Title: Brethren moderator returns from tour praising Nigerian church March 16, 2007 Church of the Brethren News Service Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, News Director 800-323-8039 ext. 260 -- cobnews@brethren.org
CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN MODERATOR RETURNS FROM TOUR PRAISING NIGERIAN CHURCH
(March 16, 2007) Elgin, IL -- Belita Mitchell, pastor of First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa., and serving this year as the first African- American woman moderator of the Church of the Brethren, has returned from a trip to Nigeria with high praise for the Nigerian Brethren.
Her trip took place Feb 26-March 9, when she traveled to Nigeria with her husband, Don Mitchell, and Merv Keeney, executive director of the church's Global Mission Partnerships. The group visited numerous sites of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), accompanied by EYN leaders Filibus Gwama, president, and Y.Y. Balami, general secretary, and David Whitten, the Church of the Brethren's Nigeria mission coordinator.
"We were warmly welcomed as sisters and brothers in Christ and as members of their mother church," Mitchell said. She described as "humbling" EYN's veneration of the Church of the Brethren in the US, and the early Brethren missionaries to Nigeria, as well as the Nigerian church's deep appreciation for continuing relationship with US Brethren.
She noted many ways the US church can learn from the Nigerian church in the areas of church growth and ministry planning. She found "stunning" the number of ministries that have continued to grow and evolve from the beginnings established by the Brethren missionaries.
"EYN appears to be doing a good job of identifying needs in their faith community and the community at large, and then tailoring their ministries to meet those needs with relevance and effectiveness," she said.
She had praise as well for the ZME (EYN women's fellowship). "It is a well-organized, highly motivated association of women who are excited about the Lord and busy in the work of sharing the Gospel. They have a number of missionary and evangelistic ministries that are designed to make disciples, win souls, and empower women to live healthier, more stable lives," she said.
Mitchell did not lose sight of her groundbreaking role as the first African-American woman--and the first African-American ordained female minister--to serve in the highest elected position in the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. At the EYN headquarters in Mubi and at the Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN) in Bukuru, she challenged the Nigerian church to consider ordaining women as pastors. Gwama and Balami responded with openness to her message, she said.
Other key Brethren-related ministries that the delegation visited were Hillcrest School in Jos; the Rural Health Department, Mason Technical School, and the historic tamarind tree where the first Brethren worship was held, in Garkida; and the Comprehensive Secondary School, Kulp Bible College, and the Theological Education by Extension program in Mubi.
A main agenda of the trip was to convey solidarity with the EYN congregations that had suffered violence in interreligious rioting last year. The people of Maiduguri speak of the date of the rioting, Feb. 18, 2006, as Americans speak of Sept. 11, Mitchell said. "I was honored to be invited to speak at...the Dala EYN church," one of five EYN churches damaged or destroyed in the riots, she noted. Love feast and communion were a part of the worship service. The US church has given more than $43,000 for rebuilding and to support peace and reconciliation work following the riots, in a special Love Offering.
It was Mitchell's first visit to Nigeria, and to Africa. "Every person of color I know who has traveled to Africa has said that the experience has been life-changing," she said. "I echo that sentiment. I would expect the impact of the connections made with African brothers and sisters to strengthen and grow."
"Sister Belita's encouragement and challenge to Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ will echo and bear fruit for years to come," Keeney observed.
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.
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For more information contact:
Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford Director of News Services Church of the Brethren General Board 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120 800-323-8039 ext. 260 cobnews@brethren.org
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