Wednesday, July 20, 2005

NEWSRESOURCESFEATURE
Welcome Home project helps returning military personnel in the church.

Congregations are invited to take part in the Welcome Home Project: A Living Peace Church Response for Returning Military Personnel and Others. The project is a joint effort between the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) and On Earth Peace.

The project's mission is to help congregations become places of healing and reconciliation for military personnel and others as they deal with the physical, mental, psychological, and spiritual wounds from war zones, and to strengthen the circles of care surrounding them. The project's mission statement provides a context for the work: "Congregations around the country are experiencing the return of soldiers who have been in active military conflict. While some return with physical injuries, there are others who are affected emotionally or spiritually. Many individuals and congregations desire to address with wisdom and compassion the needs of returning military personnel and the communities to which they return."

Committee members for the Welcome Home Project see the group's purpose as ideal for a living peace church that seeks to accompany those who have experienced the violence and trauma of war. Organizers state, "We believe that the peace church's message of love, justice, service, and humility includes responding to soldiers, who may be hurting, afraid, silent, and marginalized."

Although US casualties from the war in Iraq are less than the number of casualties from previous wars, the war in Iraq has produced significant numbers of injured and disabled military personnel, said a release about the project from ABC. According to CNN.com's news statistics report, an estimated 12,000 soldiers have been wounded, the release said. In February, the "Christian Science Monitor" reported concern from veterans organizations about the number of returning soldiers showing up in the nation's homeless shelters due to the loss of jobs or difficulties in reintegrating into civilian life. "Although the military branches are providing more services to deal with post-traumatic stress and reintegration for returning military personnel and their families, churches can assist these individuals and families by providing a community of support and care," ABC said. "This role becomes more important for rural congregations as services for returning military personnel may be more limited in rural areas."

At Annual Conference, the Welcome Home Project held an insight session "Helping Soldiers Heal from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder" with panelists Doris Abdullah of On Earth Peace; Joel Bonnette, a counselor and veteran; and Peter Leddy, a veteran and retired district minister. More than 75 people attended.

Another workshop will be held at ABC's Caring Ministries Assembly in Bridgewater, Va., on Friday, Aug. 12. "Faith's Imprint During Times of Stress and Violence" will explore how people living in conflict zones experience common situations, whether they are there in the role of Christian peacemaker or armed military. A panel of speakers will describe their experiences and reflect on how their faith impacted the experiences.

The Welcome Home Project organizers hope to create a network of congregations working toward creating safe places for returning military personnel and others. Networking may take the form of conference calls on related topics, regular e-mails, and consultations with committee members.

To join the network, e-mail Mary Dulabaum, ABC staff member, at mdulabaum_abc@brethren.org, or Matt Guynn, On Earth Peace staff member, at mattguynn@earthlink.net. Resources for congregations wanting to participate in the project are available at www.brethren.org/oepa/WelcomeHomeProject.html. Links to other sites offering resources also are available.

Source: 7/20/2005 Newsline
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Brethren funds team up to respond to Sudanese refugees, West Timor drought.

Two General Board funds--the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF)--are both contributing aid to Sudanese refugees returning to their homes after years of displacement due to war, and to West Timor, Indonesia, following a severe drought. The EDF gave $50,000 and the GFCF $20,000 to the needs of the Sudanese refugees. Responding to West Timor, the EDF gave $20,000 and the GFCF $10,000. Two other recent grants from the EDF support relief work in India and China.

The Sudan emergency appeal comes from the Church World Service (CWS) Emergency Response Program and the ACT Alliance. The EDF grant will help provide basic needs for refugees including fresh water, sanitation, household supplies, tools, and seeds. The GFCF grant will help provide seeds and tools, develop vegetable plots for training subsistence farmers, introduce new crops, train farmers and extension workers in appropriate technology, and create income-generating activities to spur employment, the grant request said. "A strong component of the effort is to reduce the dependency of hosts and returnees on food aid, building longterm food security," said Howard Royer, GFCF manager.

The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government of Sudan and the rebels in southern Sudan has created the opportunity for refugees to return home, reported Roy Winter, director of the board's Emergency Response, in the grant request. "Many have been displaced for years because of the civil war that started in 1955. They are currently living in Internally Displaced People camps in northern Sudan and as refugees in surrounding countries," the grant request stated. "While organized resettlement of these people has not occurred, as many as 1,500 Sudanese are spontaneously returning to their home areas each day."

CWS also is the recipient of the Brethren grants for relief work in West Timor. The assistance from the EDF will be implemented through feeding centers and used to help prevent famine among the poor and most vulnerable. The GFCF grant will contribute to sustainable livelihood development programs and community-based health organization training. Royer said that as many as one third of the area's children under five suffer from malnutrition and nearly seven percent from severe malnutrition. "One of the priorities of CWS is to ensure basic levels of nutrition for pregnant women and for children under five," he said.

In other grants, the EDF gave $15,000 for a CWS appeal in the wake of severe flooding in the Gujarat and Madhay Pradesh States of India, where funds will help provide food, drinking water, relief kits, dry rations, and materials for shelters. Gujarat State is home to many of the Brethren in India, and long-time partner the Church of North India is also active there.

EDF also gave $5,000 to a CWS appeal for severe flooding in southern China that has affected 17 million people. Funds will help provide medicine, food, quilts, mosquito netting, and construction materials for homes and irrigation canals.

Source: 7/20/2005 Newsline
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Brethren bits: Correction, personnel, job opening, and more.
  • Correction: The total of four grants from the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund reported in the Newsline of June 22 is $165,000.

