Brethren bits: Personnel, Earth Sunday, and more.

• Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., has appointed Glenn R. Sharfman as vice president and dean for academic affairs effective July 1. He succeeds Jo Young Switzer who became president of the college on Dec. 1, 2004. Sharfman has served as chair of the History Department and as associate dean and director of graduate studies at Hiram College.
  
  
• Shanita Hamlin began as customer resource specialist for Brethren Press in Elgin, Ill., on March 21. She has ten years of customer service background including three years with a religious organization. She is a part-time business administration student at the College of Dupage.
  
  
• The General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office is highlighting Earth Sunday April 24 as "an excellent opportunity for congregations to reflect on their relationship with God's creation." Worship resources and a bulletin insert on the National Council of Churches' emphasis for the day, "S.acred O.ceans & S.eas," including action suggestions for protecting the oceans, are available from the office. Call 800-785-3246 or e-mail washington_office_gb@brethren.org.
  
  
• Good Shepherd Church of the Brethren in Blacksburg, Va., is holding a Mortgage Burning Celebration at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 10. The church also seeks letters with memories and stories of the church's ministry for a scrapbook. Call 540-951-2588 or e-mail hagedors@vt.edu.
  
  
• Northern Plains District has joined other Christians asking for prayer for Red Lake, Minn., following a school shooting March 21. "Let us pray for the Red Lake community. May Christ be present as we continue in this Holy Week," wrote district executive Connie Burkholder in an e-mail to the district. She also communicated the response of the Minnesota Council of Churches, of which the district is a member. The council expressed condolences to the Red Lake Band of Chippewa and urged people to pray, offer support, and cherish children. Council staff also attended a Pipe Ceremony at the state capitol, contacted the All Nations Church to offer assistance, and contacted the Jewish Community Relations Council to express concern about the Nazi website component of the tragedy.
  
  
• "Building Health Congregations: Equipping Conflict Transformation Teams," a Ministry of Reconciliation workshop for pastors and church leaders, will be held April 5-8 at the New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center. The workshop led by Barbara Date will prepare participants to understand and work with personal style differences, assist those in conflict, and plan strategies for intervention. It is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Reconciliation program of On Earth Peace and the districts of Atlantic Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Middle Pennsylvania, Southern Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania, Shenandoah, Virlina, and West Marva.
  
  
• Dan Southerland, founder of Church Transitions, Inc., will lead a workshop on "Leading Your Church Through Change... and Living to Tell About It" sponsored by the Church Life and Growth Team of Western Pennsylvania District on April 1-2 in Johnstown, Pa. Cost is $90. Participants may receive continuing education units. Call 814-479-7058 or e-mail gram8x@verizon.net.
  
  
• A January-term class at the University of La Verne, Calif., took on a service learning project for Habitat for Humanity. In three weeks, the class organized a dinner, auction, dance, and raffle to benefit a blitz-build of six houses in six days. Proceeds totaled more than $6,000. "The real winners of the event were the students who had a sense of camaraderie and the ability to make a difference for those in need," reported Julia Wheeler, university relations staff.
  
  
• A 10th annual Wenger Foundation Praise Dinner on April 21 at the Lebanon (Pa.) Expo Center will benefit COBYS Family Services among other nonprofit groups. COBYS is affiliated with Atlantic Northeast District and serves children and families in several Pennsylvania counties. The Wenger Foundation, Inc., was established in 1996 as a response to a tragic death of a family member, and has since awarded more than $750,000 to a variety of nonprofits. Many in the Wenger family are members of Myerstown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, reported Donald R. Fitzkee, development and interpretation coordinator for COBYS. The Booth Brothers Trio and the Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet, both winners of the Southern Gospel Music Association's New Artist of the Year Award, will provide the entertainment at the dinner. Cost is $100 per person or $1,000 for a table of ten.
  
  
• Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) announces delegations to the US/Mexico borderlands May 26-June 7, June 25-July 2, and July 30-Aug. 6. "US border control policies deliberately channel migrants into the most dangerous and inhospitable areas of the desert, resulting in more than 200 migrant deaths in the Arizona borderlands over each of the past two years," CPT reported. "A dramatic increase in the number of Border Patrol agents has militarized the area and residents of US border towns have reported violations of their civil rights." The first delegation will include a six-day, 75-mile walk from Sasabe, Sonora, Mexico, to Tucson, Ariz. Cost of $350 includes on-ground transportation, food, simple accommodations, and fees. See www.cpt.org (click on "Delegations"), call 773-277-0253, or e-mail delegations@cpt.org. CPT is an initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) with support and membership from a range of Catholic and Protestant denominations.

Source: 03/30/2005 Newsline