Bridge Fall 2020

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BRIDGE THE ROCK PSALM 61:2

From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I...

GOD STILL MADE A WAY

By Sierra Dixon and Kaylee Deardorff Originally printed in the October edition of Messenger.

Two interns who took part in Ministry Summer Service (MSS) this past summer share their reflections on the experience—certainly one of the most unusual since the start of the program.

MSS is a leadership development program for college students in the Church of the Brethren, sponsored by the Youth and Young Adult Ministry and the Office of Ministry, with those offices and four of the church-related colleges and universities providing scholarships. Usually, interns would spend 10 weeks working alongside a mentor in a congregation, district office, camp, or denominational program, following an in-person orientation. The pandemic forced the program to shift how interns were placed, how they served, and even how orientation happened. To apply to serve during the summer of 2021, visit www.brethren.org/mss and submit an application by January 8, 2021.

I was looking forward to being in a different area and location for church, but God still made a way for this program to happen, so I am very thankful.

When I got the call that things were shifted to online, I wasn’t sure how to react at first. As I learned what the online format would be like, I could sense God telling me, “Sierra, do it! This is an opportunity that you NEED to take.” So that’s exactly what I did.

Between the Zoom calls, devotions, and guest speakers, I can definitely say that I have learned so much

about ministry. Our orientation speakers talked about spiritual practices, worship and preaching, theology, Brethren heritage, working styles, and ethics.

I volunteered at my home church, Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren [in Pennsylvania].

I helped out with the food distribution on Friday mornings, and I helped with the church’s social media pages. Through the pandemic my church has still been able to help the community as much as it can, and I am thankful that I am able to help out as much as I can.

On Fridays, before the truck of food gets there, volunteers from all over are putting cardboard boxes together and stacking them. When the food gets there, we are able to pack the boxes for the people receiving their packages. The

packages have dry foods, canned goods, produce, meat, dairy, etc.

Once all the pallets are set, all of the volunteers assemble in a line ready for directions. The woman or man in charge for the day tells each volunteer what to put into the boxes— for example, the quantity of each product on the pallets, such as two bags of carrots and one egg carton. There are two different lines, one for dry foods and one for cold foods.

Once the packages are filled they are placed on pallets and ready to pick up. The first couple dozen packages typically go to individuals who are delivering to other families, so for the first half hour we pack people’s cars with packages so that they can get out of the way for the rest of the packages we need to make. —Sierra Dixon (cont. on next page)

In the early spring, I was debating what to do for the summer before my junior year of college. The head of the chemistry department had encouraged me to apply to an amazing research opportunity in France. I also had been feeling a tug toward ministry, but I was so unsure of what that would mean for me, a pre-med student. My pastor encouraged me to consider Ministry Summer Service, but I was unsure if that was something I should do. It would be hard to pass up doing research abroad if it came time to choose, but I decided to apply anyway and see where God would lead me.

The day before I heard back about the research opportunity, a feeling of peace washed over me as I thought about doing MSS and resolved to turn down the research offer if I was accepted.

Turns out I didn’t get the research position, and I wouldn’t have been able to go abroad anyway due to the pandemic, so it was just as well— funny how the Spirit works sometimes. MSS shifted to a virtual format, which in many ways was a blessing in disguise.

Our weekly Zoom calls were fascinating sessions, including subjects like theology, work styles, and worship/preaching, with some additional sessions by people we would not ordinarily have heard from if we were in-person.

Our diverse group of interns made for especially engaging conversations, and when we collectively decided we needed

to have an additional conversation set aside for race and the church, we did so. It was perhaps the most memorable of the calls for me.

That conversation emphasized the importance of engaging in conversations with our siblings in Christ, even when the subject is uncomfortable or challenging.

Additionally, we discussed the church as a whole and the need to empower members of marginalized groups through the unconditional love and compassion we’re called to share. It’s that conversation and ongoing reflection that brings up new thoughts and actions that continue to encourage personal and collective growth.

Of course, I missed getting an in-person placement, but I’m grateful that I got to be involved in my home congregation, Peace Covenant Church of the Brethren [in Durham, N.C.]. I worked with pastor Dana Cassell on outreach ideas, preached during online worship one Sunday, and worked on a project to create a digital collection of devotionals and online resources for the congregation.

Along with MSS, my summer included taking an online class, working with my campus ministry to plan for the fall semester, and working with patients in nursing homes and hospice facilities as a home care provider.

It was this combined experience that made me realize that parttime ministry—a reality for so many— is possible for me too.

