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NATIONAL NEWS STEWARD ING T HE E A RT H A N D T H E CO M M U N ITY IN G O S H E N , I N D I A N A Goshen First Brethren Church recently collected enough recyclable goods to provide a brand new bench at their county fairgrounds. In partnership with a 4-H project, the congregation gathered bottle caps and containers to raise money for a completely sustainable, made-from-recyclable-goods bench. The bench, pictured at right, bears the name of Goshen First Brethren Church and the year it was installed.
AR D M ORE CE LE BR AT E S 1 0 0 YE A R S O F GOD’ S FAIT H FU LNE S S The First Brethren Church of Ardmore (South Bend, Indiana) celebrated 100 years of Christian ministry on September 16, 2018. A worship service highlighting the years of ministry featured guest speakers Steven Cole, executive director of the Brethren Church, Rev. Ken Hunn, senior pastor of Jefferson Community Church, Rev. Russell Gordon, retired pastor of Milledgeville Brethren Church and Rev. Gene Eckerley, pastor of Mishawaka Community Brethren Church. Both Ken and Russell were members of Ardmore Brethren in their youth and Russell was pastor at Ardmore from 1998 to 2001. Gene Eckerley pastored at Ardmore from 1983 to 1990. The offering for the day was dedicated entirely to The Brethren Retreat Center in Shipshewana, and God blessed the offering with $3,126.25. The day’s celebration was concluded with the ringing of the old church bell one hundred times by those in attendance. The bell was refurbished and remounted by Darrell “Buster” Chamberlain.
Pictured at right: over 175 were in attendance for the anniversary service and banquet at Ardmore’s First Brethren Church (Ardmore, IN).
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BA PTIS M S IN T H E PH I L I PPI N E S Jesus Our Firm Foundation Church, a Brethren Church Global Partner in Butuan City, Philippines, recently held baptism services. The August celebration saw 19 new believers baptised.
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NATIONAL NEWS DAN AC K E R N A M E D WE ST REG I O N A L R E S O U R C E COO R D I N ATO R Rev. Dr. Dan Acker was recently named Regional Resource Coordinator of the Brethren Church West Region. Dan serves as senior pastor of Northwest Community Church (Tuscon, AZ), and recently completed a Doctorate of Ministry (D.Min.) from Biola University.
EVERYB ODY G E T T IN G T H E I R F E E T WE T As is the tradition for good Brethren everywhere, most churches across the denomination celebrated The Love Feast, a distinctly Brethren celebration of Jesus’ last night with the disciples, as described in John 13. Three-fold communion, as it’s sometimes called, involves a simple symbolic meal, the bread and cup, and washing of each other’s feet. Of special note though, is how encouraging it is to see younger generations joining in our shared heritage together. Enjoy these photos submitted of kids and adults around the denomination, washing each other’s feet in humility, just as Jesus modeled in John 13. We want your photos of baptisms & love feast celebrations! Send them to communications@brethrenchurch.org Pictured: Students at Camp Bethany, members at Radial Church, and kids at Park Street Brethren take communion and wash feet.
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NATIONAL NEWS MUS KOKA CE LE BR AT E S 1 0 YE A R S It was a boisterous weekend in Muskoka, Ontario, at least as far as Canadians can get boisterous. Muskoka Community Church (Ontario, Canada) celebrated two big milestones: ten years as a church, and the ordination of their pastor, Jeremy McClung. Jeremy & April started MCC as a church plant, sponsored by the Southeast District of The Brethren Church in 2008. The church is now a full-fledged church in good standing, has taken residence in their own building, and continues to be a beacon of the Gospel to the surrounding community. Numerous Brethren leaders traveled to visit our maple-flavored neighbors to the north, and join with them in celebrating God’s faithfulness at Muskoka. In all seriousness, Muskoka has beaten the odds, by God’s faithfulness and with the support of Brethren worldwide. Anecdotally, 80% of church plants are reported to fail. We rejoice in April & Jeremy’s obedience and The Brethren Church’s support of their vision for Ontario.
Photos: (Above) The congregants and attendees of Muskoka Community Church gather outside for a photo after the anniversary celebration. (Right) Dustin White, Bill Ludwig, Ricky Bolden, Gary Diehl, Steven Cole and Jamie White pray over Jeremy & April McClung.
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OA K HILL H OM ECO M I N G Oak Hill Brethren Church (Oak Hill, WV) celebrated its annual homecoming with a special service and banquet. The homecoming was the 116th anniversary of Oak Hill. Guest preacher for the morning was Ricky Bolden.