  • Nigeria mission workers Matt Haren and Nancy Steedle are concluding their terms of service this summer. In Nigeria they have worked through Brethren Volunteer Service and the Global Mission Partnerships of the General Board. Haren has taught at Hillcrest School in Jos. Steedle has worked with the Women's School of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), located at EYN headquarters near Mubi. Haren plans to continue his teaching career in the United States. Steedle plans to enter graduate studies.

  • Amy Adkins began July 18 as part-time program assistant in the General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office in Washington, D.C. She has been serving in the office as a legislative assistant through Brethren Volunteer Service. Adkins is from Middlebury, Ind., and is a graduate of Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind.

  • The General Board seeks a customer service inventory specialist to fill a fulltime position with Brethren Press in Elgin, Ill. The position is available immediately. Brethren Press is a denominational publishing house that provides resource information including Christian education materials, supplies, and brochures to congregations and individuals. Responsibilities include inventory control, ordering, payables, reconciliation; handling telephone, mail, and Internet orders; and processing end-of-the-month activity, statements, reports, and journals. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated ability in customer service, word processing, intermediate accounting, and general office skills. Experience in a church or service organization and some college credits are preferred, experience in Christian education is a plus. To apply, mail a cover letter, resume, and references to: Church of the Brethren General Board, Office of Human Resources, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. The application deadline is Aug. 8.

  • The Annual Conference Study Committee on Doing Church Business is asking for prayer to support its work at an upcoming meeting, Aug. 1-3 in New Paris, Ohio. Members will share results from interviews across the denomination and consider responses to surveys filled out at Annual Conference. The committee also will prepare a first draft of its response to how the Annual Conference delegate body may more adequately discern the mind of Christ. The final draft will be presented to the 2006 Annual Conference. Committee members are Joe Detrick, Matt Guynn, Verdena Lee, Dale Posthumus, and Dave Shetler. Please address comments and questions to doingchurchbusiness@brethren.org.

  • The 2005 Ecumenical Citations were given by the Committee on Interchurch Relations at Annual Conference. Colleen Hamilton of Hope Church of the Brethren in Freeport, Mich., and Marisa de Oliveira of Campo Limpo Preaching Point in Campo Limpo, Brazil, received the citations. The two were among four youth and young adults recognized for peacemaking efforts, including Matt Boyer of La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, and Anna Christine Simons of Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren in South Bend, Ind. Hamilton received the citation for her efforts for the environment and global concerns including helping to begin a recycling program at her high school, bringing focus to the use and waste of styrofoam in the school cafeteria, working and worshiping ecumenically with another congregation in the area, and participating in a high school arts troupe "HEARTS: Helping Educate Abstinence, Responsible Teens." De Oliveira received the citation for her deep sense of justice and her call to share God's love with others through her work for hunger and women's and children's issues. She volunteers at a soup kitchen, has begun a children's church and after-school tutoring program, and has developed and runs children's and women's programs in a poor and dangerous neighborhood of her city.

  • People of faith are organizing around the country from July 8-21 to pray, bear political witness, and speak truth to power to end the violence in Darfur, Sudan, reported the General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office. Thursday July 21 is the one-year anniversary of the date the US Congress unanimously declared the violence in Darfur a genocide. The office announced that public vigils across the country are being assembled to call leaders to put meaning to the words "never again." An action alert reported that nearly 400,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaced in Darfur, and that the violence continues with little attention from the media and politicians. The office sponsored a prayer vigil for Sudan at the Church of the Brethren Song and Story Fest family camp on July 10. For more information about other vigils for Sudan, see www.sojo.net. Contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at 800-785-3246 or e-mail washington_office_gb@brethren.org.

  • Brethren Volunteer Service is announcing the start of its summer orientation, July 24-Aug. 12 in New Windsor, Md., at the Brethren Service Center. This will be the 265th BVS unit, with 16 volunteers from the US and Germany. Brethren members will make up most of the group. The remaining volunteers come from varied faith backgrounds. The group will have a chance to work at the center, at A Greater Gift/SERRV, and at the clothing warehouse. A weekend immersion experience will take place at an inner city Baltimore homeless shelter, and while there the group also will work at soup kitchens and Habitat for Humanity. Another day of service will be spent meeting the needs of members of the local community. In addition, unit members will join in a BVS potluck that is open to all those who are interested, on July 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Union Bridge Church of the Brethren. "Please feel free to come and welcome the new BVS volunteers and share your own experiences about Brethren Volunteer Service," an invitation read. "As always your prayer support is welcome and needed. Please pray for the unit and the people they will touch during their year of service."

  • A celebration of the early days of Heifer Project International will be held in Carroll County, Md., Aug. 12-14. The commemorative conference called "Passing on the Gift" is sponsored by the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., along with the Heifer International Mid-Atlantic Regional Office and the Historical Society of Carroll County. On Earth Peace is sponsoring a screening of the documentary, "Seeds of Peace," at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster, Md., on Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. The Brethren Service Center will be the site of day-long activities featuring a gathering of Seagoing Cowboys on Aug. 13. Brochures are available from Kathleen Campanella at 410-635-8710 ext. 747 or e-mail kcampanella_gb@brethren.org.

  • Brethren in the Roanoke (Va.) area are helping the Lighthouse Church build a new facility on US Rte. 220. The construction work is almost finished, reported Virlina District in an e-mail newsletter, but due to the expiration of the construction loan on July 31, the church needs to finish all of the building interior by that time. "This is a prime opportunity to engage in mission work for all of us, whether skilled or unskilled," the district said. For more information call the church at 540-798-6562.

