"That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
—2 Corinthians 5:19-20 | ||||||||
| Problems viewing this page? Need larger print? View as Web page | ||||||||
Minute for Mission
Worship, work, and refuge
"Dios los bendiga!" God bless you!
That was the greeting that reverberated through the sultry tropical air as I entered the terminal at Aeropuerto Internacional Las Américas in Santo Domingo. Those words rightly described my experience during the days spent with brothers and sisters from the global Brethren family who worship and work in the Dominican Republic.
I spent the first days at a pastors' conference with many of the church leaders of Iglesia de los Hermanos, the Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic. We met at Casa de Abraham, a beautiful Christian retreat center east of Santo Domingo.
The director of the center spoke of the devastation caused by Hurricane George in 1998. "Not a single tree, bush, or blade of grass remained on this spot following the hurricane," he said. "Every bush and tree you see here today was planted following that hurricane." The contrast between then and now is amazing. Today, the retreat center resembles what the Garden of Eden must have looked like.
One of the most striking things about the approximately 70 pastors and leaders who gathered at Casa de Abraham was the age of those who attended the conference. Most were in their thirties. The conference began with Bible study at 6 each morning and concluded with a lively worship service from 8 to 10 each evening. Retired pastor and district executive Earl Ziegler led a communion service at the conclusion of the conference during the Sunday morning worship service.
Brother Earl was one of a dozen Brethren workers from Pennsylvania and Maryland who were participating in a workcamp in La Descubierta, a small town near the Haitian border about seven hours west of Santo Domingo. The workers from the United States worked together with those from the Dominican Republic to complete the roof and do masonry work on a new church building there.
La Descubierta is an unpretentious little town, built on rocky ground at the base of the impressive mountains that mark the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Many of the houses there are constructed with flimsy materials unable to withstand the winds of a hurricane.
— Bob Krouse is a former Annual Conference moderator and pastor at Little Swatara Church of the Brethren in Bethel, Pennsylvania.
 Photo by Brian Sell.
Prayer appeal
Proyecto Aldea Global (Project Global Village) seeks to empower families throughout Honduras to reduce poverty and to build just, peaceful, and productive communities based on Christian values. Its project areas include education, health, civil society, agriculture, the environment, and microcredit. Executive director Chet Thomas shares his concerns and requests for prayer as the organization's work is endangered by Honduras' instability.
The name of Honduras means "deep waters," which aptly describes the current economic, social, and political dilemma the country is facing. Unemployment is very high, which is provoking the high crime rate found throughout Honduras. Country-wide insecurity is further fueled by much corruption in the government, police, military, and business sector.
Honduras needs quality leadership to give the country hope for the future. We ask for prayers for the new president and congress, that they will implement a massive cleanup and eradication of the infiltration of organized crime, gangs, and drug runners into sectors of Honduran commerce, society, and government.
We ask for prayers for the leaders of the churches and for honest leaders of the civil society that are trying to uncover corruption. We ask for prayers focused on helping the very poor of this country, as 70 percent of the population is classified as living below the poverty line. Pray for parents who struggle daily for food for their children and family, for safe communities to live in, for local schools providing a decent education to their children, for access to healthcare, and for solid opportunities for employment and economic improvement.
We ask for prayers for the 155-member staff of Proyecto Aldea Global as their work is affected by the situation of this country. Pray for safety for us to work and travel and for the protection of our families and communities.
We ask for prayers that God will address these problems and that He will heal this country once again.
BVS needs YOUR help!
Brethren Volunteer Service Survey
For 65 years, BVS volunteers have been serving in communities all over the world. We would like to receive your feedback and perspective on Brethren Volunteer Service through a quick online survey to keep the program relevant and dynamic. Your feedback will help us determine areas of focus and growth for the organization and set the direction and vision for the next 65 years of BVS!
*The survey will be available through February 15, 2014.*
Prayer requests
Pray for the people of South Sudan, for those living in fear of the ongoing violence and those who have fled their homes. Pray that the South Sudanese leaders may commit to peace. Pray for volunteer Jocelyn Snyder as she seeks to return to the country.
Pray for safety and health for global mission worker Athanasus Ungang in Torit, South Sudan, as he suffers from malaria.
Pray for the Dominican community of La Descubierta. Pray that the newly built church may be blessed as a place of worship and a place of refuge.
