Brethren bits: Disaster relief, BVS, and much more.

• Church of the Brethren disaster coordinators visited sites in central Pennsylvania after an F3 tornado tore apart homes and brought down trees and power lines the afternoon of July 14, according to Emergency Response staff Helen Stonesifer. Campbelltown, in Lebanon County, received the worst storm damage with 24 injuries reported and up to 50 houses damaged. A number of homes in South Londonderry Township, in the Country Squire Estates, were leveled and others were ripped open. Jean Myers, Disaster Child Care Region III coordinator, and Tom Cope, Atlantic Northeast District disaster coordinator, visited sites July 15 to offer child care and clean up assistance. The Emergency Response office reported that 60 Brethren volunteers from the surrounding area were out doing clean up today July 16, and are planning on returning daily for the next several days.
  
  
• The summer Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) orientation unit 260 will run from July 25 through Aug. 13, with 25 volunteers planning to attend. The orientation will be held at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The BVS office reminds anyone who might be interested that the unit will host a potluck at Union Bridge (Md.) Church of the Brethren on Saturday, July 31, beginning at 6 p.m., for any past BVS volunteers, Civilian Public Service workers, sea-going cowboys, and anyone who feels connected to BVS.
  
  
• At its Annual Conference luncheon, the Committee on Interchurch Relations gave an Ecumenical Citation to Kira Marriner, a member of Live Oak (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, for her work in peacemaking.
  
  
• The Association of Brethren Caregivers gave its first "Open Roof" award at Annual Conference. The award was presented to Lansing (Mich.) Church of the Brethren for its progress in accessibility to those with disabilities.
  
  
• The Association for the Arts in the Church of the Brethren (AACB) is beginning a project to record the history of AACB quilts and quilting, as part of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Church of the Brethren in 2008. The group, which this year celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Annual Conference quilt auction, will collect photographs and interesting articles about Conference quilts made between 1973 and 2006. The group seeks facts about the quilts such as the purchaser(s), families or churches who have owned the quilts, places where the quilts have been displayed, and interesting anecdotes connected to the quilts. The group also would like to hear from quilters at Annual Conference who can give information about the number of years they have worked on quilts there, and from those who first learned to quilt at Annual Conference who may be willing to share their stories. "What has this experience of quilting at Annual Conference meant to you?" asked AACB coordinator Joyce Parker in a release about the project. "The AACB is grateful for the heritage of quilting at Annual Conference--creating and finishing pieced quilts." Send stories and information to AACB Coordinator Joyce Parker, 1293 Laurel Dr., W. Salem, OH 44387, 419-945-2327, e-mail djparker@bright.net. People who want to be involved in the history project are invited to contact Parker as well.
  
  
• John Waggoner, the mutual fund columnist for "USA Today" and a member of Dranesville Church of the Brethren, Herndon, Va., joined a panel discussion at an Annual Conference insight session on personal investing. The session was presented by Brethren Benefit Trust and attended by about 50 Conference-goers. Other panelists were Gail Habecker, investment professional with PMG Advisors; Don Fecher, director of the Brethren Pension Plan; and convener Will Thomas, BBT's director of Socially Responsible Investing. The discussion focused on "Now what should I do? Investment challenges with your personal finances." A videotape of the session, complete with an overview on equities by Waggoner, an overview on bond markets by Habecker, and a discussion of how investment assets should be allocated along with questions and answers, will be available on DVD or VHS in mid-September. Contact Lauryn Estes at BBT, 847-622-3374, to reserve a copy.
  
  
• Jonathan P. Emmons, who served as organist for Annual Conference this year, has received a partial scholarship to attend the Organ Academy International Summer School at Mount Royal College Conservatory in Calgary, Canada. The Bridgewater (Va.) College senior music major is one of 18 young organists from around the world to be accepted into the program, which will run from July 26 to Aug. 3. Under the direction of Simon Preston, former organist and choirmaster at Christ Church in Oxford, England, and London's Westminster Abbey, the program offers intensive, short-term organ instruction in both small group and individual sessions taught by a distinguished faculty. Emmons is the son of Timothy and Alice Emmons of Rocky Mount, Va.
  
