July 18, 2019
In Our Prayers
Don Driver
District Service Ministries
Dale Bowers, District Service Ministries Team, with wife, Lisa.
Paul Davis, Advisor
District Capital Campaign
We are called to prayer this week by 2019 District Conference Moderator George Bowers for District Service Ministries Team Don Driver and Dale Bowers, and also pray for the District Capital Campaign and Advisor Paul Davis.

The Global Mission and Service Office prayer focus this week includes:

  • United States/Nigeria - Give thanks for the safe travels of numerous leaders and members of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) who attended Annual Conference and other activities in the United States.
  • Haiti - Pray for the 34 Church of the Brethren members traveling to Haiti this week to learn about and celebrate the Church of the Brethren’s presence in the country. They will visit congregations of Eglise des Freres d’Haiti (Church of the Brethren in Haiti) and hear from pastors about the church’s growth.
  • United States - Pray for Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) volunteer Nikifor Sosna as he joins the BVS team as orientation assistant. He has spent a year in BVS serving with Brethren Disaster Ministries in the Carolinas rebuilding projects. Pray for wisdom and energy as Nikifor helps new volunteers find their paths of service.
District News
In Our Pastoral Family
  • Ken Fox was ordained July 14, at Cedar Run
Pastoral Vacancies
Friends Run/Smith Creek - full-time, David Morris, interim pastor, congregational profile available
Leake's Chapel, Ken Dolan, interim pastor, congregational profile forthcoming 
Mill Creek - full time associate pastor, congregational profile available
Pine Grove - Pastor G. Scott Payne announced his resignation, effective Dec. 31, congregational profile forthcoming

Pleasant Hill - part time, Janet Elsea has announced her resignation, effective July 2019

Waynesboro - full-time, Dot Mellot, interim pastor, updated congregational profile available
Annual Conference:
'Compelling Vision' Process Continues
The 2019 Annual Conference concluded with a worship service on Sun., July 7, after three days spent focusing on questions ranging from "When you dream about the church of the future, what do you hope the manner of our living conveys at that time? " to "What have you heard during the visioning conversations that excites you or gives you hope about our future as the Church of the Brethren?" 1 The majority of the business this year was conducted around tables where delegates discussed a series of questions like these in order to generate comments and insights to help identify a Compelling Vision for the denomination. The 'Compeling Vision' Processing Team has taken all of the input from these discussions and will be compiling and synthesizing comments over the next several weeks to articulate a 'Compelling Vision' statement for the denomination. Delegates to Annual Conference in 2020 will be entrusted with the responsibility of choosing to affirm the final 'Compelling Vision' statement or not. If affirmed, the vision will be "embodied by churches, districts and the denomination in the fall of 2020 and beyond." 2

Moderator Donita Keister's opening remarks reflected on 2 Cor. 5:12-21 and she declared "The church of Jesus Christ is here to stay!" Likening the denomination to an ash tree that is under attack from the Emerald Ash Borer, she noted that what is under the skin of the tree is what causes its death, and in the same way, it is what lies under the 'skin' of our churches that causes damage to our fellowship and our witness to the world. Similar to interventions for ash trees, past treatments have also not worked well for the church. She noted, "We need the right treatment."

Keister observed that part of the right treatment is to be compelled by Christ's love for us and to be upheld by His transforming power. However, this will require humility.

Additionally, she emphasized the reconciliation process in finance requires that one know where they stand with the bank, know the way forward and enter the adjustments on the balance sheet. QuickBooks users in the audience immediately recognized the example she used for reconciliation of a bank statement. The software guides users to return to reconcile when things do not add up. Adjustments must be entered for a true balance to be achieved. In a similar manner, churches must return (persist) to reconcile (forgive), identify the adjustment that is needed and bring the account into balance. If these things are not taken care of the discrepancy will appear again on the computer screen, and by extension, in the conversations of our churches. There is a 'Help' button for bank statement reconciliations for a reason, and in the church, conflict is a reality, which causes the body of Christ to ask for His help.

