Global Food Crisis Fund

View this message as a webpage Greetings from Global Food Crisis Fund! Click to read, print and share our latest newsletter, with information on community gardening, animal raising in Honduras, crops in North Korea, and ministry with the Twa (pygmies) in Rwanda. As you look for last-minute gifts for Christmas, consider GFCF alternative giving options. Thank you for your continued support and interest in Global Food Crisis Fund! Jeff Boshart Manager, Global Food Crisis Fund and Emerging Global Mission Fund jboshart@brethren.org  Share on Facebook  Share on Twitter

Newsline, December 6, 1023

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

Dec. 6, 2013 "The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood" (John 1:14, The Message). NEWS 1) Royer Family Charitable Foundation offers major support to Haiti Medical Project 2) Brethren Disaster Ministries opens rebuilding site in New Jersey, Illinois tornado clean up 3) Ministry Office offers information on clergy housing ruling, BBT involved in appeal through the Church Alliance 4) Seminary receives Lilly Endowment grant to improve economic well-being of future ministers 5) Crop breeding success in North Korea 6) Powerhouse 2013 gathers youth from the midwest region UPCOMING EVENT 7) ‘Pioneering in a Global Context’ webinar set for Dec. 11 PERSONNEL 8) Gather ’Round staff complete employment with Brethren Press and MennoMedia 9) Michigan, Atlantic Southeast Districts announce staffing changes FEATURE 10) Reflecting on the anniversary of Newtown 11) Brethren bits: Remembering missionary Rolland Smith, NCC general secretary, Camp Mack retirement, Workcamp Ministry seeks assistant, Ministry Summer Service applications, live nativities, dinners at John Kline Homestead, and more. Find the full text of this Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-for-dec-6-2013.html ******************************************** Quotes of the week “We will remember Nelson Mandela for his forgiveness he extended to his enemies and the perpetrators of apartheid, a quality very rare among many world leaders today.”  --  Agnes Abuom, moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee, in a release remembering the life of South Africa’s first black president, and leader of the anti-apartheid struggle. Mandela died yesterday at the age of 95. “Leader: Today we light the first candle of Advent, the candle of peace. All: We pray for peace to surround our relatives and friends. We will pray for peace in God's house.” -- From a Gather ’Round student book for Middlers, a prayer for the first Sunday of Advent. Gather ’Round is a Christian education curriculum from Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Students were invited to participate in a candle lighting and reading to mark the start of Advent. “How about using these readings in your regular congregational worship as well, inviting a child from your Middler group to be the leader each week?” suggests the Roundabout newsletter. Find candle readings for the four Sundays of Advent in the November Roundabout at www.gatherround.org/roundabout.html . On the Gather ’Round Music CD are songs for Advent and Christmas performed by Mutual Kumquat. Listen to "Get Ready" and "Go Tell It on the Mountain" via the link for the December Roundabout at www.gatherround.org/roundabout.html . “Order your copy today, and sing along this Advent,” invites Gather ’Round. Order from Brethren Press at800-441-3712. ******************************************** ANNUAL CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT: Nominations are still needed for six offices to be elected at next summer’s Annual Conference: moderator-elect, Program and Arrangements Committee member, On Earth Peace Board member, Brethren Benefit Trust Board member, Bethany Seminary trustee representing colleges, Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee member representing district executives. The Nominating Committee meets in early January, and the deadline to make nominations has been extended to Jan. 2. The Nominating Committee does not consider a nomination unless the person who is nominated agrees and fills out the Nominee Information Form. Nomination forms are online. To make nominations, go to www.brethren.org/ac . Information about open positions is at www.brethren.org/ac/elected-positions . ******************************************** 1) Royer Family Charitable Foundation offers major support to Haiti Medical Project The Haiti Medical Project is receiving a major multi-year grant from the Royer Family Charitable Foundation that will enable a doubling of the number of communities in Haiti that are served by mobile clinics. The grant in addition will help the project purchase a truck and will contribute to an endowment fund. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/royer-family-charitable-foundation-grant-to-haiti-medical-project-1.html 2) Brethren Disaster Ministries opens rebuilding site in New Jersey, Illinois tornado clean up At the same time that Brethren Disaster Ministries is closing out project sites following Hurricane Irene in Schoharie and Binghamton, N.Y., the program is opening a new project site in Spotswood, N.J. In other disaster relief news, Illinois and Wisconsin District disaster coordinator Rick Koch has called for volunteers to help in the clean up of tornado destruction in Illinois. