Brethren Revival Fellowship holds General Meeting.

The Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF) held its General Meeting in Northern Ohio District on Saturday, Sept. 10. Mount Pleasant Church of the Brethren in North Canton, Ohio, was the host congregation. Moderated by Craig Alan Myers, BRF chairman and pastor of Blue River Church of the Brethren in Columbia City, Ind., the theme of the day was "Jesus Christ and the Church of the Brethren."

Approximately 60 brethren and sisters from 20 congregations in eight districts in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Idaho, and Indiana attended the meeting, with the youngest being 16 months old. An offering was received for the work of BRF. Randy Cosner, pastor of Briery Branch Church of the Brethren in Dayton, Va., declared that "this was an exceptional day."

Fred Keener, pastor of the Bristolville congregation, preached on "The Relevance of Jesus to the Church of the Brethren." Jim Hardenbrook, pastor of Nampa (Idaho) Church of the Brethren and past moderator of Annual Conference, preached on "What Would Jesus Say to the Church of the Brethren," "although he slightly altered the focus without losing sight of the subject," said Myers in his report from the meeting. John Ballinger, Northern Ohio District executive minister, brought devotions for the morning session, and the Keener family from the Bristolville (Ohio) Church of the Brethren congregation presented special music. James F. Myer, BRF vice chairman, presented a brief report of the Peoria Annual Conference.

The assembly also had the privilege of hearing Toma Ragnjiya share the devotions for the afternoon session. Ragnjiya was at one time general secretary of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and is now attending Ashland Seminary in a Doctor of Ministry program.

Charles L. Ilyes, pastor of Midway Church of the Brethren near Lebanon, Pa., and David Wenger, minister on the plural non-salaried ministry team at White Oak Church of the Brethren in Manheim, Pa., received approval as new members of the BRF Committee. Carl L. Brubaker, moderator of the Midway congregation, began another five-year term.

Next year's BRF General Meeting will be held in conjunction with the Brethren Alive 2006 event at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, July 28-30.

Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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