Pray for Carl and Roxane Hill as they return to Nigeria for continued service at Kulp Bible College. Pray for all of Kulp's students and staff as they begin a new semester.
To remember these and other prayer concerns, please print and distribute the February 2014 missions prayer guide.
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| "Minute for Mission" is published by Global Mission and Service, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 362;www.brethren.org/partners © Church of the Brethren Church of the Brethren is a non-profit religious and educational organization recognized by the Federal and State governments. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. Share this message with a friend |
Showing posts with label mission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mission. Show all posts
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Minute for Mission, January 28, 2014
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Minute for Mission, November 25, 2013
"That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
—2 Corinthians 5:19-20 | ||||||
| Problems viewing this page? Need larger print? View as Web page | ||||||
Minute for Mission
Tales of the faithful
Global mission workers Carl and Roxane Hill share encouraging stories as they finish another semester at Kulp Bible College
We are winding down our semester with only a few weeks to go. Besides classes, we have been going out almost every Sunday to preach and greet at local churches.
Last week we were in Gima, Mubi, and there were reportedly 1,370 in attendance there. It was really one of our best Sundays. The message was strong and personal, and Joshua (our student translator) did his best job as well. We received compliments from a retired EYN (Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria) pastor and member of EYN’s board of trustees. Roxane is scheduled to preach the English service next week in Uba, EYN Kalamada, and Carl and Joshua will handle the message for the Hausa service.
We are trying to be good ambassadors and always extend greetings from Church of the Brethren USA to every church we visit.
We'd like to share a recent experience we had with a real-life 'Paul' here in Nigeria:
One of our best students, a very mild-mannered and soft-spoken man named Danjuma, was in a police altercation last week. He was arrested and taken to the local jail overnight. Since he is such a good student, we decided to pay the fine to get him out. That evening Danjuma came to visit us and thanked us for paying his fine. He said it was the oddest thing — he was not causing any problems but the police began harassing him and would not stop until they had arrested him. He was calm through the whole thing and even had a vision of being in a cell. The exciting thing was that while there he had a chance to witness to another person sharing the cell. That person was a Muslim, and God really spoke to him through Danjuma. Danjuma was not upset over the humiliation of being jailed overnight and was in fact praising God for the opportunity to witness. He had been concerned about payment of the fine, so it was a real blessing for us to be able to help him out.
Teaching music and learning community
Brethren Volunteer Service and program volunteers Chris and Jenna Horgan recently entered their second year of service in El Salvador. Jenna shares her reflections.
Chris and I have lived in Suchitoto, El Salvador for a year, volunteering with El Centro Arte para la Paz (the Arts Center for Peace).
People often talk about "reverse mission" — this idea that the ones going to volunteer are the ones who will truly be served. There is so much truth to that. I came to Suchitoto hoping to help people, and in the process I have been helped. I have experienced genuine love and gratitude from my students, co-workers, and new friends. They have been amazingly patient with my Spanish — I have hundreds of Spanish teachers!
We have both had moments of frustration and strong emotion. Living in a small town where the average temperature is 92 degrees means that everything comes out. Sometimes we have felt stuck in a bubble, running into the same people over and over again. If we dislike someone? Tough, they still live here. And if we are tired and we just want to go home? Tough, we still have to say hello to everyone we meet along the way to our house.
But isn’t that community? Through the good and the bad, you still say greet each other. You acknowledge one another. You look each other in the eye and say, "I see you."
Our work has been varied. I have ended up teaching a bit of everything at the Center for Peace: yoga, English, poetry, and basic computer skills. I provide music education for kindergarteners through fourth graders both in our small town and in a rural community, and I direct the center's choir.
It's an odd mix of jobs, but the thing that holds it all together is that I am leading programs to which the children and young adults would not otherwise have access. Music, poetry, yoga, computer skills — these are things that are not usually offered in schools or universities, especially not for free.
In the midst of personal struggles with work and language and frustration with the broader problems of socioeconomic injustice and gang violence, I find myself walking down a cobblestone street in El Salvador and thinking, "there is no place I would rather be."
Chris and I are not in El Salvador changing the world in the grand sense that many imagine when choosing to volunteer. We are living, learning, and serving alongside the people who have become our friends. We are grateful for your prayers, thoughts, and support as we continue to walk this journey and share God's love.