WEST E RN RLT M E E TS The Western RLT met face to face for the first time in Los Angeles on October 19-21. During their time together, they examined Miles Larson, pastor of Northgate Church in Manteca, California, for ordination. They also made decisions regarding the nominations and selection of RLT members for 2019. The team spent time with Justo Flores and Ramses Meza, who pastor several Spanish speaking churches in the L.A. area. The team attended their worship service on Sunday, where pastors Paul Stanley and Emery Hurd shared the message. Afterward, the team enjoyed a great meal with the congregation. The team was even able to work in a little free time by dipping their toes in the ocean and walking on the Santa Monica Pier.
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THE BRETHREN AND WORLD WAR 1 St e ph e n Lo n ge ne cke r
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n August 1914, European diplomacy became dysfunctional, and the world sank into violence. Sir Edward Grey, the British Foreign Minister, famously remarked that “the lamps are going out all over Europe.” Grey was prophetic, and the lights went out quickly. Almost within hours, it seemed, men disappeared from civilian life. Restaurants, stores, and shops closed due to a lack of labor, while other workplaces shut down because their suppliers were short of manpower. German unemployment shot from 2.7% to 22.7%. Almost immediately a cash shortage developed as banks, encouraged to fund the war, limited withdrawals. Even the wealthy had empty wallets because they could not cash a check, and they walked rather than hopping a cab. In twenty minutes call-ups to the French Army were stripped of civilian clothing, bathed, uniformed, and sent to their units. On a more ghastly level, huge casualties came quickly, and 1914 was the bloodiest year of the war. When in 1917 the United States went over there, the bloody whirlwind similarly entrapped ordinary Americans. The Brethren family of denominations—at this point the Brethren Church, Church of the Brethren, and Old German Baptist Brethren—faced two particularly difficult problems: hostile public opinion and government pressure on conscientious objectors. Brethren troubles stemmed from the nature of the war. In World War, I modern, industrialized nation-states mobilized all of their impressive resources for a struggle to the death, and civilians were just as important as soldiers. Workers made uniforms, farmers fed soldiers,
and taxpayers paid for everything. Public opinion perceived civilians on the sidelines as less than the requisite 100% Americanism, as it was called, and as security threats. In this militant atmosphere, public opinion had little tolerance for the Brethren, at least those who held to traditional nonresistance. 100% Americans smeared Brethren and Mennonite church buildings with yellow paint, and sometimes German language services became impossible. Just before H. C. Early mounted the platform to preach at Church of the Brethren Annual Meeting, he received a warning that government spies were present. Small wonder, then, that conscientious objectors suffered. The draft law provided no opportunity to declare conscientious objection, and, instead, officials required all drafted men to report to camp, at which time CO’s could make their claim. Officials discouraged conscientious objectors and wanted CO’s to enter uniformed non-combatancy rather than church-run alternative service. Those who could not wear a uniform paid a high price for their scruples. Treatment varied from camp to camp, often dependent upon the attitude of local officers. Some CO’s were detained for a week or so, then sent to work in the kitchen. Others were harassed more seriously. One was tossed from a blanket until he fell off and broke his arm. Fourteen young Church of the Brethren men, nine Old Order German Baptists, and one Brethren Church member were sent to Fort Leavenworth prison. Maurice Hess of the Old German Baptist Brethren was held in solitary for 38 days and shackled to the bars for nine hours each day.
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Two Hutterites, Joseph and Michael Hofer, died from their treatment at Leavenworth. The Church of the Brethren issued a pamphlet urging draftees to remain faithful to the denomination’s nonresistant position, but when the Department of War threatened it with treason and prison, the church retreated from the document. The war to end all wars was very difficult for those conscientiously opposed to participation in it. Most Brethren young men, however, entered military service as combatants. By all accounts, American soldiers demonstrated bravery, fought hard, and provided new energy that tipped the outcome. But they were poorly trained, commanded incompetently, and endured a logistical nightmare. Some, for example, first fired their weapons only when they went into combat. In the words of a German intelligence officer, American soldiers were “healthy, vigorous, and physically welldeveloped,” but their advancing “thick columns” made “excellent targets.” Americans soldiers, including Brethren, were hard fighters, poorly led. In the end, it could have been worse for Americans and the Brethren. The United States lost 116,000 men in the war, a high number
considering the few months of American combat, but the Russians lost a staggering 3.5 million soldiers and civilians, the Germans 2.5 million, the French 1.5 million, and the British one million. In sum, the story of the Brethren during World War I shows the shocking capacity of modern war to impact innocent civilians, both nonresistants, and combatants. Thankfully, the Brethren did not suffer like Europeans, but their experience was bad enough. As Brethren peacemakers commemorate the centennial of the Armistice, perhaps the best way for them to forestall a similar tragedy is to stay informed about world events and to remember that modern war can come without warning but with severe consequences. Dr. Stephen Longenecker, Ph.D. is the Edwin L. Turner Distinguished Professor of History at Bridgewater College, and author of six books. Stephen serves as a distinguished historian in the Church of the Brethren and an expert voice on Brethren in early America.
