NEWS

• Annual Conference leaders make pastoral visit to Michigan.
  
• Church of the Brethren mourns the death of Hazel Peters.
  
• Brethren hold biennial training event for Decade to Overcome Violence.
  
• Planning for ecclesiology conversations continues.
  
• Six US Brethren participate in Nigeria workcamp.
  
• Emergency Disaster Fund supports recovery work in US, Iraq.
  
• Global Food Crisis Fund allocates more than $33,000 in grants.
  
• Musical compositions sought for Brethren tricentennial.
  
• Funding is available for “Family Friends” projects.
  
• Brethren bits: Annual Conference, Living Peace Church, more.

PERSONNEL

• Lowell Flory will serve as executive director, Advancement and Gift Planning, for Bethany.
  
• LeAnn Wine called as General Board director of Financial Operations; Duane Steiner is interim.
  
• Jeffrey Shireman named president of Lebanon Valley Brethren Home.
  
• Philip Hollinger appointed vice president of Brethren Village.
  
• Youth and young adult workcamp coordinators named for 2005.
  
• South/Central Indiana seeks district executive minister.

COMING EVENTS

• Bethany announces two Exploring Your Call events.

Annual Conference leaders make pastoral visit to Michigan.

Annual Conference moderator Christopher Bowman and moderator-elect Jim Hardenbrook made a pastoral visit to Michigan District in early January, after receiving several contacts from district leaders and with the affirmation of the Annual Conference Council. The district leadership is dealing with the 2002 and 2003 actions of Annual Conference surrounding the issue of ordaining non-celibate homosexual persons.

Bowman and Hardenbrook visited five churches over a four-day visit Jan. 5-8, which was intended to be pastoral in nature rather than bringing, arguing, or enforcing any Annual Conference legislation or interpretation. Marie Willoughby, Michigan District executive, scheduled the conversations.

At each location, Bowman and Hardenbrook felt they were received warmly and that feelings were shared passionately. "I am impressed by the commitment of the brothers and sisters in Michigan to their faith and to each other," Bowman said. "Our visit allowed us to share in some small way the pain of division felt by the faithful Brethren on both sides of the current crisis and to offer the encouragement of the wider church."

"The divisions within the Michigan District are real and deep," Hardenbrook said, "but so is their commitment to Jesus and the church. The desire to restore unity, while not universal, is evident. I encourage the whole denomination to make a concerted effort to pray for the people and leaders of the Michigan District."

Meetings were held at Skyridge Church of the Brethren in Kalamazoo, with about 25 people from four congregations; at Onekama, with 22 people from three congregations; at Beaverton, with 30 people from three congregations; at New Life Fellowship in Mount Pleasant, with 20 people from six congregations; and at Trinity Church of the Brethren in Detroit, with 28 people from four congregations. Some people attended more than one of the meetings. As a follow-up to the visit, district leaders held a telephone conference call with Bowman and Hardenbrook to talk about the visit and their vision, mission, and hope for the district.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Church of the Brethren mourns the death of Hazel Peters.

The church is mourning the death of Hazel Peters, a longtime employee and volunteer of the Church of the Brethren whose stature and impact far exceeded her small physical size. Peters, 84, died Jan. 14 in Roanoke, Va. She was a member of the Central congregation in Roanoke.

Peters began her church career in 1949, when she was among the early groups to enter Brethren Volunteer Service. She went to Europe, working first with Brethren Service Commission tasks in Germany and with refugees in Austria, and later as M.R. Zigler's secretary in Geneva, Switzerland.

In 1953 she became administrative assistant for the Brethren Service Commission's main office in Elgin, Ill., and "was at the heart of all Brethren Service activities" for the next 16 years, according to a staff citation, providing a vital link between the denomination's international ministries and the US church. She followed her Brethren Service tenure by serving as administrative assistant to general secretary Loren Bowman, and later as coordinator for the Personnel Office.

The citation read at her retirement from the General Board in 1981 said, "Hazel has style!... and that style always centers on people."

Peters "retired" by becoming an active volunteer with On Earth Peace in New Windsor, Md., for the next 14 years before finally returning to her home in Roanoke, where she continued to help On Earth Peace and also assisted in the Virlina District office.

"If the Brethren had saints," former On Earth Peace director Tom Hurst said, "Hazel would either top my list or come very, very close to the top."

A memorial service for Peters is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Central congregation in Roanoke. It was originally scheduled for Jan. 25 but was postponed by ice and snow in the region.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Brethren hold biennial training event for Decade to Overcome Violence.

A workshop for district and congregational representatives for the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) drew 48 participants to New Windsor, Md., Dec. 5-7. DOV is a program begun by the World Council of Churches. This second DOV training event for Brethren was sponsored by the General Board's Witness/Washington Office, On Earth Peace (OEP), Bethany Theological Seminary, and the H.C. Gemmer Christian Foundation.

The workshop, titled "Overcome Evil with Good," is viewed as formative for Brethren DOV representatives. Presentations by peace workers Bernard Lafayette Jr. and David Jehnsen were central to the event. Lafayette was an instrumental member of the nonviolent organizing efforts of Martin Luther King Jr., co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1960, and leader of the Nashville Movement the same year. David Jehnsen is a social change activist and educator who was involved with King, Lafayette, and others in the Albany Movement of 1962, served as deputy director of the US Congressional Commission charged with design of the United States Institute of Peace from 1980-82, and is a member of the OEP board of directors. Jehnsen and Lafayette challenged participants, through historical analysis and strategic theory, to embrace principles for nonviolence and the philosophy of King. Their presentation offered hope and a structured methodology for moving forward.

In addition to staff leadership from OEP and Brethren Witness, Brethren Volunteer Service worker Rachel Peterson coordinated the event. Worship resources were provided by Jeff Carter, pastor at Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren, and David Radcliff of the New Community Project. The event also included shared meals, shared stories, and a shared dialog about how the DOV program could best be structured in the Church of the Brethren. Participants had the opportunity to role play and develop strategies that may lead to a new nonviolence movement within the church.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Planning for ecclesiology conversations continues.

The cross-denominational group working on a series of "ecclesiology conversations," exploring what it means to be the church, met again Jan. 15-16 at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind. Representatives of Annual Conference and all five of its agencies were present, along with several members of the Council of District Executives-the body that initiated the effort.

Agenda items at the January meeting included sharing input obtained from various groups within the denomination, discussing ways to secure grants to fund the events being planned, and working on plans for a launching event in 2005 or early 2006.

Brethren Press is developing a guide for a study process that will enable groups to wrestle with questions and share stories. The committee expects to test the process in small groups at the launching event, which will be national in scope and will include worship times with some major keynote speakers. A subcommittee is working on details for the event.

After a period of regional events and opportunities for congregational groups and others to give input through the study process, a large-scale culminating event is envisioned for 2007. Organizers hope it will bring together a vision that can bring renewal for the church at all levels.

The committee is scheduled to meet again in late spring to continue planning.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Six US Brethren participate in Nigeria workcamp.

From Jan. 18 to Feb. 14, six US Brethren are joining others from Europe, and about two dozen Nigerians, to continue construction on the Comprehensive Secondary School at the EYN (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) headquarters near Mubi.

"The annual Nigeria workcamp helps participants connect with the past and plant seeds for the future," said Jeff Mummau, coordinator for the annual project. Now in his 11th year in the role, he said, "I enjoy giving people the opportunity to leave their comfort zone and stretch themselves. For four weeks, workcampers work alongside the Nigerians, sleep in their homes, and eat their food."

The school "is a big dream of the Nigerian church," said Merv Keeney, executive director of the Global Missions Partnerships office of the General Board. "It's amazing how it is going forward. The school is gaining a good reputation. It's exciting." For the past several years, workcamps from the US and Europe have contributed to building the school. A Brethren Volunteer Service worker, Callie Surber of Champaign (Ill.) Church of the Brethren, also is teaching at the school.

