Service Sunday 2015

"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus..." (Philippians 2:5, NRSV).

Service Sunday is February 1.

It encourages you and your congregation to discover opportunities to serve through the Church of the Brethren, celebrate those who serve, explore possibilities for service in our local communities, and be transformed through serving one another.

Find worship resources at www.brethren.org/servicesunday.

Christian Citizenship Seminar 2015

Christian Citizenship Seminar happens each year and is a powerful experience for all who attend. CCS brings together youth who are passionate, discerning, and concerned about justice and the well-being of our denomination, our communities, and our nation. Participants of past years have shared that their week at CCS was filled with experiences they remember for the rest of their lives.

The 2015 Christian Citizenship Seminar, held April 18 - 23 in New York City and Washington D.C., will focus on the complexities of US immigration policy, suggested reforms, and the consequences of both on immigrant communities. At CCS, high school aged youth and their advisors will explore the issue of immigration and the ways in which faith helps understand and form beliefs about it. This experience will help equip them to understand immigration and to educate their own communities about issues related to immigration.

During this week-long event, participants will explore the ways in which their lives intersect with the lives of immigrants through hearing personal stories from immigrants in the U.S., people who work with immigrants, individuals who are connected with both theology and immigration, and those who work in advocacy and policy-making. Participants will gather new cultural insights in New York City through attending multicultural church services and the United Nations, and in Washington, D.C. they will visit Capitol Hill and meet their representatives and senators to discuss the topic of immigration. Throughout the week, there are important times to get to know other participants, worship together, and reflect upon the day's events.

Through this conference, students are empowered to take home what they have learned, stay informed about the issue of immigration, and to share about their learning experiences to teach others.

Thank you for supporting great learning opportunities like these that build community and train leaders to address the needs of today.

Learn more about Christian Citizenship Seminar at www.brethren.org/ccs or call Kristen Hoffman at 847-429-4389 or email her at khoffman@brethren.org.

-- By Kristen Hoffman, BVS volunteer with Youth and Young Adult Ministry

Young Adult Steering Committee Meets at the Church of the Brethren General Offices

The Youth and Young Adult Office welcomed the Young Adult Steering Committee to the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., last week. Members of the committee include Jess Hoffert, Heather Houff Landram, Amanda McLearn-Montz, Mark Pickens, and Kyle Remnant. The group was led by Laura Whitman and assisted by Kristen Hoffman, in their planning for the 2015 Young Adult Conference.

Source: 01/21/2015 Newsline

IL/WI District 2015 Spring Youth Retreat

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down 

April 10th through April 12th, 2015

Freeport Church of the Brethren
777 W Pleasant St,
Freeport, Illinois 61032

• What: Rick Polhamus will be our session leader and will be sharing about his recent trip to Iraq and share about the history of this troubled part of the world. Topics will include Iraq, ISIS, and drone warfare. 
• When: Registration will begin at 7 pm on Friday Night. Retreat participants will be dismissed on Sunday around 11:45am.
• Who: Everyone currently in 9th through 12th grades during the 2014-2015 school year. Friends and advisors are welcome. 
• Cost: $40 for youth – no charge for advisors. Make checks payable to “Illinois/Wisconsin District Youth” 
• What to Bring: Bible, games, sleeping bag, snacks to share, towel. 

Registration Deadline: March 27th, 2015 – If we do not have 12 youth registered we will cancel the retreat.

The registration form can be found online.

New On Earth Peace Interns

On Earth Peace has introduced new interns Madeline Dulabaum, who will serve as editor of the “Peacebuilder” newsletter, and Michael Himlie who will be youth peace coordinator. Dulabaum will prepare each issue of the newsletter and will be exploring a new look for the publication. She is a student at DePaul University in Chicago, Ill., and has served on the news teams for Annual Conference and National Youth Conference, as well as editor for her high school magazine. Himlie’s duties will include coordinating peace retreats at congregations and districts, leading workshops at regional youth conferences, and connecting with youth throughout the denomination. He is a student at Manchester University and recently completed a year of Brethren Volunteer Service where he served with New Community Project and took part in a delegation to the Middle East with Christian Peacemaker Teams. He also has served with On Earth Peace as part of Ministry of Reconciliation teams at Annual Conference and National Youth Conference.

Source: 01/14/2015 Newsline

Church of the Brethren Regional Youth Conference 2015

The Regional Youth Conference will feature leadership by special guests David Radcliff of the New Community Project, Mutual Kumquat, and Ted & Co. The event is for youth in grades 9-12 and their adult advisors. Special pricing is available for college students willing to volunteer part of their time to assist with the weekend. Workshops are provided respectively for youth, youth leaders, college students. Registration will open later in January. More information will be made available soon. Contact Jen Jensen, McPherson College Director of Spiritual Life, with any questions at jensenj@mcpherson.edu or 620-242-0503.

Source: 01/14/2015 Newsline

Youth ministry names National Youth Cabinet for 2015-2016

A new National Youth Cabinet has been named by the Church of the Brethren’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry, led by director Becky Ullom Naugle. She reported that the new cabinet hopes to hold its first meeting in February.

Members of the 2015-2016 National Youth Cabinet are:

• Krystal Bellis from Ankeny Church of the Brethren in Northern Plains District,
• Yeysi Diaz from the Cristo Nuestra Paz/West Charleston congregation in Southern Ohio District,
• Jeremy Hardy from Hagerstown Church of the Brethren in Mid-Atlantic District,
• Alexa Harshbarger from Bremen Church of the Brethren in Northern Indiana District,
• Olivia Russell from Olympic View Church of the Brethren in Pacific Northwest District,
• Digby Strogen from La Verne Church of the Brethren in Pacific Southwest District.

Adult advisors to the cabinet are Glenn Bollinger from Shenandoah District, and Emily Van Pelt from Virlina District.

Becky Ullom Naugle, director of the Youth and Young Adult Ministry, will work with the cabinet to create a theme and resources for National Youth Sunday 2015 and 2016. For more about the denomination’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry go to www.brethren.org/yya.

Source: 01/06/2015 Newsline