District News Notes, November 25, 2025

*Please forward this to those on your mailing list. Thank you. 

DISTRICT OFFICE

We will be closed for the rest of the week. Both Torin and Lisa will not be working Wednesday-Sunday.

In December, we will have normal hours through the week ending on December 19th. From the 20th through January 4th, we will be closed and on vacation.

CREST MANOR

Christmas Concert featuring Michael Snyder

Friday, Dec. 19th, 7:30pm

Concert is free with refreshments to follow.

HYMN SING invite from South Central District

You’re Invited to a Hymn Sing!

Wednesday, December 10, 2025 @ 3:30 p.m. prior to the Delphi Listening Session

Delphi Opera House, 109 S Washington St, Delphi, IN 46923

Come join district folks for a time of singing and then stay for a meal and conversation.

RSVP by calling the office (260.274.0396) or filling out this form: https://forms.gle/8xLyCMyYSMCZDgkG8

YAC

What YAC is:

YAC is a gathering for Camp Mack alumni who want to return after high school and reconnect with the place that helped shape their faith. It’s a chance to rekindle old friendships, strengthen the ones that remain, and grow together in Christ.

Our purpose is to bring alumni back to Camp Mack for meaningful fellowship, worship, and leadership development. As YAC becomes established, we hope each participant leaves better equipped to serve the church and to return as strong, confident counselors for youth camp.

YAC is entirely student-led, giving college students the opportunity to guide the experience from start to finish. All workshops, sermon messages, and worship sessions are planned and led by students who want to serve their peers and grow in their own callings. This creates an authentic environment where young leaders can practice their gifts and encourage one another in their walk with Christ.

When they are planning to meet:

Dec 30th-Jan 1st at camp

Request:

https://youtu.be/AOHnmq55fEE?si=lPkn7i_uSYpz-0Qm

Global Women's Advent Calendar for 2025

We are pleased to share that the Global Women's Project advent calendar is now available for the 2025 advent season. You may find it on our website. We invite you and your congregations to join us in this colorful advent meditation, and to consider participating in the activities that encourage you to share some of your abundance with GWP or another organization close to your heart.

The calendar can be easily shared digitally or printed as part of a bulletin insert.

In peace,

Sarah Ullom-Minnich

Global Women's Project Steering Committee

BREMEN

The Bremen CoB Women’s Fellowship will be hosting a Craft Bazaar on Saturday, March 28, 2026.  More info will follow at a later date.

INTERIM/Transitional Ministry Round Table Discussion: Round 2

Zoom Session: Monday, December 1, 7:30 – 9 pm EST

JOIN US for support and Information using this link: https://tiny.cc/COB-Interim

CLERGY TAX SEMINAR

Rev Deb Oskin will be presenting on Saturday, January 31, 2026, from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm (EST), CLERGY TAX SEMINAR.

       Students, clergy and anyone who deals with clergy finances are invited to participate in this online Zoom seminar.

       Learn how to prepare clergy taxes correctly & legally.

       Comply with regulations while maximizing tax deductions.

       Earn 0.3 CEUs-for the first 2 sessions only.

I’ve attached the seminar brochure for more information.

Register here: Clergy Tax Seminar

CREEKSIDE

Holiday Cookie-Candy Walk

Saturday, December 6, 2025

8:00-11:30am

Creekside Church of the Brethren

60455 County Road 113 

Elkhart, Indiana 46517

574-875-7800

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Creekside has partnered with SAW's (Servant at Work) specializing in building wooden wheelchair ramps for low-income, permanently disabled individuals. 

The next build will be December 5 & 6 at Creekside Church of the Brethren. 

Friday, December 5, 2:00pm / Saturday, December 6, 10:30am

https://sawsramps.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/ebe94b2d-4f6f-4a10-8795-464cc1c3d9b2

If you are interested in helping or would like additional Information, please contact Mike Kauffman mkauff2012@gmail.com or Roger Griffith 14rogergriffith@gmail.com , 574-707-9872   

NIDCOB WOMEN'S FALL RETREAT 2025 -- picture attached below!

National Youth Conference 2026

National Youth Conference 2026 will take place July 18-23, 2026, at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. The theme for NYC 2026 is “Light Within Us,” based on Matthew 5:14-16. Youth who have finished 9th grade through their first year of college (or age equivalent) are invited to attend with adult advisors. This will be a week full of fellowship, worship, service projects, recreation, and so much more!

