District Potluck

May 1, 2010
Peoria Church of the Brethren

Worship * Workshops * Fellowship * Food

Leadership will include Jonathan Shively, Kevin Kessler, Anna Lee Pierson, Dana McNeil, and others.

Registration from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Registration Fee --- $5.00
More registration information will follow later.
The day's schedule will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.

Plan now to attend this exciting event. Bring your favorite potluck dish to enjoy with others from across the district. Drinks and table service will be provided. Share this ir1fonnation with others in your church. There will be something for everyone including pastors, music leaders, deacons, computer people, and those who simply want to learn, worship, and enjoy wonderful fellowship. So, bring a carload. More details about workshops coming later.

This one-day event is being planned by your District Deacons on behalf of the Leadership Team of the District.

New Church Planting Conference

Plant Generously, Reap Bountifully
Bethany Theological Seminary
Richmond, Indiana
May 20 - 22, 2010

I (Paul) planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. - 1 Corinthians 3:6

The conference features worship, prayer, keynote addresses, workshops, small group conversations, networking, and community outreach experiences. For the first time this year we will offer a complete workshop track for Spanish speaking planters and leaders, along with translation of keynote addresses and general sessions.

Goals

• To cultivate a network of support for church planting in the Church of the Brethren
• To renew and energize through inspiring worship
• To develop new tools and skills through training, instruction, and Bible study
• To hear testimonies and celebrate God’s work through our efforts

Participants

People with passion for and commitment to furthering God’s work in the world through church planting. Individuals and teams seeking to develop or enhance their church planting skills.

Workshop topics will include:

• Bible study offered in both English and Spanish
• Coaching for new church starts
• Funding and partner church relationships
• Assessment and the importance of intentionally discerning the call to plant
• Physical health and well being for church leaders
• Family and marriage wellness
• Gathering a core team and getting started
• Spiritual strength for the difficult journey
• Next steps, moving from a start to a congregation
• Nuts and bolts, the “nitty gritty” of making it happen
• Churches planting churches, the synergy of multiplication
• Basic discipleship, helping new believers grow in their faith
• Doable evangelism, Christians encountering outsiders
• Planting landmines, learning from the hard lessons of those who’ve gone before
• Writing your vision and your plan
• Documents and organization for new churches (Spanish)
• Evangelismo, inicio del plantamiento de Iglesia
• Financiando, un p de Iglesia
• Partnering with community agencies to impact for Christ
• Small church, impacting church
• Main things, keeping priorities straight and distractions at bay

Young Adult Conference 2010

Register online today at www.brethren.org/yac

All young adults in the Church of the Brethren are invited to gather at Camp Blue Diamond (near Petersburg, PA) May 29 - 31. Romans 12:4 - 8 will guide us as we think about defining, seeking, building, and maintain community.

There is a strange phenomenon in the world today. We are more connected than ever before through technology, the economy, and the environment; yet we are more disconnected (from cach other and from God) than ever before. We struggle to find lifegiving relationships. We often feel alienated from “the church,” whether we define church as the congregation/denomination in which we grew up and/or our current faith community. Our deepest yearnings tell us that God is active in our lives, but seeing and feeling that process can elude even the most spiritually aware among us. What does Romans 12:4 - 8 mean to us today? What is community? How do we find, build, and nurture it? Come, share with us!

Leadership will include the Young Adult Steering Committee (Jordan Blevins, Ethan Gibbel, Caitlin Haynes, Virginia Meadows, John-Michael Pickens, and Jennifer Quijano), Matt McKimmy, and several other Brethren young adults. The cost is $90 prior to April 20. The Youth/Young Adult Ministry Office will send a letter to the home church of young adults who wish to request a $50 scholarship from their church family. (The cost for registration goes up to $115 after April 20 and no scholarship letter will be provided.)

Way of Christ Fall Weekends

Men’s Weekend - October 14-17
Women’s Weekend - October 21-24

The Way of Christ is a spiritual renewal event sponsored by Mennonite, Brethren, and Church of the Brethren believers in Illinois. Through this three-day event participants share in a vibrant portrait of the grace-filled life Jesus lived and taught. It is a time where the hope of Christ is celebrated, the believer's purpose in life claimed, the love of God in Jesus proclaimed.

Purpose of The Way of Christ

In today's world, does our faith permeate all areas of our lives? Can it be sustained in our living? Can it grow there? Can it transform the hearts of the people with whom we share our lives? Is it relevant for this time?

Those in the Way of Christ movement think so!

The Way of Christ movement does not propose a new type of spirituality. It reinforces a simple intentional one through which the believers grace-filled life may; in a natural loving way, be lived and shared with others.

..the Way of Christ, A lay led, Believers’ Church, Cursillo movement of Brethren & Mennonite Christians…

CONTACT:

Phil Kaufmann at 815-646-4889 or ppkman@comcast.net
Judd Peter at 630-554-1217 or juddpeter@EarthLink.net
Dan Rusmisel at 815-238-3421 or d_rusmiselle@yahoo.com
Cal Zehr at 815-646-4287 or cczehr@juno.com