The workcamp is sponsored by the Global Mission Partnerships office. The US participants are Lester Boleyn of the Hagerstown (Md.) Church of the Brethren; Amy Luckenbill and Jeff Mummau, Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Ralph Miner, Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin, Ill.; Anne Sales, First Peoria (Ill.) Church of the Brethren; and Lorraine Walker, Ephrata (Pa.) Church of the Brethren.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Emergency Disaster Fund supports recovery work in US, Iraq.

A total of $51,000 is being allocated from the Church of the Brethren General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund for the work of the Church of the Brethren Emergency Response program and Mennonite Central Committee.

Three grants totaling $25,000 will support current Emergency Response projects in the US. A grant of $5,000 will go to fire-damaged southern California, continuing support for Disaster Child Care while parents work to clean debris and rebuild their homes. A $10,000 grant has been allocated for a project in Metropolis, Ill., covering remaining expenses of work resulting from tornado and storm damage in the spring of 2003. Another $10,000 will help begin a long-term recovery project in Poquoson, Va., the result of damage done by Hurricane Isabel on the East Coast in the fall of 2003.

A grant of $26,000 has been made to Mennonite Central Committee to help rebuild a school in Baghdad, Iraq. This grant is a continuation of a previous allocation. The school serves 370 children who are day students, and 80 older children who receive vocational training in the evenings.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Global Food Crisis Fund allocates more than $33,000 in grants.

Two grants made by the Church of the Brethren Global Food Crisis Fund will support the Western Service Workers Association in Santa Ana, Calif., and the Mustard Seed Neighborhood Center in Wenatchee, Wash.

A grant of $20,000 will help retrofit the Western Service Workers Association's 3,000-square-foot structure, providing space for organizer training, clothing, and supplemental food distribution. A grant of $11,045 will support Mustard Seed's direct feeding program and nutrition education for low-income children ages 4 weeks to 12 years. The funds for Mustard Seed will be distributed in two parts: $7,045 in 2004 for the purchase of kitchen equipment and support of a half-time nutrition planner, and $4,000 in 2005 for the nutrition planner.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Musical compositions sought for Brethren tricentennial.

The Annual Conference 300th Anniversary Committee is inviting the submission of compositions representing the 2008 tricentennial theme: "Surrendered to God, Transformed in Christ, Empowered by the Spirit." The selected piece or pieces will be used in a variety of ways throughout 2008.

Compositions can be in the form of hymns, folk songs, praise songs, anthems, or children's songs. A full score must be included for each submission; an audio tape also is requested.

Deadline for all submissions is June 30, 2005. The name, address, and phone number of the composer should not appear on the score but should be included on a separate page. All compositions become property of the Annual Conference Anniversary Committee and will not be returned. Send submissions to: Annual Conference, Attention: Anniversary Music, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

A statement on the theme, which is based on John 12:24-26a, can be found on the Annual Conference website at www.brethren.org/ac/Anniversary/theme interpretation.pdf.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Funding is available for "Family Friends" projects.

The National Council on the Aging (NCOA) will fund six to eight local organizations wanting to establish "Family Friends" projects. The Family Friends projects are intergenerational volunteer programs that pair volunteers, 55 years and older, with families who have children with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses.

Family Friends volunteers are screened and trained to provide support and practical assistance to families served through the programs. Each grant recipient will receive approximately $70,000 annually for projects that are to last 30 months. Funding is provided to NCOA by the US Administration on Aging. Grant applications are being accepted until Jan. 30. For more information, contact the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) at 800-323-8039 or NCOA at 202-479-6672, or visit www.family-friends.org. ABC's ministries represent issues of family life, older adults, and people with disabilities for the Church of the Brethren.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Brethren bits: Annual Conference, Living Peace Church, more.

• The Annual Conference office is seeking the following volunteers for Conference tasks: registration, ushers, tellers, unloading/loading crew, age groups (early childhood through young adults), information station, nurse. Please contact Rose Nolan at 800-323-8039 ext. 296 or e-mail RNolan_ac@brethren.org.
  
  
• The Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., has received an abundance of publicity recently. Articles in the Carroll County (Md.) Times and The Sun of Baltimore gave prominent coverage to the recent earthquake relief shipment sent to Iran via the New Windsor distribution center. Disaster News Network also carried a feature this month on the center's relief work and another feature highlighting Interchurch Medical Assistance, which is based at the center.
  
  
• The Sunshine State becomes a hub of Brethren activity over the course of the next month. The Council of District Executives, the Inter-Agency Forum, and the Mission and Ministries Planning Council all meet in Daytona Beach, Fla., in consecutive meetings during the first week of February. Brethren Volunteer Service, which is in the midst of a volunteer orientation unit at Camp Ithiel in Gotha, Fla., will hold an in-service retreat there Feb. 9-13 for current volunteers. And Feb. 20-21, Disaster Child Care offers a Level 1 training workshop in West Palm Beach.
  
  
• A maintenance manager is needed at Camp Bethel in Fincastle, Va., for a resident, full-time position. Duties include facilities and equipment maintenance, grounds upkeep, and custodial needs. For more information visit www.campbethelvirginia.org or call 540-992-2940. Send resume', salary history, and cover letter to: Camp Bethel Manager, 328 Bethel Rd., Fincastle, VA 24090; fax 540-992-2940; or e-mail camp.bethel@juno.com.
  
  
• The Lebanon Valley Brethren Home, Palmyra, Pa., is celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout 2004. Festivities will begin Feb. 21, the anniversary date of the home, with Living History presentations at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The home's new president, Jeffrey Shireman, will be introduced to the home and the community at the presentations.
  
  
• The Brethren Homes Forum 2004 will be hosted by the Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio, March 4-6. Highlights of the event will include major business presentations, dialog about homes and districts, an award and recognition dinner, entertainment and games, and a time of planning for the future. For more information contact Ralph McFadden at the Association of Brethren Caregivers, 800-323-8039.
  
  
• Sunday, March 21, is the suggested date of the 2004 One Great Hour of Sharing offering. This year's theme, "God Uses all Gifts for BIG PURPOSES," is based on John 6:9. Packets of information for congregations will be in the mail from the General Board the week of Feb. 2. Each packet includes a colorful poster, a sample offering envelope, a sample colorable fish coin box, worship resources, and children's materials. Standing orders for these materials will be sent simultaneously.
  
  
• A forum with presidential candidates Jan. 30-31 in Columbia, S.C.-reported in the Jan. 16 Newsline-will be used to launch a new National Anti-Poverty Effort by grassroots and faith-based groups including the National Council of Churches. MSNBC.com is planning to webcast segments of the event. The two-day event includes an interfaith service and a day of planning meetings, as well as the candidates' forum.
  
  
• Habitat for Humanity International has been welcomed as an international Christian organization by the World Council of Churches (WCC). Millard Fuller, founder and president of Habitat, visited the WCC headquarters in Switzerland Jan. 26-27 to explore opportunities for cooperation between the two organizations. In addition to solidifying relationships with the WCC, Fuller will meet with representatives from other organizations including the YWCA and YMCA, the World Student Christian Federation, the Lutheran World Alliance, the Council of European Churches, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Patriarchy of Moscow. "Everyone is needed if we are to rid the world of shacks," Fuller said.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Lowell Flory will serve as executive director, Advancement and Gift Planning, for Bethany.

Bethany Theological Seminary has announced the appointment of Lowell Flory as executive director for Advancement and Gift Planning, effective summer 2004. Flory will have administrative responsibility for annual fund development, gift planning, alumni and congregational relations, publications, and public relations.

Flory joined Bethany's Institutional Advancement staff in 2000 with responsibility for gift planning, which has provided him the opportunity to work with individuals as they develop their estate plans. Such gift planning will remain his responsibility. He also will teach an occasional course in organizational and leadership development.

A Church of the Brethren member and former Annual Conference moderator, Flory holds degrees from McPherson (Kan.) College and the University of Kansas. He is a licensed member of the Kansas Bar. Flory came to Bethany from McPherson, where he had served on the faculty since 1983, chairing the department of business and economics. He also has served on the General Board, the Brethren Benefit Trust board, and the Bethany board.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

LeAnn Wine called as General Board director of Financial Operations; Duane Steiner is interim.