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-disaster-ministries-opens-new-site.html 3) Ministry Office offers information on clergy housing ruling, BBT involved in appeal through the Church Alliance On Nov. 22, a judge of the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin ruled that the housing allowance that is made available to clergy by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is unconstitutional. The decision has no immediate impact because it is not yet effective, and the ruling is on hold until all appeals are exhausted. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/clergy-housing-allowance-court-ruling.html 4) Seminary receives Lilly Endowment grant to improve economic well-being of future ministers By Jenny Williams Bethany Theological Seminary has received a grant of $259,954 as part of Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Theological School Initiative to Address Economic Issues Facing Future Ministers. Bethany is one of 67 theological schools across the country to receive this funding. Read the release from Bethany Seminary at www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/LillyGrant 5) Crop breeding success in North Korea Global Mission and Service staff in North Korea, Robert Shank, reports important strides in the rice, soybean, and corn breeding research at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), where he and his wife Linda are teaching. A new crop, barley, has been added to this work in 2014, and a Global Food Crisis Fund grant is helping expand the work to include small fruits. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/crop-breeding-success-in-n-korea.html 6) Powerhouse 2013 gathers youth from the midwest region By Walt Wiltschek More than 70 people took part in Powerhouse 2013, the Church of the Brethren Midwest regional youth conference, held at Camp Mack (Milford, Ind.) for the first time this year. It marked the fourth year for the event since it was restarted in a new fall format. Audrey and Tim Hollenberg-Duffey, third-year students at Bethany Theological Seminary, served as the main speakers. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/youth-powerhouse-2013.html UPCOMING EVENTS 7) ‘Pioneering in a Global Context’ webinar set for Dec. 11 “Pioneering in a Global Context,” a webinar co-sponsored by the Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren, BMS World Mission, Bristol Baptist College, and Urban Expression U.K., takes place Dec. 11 at 2:3-4 p.m. (Eastern). Register at www.brethren.org/webcasts . Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/pioneering-in-a-global-context.html PERSONNEL 8) Gather ’Round staff complete employment with Brethren Press and MennoMedia Anna Speicher and Cyndi Fecher are completing their employment with Gather ’Round, the Christian education curriculum produced jointly by Brethren Press and MennoMedia. Gather ’Round is in its final year of production and will be available through the summer of 2014. The successor curriculum, Shine, will be available beginning next fall. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/gather-round-staff-complete-work.html 9) Michigan, Atlantic Southeast Districts announce staffing changes Nathan (Nate) Polzin has been called to serve as district executive minister for Michigan District, and Héctor Pérez-Borges has announced his plans to retire as associate executive for Atlantic Southeast District, in staffing changes for Church of the Brethren districts. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/michigan-atlantic-southeast.html FEATURE 10) Reflecting on the anniversary of Newtown By Bryan Hanger Dec. 14 marks the one-year anniversary of the deadly mass shooting that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn. As we take time to reflect on the anniversary of this terrible loss of life, Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence has organized a letter signed by over 50 national religious leaders, including Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/reflecting-on-anniversary-of-newtown.html 11) Brethren bits In this issue: Remembering former missionary Rolland Smith, NCC hires general secretary/president, Leininger retires from Camp Mack, Workcamp Ministry seeks assistant coordinator for 2015, Ministry Summer Service applications, congregations host live nativities, candlelight dinners at the John Kline Homestead, and much much more. Read the full Brethren bits at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-dec-6.html Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Colleen M. Algeo, Jeff Boshart, Chris Douglas, Mary Jo Flory-Steury, Ed Groff, Rick Koch, Wendy McFadden, Becky Ullom Naugle, David McKellip, Dale Minnich, Paul Roth, Janine Schwab, Anna Speicher, David S. Young, Jane Yount, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. The next regularly scheduled issue of Newsline is planned for Dec. 13.