Shenandoah District's own Jonathan Prater (Mt. Zion-Linville) led evening worship on Thursday, July 4. His message began with the story of a homeless man that did not want the preacher's money, but instead wanted Jesus. Prater posed the question, "How do you feel about those outside the scope of the church?" He demonstrated how Apostle Paul felt about the lost he knew from Romans 9:1-3. Paul was overcome with great sorrow and anguish, even wishing he could trade his own salvation for the salvation of his kinsman. Prater observed, "... when we disconnect people from the Gospel, we stop seeing the people and start seeing the condition." Remembering his own experience someone who did not know Christ, Prater said, "There is no way I could have engaged this person in such a way if my driving force was anger and aggravation. I needed to feel the heart of God before I could deliver the message of God." 

In Romans 10:14-16, Prater noted there is a progression for reaching others: "Christ sends heralds; heralds preach; people hear; hearers believe..." Heralds need three things, an authority, a message and an audience, he observed. In Christ, there is authority and a message to bring to the audience, the world. While he was speaking, two women came onto the stage and washed each other's feet. Prater suggested the concept of feetwashing, which has traditionally symbolized humility, service and love, could also remind us that we are sending those feet we are washing into the world to take the Gospel message. The embrace shared after washing feet could be a form of sending: "Go friend into a world that needs you, needs a herald, needs a message, needs the Love of God- and preach."

The business session came to a close Saturday afternoon and Love Feast was held afterward for anyone who wished to participate. Hotel regulations precluded water be used in the basins for feetwashing, so moistened towelettes were used instead. A simple meal of a slice of bread, with packets of peanut butter, jelly and butter to spread on it, along with a container of applesauce and a bottle of milk to pass around the table was offered. Then the traditional grape juice and bread communion was shared. This was the first full Love Feast to be shared at Annual Conference in decades.

Next year's Annual Conference will be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wednesday, July 1 through Sunday, July 5.

For more information, go to: www.brethren.org/ac
Annual Conference Statistics
The final total registration number for the 2019 Conference included 677 delegates and 1,478 nondelegates.

$50,928.49 was received in offerings for the following needs:

  • $13,212.01 for Brethren Disaster Ministries work in Puerto Rico
  • $11,383.41 for Church of the Brethren core ministries
  • $11,152.16 for church rebuilding in Nigeria
  • $8,171.35 for age -group activities at Conference
  • $6,799.56 was received in the Sunday morning offering for “Calling the Called.”*

$7, 595 was raised for hunger relief at the Association for the Arts Quilt Auction.

165 pints were collected by the Annual Conference Blood Drive in onsite donations.
2,155

*"Calling the Called" workshops are sponsored by the Office of Ministry and are held in various districts throughout the denomination with the goal of providing people the opportunity to discern their calling in ministry.

Ethics Classes Added
Shenandoah District pastors who have not yet registered for the required training in ethics now have an additional classes from which to choose. The Mid-Atlantic District will host Ethics Training with Jim Benedict on Wed., Sep. 11, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Westminster, Md. , at the Mid-Atlantic District Office located at 19 Bond Street . Register by emailing AAMAD@brethren.org , subject “Ethics Training (Westminster).” The deadline to register is Fri., Aug. 23. There is a $20 fee payable in cash or to “Mid-Atlantic District” which covers costs associated with the training, including a workbook. Participants should bring their Bible; .5 CEUs will be granted by the Brethren Academy to registered participants. Lunch will be out, on your own, or bring a bag lunch. More information may be found here .

The Atlantic Northeast District also has an Ethics Training planned for Oct. 19, beginning at 9 a.m. at Hempfield congregation ( 1186 Stehpens Street , Manaheim, Pa.). Anyone desiring to attend this training will need to contact the Atlantic Northeast office by calling (717) 367-4730.
District Churches are Growing
Praise God for five new members at Antioch: Nadine Hunt, Mac Hathaway, Matt & Kay Helsley, and Lori Mumaw. Also praise for two baptisms: Nadine Hunt and Katie Funkhouser. 

Johnny Hawkins reports that eight persons became members of Cedar Grove-Ruckersville by letters of transfer in June.
Third Thursday Specials
Free Resources Available
Calvary Church ( 578 Front Royal Pike , Winchester) has several types of Sunday School materials available. Contact Carmen Taylor , if you are interested.
CROP Hunger Walks Turn 50 This Year
This is the 50 th  anniversary of  CROP Hunger Walks that help end hunger by raising funds to support local food programs and the international anti-hunger work of Church World Service. For over 30 years, Bridgewater College and the local community has sponsored what is now called the Bridgewater/Dayton Area CROP Hunger Walk. 
 