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THE BI-VOCATIONAL CHAPLAIN Da v i d Mi l l e r
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s bi-vocational Pastoring becomes more and more common, many Pastors are looking for a second job that can utilize the skill-sets they have already cultivated through years of Pastoral ministry. When I graduated from seminary in 2012, I was already a Chaplain with the Army National Guard, but I was looking for a fulltime career that would allow me the freedom to plant house/cell churches without needing to take a salary from the church. Through my Pastoral experience, I had developed a gift for teaching and believed I could put this to good use out in the world. I dove head first into the public school system and taught Middle School Physics and then English before I quickly got burned out. So after two years of teaching, I took the summer vacation to pray and search for God’s leading. I ended up in a three month CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) course at a hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. This opened my eyes to a world of Pastoral ministry that I had not previously considered. Before, I saw hospital Chaplaincy as a somewhat lesser form of ministry. Real Pastors were in the Church, not the hospital. What I learned during that summer of CPE was that God opens doors for ministry in the midst of suffering that is unimaginable, and the hospital is where the suffering congregate. I have since gone through two years of CPE, gaining a specialization in hospice Chaplaincy, which has resulted in opportunities to sit with over 300 men and women during their last days of life and pour out the love of God on each one of them. Some might prefer teaching middle school to spending the majority of your day with those who are dying, but I have found a place where I have an opportunity to join with
God as He brings life into a place of death on a daily basis. Instead of getting burned out as I did with teaching, I feel a refreshing sense of renewal through this work. Now, hospital Chaplaincy is not for everyone. Pastoring a flock of entirely sick, dying, and very needy people may sound like a chapter right out of Dante’s Inferno to you. If so, Military Chaplaincy may have crossed your mind at some point. Pastors from many various denominations are flocking into the military as full-time senior Pastorates are dwindling. Some, like me, have joined as a part-time job to supplement income and provide affordable quality health insurance while getting to minister in a unique context, while others have joined the active duty force, working full-time as an Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard Chaplain. We as Brethren though have a unique challenge in serving as a military Chaplain. We have deep roots as a church of peace and are even recognized by the United States government
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IS SOCIAL JUSTICE A THREAT TO THE GOSPEL? REV. DR. DAN ACKER
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ecently, a statement has been published online declaring that Social Justice is a threat to the Gospel. This statement, authored by Pastor John MacArthur, has been signed by over 5000 people, including churches, pastors, and Christian organizations. This statement and reactions to it have once again reignited some pretty interesting (and at times intense) conversations and debates about Christians and their involvement in Social Justice‌
I N T HE K NOW
FINDING A CHURCH HOME Ro n a l d W. Wa t e rs James Hunt has not always been a Christian. And Muskoka Community Church has only existed for ten years. But their histories intertwine as a testament to the grace of God and the ministry of The Brethren Church. James grew up in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada. Though he attended Sunday school with his mum, his dad was an agnostic. So James stopped attending when he was 12. “I ran the full gamut of belief systems, from agnostic to a stretch of about seven years where I was actively involved with a Buddhist organization, then back to agnostic.” He met his wife Rachel on the Internet after she moved to Huntsville. But their relationship had its challenges from the beginning. James abused alcohol and was an addict. And his belief system was clearly not Christian. His journey back to Christian faith “went hand in hand with my journey in recovery from alcoholism and addiction. When I finally hit bottom and decided I needed help, I entered into [a treatment center and Alcoholics Anonymous]. … As I worked through the 12 Steps, there was a gradual opening of my mind that Christianity was valid.” A variety of experiences in the treatment center led to a very personal encounter with God. “I couldn’t deny that God was real – that he was personally involved in my life, and that he was okay with me as I was. I was in a treatment center, carrying
a lot of guilt and shame. But God loved me regardless. That really for me was the turning point. I truly believe God saved my life in that moment.” About a year later James felt compelled to return to church. That’s where his life intersected with Muskoka Community Church which had recently begun under the leadership of Jeremy and April McClung. “I felt like I had grown in my relationship with Jesus about as far as I could on my own. I just had this sense there was a lot more growing to do. The only way to do that was in a church context. “I had seen many newspaper articles and some direct mailers. It was always presented as a church that was open to anyone, no matter where they were on their spiritual journey.
