this period, Rhonda will provide steady leadership as while discerning how these areas are best supported moving forward.
Jeff Thomson has been hired by the Church of the Brethren as director of Brethren Disaster Ministries and will work remotely from his home in Kansas. In his previous role as Chief Housing Officer and General Contractor with Interfaith Housing and Community Services, Jeff collaborated with numerous volunteers while leading home repair programs for families in need in Hutchinson, Kan. Jeff brings extensive disaster response experience to this position, having deployed to more than 20 disaster sites, often in leadership roles. His professional background includes work in cabinet making and the hospitality industry. Jeff will begin his role on June 22 and will attend Annual Conference in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Adam Lane has been hired by the Church of the Brethren as program assistant for Children’s Disaster Services, working from the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Adam is a graduate of Huntington (Ind.) University with a Bachelor of Arts in Worship Leadership and from Bethany Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts in Spiritual and Social Transformation. He brings knowledge of technology, social media, newsletter writing, data filing, and event planning. He began his work on May 27.
The coordinating team of the Middle Pennsylvania District Church of the Brethren has called Carolyn Willoughby to serve as a member of the Interim District Executive Minister Team beginning Aug. 1. Carolyn will replace Rebecca Zeek, who completes her service July 31. Carolyn is a retired minister currently working part-time as activities assistant for the Alzheimer’s unit of Concordia at Arbutus Park retirement center in Johnstown, Pa. Carolyn is a 1992 graduate of Bethany Theological Seminary. She served previously as pastor of Farmington Bethel Church of the Brethren in Western Pennsylvania District.
JOB OPENINGS
The Church of the Brethren is seeking to fill a full-time salaried position of Director of Ministry. The Director of Ministry leads and administers the Church of the Brethren’s Ministry Office, overseeing systems for calling, credentialing, placing, and supporting ministerial leaders. The director is a custodian of ministry polity and documents, collaborates closely with the Council of District Executives, and provides consultation to districts on leadership and organizational matters. Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree and Master of Divinity or equivalent; 15 years of pastoral ministry including administration (5 years of district leadership preferred); bi-lingual abilities preferred; and current ordination and active membership in the Church of the Brethren. They should be knowledgeable and experienced in budget development and management, able to understand and direct the implementation of the Ministerial Leadership and Ethics in Ministry Relations polity of the Church of the Brethren, and have strong interpersonal skills contributing to effective work across the denomination. Position can work remotely within the United States. Applications will be received beginning immediately and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Qualified candidates may send a cover letter and resume to COBApply@brethren.org.
Camp Swatara invites applications for its next executive director. The camp is located near Bethel, Pa. The camp is prayerfully searching for the next executive director—a mission-driven leader called to the intersection of ministry, community, and outdoor camp life on 700-plus acres at the foot of Blue Mountain. Learn more, share input, and apply at www.campswatara.org/leadcamp.
Camp Harmony is seeking candidates for its next executive director. The Church of the Brethren-related camp and outdoor ministry center is located near Hooversville, Pa. Austin Masser, the present executive director, is leaving the position in July. Find out more about the camp at www.campharmony.org. Contact phil@campharmony.org for more information about the open position
DENOMINATIONAL NEWS/NEWSLINE
Camp Blue Diamond near Petersburg, Pa., hosted the Church of the Brethren Young Adult Conference May 22-24, drawing 44 attendees from all over the US. The theme “Identity in Community,” based on Romans 12:4-5, anchored the weekend. Preachers Cristal Herrera, Doug Diamond, Naomi Kraenbring, and Nolan McBride focused on different aspects of this idea, such as how different identities work together to create a community. Josh and Kevin Adler led music. David Steele, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren, and Dennis Beckner, Annual Conference moderator-elect, were also in attendance.
The Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) has begun renting warehouse space at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The Church of the Brethren has welcomed the organization as its new partner at the center, where it is using space formerly occupied by the Material Resources program that ended in 2025. CMMB began use of the center facilities on May 1, although its staff have been onsite for months in preparation for their move. In late summer or early fall, a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Brethren Service Center will celebrate the new partnership.
Messenger magazine and the Communications department of the Church of the Brethren received six awards—three awards of excellence, one award of merit, and two honorable mentions—in the Associated Church Press 2025 “Best of the Church Press” contest. The awards were given during the ACP’s annual convention in mid-May, with 225 winners among more than 700 entries in nearly 90 categories.
On Sunday, Sept. 20, at 3 p.m. (Eastern time), the 56th Annual Dunker Church Service will be held at the historic Dunker Church on the Antietam National Battlefield near Hagerstown, Md.—one of the most hallowed and iconic landscapes of the American Civil War. The service will include a welcome, call to worship, congregational hymns, scripture readings, special music, prayers, and a featured message from Denise Kettering-Lane, associate professor of Brethren Studies and director of the Master of Arts Program at Bethany Theological Seminary.