LeAnn Wine, C.P.A., has accepted the General Board position of director of Financial Operations and assistant treasurer, which she will begin around March 8. She is currently a staff accountant with the firm of Trout, Ebersole and Groff, LLP in Lancaster, Pa.

For Wine, who grew up in Enders (Neb.) Church of the Brethren, this new role will fulfill a long-range goal to work within a not-for-profit organization. She is a graduate of McPherson (Kan.) College, where she was a tutor and volunteered accounting services to a variety of charities.

Until Wine can begin, Duane Steiner has contracted with the General Board to be part-time interim director of Financial Operations. He began working with outgoing director Dennis Kingery, who has accepted a position with Brethren Benefit Trust, on Jan. 27.

Steiner previously served as executive director of Annual Conference before retiring in December 2002, and before that as director of development and treasurer/business manager for Bethany Theological Seminary. He is a member of York Center Church of the Brethren, Lombard, Ill.

Steiner will serve until the end of March or until the transition to Wine has been completed.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Jeffrey Shireman named president of Lebanon Valley Brethren Home.

Lebanon Valley Brethren Home, Palmyra, Pa., has announced the selection of Jeffrey L. Shireman as president. Shireman will begin his duties Feb. 9.

Shireman served most recently as executive director of Crane's Mill Retirement Community in West Caldwell, N.J., and has 20 years of experience in senior care. He serves as an evaluator for the Continuing Care Accreditation Commission and has been active in senior care provider associations such as the Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging, the New Jersey Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging, and the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Philip Hollinger appointed vice president of The Brethren Village.

The Brethren Village, Lancaster, Pa., recently announced the appointment of Philip S. Hollinger to the position of Vice President-Support Services.

Hollinger brings 24 years of business and engineering experience to the Brethren Village executive leadership team. A native of Mount Joy, he holds a Master's of Administration in Business from Penn State University. At The Brethren Village, he will have administrative responsibility for facilities management, pastoral services, materials management, and the food/dining services departments.

Hollinger is a member and moderator of West Green Tree Church of the Brethren, Elizabethtown, Pa.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Youth and young adult workcamp coordinators named for 2005.

A team of three young adults-two of them familiar faces-will serve as coordinators for the 2005 youth and young adult workcamps offered by the General Board's Youth/Young Adult Ministry Office.

The 2004 coordinators, Beth Rhodes and Cindy Laprade, have agreed to continue as part of the team for another year. Rhodes and Laprade are both from the Virlina District. Rhodes is from the Central congregation in Roanoke, Va., and Laprade is a member of the Antioch congregation in Rocky Mount.



They will be joined for the 2005 planning by Ben Kreider, who served as an assistant coordinator last summer. Kreider is a member of Annville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren and plans to graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania this May.

Details on the nearly two dozen 2004 workcamps being offered can be found at www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/workcamps/.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

South/Central Indiana District seeks district executive minister.

The Church of the Brethren South/Central Indiana District seeks a full-time district executive minister. The district is looking for a visionary leader with experience and training in congregational and faith-based organizational management.

Responsibilities include oversight, implementation, and evaluation of district programs; pastoral placement and support; leadership development; communication; and consultation services to congregations. Qualifications include the ability to initiate, implement, and manage creative ministries and relevant programs; knowledge and support of denominational polity, and skill at adapting procedures to meet the unique needs of the district; an ability to work with diverse biblical and theological perspectives; a passion for evangelism and leadership development; a clear commitment to Jesus Christ, New Testament values, and Church of the Brethren faith and heritage; and ordination and pastoral experience.

The position may be shared. It is available April 1. Apply by sending letter of interest and resume' via e-mail to DistrictMinistries_gb@Brethren.org. Applicants are requested to contact three or four people to provide a letter of reference. Application deadline is March 16.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Bethany announces two Exploring Your Call events.

Two Exploring Your Call (EYC) events are scheduled at the Richmond, Ind., campus of Bethany Theological Seminary June 24-28 and July 22-26. The events offer high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors opportunities to consider issues of faith and vocation.

Activities include attending classes taught by seminary professors, shadowing pastors, planning congregational worship services, learning about chaplaincy, visiting residents in a retirement facility, creating and leading worship experiences, and sharing in group-building recreational activities.

Participants in 2003's EYC events-both students and adults-gave positive reviews. "By shadowing a pastor, I experienced what ministry might be like. It helped me think about my own call to ministry," said Lee Smith of Harrisonburg, Va.

EYC is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. as part of a $2 million grant received by Manchester College on behalf of eight Church of the Brethren-related institutions. The grant is part of the endowment's Theological Vocational Exploration Programs Initiative and was developed to encourage young people to consider ministry as a career, and to consider their faith commitments in whatever career they choose.

Youth interested in EYC should visit www.bethanyseminary.edu/eyc.htm and complete an online registration form. Because of grant support, participants' only cost is travel expense to and from EYC. Registration is limited to 20 for each event. Further information is available by e-mail (EYC@bethanyseminary.edu), or call 800-287-8822 and ask for the EYC office.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Credits

Newsline is written and compiled by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford and produced by the General Board news services office. Newsline stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is cited as the source. Walt Wiltschek, Chris Bowman, Mary Dulabaum, Phil Jones, Janis Pyle, and Marcia Shetler contributed to this report.

Newsline is a free service sent only to those requesting a subscription. To receive it by e-mail, or to unsubscribe, write cobnews@aol.com or call 800-323-8039, ext. 263. Newsline is available at www.brethren.org and is archived with an index at www.wfn.org. Also see Photo Journal at www.brethren.org/pjournal/index.htm for photo coverage of events.

Source: Newsline 1/30/2004
top

Brethren Service Center ships relief to Iran.

Emergency Response/Service Ministries (ER/SM) staff at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., packed and shipped a container-load of medicines, medical supplies, and health kits to survivors of an earthquake in Bam, Iran. The emergency shipment was airlifted to Iran to arrive Friday, Jan. 9.

"Our partners, Interchurch Medical Assistance and Church World Service, have been working with the Service Ministries staff as they prepared this urgent shipment of IMA medical boxes and CWS health kits for the people of Iran," said Roy Winter, executive director of the Brethren Service Center. Winter also serves on IMA's board of directors.

"Whenever there is great tragedy, I always have a moment of profound sadness. While this lingers, I also find myself experiencing a sense of awe at the willingness of people to respond so very quickly to human need," Winter said. "When we work together, it is amazing what is accomplished. These supplies, along with a $35,000 grant from the Church of the Brethren Emergency Disaster Fund, are great examples of the church continuing the work of Jesus in the world."

Bam was leveled Dec. 26 by a 6.6-magnitude earthquake. Unofficial estimates of the death toll are as high as 60,000. In the surrounding area, 200,000 people were affected. CWS anticipates the relief effort in Bam will be at least a five- to seven-year commitment.

Brethren staff gave the shipment a quick turnaround, anticipating the need for extra work over the holidays as they saw reports of the earthquake on the news. Service Ministries staff "are highly motivated," said Kathleen Campanella, coordinator of public information for the center. "They really connect with the work they do making a difference in the world."

"This was an unusual situation; this moved quickly," Campanella said. She explained that often weeks or months go by after a disaster before supplies are shipped. The Brethren staff at the center can be thought of as doing "invisible work," she said. Three employees are responsible for receiving calls for supplies and doing the paperwork, another three coordinate and pack the supplies, and two more load the container. "I saw a sense of satisfaction" after the container left the center, Campanella said. The Brethren "had sent it on its way."

The shipment included 75 IMA Medicine Boxes, 25 IMA/Bristol-Myers Squibb Disaster Medicine Boxes, and 8,000 CWS Health Kits in 160 cartons. Health kits include hygiene supplies needed by an individual in a disaster situation. The medicine box contains basic medicines and medical supplies designed to treat common illnesses for 1,000 adults and children for 2 to 3 months. The disaster box contains primarily antibiotics for treating infections and other ailments associated with impure water and unsanitary conditions. The 100 IMA boxes are valued at $550,000.

