Church guide

Love Feast- Maunday Thursday - tomorrow night 630

"Blessed To Be A Blessing" - Greetings from Rwanda! Ministry of Global Mission & Service By Josiah Ludwick, Global Mission worker in Rwanda Muraho and greetings from the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda! Since August 2018, Global Mission and Service made it possible for my family to live in the beautiful country of Rwanda and to be a part of the budding ministry God is blessing here. The Church of the Brethren in Rwanda is nearly four years old. In that short time, God has worked mightily and there are already four congregations in the western part of the country. More recently, however, the government has imposed strict guidelines for churches, which has been a significant challenge. Every week, hundreds of churches are being closed throughout the country. In response, the people of our churches gathered last November and gave sacrificially to raise nearly $3,000 (exceeding their original goal of $2,000) to begin improving their properties. Inspired by this act of faith by the Rwandese Brethren, many brothers and sisters in the US also have chosen to support these efforts. As a result of this faithful giving and partnership, our churches in Gasiza and Mudende have been able to improve their worship spaces (above, left). The Brethren in Gisenyi also purchased land in hopes of building a denominational headquarters. This will be very important as we work to be recognized as a denomination by the national government. The recognition process has been arduous, but we have made progress and moved to the regional level. Praise be to God! God is blessing the church in Rwanda through the teaching of Brethren beliefs. Even though new ideas are generally met with skepticism, the people have been really open to Brethren theology. We have assured them that our beliefs and practices aren’t new, simply new to them. Several leaders from each church have been trained with the help of Brethren Beliefs and Practices, authored by Galen Hackman in collaboration with EYN (Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria– Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), which recently was translated into the local language of Kinyarwanda. These leaders were trained so that they can lead small groups from their congregations through the book (top right). As a result of these teachings, we have had two occasions for baptisms at Lake Kivu, which include multiple people from each congregation accepting Jesus, embracing the new way, and experiencing trine immersion. We are also planning the first Brethren love feast in Rwanda, one for Gisenyi and Gasiza and another for Humure and Mudende, to take place near the Easter holiday. We also celebrate the ability to send three young Batwa men to university. The Twa are typically an underserved group, but the congregation in Mudende has taken great efforts to make them feel part of the faith community, to share how God loves them and we love them, and to reveal how they can accomplish anything with God’s help. Most Batwa don’t dream of finishing primary school, let alone secondary school, so for a few to go to university is truly a miracle. The three were recognized by pastor Etienne Nsanzimana, founder and overall leader of the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda (bottom right). In the great tradition of being “blessed to be a blessing,” the village of Batwa has gone to another indigenous village to encourage them with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love the Brethren have for them. This new group of about 20 Batwa has started attending the Humure congregation. This is what kingdom building is all about! Through the ministry of Global Mission and Service and with God’s blessing and grace, all these things have been possible. Thank you for your continued support of all the Lord is doing globally through the Church of the Brethren. On behalf of myself, my family, and our Rwandese brothers and sisters, thank you! Learn more about the work of Global Mission and Service at www.brethren.org/global or support it at www.brethren.org/givegms.

Hope to see you at the Warrenton Spring Fest on May 18th and hope you're thirsty!! We'll be handing out FREE bottles of cold water!! John 4:14 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." http://www.fauquierchamber.org/events/details/41st-annual-old-town-warrenton-spring-festival-9195

- Children's Curriculum from On Earth Peace - On Earth Peace offers two curricula for children: Kids as Peacemakers, designed for grades K-2 and 3-5, and A-S for Kids, tailored for grades 4-6. The curriculum is available for a small fee of $20 and each lesson features a favorite children's book! Courses are devised in religious and non-religious formats. As we strive to make resources easily accessible to everyone, please let On Earth Peace know if price is an issue! If you are interested in learning more about the Agape-Satyagraha for Kids or Kids as Peacemakers curriculums, or to receive a sample lesson, please contact Marie Benner-Rhoades, Youth and Young Adult Peace Formation Direction, at [email protected].

- Church of the Brethren Global Mission & Service - In the prayers for this week from Global Mission and Service Office, we lift up: Nigeria Pray for the Majalisa or annual conference of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) happening this week. As many EYN members face increasing risks of violence, pray that Majalisa participants are filled with hope and strength through experiences of fellowship, discernment, and worship. Pray for Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service, as he attends the Majalisa and meets with EYN leaders. He is the main preacher for the conference. "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

We had a very special Worship Service this past Sunday with a program by the children from the Midland Christian Academy, a Ministry of the church that was started 25+ years ago. See www.midlandchristianacademy.org for more details!

