The Reflector - August 2026
Saturday, August 01, 2026
The Village ILWIDIot
Walt Wiltschek
“Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” —John 13:34b, NRSVue
Among the various congregational newsletters I receive, I recently noticed a story shared by a member who had drifted away from that congregation at one point and later returned.
What drew him back? It wasn’t a detailed congregational outreach strategy or membership campaign or even a concerted deacon visit. The draw was much simpler: caring and love.
He shared that his parents had attended the congregation for decades, and then his mother was diagnosed with advanced cancer. As she entered the nursing home, members of the congregation made a schedule to sit with his mother each evening when family couldn’t be present.
He wrote, “I saw so much love and care being shown to my mother by these women, and could see how much she appreciated their company.”
Over the previous decade, he had been attending the church only sporadically, but “These women’s expressions of love in action drew me back.” He’s been attending regularly ever since.2
In this time in our nation and world when it often feels that love is in short supply, can it really be that simple? Just show more love and caring to those around us? Jesus often seemed to think so, even naming it in the “greatest commandment.” At the very least, it’s a place to start.
In the words of the 16th-century Carmelite mystic and writer St. John of the Cross: “Where there is no love, put love—and you will find love.”
DISTRICT EXECUTIVE SCHEDULE
In addition to regular meetings, Walt will be conducting the installation service for Gay Bouwmeester at York Center (Lombard) on Aug. 16 and for Krista Dutt at Highland Avenue (Elgin) on Aug. 23; helping to lead worship and planning with the Madtown Brethren group in Madison Aug. 30; preaching for an outdoor service in Pennsylvania on Sept. 13; worshiping at Yellow Creek (Pearl City) Sept. 20; officiating a wedding in Peoria Sept. 26; and attending the district Hymn Sing & Ice Cream Social in Franklin Grove Sept. 27.
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!
SECOND NATURE
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)
“Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds . . . encouraging one another.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Beloved in Christ,
I spent many hours practicing the piano when I was growing up. At first, nearly everything required conscious attention. I had to count the rhythm, remember the fingering, watch the notes, and persuade my hands to move together. When I reached a difficult passage, I slowed down and repeated it, sometimes one measure at a time.
Gradually, the music changed in my hands. My fingers began to recognize familiar patterns. Chords that once required careful thought settled into place, and passages that had felt awkward became more natural. Practice had shaped my instincts. The music was becoming second nature.
Congregations develop instincts, too. Their character takes shape through repeated choices: how people welcome others, respond to need, share responsibility, make decisions, and offer their gifts. When someone unfamiliar enters the room or an unexpected need arises, a congregation’s response often reveals what it has learned to do together.
I see this in my own congregation, where hospitality and mission have been cultivated across many years. People notice when someone is standing alone and make room. When a need arises within the church or the wider community, the conversation turns quickly toward how we might help. These instincts have grown through years of opening doors, preparing meals, sharing resources, volunteering time, and learning to see our neighbors more clearly. No single act created them. Each one strengthened what was already taking root.
The writer of Hebrews understood that faith develops through shared action. “Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds,” the passage urges, while also calling believers to gather and offer encouragement.
Consider. Provoke. Gather. Encourage.
These verbs draw our attention outward: toward another person’s gifts, toward someone needing support or an invitation, and toward the courage we can strengthen within the community. Faith gains visible shape through what we choose to do together.
Perhaps this is part of what we mean when we describe someone as a “practicing Christian.” Prayer, worship, forgiveness, generosity, and service gradually teach our hearts the way of Jesus. For Brethren, the basin, the shared table, the work of peacemaking, and the patient circle of communal discernment have long carried conviction into embodied life.
What we repeat deserves careful attention. Some practices create communities in which people are seen, gifts are shared, and needs are met. A congregation may become quick to extend an invitation, respond when a neighbor needs help, or make room for someone new to participate.
Other habits can settle in just as quietly. The same voices may guide each conversation. New ideas may regularly meet hesitation. Invitations may remain unspoken because everyone assumes someone else will offer them. Repetition can wear grooves that eventually feel natural, even when they no longer lead us where we hope to go.
