Andre Gingerich Stoner is director of Interchurch Relations and Holistic Witness for Mennonite Church USA
By Andre Gingerich Stoner
The world’s concern and dismay has been drawn to the hundreds of Nigerian school girls who were abducted last month. Very little media attention has been given, however, to the fact that most of the affected families are part of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN – Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria).
With over 180,000 members, the EYN is the largest national body of Church of the Brethren in the world. The Church of the Brethren teaches and practices Jesus’ way of peace, and together with Mennonites and Friends (Quakers) is known as an Historic Peace Church.
In the current crisis the EYN is working to bridge broken relationships between Muslim and Christian communities, ministering to families regardless of faith commitment and forming interfaith committees to jointly care for orphan children whose parents have been lost.
Visit the Church of the Brethren web-site for ongoing news reports about the situation and the church in Nigeria, as well as for opportunities to respond and take action. Please keep these sisters and brothers in your prayers.