Intercultural Ministries Café: Faith & Culture Conversations—rooted in relationship, discipleship, and practical intercultural engagement—will be held once a month through Oct. 20. The registration link is available at www.brethren.org/intercultural/#cafe.
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.
GRANTS AND GIVING
Grants available through the district include the following:
1. Mission and Mortar: Sustaining and developing ministry (mission) within congregations, as well as maintaining property (mortar), is sometimes hindered because of inadequate financial resources. The Illinois/Wisconsin District, whose mission is to support the growth and development of member congregations, desires to financially support congregations that are in good standing with the district and have specific needs. More information can be found here.
2. Being Jesus in the Neighborhood: Congregations can apply for $100 in seed money to start a new outreach project or initiative in their local communities, or to expand an existing one. These should be projects that intentionally engage with the neighborhood immediately around the congregation or, for those in rural locations, with the town or area around the church. Each congregation receiving a grant will be asked to share a little about their project at district conference. More information can be found here.
3. Emerging Missions Fund: To facilitate the growth and establishment of new faith communities, this grant is available for church and ministry planting initiatives. New church and ministry plants are encouraged to apply by contacting the district office and/or the CRDT.
Supporting Your District
The Illinois/Wisconsin District is active in a variety of ministry and mission efforts, both directly and indirectly. Continuing these efforts requires resources in the form of time, tools, knowledge, and especially finances. Consider making a contribution to the district’s general fund or one of its special funds (disaster relief, youth, emerging ministries, etc.). Look for the donate button at iwdcob.org, or send your checks to the district office: 1S071 Luther Ave., Lombard, IL 60148.
Friday, May 01, 2026
The Village ILWIDIot
Walt Wiltschek
“So let’s strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up.” — Romans 14:19, CEB
Two conversations recently have lingered in my mind.
Last weekend I had a chance to visit with long-time peace activists Bob and Rachel Gross at Chicago First’s 101st anniversary celebration (see more on the celebration below). In the course of our chat, Bob mentioned his experience as a conscientious objector. He was arrested as a non-registrant during the Vietnam War while visiting here in Illinois and spent some time in the Kankakee prison before some kind, local Brethren put up the deed to their home for his bail. He’s gone on to create a long legacy of peacemaking and reconciliation ministries in the church.
Just after that, I did an interview with Brethren folksinger Andy Murray, looking back at his song “Brave Man from Ohio” for a forthcoming Messenger article. The song is about Ted Studebaker, a Church of the Brethren member and conscientious objector from the Dayton area who refused to fight in Vietnam because of his beliefs. Studebaker volunteered instead to go as an agricultural worker and teacher with Vietnamese Christian Service. He was killed in Vietnam in 1971, 55 years ago this spring. Andy’s song memorably lifts up Ted’s witness: “Give me a shovel instead of a gun … And if I die, I’ll die making something instead of tearing something down.”
As we find ourselves again in a time of war—as has happened too often in our history—what does it look like now to honor our denomination’s historic peace church position? Brethren have never been completely of one mind (at least not for a couple of centuries) on exactly what our peace stance means in times of war, but the strength of that countercultural message seems to have waned much further in recent decades. Perhaps because we don’t have an active draft or perhaps simply because our core beliefs have become more diluted, I feel like I hear less and less of that call to be active peacemakers and show a different way of living.
While the sledgehammer of war and violence pounds incessantly around us, sacrificing too many lives on its anvil of destruction, our heritage raises a different vision—a different possibility. What will you create today?
DISTRICT EXECUTIVE SCEHDULE
In addition to regular meetings, Walt will be preaching at Naperville May 17, worshiping at Polo and visiting at Camp Emmaus May 24, preaching at Highland Avenue June 14, spending time at Camp Emmanuel June 17-20, and doing church visits in the Decatur-Champaign area June 21-24 before heading to Annual Conference in Indiana. Walt will be on vacation May 29-June 12.
Walt is available to visit your church, do pulpit supply, lead sessions, have conversation times, or otherwise connect with your congregation. Please contact IWDDE@outlook.com to schedule a time. He is half-time and is usually on district duty late afternoons/evenings on weekdays plus weekends.
REMINDER: Please use the correct district office address for all mail correspondence: Church of the Brethren IL/WI District, 1S071 Luther Ave., Lombard, IL 60148. As noted previously, please do not send district mail to Canton, as there is no longer a district office there. Thank you!
