“We are a Christ-centered, open, vibrant, loving and caring community of faith.”
Lets Journey Together!
At Harrisonburg First Church of the Brethren, we believe that we are called to live as completely as possible the life Jesus demonstrated and taught. Our salvation or acceptance before God is only possible because of the gift of God’s love and forgiveness extended to us through Jesus Christ. We believe that service is an essential expression of our faith. Peace and reconciliation among all people and nations are very important to us. We believe in the truth affirmed in all scripture as well as the major creeds, but hold to the New Testament as our final authority. Our desire is to continue the work of Jesus, Peacefully, Simply, Together. We want to offer you a place to belong! Here at Harrisonburg First Church of the Brethren, all are welcomed.
Another way of living
In the New Testament, the word “brethren” describes a community of men and women who chose another way of living: the way of Jesus. The Church of the Brethren, begun three centuries ago in Germany, still draws people who want to continue Jesus’ work of faithfulness and loving service.
Continuing the work of Jesus
Though the Brethren as a group have existed for three hundred years, we subscribe to no formal “creed” or set of rules. We simply try to do what Jesus did.
Jesus brought a message of life, love, and hope. But he offered much more than inspiring words: He understood that people’s spiritual needs also include day-to-day human ones — food, health, rest, comfort, friendship, and unconditional acceptance. “I am the way,” he told his followers. He showed them how to trust, how to care, and how to help.
Steadily, lovingly, even radically, Jesus went about saving the world — by serving its people. Because we believe his message, we seek to do the same.
Peacefully
Whether the conflict involves warring nations, racial discord, theological disputes, personal disagreement, or mere misunderstanding, Brethren listen conscientiously, seek guidance in the scriptures, and work toward reconciliation. We practice peaceful living.
Our longstanding commitment to peace and justice includes a deep regard for human life and dignity. Brethren reach worldwide to help repair the ravages of poverty, ignorance, exploitation, and catastrophic events. Along with our faith, we bring food, books, classes, tools, and medicine.
Living peacefully, to the Brethren, means treating each person with the attentive, compassionate respect that all human beings deserve.
Simply
Years ago, all Brethren were immediately recognizable because of their plain dress and reserved ways. Today’s Brethren live very much in the world, work in a broad range of occupations, and make use of the latest technology.
Continually, though, we try to simplify our lives. Practicing a modest nonconformity, we think carefully about our daily choices. The ideal of simplicity guides our decisions: How will we conduct our business, raise our children, spend our leisure time, tend our natural resources? How will we use our money, and why? How can we live comfortably, but without excess or ostentation?
For the Brethren, such considerations are not a requirement, but a privilege. As we seek to live intentionally, responsibly, and simply, we find a deep sense of purpose. And we find joy.
Together
Whether worshiping, serving, learning, or celebrating, Brethren act in community. Together, we study the Bible to discern God’s will; we make decisions as a group, and each person’s voice matters.
During our traditional love feast, we gather at the table of the Lord, and each summer at Annual Conference we convene as a denominational family. Because Jesus urged unity, Brethren work alongside other denominations, at home and abroad, in worldwide mission and outreach.
Our congregations welcome all who wish to share with us in another way of living: the way of Christian discipleship, life in community, fulfillment in service.
We live out our faith in community. That community begins in the congregation, but extends also to the district, and to the church as a whole. In other words, the life and work of the Church of the Brethren begins within hundreds of congregations but reaches around the world.
Faithful following of Jesus Christ and obedience to the will of God as revealed in the Scriptures have led us to emphasize principles that we believe are central in true discipleship. Among these are peace and reconciliation, simple living, integrity of speech, family values, and service to neighbors near and far.
We hold the New Testament as our guidebook for living, affirming with it the need for lifelong and faithful study of the Scriptures. Brethren believe that God has revealed an unfolding purpose for the human family and the universe through the Hebrew Scriptures (or Old Testament), and fully in the New Testament. We hold the New Testament as the record of the life, ministry, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and of the beginnings of the life and thought of the Christian church.
Seeking to follow Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world” (NRSV), Brethren insist members should not thoughtlessly adopt the patterns of the world around them. At an earlier time, features like dress, homes, and meetinghouses were distinctively plain as we sought to live what was called “the simple life.” Brethren refused military service and practiced nonviolence in the face of violence. We refused to take oaths or go to court to solve problems. These practices set us apart from the world.
Today we seek to interpret biblical teachings in fresh ways for our day. We encourage members to think about what they buy and how they use their money in an affluent society. We are sensitive to the limited resources of our global community. We encourage people to “affirm” rather than “swear” when taking an oath. With earlier Brethren, we believe that “our word should be as good as our bond.”
Above all, Brethren seek to pattern our daily living after the life of Jesus: a life of humble service and unconditional love. As part of a larger body of believers—the church, the body of Christ—we go into all the world today with a mission of witness, service, and reconciliation.