  • Codorus Church of the Brethren in Loganville, Pa., holds its Christian music festival, Dunkard Valley Live, Aug. 6-7. The festival will be at the Codorus church softball field two miles east of Loganville on Rte. 214. Rain dates are Aug. 13-14. The event will feature local groups and solists performing a wide variety of music, as well as speakers. Among the speakers is Walt Wiltschek, editor of the Church of the Brethren "Messenger" magazine. Admission is free, bring blankets or chairs for seating. Food will be available for sale. For more information e-mail DnkVallpromotion@aol.com.

  • Missouri and Arkansas District will hold its district conference July 22-24 at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., with Gene Sappington as moderator. Three districts are meeting the next weekend: Northern Ohio District July 29-31 at Ashland (Ohio) University with Terry Baldwin as moderator; Southeastern District July 29-31 at Mars Hill (N.C.) College with Harold Rose as moderator; and Southern Plains District July 29-30 at Big Creek Church of the Brethren in Cushing, Okla., with Dean Stump as moderator.

  • Good Shepherd Home in Fostoria, Ohio, hosted a stop for the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure on June 19. As many as 3,000 bicyclers stopped at the home, by invitation, for lunch and a break. For more information call Good Shepherd at 419-435-1801.

  • Manchester College, in North Manchester, Ind., is up to the latest fundraising challenge of Lilly Endowment Inc., says president Jo Young Switzer in a release from the college. The endowment is offering $1.50 for every $1 the college receives from its donors, up to $4.5 million. "We have just built a $17 million Science Center and renovated our recital hall--both without debt," said Switzer. "Matching challenges from the Lilly Endowment made both of those campaigns a success." Manchester is among 34 Indiana colleges and universities to receive grant offers in a second phase of the endowment's Initiative to Strengthen Philanthropy for Indiana Higher Education. Only 14 schools will share in the $4.5 million challenge. Manchester has 19 months through Dec. 31, 2006, to raise $3 million to receive the $4.5 million. It may use the funds "for any proper college purpose," said the endowment. The college has two other current challenges from college trustees and donors, a $1 million dollar-for-dollar match to renovate the College Union, and a $70,000 dollar-for-dollar match to bolster the Manchester Fund. For more about Manchester College, visit www.manchester.edu.

  • The Mutual Aid Association (MAA) reports that more than 400 Church of the Brethren congregations, camps, and districts, plus the denomination as a whole, will benefit from participation in Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company's Partnership Group Program. In 2005, the group was awarded approximately $109,000 as its portion of the dividend-sharing plan, based on a calculation of three-year loss ratios. In 2005, about one-half of the money will be returned to the participating congregation or other ministry, on a percentage basis of the total premium, MAA said. The remainder will be used to support denominational ventures such as the 300th Anniversary Committee and Together: Conversations on Being the Church.

  • COBYS Family Services, an agency affiliated with Atlantic Northeast District, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The ministry also has launched a $600,000 Building for the Future Campaign. The agency provides adoption and foster care services; leads family life education programs in cooperation with church, school, and community groups; operates a group home for teen mothers and their children; and offers counseling in three locations in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties, Pa. The new funds will purchase and renovate a property for a Permanency Unit serving foster children, expand adoption and foster care ministries, improve a main office in Oregon Mill, retire debt, and expand an endowment fund. For more information see www.cobys.net.

  • A 60th Annual Eastern Civilian Public Service (CPS) Reunion will be held Aug. 4 at Chambersburg (Pa.) Mennonite Church. The reunion is open to all who served in CPS during World War II. Programs and registration forms are sent to all who are presently on the mailing list. If you are not on the mailing list and want a program and registration form, contact H. Howard Witmer, 1001 E. Oregon Rd., Lititz, PA 17543; 717-581-3970; hmwitmer46@juno.com.

  • Canned chicken donated by the Church of the Brethren is being donated by Church World Service (CWS) to vulnerable rural families in the Dominican Republic, according to the CWS hotline of June 27. The $54,600 worth of chicken will be distributed through a CWS partner, Social Service of the Dominican Churches.

  • The World Council of Churches (WCC) has announced the theme for its next assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Feb. 14-23, 2006. The theme, "God in Your Grace, Transform the World," "invites us to return to, and reappropriate, the resources of prayer," the WCC said. The theme will point the meeting of up to 3,000 church leaders and ecumenical representatives from around the globe to several spiritual nuances, the WCC said: "The world matters to God and should matter to us" (Mt. 16:24; John 3:3 and 3:16; 2 Cor. 5:17), "Blessed are the change-makers" (Mt. 19:16-22), "Human responsibility under the spotlight" (John 21:15-19), and "Transformation is God's agenda" (Mt. 4:17, 5:48; Luke 10:31-32). This is the first WCC assembly to be held in Latin America. It will be preceded by events for youth and women Feb. 11-13.

  • Mennonite Central Committee is supporting an AIDS prevention project of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) with a $3,500 grant. The money will help train 40 women, youth, and pastors in EYN churches to educate their congregations and communities about AIDS, MCC reported in a June press release. (See the feature below for more about EYN's HIV/AIDS program.)
Source: 7/20/2005 Newsline
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'Wellness in Times of Crises' is available from Association of Brethren Caregivers.

During the report by the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) to Annual Conference this year, the agency showed an excerpt from its new video, "God's Spirit Is Among Us: Wellness in Times of Crises." This 17-minute video tells how Brethren have found hope and wellness during life's difficult times and circumstances.