Christmas card ministry
This service opportunity to spread Christ's love and peace is a great holiday activity for individuals as well as Sunday School classes and other congregational groups.
The Death Row Support Project invites you to send Christmas cards to inmates and bring a ray of hope and humanity to the darkness of death row. Contact drsp@brethren.org for a list of names and addresses.
Brethren Volunteer Service invites you to share Christmas greetings and well wishes with volunteers whose commitment to service has placed them far away from loved ones in the holiday season. For a list of names and addresses, contact bvs@brethren.org.
Prayer requests
Pray for victims of natural disasters. Pray for comfort and healing for all those affected by Typhoon Haiyan and the recent tornadoes across the American Midwest.
Praise God for a generous grant to the Haiti Medical Program, which will provide a vehicle and allow for more mobile clinics. Pray for a smooth process of purchase and registration for the vehicle so that it may soon ease the transportation of needed supplies and services.
Pray for the 75 Nigerian Brethren families who lost their homes in recent violence. Give thanks for the Nigerian and American Brethren who have reached out to the victims.
To remember these and other prayer concerns, please print and distribute the December 2013 missions prayer guide.
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| "Minute for Mission" is published by Global Mission and Service, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 362;www.brethren.org/partners © Church of the Brethren Church of the Brethren is a non-profit religious and educational organization recognized by the Federal and State governments. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. Share this message with a friend |
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Minute for Mission, October 24, 2013
"That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
—2 Corinthians 5:19-20 | ||||||
| Problems viewing this page? Need larger print? View as Web page | ||||||
Minute for Mission
Opening hearts and homes in compassion
Global mission workers Carl and Roxane Hill share how the Brethren community has reached out to those affected by recent violence in Nigeria
As missionaries representing the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, it is always disturbing to hear reports of violence in our assigned region. Common to these outbreaks of violence in the past has been the burning of churches, attacks on local police stations, and even some killings.
While these attacks are terrible, and any loss of life is abhorrent, the recent attack on the community of Gavva West was different than the "normal" attacks. The Boko Haram's latest assault was responsible for not only seven deaths in Gavva West but also five more in a neighboring village. Besides these killings, 75 houses were burned to the ground, and the continued presence of these armed Islamic militants has kept villagers away from their valued farms in the midst of harvest season. In this agricultural society, the food produced on these farms is essential for survival in the coming year.
The questions for these displaced people are how will they eat, where will they live, and where will their children go to school? So far, EYN (Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria) members across the area have opened their homes and churches to provide help for these displaced families. To our amazement, even in the midst of all their suffering, we have observed their strong faith as evidenced by one man’s quote: "We are waiting on God to see us through." The people here are very grateful for the financial support from the Church of the Brethren in the United States.
Here at Kulp Bible College, we have seen firsthand how the effects of the violence have permeated EYN families. At a recent Sunday chapel service, several women from Gavva West were recognized, and as they stood, we were able to pray for them. The students (struggling to make ends meet themselves) and the staff began collecting food, clothing, and money for the victims. Our laundry person took in a pregnant woman, who then had her baby early due to all the stress (both mother and baby are doing fine). A displaced family is also staying in the home of the student who sells us eggs. This student, a converted Muslim himself, was able to help transport one of the men injured in the violence to a better hospital facility in Jos. The administrative secretary of EYN has taken in an entire family, and we were able to donate some extra mattresses from the Church of the Brethren houses so that they would have a place to sleep.
When we went to the nearest town to buy some suya (fried goat meat), we were able to talk to a man who had escaped from the village and hear his story. As we took our evening walk, we met and spoke with four displaced men going back to their temporary homes in the next village. We feel privileged to have been able to contribute small amounts of money to the individuals in each of these cases.
We know that many in the United States church have a special place in their hearts for Nigeria. A big "thank you" goes out to all those who have contributed through Global Mission and Service. We want to join with the American church in praying for the Nigerians, both those that are struggling to rebuild their lives as well as those who are reaching out to help them.