And ministry can look like so many things, including preaching a sermon, leading a Bible study, and providing care for patients in their last days. I don’t necessarily have to choose between a call to medicine or to ministry.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in MSS and that the denomination provides such an experience to young adults for this kind of discernment. After this summer, irrespective of its unexpected twists and turns due to the pandemic, I realize that ministry will be a part of the life I live, no matter what, and I look forward to seeing where God continues to lead me.

—Kaylee Deardorff

RACIAL INEQUALITY, ECONOMIC INJUSTICE, AND THE PANDEMIC

By Naomi Yilma

The following article was the second blog post in a series from the Office of Peacemaking and Policy. It was originally posted on Oct. 9, 2020. Naomi Yilma, current BVSer and Office of Peacebuilding and Policy associate, dives into the interconnectedness of racial inequality, economic injustice, and the pandemic.

It feels like the past few months of the pandemic have been a slew of shocking numbers thrown at me. Like the number 7.3 million- the number of COVID infections in the US. 200,000- the number of COVID deaths in the US as of September 30th.

But COVID-19 is not only a health problem. It is an economic problem with consequences that are expected to far outlast the pandemic. 40,000,000the number of people who filed for unemployment since the pandemic. 637,000,000,000- the dollar amount that billionaires added to their wealth since the pandemic. As we journey to explore and reaffirm simple living, stewardship, just dealings, and mutuality in relation to economic justice and economic peacemaking in this pandemic, this second post in a series of four, looks at the need to address economic injustice through a racial equity lens.

white counterparts and are at risk of financial fallout from changes in economic conditions.

Addressing Racial Inequalities to Fight Economic Injustice.

COVID 19 has exacerbated these inequalities.

The deeply rooted racial inequality in the United States presents itself in disparities in income, wealth, access to education, housing, access to healthcare, and other economic indicators. Inequality.org defines income inequality as “the extent to which income is distributed in an uneven manner among a population”, and income as, “the revenue streams from wages, salaries, interest on a savings account, dividends from shares of stock, rent, and profits from selling something for more than you paid for it.” According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the last quarter of 2019, the median White worker made 28% and 35% more than the median Black and Latino workers respectively.

Systemic racism and inequalities in the distribution of income present a hurdle in the accumulation of the generational wealth that is essential for economic security. (Inequality.org) Consequentially, racially minoritized populations do not enjoy the security blanket that generational wealth provides their

In one way or the other, this pandemic has transformed all our lives. However, it is essential to note the magnitude of its impact on different racial and economic demographics. According to the Washington Post, “The economic collapse sparked by the pandemic is triggering the most unequal recession in modern U.S. history, delivering a mild setback for those at or near the top and a depression-like blow for those at the bottom.”

“Historically, people of color and Americans with less education have been overrepresented in lowpaying service jobs.” This overrepresentation in low-paying service jobs not only puts these groups at a disproportionately high risk of being exposed to the virus but also forces them to bear the brunt of its economic consequences. For example, Black women have only recovered 34% of the jobs they lost compared to White women who have recovered 61%. This is a major setback as it took Black Women up until 2018 to recover from the Great Recession. (cont. on next page)

Representation matters!

The Post also found that “White

Americans have recovered more than half of their jobs lost between April and February.

Meanwhile, Black Americans have recovered just over a third of employment lost in the pandemic.”

If the bodies making decisions on how to respond to the economic consequences of COVID-19 are those that have suffered least and are recovering the fastest, it is difficult to imagine the responses will be equitable. In our path to recovery, the goal should not be to return to normal. Instead, the goal should be to create systems that prioritize equity for minoritized populations. We must be proactive in advocating for COVID-19 response policies that apply a racial lens when addressing issues.

We must educate ourselves about systemic racism and be aware that it can present itself in subtle, seemingly unrecognizable ways. We must try to use our voices to amplify and build up minoritized voices in the fight to dismantle oppressive systems. We must be mindful that the policies we support, or not, have lifechanging impacts on many others. As such, we must be more intentional than ever in how we use our voices.

Ministry Summer Service challenges Church of the Brethren college students and congregations/ministry sites to consider God’s call on their lives.

Interns: attend a one week orientation in Illinois before serving for 9 weeks somewhere in the United States; receive a $2,500 scholarship, as well as food, housing, a small monthly stipend, and transportation for the summer.

Ministry sites: Send a pastor/mentor to three days of orientation; create an atmosphere for learning, reflection and discernment for the intern; provide food and housing, transportation on the job and a small monthly stipend.

Mentors: Join your intern for three days of orientation; spend at least one hour each week offering intentional supervision and mentoring; help to plan and prepare good, engaging work for the intern to invest in during their nine weeks.

