Meet Our Pastor:
My name is David Ansley, and my wife Carolyn, daughter Clara, and I just moved here and started ministering here recently. We thank God to be here and are excited to see what God will be doing in and through all of us here at Fraternity. We would love to have you worship with us online or in person (well, in the parking lot for now.). "Now to him who is able to keep you from fall
ing, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. (Jude 24-25)
Our Values:
Jesus: We love and value Jesus, the Son of God, our Savior and Lord. We seek to listen to Jesus, to learn from his teachings, to follow his example, and to love him more each day. The Family of God: God calls followers of Jesus to be a part of the family of God. This is why we are called the Fraternity Church of the Brethren—because the Holy Spirit has made a diverse group of people into a family, a brotherhood and sisterhood where all are welcomed and loved (though Brethren sounds masculine, the Brethren have welcomed women in leadership for decades and have ordained women since 1958). It is inspired by the Holy Spirit and is authoritative in the life of the church and each follower of Jesus. Reconciliation: Jesus has brought reconciliation between God and humanity, and we are called to be reconcilers, helping people to become reconciled with God and one another. From 1708 until today, we have been known as people of God’s peace, and we strive to be a living peace church. Service: We are committed to serving others in Jesus’ name, in our local community and around the world. Costly Discipleship: Following Jesus costs everyone something. The early Brethren were persecuted for their faith: some lost their jobs, some lost their homes, and some lost their wealth. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer explains, faith in Jesus “is costly, because it calls us to discipleship; it is grace, because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly, because it costs people their lives; it is grace, because it thereby makes them live. It is costly, because it condemns sin; it is grace, because it justifies the sinner.” We have received a costly grace that calls us to costly discipleship. Our History:
The Church of the Brethren began in 1708 in Schwarzenau, Germany, when eight members of a small group Bible study chose to be baptized in the Eder River. By the 1730s, all the Brethren had moved to Pennsylvania. The first Brethren moved to North Carolina in the 1770s, and the Fraternity congregation was organized in 1775, making it the 14th oldest Brethren congregation in America. Today there are around 1,000 Brethren congregations in America, with a total membership of around 110,000. Through the years, the members of the Fraternity congregation have been faithful, loving God and their neighbors, sharing the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ! Our Service
We minister locally, nationally, and globally by supporting…
• Clemmons Food Pantry
• Crisis Control Ministry
• Forsyth Jail & Prison Ministry
• Salem Pregnancy Care Center
• Bethany Theological Seminary
• Bridgewater College
• Camp Bethel
• Heifer International
• Nigeria Crisis Fund
• On Earth Peace
• other agencies and programs
