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Brethren Special Activities
Denominational

Annual Conference    It is the historical town meeting of the Church of the Brethren where delegates from each local church gather in harmony to affirm one another, and enact polity. This annual gathering successfully mixes fun, worship, serious debate, education, and challenge in one memorable week.

Camping Ministries is offered by our twenty-three Districts, and open for attendance to individuals from any walk of life. Many of the camps offer special "extended" activities beyond the geographical area of the camp itself, such as a caving or white-water canoeing camps. Camp directors endeavor to give campers a taste of life in the wild, plus a spiritual perspective of life itself. See also Outdoor Ministries Association

Brethren Volunteer Service How can one person with compassion meaningfully assist so many others that are immersed in poverty, hunger, or occupational exclusion? Filled with enthusiasm and high aspirations, people often lack the focus or the connections to know where to start. BVS offers these bright and energetic individuals the opportunity to make a practical difference in the world around them.

National Older Adult Conference or NOAC is an opportunity for spiritual renewal for adults who are 50 plus in years. Events include worship services, fellowship gatherings, resource fair, handcrafts, recreation, outdoor music celebrations, ice cream socials, and plenty of free time to enjoy the local scenery. The next conference will be held September 4-8, 2006, at Lake Junaluska, Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.

National Young Adult Conference is a time when hundreds of youth get together to make friends, renew acquaintances, spend time in worship, participate in workshops, and encourage one another in their journey of faith. The last conference was held at Camp Woodland Altars in southern Ohio, May 27-29, 2005.

National Youth Conference or NYC is held every four years by the Youth & Young Adult Office of our National General Board. Eligible youth must have completed ninth grade through one year of college at the time, and each congregation must supply one advisor for every seven youth. The next conference will be held on the campus of Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, July 22-27, 2006.



Disaster Relief Auctions

Brethren Disaster Relief Auction - Atlantic-Northeast/PA Southern District Every 4th Saturday of September the Brethren gather on the fairgrounds at Lebanon, Pennsylvania for a two day effort to raise money for victims of natural or man-made disasters. It has been stated 'unofficially' that the Lebanon Relief Auction is the largest gathering of Brethren in the United States except for Annual Conference. The auction is sponsored by the Atlantic Northeast & PA Southern Districts which represents more than 130 congregations.

Brethren Disaster Relief Auction - Mid-Atlantic District The 20 members of the District Disaster Response Committee have labored long and hard this past year, encouraging church members to contribute to the auction in whatever way then can. Mid-Atlantic members pieced quilts together in beautiful patterns, they gathered used but good things to bring, they baked, they repaired, they brought growing things, they made signs, they prepared a booklet, they paid for ads, they worked in a thousand ways.

Brethren Disaster Relief Auction - Shenandoah District Our auctions have been possible due to the committed efforts of many of the folks in our church, community, and District. The primary goal of the auction is to honor God by our outreach efforts. Many volunteer workers help make this event possible with their time and donated items. We endeavor to raise funds to provide immediate supplies, child care, and rebuilding tools to help victims of disaster to get back on their feet and on with their lives.



Work Camp Opportunities

1999 Annual Workcamp in Nigeria Continued construction of a secondary school next to EYN Headquarters located near Mubi. With the current economic and governmental conditions in Nigeria, there is a need to provide continuous quality education for the members of EYN. Participants must be willing to do physical labor including masonry, carpentry, painting, plastering and cooking.

YYA Work Camps are sponsored by the Youth & Young Adult Office of the General Board. Each camp project gives youth an opportunity to explore the world around them, experience the priceless beauty of creation, exhilaration of helping others, and discovering the interesting nuances of different people and cultures. If you are interested in participating, inquire about camp locations and registration expectations.


Beliefs ~ Perspectives

Membership 101 Here is a place to explore the possibility of establishing your membership with the Church of the Brethren. You will learn about vows which you would be expected to affirm during a Baptismal or Reception service, and also the more distinctive beliefs and practices that uniquely accentuate the Church of the Brethren from other denominations.

Brethren Card The Church of the Brethren has historically resisted the theological confinement of creeds and narrow statements of faith; but in order to give non-Brethren a brief introduction to our beliefs and practices, this card was issued many years ago to list the essentials of our understanding of the New Testament.

Brethren Logo of our denomination is comprised of three elements which makes a distinct statement reflecting; our unity in Christ, our compassion for a world in spiritual darkness, our mission to serve others, our responsibility to teach and baptize, and our hope of reward for faithfulness.

Creeds and the Brethren by Frank Ramirez examines the basic reasons why Brethren have traditionally resisted the confinement of a creed by detailing historical moments and theological weaknesses that predictably lay in the pathway to the formation of creeds. Ramirez further gives treatment to the inherent problems of creedalism such as affirmation without investigation or different signposts for different believers on the spiritual journey of faith. Lastly, readers are effectually challenged to define their own approach to developing and defending a system of beliefs.

Pocket Gospel In Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans, he condenses the message of God's grace into just a few short verses. For that reason, some have called this passage the Pocket Gospel. You will be able to view humanity from God's perspective and learn how Jesus became the centerpiece of that plan of grace.

Plan of Redemption through Jesus Christ Understanding the grace of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus is at the heart of Christianity. Here is an overview of God's plan to redeem mankind to Himself through the exemplary life and vicarious atonement of Jesus Christ.

FAQS - Frequently Asked QuestionS Visitors frequently load our e-mail box with innocent, and often curious questions about the Church of the Brethren and what we believe or how we function as an organization. Read our responses to these inquires, and hopefully you will discover the answer to your question.

Timeline    of the Church of the Brethren tracing our development from a very small circle of eight Anabaptist and Pietist believers in Schwarzenau, Germany, until the present 1,100 congregations in 36 states with mission projects around the world. Discover many external religious events that significantly contributed to our formation. Included are many secular historical markers to help properly frame Brethren events in relation to world happenings.