Nearly all of the medicine and supplies were donated to IMA and CWS. IMA corporate sponsors are Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck & Co., Inc. IMA also has 12 Protestant relief and development agency partners, including the Church of the Brethren. CWS' relief effort in Iran is supported by the American Baptist Churches USA, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Episcopal Relief and Development, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, International Orthodox Christian Charities, Reformed Church of America, and the United Church of Christ, as well as the Church of the Brethren. The Middle East Council of Churches is coordinating the work.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

New disaster rebuilding project to start in Poquoson, Virginia.

The Church of the Brethren Emergency Response program will begin a project in Poquoson, Va., in early February. Poquoson was one of the coastal communities struck by Hurricane Isabel in September. The hurricane caused extensive damage in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.

Emergency Response/Service Ministries (ER/SM) volunteer project directors will include Harold Hubbell, of Greeneville, Tenn., who will be on site in early February to set up the project; Bob Schnepp, of Beaverton, Mich., who will be the initial project director; and Bob and Marianne Pittman, of Blacksburg, Va., who will direct the project in March. The work will include typical flood repair such as floors, insulation and drywall replacement, carpentry, and some roof repair due to fallen trees. Volunteers will be housed in the fellowship hall of the Lifesource Community Church in Hampton, Va.

Groups scheduled to help with the project in February and March include district volunteers from six districts and students on spring break from Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pa., and Virginia Tech.

Two other disaster recovery projects have been completed recently. A tornado recovery project in Massac County, Ill., was completed Dec. 13, with a total of 106 volunteers serving four families over a span of three months repairing storm-damaged homes. Northern Ohio District also completed a short-term flood response project in which 23 volunteers completed home repairs for five families.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Chapter ends in the Church of the Brethren's painful debate over homosexuality.

One chapter in the denomination's painful debate over the homosexuality issue ended recently when Matt Smucker, who made history as the first openly gay man to be ordained in the Church of the Brethren, said he would pursue ordination in the United Church of Christ (UCC). Smucker said he was too "physically drained" by the fight to continue it.

Smucker was ordained by the Skyridge congregation in Kalamazoo, Mich., in June 2002 after an affirmative vote by the Michigan District board. A 2002 Annual Conference decision upheld in 2003, however, said the denomination would "not recognize" the licensing or ordination of any person "known to be engaging in homosexual practices."

Michigan District conference in August approved a petition affirming the Annual Conference decisions and called for the ordination and licensing of any known homosexuals in the district to be discontinued. Smucker's ordination in the Church of the Brethren was terminated following the decision.

"I don't feel the call to stand in the middle any more," said Smucker, who works at a UCC seminary in Chicago and received dual ordination in the UCC last year. "In this case, it's too personal. It's affected lots of parts of my life in ways I don't want to repeat."

The Skyridge congregation held a "service of lament and blessing" in November to say their farewells as Smucker moved his membership. "We're just deeply saddened and regret that Matt's gifts can't be released for ministry in the Church of the Brethren," Skyridge pastor Debbie Eisenbise said.

District leaders say the issue has left deep scars in Michigan, which will take a long time to heal. Current Annual Conference moderator Chris Bowman and moderator-elect Jim Hardenbrook were traveling in the district this month on behalf of the Annual Conference Council. An open sharing session also has been scheduled for the 2004 Annual Conference in Charleston, W.Va.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Brethren Benefit Trust and Brethren Employees' Credit Union take another step toward new relationship.

The new relationship between Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) and the Brethren Employees' Credit Union (BECU) is scheduled to take another step forward on Feb. 23, when BECU holds its Annual Members Meeting in Elgin, Ill.

Pending positive results at that meeting, BECU's name will become Church of the Brethren Credit Union, and any member of the Church of the Brethren in the United States will be eligible to be a member, along with employees of the church and its institutions. The board has received tentative approval from state and federal regulators to make those changes. BBT agreed this past fall to become third-party administrator (TPA) for the credit union beginning this spring, and it has authorized an investment of $250,000 of capital in the credit union.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Decade to Overcome Violence focuses on the United States in 2004.

"The Power and Promise of Peace" is the 2004 theme for the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) focus on the United States. DOV is a program of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

A worship service on Monday, Jan. 12 in New York opened a two-day DOV meeting by lifting up the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The meeting gathered denominational representatives, a DOV reference group, and an international advisory group to draw up a calendar of events dedicated to strengthening American churches and movements working for peace.

The WCC Central Committee chose to focus on the U.S. in 2004 on the basis of courageous opposition of American churches to the war in Iraq, and their efforts to alleviate suffering at home and abroad. The committee also highlighted work by U.S. churches on domestic violence, gun control, and restorative justice. At the same time, the committee evoked American problems of poverty, violence, racism, interfaith relations, migration, and inequality in education and employment, as well as what it saw as the unchallenged power of the U.S. to disregard the international order and ignore the concerns of the world's populations.

This is the third year in a row that DOV has targeted a particular region. In 2003 the focus was on Sudan, while in 2002 it was on Israel and Palestine.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Brethren bits: Brief news and updates from around the denomination and beyond.

• Annual Conference executive director Lerry Fogle will relocate to Frederick, Md., with the approval of the Annual Conference Council. Fogle, who previously served on the pastoral staff at the Frederick congregation, plans to "creatively use current technology" to perform his duties while maintaining his primary residence with his family. The change comes after a trial period of 15 months in which Fogle's primary residence was in Elgin, Ill. The Annual Conference office, address, and operation will remain at 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
  
  
• James L. Keeler of Timberville, Va., retired president and CEO of WLR Foods Inc., has been elected by the Bridgewater (Va.) College board of trustees as its new chair. Keeler succeeds W. Wallace Hatcher, who recently ended 18 years of service as chairman of the board. Keeler is a 1957 Bridgewater graduate. Among those newly elected to serve five-year terms on the board, Brenda Rinehart of Rutherfordton, N.C., was called to represent the Southeastern District of the Church of the Brethren.
  
  
• The Church of the Brethren General Board's Disaster Child Care program will benefit from a new grant received by the American Red Cross. A total of $16,000 was allotted for the child-care efforts. It will cover toys and supplies for teams working with children in the field, and training for caregivers. General Board Emergency Response director Roy Winter said his office and the Red Cross would work cooperatively to plan how the money would be used.
  
  
• Feb. 1 marks the annual Souper Bowl of Caring, when youth groups raise money to relieve world hunger and participate in community service activities. Church of the Brethren groups can send their proceeds to the General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund. Details on the program are at www.souperbowl.org.
  
  
• Several dedicated Emergency Response/Service Ministries volunteers have transformed an empty donated trailer into a mobile shower and laundry facility for use at project sites. The trailer is complete with two showers, a stackable washer and dryer, and a sink. Following a naming contest by e-mail, a name was chosen for the unit: "Rolling Waters."
  
  
• The biennial District Disaster Coordinators seminar will be held at the New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center April 20-22, 2004. Registrations are due Feb. 29. Ideas for session topics or issues of concern are welcomed. Contact Jane Yount at Emergency Response/Service Ministries, Brethren Service Center, PO Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776-0188; 410-635-8710.
  
  
• The Atlantic Southeast District is holding an event called "Lost in Florida: Finding Our Heart Again," Jan. 31 at St. Petersburg (Fla.) First Church of the Brethren. It is billed as "a day for rekindling our passions" in Jesus Christ and "sharpening our skills."
  
  
• Leaders and staff of the Brethren Village, Lancaster, Pa., will participate in Age Wave workshops Jan. 28-29, led by Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) staff Scott Douglas and Ralph McFadden. The workshops explore the impact faith communities will experience as more baby boomers reach retirement age. Created by the Older Adult Ministry of ABC, the workshops will explain how and why caregiving needs will increase significantly in congregations. An interactive component of the workshops explores the denomination's opportunity to help older adults envision meaning during this time in their lives. For information on hosting Age Wave workshops in congregations or districts, contact Scott Douglas at 800-323-8039.
  
