- Brethren share in loss of Brother Roger of Taize.
- Conference publicizes key points of strategic plan.
- Brethren Benefit Trust celebrates 'no smoking' decision.
- Credit union implements staggered terms for board.
- Northern Plains District meets 'With Christ, Without Fear.'
- New shoes, a stop at denominational offices for the Walk Across America.
- Brethren bits: Remembrances, job openings, and more.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
NEWS
Brethren share in loss of Brother Roger of Taize.
The founder of the Taize community in France, brother Roger Louis Schutz-Marsauche, was stabbed to death yesterday, Aug. 16, during an evening prayer service at the community's Reconciliation Church, according to a press report from France. Taize's 90-year-old founder was known simply as Brother Roger.
Taize is an ecumenical monastic community founded in the 1940s with a message of peace and friendship across cultures. The group's unique meditative music and worship style draws tens of thousands of youth and young adult pilgrims from around the world every year. The report said police detained a 36-year-old mentally disturbed Romanian woman who made the attack in the presence of some 2,500 young worshippers.
"We join the world in this loss," said Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board. "We recognize that the Taize community and Brother Roger have had a significant impact on the lives of many Brethren, and will continue to have an effect on the church for many years to come." Several Taize hymns are included in "Hymnal: A Worship Book" and in the "Hymnal Supplement" series published by Brethren Press. Some Brethren congregations regularly hold prayer services in the Taize style.
Among those who visited Taize were several study groups from Bethany Theological Seminary, led by professor emerita Nancy Faus. The manner of Brother Roger's death, and his character of "deep compassion and tremendous love," made the tragedy "unbelievable and ironic," she said. "Here was a man that started this community with an emphasis on peace and love and reconciliation for Christians and the world. For this to happen in a service of prayer is beyond all comprehension."
Brother Roger's burial is planned for Aug. 23. Until then, his body will be placed in the Reconciliation Church every afternoon for all who would like to meditate near to him, Faus said.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
The founder of the Taize community in France, brother Roger Louis Schutz-Marsauche, was stabbed to death yesterday, Aug. 16, during an evening prayer service at the community's Reconciliation Church, according to a press report from France. Taize's 90-year-old founder was known simply as Brother Roger.
Taize is an ecumenical monastic community founded in the 1940s with a message of peace and friendship across cultures. The group's unique meditative music and worship style draws tens of thousands of youth and young adult pilgrims from around the world every year. The report said police detained a 36-year-old mentally disturbed Romanian woman who made the attack in the presence of some 2,500 young worshippers.
"We join the world in this loss," said Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board. "We recognize that the Taize community and Brother Roger have had a significant impact on the lives of many Brethren, and will continue to have an effect on the church for many years to come." Several Taize hymns are included in "Hymnal: A Worship Book" and in the "Hymnal Supplement" series published by Brethren Press. Some Brethren congregations regularly hold prayer services in the Taize style.
Among those who visited Taize were several study groups from Bethany Theological Seminary, led by professor emerita Nancy Faus. The manner of Brother Roger's death, and his character of "deep compassion and tremendous love," made the tragedy "unbelievable and ironic," she said. "Here was a man that started this community with an emphasis on peace and love and reconciliation for Christians and the world. For this to happen in a service of prayer is beyond all comprehension."
Brother Roger's burial is planned for Aug. 23. Until then, his body will be placed in the Reconciliation Church every afternoon for all who would like to meditate near to him, Faus said.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
Conference publicizes key points of strategic plan.
A strategic plan to guide Annual Conference staff and volunteers was recently approved by Standing Committee when it met in Peoria, Ill. Standing Committee is made up of delegates from the Church of the Brethren districts. Conference executive director Lerry Fogle reported that the plan was developed by the Annual Conference Council over the past two years and will be instrumental in steering staff, the Program and Arrangements Committee, and other volunteers who plan and implement activities related to the annual meeting of the Church of the Brethren.
The complete strategic plan will be available on the Annual Conference website later this summer. The mission, vision, values, and objectives of the plan were distributed to Conference delegates at Peoria. These components of the plan are as follows:
Mission:
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
A strategic plan to guide Annual Conference staff and volunteers was recently approved by Standing Committee when it met in Peoria, Ill. Standing Committee is made up of delegates from the Church of the Brethren districts. Conference executive director Lerry Fogle reported that the plan was developed by the Annual Conference Council over the past two years and will be instrumental in steering staff, the Program and Arrangements Committee, and other volunteers who plan and implement activities related to the annual meeting of the Church of the Brethren.