The video on DVD is available for congregations to use individually or with small groups as they seek to discuss wellness. It may be a helpful tool for congregations wishing to learn of ways they can assist individuals find wellness through all phases of their lives, ABC said. Included on the video are excerpts of other videos relating to the caring ministries of the Church of the Brethren. ABC is making the DVD available to congregations at cost, $7.50. To order a copy, contact ABC at 800-323-8039 or abc@brethren.org.

Source: 7/20/2005 Newsline
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Lighten Up, Brethren! is introduced at Annual Conference.

Lighten Up, Brethren! is a new challenge from the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) for Church of the Brethren members to adopt healthy living and behaviors. The program promotes wellness in body, mind, and spirit, and offers weekly support and encouragement to those who sign on. Anyone interested in participating can receive a weekly e-mail containing a meditation, scripture passage, or recipe. Lighten Up, Brethren! is a program of the Wellness Ministry of ABC in collaboration with Brethren Benefit Trust and the General Board.

During Annual Conference, ABC introduced the program at its booth and through a short video during its report to delegates. As part of the presentation, Kathy Reid and Stan Noffsinger, executives of ABC and the General Board respectively, accepted the challenge to lose weight by the next Annual Conference. ABC staff and other program participants wore Lighten Up, Brethren! t-shirts.

To join the program, visit www.brethren-caregivers.org and click on the Wellness Ministry. A brochure about the new program also is available, describing the invitation for Brethren to commit to lifestyle changes of increasing physical activity and decreasing consumption as a way to be good stewards of their bodies. Lighten Up, Brethren! t-shirts are available for $10 each. To order brochures or a t-shirt with the program's logo on the back, call ABC at 800-323-8039.

Source: 7/20/2005 Newsline
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AIDS/HIV becomes a focus for Nigerian church, mission workers.

By Bob and Carol Krouse

If we had to name the one area of our work that we find most compelling, we'd have to say it is our work with the HIV/AIDS ministry of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). HIV/AIDS is endemic throughout Africa. Millions of African men, women, and children are infected with the virus, and, with few exceptions, that number continues to grow.

Fortunately, the problem of AIDS isn't as bad in Nigeria as it is in some African nations where 30 percent of the population is infected. Nevertheless, HIV/AIDS is still a huge problem in Nigeria. According to government statistics, 5 to 12 percent of Nigeria's population is infected with HIV/AIDS. That means that between 6 and 15 million Nigerians are infected. Far too many Nigerians are either infected, afflicted, or affected by the disease.

In December 2004, we were asked to work with EYN's HIV/AIDS committee in developing a strategic plan to launch an HIV/AIDS ministry. Ten of us, two Nigerians, two Swiss, and two Americans, met for three exhausting days at EYN headquarters in early December to hammer out a plan that will unfold over the next three years. The plan endeavors to:
  • Develop an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign through education, communication, and information;

  • Create an HIV/AIDS action team that will take a program of music and drama to EYN congregations hoping to lessen the stigma and raise the awareness of HIV/AIDS;

  • Train 4,000 volunteers to provide HIV/AIDS education and a support network in each of EYN's more than 1,000 congregations;

  • Offer HIV screening in all EYN dispensaries and pre- and post-test counseling;

  • Provide access to affordable antiretroviral drugs;

  • Encourage a biblical model of marriage and family; and

  • Empower victimized women by promoting gender equality.
Our vision is to have an HIV/AIDS-free generation built upon the foundation of solid, healthy families that will create a strong, secure society. Carol and I feel that our work with the EYN HIV/AIDS committee could be the most significant thing that we do during our sojourn in Nigeria.

--Bob Krouse is the Church of the Brethren mission coordinator in Nigeria, working for the General Board's Global Mission Partnerships. Carol Krouse provides nursing care at a women's clinic, counsels women who have reproductive and other health issues, and is a speaker for HIV/AIDS awareness events.

Source: 7/20/2005 Newsline
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Credits

Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on every other Wednesday with other editions as needed. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Sam Bowman, Kathleen Campanella, Mary Dulabaum, Matt Guynn, Jeri S. Kornegay, and H. Howard Witmer contributed to this report.

Thursday, July 07, 2005

NEWS
Moderator encourages the church, Conference consecrates leaders for 2006 and 2007.

Annual Conference moderator Jim Hardenbrook expressed hope, trust, and gratitude for the Church of the Brethren as he led delegates in business sessions and preached for opening worship. He also continued his call to the church to fix its eyes on Jesus.

The Conference was held in Peoria, Ill., July 2-6. Total registration came to 3,341 including 858 delegates.

Through his travels as moderator, Hardenbrook has found that "hope and trust are on the rise in our denomination." Church renewal and new church development are close to the top of most district agendas, he said, but added, "I remain concerned about the health of our congregations." The moderator opened each business session with a reading from the gospels, to continue the emphasis on gospel reading that he has encouraged.

The Annual Conference moderator and moderator-elect for 2006 were consecrated on July 6. The new moderator, Ronald D. Beachley, executive minister of Western Pennsylvania District, received the gavel in an official handing-over of the position from Hardenbrook. "It's beautiful," said Hardenbrook, gavel in hand. But the Annual Conference moderator's gavel is designed to be difficult to hold and not to fit in the hand comfortably, he added. That's the way church leaders should handle power, he said. "So hold this carefully," he told the new moderator.

In his first statement as moderator, Beachley called the denomination to prepare for next year's Conference with three disciplines: daily reading of a chapter in the New Testament aloud; fasting from food, television, the Internet, or another aspect of life the first day of each month; and praying daily for someone who does not know Christ. "We will come back next year and share our stories of how that has affected people's lives," he said.

