A Call to Prayer 

A call for the entire Brethren community to be in prayer for the Haitian people and the church there has come from Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger (see the January 14 issue of Newsline at www.brethren.org).

            Brethren Disaster Ministries is one of the organizations beginning the work of disaster relief in Haiti. The church’s Emergency Disaster Fund is receiving donations toward the effort at www.brethren.org/HaitiDonations . Prayers for Haiti are begin gathered at www.brethren.org/HaitiPrayers . Updates from the Brethren involvement with Haiti will be offered at www.brethren.org/HaitiEarthquake . Brethren Disaster Ministries also is requesting donations of Gift of the Heart Hygiene Kits and School Kits, which should be sent to the Brethren Service Center, P.O. Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776. For kit instructions go to www.churchworldservice.org/site/

Installation Services for District Executive

 We will welcome Sonja Griffith as District Executive on January 1, 2010 and rejoice in her call to lead among us. The first installation service took place January 3 at Sonja’s home congregation, First Central, in Kansas City, Kan. The dates, locations, and times for up-coming installations are:  1) February 20, 2010, at 3:30 PM Hutchinson Community, Hutchinson, KS and 2)  March 6, 2010 at 2 PM at Bethel Church of the Brethren, Arriba, CO.

And, yes, Sonja and I realize that there may be snow or ice, or 55 degrees on any one of these dates. IF bad weather descends on the designated location, please call the host church to confirm if the event is on; or call Lisa Hazen (316.680.1191).

Mileage Rate for 2010

Please note the new IRS mileage rates for 2010. The standard mileage rate has dropped to $.50/mile. Share this with your congregational treasurer and make sure that your pastor/congregational agreement reflects the new amount.

WPD Area III Rally/Revival

The Western Plains District Area III Rally/Revival is scheduled for March 6 from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm with a noon ‘pot luck’ lunch at the Holmesville (Neb.) Church of the Brethren.

The theme for the day will be “Hearing and Answering God’s Call.” We anticipate this being a special time of discerning and sharing the NEW things that God is calling us to do. It is also a time of examination and searching for the Christ light in each of us and our churches. How is God calling us to serve each other?

DENOMINATIONAL FORMS ARE DUE!

Forms A & B were mailed to all congregations on October 1.Both forms are due back to the Yearbook Office by December 31, 2009.Please update and return these forms to Elgin.
Congregational Outreach Reports were mailed in October and will be due December 7, 2009.
2009 statistical forms will be mailed to all congregations by December 1, 2009 and will be due February 1, 2010.
Thank you for your help with these forms, especially to those churches that have already returned them! Please contact the District Office if you have any questions.