In recognition of this golden anniversary, your congregation is invited to participate in this year’s CROP Hunger Walk on  Sun., Nov. 3  at 2 p.m. at the Bridgewater Town Center. All materials are provided and all that’s needed is one individual from each church to promote and recruit for the CROP Hunger Walk in their congregation. If interested in participating or more information, please contact Bridgewater College Chaplain Robbie Miller at  rmiller@bridgewater.edu .
Events at the District Office
Please take note of the following meetings and events scheduled for the District Office:  

  • July 18, 11 a.m., District Office staff meeting, District Office; phones unanswered
  • July 25, 11 a.m., District Office staff meeting, District Office; phones unanswered
  • Aug. 1, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., District Office staff meeting, District Office, phones unanswered
  • Aug. 9, 11 a.m., District Office staff meeting, District Office; phones unanswered
  • Aug. 12, 6:30 p.m., Ministerial Leadership Team, District Office
  • Aug. 12-16. Sarah Long out of the office for vacation
  • Aug. 15, 11 a.m., District Office staff meeting, District Office; phones unanswered
  • Aug. 19, 6 p.m., Disaster Auction Committee, District Office
  • Aug. 20, 6:30 p.m., Gifts Discernment Team, District Office
Read last week's Update in full on our website . With the new format, a link is generated to the Shenandoah Update email newsletter and placed on our website (i.e., go to www.shencob.org, choose News & Events tab at top, then choose publications) which allows readers to go back an issue and find all the information published in previous weeks.

Your comments are welcome! Contact Brenda with your ideas and suggestions.
Mark Your Calendar
Through Aug. 11: Worship in the Woods , Summer Vesper Series, Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center Amphitheater , ( 1921 Heritage Center Way , Harrisonburg), 7 p.m. nightly.

  • July 21 Ron Wyrick
  • July 28 Scott Duffey
  • Aug. 4 Mountain High Rise
  • Aug. 11 Mount Pleasant Mennonite Youth Choir (at Weaver's Mennonite Church)

Aug. 3: Practice of Ministry Day-Ethics Training, Cloverdale Church ( 4708 Read Mountain. Road ,  Cloverdale ), 8:30 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. Two courses will be offered on this date: 
Course 1: For licensed ministers and students in the Christian Growth Institute (CGI) and other ministry training programs. Course 2: Advanced training for commissioned and ordained pastors. Contact  Sarah Long  for registration details. Deadline for registering is this coming Mon., July 22.

For a complete listing of alternative dates for Ethics Training,  click here .

Aug. 4: Blessing of the Backpacks Luncheon and Tie Dye event, Evergreen Church ( 645 Evergreen Church Road , Stanardsville), noon to 2 p.m. This event is for people in school, college students, teachers, pre-schoolers, school-aged kids, school nurses, principals, counselors, assistants, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, janitors, resource officers...and anyone else that educates or is educated. Bring a covered dish to share, your backpack or school badge...or just yourself! Tie dye items should be pre-washed.

Aug. 12: Missions Luncheon , Rev. Traci Rabenstein will address pastors at an informal luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Wood Grill Buffet in Harrisonburg . Rabenstein will share insights about the ongoing missions and ministries of the Church of the Brethren.

Rabenstein, director of Mission Advancement for the Church of the Brethren, is an ordained minister in Penn. The work of the Mission Advancement office is to educate and interpret the missions and ministries of the Church of the Brethren, to inspire financial support of that work, and encourage relationships between the General Office, the individual donors, and congregations.

LOOKING AHEAD:
Sep. 28: Emotional Well-being for Pastors, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Pleasant Valley Church
( 91 Valley Church Road, Weyers Cave), cost: TBD.

Oct. 13: District Conference Delegate Briefing, time and location to be announced.

Nov. 1: Fred Pryor Seminar for Pastors, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wakemans Grove ( 668 Wakemans Grove Road , Edinburgh), CEUs available.