Moderator-elect Belita D. Mitchell also was consecrated. Beachley will lead Annual Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 1-5, 2006, and Mitchell will lead the Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, June 30-July 4, 2007.

Source: 7/07/2005 Newsline
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Annual Conference starts study of Brethren Medical Plan.

The delegate body of the 2005 Annual Conference adopted a resolution on the Brethren Medical Plan brought by Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT). The Brethren Medical Plan is a health insurance plan for Church of the Brethren pastors and church employees, district employees, employees of Annual Conference agencies and affiliated agencies and institutions, and their families.

"There are times in the journey when we come to a crossroads. The Brethren Medical Plan has come to a crossroads," said Standing Committee member Tim Button-Harrison introducing a recommendation that the resolution be adopted and a committee of four be elected to answer questions raised in the resolution. The Conference elected to the committee James C. Gibbel, an insurance agent and former member of the BBT board, of Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Brian Markle, a licensed minister, of Bermudian Church of the Brethren, East Berlin, Pa.; Willie Hisey Pierson, an insurance marketing manager, of Neighborhood (Boulder Hill) Church of the Brethren, Montgomery, Ill.; and Donna Shumate, a lawyer and retiring General Board chair, of Peak Creek Church of the Brethren in Laurel Spring, N.C.

BBT has announced that the plan is in a "death spiral" caused by decreased membership, the erosion of a good spread of risk, increased health care costs, and increased premiums. BBT brought the resolution for three reasons, reported chair C. Richard Pogue: "One, the Brethren Medical Plan is important to the church. Two, the Brethren Medical Plan's future is in peril. And three, the plan belongs to the church, it belongs to all of us."

The resolution gives biblical and historical background, lists the status of medical insurance in the denomination, and asks for a study committee to evaluate the plan and "assess the continuing need for and feasibility of a denominational medical insurance plan for employees of congregations, districts, and church-related agencies." The resolution also calls on every eligible congregation, district, and church-related agency to participate in the plan from 2006 through at least the conclusion of the study.

During a short discussion, delegates expressed concern for those who are uninsurable elsewhere, asked for consideration of working with other denominations on the issue, and added a question to a list that will be presented to the committee, asking for assessment of the possibility of a denominational plan for church members as well as employees.

For more information about the Brethren Insurance Plans, call BBT at 800-746-1505.

Source: 7/07/2005 Newsline
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Conference delegates do denominational 'housekeeping.'

The Annual Conference made changes in the polity of the Conference and the General Board, among other business transacted in Peoria.

The relatively minor polity changes bring the documents into conformity with current practice. The delegates added an item to a list of purposes and functions of the General Board, to "provide leadership in prophetic social policy development for the denomination."

A "New Mandate for the Review and Evaluation Committee" expands this regularly scheduled review of the denomination's ministries, which occurs every ten years. The mandate was revised to include total denominational structure and program in light of the multiple agency structure put in place since the last such review. A five-member committee was elected (see below).

The Doing Church Business Study Committee and the Intercultural Study Committee brought interim reports. Each committee received an extension of one year for further study.

The Cross Cultural Ministries Team gave a brief report called for by the Caring for the Poor decision of the 2000 Annual Conference, which asked for an update in 2005. The delegate body agreed to a suggestion for a more complete report to come in 2006.

Bethany Theological Seminary gave a report on its centennial celebration. A slide show and readings reviewed the history of the seminary, structured around the tenures of its presidents, followed by stories of the ministries of its alumni. Some of the "nameless servants" who have had an impact on the school were recognized. "Bethany has lived on the trusted work of servants whose names are little known or not remembered," said president Eugene Roop. Academic dean Stephen Reid reported that more than 2,000 people have studied at Bethany since 1905. In other Conference events celebrating the centennial, an alumni choir sang a new hymn commissioned for the event: "A Pilgrimage of Faith," by Steve Engle and Frank Ramirez. Two new books were introduced as well: "The Bethany Seminary Centennial History," and "Bethany Daze" giving anecdotes of life at the seminary by Fred Swartz (order from Brethren Press, 800-441-3712).

A multimedia report, "Alive '05--Making Glad the City of God," opened the Conference business sessions with what the moderator called "a thumbnail sketch of what God is doing through the work of this denomination." The presentation featured testimonies of a variety of ministries of Brethren individuals, congregations, and the denomination, interspersed with music. Psalm 46 punctuated the presentation: "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God." Stories of personal and communal transformation included that of Felix Lohitai, peace studies student at Manchester College who was formerly a soldier in the Sudan People's Liberation Army; Richard Propes' wheelchair tours on behalf of abused children; Nick Kauffman's experience as a young conscientious objector; and the responses of the Brethren to the tsunami, among many others.

The delegate body received a report of a recent trip to Sudan by moderator Jim Hardenbrook and Brethren Witness/Washington Office director Phil Jones. The two were part of a small delegation of interfaith leaders from the US that visited the capital city of Khartoum, and a camp of refugees fleeing violence in Darfur. The visit included a meeting with the president of Sudan. "There is a deep hope for peace throughout Sudan," Hardenbrook said. "I don't think this was true six month ago, a year ago. There is a window of opportunity there."

Other reports were give by the Association of Brethren Caregivers, Brethren Benefit Trust, the General Board, On Earth Peace, those working on TOGETHER: Conversations on Being the Church, the 300th Anniversary Committee, the Committee on Interchurch Relations, the National and World Councils of Churches, the Standing Committee, and a report on a new inter-agency Outreach Planning Packet available free to congregations titled, "As One Church." In the Program and Arrangement Committee's report it was announced that the 2010 Annual Conference will be held in Pittsburgh, Pa., July 3-7. In the report from the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee, the delegates approved a 2.8 percent pastoral scale increase. Delegates also took time for stories of how the Brethren are a living peace church.