  
• The Church of North India (CNI) is seeking communication with former India missionaries. CNI's new general secretary, the Rev. Enos Das Pradhan, is creating a mailing list for former missionaries who would like to receive updates on the work of the church. Former mission staff who wish to be on the CNI mailing list are invited to send their contact information to CNI Bhawan, Post Box No. 311, 16 Pandit Pant Marg, New Delhi-110 001, India; e-mail cnisynod@nda.vsnl.net.in.
  
  
• Christians around the world will mark Jan. 18-25 as the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The World Council of Churches and the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity coordinate the annual unity week. The 2004 theme, "My peace I give to you," was suggested by an ecumenical group in Aleppo, in northern Syria. Local churches are asked to host prayer services and dialogues during the week.
  
  
• The biennial young adult ministry gathering, "Come to the Feast," is scheduled to occur May 26-31 in Tampa, Fla. It will be the fourth time such a gathering, sponsored by the Ecumenical Young Adult Ministry Team of the National Council of Churches, has been held. More than 300 participants are expected. Details are available at www.cometothefeast.org.
  
  
• The National Council of Churches (NCC) is sending a delegation of U.S. church leaders to Cuba Jan. 22-28, led by NCC general secretary Bob Edgar. The delegation has requested a meeting with Cuba's President Fidel Castro, hoping to discuss church concerns and issues of U.S.-Cuban relations, including the harsh sentences imposed on 75 dissidents by Cuba's courts in the spring of 2003. The delegation will also consult with Cuban churches and help consecrate a new Greek Orthodox cathedral in Havana.
  
  
• The Annual Conference Denominational Name Study Committee notes that it is still receiving response forms online through the first week of February. Earlier technical issues with the committee's web page have been resolved, and the form can be accessed on the Annual Conference website, at www.brethren.org/ac.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Theresa Eshbach to retire as Bethany's executive director of Institutional Advancement.

Theresa C. Eshbach has announced her retirement as executive director of Institutional Advancement at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., effective July 2004. She has been directing the school's work in institutional advancement since January 1993.

During her 11 years at Bethany, Eshbach also was part of the leadership team that orchestrated the school's relocation from Illinois and aided its financial recovery from several years of difficult budgets. She oversaw an office that is responsible for financial development, deferred and major giving, alumni/ae and congregational relations, and, for a significant period of time, student recruitment and development.

During her service, she strengthened her work through an education program that led, in 1999, to certification as a Fund Raising Executive.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Daniel C. Aukerman appointed vice president of Interchurch Medical Assistance.

Daniel C. Aukerman has been appointed to the staff of Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA) as vice president for International Program Development and Coordination, effective July 19, 2004. He currently is completing a Master of Public Health degree at the University of Washington.

Aukerman is a physician and has roots in the Church of the Brethren in Carroll County, Md., where the IMA offices are located. He was baptized at Germantown Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia and currently is a member of the Catholic Church.

He has degrees from St. John's College and the University of New Mexico, with additional studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He has served a number of short-term international assignments including work in Kenya, El Salvador, Mexico, and Ecuador.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Christian Peacemaker Teams seeks co-directors.

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is seeking two co-directors: an operations director and a program director. Each position begins this summer for a three-year term of service. CPT is a program emphasizing active peacemaking in the historic peace church tradition.

Responsibilities of the operations director include human resources, training, finances, and communications. Applicants must have management experience in a non-profit setting. The position is based in Chicago.

Responsibilities of the program director include programmatic vision, development, management, and relationship-building with partner organizations and constituents. Applicants must have familiarity with models of spiritually based nonviolence conflict transformation for peacemaking.

Applicants for both positions must be committed to biblical perspectives of peacemaking and social change. CPT is seeking directors who can lead the organization into a time of growth. Compensation is need-based and includes health insurance. Application deadline is Feb. 1. Direct inquiries to the Search and Transition Committee, c/o David Jehnsen, PO Box 297, Galena, OH 43021-0297; 740-965-5118; fax 740-965-6793; e-mail ihrr@columbus.rr.com.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Virginia refugee program seeks program coordinator.

The Virginia Council of Churches Refugee Resettlement Program is seeking a program coordinator, based at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.

Responsibilities of the position include managing the Church World Service Reception and Placement and Matching Grant programs, serving as liaison with the Brethren Service Center, and participating as a board member of the Maryland Office for New Americans' Public Private Partnership in the Baltimore Resettlement Center. The office's service area includes all of Maryland, with the exception of the Delmarva Peninsula and Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

Applicants should have a minimum of two years' experience working with refugees and/or a resettlement agency. Program development and public relations experience, particularly public speaking in the community and area churches, are desired. Direct letters of interest to Richard Cline, Director, VCCRRP, 1214 West Graham Road, Suite 3, Richmond, VA 23220.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Nominations sought for Caregiving Award and "Open Roof Award."

The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) seeks nominations of either individuals or organizations connected to the Church of the Brethren for its annual Caregiving Awards program. Nominations also are sought for the new "Open Roof Award" to recognize congregations and districts working on accessibility issues over the past five years.

The Caregiving Awards honor those who have made significant contributions in health and/or caregiving fields for at least five years. The new "Open Roof Award" was created by ABC's Church and Persons with Disabilities Network. Recipients of awards will be honored at ABC's Annual Recognition Dinner to be held July 5 at the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in Charleston, W.Va.

To nominate a person or organization for a Caregiving Award, send a letter outlining the reasons for the nomination to ABC, 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120; fax 847-742-5160. "Open Roof Award" nominations may be made by completing a form available online at www.brethren.org/abc/ or by contacting ABC at 800-323-8039. Nominations are due Feb. 1.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Brethren Volunteer Service plans Florida orientation unit, open potluck.

Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) Unit 258 will begin training at Ithiel Camp and Retreat Center in Gotha, Fla., beginning Jan. 18.

Sixteen volunteers plan to be part of the orientation, including five from Germany, although none are members of the Church of the Brethren. A highlight of the orientation will be a long-weekend visit to the Eglise des Freres Haitiens in Miami.

The unit plans an open potluck as part of its orientation experience. All who feel connected to BVS or Civilian Public Service (CPS) are invited to the camp at 6 p.m. Jan. 25, for an evening of fun, food, and sharing dreams and memories.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

National Council of Churches forum to challenge presidential candidates.

A Center for Community Change forum with the presidential candidates will be held in Columbia, S.C., Jan. 30-31, sponsored by the National Council of Churches of Christ (NCC). The event is designed to challenge candidates to place issues of poverty and economic justice high on their campaign agendas. Events will begin Jan. 30 at 8:30 a.m. and conclude by 3 p.m. Jan. 31.

"Millions of people in America are hurting," note promotional materials for the event. "National priorities must include affordable housing; children's programs and education; affordable, nutritious food; access to health care; and good jobs at good wages. Grassroots groups and faith-based communities across America are protesting our government's misplaced priorities and challenging presidential candidates of both parties to address the long-standing neglect of economic issues that affect families in every community."

Participants will have the opportunity to challenge presidential candidates "to do the right thing for people in need in America." For travel and registration information contact Paul H. Sherry, Coordinator of the NCC Office Of Poverty Mobilization, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 880, New York, NY 10115; 212-870-2298; e-mail psher973@aol.com.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Panel to explore why religion compels interfaith relationships.

"Compelled to Relationship? What do our religious traditions teach that leads us to live and work together as people of many faiths?" is the theme for a panel discussion Feb. 5 at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Panel members include Rabbi Warren Stone, president of the Washington Board of Rabbis; Imam Yusuf Saleem, Masjid Muhammad and Islamic vice president of the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington; Dr. D.C. Rao, Hindu leader and past president of the InterFaith Conference; and representatives of the National Council of Churches of Christ (NCC). The panel will be followed by an open conversation. The event is sponsored by the Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy, the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, the NCC Interfaith Relations Commission, and the Washington Theological Consortium. RSVP to the Churches' Center at 202-885-8648 or cctpp@wesleysem.edu.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

"Chasing Freedom" raises awareness of political asylum issues.

A Court TV original movie, "Chasing Freedom," premieres at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 19. The film, starring Juliette Lewis, raises awareness of the perils faced by those seeking political asylum.