From Brazil to Bethany
Alexandre Gonçalves serves as one of the pastors of Igreja da Irmandade-Brasil (Church of the Brethren in Brazil). In late August, he began his master of divinity studies at Bethany Theological Seminary. He shares his story and his greetings here:
I came from a Christian home, and since my adolescence I have been engaged with the church. I always felt a strong desire to work with adolescents and young adults. After some time, I became a Sundayschool teacher and subsequently I went to a Baptist seminary, where I took courses in theology with an emphasis in Christian education.
While there, I met a professor who invited me to know the Church of the Brethren in the beginning of its mission in Brazil. In this church, I could experience a new way of living the Christian life, expand my biblical knowledge, develop communication skills, and engage in service to others
At the same time, I started to work in a nonprofit organization as a social educator with vulnerable children. Through this work, I could see big problems that affect children, such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, child labor and exploitation, and human trafficking. Therefore, I decided to attend many courses, trainings, and workshops about these issues. Some years ago, I became familiar with a program to prevent violence against children and adolescents called CLAVES, which means "keys." It is a program developed by Juventud para Cristo (Youth for Christ in Uruguay). Currently, I serve as one of its Brazilian representatives.
The Church of the Brethren gave me support to come back to college, and I earned a bachelor's degree in Science of Religion at Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas. I became a pastor, and I also started working as a consultant for the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence. I have been working with this project throughout many regions of Brazil. The church also encouraged me to complete my studies in theology. Therefore, I am now an M.Div. student at Bethany Seminary.
Such a decision has three reasons. First, Bethany is the seminary of the Church of the Brethren. Its line of study is based on an Anabaptist legacy. Although we do not have a historical Anabaptist tradition in Brazil, we are particularly interested in its position of nonviolence and communitarian interpretation of the Scriptures. Second, Bethany has a program in Peace Studies, which is deeply connected to my work in the prevention of child and domestic violence. Third, it is a great opportunity to strengthen the ties between the Brazilian church and the church in United States.
This new and important step in my ministerial life has been possible only because I received a scholarship from Bethany Seminary as well as financial support from Global Mission and Service, and for that I am immensely grateful.
Appeals for prayer and support
Pray for all those affected by the recent attacks in Nigeria, especially the families of those who lost their lives and the displaced who are trying to rebuild their lives. Support victims of violence through the EYN Compassion Fund.
Pray for the RECONCILE Peace Institute, which prepares leaders from throughout South Sudan for peace-building and trauma-healing in their own communities. RECONCILE staff are currently processing applications and selecting those to interview for scholarships. You can contribute to these scholarships here.
Pray for the Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic and for its members affected by a recent Constitutional Court ruling stripping citizenship from the children of Haitian migrants. Pray for the Brethren who may be deported.
To remember these and other prayer concerns, please print and distribute the November 2013 missions prayer guide.
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| "Minute for Mission" is published by Global Mission and Service, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 362;www.brethren.org/partners © Church of the Brethren Church of the Brethren is a non-profit religious and educational organization recognized by the Federal and State governments. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. Share this message with a friend |
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Minute for Mission, October 7, 2013
"That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
—2 Corinthians 5:19-20 | |||||||||
| Problems viewing this page? Need larger print? View as Web page | |||||||||
Minute for Mission
Please lift up in prayer all leaders and attendees of the first annual Assembly of the Church of the Brethren in Spainon October 11-12. Pray for sacred listening and wisdom as all involved prayerfully discern God's plan for the church. Pray for the two individuals being ordained and the two individuals being licensed for ministry, that God may direct their leadership.
Expanding learning: Montessori and EYN
Carol Smith recently settled in Abuja, Nigeria, to consult teachers and parents on using Montessori methods in the pre-schools of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN). The plan is to create a model classroom where teachers from schools throughout EYN can eventually visit and learn different ways of teaching and where parents can learn about and collaborate with the efforts of the teachers.
Carol explains the Montessori method as a scientific approach to education that is based on the developmental needs of children using observation, experimentation, and analysis. The method embeds meaningful contexts that provide frameworks and motivation for acquiring knowledge.
Given the values of peace, service, logical thinking, problem-solving, and empowerment that Montessori shares with EYN and the Church of the Brethren, Smith believes a Montessori system of education can help to raise children with the values of EYN. She states: "In view of the violence that currently faces the EYN church in Nigeria, it seems especially appropriate to consider moving towards a system of education that promotes peace and nonviolent problem-solving."