The body welcomed new congregations and fellowships: La Casa Del Amigo, Arecibo, P.R.; Lirio de Los Valles, Lebanon, Pa., New Beginnings, Manheim, Pa.; Maranatha Multicultural, Lancaster, Pa.; Trinity, Shippensburg, Pa.; Jesu Cristo El Camino, Hendersonville, N.C.; New Creation, Morrisville, Pa.; Mountain View, McGaheysville, Va.; Living Faith, Concord, N.C.; Knight's Chapel, Barboursville, Va.

Source: 7/07/2005 Newsline
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New church leaders are chosen by election at Annual Conference.

The 2005 Annual Conference election results are listed below, by position, followed by those appointments affirmed or approved to the boards of Annual Conference agencies.

MODERATOR-ELECT: Belita D. (Brewington) Mitchell

ANNUAL CONFERENCE COUNCIL: James F. Myer

PROGRAM AND ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE: Kristi A. Kellerman

PASTORAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE: David Shoup

REVIEW AND EVALUATION COMMITTEE: Michaela Camps, Rebecca Baile Crouse, Craig L. Gandy, Paul Hoffman, James Edward Martinez

ASSOCIATION OF BRETHREN CAREGIVERS (ABC): Brian S. Black, Heather L. Neff

BETHANY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY TRUSTEE--MINISTRY: John David Bowman;
LAITY: Ted Flory

BRETHREN BENEFIT TRUST (BBT): Carol Ann Jackson Greenwood

ON EARTH PEACE: Sarah Quinter Malone

COMMITTEE ON INTERCHURCH RELATIONS: Ilexene Alphonse

Appointments affirmed or approved include: Allegra Hess, John Katonah, and Dan McRoberts to the ABC board; Elaine L. Gibbel and J. Paul Wampler to the Bethany board; Gail Morgan Habecker to the BBT board; Ken Edwards and Debbie Roberts to the On Earth Peace board; and district nominees Bruce Holderreed (Idaho) and Ramona Pence (Shenandoah), and at-large nominees Marian Thornton and Kate Spire to the General Board.

Source: 7/07/2005 Newsline
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Standing Committee approves Annual Conference strategic plan.

The Standing Committee of representatives from the 23 districts of the Church of the Brethren held three days of meetings prior to Annual Conference in Peoria, Ill. The committee met June 29-July 2. Conference moderator Jim Hardenbrook chaired the meeting.

A new "Strategic Plan to Guide the Staff and Volunteers of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference" was adopted by Standing Committee. The plan was brought by the Annual Conference Council. The plan's mission and vision statements, list of core values, and objectives were shared with the Conference delegates. The plan also includes a ministry analysis of the Conference, strategic actions to achieve objectives, an implementation and evaluation plan. The entire strategic plan will be made available on the Annual Conference website, reported executive director Lerry Fogle. The plan is considered a working document, said Hardenbrook, and further suggestions for the plan from Standing Committee and others will continue to be received and considered by the council.

New members were elected to subcommittees of Standing Committee. New members Don Fitzkee, M. Anne Whited, Larry Dentler, and Glenn Bollinger joined continuing members Bruce Hostetler, Kathryn Ludwick, Ron McAdams, and Sue Ellen Wheatley on the Nominating Committee. The appeals committee for 2005-06 will be David Stauffer, Emily Mumma, and Kreston Lipscomb, with Charles Simmons and J. Michael Varner as alternates.

A consultation with the Annual Conference agencies was held with executives and board chairs of the Association of Brethren Caregivers, Bethany Theological Seminary, Brethren Benefit Trust, the General Board, and On Earth Peace. A representative of the Council of District Executives also gave a short presentation. Agency representatives answered three questions: "How has your agency been able to fulfill these calls?" (referring to the Annual Conference theme, "Fixing our eyes on Jesus," and the Church of the Brethren tagline, "Continuing the work of Jesus..."), "What has caused you to go hmmm...?" and "What have you been able to celebrate?" The representatives also answered Standing Committee members' questions in small groups.

In an "envisioning time" a subcommittee led small group discussions of two questions: "What is the best way to develop and call leadership in the church?" and "How to answer the call to be in loving relationship and respectful dialogue especially when we disagree?" These are the two questions that "rose to the top" at envisioning sessions led by Standing Committee members at district conferences over the past year, said Nathan Polzin, a member of the envisioning committee. The small groups used a model process for doing envisioning, briefly listing statements in favor and statements against, then brainstorming options for answering the questions. The options lists were brought back to the large group and will be passed on to the envisioning subcommittee for next year's meeting. Concerns raised during the discussion will also be communicated to those planning the TOGETHER: Conversations on Being the Church, Hardenbrook said.

Standing Committee received reports from districts; from the international Church of the Brethren given by Merv Keeney, executive director of Global Mission Partnerships for the General Board; from the Anniversary Committee planning the 300th anniversary celebration for the Church of the Brethren in 2008; from those working on TOGETHER: Conversations on Being the Church; and from the Annual Conference Council during which appreciation was given to Earl Ziegler and Chris Bowman who are ending their terms of service on the council. The Nominating Committee gave a preliminary report on a process for making online nominations for denominational positions. The process is to be up and running later this summer, and will include automatic e-mailing of nomination forms to the Annual Conference office, and automatic notification of nominees by e-mail.