Apply online between now and January 8, 2021!

www.brethren.org/mss

Sources “Applying a Racial Equity Lens to End Hunger.” Bread for the World, 1 July 2020, www.bread.org/library/applying-racial-equitylens-end-hunger.

“Coronavirus Cases:” Worldometer, www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/.

“Racial Economic Inequality.” Inequality.org, 25 Sept. 2020, inequality.org/facts/racial-inequality/.

Report • By Elise Gould and Valerie Wilson • June 1. “Black Workers Face Two of the Most Lethal Preexisting Conditions for Coronavirus-Racism and Economic Inequality.” Economic Policy Institute, www.epi.org/publication/blackworkers-covid/.

Van Dam, Andrew, et al. The Covid-19 Recession Is the Most Unequal in Modern U.S. History. 30 Sept. 2020, www. washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/business/coronavirus-recession-equality/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most.

Christian Citizenship Seminar 2021

Economic JUSTICE

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1: 51-53)

April 24 – 28, 2021

(Online, 7– 9 p.m. Eastern, daily) We live in a time of incredible economic disruption and inequality. The distance between those with many resources and those with few has continued to expand. The global pandemic has shown, again, how our health, economic and political systems are unequal/unjust. This reality is not reflective of God’s vision for our world.

We sense Jesus’ urgent call for economic justice and reconciliation. The Church of the Brethren values simple living, which includes seeking economic justice and caring for those who are in need. During CCS 2021, participants will gain a greater understanding of economic systems and of Brethren understandings of wealth/wealth-sharing; participants will then advocate for economically just policies with their US senators and representatives.

$75

Who is Eligible to Attend?

All high school youth and their adult advisors are eligible to attend the seminar.

Students in their freshman year of college are also eligible. Congregations are required to send one advisor for every four youth, and all congregations are strongly encouraged to send an advisor with their youth (even if only one or two youth attend).

Where and When?

This online event will begin on Saturday, April 24 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

We will meet daily, online, through the concluding session on April 28.

For more information contact: Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office 847-429-4385 COBYouth@brethren.org www.brethren.org/ccs 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL, 60120

Registration opens December 1, 2020

www.brethren.org/ccs Sponsored by the Church of the Brethren’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office and the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy

Christian Citizenship Seminar (CCS) provides youth in high school and the first year of college (or age equivalent) the chance to explore the relationship between faith and a particular political issue, and then act from a faith perspective regarding that issue.

CLIMATE JUSTICE IS ECONOMIC JUSTICE, AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE IS RACIAL JUSTICE

By Susu Lassa

“Poverty, peace, justice, and climate change are inexorably linked. There can be no hope for justice, no hope for an end to poverty, and no hope for peace if we continue on our present path.We must confront inequality while weaning ourselves from the very fossil fuels that built our economic wealth.We must work to build peace while reducing air pollution. This new path for us leads to God’s plan for a new creation.

To walk this path, we must first accept that climate change is a moral, spiritual, and human issue, and not a political debate.We must confess our role in the problem and be willing to reflect, pray, and have loving conversations about these complex challenges.We must seek and support solutions that restore dignity to the underprivileged, promote peace, and protect God’s earth.” Creation Care.

2018 Church of the Brethren Statement The following article was the third blog post in a series from the Office of Peacemaking and Policy. It was originally posted on November 20, 2020. Susu Lassa, former BVSer and OPP associate, dives into the interconnectedness of creation care, racial justice, and economic justice.

Economic justice is not attainable without climate justice. Patterns of institutionalized environmental racism within the U.S. has shown us the ways in which communities doing the least to contribute to the rise in greenhouse gases bear the brunt of climate fall out on their bodies and on their livelihoods. University of Michigan Sustainability highlights that more than 50% of people living within two miles of toxic waste facilities are people of color. Degradation of the land from toxins leads to lower land value, which hinders upward mobility and the ability to build wealth for members of those communities. In the face of natural disasters exacerbated by climate change, both domestically and internationally, black and brown communities and countries are disproportionately impacted, remaining most vulnerable physically, financially, and mentally. From Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, where the majority black population impacted were permanently displaced, to the flooding taking place in countries such as Pakistan, Uganda, and Kenya, black and brown bodies remain at risk, their bodies and livelihood bearing the brunt of a climate crises that they contribute least to.

A brief interrogation of capitalism can highlight the interconnected nature of various forms of oppression, namely the intersection between climate justice, economic justice, and racial justice. The nature of accruing wealth in a capitalist economy privileges profit -even profit gained via exploitation of land, people, etc.- over the wellbeing of communities affected by the ramifications of this economic system.

Wealthy corporations often invade communities for natural resources or cheap labor, grabbing what

they can at the expense of these communities.