"Chasing Freedom" tells the true story of Libby Brock, a lawyer who takes on the case of Meena, a young Afghan woman seeking political asylum in the United States. The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and other religious organizations are encouraging church groups to view the film and use it as a basis for faith-based discussion of asylum issues. "Hospitality for the uprooted is a way to live out the biblical call to love the neighbor in response to God's love in Jesus Christ," commented LIRS President Ralston Deffenbaugh.

Resource materials are available, including a companion storybook, "America: A Freedom Country"; a discussion guide; devotional materials; action opportunities; and a sample letter to support a bill now before Congress. The resource materials are available on the LIRS website, www.lirs.org.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Source packet looks toward spring and summer 2004.

While winter reigns outside, contents of the January/February 2004 "Source" packet from the General Board already look toward spring and summer.

Among the enclosures are an update on plans for the 2004 National Older Adult Conference from the Association of Brethren Caregivers, fliers for the "Journey to Jerusalem" Lenten devotional booklet and for Vacation Bible School materials from Brethren Press, brochures for the 2004 youth Christian Citizenship Seminar and National Young Adult Conference, and a "Seeking, Thirsting, Longing" theme poster for National Youth Sunday on May 2.

Other items in the packet are the January issue of the General Board's "Tapestry" news sheet featuring work in Sudan, a flier promoting the Mennonite Your Way hospitality directory, and an On Earth Peace winter newsletter that highlights work on the "Living Peace Church" resolution passed by the 2003 Annual Conference.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

Credits

Newsline is written and compiled by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford and produced by the General Board news services office. Newsline stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is cited as the source. Walt Wiltschek, Kathleen Campanella, Mary Dulabaum, Karen Roberts, Marcia Shetler, and Jane Yount contributed to this report.

Newsline is a free service sent only to those requesting a subscription. To receive it by e-mail, or to unsubscribe, write cobnews@aol.com or call 800-323-8039, ext. 263. Newsline is available at www.brethren.org and is archived with an index at www.wfn.org. Also see Photo Journal at www.brethren.org/pjournal/index.htm for photo coverage of events.

Source: Newsline 1/16/2004
top

A review of 2003: Celebrating a year of Brethren activity and ministry.

While stories of war and violence filled many of the national and international headlines in 2003, stories of Brethren continuing the work of Jesus Christ in various ways and places also permeated the year. In an annual Newsline tradition, following are highlights of some of those stories from the past 12 months:

• New leaders were called for several of the denomination's major agencies. Stanley J. Noffsinger succeeded Judy Mills Reimer in July as general secretary for the Church of the Brethren General Board, promising to “roll up his sleeves’ for the difficult work ahead; Kathy G. Reid was called as executive director of the Association of Brethren Caregivers near year's end, succeeding Steve Mason; and Stephen Breck Reid became academic dean for Bethany Theological Seminary in July, following Rick Gardner.
  
  
• The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, a ministry training partnership of the Church of the Brethren General Board and Bethany Theological Seminary, was selected in November to receive a grant of $2 million from the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. to participate in a national program called “Sustaining Pastoral Excellence.”
  
  
• Brethren were closely engaged with developments in Iraq--issuing statements, joining in ecumenical conversations, and participating in protests and educational events in the days leading up to the war, and later sending aid to the devastated nation.
  
  
• The Susquehanna Valley Satellite of Bethany Theological Seminary observed its 10th anniversary with a celebration at Carlisle (Pa.) Church of the Brethren on Nov. 2. The Elizabethtown, Pa.-based satellite now partners with five area districts in its ministry.
  
  
• Dr. Haruun Ruun, who is supported in his work as executive secretary of the New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC) by the General Board's Global Mission Partnerships office, was honored with the Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Award in a ceremony in Philadelphia on Nov. 8. Haruun received the award from Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
  
  
• Brethren Benefit Trust agreed to serve as third-party administrator for the Brethren Employees' Credit Union beginning in spring 2004, with the aim of providing a new array of services to a wider Brethren audience.
  
  
• An Annual Conference that 2003 moderator Harriet Finney of North Manchester, Ind., characterized as “bathed in prayer” took place July 5-9 at Boise State University in Idaho. About 2,900 people registered for the event, making it one of the largest conferences Boise had ever hosted.
  
  
• Brethren responded to a host of natural disasters with financial and material aid as well as volunteer hours. Major responses included cleanup and recovery efforts following Hurricane Isabel in September and a wave of severe tornadoes in the spring, plus rebuilding projects in Wisconsin, Mississippi, Illinois, and elsewhere. A Church of the Brethren Disaster Child Care project responded to rampant wildfires in southern California in the fall, with 26 volunteers making contact with nearly 500 children during the 19-day response.
  
  
• General Board Global Mission Partnerships executive director Merv Keeney joined National Council of Churches (NCC) general secretary Bob Edgar, Church World Service (CWS) executive director John L. McCullough, and four others in a delegation to North Korea and South Korea in mid-November, capping a year-long effort by the NCC and CWS to address political tensions and severe humanitarian needs on the Korean Peninsula.
  
  
• Sixteen interns, matching the record high set in 2002, were present for the 2003 Ministry Summer Service orientation in Richmond, Ind. The annual program, sponsored by the General Board's Youth/Young Adult and Ministry offices, allows young adults to consider ministry options by placing them in ministry settings with a mentor for the summer.
  
  
• More than 250 Brethren gathered at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren Aug. 14-16 for the biennial Caring Ministries Assembly sponsored by the Association of Brethren Caregivers. This year's theme, “Healing Out of Silence,” focused on spiritual growth and practical help with caregiving issues.
  
  
• A celebration of the Brethren family's historical roots and present-day worldwide ministry marked the Brethren World Assembly, held July 23-26 in Winona Lake, Ind. About 100 people registered for the event, which wa sponsored by Brethren Encyclopedia Inc. and held on the Grace College campus. It was the third time such an assembly has been held, and the first since 1998. All six major denominations tracing their roots to Alexander Mack's 1708 movement were represented.
  
  
• The Council of District Executives initiated a process to discuss and study the ecclesiology of the church, with a series of meetings and events planned for the next few years. All of the Annual Conference agencies have joined in the effort, which will examine what it means to be the church and how the church goes about its ministry.
  
  
• Delegates at Annual Conference gave a strong endorsement to a Call for a Living Peace Church, looking for practical ways to live out the denomination's peace position. On Earth Peace and the General Board, which co-sponsored the resolution, are moving forward with ideas, plans, and resources.
  
  
• The National Youth Cabinet declared a denomination-wide Youth Day of Prayer for Sept. 28, asking youth across the Church of the Brethren to join together in prayer in creative ways. Earlier, on March 7, Brethren gathered at three denominational sites for special prayer services held in conjunction with the World Day of Prayer. Both initiatives, along with some activities at Annual Conference, came in response to the “Call to Prayer” query passed by the 2002 Conference.
  
  
• Thirty-five grants were made from the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund, totaling nearly half a million dollars. The aid supported relief work through Church World Service and other organizations across the United States and in all corners of the world.
  
  
• Brethren Volunteer Service worker Don Vermilyea continued his “Walk Across America,” trekking across the Rockies and the Plains in his quest to visit every Church of the Brethren congregation that will host him. By year's end he had crossed the 8,000-mile point in his journey as he reached Nebraska.
  
  
• Brethren traveled to Sudan as part of a Faith & Advocacy delegation led by Phil and Louie Baldwin Rieman in late summer and to Nigeria on an annual workcamp sponsored by the Global Mission Partnerships office. Workcampers on the latter trip continued construction of a classroom at the Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN) Comprehensive Secondary School.
  
  
• New leadership was called for major Brethren mission areas, with Irv and Nancy Heishman beginning as coordinators in the Dominican Republic, and Greg and Karin Davidson Laszakovits called as representatives for Brazil. A search is under way for a successor to John and Janet Tubbs in Nigeria.
  
  
• The 2003 youth/young adult workcamp season ended in mid-August after more than 500 youth, youth advisors, and young adults participated in 26 workcamps across the US, in the Caribbean, and in Northern Ireland and Ecuador.
  