"Ventures" Online Course Focusing on Healthy and Safe Congregations - April 13th - 9-Noon CST

Proclaim Christ; Reclaim Passion Registration for 2019 Annual Conference is now open. Register today at www.brethren.org/ac.

GIVING SOMETHING UP OR LETTING SOMETHING GO FOR LENT... There are people who give something up for Lent, but this month I’m thinking more about letting go. These are different, but not completely. Giving something up is about sacrifice; letting go is about freedom. Both clear space for what matters. Both can provide spiritual focus. What shall we let go of? • Stuff that weighs us down—single gloves awaiting lost mates, unused dishes, clothes that don’t fit. I recently let go of the heaviest thing in the house, an upright piano that was too big for our small living room. (I thought someday I might take lessons, but let the unfulfilled idea go out the door with the piano.) • The compulsion to acquire more. It’s bad for us, our neighbors, and the earth. And someday we’ll have to haul that stuff to the second-hand store. • The need to be in control. We’re not. Go ahead and make long-range plans, but hold them lightly. • Resentments and complaints. Grudges are easy to nurse, but they eventually poison our hearts. Resentment can actually shorten our lives. • Fear of what might happen. We are not our best selves when we are afraid. Sometimes fear is a weapon used against others; sometimes it’s a cancer that attacks its own body. Either way it’s too violent for those who want to build peace. • Outrage. Sometimes it’s justifiable and sometimes it works, but it’s caustic. We would do better replacing outrage with lament and compassion and action. That’s a lot of letting go, but if we keep practicing it will become easier—even second nature.

You are most welcome to come see our newly remodeled library and "Welcome Center!" We're doing a bit of "Midland Re-Imagining" and trying to see the "old" as new again - even ourselves! Join the Journey to where God leads us...we have a place for you here!

Roundtable 2019 brings more than 150 together for 78th Anniversary (Go Dennis!)- By Chad Whitzel Over the weekend of March 1-3, more than 150 youth and advisors took part in the annual Roundtable regional youth conference held at Bridgewater (Va.) College. This marked the 78th anniversary of Roundtable, which invites senior high youth from the districts of the southeastern region as well as the Pennsylvania districts. Dennis Beckner, pastor of Columbia City (Ind.) Church of the Brethren, served as the speaker on the theme, “Seeking Serenity.” (Whose that guy holding the "E" on the front row? - Mac is behind him in purple jacket, Zac is 2/3rds of the way back behind the letter "A" in red sweatshirt, and Trish and Kendra are right of him in aqua and red - sorry - did I spoil all your fun?) Roundtable Rocks! Read more at www.brethren.org/news/2019/roundtable-2019-marks-78th-anniversary.html ________________________________________

Brethren Academy students explore ‘Race and the Congregation’ What does the affirmation “All War Is Sin” mean when wars are waged on drugs, on crime, on poverty, when the designated enemy is not a soldier on foreign soil, but citizens of one’s own country? What does it mean to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31) when your neighbor doesn’t experience the world in the way you do, when walking a mile in their shoes would feel to you like walking in a foreign land? Read more at www.brethren.org/news/2019/brethren-academy-class-race-and-the-congregation.html

Global Mission Prayer Guide - Pray for members of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and others in northeastern Nigeria who are facing an increase in violent attacks from Boko Haram insurgents. EYN officials report that people are living in fear and that many are relocating or sleeping in caves. EYN has requested specific prayers for church members who lost loved ones in an insurgent attack on the town of Madagali on March 1, when a suicide bomber entered the house of a church member and killed the family, and a rocket attack killed seven people. Pray for the congregation of EYN Bwaguma and the church members in the community of Gatamwarwa, which were attacked in February. The Bwaguma community's food stores were looted, and a seven-year-old was abducted from an EYN family, among other losses. Pray for strength for those living in grief or fear. Pray that the ways of peace may prevail.

2019 Workcamp Registration Now Open - Here's the link to the Schedule - http://www.brethren.org/workcamps/schedule/

http://www.brethren.org/yac/documents/2019-brochure.pdf

2019 Workcamp Registration Now Open - Here's the link to the Schedule - http://www.brethren.org/workcamps/schedule/

Sunday worship - "Here I Am Lord, Is It I Lord..."

Easter Service 2018

The youth helped out at the Mt. Horeb stop for the Great Pumpkin Ride today. Between 700 and 800 riders stopped for a food and drink pit stop.

Second worship service in the Felloship Hall while the Sanctuary is being renovated!

Sermon on the Mount as portrayed by Lorne Holmes...