At the piano, a difficult passage called for slowing down. I had to listen carefully, notice where the movement faltered, and work through it one measure at a time. Congregations may sometimes need the same patience. We can attend to one relationship, one familiar habit, or one place where the rhythm of our shared life has become strained. Then we can begin rehearsing a different response: extending the invitation, sharing responsibility, listening more carefully, or making room for another person’s gifts.
What has become instinctive among us? Where might the Spirit be asking us to slow down and learn a new response, one measure at a time?
These questions also belong to our life as a district. We learn one another’s names by gathering, come to understand neighboring congregations through their stories, and become invested in shared ministries by contributing our time, ideas, prayers, and presence. A committee meeting, congregational visit, district event, or conversation over a meal can form relationships that reach beyond a single church.
As district conference approaches, each act of participation helps us arrive already knowing something of one another’s lives, recognizing one another’s gifts, and sharing hope for the future. The more often we practice being a district together, the more readily we look beyond our own walls and understand ourselves as part of a wider community of faith.
As this year of “Kindled Anew” moves toward its final months, let’s pay attention to what is becoming part of us. What difficult passage is asking your congregation to slow down, listen, and begin rehearsing a new response?
One measure at a time, the church we hope to become is already taking shape in what we choose to practice together.
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
Property & Assets Management Team, Aug. 26, 7 p.m.
Leadership Team, Sept. 8, 6:30 p.m.
Ministry Leadership Development Team, Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m.
District Hymn Sing & Ice Cream Social, Emmert Meeting House, Franklin Grove, Ill., Sept. 27, 2:30 p.m.
Program & Arrangements Committee, Sept. 30, 6:30 p.m.
Church Revitalization and Development Team, Oct. 17, 9 a.m.
2026 Illinois/Wisconsin District conference, Nov. 6-7, Polo (Ill.) Church of the Brethren
2027 District Potluck event, April 17, 2027, Cerro Gordo (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 Aug. 16: Pray for the Champaign congregation and its wide-ranging community ministries. Pray that all our congregations would be intentional about being “Jesus in the Neighborhood” and connecting with their communities.5
Week of Aug. 23: Pray for the Virden congregation, and for the Church of the Brethren in central and southern Africa: Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Uganda, and beyond.
Week of Aug. 30: Pray for the Peoria First congregation and its service ministries, including the ongoing “Mountain Mission” outreach in Kentucky.
Week of Sept. 6: Pray this week for the Girard congregation, and for the vital low-income housing ministry of Girard Area Homes.
Week of Sept. 13: Pray this week for current and former members of our district now living in other places, and for the Church of the Brethren in Haiti (Eglise des Freres) as it carries on despite the violence and unrest in that nation and immigration concerns at home.
MINISTRY NEWS
The search committee at Highland Avenue (Elgin) 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. The congregation approved that call with a vote on July 12. Krista will be formally installed as pastor during worship on Aug. 23.
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, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Congratulations to Laura Lipscomb (Springfield First), who began studies in the TRIM (Training in Ministry) program at Bethany Theological Seminary in July! Laura is currently in a discernment cohort at Springfield. Several others in the district are also in the ministry discernment process.
The pastoral compensation materials for 2027 are available from the denominational Ministry Office. An email went out last month, and you can find the materials online at Pastoral Compensation Tools – Ministry Office. A compensation calculator is also available there for those who might find it helpful. The recommended salary table for pastors, based on the denominational scale, includes a 4.2 percent increase over 2026 based on the national cost-ofliving adjustment.
Bethany Theological Seminary has announced generous new financial aid for students who are members of the Church of the Brethren. Beginning fall 2026, Bethany will offer full-tuition scholarships to members of the Church of the Brethren who are enrolled in a graduate degree or graduate certificate program. The new Church of the Brethren scholarship was made possible by Flourish: A Campaign for Bethany Theological Seminary, which has raised more than $12.7 million in gifts and commitments over the last three years. Student financial aid was a key focus of the campaign, and alumni and donors have responded with remarkable generosity. For more information about the scholarship, email Maya Armstrong or call 765-983-1844.
The denomination’s Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church program will be offering one more online listening session this 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. It will be Tuesday, August 26, from 6-7:30 p.m. Central (https://forms.gle/fuzTdcg5rc9KrpVj8). If you cannot make a session, a survey can also be completed at https://forms.gle/pG1BFAUY9MF22sdi9.
Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church also will sponsor “Practicing the Way: The Scripture Practice” this fall for multi-vocational pastors, using the book “Practicing the Way” by John Mark Comer. The Scripture Practice includes four sessions featuring video teaching, discussion, prayer, weekly exercises, readings, and additional resources designed to help participants develop life-giving rhythms as apprentices of Jesus. The four sessions are: Read; Meditate; Study; and Memorize. Each session lasts approximately 60 to 90 minutes. Sessions will meet on Tuesday evenings—Sept. 15, 22, 29, and Oct. 6—beginning at 6 p.m. Central. Register by Wednesday, September 9, by completing the online registration form.
Congregational vacancies/updates:
Cerro Gordo: David Biggs began as part-time interim pastor for a one-year period beginning May 15. The search committee remains active, and a congregational profile is available.
Highland Avenue (Elgin): The congregation on July 12 officially called Krista Dutt, who has been serving as part-time interim pastor since early 2025, as their full-time settled pastor. An installation service will take place Aug. 23, with district executive Walt Wiltschek officiating.
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 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.
York Center (Lombard): The installation service for Gay Bouwmeester as part-time settled pastor will take place this Sunday, Aug. 16, at 9:30 a.m. District executive Walt Wiltschek will officiate.
CONGREGATIONAL/LOCAL NEWS
Congratulations to Fletcher Farrar (Springfield First), who on June 4 received the James C. Craven Freedom of the Press Award from the Illinois Press Association. Fletcher is the long-time owner and editor of the Illinois Times in Springfield. The organization recently began a transition to become a community foundation as Fletcher steps out of the editor role. The newspaper prints about 20,000 copies a week for distribution. Kudos, Fletcher!
Congrats also to Harold Rose (Canton), who was named 2026 Parade Marshal of Canton’s Friendship Festival. Harold was recognized for his “decades of dedication to the students and community of Canton.”
And congratulations and best wishes to Wendy McFadden (Highland Avenue), long-time publisher of Brethren Press and Messenger magazine, who retired July 31. Wendy also received the Church of the Brethren Intercultural Ministries’ Revelation 7:9 Award at Annual Conference last month. Happy birthday to Anet Satvedi (Panther Creek), a retired ordained minister in the district, who will be celebrating his 90th on Aug. 28. A celebration with friends and family was held on Aug. 1.
Kourtney Cole (Chicago First) is among the recipients of this year’s Church of the Brethren Health Care Education Scholarships. She is attending Southern University Nursing School. In all, 10 scholarships of between $3,000 and $9,000 were awarded, totaling $75,000.
Canton carried out a significant renovation project over the summer, removing all the pews to renew and refinish the sanctuary floor. Canton answered the question of “How many Brethren does it take to move a pew?” with “As many as are willing to help!” … The congregation’s planned outdoor worship and picnic on July 19 ended up moving indoors due to weather and wildfire smoke.
Chicago First dealt with a major water break last month, when a pipe under the narthex burst on July 13. The church’s handyman/maintenance expert, Luis Casanova, was eventually able to repair the problem with some creativity, but only after a number of events (including Chicago First’s July 19 worship) had to be cancelled. Earlier, the congregation held a special Father’s Day worship (led by Rafael Boria) and picnic on June 21 in the adjacent community garden.
Dixon this summer has been giving members opportunities to share prayers for peace through “Prayer in a Bowl.” Members write their prayers for personal, community, and global peace on slips of paper that are collected in a bowl and held in prayer through the following week.
Freeport on Aug. 1 offered a back to school “Jesus in the Neighborhood” event, inviting neighbors into the fellowship hall for snacks, games, and backpacks and other school supplies.
The Madtown Brethren group (Madison, Wis.) will hold a worship/fellowship and planning time on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 10 a.m., at the Goodman Community Center in Madison. The house church group, which meets periodically, will be shaping its vision and setting dates for the coming year.
Mount Morris held an outdoor worship and breakfast at Camp Emmaus on July 19, with Jonathan Shively preaching. … Earlier in the summer, the congregation also held a “Bein’ Friendly” dessert gathering to meet those who live in their neighborhood. About 8 to 10 neighbors attended.