A Taste of the Sing-Along Messiah

On Sunday, December 1, the Ellisforde church hosted the annual "Sing-Along Messiah." Local musicians and amateur singers gathered together to sing through Handel's Messiah, just for the love of it.

eBrethren, December 4, 2013

eBrethren
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December 4, 2013   Give a gift of food. Click here. CONTENTS One call, 5,000 answers Say yes to God www.brethren.org/nyc “Unity starts with the decision to come together and be together.” Colorado State University is the hosting location of National Youth Conference . Photos by Glenn Riegel View the 5,000 challenge video . Video by Church of the Brethren One call, 5,000 answers It all began with one sentence. The room went silent. We knew that God had spoken. We National Youth Conference coordinators were sitting around a table with the National Youth cabinet, praying and discussing what the theme should be for the 2014 NYC. We were talking about unity in the body of Christ, which would later become a central component of theconference theme. One of the cabinet members said, “We’ve inherited a divided church, but I want my generation to be different.” That one sentence gave word to what we were feeling and sent us in the right direction. In the months since that meeting, we have struggled to understand what unity in the body of Christ means. What does it look like and how do we get there? Fortunately, God has dropped a few clues along the journey. The first clue came in August when the cabinet joined us at Colorado State University (the venue for NYC) for our first on-site visit. We found out that CSU’s maximum capacity for summer conferences is 5,000. Soon afterward, we read the gospel story of Jesus feeding 5,000 people. That got us thinking… What if 5,000 youth came to NYC next summer and we ran out of beds for everyone? What a delightful problem! It might seem like a long shot, but if you had told anyone beforehand that Jesus was going to turn five loaves of bread and two fish into a feast for 5,000 people, they would have thought you were crazy! Often, where we see obstacles, Jesus sees opportunity. So can we double the typical attendance at NYC this year? Yes! We’re inviting every Brethren youth (and their friends) to come to NYC 2014 and join this journey of following Jesus together. Join the 5,000 Challenge today and find one youth to send to NYC 2014! Registration opensJanuary 3 at 7 p.m. (CST) at www.brethren.org/NYC . As a coordinating team, we haven’t completely figured out what unity looks like yet, but we do know that it starts with the decision to come together and be together. Brethren, of all people, know that is where we hear Christ’s call best. —Sarah Neher, Tim Heishman, and Katie Cummings are the 2014 National Youth Conference coordinators. E-mail them with any questions atcobyouth@brethren.org . Support all Church of the Brethren youth ministries at www.brethren.org/give . Forward to a friend Back to top Order your Advent devotional today atwww.brethrenpress.org . Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford Say yes to GodAn Advent devotion by Tim Harvey “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). Harold (“Red”) and Gladys Royer were commissioned by the 1930 Annual Conference as missionaries to Nigeria. In that day, Conference attendees waved white handkerchiefs as a farewell and a blessing as departing missionaries were sent off from Annual Conference. The Royers’ journey to Nigeria meant many weeks of difficult travel by boat and land, to an uncertain welcome in a strange place. Customs, tradition, and language would all be new and unlike anything they had experienced in their lives. The Church of the Brethren has always understood Jesus’ call to discipleship as one of sacrifice. Remembering Jesus’ own sacrificial death, Brethren know that saying yes to Jesus may involve laying down our plans, our possessions, and even our life. Mary demonstrates a willingness to make a similar sacrifice when she says yes to God’s plan. Her entire future as a woman was connected to her ability to be married and have children. Becoming pregnant outside of marriage risked giving all of that away. And yet she knew, in spite of the unknown sacrifices to come, that answering God’s call would be a blessing. At this time of year when we focus on gifts and donations, we would do well to ask, “How much of myself am I willing to give to God?” Read this in full by ordering Good News of Great Joy atwww.brethrenpress.org . Forward to a friend Back to top www.brethren.org/clergywomen2014   Photo by Mary Jo Flory-Steury “I keep you in my heart. You are all my partners in God's grace” (Philippians 1:7 CEB). The 2014 Clergy Women’s Retreat will be January 13-16 in Malibu, Calif., and is open to all licensed and ordained women in the Church of the Brethren. Melissa Wiginton, vice president for Education Beyond the Walls at Austin Seminary, will be our keynote leader. Hope to see you there! Register today at www.brethren.org/clergywomen2014 . Requests for scholarships may be e-mailed to mjflorysteury@brethren.org with the subject line “Clergy Women’s Retreat Scholarship.” Do you have a story about how you and your congregation practice stewardship? E-mail it to mgarcia@brethren.org ! eBrethren: Stories of Brethren Stewards, is produced every other week by the Church of the Brethren donor communications team. Send feedback to mgarcia@brethren.org or call 847-742-5100 ext. 361. Thanks for reading!  Watch for our next issue on December 18, 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
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Minute for Mission  Issue 16 November 25, 2013   Tales of the faithful Global mission workers Carl and Roxane Hill share encouraging stories as they finish another semester at Kulp Bible College Roxane and Carl Hill in Mubi, Nigeria. 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: Translator Joshua (left) and student Danjuma. Photo courtesy of Carl and Roxane Hill. 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 Jenna Horgan are serving at El Centro Arte para la Paz in Suchitoto, El Salvador 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. Chris providing piano instruction. Photo courtesy of Jenna Horgan. 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.
"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