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN
“I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you” (2 Timothy 1:6)
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
Beloved in Christ,
Over the past several weeks, it has felt increasingly difficult to avoid the headlines. Reports of missile strikes, political threats, military movements, nations posturing, old conflicts resurfacing, new ones emerging. … The names and places change, but the rhythm feels familiar: people standing at the edge of fear, uncertainty, and violence, trying to convince themselves that power will somehow bring peace. I have found myself reading these stories with scripture in one hand and our Brethren story in the other, and I find myself wondering what, exactly, we have been given for moments like this. When the world grows louder with the language of fear, retaliation, and certainty, what does it mean to be a people whose story has always pointed in another direction?
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul writes, “I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you” (2 Timothy 1:6). The word rekindle has been lingering with me. One does not rekindle something entirely new. One rekindles something already present, something perhaps neglected, something that may have quieted beneath the weight of ordinary responsibilities, difficult seasons, unanswered questions, or the slow accumulation of life itself. And so, I find myself asking: What gifts have been sitting quietly in our hands all along, waiting to be remembered?
I have been thinking, too, about inheritance and about what was placed into our hands long before any of us ever stood behind a pulpit, served on a ministry team, chaired a committee, attended district conference, or found ourselves navigating difficult conversations in our congregations. Long before any of that, we inherited a witness.
In 1708, in Schwarzenau, our spiritual forebears gathered in a world that was hardly peaceful. They knew political instability and religious coercion. They understood the pressures of empire, the dangers of division, and the temptation to secure peace through power. Yet into that world, they chose a different way. They chose baptism as an act of conscious discipleship. They chose simplicity when excess offered status. They chose community when individualism offered autonomy. They chose service when ambition offered recognition. They chose peace when violence offered certainty.
Perhaps most strikingly, when they disagreed—and surely they did—they chose to remain in relationship long enough to listen for the Spirit. I find myself wondering what our forebears would recognize in us if they sat quietly in one of our board meetings, worship services, kitchen table conversations, or online exchanges. Would they recognize the same patience? The same humility? The same willingness to stay with one another when clarity does not come quickly?
That question lingers with me, because for us, consensus has never simply been a method of conducting church business, nor merely a slower way of making decisions. Consensus, for us, is theological. It is rooted in the belief that truth is not something we conquer, defend, or possess, but something we discern together through humility, patience, prayer, scripture, and community. Discernment takes time. It takes the willingness to listen deeply. It takes the courage to admit that even our strongest convictions may still have something to learn. It takes the grace to remain at the table, especially when walking away might feel easier.
I wonder if that witness matters now more than ever, because the violence we encounter in the headlines rarely stays on the news. It has a way of finding its way into our conversations, our assumptions, our politics, our social media feeds, our congregational meetings, and our homes. If we are not careful, it can also find its way into our spirits. Long before violence ever becomes physical, it often begins in smaller ways: in our impatience, in our defensiveness, in our unwillingness to listen, in our need to be right, in our quiet dismissal of those whose experiences, perspectives, or convictions differ from our own. And if that is true, then where does peacemaking actually begin?
Jesus, of course, never promised that peacemaking would be easy. He simply called it blessed. “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). I have been sitting with the word peacemakers, because Jesus does not seem to be describing those who appreciate peace when circumstances allow for it, or who speak about peace so long as it costs them very little. He seems to be describing something far more active, and perhaps far more costly: people willing to step into tension without becoming consumed by it, people willing to ask one more question when assumptions would come more easily, people willing to listen long enough for understanding to begin taking root, and people willing to remain in relationship even when resolution does not come quickly. I suspect our Brethren forebears understood something of that, and I find myself wondering if the Spirit may be inviting us not simply to admire that witness, but to practice it.
Perhaps rekindling does not always look like discovering something new. Perhaps, more often than not, rekindling looks like remembering what has been in our hands all along.
(2026 logo designed by Madalyn Metzger)
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
Church Revitalization and Development Team, May 16, 9 a.m.
Program & Arrangements Committee, May 18, 6:30 p.m.
Ministry Leadership Development Team, May 20, 6:30 p.m.
Church of the Brethren Young Adult Conference, May 22-24, Petersburg, Pa.
Leadership Team, June 2, 6:30 p.m.
Annual Conference briefing for Illinois/Wisconsin District, June 20, 10 a.m.
Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, June 28-July 2, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference, July 18-23, Estes Park, Colo.
2026 Illinois/Wisconsin District conference, Nov. 6-7, Polo (Ill.) Church of the Brethren
[all meetings via Zoom unless otherwise noted]
IN OUR PRAYERS
A district prayer calendar has been created for your use in praying for our district and related programs through the year. We invite you to include the following in your prayers in coming weeks:
Week of May 10: Pray for the Oakley Brick congregation near Decatur this week, and for all the work of our denomination’s Youth/Young Adult Ministries office and the many ways it equips the younger members of our church.