Peoria First is collecting school supplies for two local schools during the month of August. … The congregation also has an outdoor worship service and picnic scheduled for this Sunday at a local park.
Woodland (Astoria) supplies the community’s Blessing Box at the Shelf, providing nonperishable food for those in need in the area.
York Center (Lombard) is working on plans for a 75th anniversary celebration on Oct. 18. Details are still in the works. The congregation has recently been sharing photos and memories from past directories in anticipation of the event.
Several of our congregations have been having listening sessions and conversations recently regarding the use and future of their buildings. We hold them in prayer as they discern, envision, and explore.
Ecumenism Metro Chicago will hold a “Blessed Are the Peacemakers” ecumenical prayer service on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 6:30 p.m. at Fourth Presbyterian Church’s Buchanan Chapel in Chicago (115 E. Delaware Place). The event will mark the International Day of Prayer for Peace. The event will conclude with a peace walk on Michigan Avenue, with closing prayer in the church courtyard. All are welcome.
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.
DISTRICT HYMN SING & ICE CREAM SOCIAL
DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2026
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 as well as a worship time on Saturday.
Business this year will include the 2027 district budget, the slate of those nominated to district positions, and polity related to congregations that decide they no longer wish to be part of the Church of the Brethren, as well as reports from various agencies, organizations, and district teams.
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, although National Youth Conference will be highlighted during the sharing time.
Lunch will be available on Saturday for $20 per person, with Tuscan chicken and vegetarian options.
A service project will assist the local Lifeline Food Pantry, which has been an important outreach ministry for Polo Church of the Brethren. Started in the early 1970’s out of a resident’s garage, it has grown over the years to continue to support the growing population of food insecure families and individuals. Currently the pantry serves about 100 to 115 families a month feeding around 400 individuals. Changes in SNAP benefits and the increase in inflation continue to add new people to its client list. Most clients are employed unless retired or disabled; the majority are seniors or families with children. The food banks which were previously relied upon as the main source of supplies have less and less food to offer, forcing the pantry to buy a lot of its food. This year it added five raised garden beds along with beds at the Polo church to grow as much produce as possible.
The following items are needed: Toilet paper; any canned meat; juice; shampoo; body wash; deodorant; laundry soap; canned fruit; sugar; canned soups; spaghetti sauce; canned vegetables; ketchup; mayonnaise; cheese of any kind. Those attending conference are encouraged to bring some of these items to be collected as donations to the pantry.
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. Cost will be $20 per person, including lunch. The workshop will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a lunch break.
There is no official conference hotel this year. Instead, those attending who need lodging are encouraged to make direct reservations with one of the area hotels; the nearest are in Dixon, Rock Falls, or Oregon, along with some possible options near White Pines State Park.
Watch for more details in the weeks ahead!
DISTRICT POTLUCK EXPERIENCE 2027
DEPORTATION DEFENSE RESPONSE
This denominational effort, organized by five districts with large numbers of undocumented members in partnership with On Earth Peace and Intercultural Ministries, provides 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. In addition, a page on the denominational website shares information on the "Walking Together" resolution recently affirmed by Annual Conference, with resources, Bible studies, and other tools
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. 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. Specific prayers are asked for the Haitian Church of the Brethren congregations of our denomination, as the recent Supreme Court decision impacted about 300 members of those 10 congregations in Florida. These members are faced with difficult choices: to stay without legal standing, to leave behind spouses and children, to give up businesses and work here, to return to a country that is not stable or safe. Pray for them in this challenging time as they face choices that many of us will never face. And pray for the pastors who are providing care and support in the midst of the uncertainty. General secretary David Steele has issued a pastoral message titled “Standing with Our Haitian Church Family.”
CAMP NEWS
Both of our district camps had a successful summer season, drawing more than 200 campers between them over the past few months. We rejoice in their important ministry and community connections!