The committee also fulfilled one of its main functions, to make recommendation to the Annual Conference delegate body on each item of new business.

Source: 7/07/2005 Newsline
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General Board sets 2006 budget parameter, issues resolutions on Sudan and World Friendship Center in Hiroshima

Finances were at the top of the General Board agenda in its pre-Conference meeting in Peoria, Ill., on July 2. A 2006 budget parameter of $5,618,000 was set, following financial reports and projections. The board also received reports, passed a resolution on the 40th anniversary of the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima, Japan, and added a member to the staff Leadership Team.

In its reorganization meeting on July 4, the General Board passed a resolution on Sudan to the Annual Conference officers, for consideration by the 2005 Annual Conference, and named a new chair and executive committee members.

The financial report included information on long-range financial planning. Projections for 2006 are for a balanced budget of $5,618,000. In later years, however, projections are for expense over income based on a variety of factors including uncertainties in market fluctuations and medical insurance. The board also was presented with a first read-through of revisions of financial policy.

The board approved a new member of the staff Leadership Team: executive director of the Ministry Office. This moves the Ministry Office, along with district ministry and the General Board's portion of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, from the Congregational Life Ministries to report directly to the general secretary. Mary Jo Flory Steury, director of Ministry, will begin as executive director of Ministry effective July 17.

The 40th anniversary of the World Friendship Center was celebrated with a resolution commending the center "for its tireless efforts to work for peace, share stories about the personal suffering caused by nuclear weapons, and build friendships across borders." The resolution recalled the Center's partnership with Brethren Volunteer Service through volunteers who have served as hosts. "We honor the past and express hope for the future by reaffirming, with you, our commitment to creating a world free from both nuclear weapons and war," the resolution said.

The report of general secretary Stan Noffsinger highlighted ecumenical documents he has signed recently on behalf of the board and the church, especially an open letter on Iraq addressed to the American people from the National Council of Churches (NCC) governing board. Noffsinger was part of a "committee of reference" that worked on "A Call to Speak Out." The letter's release was timed to coincide with the fourth of July weekend, and was to be published in several major newspapers across the country. The NCC invites all concerned Christians and citizens to sign the letter via a website. As of June 30, about 630 religious leaders and more than 15,000 other people have endorsed the letter, the NCC said, adding that "religious leaders and persons of faith continue to e-mail their affirmations at a rate of several hundred a day."

Noffsinger called the letter "a pretty strong statement" against the war in Iraq. The document reads in part: "...We believe in the transcendent sovereignty and love of God for creation, and that the responsibility of human beings is thus to pursue justice and peace for all. We also believe that, as the biblical prophets of old, who in faithfulness to God spoke out to a people and a nation they loved, in humility before God we too are to speak to a land and people we love.... On the day we celebrate our freedom, we acknowledge that the freedom promised in the toppling of a dictator has been replaced by the humiliation of occupation and the violence of a civil war. The sacrifice of brave men and women has been used to serve policies that have diminished our nation's prestige and our capacity to be agents of justice in the world." See http://ga3.org/campaign/endorsement for more information.

In discussion of the letter, board members affirmed Brethren participation but expressed concern about its lack of scripture references for the peace witness, and suggested that an accompanying cover page list biblical background and Brethren background when this and other such documents are shared with staff and congregations.

Noffsinger also reported that he and Kathy Reid, executive director of the Association of Brethren Caregivers, plan to work together on the idea of creating a study committee on the issue of stem cell research.

The report on a recent trip to Sudan by Annual Conference moderator Jim Hardenbrook and Brethren Witness/Washington Office director Phil Jones prompted the board to write a resolution reaffirming the Church of the Brethren commitment to work in Sudan. On July 4, the board passed a resolution on Sudan to the Annual Conference officers for consideration by the 2005 Annual Conference. The short document "recognizes that God calls the Church of the Brethren to continue to minister to the people of Sudan," and recommits the church to peace-building efforts and continuation of Brethren work in southern Sudan.

Other reports were received on the Mission Alive '05 conference, the new Growing Faithful Disciples resource, and from mission staff Irv and Nancy Heishman, working in the Dominican Republic, and Greg and Karin Davidson Laszakovitz, working in Brazil. Stewardship of Property Committee chair Dale Roth gave an update of the group's work and current listening sessions. A report on staff work related to conscientious objection and preparations for the eventuality of a military draft was given by Jones and Brethren Volunteer Service director Dan McFadden, who are working with staff of On Earth Peace and ecumenical partners to create resources for conscientious objection and to plan for alternative service opportunities.

Noffsinger told the board of a new way Annual Conference agencies will report to district conferences, beginning this year. The five agencies will share a 15-20 minute time slot in most districts, beginning with a five-minute video on the vision and mission of the agencies, followed by a presentation by two of the agencies. Over a three-year period every agency will have the opportunity to report to all 23 district conferences.

Staff citations were given for Julie Hostetter and Jeff and Peggy Boshart. Citations also recognized outgoing General Board members Carol Kussart, J.D. Glick, Doug Price, and Donna Shumate, who has served as chair. Outgoing members were given plaques representing a donation of over $1,000 to the Emerging Global Mission Fund in their honor by continuing board members. The gift is seen as a model for others to recognize service with donations to the fund's New Birth New Life campaign.

In the board's reorganization, Glenn Mitchell was selected as chair. Others named to the Executive Committee are Jeff Neuman-Lee, vice chair, along with Jaime Diaz, Vickie Samland, David Sollenberger, and Angie Lehman Yoder.