Nov. 1: Milestones in Ministry with Paul Mundey, 5 to 6:30 p.m., Columbia Furnace Church ( 20910 Senedo Road , Edinburgh).

Nov. 1-2: District Conference, Antioch Church ( 23502 Senedo Road , Woodstock).
Youth News
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
July 21-26: Blue Ridge Chapel ( 19 Browns Lane , Waynesboro ), 5:15 to 8:30 p.m., dinner served nightly. The theme is " Roar: Life is Wild, God is Good!" For ages nursery through Adult. Call (540) 949-6915 for more information. Participants may preregister by clicking  Life is wild, God is Good! ROAR VBS 2019 .

JULY 26-27:  Mt. Vernon Church ( 90 Mt. Vernon Road , Waynesboro), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event kicks off with a movie night on Fri., July 26 at 6 p.m., featuring "Charlotte's Web." Children Pre-K through 9 years old are welcome. The theme is  " Yee Haw, Celebrating God's Greatest Gift " one-day Vacation Bible School. Older children are welcome as helpers. Pre-register with Samantha at (540) 430-9824 or call the church for more information, (540) 943-8101.
Summer Work Camps
The Workcamp Team lists the following vacancies this summer:

Senior High
Waco, Tex. - July 22-28 - 12 spots open
Portland, Ore. - July 29-Aug. 4 - 1 spot open
Washington, D.C. - Aug. 5-11 - 13 spots open

Find out more by visiting:    http://www.brethren.org/workcamps/schedule/
Brethren Woods
Last Chance for Summer Camp
Summer Camp at Brethren Woods is winding down. There are still opportunities for children and youth in K-12th grade to sign up for a camping adventure. A Christian summer camp experience can be life-changing as children, youth and adults gather in God's beautiful creation, grow together as Jesus' disciples, develop life and leadership skills and have good 'ole fashioned' fun.
 
Online registration is available at:   www.brethrenwoods.org/summercamp/ . Paper registration forms can be printed off from the camp website and are also included in the brochures that were mailed out in January.

Summer Camp Volunteers Needed
 Brethren Woods depends on a variety of volunteers each summer to serve alongside the amazing group of young adults working as paid staff all summer. Positions include camp counselors, support staff, activity leaders, kitchen and maintenance assistants, health managers and deans. Discounts are available for camper parents who volunteer. 

Go to:   http://brethrenwoods.org/volunteer  to apply and learn more.

Brethren Woods Annual Golf Blast and Elzie Morris Memorial
Registration for the Brethren Woods Annual Golf Blast and Elzie Morris Memorial is underway. The captain's choice tournament will be held on Sat., Sep. 7, at Lakeview Golf Course. The excitement begins with a putting contest and the purchase of mulligans at 7:30 a.m. The shotgun start begins at 8:30 a.m. Both individuals and teams may preregister. A delicious meal will be served at the end of the round and prizes will be awarded after lunch. The $70 cost includes participation in the golf tournament and lunch. There is an option to join the players for lunch. The cost is $8 for the meal only. Walkers are welcome to participate, especially if they just like to take a walk in the woods.  As it turns out many golfers get that experience, too!  There are also opportunities available to support the ministry at Brethren Woods by being a sponsor of the event. For tournament information visit  http://brethrenwoods.org/annual/golfblast/
Brethren Disaster News
Shenandoah District Disaster Ministries
Volunteers Needed
Another trip is planned for July 28-Aug. 3. The team will be going to Lumberton, N.C., to assist with ongoing projects there. Coordinator Jerry Ruff encouraged people to pray about serving during this week in Lumberton. Potential team members may contact Jerry Ruff  at 447-0306 or  Henry Elsea  at 271-1533 to find out more about becoming a member of the Disaster Ministry team.

In Other News
Brethren Disaster Ministries has considered moving a group to central Fla. to assist people there who are still recovering from Hurricane Michael. A Shenandoah District team may travel in late Aug. to assist with moving one of the two project sites to a Fla. location, Henry Elsea will have more information about this possibility in the coming month.