Camp Emmaus capped its summer season with women’s camp earlier this month, with 25 participants. Camp dates still upcoming at Emmaus this year include the following:
Sept. 4-7: Labor Day Weekend Family Camp
Sept. 19: Camp Appreciation Day and Celebration Lunch, starting 1 p.m. The day will also include an auction, a look back at summer highlights, and opportunities to hike and enjoy the camp.12
Note that Camp Emmaus no longer has a PO box. All mail should be sent to the camp at 3011 W. Camp Rd., Oregon, IL 61061.
Camp dates still upcoming at Camp Emmanuel include the following:
Sept. 4-7: Family Camp
Learn more at www.campem.com.
YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS:
NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE
The Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference, an every-four-years event, took place July 18-23 back at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado—a site it had used prior to 1990. The theme was “Light Within Us,” based on Matthew 5:14-16.
About a dozen youth from our district and several advisors, along with denominational staff and volunteers, were among the almost 700 people who attended. Congregations represented included Canton, Highland Avenue, Naperville, Neighborhood, Peoria First, and Springfield First.Speakers at the twice-daily worship times included Cindy Laprade Lattimer, Calvin Park, Keyon Williamson, Dianne Garcia, George Hopkins, Michaela Alphonse, Dennis Beckner, Kat Armas, Jeff Seace, and Brandon Grady. The schedule also included a welcome fest, a “spiritual scavenger hunt,” small groups, hiking and other recreation, service projects, and late-night activities.
We look forward to hearing more from our group at district conference!
JUNIOR HIGH SUNDAY is Nov. 1. Resources will be available on www.brethren.org this fall.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2026
The days included worship, business sessions, equipping sessions, meal events, service project opportunities (including a morning of “Sparking, Serving, and Stirring”), age-group activities, exhibits, a peace witness event, and more. A total of 1,675 people attended, either in person or online, a bit more than in recent years due to the central location.
Amy Gall Ritchie of North Manchester, Ind., was called as moderator-elect. Others called to positions included Natasha Beaumont (Lebanon, Pa.), Program & Arrangements Committee; Chad Whitzel (Madison, Wis.), Pastoral Compensation & Benefits Advisory Committee; Terri Welch Luzynski (Dayton, Va.), Mission & Ministry Board Area 3; Gretchen Zience (Seattle), Mission & Ministry Board Area 5; Adelia Lucatorio (Cranberry Township, Pa.), Mission & Ministry Board At-Large; Leslie Bolser (Richmond, Ind.), Drew Hart (Harrisburg, Pa.), Keri Ladouceur (Raleigh, N.C.); Steve Longenecker (Bridgewater, Va.), Dominick Peruso (Huntingdon, Pa.), Jeff Sheridan (Richmond, Va.), and Ben Walters (Cincinnati), Bethany Theological Seminary Board of Trustees; Kevin Boyer (Plymouth, Ind.), Eunice Culp (Goshen, Ind.), and Randy Yoder (Huntingdon, Pa.), Eder Financial board; Susuyu Lassa (Troy, N.Y.), Anesu Makufa (Leeds, U.K.), and Emmett Witkovsky-Eldred (Spruce Creek, Pa.), On Earth Peace board.
Other business included adoption of a resolution on weapon transfers, adoption of the resolution “Walking Together” related to supporting immigrants and refugees, adjustments to ministerial polity for licensed and commissioned ministers, updates from the Review and Evaluation Committee, and conversation about the ongoing Eder Financial-Everence merger, among other reports. Delegates approved a 4.2 percent cost-of-living adjustment to the pastoral salary scale for 2027. Find a full report at https://www.brethren.org/news/wpcontent/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/AC2026-WrapUp.pdf.
District congregations who sent delegates included 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.
The 2027 Annual Conference will be held later than usual, July 28-Aug. 1 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Find more details at www.brethren.org/ac.
DISASTER RESPONSE
Brethren Disaster Ministries (BDM) has opened a new rebuilding project site in Yancey County, N.C., expanding its long-term response to communities affected by Hurricane Helene in 2024. The site opened June 7, after volunteers served earlier this year in Ashe, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties. Yancey County was among the communities hardest hit by the storm. Historic flooding and mudslides destroyed homes, claimed lives, and left neighborhoods isolated as roads washed out and fallen trees blocked access. Power outages lasted for weeks in some areas, and emergency responders at times were forced to suspend operations because conditions had become too dangerous.
