Shalom Team

A Shalom Team will be appointed by the District Board and will be accountable and reportable to the Board. The Shalom Team will work in partnership with the District Executive Minister.

Its purpose will be to empower congregations, and the District, to maintain and enhance healthy relationships, and deal creatively with brokenness in its earliest stages.

Four Functions of the Shalom Team

Consult: The Shalom Team will be available to provide timely, short-term consultation on any issue which hinders, or threatens to hinder, progress toward total well being. Consultation will involve active listening, prayer, and discernment.

Assess: Based on consultation, Shalom Team members may identify the needs or name the brokenness. Assessment should include assisting persons to envision "next steps" that help move them toward wholeness, and help identify resources that would enhance such progress. The Shalom Team will be aware of a wide range of resources, and will assist persons and congregations in identifying options appropriate to their needs.

Educate: The Shalom Team will provide, on a regular basis, local, sectional, or District-wide educational and training events.

Mentor: Shalom Teams may identify and mentor persons who demonstrate gifts and may invite persons to acquire additional training.

Shalom Teams are not

judges, juries, arbitrators, or decision makers
fixers of problems
just well-mannered people

Shalom Teams are

decision-enablers
facilitators helping congregations walk through their own decision-making
trained ministers of reconciliation

Shalom Teams also

bring a calm, non-anxious presence
perform preventative maintenance through education
assist in times of transition
educate even in the midst of conflict
model and share skills that they have learned
provide informed referrals to appropriate persons and resources
leave behind a legacy of increased ability to deal constructively with conflict

Who is on the Shalom Team?

The Shalom Team is made up of six people called by the Northern Indiana District to serve a five-year term. In addition, the District Executive Minister, District Board Chair, and District Moderator are ex-officio members.

2023 John Long (Beacon Heights)
2025 Mark Riege (Union Center)
2025 Jesse Kreider (District Office holding)
2026 Bev Weaver (Cedar Lake)
TBA, Board Liason
Torin Eikler, Executive Minister (ex-officio)
District Conference Moderator (ex-officio)

How does the

Shalom Team Work?

The District Shalom Team is available to serve congregations throughout the District. Requests for the services of the Shalom Team should be directed to the District Executive Minister, District Board Chair, District Moderator, or Shalom Team Chair.

These requests may be made by a congregation or fellowship through its appropriate administrative body, by the District Board, or by the District Executive Minister.

When a request is made to the Shalom Team, it will meet and send a team of two or three of its members to meet with those in the congregation making the request. The team will help the congregation develop a plan of action and provide for follow-up sessions.

CONGREGATIONAL ETHICS PAPER

The Background: A Congregational Ethics Paper was approved by the 2014 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. Each congregation is to review this paper every five years. Beginning in 2020, before a congregation can have their pastoral search profile activated, the church must declare that they have reviewed the Congregational Ethics Paper. There is good news. The District Shalom Team is prepared to come to your congregation.

Step #1 - Select a date for your Board or Leadership Team plus as many members as possible. Reserve 2-3 hours.

Step #2 - Invite one Shalom Team member; Get the second one free.

Step #3 – Study Scripture together along with wisdom from our Christian brothers and sisters.

Step #4 – be a better model of the Kingdom of God.

For details, contact Torin Eikler, District Executive Minister, torin.nidcob@gmail.com.