Week of May 17: Pray for the district’s Program and Arrangements Committee as it works on plans for this year’s district conference, and for the denominational Young Adult Conference taking place May 22-24 at Pennsylvania’s Camp Blue Diamond.
Week of May 24: Pray for the work and witness of all the historic cemeteries maintained in various locations by our congregations, such as Coal Creek near Canton and the Emmert Cemetery of the former Franklin Grove church, as they continue to provide places for remembering and reflection. Pray this week for all those who have lost people close to them, that their memories might be a blessing.
Week of May 31: Pray for the Martin Creek congregation near Fairfield, and for the “FaithX” service trips that will take youth and others to a locations around the country and in Northern Ireland to serve this summer.
Week of June 7: Pray for Camp Emmanuel near Astoria and another season of camping by the lake. Pray for all the children and youth coming there this summer for residential and day camps, and for managers Don and Kelly Davis (Woodland).
Week of June 14: Pray for the Cerro Gordo congregation, and for the work of the Church of the Brethren Ministry Office as it equips and supports pastors across the denomination.
REMEMBERED
The district is continuing to remember with gratitude the life of Leonard Matheny, a member at Peoria First and long-time dedicated volunteer in the Illinois/Wisconsin District and denomination. Leonard passed away in Peoria April 20 after a battle with liver cancer.
Leonard was most recently serving as financial secretary for the district. He previously had been chair of the Church Revitalization and Development Team, coordinator of the Potluck Experience planning team, a leadership team member, and served a term as district moderator in 2006, among other roles. Denominationally, he served on the National Older Adult Conference planning team and for many years was delegate registration coordinator at Annual Conference. He was also quite active at Peoria First and the community, serving in a variety of capacities.
We are grateful for Leonard's generous and cheerful life and ministry, and our prayers remain with his wife, Vicki; his children, Wendy and Justin; and the rest of his family, as well as with the Peoria First congregation in this season of loss.
A celebration of life service was held April 25 at Peoria First with a large crowd attending. The full obituary can be found at https://www.schmidthaller.com/obituaries/leonard-matheny2/#!/Obituary.
Wendell Cline Eller, 99, of Bridgewater, Va., who served for a time on the denominational staff of the Church of the Brethren, passed away on April 6. He worked as director of Audio-Visual Education for the Church of the Brethren for seven years from June 1, 1955, through Aug. 31, 1962. Prior to that, starting in 1953, he was on the staff of the Department of Audio-Visual and Broadcast Education of the National Council of Churches, working in Chicago as evaluation assistant. A memorial service was held April 25 at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren.
MINISTRY NEWS
Congratulations to York Center and Gay Bouwmeester! York Center called Gay as their parttime settled pastor, effective May 1. Gay had been serving there as interim pastor since November. Gay, a member of the Highland Avenue congregation, felt a call to ministry that she finally realized as a second career, and she was licensed by the district last year. The call Sunday and vote occurred April 19, with district executive Walt Wiltschek present to facilitate the event. An official installation service will take place on Aug. 16.
Two congregations have recently called interim pastors. Cerro Gordo has called David Biggs, a semi-retired pastor from the Decatur area, effective May 15, and Naperville has called Tony Asta, who is ordained in the Church of the Brethren and lives in Wheaton, effective June 1. We welcome David and Tony to these new roles in the district!
Brethren Press has shared that the inventory of printed copies of For All Who Minister: A Worship Manual for the Church of the Brethren has been exhausted. It is scheduled for reprinting in 2027, but in the meantime downloadable copies of the essential services of ordinances are now posted at: https://www.brethren.org/bp/ministry-resources/ for those who might need them.
The denomination’s Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church program will be offering three online listening sessions throughout the summer to give opportunity for multivocational pastors (MVP’s) to meet with other MVP's and share their thoughts, ideas, and ways that the program can be helpful and supportive of their lives and ministries. The first one will take place on Tuesday, May 27, from 6-7:30 p.m. Central (sign up at https://forms.gle/iQcLx5bLMyjPhPvm8); the second will be Wednesday, July 29, from 6-7:30 p.m. Central (https://forms.gle/LANW8VRXVc938S1FA); and the third will be Tuesday, August 26, from 6-7:30 p.m. Central (https://forms.gle/fuzTdcg5rc9KrpVj8). In addition, there will be an in-person listening session at Annual Conference the morning of Tuesday, June 30 and an equipping session that evening from 8:30-9:30 p.m. entitled “Betwixt and Between: Following Jesus in the midst of liminality.” If you cannot make one of the in-person or online sessions, a survey can also be completed at https://forms.gle/pG1BFAUY9MF22sdi9.