It is easy to talk about faith and never get around to doing anything. So the continuing call is to “walk the talk.” Alexander Mack, the leader of the earliest Brethren, insisted that they could be recognized “by the manner of their living.”
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ, then, affects everything that we say and do. Obedience—meaning obedience of Jesus—has been a key word among Brethren. What we do in the world is just as important as what we do in the church. Christ’s style of self-giving love is the example we are called to follow in all our relationships.
That belief shows itself in the giving nature of Brethren. We respond quickly to need. We send money and volunteers to disaster sites. We support soup kitchens, day-care centers, and homeless shelters in our communities. Thousands of people have served around the world through Brethren Volunteer Service. People often know the Brethren through our ministries of compassion.
We believe following Christ means following his example of serving others, healing the broken, and bringing new life and hope to the despairing. We take seriously Jesus’ call to love all people, including the “enemy.”
In fact, the Church of the Brethren is known as one of the Historic Peace Churches. Brethren have considered participation in war to be unacceptable for Christians and have based this understanding on the teachings of Jesus and on other New Testament texts.
In our concern for the well-being of neighbors near and far, Brethren have begun creative programs to enable the world’s poor to walk toward a better life. Heifer Project International (providing livestock for poor families) and SERRV International (supporting craft producers in developing countries), for example, were both begun by Brethren before they grew into ecumenical ministries.
“For the glory of God and my neighbors’ good” was a motto of an early Brethren leader, whose own successful printing operation was destroyed due to his opposition to the Revolutionary War. This two-part phrase, turning us both toward God in devotion and toward our neighbors in service, remains an appropriate summary of the church’s understanding of the nature of Christian faith.
Taken from the Church of the Brethren Website: http://brethren.org
(Drawn from “Who Are These Brethren?” by Joan Deeter; “Reflections on Brethren Heritage and Identity,” Brethren Press; “The Brethren Heritage,” Elizabethtown College)
SOME FIRST CHURCH HISTORY…
1901: The first Sunday School and Worship services are held on June 9, with P.S. Thomas in charge of the service and J.M. Kagey in charge of preaching.
1906: A new sanctuary is constructed at a cost of $15,000. The new sanctuary is first used for worship on December 9.
1909: Cooks Creek, Greenmount and Mill Creek congregations release control of the Harrisonburg congregation. P.S. Thomas, who has served as pastor since 1901, remains pastor of the new congregation.
1918: Additional Sunday School rooms are added to the original building on High Street.
1923: N.D. Cool becomes the first pastor to be hired to a full time position.1927: A second addition is added to the original building, this addition includes more Sunday School classrooms.
1951: The Harrisonburg First Church congregation moves across High Street to a larger building.
1971: Membership reaches an all-time high with 741 members.
1978: A 5.4 acre plot of land is purchased and a new building is constructed on Dogwood Drive. The new building has a sanctuary, twelve Sunday School classrooms and a kitchen.
1995: An addition and renovation to the existing building on Dogwood Drive begins. The renovation creates four new Sunday School classrooms and the addition adds a new fellowship hall, four additional Sunday School Classrooms and a full service kitchen.
2001: Harrisonburg First Church of the Brethren celebrates its 100th anniversary.
2007: First Church becomes influential in “Project Nimule” helping the village of Nimule, Sudan. First Church donates money for school scholarships, kids toys and sports equipment through New Community Project and First Church member Emily Young.
2007: First Church becomes one of three area churches to serve weekly meals at the Harrisonburg area Salvation Army Shelter.
2008: First Church sends a total of three members to Sudan to continue work on “Project Nimule”.
2008: Derek Young, celebrates 20 years of service to First Church of the Brethren as Director of Youth and Adult Ministries.
2009: First Church continues its outreach on a global scale by sending supplies and one member to Nimule, Sudan. First Church also sends two groups of members to Chalmette, Louisiana to help rebuild houses that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
2010: First Church of the Brethren wins Third Place in the Salvation Army Bell Ringing Campaign for money raised during the 2010 Kettle Drive.
2010: The First Church of the Brethren Children’s Christmas Parade Float wins First Place for Best Float in the Churches/Religious category in the Harrisonburg Christmas Parade.
2011: First Church sends three members as part of a team on a mission trip to Nepal.
2013: First Church of the Brethren hires Beth Jarrett as Full Time Pastor.
2013: Derek Young celebrates 25 Years as Director of Youth and Adult Ministries.
2021:First Church hires Paul Roth to serve as Interim Pastor.
2021: First Church reaches out to children whose parents are incarcerated and are from disadvantaged homes through the Extra Mile Project.
2022: First Church engages more with the community with Meet Your Neighbor Event, continued the partnership to reach out through the Extra Mile Project.
The Praize Kidz organizes a fundraiser for the children in Ukraine sent through the District to the Brethren Disaster Ministries.
Focused Prayer gatherings commences in December 2022.