Volume 16
Summer 2014
BRF/BMF Work Camps
A workcamp is being planned for late summer, 2015 at the New Horizons ministry in Colorado. New Horizons ministers to orphans and prisoners. Please consider participating in this workcamp.
Pat and Karen Myers
Pat and Karen Myers from the Pleasant View Congregation (Southern PA District) have been serving for a number of years at the Missionary Training College in New Zealand. They are serving through World Evangelization for Christ (WEC). The BMF committee has again agreed to contribute $6,000 toward their support for the coming year.
Ken and Janet Winebark
Ken and Janet Winebark are members of the Richland Church of the Brethren (Atlantic Northeast District) and have been serving with Mercy Ships for a number of years. Ken is the Director of Agricultural Programs in the countries where Mercy Ships serves, and Janet also works for Mercy Ships in Donor Services. The BMF committee has agreed to contribute $1,000 toward the Winebark’s support in the coming year and will further review their support in May of 2015.
EYN Compassion Fund
The EYN Compassion Fund was established to support Nigerian Brethren who have lost a family member, home or property due to ongoing violence in Nigeria. In 2009 an extremist Islamist sect, Boko Haram, began terrorist operations in northern Nigeria. Since then many Nigerian Brethren have been killed, along with the destruction of churches and other property. In the fall of 2013, the BMF committee agreed to contribute $3,000 toward this fund.
Recently a Church of the Brethren in the West Marva District decided to channel some funds through the BMF to the EYN Compassion Fund. The BMF committee also decided to contribute some additional monies for this fund so that the total combined amount being sent to the EYN Compassion Fund at this time will be $2,500.
Lorinda Newcomer
Lorinda Newcomer is the daughter of Dale and Christine Newcomer and granddaughter of Harold and Priscilla Martin. Lorinda is a member of the Brunswick Church of the Brethren in Maine (Atlantic Northeast District). Two years ago the BMF supported her as she served with Northern Youth Programs (NYP), as she worked with the Indians of Red Lake, Ontario. Lorinda served a 2nd year with NYP, but did not request funding from the BMF. Lorinda is now planning to serve a 3rd year and has asked the BMF committee if they would consider helping to cover some of her travel expenses, which are estimated to be $500-$600. After discussion the committee agreed to contribute $600 toward her travel expenses.
Church of the Brethren Mission Advisory Report
At the recent CoB Annual Conference in Columbus, Ohio (July 2-6), a noon luncheon was held on Saturday, July 5 to report on the work of the Brethren Mission Fund. About (225) people gathered for the meal, after which Jim Myer and Bob Kettering (who both serve on the CoB Mission Advisory Committee), reported on a recent meeting that was held in Haiti, from February 25 – March 3, 2014. About half of their time in Haiti was spent visiting various Churches of the Brethren. There are now (21) CoB Congregations in Haiti, along with (11) preaching points.
When the committee wasn’t going around visiting churches, they were meeting together, doing some long-range planning. Jay Wittmeyer (Executive Director of Global Mission and Service) reviewed the more recent Church of the Brethren Annual Conference statements related to missions and asked the committee how the missions component of the Church of the Brethren could better reflect our “global denomination?” The Church of the Brethren in other parts of the world is growing rapidly. The vision of this committee is that they would be adequately represented in our denomination. Please continue to support the BMF as we seek to advance the gospel around the world.