Description

Annual Conference Delegate Briefing/Meet the Moderator

Mark your calendars for Sunday May 22nd at 3:00pm. Dave Sollenberger, Annual Conference Moderator, will hold our Annual Conference Delegate Briefing at East Chippewa Church of the Brethren. This session is for Annual Conference delegates, pastors, and all who would like to know more of what will be happening at Annual Conference this year in Omaha, Nebraska, July 10th-14th. Come hear of this year’s gathering, the fellowship and learning opportunities, and Dave's vision for this Conference. 

About the Moderator
David Sollenberger has been working in the field of communication since the day after graduation from Manchester College in 1975. He grew up on a dairy farm near Annville, Pennsylvania, and was baptized in the Annville congregation. After graduating from Manchester, he worked 12 years in radio and television news reporting (WHP‐TV Harrisburg, KDKA‐TV Pittsburgh, KYW‐TV Philadelphia) before beginning freelance video production in 1987, focusing primarily on Church of the Brethren-related agencies and programs. He married Mary Lahman from Franklin Grove, Illinois, and together they raised three children in Annville. In 2000, David qualified for an M.A. degree from Bethany Seminary.

David served seven years on the Atlantic Northeast District Board, five years on the Church of the Brethren General Board, and participated in several denominational study committees, including the one that resulted in the formation of the Mission and Ministry Board. He has interpreted every Annual Conference since 1989 through a video wrap‐up, as well as all NYC gatherings since 1986 and every NOAC. His only recognizable hobby is guitar playing, and he treasures the opportunity to tour with the Bittersweet Gospel Band.

David has been a speaker at National Young Adult Conference and National Youth Conference and looks forward to more opportunities to share his thoughts as Moderator. He is eager to advocate for the many ministries which he’s interpreted – both service‐oriented ones (e.g., Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, BVS, Brethren Disaster Ministries) and more evangelical ones (e.g., Passing on the Promise, New Life Ministries, Church Planting and Revitalization) and has rarely met a Brethren‐related cause which he doesn’t appreciate. Ministry interpretation has allowed him to visit Brethren in places such as Nigeria, South Sudan, Brazil, Dominican Republic, India, and Mexico.

David maintains membership at the small, informal Mt. Wilson congregation in Pennsylvania, but has taught the Jr. High Sunday School class since 2009 at the Manchester congregation in North Manchester, Indiana, where he and Mary live part time, so Mary can work as a CNA at the Timbercrest Retirement Community, where her mother resides.

David and Mary thoroughly enjoy hanging out with first grandchild Finnegan, child of son Joshua and his wife, Shannon; visiting their daughter, Christina, and her husband, Davis’ son, George; and look forward to the arrival of son Micah and his wife, Samantha’s child in December.

David may be contacted at moderator@brethren.org.