Dixon congregation promotes Brethren water.

"Our thoughts were, we need to get out into the public and tell people who we are," said Guy Ball, one of the people behind a project to use "Brethren water" as a promotional tool for Church of the Brethren congregations. The project was begun by the Witness Commission of the Dixon (Ill.) Church of the Brethren, which has invested seed funds to have bottled water produced with a Church of the Brethren label.

The labels on the 16.9-fluid-ounce bottles of water that the Dixon church has produced read, "Church of the Brethren, Continuing the work of Jesus, Peacefully, Simply, Together," and feature the denominational logo and the scripture text John 4:13-14.

Ball, a handyman and Dixon's deacon chair and custodian, got the idea when he saw bottled water with a lumber company's name on the label. He found out that his church could have bottles produced for 50 cents each, from a supplier who would personalize the label. It seemed like a wonderful fund raiser and a unique opportunity to promote the church, as well as the denomination.

Since then the Dixon congregation, which is hosting the Illinois/Wisconsin District Conference this year, has presented the idea to the conference planning committee and has approached other congregations that may be interested in using the water for their own fundraising and promotional projects, Ball said. Congregations can have bottles personalized with their names and other information. Ball also has thought of using the water for disaster relief. "Wouldn't it have been wonderful to have had cases to give away following tornados" that recently struck a town in Illinois, he commented.

To make sure the water would be of good quality, Ball personally visited the bottling plant and met with quality control staff. "The water speaks for itself," he said of the purified deep-well water that fills the Brethren bottles. "It's very good water." For more information e-mail Guy Ball at ball602@myfam.com.

Source: Newsline 7/02/2004