A new informational resource about sabbath rest and renewal is available via the "Faith in Process" podcast, which recently featured a conversation with pastor Angela Finet about her book in the Covenant Bible Study Series about Sabbath. They can be found at: Episode 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/54SibW0HZRge0tP5lytbjM?si=IFUwukIpQj-yufA9RRfCkA; Episode2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/49wWeJHdktZuGsrRd7TLa8?si=Kpjz7pIATVGAonIH_FpiuQ. These will also be added to the Ministry Office website under Sabbath Renewal: https://www.brethren.org/ministryoffice/sabbath/.
Congregational vacancies/updates:
Cerro Gordo: David Biggs has been called as part-time interim pastor for a one-year period beginning May 15. The search committee will remain active, and a congregational profile is available.
Highland Avenue (Elgin): Krista Dutt was commissioned (ordained for term of service) in the Church of the Brethren last fall and is serving as interim pastor through at least October. The congregation has called a search committee, and a profile is available. Conversations about next steps are ongoing.
Mount Morris: Lynda Willmann began as quarter-time interim pastor for at least six months on March 15. Jonathan Shively is also doing a consultation process with Mount Morris this year as they discern direction. Conversations about next steps for pastoral ministry are ongoing, and the congregation is working on a profile.
Naperville: Tony Asta has been called as part-time interim pastor beginning June 1. The search committee will continue its work, and a profile for their full-time pastoral position is now available. Naperville is using pulpit supply this month.
Oakley Brick: Pastor David Roe retired in March. Initial conversations have begun with the congregation about next steps. They are currently using pulpit supply.
York Center (Lombard): Gay Bouwmeester has been called as the part-time settled pastor at York Center, effective May 1. Gay had been serving the congregation as part-time interim pastor in November. The call Sunday and vote occurred April 19.
DISTRICT CLERGY GATHERING
The 2026 Illinois/Wisconsin District clergy gathering and educational event took place April 27-28 at Bishop Lane Retreat Center near Rockford, with 21 people attending. Annual Conference moderator Don Fitzkee spoke on the first day around the theme “So, What’s New,” looking at his own journey as well as all the changes happening in the world and the church. On the second day, the focus was on creating a healthy retirement. Dan Radcliff of Eder Financial led off by talking about financial aspects of retirement, and then National Older Adult Conference coordinator/retired pastor Christy Waltersdorff led a discussion and reflection time with questions around the theme. The gathering, which is sponsored and planned by the district’s Ministerial Leadership Development Team, also included worship times, meals and snacks, and opportunities for fellowship and relaxation.
CONGREGATIONAL/LOCAL NEWS
Christine Knotts (Peoria First) has graciously agreed to serve as district financial secretary for the remainder of 2026. We are grateful for the unique gifts and knowledge she can bring to this role in a time of transition, and we are grateful for Leonard Matheny’s service in this role the past few years.
Why simply celebrate a centennial when you can lift up a more unique 101 years of ministry? That’s what Chicago First did May 9-10, marking a century-plus at its current East Garfield Park location on the corner of Central Park Ave. & Congress Parkway. The congregation’s history dates to the 1880’s, but it moved to its current location in January 1925. As celebration coordinator Mary Scott Boria joked, “the congregation has always been a little weird, so why not do something a little weird and celebrate 101?” The weekend included an open house with food, displays, and program on the congregation’s history and its beautiful stained glass windows on Saturday and a worship service featuring pastor emeritus Orlando Redekopp on Sunday, followed by lunch. Redekopp spoke on the theme “Jesus on the Horizon.” The church once served as an office for Martin Luther King Jr., and today three other churches/organizations also share the facility as Chicago First continues to "cultivate love, peace, and justice” in its community and beyond. Happy 101, Chicago First!
Girard is making good use of its renovated basement space, including a fellowship hall, kitchen, and children’s play room. The congregation has invested significant time on the project in the past two years, countering the effects of water damage and an aging building. It also is working on repairing the stained glass windows in its sanctuary after damage from vandalism last year. … Nearby, the Girard Area Homes project has received new signage and other improvements as it remains a vital ministry in the community.
Did you know? Highland Avenue (Elgin) is one of the only congregations in our district that still has a church choir sharing regularly in worship? Part of a vibrant music program at the church, the active choir is directed by Jonathan Shively.
DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2026
The district Program & Arrangements Committee (P&AC) recently confirmed that 2027 Annual Conference moderator Dennis Beckner (whose wife, Beth, is originally from the Franklin Grove area and grew up attending Camp Emmaus!) will be joining us for the event and leading an equipping session focusing on congregational renewal.
Before the official conference starts on Friday, the district Ministerial Leadership Development Team will offer a workshop around the theme of discipleship led by Josh Brockway of the denomination’s Discipleship and Leadership Formation office.
Also, the Program & Arrangements Committee wants to see whether congregations expect to have any children or youth attending from your church. If so, please email the district office with the approximate number and age of those who might attend. This will help the committee determine whether to schedule children's/youth activities during the conference.