  
• Blood donors at Annual Conference in Charleston learned about a new "Church of the Brethren Walk-In Campaign" to enlarge the ranks of those registered with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Wendy Jeansonne, of San Carlos, Calif., shared information about the program with Conference-goers. According to Jeansonne, bone marrow donations may help treat 70 different types of blood diseases and disorders, and those who register with the NMDP could be called for a donation as far into the future as 40 years. Some 30,000 people a year seek unrelated donors for a life-saving match, she said. Those interested in having tissue typing done may make an appointment at the nearest NMDP donor center and mention the Brethren campaign, which will cover fees. Donors must be healthy and between the ages of 18 and 60. The campaign ends on Aug. 31. For more information about the campaign, contact Joanne Malone, Virginia Blood Services, 800-989-4438 ext. 4162. For more information about the NMDP call 800-MARROW-2 or see www.marrow.org.
  
  
• The Ecumenical Stewardship Center has announced a 2004 Leadership Seminar in St. Pete Beach, Fla., on the theme "Faith and Money: Breaking the Silence," Nov. 30-Dec. 3. This annual event draws clergy, denominational staff, educators, organizational leaders, and entrepreneurs with a passion for faithful stewardship ministry. Presenters will be Nelson Kraybill, president of the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary; Rosemary Williams, director of Women's Perspective; Steven Tomlinson, dramatist; and Greg Rickel, event chaplain. Cost is $395. An early bird savings of $40 off the registration cost is available through Oct. 4. A special group discount of $80 savings is offered for 20 or more registrants. For more information, see www.stewardshipresources.org, email stewardshipcenter@ameritech.net, or call 800-835-5671.
  
  
• Eleven youth from Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind., formed the nucleus of a June 18-28 learning tour to Honduras coordinated by the New Community Project, a Brethren-related nonprofit organization. The group, along with pastor Melissa Bennett, youth advisor Shawn Sollenberger, construction guide Jim Dodd of Midland, Va., and New Community Project director David Radcliff, refurbished a badly deteriorated health clinic in the community of San Juan Bosco. The group also visited with teachers, nurses, and a women's group; attended a soccer match in a neighboring village; and ended the trip with a visit to the Copan Ruins.
  
  
• A call for true inspirational stories of peacemaking has been issued by Linda Williams, a member of First Church of the Brethren, San Diego, Calif., and co-author of "Chicken Soup for the Peace Lover's Soul." Chicken Soup for the Soul Ent. Inc. is considering publishing a two-book set in order to "get twice the number of dynamite stories of peace, harmony, compassion, and forgiveness out to the general public," Williams said. Among those who already have submitted stories are Nobel Peace Prize laureates Desmond Tutu and Oscar Arias. Those interested in the project may submit stories, poems, songs, quotes, or cartoons; help select stories; and give input on cover art and title. Guidelines for submissions and sample stories are at http://chickensoup.peacestories.info/. Authors of stories chosen for inclusion in the book will receive $200 and have a 50 word bio published in the book. E-mail story submissions to Submissions@PeaceLoversSoul.com. To help select stories, contact Williams at Submissions@PeaceLoversSoul.com. To help select cover art and title, go to www.chickensoup.com, click on "Join Our Test Center" under "Share with Us," and submit name and e-mail address.
  
  
• Brethren interested in organizing a Brethren in Business association are invited to attend a meeting to be held in conjunction with the Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) "Business as a Calling" 2004 convention in Pittsburgh, Pa., Nov. 4-7. The theme of the meeting will be "Risky Business." Cost to Brethren will be $295. Movement to launch the fledgling association has been stimulated by the former organization of Brethren in business, the Brethren Business Network, and is being given leadership by John Braun, a pastor and an associate with Good News Associates in Seattle, Wash. An informal meeting with those interested in the new association was held at Annual Conference. To contact Braun call 206-368-2654 or 206-920-5671. For more information about MEDA visit www.businessasacalling.org or call 800-665-7026, or to register online visit www.meda.org.

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