“I just had this sense there was a lot more growing to do. The only way to do that was in a church context.”
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For me, the stigma of who I was and with my hang-ups with Christians, it was the only appealing option, as far as churches go. “It was the first and only church I tried as an adult. It was a perfect fit right from the very start. I started serving pretty much from the beginning on the worship team.” Once James and Rachel began attending MCC, several things drew them deeper in a relationship with God and the church. First, everyone was serving together. “The church was a small, mobile, start-up church, so there was no way around it. We were doing life together with people. “Jeremy has always done an excellent job with theologically sound teaching without the Christian language. We [Christians] have our language, and for outsiders, the words don’t make sense. … I don’t think it ever has been watered down. It’s always been good teaching. “It always felt safe to ask questions, to
unpack my theology, my beliefs. I don’t think [Jeremy] ever shied away from any challenging questions. It’s always been a comfortable, safe environment. “He also wasn’t afraid to offer opportunities for me to grow, to explore my talents and gifts. … I continually took on new duties, roles, responsibilities within the church. It was often framed out around that idea of finding what God has designed me to do.” That exploration of gifting and calling led James seven years ago to his present ministry. He first had a sense that God may be calling him to be a pastor and a church planter, and he explored those options with The Brethren Church. But when James and Rachel became active in youth ministry at Muskoka, “it felt like I was firing on all cylinders.” At one point he proposed leaving his “safe and secure factory job” and working with atrisk kids in the community – kids who were walking down the same path that led him to
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I feel like I have very close friends. Every year when it comes time to register for General Conference, that’s the part that’s drawing me to do it. It’s my opportunity to reconnect with these people – it feels like a family reunion.” “I also really respect the Brethren approach to looking at the New Testament and the early church…our method of baptism might be weird, but it’s biblically rooted in early church practices. I feel more secure in that kind of approach.”
alcohol abuse and addiction. Shortly after that, he brought several MCC youth to the first Brethren youth Engage Conference. When he found himself trying to pass off his youth so he could join the adult General Conference, he had another encounter with God. “I burst into tears and was convicted by God, ‘This is what I’ve called you to. Why are you resisting me?’” Upon returning home, he discovered Huntsville Youth for Christ was hiring local staff for The Door Youth Centre. “So it was at that moment all the roads lined up” – church planting, pastoral ministry, and his missionary calling. He applied and was hired. James feels The Brethren Church can be effective in reaching youth and contemporary culture. “One of the things that was really attractive to me was the idea of each generation interpreting the Bible together in community. I have always found that very refreshing. “And the relational component – I’ve only had a few forays into the States. But
When asked what Muskoka Community Church meant in his spiritual life, James said he was only a year into recovery when he started attending. “There was no other church in the community where I would have stayed…without MCC I’m not sure I would even be a Christian at this point.” “One of the things I loved about MCC and attracted me to it was we were always focused on serving outside the walls of our church, serving the community. So many of us are involved in so many different local charities and ministries… We’re so active in the community.” “There’s always that question, ‘If your church were to close down, would the community even notice?’ In this case, yes, it sure would.”
“Our method of baptism might be weird, but it’s biblically rooted in early church practices. I feel more secure in that kind of approach.”
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Muskoka Community Church in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada, has had a deep impact on the lives of James and Rachel Hunt and many others. From its beginning 10 years ago, Muskoka has demonstrated the calling of The Brethren Church: to bring people into a lifetransforming relationship with Jesus Christ and practicing the faith as closely to the teachings of Scripture as possible. Through your gift to The Brethren Church this month, • You are supporting the vision for healthy churches to start new, sustainable, reproducing churches. • You are ensuring Leadership Continuity by developing lay leaders such as James – lay persons who may find themselves called as pastors and leaders in the mission of the church. • You are touching the lives of young people and their leaders through the annual Engage Conference . . . and adults through General Conference. • And you are expanding Brethren mission and outreach outside the United States through international church planting and connection with our Global Partners.