Watch for more details in the coming months!
DEPORTATION DEFENSE RESPONSE
A denominational effort, organized by five districts with large numbers of undocumented members in partnership with On Earth Peace and Intercultural Ministries, has been formed to provide support, advocacy, and legal assistance as needed. A Deportation Defense Response (DDR) webpage is now online at www.onearthpeace.org/deportation_defense_response_team. A toolkit of resources is at https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/168SYbD3cMBO8ORb4sDXMqMbA2yvSGCN. To be added to the DDR newsletter list, to share other helpful resources for the toolkit, to share how a resource from the toolkit benefited your congregation or community, to find out how to get involved with the work, or for other questions, email migrantjustice@onearthpeace.org
The group is inviting local partnerships and offering a process for online donations for the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund at www.onearthpeace.org/legal_mutual_aid_fund_donations. You can also mail checks payable to Atlantic Southeast District with “DDR” in the memo line. Checks can be sent to Atlantic Southeast District, 64954 Orchard Dr., Goshen, IN 46526. For questions contact atlanticsoutheastcob@gmail.com. Congregations needing financial help to aid their immigrant church members may apply for grants from the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund by contacting ddrcobcoordinator@gmail.com or 561-647-8981 to receive the application form. The team will distribute funds received to members of the church facing immigration challenges who need legal support.
Biweekly Prayer Gatherings for Immigrant Justice are now held every other Thursday from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Central over Zoom, next on May 14. Find more information and RSVP at Prayer Gathering for Immigrant Justice - On Earth Peace.
The DDR team also is looking for stories of individuals in congregations directly impacted by immigration enforcement and policy changes, and for stories of people practicing “faith in motion” on behalf of immigrant neighbors and siblings in Christ.
Contact migrantjustice@onearthpeace.org with a short, written story or to schedule a virtual call.
Do you have congregational news: celebrations, milestones, “Jesus in the Neighborhood” stories or other things to share with our district family? Please send them to iwdde@outlook.com.
EDER FINANCIAL TRANSITION
For now, Eder members/clients should continue to engage with Eder as they normally do. Eder is working with Everence to ensure a seamless transition and will provide updates as the work progresses.
For details including the full news release, FAQ's, and to watch the video announcement, visit ederfinancial.org/transition. If you have questions, email customerservice@eder.org.
CAMP NEWS
Camp Emmaus (Mount Morris, Ill.) was among the recipients of new grants from the denomination’s Brethren Faith in Action Fund in this spring’s disbursements. The grant of $2,500 will support renewal of the camp’s central activity area that includes a volleyball court and basketball court/campfire-picnic area. The first stage of the project is to renovate the volleyball court with new poles and a net, improved sand surface, and regrading of boundaries. Any funds remaining go toward the work on the basketball court/campfire-picnic area. It is hoped the volleyball court will be finished in time for summer camps this year.
Camp Emmaus has announced its 2026 summer camp dates, and registration is now open at www.campemmaus.org:
May 22-25: Memorial Day Family Camp
June 12-14: Counselor-in-Training (CIT)
June 13-14: Elementary Camp
June 14-17: Target Sports Camp
July 5-11: Senior High Camp
July 12-18: Survivor Camp
July 19-23: Intermediate Camp
July 24-26: Young Adult/Young at Heart Camp
July 26- Aug. 1: Middle School Camp
August 6-8: Women's Camp
September 4-7: Labor Day Weekend Family Camp
Camp Emmanuel has announced its 2026 schedule:
May 29-31: Women's Camp
June 5-7: Pre-Junior Camp
June 7-13: Middle School Camp
June 16-20: Junior Camp
June 25-28: High School Camp
July 10-12: Mommy and Me
July 13-17: Day Camp
August 7-9: Men's Camp
September 4-7: Family Camp
Learn more at www.campem.com.
Camp Emmanuel has added to its website a chart of the birds that have been identified on the camp’s grounds, aided by the Merlin Bird ID app. More than 50 water birds, songbirds, woodpeckers, raptors, and others have been sighted.
The 2026 OMA “InsideOut” camp curriculum will be titled “In the Wilderness.” An introduction to the theme notes: “Wilderness is a time or place where we encounter what is new, strange, scary, lonely, unknown or mysterious. The wilderness is a wild and beautiful time and place where we can discover the sacred within each person and all creation. … The wilderness reveals our strengths, growing edges, and potential as God equips us for the unknown still to come. The wilderness awaits us all, and God meets us there.” Daily themes will examine the nature of wilderness and how it’s woven into our lives (Psalm 139:7-14); how we experience awe in the wilderness (Job 12:7-10); God’s presence in our wilderness times (Exodus 13:17-22); Jesus’ example of using the wilderness to recharge and renew our souls (Matt. 14:22-30); the sense of community and never being alone (Esther); and being equipped to face our wilderness moments (Jer. 29:11-14). The annual InsideOut curriculum is a partnership between the Church of the Brethren and a variety of other denominations for use in outdoor ministry. Learn more at https://insideoutcurriculum.com/.
NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE
Registration is open through June 26; visit www.brethren.org/nyc for more information. As of mid-March, about 500 youth and advisors had registered. The cost of NYC is $675 for the late registration period. For any questions, reach out to Rachel Johnson (rjohnson@brethren.org).
The NYC service project this year will involve making fleece tie blankets to donate for children’s hospitals, in partnership with Fleece and Thank You. In addition, NYC youth participants are invited to create and send in various worship elements built around the NYC theme. The plan is to use these worship elements as part of the worship services during NYC, which gives youth the opportunity to help shape what worship looks like. Find the submission form at https://forms.gle/UP9Y5et17G1FANdz5. Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@brethren.org with questions.
*Six Illinois/Wisconsin congregations (Canton, Highland Avenue, Naperville, Neighborhood, Peoria First, and Springfield First) have reported that they expect to have youth and advisors attending this year’s NYC. If you have members planning to attend and have not yet informed the district office, please do so as soon as possible. We will not have enough participants to do a bus, so congregations are working on local transportation options, with most likely flying to Colorado. The district Leadership Team has approved scholarships from the Youth Fund to aid the attendance of our youth participants.
YOUNG ADULT CONFERENCE
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2026
Our district Annual Conference briefing will be Saturday, June 20, at 10 a.m., via Zoom. We will share updates and the Annual Conference video, and our Standing Committee representative, Kevin Kessler, will provide insights on business coming to Conference this year and answer any questions. No registration is needed; a link will be provided in June.
For those who are unable to attend our district briefing, the Annual Conference office will also hold a virtual briefing on Wednesday, May 27, at 7 p.m. Central, also on Zoom. Registration for that briefing is required at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ZBmMbL8KTsuPXv9gR6Kz4w#/registration.
The Annual Conference office recently announced that advance registration for delegates will be $350 and for non-delegates $175. Onsite registration is $425 and $210, respectively. Daily fees are also available for those not attending the full week. A virtual registration option will be available for $220.
The three official conference hotel options will range in cost from $128 to $135 per night plus tax, with a discounted daily parking fee of $8. Annual Conference registration and housing is open. All five daily worship services during the Conference will be available both in person and online free of charge to all registrants and non-registrants.
A special discount is being offered for congregations that have not been represented at Annual Conference since 2019. The Program and Arrangements Committee is providing this registration discount for in-person attendees (delegates and nondelegates). The discount will only apply to advance registration for in-person attendance at the full Conference. It will not apply to onsite registration. To take advantage of this discount, contact the district office for more information. The special rates are $75 for non-delegate registration and $150 for delegate registration, plus fees.
Attendance for the virtual portions of the Conference are offered at no charge this year, thanks to generous contributions from Living Stream Church of the Brethren and Pacific Northwest District. This gives people who cannot attend in-person the opportunity to engage in business, a number of Equipping Sessions, and the Wednesday evening concert featuring Brethren musicians—all virtually. Those wishing to participate virtually still need to register to gain access to the streaming platform. Virtual attendees are encouraged to make a donation to the ministry of Annual Conference as an expression of appreciation. Donations can be made at www.brethren.org/giveAC.
Annual Conference organizers have announced the preachers for the five daily worship services to be held during the Conference. Each worship service will focus on a theme and symbol from the Church of the Brethren’s biblical heritage. Speakers will be asked to reexamine and reappropriate historic Brethren themes for our time. They include moderator Don Fitzkee, Sunday evening; Beth Jarrett on Monday evening; James Washington on Tuesday evening; Becky Zapata on Wednesday evening; and Caleb Kragt on Thursday morning.
The Nominating Committee of the Standing Committee of district delegates to the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference has announced the ballot for the 2026 Conference, topped by Amy Gall Ritchie of North Manchester, Ind., and Gilbert Romero of Glendora, Calif., as candidates for moderator-elect. Complete biographical information for all nominees is online at www.brethren.org/ac2026/business/ballot and will be printed in the Conference booklet.
The business agenda for the conference has been announced. Along with numerous reports and the ballot, the delegate body will receive an interim report from the Review and Evaluation Committee and will consider four items of new business: resolutions on weapons transfer and care for immigrants and refugees, polity adjustments for licensed and commissioned ministers, and the yet-to-be-announced recommended cost of living adjustment for the pastoral scale.