Building a Bridge - Photos from the recently completed bridge project in W. Va., courtesy of Henry Elsea, Jr.
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Shenandoah District Disaster Auction
Meal Tickets for Sale : The 2019 Shenandoah District Disaster Auction has several Share-A-Meal tickets remaining for the Oct. 13, 5 p.m. dinner hosted by the Disaster Auction Committee at Eddie Major's home ( 502 Sandy Ridge Road , Waynesboro) .

The menu will consist of BBQ chicken and all the fixin's. S pecial music after the meal will be provided by the Good Time Gospel Quartet. Eddie invites g uests to dress casually and come early to hike the trails near his home. The tickets are $20 each. For more information about the venue, contact Eddie at 943-1244.
Church Development and Evangelism Tips
The next time you wash another's feet, think about those feet being sent by God with good news to people who living in darkness and longing for light. Be willing to acknowledge the gifts and callings of those closest to you and do all you can to support them in expressing their gifts. Pray for God to use you and your congregation within your immediate vicinity to make Christ known.
Brenda Diehl
Calvary
(with inspiration from Jonathan Prater's
Annual Conference message)
Job Announcement
The Church of the Brethren is seeking an individual to fill a full-time salaried position of Director of Intercultural Ministries. The Director of Intercultural Ministries is part of Discipleship Ministries team and reports to Director of Organizational Leadership and Co-Coordinator for Discipleship Ministries. This position is based at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. Click here to learn more.
Upcoming Classes
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15, NIV).

The Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center will offer a TRIM level course,  The History of the Church of the Brethren . This class will be a two-weekend intensive class, on-site in Elizabethtown, Pa., on Sep. 27-28, and Nov. 15-16, with Jeff Bach as the instructor. TRIM/EFSM students will receive one credit in Ministry Skills upon completion. Continuing Education students will receive 2.0 CEUs. This course is also available for laypersons for their own personal enrichment (PF). See details below for CEU or PR: 

Please use this link to go directly to SVMC's website to access the brochure and registration form. The registration deadline is August 15 . The registration form must be mailed to the address on the form.

Persons interested in taking an TRIM level course for continuing education credit (CEU) or personal enrichment (PE) may enroll as a student and select their category (CEU or PE) upon registration. 

Successful completion of the course requires
  • Meeting the attendance requirement set by the instructor,
  • Completion of the assigned reading,
  • Engagement in the course through participation.

A CEU or PE student is not required to complete assigned papers or exams.  However, any student who completes papers or exams can expect feedback from the instructor. CEUs are awarded after the instructor has notified the Brethren Academy of successful completion of the course. Questions about taking an Academy course for CEUs or personal enrichment may be directed to Academy Director, Janet Ober Lambert at  oberlja@bethanyseminary.edu  or 765-983-1820.

The Christian Growth Institute (CGI)  New Testament class is set for Aug. 10, 24, and Sep.7. The instructor is Pastor Tim Craver of the Summit congregation. Please mark your calendars. Cost is $75 plus books. If you have questions about CGI, contact Sarah Long at  sarahlong@shencob.org . 

Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership is offering two classes this fall:
  • Death and Dying, Sep. 4 through Oct. 29. This 8 week online course will explore how pastors can teach and model a faith that informs dying, including ways to attend to God in suffering, grief and end-of-life care. 2.0 continuing education units are available for completion of this course. Cost: $295. Register by clicking here.
  • Interim/Transitional Ministry: More than Mere Maintenance, Sep. 25 through Nov. 19. This course is a practical exploration of the gifts and challenges specific to interim/transitional ministry. We will explore the necessary tasks for success and the personality characteristics most helpful to develop for the practice of this specialized area of congregational leadership. We will examine the unique calling of persons to walk with congregations in both short term and long term intentional ministry situations.
  • Introduction to New Testament, Oct. 16 through Dec. 3. Instructor: Matt Boersma. Online Registration deadline: Sep. 11. The Church of the Brethren has long held that it has “no creed save the New Testament.” Yet the New Testament itself is a collection of books and letters of a wide range of genres, none of which resemble a traditional creed. This course will look at the various books of the New Testament, explore the world which created these texts, and look at how the texts may have interacted both with each other and the Hebrew Scriptures. In addition, what the ancient authors of the texts might have been trying to say to their audiences as well as what they are still saying today, will be examined. Cost: $295.
At Your Service
Questions?
Contact Brenda Diehl
Director of Communications