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What We Believe
Our lives must bear fruit. Doctrine isn't just stored as head knowledge, but created through a life that testifies of Jesus Christ as Lord. For this reason, Brethren Life, like Brethren Belief, centers on Jesus Christ…
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Recent Articles
On April 9th, over 20 pastors gathered at North Manchester for a time of encouragement and dialogue about their local ministries in their local Brethren churches. The day started with some simple and intimate worship led by Tom Schiefer, who reminded us that God can hear all of our prayers at once, which is a common way for people in other cultures to pray. Miles Larson then led those gathered through a time of celebrating one another, reminding us that we have a responsibility to encourage one another in the hard work of ministry, both with urgency and consistency, as the writer of Hebrews shares. Before moving into a time of identifying some of the significant local challenges we are all facing, elders shared a meal and discussed resources, books, and other tools that we use to inform our ministry, how we’re continuing our education, and staying committed to sharpening ourselves in ministry. In the final part of the meeting, Steven Cole gave an update on several efforts of The Brethren Church on the national level and many ministry developments to celebrate. Following that, about half of the pastors gathered went to golf on a beautiful spring day in Indiana. Our time together was encouraging and refreshing. There is much to celebrate in the continued efforts of The Brethren Church in the Midwest!
On April 20th, over 25 pastors, leaders, and families journeyed through the picturesque countryside of Bedford County, Pennsylvania, to spend a day of shared experiences, fellowship, prayer, and worship at Raystown Brethren Church. This event marked the Northeast Region’s fourth Missions & Ministry Day, and it was a powerful day for all involved. After a welcome time of coffee and donuts, the parade of awe-inspiring ministries began. Al Chamberlain, pastor of Raystown Brethren Church, started with a devotional word to remind us of the importance of having a vision and trusting God’s voice when we hear from him. Following that, Bryan Miller from Valley Brethren Church talked about how the “Seeds to Harvest” funds that the Northeast has made available to support the starting of new ministries are already proving fruitful in their community. The archery ministry that was started at Valley is blessing the children and adults in the community in surprising and powerful ways. Miles Larson, Director of Pastoral and Congregational Vitality, shared some of the exciting things coming out of the vitality office nationally, including the partnership with web company Postmodern Pulpit, the Brethren Pastors’ Orientation in June, the Certificate in Pastoring Transitions that will launch in September with Ashland Theological Seminary (ATS), and more. After that, Ben Frank, pastor of New Hope Church in State College, told stories of changed lives from their ongoing prayer ministry on Penn State’s campus and how a simple, consistent commitment to obediently position ourselves for service can bring transformation to desperate people. Scott Soden, Global Partners Coordinator, shared about his incredible 24-day trip around the world, traveling to the Philippines and South Africa. During the trip, he and several other Brethren Elders and pastors were able to gather, fellowship, and even ordain the first group of Brethren Elders ever in South Africa. He also unpacked some of the excitement about the new vision statement and how this is already shaping the future of The Brethren Church. Finally, TJ McLaughlin, Northeast Regional Resource Coordinator, and Richard Ringler, Director of Camp Peniel, rounded out our time with some camp updates and regional discussions specific to the Northeast. Perhaps most powerful was the time of worship and prayer after lunch. The Holy Spirit was heavy with the people gathered there as they sang and prayed. The Northeast Region Mission & Ministry Day is just one of the regularly scheduled opportunities people in the Northeast have to gather and fellowship in celebration and support of the works to which God is calling his people.
On Saturday, April 20th, beautiful Camp Bethany hosted a reunion of campers who slept there in the tents in Camp Bethany's earliest years! Those in attendance camped way back in 1959, the very first year that Camp Bethany hosted overnight campers. Some of the tent campers were ‘there’ via Zoom! Many brought in photos and other memorabilia from their camping days to share. Everyone had an opportunity to share their name, what Brethren Church they attended when they were campers, and a memory. Of course, much more was shared, tears were shed, and God received all the glory! Reflecting on the day, here’s a text from one of those who attended: “I can’t stop thinking about Saturday and just what a wonderful time I had. It was so very special in every way. . . . When I saw the invitation, . . . I had no idea what a wonderful time was in store for all of us; so many warm memories.” Sherry (Barnhart) Van Duyne and Sherry (Shannon) Fabian led us in singing some of the old camp songs! We remembered the Camp Bethany cooks and enjoyed a delicious lunch made by Paula Strickland. The names of many of those who volunteered as Camp Staff were mentioned. Ken VanDuyne gave a very interesting and informative presentation about Camp Bethany's early history, showing us pictures of the Camp in its earliest days! Following that, the Camp Board provided information about the many ways to support Camp Bethany, including IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, wills or bequests, retirement plans, investment accounts, life insurance, and more. Kenton VanDuyne, Camp Director, served as photographer for the day. We want to acknowledge that the Camp Bethany Board members & the North Central Region Leadership Team of The Brethren Church cooperated together to sponsor this event, and we extend a heartfelt thank you to both Camp Bethany and the North Central RLT. If you have questions, please get in touch with me, Lynn Mercer, who thoroughly enjoyed planning this Reunion (937-441-9771 or class_of73@yahoo.com ). We thank God for bringing each one of us to Camp Bethany when we were younger & we thank God for bringing us together for a great day of celebration! As a promotional article stated prior to the camp's dedication in 1959, “(This is) an ideal place to worship God. . . . We can rest assured that many will find Christ as Savior here.” True! True! True! Lynn Mercer Pastor, First Brethren Church of West Alexandria (OH) North Central Regional Leadership Team
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