From the Annual Conference usher coordinator: During worship we need volunteer ushers to help receive offerings and record attendance. Congregations in the Fort Wayne area will usher at Sunday’s worship, while Manchester University students and alumni will do so Tuesday. While an important role in our worship services, ushering requires very little time and does not take away from participating in the rest of the worship service. You will be able to sign up when registering for Annual Conference and/or at the usher table when you arrive and check in for the conference. Once you have registered for conference, please follow the links to sign up to volunteer as an usher. You can also reach usher coordinator Angela Finet at angelafinet50@gmail.com with your congregation name, and your affiliation (if any) with Manchester University. Please use “AC usher” in the subject line. She can also be reached at 717-916-4694.
As of last report, the following congregations from our district have registered delegates: Canton, Dixon, Freeport, Lanark, Mount Morris, Naperville, Neighborhood, Polo, Springfield First, and York Center. We encourage other congregations to consider sending delegates to this important meeting in the life of the church. Find more details and register at www.brethren.org/ac2026.
DISASTER RESPONSE
We invite continued prayers for the community of Lena, Ill., located just about five miles north of our Yellow Creek congregation near Pearl City. Lena was hit by an EF-2 tornado on Friday, April 17. The Yellow Creek church building had some water in the basement, but otherwise we are not aware of any Church of the Brethren members directly affected by the storms. Lena, however, experienced some significant damage, although there were thankfully no fatalities. Several other tornadoes also hit Illinois, including one near Rockton in Winnebago County and others in the east-central part of the state. Pearl City also experienced trees down and some other damage from storms during the week. Brethren Disaster Ministries and our district disaster coordinator, Rick Koch, have been monitoring for any possible response needs.
Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM) is transitioning toward recovery from 2024’s Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. In April it began serving survivors in Ashe, Henderson, and Transylvania counties. For more than three years, beginning in October 2022, BDM ran shortand long-term projects in Kentucky to respond to devastating July 2022 flooding in the south and southeastern part of the state.
BDM also ran a one-week project April 26-May 2 in western Maryland’s Allegany County in response to a flash flood that occurred in May 2025 and resulted in extensive damage.
Our district’s volunteer week this year has shifted to the summer, in late August/early September.
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
• Upcoming courses from the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership include “Multivocational Ministry,” online, Aug. 19-Oct. 13, led by John Fillmore (registration deadline July 22), 2 CEU’s available; “Cultivating an Everyday Faith,” online, Sept. 23-Nov. 17, led by Joan Daggett (registration deadline Aug. 19); and “Introduction to the New Testament,” online, Oct. 21-Dec. 15 (registration deadline Sept. 16). Register and pay online at Brethren Academy Course Registration/Biannual TRIM Payment | Bethany Theological Seminary (bethanyseminary.edu).
• Lombard Mennonite Peace Center offers a variety of training sessions. Upcoming options include “Peaceful, Productive, Pastor-Parish Relationships,” May 14 via Zoom; “Conflict Transformation Skills,” June 10 or Aug. 26 via Zoom; and “Strengthening the Body of Christ,” Sept. 16 via Zoom. For details and registration information, go to https://www.lmpeacecenter.org/trainings. LMPC has also begun offering free quarterly clergy roundtable events. Watch their website for details on future roundtable opportunities.
• New Community Project continues to offer learning tours to “Go. Meet. Learn. Grow. Change – yourself and your world.” Upcoming trips include: Lybrook, N.M., July 8-14 (Dineh (Navajo) life and culture, Chaco Ruins, magnificent vistas, medicine woman, daily work around the site); Denali/Kenai Fjords, July 27 – August 4 (hiking, wildlife (sheep, moose, bears), volunteer day at dogsled kennels; whales and puffins along the coast); Yellowstone/Tetons, early August 9-16 (thermal springs, waterfalls, bison, 'mazing mountains, camp and hike); Nepal, January 12-24, 2027 (hosted by Shakti Samuha, learn about human trafficking and meet survivors; visit Chitwan National Park (rhinos!)). Find more information at www.newcommunityproject.info or contact dradcliffncp@yahoo.com.
• The 53rd annual Brethren Bible Institute, sponsored by Brethren Revival Fellowship, will run July 27-31 on the campus of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College. Courses include “Introduction to Theology,” “The Book of Psalms,” and “Women in the Early Church.” Cost is $125 for commuters, $300 with on-campus food and lodging. To register, write to Brethren Bible Institute, 155 Denver Rd., Denver, PA 17517. Deadline is June 25.
• Designed particularly for ministers new to the Church of the Brethren denomination, Bethany Theological Seminary’s new certificate of achievement in ministry studies (CAMS) includes six courses that focus on Brethren history and theology, practical experience with the ordinances and preaching of the church, biblical interpretation, and peace studies. The certificate can be completed in two years or even one year, depending on course offerings. Five of the six courses can be completed at a distance. For more information go to https://bethanyseminary.edu.