BDM volunteers are completing home repairs, constructing new homes, and helping finish two apartment units for Feed-A-Child, a local nonprofit. The apartments will provide temporary housing for families while their homes are repaired or rebuilt. Although Yancey County residents have worked tirelessly to rebuild and support one another, significant needs remain. The Yancey County project site will remain open through Aug. 15. BDM hopes to complete as much work as possible before the project concludes. Volunteer openings may still be available during the final week of the project.
As work in Yancey County winds down, additional rebuilding projects are planned across western North Carolina. A new BDM rebuilding site is scheduled to open Aug. 30 in Buncombe County, N.C., and remain in operation through May 15, 2027. Working in partnership with Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders, Brethren Disaster Ministries will serve qualified families identified through the organization by making home repairs and constructing new homes in the ROOTS Community Land Trust, a 50-home affordable housing initiative in Black Mountain, N.C., for families displaced by Hurricane Helene. Many lost not only their homes but also the land beneath them or rental housing they can no longer return to.
BDM also will return to Ashe County, N.C., for a short-term rebuilding project from Sept. 6 through Oct. 31. Working in partnership with the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, volunteers will make home repairs and build new homes. BDM previously served at this location during a two-week project in April 2026. Volunteer housing will be provided at the Ashe Baptist Campground.
Learn more about volunteering at www.brethren.org/bdm/rebuild/volunteer. Our district’s volunteer week this year is in late August/early September. Please be in prayer for those who are serving. Rick Koch, our district disaster coordinator, has said he plans to step down from that role at the end of this year. If you would have interest in serving, or know someone who might, please contact the district office.
Children’s Disaster Services, a program of Brethren Disaster Ministries, recently deployed a team of four volunteers to support families affected by the ongoing wildfires in Washington State. Brethren Disaster Ministries personnel continue to monitor the situation and remain in contact with local Church of the Brethren congregations and Pacific Northwest District leaders. According to Daniel Klayton, administrative assistant for Pacific Northwest District, firefighting crews have successfully protected structures—including homes and churches—in and around Tonasket, where the Whitestone Community Church of the Brethren and Ellisforde Church of the Brethren are located.
Earlier this summer, CDS volunteers aided the Kerrville, Texas, as the community commemorated the one-year anniversary of the catastrophic flood that devastated their town and the surrounding area. Kathleen (Kat) Fahrner and Katherine (Katie) Marshall joined with volunteers from CDS partner Child Life Disaster Relief (CLDR) and other organizations to help.
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
• Upcoming courses from the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership include “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).
• Tim Grove, retired social services worker and national expert in Trauma-Informed Care, will join the Ventures in Christian Discipleship program at McPherson (Kan.) College to present a special 2026-2027 season-opening online series titled “Creating a Better World: A deep dive into stress, trauma and resilience as a pathway to healthier people, families and communities.” This series is open to everyone. Unlike Ventures’ typical standalone courses, each of these six sessions builds sequentially on the last, so registering for the full series is highly recommended. If you miss a live session, course recordings will be provided so you can catch up in chronological order before the next class. We will explore five key concepts related to stress, trauma and resilience in the first five sessions and then spend a sixth “bonus” session talking about how these concepts influence the navigation of a complex, media dominant and politically charged world. Each virtual session will be two hours long, and recordings will be available after each session ends. The first session (Stress, Trauma, and Resilience: What’s In a Name?” will be Sept. 29, 6:30-8:30 p.m., and others will follow Oct. 6, Oct. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 10, and Nov. 17. Find full series and session details at the Ventures website: http://www.mcpherson.edu/ventures. Ventures sessions in 2027 will include “Speed Dating the Bible,” led by Debbie Eisenbise, Jan. 19 and 26; “Leading through the Storm: Leadership Wisdom for a World That Got Different,” led by Stan Dueck, Feb. 23 and March 2; and “Holy Play: Entering Divine Conversation with Nature and Expressive Arts,” led by Shana Leck, Apr. 10.