Here are Carol’s thoughts as she began work at the school:
I am happy to be back in Nigeria and on the brink of fulfilling a dream that I have had for a long time—a dream of bringing Montessori education to EYN. Yesterday I met with the teachers of Brethren Schools Abuja, and we practiced some simple presentations: how to roll a rug, how to take care of a book, how to do a puzzle (without dumping it), and The Pink Tower.
We discussed potential parental concerns, which led me to write couple of additions to my series of daily parent-education fliers that we will send home with the children during the beginning weeks. It seems that parents the world over think first of academics, often failing to appreciate the value of balancing academics with assets like a love of learning, initiative, decision-making skills, self-control, respect, problem-solving, confidence, independence, service, peace studies, creativity, and tools for learning.
The teachers want to start on Monday, and that is our plan. The children were ready to start two days ago when some of them saw me unpacking books and enticing materials! They called them toys and found it funny when I explained that the materials were not for playing but rather for working.
I can't remember any time when I tried to do something for which I felt more affirmed or affirmed by more persons, be it friends from church or strangers that I met while traveling. I am grateful to God, to the Church of the Brethren, and to EYN for giving me this opportunity. I pray that ultimately it will help to promote peace in Nigeria.
 Program volunteer Jillian Foerster (right) with RECONCILE colleague. Photo courtesy of RECONCILE International.
Transforming peace: A reflection from program volunteer Jillian Foerster as she enters her final months of service with RECONCILE International
There's a tall, unkempt man who paces the half mile between where I work and live. We often cross paths, and he's attracted to my different, un-African look. Several times I've deflected hugs and his methanol-scented breath by relying on the speed of my bike or the assistance of a friend.
This man is certainly not the only person who suffers from alcoholism in South Sudan. Many indulge in the strong, cheap sachets of low-quality alcohol that litter the ground. It’s easy to look at these individuals and ignore their suffering due to the threat they pose, or to criticize those who buy alcohol instead of paying their children’s school fees. Still, this is a symptom of a larger societal problem.
The impact from war is overwhelming, and everyone has a story to tell—even those who seem to be in better health. Generations have been permanently altered from decades of fighting. The fabric of South Sudanese society has seen so much trauma that it's torn almost beyond repair. This results in behaviors such as substance abuse, depression, suicide, violence in the home, and, more fatally, conflict amid communities. As we say, "trauma that is not transformed is transferred."
It has been inspiring to be a Brethren Volunteer Service worker in this community for the past two years, and to learn from my colleagues at RECONCILE, an indigenous, faith-based, peace-building organization. RECONCILE is intent on patching the broken pieces of this society through education, counseling, and other activities.
RECONCILE's work has already seen a reduction in suicides and gender-based violence, as well as transformation of individuals who were on the brink of becoming another town drunkard or of wandering the streets with mental illness. Many of those whom we have trained are working in their communities as peace builders, struggling to mediate inter-ethnic conflict and to talk to their church communities about the effects of trauma.
It will take years for South Sudan to rebuild, but the work of RECONCILE and other peace builders around the new nation gives hope and proves that no place, no matter its history, is forsaken by God.
Spreading God’s love in France
Kim S. of Florin Church of the Brethren in Mount Joy, Pa., and her husband Collin have been serving as church planters in northern France since July 2011. With support from the Church of the Brethren, Kim and Collin work with Greater Europe Mission to spread the word of God through daily interactions in their community and outreach efforts such as English classes, children’s activities, and coffee distribution. They describe their latest ministry and how Church of the Brethren members can lift them and their two young sons up in prayer:
We're very excited about our newest outreach initiative which is a Discovery Bible Study in our home. What we especially love about these events is that we can present the entire gospel message to a small group of seekers and then open it up for honest discussion. The attendees ask some of the most insightful questions and we do our best to introduce them to Jesus.
As we go about all of these activities, we pray that God will bring us into contact with those individuals whose hearts are ready to receive Him. You can pray for us, for effectiveness in our work. You can pray for safety for us and our family as we live in a very lively neighborhood. You can pray for God's Spirit to move in northern France and for many individuals to come to know Him.
Go to ablutionandatonement.