Greetings were brought by Anastacia Bueno Beltre from the Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic, and by Toma Ragnjiya of the Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), who is studying in the US. He affirmed the board's concern for Sudan and for peace in Iraq, expressing the EYN's concern for peace in the north of Nigeria.

The board closed its pre-Conference meeting with a dedication of the General Board exhibit.

Source: 7/07/2005 Newsline
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Volunteers raise funds for Brethren hunger response.

One of the untold tales of hunger response is the creative way volunteers give time and talent to support global food security development, reports Howard Royer, manager of the General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund.

In Harrisonburg, Va., the newly opened Tried and True thrift shop raises money through the resale of used clothing, dividing its "first fruits" proceeds between the Global Food Crisis Fund and Mennonite Central Committee. An initial check for $1,000 was received this spring from Ken and Deb Layman, managers of the joint Brethren and Mennonite venture.

Folksinger and storyteller Joseph Helfrich of Bradford, Ohio, released a CD titled "Make a Difference" as a benefit to the fund. The 19 songs by Helfrich and other musicians were recorded at the 2001 Song and Story Fest at Shepherd's Spring in Maryland. Since its release two years ago, Brethren Press has reported quarterly sales of from $100 to $200. In addition, Helfrich this spring sent a check for $1,000 from his own sales of the album. (Order from Brethren Press, call 800-441-3712.)

This June the volunteer servers at St. Martin's Table, a bookstore and restaurant in Minneapolis, Minn., passed their tips on to the Global Food Crisis Fund. An outreach ministry of the Community of St. Martin, the enterprise provides "food for thought" by selling books that promote inclusiveness, nonviolence, justice, and care for creation. The ministry also serves vegetarian meals and locally grown organic foods as a celebration of God's gifts, and hosts conversation and evening programs on peacemaking, justice issues, the arts, and community building. Mysti Roberts Murphy, a 1995-98 Brethren Volunteer Service worker, is the volunteer coordinator. Tips average about $2,000 a month.

A portion of the money raised at the Quilt Auction held each year at Annual Conference also is contributed to the Global Food Crisis Fund. The auction is sponsored by the Association for the Arts in the Church of the Brethren and supported by the many people who send blocks from congregations across the country, and those who gather to help quilt the squares together during the Conference. This year the auction raised a total of $21,450.

A youth "walking workcamp" that walked some 100 miles to Peoria to attend Annual Conference also raised funds for the Global Food Crisis Fund and the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund. The group received sponsorships of over $4,000.

Source: 7/07/2005 Newsline
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Young Adult Conference explores the art of provocation.

More than 130 young adults explored the art of provocation at this year's Church of the Brethren Young Adult Conference. The gathering May 27-29 at Camp Woodland Altars near Peebles, Ohio, had as its theme, "Provoking Love and Good Deeds," based on Hebrews 10:24.

Worship formed the heart of the conference, with three speakers and a service of drama and multimedia examining aspects of the theme. Young adult Jim Stokes-Buckles of Putney, Vt., in the opening service noted Jesus Christ as a model of provocation. "He provoked people by loving those he wasn't supposed to love," Stokes-Buckles said. He challenged young adults to take the lead "at this critical junction of history."

Cliff Kindy, a member of Christian Peacemaker Teams, emphasized the need for people to stand up to "empires" that sacrifice the rest of the world for their purposes. "The Church of the Brethren has a different vision of the world that doesn't depend on diminishing or destroying other people," Kindy said. "It's a noble vision."

Jeff McAvoy and Carrie Fry-Miller performed a drama, interspersed with video clips, and Margo Miller-Royer closed the weekend with a series of reflections on relationships. That final service included a time of feetwashing.

Shawn Kirchner and Joseph Helfrich served as music leaders for the weekend; General Board staff members Becky Ullom and Walt Wiltschek were worship coordinators. The annual event is planned by the General Board's Youth and Young Adult Ministries office and its Young Adult Steering Committee.

Other features of the conference included "padare" workshops on a variety of topics, sharing time in small groups, a campfire, open mike coffeehouses, and an upbeat "joyful noise" singing session. An auction raised more than $200 for the General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund.

Source: 7/07/2005 Newsline
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Brethren bit: Job opening.
  • The New Church Development Board of the Illinois and Wisconsin District seeks an "apostle" to help start new churches. The successful candidate will be knowledgeable and supportive of denominational polity and skillful at adapting procedures to meet the needs of the church planting movement in the district, and will have interest in working with a diverse population and immigrant groups that may worship in languages other than English. Responsibilities include training board members and training and coaching church planters and core team members of new church projects, and providing a ministry of presence to church planters and new church projects, as well as fundraising. Preferred qualifications include a master of divinity in church planting. Send a letter of interest and resume to Dennis E. Metzger, Chair, New Church Development Board, 1453 E. Walnut St., Chatham, IL 62629; d-v.metzger@att.net or sharing@NCDB.org. Applicants are requested to contact three people to provide a letter of reference. Upon receipt of a resume candidates will be sent a set of additional questions that must be completed and returned before the application process is considered complete. Application closes on Sept. 1.
Source: 7/07/2005 Newsline
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Credits

Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on every other Wednesday with other editions as needed. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. The Annual Conference news team contributed to this report: Kathleen Campanella, Hannah Edwards, Kendra Flory, Karen Garrett, Amy Heckert, Jill Kline, Sarah Kovacs, Frank Ramirez, Jesse Reid, Regina Roberts, Frances Townsend, Becky Ullom, and Sarah Leatherman Young. Others contributors are Mary Dulabaum, Nevin Dulabaum, Eddie Edmonds, Wendy McFadden, Howard Royer, and Walt Wiltschek.