Conference worship services focus on loving God and neighbor.

Daily worship services focused on the Annual Conference theme of "Loving God and Neighbor" and provided a strong foundation on which to build numerous days of worshipful work.

Moderator Chris Bowman's sermon on Saturday evening set the tone for the week. He encouraged Brethren to "turn our efforts and our energies back to the basics--loving God and loving neighbor, living lives for the glory of God and our neighbor's good. That is something worth our passion, something worth our protection, something worth our lives in the body of Christ."

On Sunday morning, Dena Pence Frantz, professor of Theological Studies at Bethany Theological Seminary, asked a question from scripture, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?" (Luke 24:5b) She said, "The living God is known among us as we live our everyday lives in fullness and delight in God's presence and in active love for others."

Worship on Monday evening was well-seasoned with laughter, soulful music, drama, and heartfelt reflection on the question, "Who is my neighbor?" James Washington, pastor of Faith Center Fellowship, Whitehouse, Texas, spoke on "Living Lovingly Together." He underscored the importance of loving all of our neighbors, equal to all humanity, as opposed to only loving those with whom relationship is easy.

Worship pulled Brethren together on Tuesday evening around the love feast. Tim Button-Harrison, pastor of Ivester Church of the Brethren in Grundy Center, Iowa, posed the question of how Brethren are doing with loving one another beyond the local congregation, symbolized by sharing love feast together. He challenged his listeners, saying, "Like never before, today we are called to go extraordinary distances, to overcome great divides, to practice Jesus' command that we love one another."

In a fitting conclusion to Conference, the closing worship Wednesday morning sent participants out to continue the work of Jesus. Preacher Andrew Murray, Juniata College professor and Brethren musical legend, reminded listeners that "the Kingdom is not destination, it is a journey." Murray said, "There is no way to the Kingdom; the Kingdom is the way." He then asked listeners, as the denominational tag-line says, to "Continue the work of Jesus...peacefully, simply, together."

For many Conference-goers, the music in worship was a spiritual experience. From the "souped up" Bluegrass version of "Brethren We Have Met to Worship," to the heartfelt solos of Larry Brumfield, to the a capella group The Guys, music bathed the gathered body in a sense of God's presence.