Service opportunity
John Braun, a Church of the Brethren pastor working to support trauma healing in the African nation of Burundi, invites you to join the THARS International Burundi Mission Work Camp (PDF) from February 12 to March 1, 2014. THARS (Trauma, Healing, and Reconciliation Services) International provides micro-finance grants, coordinates mission partnerships and work camps, and facilitates cross-cultural trauma healing training. The workcamp gives opportunity for many different tasks during construction of the THARS Training Campus near Gitega, Burundi.
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| "Minute for Mission" is published by Global Mission and Service, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 362;www.brethren.org/partners © Church of the Brethren Church of the Brethren is a non-profit religious and educational organization recognized by the Federal and State governments. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. Share this message with a friend |
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
To Zambia and Back II
Claire Devereaux was at the Whitestone church last Sunday to share her story about her trip to Zambia this past summer.
She brought some of the simple items which had been to Africa with her, and which had taken on so much meaning for her: work gloves, a hard hat, a bucket--all symbolic of the hard and joyful work of serving others in God's name.
Claire told us about her lifechanging trip. We learned how those work gloves and that hard hat were used in the building of a concrete bridge with culverts from start to finish--all by hand. We learned how that bucket and many others were used to carry the concrete--load after load--from where it was mixed--by hand. And we learned how that bucket was also used for personal laundry and bathing.
We learned about the daily tasks necessary for keeping life in their "tent city" going, like fixing meals and pumping water through a filter--by hand--for hours on end. We learned about their study time and prayer time. We learned about opportunities to teach the children, and to worship in the local churches. We learned about the chance to travel into the bush to see giraffes and elephants and hippos and crocodiles, and how their trip ended up at the breathtaking Victoria Falls.
We also learned about the culture shock experienced by Claire and every one of her team when they returned to the United States. Claire just shook her head, still trying to cope with a new perspective on the world and her own country's way of life. Her father, Dale, who went on a similar mission trip with Teen Missions 35 years ago, knows something about what Claire is going through. He said, "Most people here think you go over there to a country that's broken, and then come back home to the way things should be. But you come back here and realize your country is the one that's broken."
What's broken in this land of plenty is our ability to experience the depth of faith of people who depend on God for everything. As Claire said, "They're so thankful!...I just wish my friends here, when they complain about things, could just get perspective."
Thank you, Claire, for going to Zambia, and for coming to our church to tell us about it and to help us gain some of that perspective.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
To Zambia and Back
Claire Devereaux (in the middle) will be at Whitestone on Sunday, September 29, at 9:30 AM, to tell the story of her trip to Zambia this summer. Here are a few photos from the Teen Missions website to whet your appetite for what she will be sharing.
And just think for a minute: What impact might it have on a young person to take them to a completely different country completely out of their comfort zone...
To put them with other young people they have never met and to form them into a Christian community...
To create opportunities for them to interact with the people and culture of the land they are strangers in...
To put them to work side by side with the people they have come to serve...
In short, to give them a close up, real time, person-to-person view of a world they have never seen before?
It might just change their life! Come and hear Claire tell her story this Sunday.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Minute For Mission
"That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
—2 Corinthians 5:19-20 | ||||||||||
| Problems viewing this page? Need larger print? View as Web page | ||||||||||
Minute for Mission
Kendra Johnson begins as manager of Global Mission and Service office
 On September 3, Kendra Johnson began work as manager in the office of Global Mission and Service for the Church of the Brethren, based at the denomination's General Offices in Elgin, Illinois.
Kendra recently completed her term as a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) worker, serving as orientation assistant and staff volunteer in the BVS office. She began volunteering at the General Offices on January 16, 2012, after completing a term of service in BVS at the German Branch of Peace Brigades International in Hamburg. She also has been a youth care worker at Jugendhilfe Collstede in Westerstede, Germany, and served on a team of international volunteers rebuilding Palestinian homes with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.
She is a 2008 graduate of Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, where she earned a bachelor's degree in psychology, international studies, and German.
Please contact Kendra for any resources or assistance she can provide in helping your congregation and district stay connected with Global Mission and Service!
Position opening with Children’s Disaster Services
The Church of the Brethren is seeking an individual to fill a full-time salaried position of associate director of Children’s Disaster Services (CDS). The associate director is part of the Global Mission and Service team and reports to the director of Brethren Disaster Ministries.
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| "Minute for Mission" is published by Global Mission and Service, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 362;www.brethren.org/partners © Church of the Brethren |
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