  
• A November Ministry of Reconciliation workshop at Camp Mack in Milford, Ind., titled “Leadership in Times of Controversy,” provided space for people involved in deep and ongoing conflict to sit down and talk openly with one another.
  
  
• The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) board this fall completed the first cycle of its Vision and Planning Process by adopting a document entitled “Strategic Goals, Objectives, and Action Steps.” The document sets in place an action plan for the next three years.
  
  
• Brethren Colleges Abroad officially launched its new Peace and Justice programs, enabling students to study in these fields by examining current world issues at universities and colleges in Cuba, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Hungary, Belgium, and Wales.
  
  
• The Iglesia de los Hermanos (Church of the Brethren) in the Dominican Republic continues to grow, with two preaching points--Boca Chica and Sabana Torsa--given congregational status at the church's annual “conferencia,” and two other worshipping communities in Peniel and La Caya formally recognized as preaching points.
  
  
• The 2003 Youth Peace Travel Team of Laura Sweitzer, Erica Schatz, and Mandy Wampler traveled to Church of the Brethren camps in the Midwest and to Annual Conference, the 13th year a team has been sent out to do peace education.
  
  
• More than 70 people gathered in Gotha, Fla., to attend the denomination's annual Cross-Cultural Consultation, making it the largest gathering in the five-year history of the energetic and multilingual event.
  
  
• A “Toward a Brethren Philosophy of Higher Education” conference coordinated by Elizabethtown (Pa.) College's Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies presented viewpoints on varied aspects of higher education, representing both the college and church perspectives. Topics included biblical and theological foundations, the importance of having Brethren personnel at the denomination's colleges, the church-college relationship, and models of maintaining Brethren identity on campus.
  
  
• Brethren Volunteer Service began the year with one of the largest winter units in recent history, and continued with strong enrollment throughout the year. Several orientations were held in unique locations and formats, including emphases on spiritual growth and simple living.
  
  
• The Brethren Press children's book “Faith the Cow,” originally published in 1995 to tell the story of the origins of Heifer Project, passed the 15,000-copy level in sales this summer. The book recently went to press for its sixth printing.
  
  
• Two dozen Church of the Brethren pastors, district executives, and new church development committee members gathered in Phoenix in January for a seminar on coaching church planters, part of an ongoing drive to provide training and resources in church planting.
  
  
• A dedication service for the 10-acre campus of the new Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center was held Sept. 7 in Harrisonburg, Va... Southern Pennsylvania and Mid-Atlantic districts again joined for an annual meat canning project, processing 80,000 pounds of chicken... About 160 people gathered at Idaho's Camp Wilbur Stover June 29 to July 5 for the seventh annual Song & Story Fest... Other groups met for a youth ministry workshop in New Windsor, Md., led by Mark DeVries; a Fellowship of Brethren Homes Forum; an annual Young Adult Conference held at Camp Eder in Fairfield, Pa.; a youth Christian Citizenship Seminar in New York and Washington, D.C., focusing on globalization issues; an “Organizing for Peace” event in Richmond, Ind.; and an Anabaptist Evangelism Council conference in Chicago examining worship.

And in 2004, the work of Jesus continues!

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

Church World Service begins large-scale response to Iran earthquake.

Responding to the immediate need for medical supplies in earthquake-ravaged Bam, Iran, Church World Service (CWS) announced this week that it will airlift medical supplies to serve 1,000 people for three months, as well as 5,000 hygiene kits. The 20-foot container shipment is expected to leave for Iran on Jan. 6.

The shipment launches a long-range response commitment for CWS, which announced on Monday a $500,000 appeal for survivors of the devastating Dec. 26 earthquake, estimated to have killed more than 30,000 people according to news reports. Some 200,000 people live in and around Bam and about 70 percent of the houses in Bam were destroyed by the 6.6-magnitude quake, Iranian State Television reported.

CWS also issued an emergency grant immediately following the earthquake for the purchase and distribution of emergency shelter materials for Bam's survivors. CWS is responding to a direct request from the Iranian Red Crescent through the Middle East Council of Churches.

“Medical and hygiene supplies are vitally needed now by the thousands of survivors still struggling and unprotected in what is essentially a demolished city,” CWS Emergency Response Program director Rick Augsburger said. “We are acting immediately.”

The airlift's shipment contains 100 Interchurch Medical Assistance medicine boxes, valued at $3,500 each. The boxes contain medicines for adults and children including pain relievers, vitamin/mineral supplements, gauze bandages and pads, adhesives, medicine for intestinal worm infection, Amoxicillin, topical antibiotic and antifungal agents, oral rehydration salts, aminophylline for asthma, atini-infective/anti-protozoals for adults and children, antianemia drugs, antiseptic, antihistamine, and Cefzil (for treatment of bacterial infections).

The approximately 5,000 Church World Service health kits each include one hand towel , one washcloth, one comb, one metal nail file or nail clipper, one bar of soap (bath size), one toothbrush, one tube of toothpaste (4-7 ounces), and six Band-Aids. Details on creating the kits can be found at www.churchworldservice.org.

Augsburger said that complete recovery from the earthquake “will take several years.” This latest emergency response in Iran is part of CWS' longstanding presence in the Middle East, including support to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

Emergency Disaster Fund aids projects in Iraq, Puerto Rico.

Two new grants from the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund were made during the final weeks of the year.

The first will send $15,000 in additional support for the Church World Service “All Our Children” campaign in Iraq. Funds will help secure health and medical assistance for children in Iraq, where ongoing violence has hindered relief efforts.

A second grant, for $4,000, will go toward Church World Service's response to flooding in Puerto Rico. Unusually heavy rains on the island caused severe flooding and landslides, affecting more than 5,000 homes in 21 particularly hard-hit municipalities. The funds will help to provide material aid and to support local recovery groups.

Thirty-five grants have now been made from the fund in 2003.

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

Annual Conference Council responds to queries, makes plans for Charleston.

The Annual Conference Council met Dec. 8-9 in Elizabethtown, Pa., with a full agenda. Major items included the council's response to an unanswered portion of a query sent to Conference from Michigan District, a revised draft of the Annual Conference paper on The Role and Qualifications of Local Church Moderators, next steps toward a revision of the denomination's Manual of Organization and Polity, and items related to preparation for the 2004 Conference in Charleston, W.Va.

The council was charged by 2003 Conference delegates with the task of responding to a number of questions raised in a Michigan query titled, “Clarification of Confusion.” The request for clarification related to both procedural and theological issues in the denomination's policies for calling and disciplining set-apart ministers.

After considerable discussion relating to each question, the council felt that answers should come from a larger group than the council itself, and that a consultation on ministry issues, involving especially the General Board Office of Ministry and district executives, should occur as soon as possible. Current moderator Chris Bowman and moderator-elect Jim Hardenbrook are also planning a visit to several areas of Michigan District.

Aware of both the Michigan issues and similar concerns throughout the denomination, the council made plans to hold a session at the 2004 Conference in which individuals and groups will have “opportunity to share with the council and fellow Conferencegoers concerns, observations, and suggestions relating to denominational life and ministry.” the session is scheduled for July 4 at 9 p.m. On Earth Peace has agreed to help facilitate the discussion.

As asked by the 2003 Conference, the council assembled a committee of key people to help revise the paper on local church moderators. With the help of this ad-hoc committee, the council revised the paper for consideration by the 2004 Conference. The new paper provides for the moderator to work in whatever structure the congregation has, including the possibility for moderators to be called from beyond the local church. The paper still maintains the traditional requirement for moderators to be members of the Church of the Brethren.

At the invitation of the council, Wayne Miller had been working at revising the 2001 Manual of Organization and Polity, primarily gathering materials for a section that will provide information on the Annual Conference agencies. Miller asked to be relieved of further responsibilities for the revision, so the council asked Conference secretary Fred Swartz to form a committee to help him complete an initial draft of the revision.

The initial draft will be posted on the Annual Conference web page prior to the 2005 Conference, when a new denominational Review and Evaluation Committee is to be called by Conference. A new manual will not be published in hard-copy form until after the next Review and Evaluation Committee has made its report.

