Haitian Brethren hold gathering for theological training, love feast.

An annual gathering of L'Eglise des Freres Haitiens (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) was held in mid-August in the town of Cap-Haitien in the north of the Caribbean island. Some 92 members of the Haitian church and leadership from the US church took part in the event, which included sessions for theological training, a Love Feast service, and baptisms. The theme for the week was "Unity."

Attending from the US Church of the Brethren were Ludovic St. Fleur, coordinator of the Haiti mission and pastor of Eglise des Freres Haitiens in Miami, Fla.; his daughter Roselanne Cadet, who provided translation services; Marie Ridore, also of Eglise des Freres Haitiens in Miami; Ilexene Alphonse of Miami First Church of the Brethren; Thomas Dowdy Jr., pastor of Imperial Heights Church of the Brethren in Los Angeles, Calif.; Verel Montauban, pastor of Haitian First Church of the Brethren of New York; and James Myer, an ordained minister from Lititz, Pa., and a leader in the Brethren Revival Fellowship.

The Brethren in the Dominican Republic sent Leton Fleury as a representative to the meeting, attending from the Boca Chica congregation near Santo Domingo.

The Love Feast included footwashing, a fellowship meal, and communion, and was attended by more than 90 people. For communion, a batch of bread was served made from a recipe that Myer had brought with him.

At the close of the gathering, seven people received believer's baptism by trine immersion in a Brethren style that proved to be new for many Haitians who were present, according to reports from the event. On the weekend after the gathering, 12 more people planned to be baptized in their home congregations.

Source: 9/9/2010 Newsline