• Lombard Mennonite Peace Center offers a variety of training sessions. Upcoming options include “Conflict Transformation Skills,” Aug. 26 via Zoom; “Strengthening the Body of Christ,” Sept. 16 via Zoom; “Restorative Conversations,” Oct. 9, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. via Zoom; and “Behavioral Covenants” Nov. 13, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in Schaumburg, Ill. For details and registration information, go to https://www.lmpeacecenter.org/trainings. LMPC has also begun offering free clergy roundtable events. The next ones will be Aug. 20, 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and Oct. 21. 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: Nepal, January 12-24, 2027; South Sudan/Rwanda, May 11-21, 2027; Ecuadorian Amazon, May 28-June 3; Borneo June 9-17; and Lybrook, N.M., July 8-14. NCP also offers guest speakers, worship resources, Vacation Bible School materials, climate change materials, and more. Find more information at www.newcommunityproject.info or contact dradcliffncp@yahoo.com.
• 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
The Church of the Brethren has named John Fillmore as director of ministry, effective Nov. 2. As part of the denomination’s Discipleship and Leadership Formation team, he will lead the Ministry Office, equipping ministers, supporting congregations and districts, and strengthening pastoral leadership across the denomination. Fillmore has served as pastor of Nampa (Idaho) Church of the Brethren since 2011. He also serves as district executive for the Idaho and Western Montana District and as a circuit rider for the Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church program, supporting congregations and pastoral leaders across the denomination. Beginning Nov. 2, he will devote his ministry full time to the Church of the Brethren’s Ministry Office, working remotely from his home in Idaho. Fillmore earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northwest Nazarene University (Nampa, Idaho), a Master of Divinity from Bethany Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Portland (Ore.) Seminary at George Fox University. In addition to his congregational and district leadership, he has led numerous denomination-wide Zoom book studies. Fillmore succeeds Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, who retired in July after nearly nine years of service as director of the Ministry Office.
Rachel Johnson, who has been serving as National Youth Conference coordinator, will begin a one-year, part-time role as the Youth & Young Adult Ministries assistant on Aug. 24, working from her home in Pennsylvania. She will work remotely to support the programming and administration of Youth and Young Adult Ministries programs, providing extra denominational support to regional youth conferences of the Church of the Brethren. Rachel will build online registration forms and provide social media content creation for 2027 events, including Christian Citizenship Seminar, National Junior High Conference, and Young Adult Conference. She will also collaborate with groups responsible for planning regional youth conferences, offering administrative support, and planning consultation.
Beth Sollenberger is retiring from her role as interim director of administration for the Atlantic Southeastern District of the Church of the Brethren effective Sept. 30. Beth has served in this position since April 1, 2024. During her tenure Atlantic Southeast hosted a CODE event featuring the multi-cultural ministries in the district. She was also one of the district representatives instrumental in the creation of the Deportation Defense Response Team; following her retirement the DDR Mutual and Legal Aid Fund will have a new address, which will be announced soon.
JOB OPENINGS
Camp Alexander Mack seeks an accomplished relational leader, grounded in Christian faith to serve as their next executive director. This is a full-time, year-round position. This leader will serve as the chief executive of Camp Mack, providing vision, direction, and stewardship for all aspects of the organization. They will be equally comfortable engaging with campers and congregations, collaborating with board members, developing staff, managing budgets, overseeing facilities, and representing the ministry at large. For more information or to apply check out Camp Mack's website: https://campmack.org/serve/employment/.
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
The Mission and Ministry Board of the Church of the Brethren on June 17, approved a Statement of Intent regarding the future of the General Offices in Elgin, Ill., which is the denomination’s headquarters. The statement announces that “the board is exploring options for relocation of the denominational headquarters and will be pursuing the responsible sale of the current headquarters property.” The decision follows years of discussion by the board and other denominational leadership about changes affecting the Church of the Brethren in terms of congregations and membership, questions of how best to carry out the ministry of the denomination, and what responsible stewardship requires.
Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) Unit 339 began orientation on July 27. Thirteen new volunteers joined BVS staff at Inspiration Hills Camp in Ohio to prepare together in community for their year of service.
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.
Suely Zanetti Inhauser, 75, a longtime leader of Igreja da Irmandade (the Church of the Brethren in Brazil) alongside her husband, Marcos Inhauser, died on July 22 after living for some years with a progressive motor neuron disease.
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.
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.