In other actions, the council:

• received with regret the resignation of council member Sandy Bosserman, who cited unexpected responsibilities at home and work. Annual Conference delegates will be asked to elect another district executive to fill the vacancy on the council.
  
  
• confirmed that it now shares with Standing Committee the responsibility to provide for denominational envisioning. The moderator and moderator-elect will engage the 2004 Standing Committee in a process to begin the fulfillment of that function.
  
  
• confirmed a mission statement and refined core value and vision statements as part of a strategic planning process. The council plans to submit the statements to Standing Committee in Charleston for consideration, then do further work on goals and objectives.
  
  
• heard and ratified plans from the Conference officers to prepare materials and hold information sessions where invited on the preparation of queries for Annual Conference.
  
  
• heard reports from the moderator and Annual Conference executive on preparations for the 2004 Conference in Charleston, W.Va., and approved the executive director's salary package for 2004.

The council next meets March 16-17 in Elgin, Ill.

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

Brethren bits: NYAC registration, peace award, and more.

Brethren bits: Brief news and updates from around the denomination and beyond.

• The General Board's Service Ministries program received a Certificate of Appreciation from the American Red Cross in recognition of service following Hurricane Isabel this past fall. Shipments of blankets and Gift of the Heart kits were made to shelters in Maryland and Virginia.
  
  
• Registration for the 2004 National Young Adult Conference opened Jan. 1 at www.nyac2004.org. The event--the first of its kind in size and scope--will be held June 14-18 in Winter Park, Colo.
  
  
• Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) worker Peggy Gish, a member of the Church of the Brethren, accepted the Yoko Tada Human Rights Award at a Dec. 18 ceremony in Tokyo for her work with CPT. Gish has spent much of the past year as part of a CPT presence in Iraq. Japanese journalist Masakazu Honda nominated Gish for the award after he interviewed her in Jordan last March. Three Yoko Tada awards are presented each year.
  
  
• Collaboration among Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA), Mennonite Central Committee, and Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) has resulted in a $25,000 ERD grant to support surgical services provided by a hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. The grant aids treatment for children suffering from hydrocephalus due to birth defects or from infections such as meningitis or encephalitis. The hospital has experienced a severe shortage of medical supplies.
  
  
• Manchester College (North Manchester, Ind.) has received a $750,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for its growing collaboration with Wabash County and North Manchester economic development efforts. The four-year grant will allow the college to develop a wide-reaching local program of student internships and entrepreneurial support that will seek to stem the significant loss of college graduates from Indiana, and especially Wabash County; and to improve job opportunities for other Indiana workers.
  
  
• An ecumenical conference held in late November and early December in Prague, Czech Republic, continued a series of such meetings held since 1986 to discuss and work together on common issues in an academic context. The theme for this most recent conference was “The Significance of Reforming and Prophetic Movements in Church and Society.” Church of the Brethren member Donald F. Durnbaugh was among those attending, and made a presentation on “The Witness of the Historic Peace Churches.” Durnbaugh is also serving on a Continuation Committee to plan future gatherings for the group. A number of other Brethren have also been involved with the process over the past two decades. A story on the “Prague Conference” series is planned for the March issue of “Messenger.”

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

General Board seeks director of Identity and Relations.

The Church of the Brethren General Board is seeking a full-time director of Identity and Relations, based at the denomination's General Offices in Elgin, Ill.

Responsibilities of the position include providing interpretation of the ministries of the General Board through personal contact and a variety of media, working with a peer advisory group to provide coordination of communication and public relations in a cohesive manner, and collaborating with and coaching other staff in sharing about their work.

Applicants must be an active member of the Church of the Brethren, possess strong interpersonal and communication skills, and have familiarity with the General Board's ministry areas. A bachelor's degree in a related field is required; master's preferred.


Application deadline is Jan. 19. Candidates should complete the General Board application form, submit resume' and letter of application, and request three references to send letters of recommendation to: Office of Human Resources, Church of the Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120-1694. For application form or other questions, call 800-323-8039, ext. 258, or e-mail mgarrison_gb@brethren.org.

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

ABC announces theme, keynote speakers for NOAC 2004.

Plans are coming together for the seventh National Older Adult Conference (NOAC), to be held Sept. 6-10 at Lake Junaluska (N.C.) Assembly. Sponsored by the Older Adult Ministry area of the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC), the biennial event typically draws more than 1,000 people.

The conference theme will be “Being Renewed Day by Day,” based on 2 Cor. 4:7-16. Keynote speakers will include United Methodist leader and author Tex Sample, Foundation for Global Community fellow L. Robert Keck; Gratis (Ohio) Church of the Brethren member Pamela K. Brubaker, a professor of religion at California Lutheran University; Manchester Church of the Brethren (North Manchester, Ind.) senior pastor Kurt Borgmann; and Beacon Heights (Fort Wayne, Ind.) pastor for worship Deanna Brown. Borgmann and Brown will preach at the opening and closing worship celebrations, respectively.

Morning Bible studies will be led by Stephen Reid, academic dean and professor of Old Testament studies at Bethany Theological Seminary.

Registration details for NOAC will be available in February. For more information about the conference, call ABC at 800-323-8039.

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

Online registration opens for Organizing for Peace conference.

Online registration for the 2004 Organizing for Peace conference, titled “Peacemaking in the Midst of Diversity,” is now available at www.brethren.org/oepa/ofp2004.html. The conference, sponsored by On Earth Peace, will be held March 11-14 in La Verne, Calif.

Conference leadership will include James Lawson, Ched Myers, Barb Sayler, Matt Guynn, and others, and will feature music by Steve Kinzie and Shawn Kirchner.

Cost for the event, including food, housing, and registration, is $50. Discounts are available for students and those with low incomes.

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

Level 1 Disaster Child Care workshops planned for 2004.

A series of Level 1 Disaster Child Care training workshops has been scheduled for the first half of 2004 by the General Board's Emergency Response/Service Ministries office.

The first workshop will be held Feb. 20-21 at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Others will be March 5-6 at Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; March 12-13 at a site to be announced in North Carolina; March 26-27 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Frederick, Md.; April 16-17 at Tearcoat Church of the Brethren, Augusta, W.Va.; April 24-25 at Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren, Fort Wayne, Ind.; April 30-May 1 for a combined UMCOR/Disaster Child Care training at a site to be announced in Buffalo, N.Y.; and May 21-22 at Lanark (Ill.) Church of the Brethren.

Further details are available at www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm.

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

A closing note: Newsline editor Walt Wiltschek signs off.

Dear readers: After writing and editing more than 140 issues of Newsline over the past four and a half years, this first issue of 2004 marks my final one at the helm. I begin this month as editor of Messenger magazine, where I will continue the quest to share the denomination's stories in a different format.

It has been an honor to have stewardship of this communication vehicle, and it has been exciting to watch its continuing growth. More than 2,100 people now receive Newsline directly via e-mail, and many others read it online or see parts of it reprinted in church and district newsletters or elsewhere.

I am pleased to be able to hand over the editing duties to Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, who officially begins as director of news services on March 1. Cheryl has graciously agreed to begin doing much of the writing and editing for Newsline beginning with the Jan. 16 issue, however, so the transition is already under way. She brings strong communications and church experience, and Newsline will be in good hands.

Above all, I have appreciated the opportunity to dialogue with many of you via e-mail or in person, and to see the church at work in so many places and forms while reporting its stories. I am excited about continuing those relationships and building new ones in the pages of Messenger, and I'm excited by some of the things I see happening in the church. Blessings to you on the journey...

Walt Wiltschek

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top

Credits

Newsline is produced by Walt Wiltschek, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on the first, third and fifth Friday of each month. Newsline stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is cited as the source. Lerry Fogle and Kathleen Campanella contributed to this report.

To receive Newsline by e-mail or fax, call 800 323-8039, ext. 263, or write CoBNews@AOL.Com. Newsline is available at www.brethren.org and is archived with an index at http://www.wfn.org. Also see Photo Journal at www.brethren.org/pjournal/index.htm for photo coverage of recent events.

Source: Newsline 1/02/2004
top