Registration opens January 5, 2026, visit www.brethren.org/nyc for more information. The cost of NYC is $625 for early bird registration, $650 for regular registration, and $675 for late registration.

If you have any questions, reach out to Rachel Johnson (rjohnson@brethren.org).

2026 Pastoral Compensation Resources Now Available

The 2026 Pastoral Compensation Guidelines and Tools are now available through the CoB Office of Ministry website at: https://www.brethren.org/ministryoffice/compensation/

All congregations are encouraged to review these documents on a yearly basis as they prepare the annual budgets.

Ventures Courses Now Available

Registration is now live for the Ventures in Christian Discipleship 2025-2026 webinar series. All courses are previewed below, and additional information is attached for the fall courses. We hope you will share widely with your district churches, lay leaders and pastors. CEUs are available. All are welcome!

·         January 20 & 27: “Building Bridges Between Brethren through Compassionate Listening: Let Thy Kingdom Come!” presented by Barbara Daté, Joe Vecchio, & Harriet Koscho

·         February 21: “The Ecology of Vitality: Mutuality in Pastoral and Congregational Well-Being,” presented by John Fillmore

·         March 28: “God’s Earth, Our Home: Engaging Creation Care through Faith,” presented by David Radcliff

Participants can learn more and register online at www.mcpherson.edu/ventures . Please be in touch if you have any questions.

FaithX for 50+

This February, FaithX is hosting a special service trip for adults ages 50+ at Camp Ithiel in Gotha, FL – and you are invited to join! See below for more information. Registration is open now and will close on February 1, 2026 – https://www.brethren.org/faithx/older-adult/ If you have questions, feel free to contact them by email (faithx@brethren.org) or phone (847-429-4337).

BRETHREN DISASTER MINISTRIES

Norm Waggy - our District BDM Rep – has committed to half a crew (7 persons)  from N. IN to work the week of Feb 15-21.  Can you make this work?  I can guarantee you it is an experience you will not forget.  And, really, how full is your calendar in February . . . . 

2025 New Community Project Learning Tours

David Radcliff, New Community Project dradcliffncp@yahoo.com Go. Meet. Learn. Grow. Change yourself – and your world. These trips will take participants of all ages to: Borneo in mid-May (orangutans & sun bears, tropical forests, mangrove restoration); the Ecuadorian Amazon in early June (amazing wildlife, inspiring native leaders, threats from palm oil and oil drilling);Lybrook, NM in late June (native Dineh craftspeople and traditional healers, work projects, Chaco Culture historical ruins, impacts of fracking); Denali/Kenai Fjords National Parks in early August (big mountains, big critters, climate impacts, seacoast experience); Nepal in mid-January, 2026 (human trafficking, Himalaya, a wildlife park, NCP support of girls and women). For more information: www.newcommunityproject.info/learning-tour

2026 L.E.A.D. Conference: Leadership matters!

Learning more about leading well can only help pastors and congregations. The Church of the Brethren LEAD Conference will encourage, inspire, and equip you and your congregation’s leaders to further develop your ministry’s effectiveness and earn CEU credit. Join us for powerful times of worship, in-depth keynote messages, and practical breakout sessions taught by practitioners who are eager to share lessons they’ve learned that you can adapt and implement in your own ministry context.

This will be a leadership development conference for congregational leaders such as pastors and church board members. The focus will be on raising the leadership skills of congregational leaders to help them be more effective in their local ministries. The event will be a mix of plenary and break-out sessions.

Dates: May 1-3, 2026

Location: Ephrata Church of the Brethren, Ephrata, PA

For more information please see the official website here: https://www.brethren.org/dlf/lead-conference/

Children’s Disaster Services

Learn how to bring comfort and care to children following disasters

By Michael Scalzi

Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) is very excited to have new volunteer trainings scheduled for the Spring of 2026 in addition to the Fall of 2025. Join a CDS volunteer training and learn how to bring comfort and care to children following disasters.

The CDS training program is a 25-hour training that equips volunteers with the skills needed to understand and respond to children who have encountered both human-caused and natural disasters. Learn more and register for a training at www.brethren.org/cds or call 410-635-8735.

For training dates and locations go to www.brethren.org/news/2025/learn-how-to-bring-comfort