With little to no accountability for corporations existing within a capitalist political economy, these plundered communities are left doubly vulnerable: first susceptible to plundering by wealthy corporations and nations, and then left to bare the fallout from the poisoning of the land, air, and/or water around them, which impacts their bodies, health, and livelihood.

The intersection between environmental racism and healthcare has been magnified in the wake of the COVID-19 crises, as have various other injustices in existence before the pandemic. Black and brown communities remain hardest hit by the pandemic, both contracting and dying from the virus disproportionately. Reasons include enduring disparities in wealth and income that see black and brown bodies overrepresented on the frontlines as “essential” workers, and residential segregation, which sees the concentration of people of color in disempowered neighborhoods with low property values, freeways, and shipping centers. The effects of residential segregation on air pollution with regard to toxins such as PM 2.5, a known carcinogen emitted from car engines and power plants, put folks in these communities at a higher chance of impaired heart and lung function, leaving them susceptible and highly vulnerable to COVID-19. Climate justice is economic justice, and economic justice is racial justice. The sooner we re-orient our understanding of the different structures of oppression as interconnected, the sooner we can address the environmental harms that have for decades disproportionately harmed brown and black bodies in the U.S. and all over the world.

THE FUTURE OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE: AN ESSAY CONTEST

(from the World Council of Churches website)

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is inviting young people (those 29 years old and younger) to bring fresh perspectives on “The Future of Interreligious Dialogue” by participating in an essay competition to mark the 50th anniversary of the WCC’s Office of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation.

The aim of this competition is to encourage those under the age of 30 with interests in the field of interreligious relations and engagement to develop and share their ideas on any of the following broad themes: • A Christian theology of engagement with other religious traditions • Some aspect of another religious tradition which is relevant to its relationship to Christianity and/or to religious pluralism more widely • The theory and/or practice of interreligious dialogue • Interreligious cooperation for the sake of the common good • The World Council of Churches and interreligious relations: either analyzing some aspect of the WCC’s work in the past 50 years or proposing ways forward An international panel of judges chosen from the staff of the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey and the World Council of Churches will select the best five essays, representing different traditions contexts and perspectives, to be published in Current Dialogue, the WCC’s journal for interreligious encounter.

There will also be an opportunity for the authors of prizewinning essays to present their contributions in a conference on “The Future of Interreligious Dialogue” (either physically or virtually) that is being planned to be held in 2021 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the setting up of the WCC’s dialogue programme. At this stage it is likely that the participation will take place virtually. It is our hope that the presentation of the prizewinning essays will be a valued part of the conference as participants seek to discern how the churches should move forward in this field. The conference will provide an invaluable opportunity for the participants to share their work with other scholars and practitioners in this field.

All entries, should be 3,500-5,000 words in length (including notes), and be written in English, following the Information for Authors for the WCC Journals. These contributions must be the original work of the participants and should not have been published elsewhere.

Essays should be submitted by email as MS Word documents to media@wcc-coe.org. Along with following the WCC Style Guide generally, submitters should pay particular attention to the directions for notes and scholarly citations. The last day on which submissions will be received is 15 January 2021.

Winners will be informed by 15 February 2021. For rules and more information, visit https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/wcc-essay-competition-for-youth-interreligious-dialogueand-cooperation-0

2 Cor 4:16 - 18 The Message

National Young Adult Conference 2021

May 28-31, 2021 Montreat, North Carolina Online registration opens February 26 Non-refundable deposit: $75 *If we are unable to meet in person due to pandemic restrictions, the deposit will be the full fee for virtual NYAC. For more information on registration fees, visit www.brethren.org/yac

BRETHREN HISTORICAL LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES REFLECTIONS by: Zoe Vorndran

The Sauer Bible. A Chinese garment from a Brethren missionary.

African musical instruments. Tombstones. Objects, documents, photographs, and books tell the stories of those who came before us. While these are only a few items one would find in the Brethren Historical Library and Archives (BHLA), they carry the legacies of Brethren men and women who faithfully served their communities.

During my year-long internship at the BHLA, some of my projects included accessioning new collections, researching Brethren figures who shaped the denomination, and engaging with community members who were curious about their roots. The projects I worked on gave me the opportunity to uncover the stories of Brethren men and women who served the church by becoming foreign missionaries, providing civilian and refugee aid after the world wars, and founding denominational programs. As I learned about the leaders whose work served as examples for the way I want to live my life, I was amazed by their compassion, resilience, and dedication.