Send your check, made payable to “The Brethren Church” to : The Brethren Church 524 College Ave. Ashland, OH 44805 Or go online to www.brethrenchurch.org/annual-fund. Thank you for your generosity!
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WMS WOM E N M E A N T TO S E R VE Message to our Ladies – those involved in a local WMS and those who would like to know about our groups. They are alive and VERY active! It’s November so by now you have probably had at least 2 meetings with your local WMS ladies. The devotion articles in our Devotion and Program Guide have been so good with a lot to think about. I would challenge you to go beyond and lead your groups into a great year. “Awaken” is our theme for the year and this could be so meaningful in all of our lives. • Awaken to who you are… how did God make you? • Awaken to where you have been…how has God led you? • Awaken to your future… where is God calling you and your entire group? • Awaken to your entire community context – church, local community and our world…what would God have you to do NOW? Spend some time as a group looking at the Mission/Goals of National WMS on page 31 of your Devotion and Program Guide. Read this verse each month and help one another to MEMORIZE it! (It is short and VERY possible.) It a promise for us individually and TOGETHER! Psalm 32:8 “The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’” (NLT) Conference this past summer was an encouraging and supportive time. We were inspired and challenged. Have you planned an A4.32 Event? Were you generous in your giving to our National Project? We received a great offering for Transformed Life Center in Dayton, Ohio project; over $8,000. Thank you for your prayerful and generous support. Keep on praying and keep on inviting other women to join you! We have something to offer and God is very good! – Sherry Van Duyne
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MOMENTS T RAN S IT ION S IN T H E B R E T H R E N C H U R C H We join our congregations in celebrating the starting and ending of many pastoral seasons around the denomination. Pastor Billy Hesketh (pictured right) is moving on to a new ministry opportunity, and will conclude his time as pastor of College Corner Brethren Church (Wabash, IN) in December of 2018. Billy has been hired as Children’s Ministry Director at Jefferson Community Church (Goshen, IN).
Peter Kobunski has been hired at Muskoka Community Church (Huntsville, Ontario) as Associate Pastor. Peter is a 2018 graduate of Ashland Theological Seminary (and recipient of Brethren scholarships). Peter interned with Park Street Brethren Church and MCC, as well as serving in student leadership at Ashland University. Peter and his wife, Kara, (pictured left) will start ministry in Huntsville in the fall of 2018.
Pastor Rick Tolley has been hired to lead First Brethren Church (Peru, IN). Rich was baptized in the Peru congregation as a young man, so this is a bit of a homecoming for Pastor Tolley! God’s blessings on Pastor Tolley and the congregation in Peru. Oak Hill First Brethren Church (Oak Hill, WV) is pleased to announce Michael Meadows will join them as senior pastor. Michael is originally from Oak Hill, but has lived away from the area most of his adult life. Michael pastored in Texas the last 15 years, and will soon relieve interim pastor Reilly Smith in December. The congregation deeply thanks Reilly for his leadership in this interim period. First Brethren Church (North Georgetown, OH) welcomes senior pastor Joel Soza to lead their congregation. Joel and his wife, Migdalia, are residents of the area, where Joel serves as a professor at Malone University. Dr. Soza has been published extensively on the Old Testament. He served as a chaplain in the Navy, both during Operation Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, after service in the Marine Corps Reserve. He is also an accomplished musician and songwriter.
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END NOTES
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ERRY CHRISTMAS! I pray that this Advent season is a time of Joy, hope, love, and peace for you and your family. As we spend time in this busy season, I hope you will have an opportunity to reflect on the past year and join me in prayer for the joy, hope, love, and peace of Christ to break through more and more in our world.
(Luke 2:14 NIV). This peace is the peace that the Messiah brings through his death and resurrection. The peace of the Christ is the foundation for all understandings of peace in the Scriptures.
As I have taken time to reflect on this past year, I was struck by the dramatic need of peace in our country and world. The stories of mass shootings, struggles over immigrants coming into our country, and the recent hotly contested election cycle brings to light that our country continues to go in the direction of division and strife.
The New Testament talks about peace as an absence of anxiety or as a sense of inner peacefulness. Paul reminds us that through grateful prayer, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). This is also seen in Jesus’ promise, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid” (John 14:27).
During Advent, we talk about Jesus as the Prince of Peace. When the angels came to announce the birth of our Savior, they sang “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”
However, personal, inner-peace is not the primary way in which the New Testament describes the peace Christ brings to earth at his birth. Peace is most often understood as the absence of conflict and division between
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