Working with the current leaders of the Church of the Brethren also gave me a new perspective on the denomination that had fundamentally shaped my belief system. Like the leaders who had come before them, I was inspired by the people who continue to organize denominational events, respond to national and denominational changes and conflicts, engage in community outreach, produce denominational publications, and preserve the denomination’s past. It was a privilege to work alongside those who had indirectly and deeply impacted my life through the work they do for the denomination.

Perhaps the most surprising part about my time at the BHLA was the opportunity for personal growth. As a newly graduated person, I timidly entered the new chapter of my life. However, I quickly found a home at the BHLA and within the faith community in Elgin. Working for the denomination encouraged me to reflect on how the Church of the Brethren cultivated and challenged my faith and beliefs.

If there is one thing I learned during my year-long internship at the BHLA, it is that history is relevant. The past shapes who we are and who we will become. Indeed, the history of the Church of the Brethren serves as an exemplar of faith, helping others, and compassion for Christ. The stories we glean from bibles, garments, instruments, and tombstones are ones we must cherish because they shape our identity and reflect our values.

“Take His Hand” Fall 2020. Watercolor & Ink by Hope Gebhart

Brethren Volunteer Service 2021 Orientations winter Unit #328 Application Deadline: 12/14 Summer Unit #329 Application Deadline: 6/4 Fall Unit #330 Application Deadline: 8/6

Contact US: bvs@brethren.org brethrenvolunteerservice.org BVS is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren

SERVICE: AN EMBODIMENT OF LOVE AND BELIEF IN UNFOLDING GRACE

By Amelia Gunn

Since I began Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) this past August at Quaker Cottage, people have said to me, “You’ll be rewarded greatly for your service to God.” This didn’t sit right with me the first time I heard it and it still doesn’t. Although this statement is intended to be encouraging, it gives a false idea of why I chose to do BVS. I’m not serving to get a reward and I’m not serving because I think it’ll get me to heaven. I’m serving because I believe that it is the way to embody love. I’m serving because I believe that God called me here for reasons that I still have yet to discover.

I’m serving because I feel at my best when I’m helping others. I’m serving because I’m passionate about working with children and youth. I’ve gotten to this point in my life because of the adults who believed in me, encouraged me, and uplifted me so I hope to do the same for others. I do not intend to shame those that have shared this statement with me. People have different theologies and different ideas of who God and how God works in our lives and that is okay. People have their own unique relationships with God and that is okay.

In the past two years, I’ve been delving deeper into my own beliefs. This has not been easy whatsoever; I often feel conflicted between what I was raised to believe and how that compares or contrasts with what I believe now. In that past, I felt isolated when I heard other Christians share theologies that did not match mine whatsoever. I kept thinking to myself, “Are we really a part of the same religion?” I still ask myself this often. It’s challenging to take a step back and question why you think the way you do. It’s much easier to passively agree with others who share your identity labels.

I’ve had to embrace my beliefs even though they differ from people that I know and love. I will not allow myself to think that I’m “lesser-than” because my beliefs don’t align with other Christians. Recently, I’ve seen hostile Facebook arguments about what Christians should and should not believe, how they should act, and what they should look like. These conversations are not fruitful. We are a diverse people and we should extend grace to those who do not worship like us or believe what we believe. I think that this should extend outside of the realm of Christianity as well. Additionally, we should extend grace to ourselves because even if we stray away from the beliefs that other Christians hold, this does not make us “bad Christians” or “bad people.” Whether we realize it or not, we’re always discovering who we are, what we believe, and why we believe it. Our experiences are constantly changing our point of view of the world and our perceptions of the issues we face daily. We can experiment with our own opinions and beliefs and still be worthy Children of God. We can disagree with another’s statement and still believe that they are loved by the Spirit. I’m definitely better at extending grace to others than extending grace to myself. My hope is that in this season, I will freely give myself grace to think differently than others, and to follow my own path even if it contrasts with my past beliefs or the beliefs that others hold. Unpack your beliefs and look at them up close; question your assumptions, uncover your values, and ask yourself if they are really your own. May grace unfold as you discover a deeper sense of who you are and what you really believe.

Formerly known as Church of the Brethren Workcamps

This year, all FaithX experiences will be intergenerational and open to individuals who have completed 6th grade and older.

Tier 1 $180

Tier 2 $235

Local Service Virtual Engagement

Local Service Congregational Engagement

Tier 3 $285

Tier 4 $350

Local Service Regional Engagement

Traditional "workcamp"

APPLY NOW TO BE A 2022

FaithX Coordinator Visit www.brethren.org/faithx for job description, application, and faithx info. or contact Hannah Shultz at hshultz@brethren.org FaithX is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren

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Cover Photo by Rohit Tandon on Unsplash