The complete strategic plan will be available on the Annual Conference website later this summer. The mission, vision, values, and objectives of the plan were distributed to Conference delegates at Peoria. These components of the plan are as follows:
Mission:
"Annual Conference exists to unite, strengthen and equip the Church of the Brethren to follow Jesus."Vision:
"Annual Conferences must be special times in the life of the Church of the Brethren. We envision Annual Conferences... that bring or revive commitment to Jesus; that glorify God in excellent worship, work, and fellowship; that facilitate the business of the church through business sessions, study committees, agency reports, and disposition of queries; that are open and welcoming, and bring together Brethren from all cultures and points of view to proclaim Jesus as Lord; where we humbly celebrate our oneness in the Body as well as our unique place and ministry in the Body; that reach out to the local community with the Good News; that have dynamic preaching and quality leadership development; that have open and compassionate dialogue; that are a catalyst for personal and corporate change, and Kingdom momentum; that make people enthusiastic about witness and service."Values:
"We believe that Jesus is the head of the Church. As part of the larger Body of Jesus Christ, the Church of the Brethren has a unique ministry to the world. Therefore, Annual Conference, the Church of the Brethren assembled, is committed to: the Lordship of Jesus Christ, worship, unity, the New Testament as our rule of faith and practice, relationships, identity, a variety of faith experiences."Objectives:
"Develop intentional community in the Annual Conference experience. Foster Christian spirituality and affirm it. Combine the broadest possible welcome with the strongest possible commitment to following Jesus. Develop a relational discernment style that is open to others of different cultures. Enhance age group programming. Foster open and compassionate dialogue in the Annual Conference experience. Develop an Annual Conference marketing plan to strengthen the event. Review and recommend enhancements to insight sessions. Incorporate intentional Bible studies that relate to the Conference theme and the issues facing the church. Strengthen the financial position of Conference. Minimize risks associated with planning and conducting Conference. Leverage technology to maximum advantage for Annual Conference use. Complete administrative tasks that strengthen Conference and unite the church."Fogle emphasized that Standing Committee not only approved a strategic plan but a process that will be followed to regularly review, revise, and implement measures to ensure that the vision for Annual Conference is being realized and the mission accomplished. For more information about Annual Conference see www.brethren.org/ac/index.htm.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
Brethren Benefit Trust celebrates 'no smoking' decision.
The next time you sit down to eat in a KFC or Pizza Hut restaurant, you may notice something is missing--second-hand smoke. Yum! Brands, parent company of the two fast-food chains, based in Louisville, Ky., announced Aug. 12 that "no smoking" signs will be going up across the country beginning immediately. The new policy affects the 1,200 KFC and 1,675 Pizza Hut restaurants owned by the company. Franchisees will be encouraged to adopt their own smoke-free policies.
At the Yum! annual shareholder meetings in 2002, 2003, and 2004, Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) presented a resolution seeking a no-smoking policy in response to the 1981 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference statement on tobacco. Although the resolutions did not pass, they did bring the issue of second-hand smoke to the attention of the company's board and management, according to a Yum! representative.
"We applaud Yum!'s decision and celebrate with our Brethren Foundation clients and Brethren Pension Plan members whose investments in stocks provide the opportunity for BBT to engage in socially responsible investment initiatives," said Wil Nolen, BBT president. "This action is proof that small voices can make a difference."
The nearly $400 million BBT manages consists of assets from 200 Brethren Foundation clients and retirement monies of more than 4,000 Brethren Pension Plan members. BBT manages about $1.17 million in Yum! stock.
At the 2004 annual meeting of Yum! Brands, BBT representatives were joined by Jennifer Hollifield of the American Lung Association of Kentucky. In response to Friday's announcement, she said, "It's great to see that Yum! Brands is being proactive and taking the initiative to make their restaurants smoke-free."
Yum! Brands has more restaurants around the world than any other company. Its Taco Bell, Long John Silver's, and A&W All-American Foods chains are already smoke-free in company-owned restaurants within the US.
"We are taking this action today to help heighten awareness of second-hand smoke issues raised by US Surgeon General, Richard Carmona, who has indicated second-hand smoke may be harmful and hazardous to the health of the general public," said Gregg Dedrick, KFC president, and Peter Hearl, president of Pizza Hut, speaking Friday during a press conference. "In our opinion, going smoke-free is simply the right thing to do."
For more information about BBT and its ministries, go to www.brethrenbenefittrust.org.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
The next time you sit down to eat in a KFC or Pizza Hut restaurant, you may notice something is missing--second-hand smoke. Yum! Brands, parent company of the two fast-food chains, based in Louisville, Ky., announced Aug. 12 that "no smoking" signs will be going up across the country beginning immediately. The new policy affects the 1,200 KFC and 1,675 Pizza Hut restaurants owned by the company. Franchisees will be encouraged to adopt their own smoke-free policies.
At the Yum! annual shareholder meetings in 2002, 2003, and 2004, Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) presented a resolution seeking a no-smoking policy in response to the 1981 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference statement on tobacco. Although the resolutions did not pass, they did bring the issue of second-hand smoke to the attention of the company's board and management, according to a Yum! representative.
"We applaud Yum!'s decision and celebrate with our Brethren Foundation clients and Brethren Pension Plan members whose investments in stocks provide the opportunity for BBT to engage in socially responsible investment initiatives," said Wil Nolen, BBT president. "This action is proof that small voices can make a difference."
The nearly $400 million BBT manages consists of assets from 200 Brethren Foundation clients and retirement monies of more than 4,000 Brethren Pension Plan members. BBT manages about $1.17 million in Yum! stock.
At the 2004 annual meeting of Yum! Brands, BBT representatives were joined by Jennifer Hollifield of the American Lung Association of Kentucky. In response to Friday's announcement, she said, "It's great to see that Yum! Brands is being proactive and taking the initiative to make their restaurants smoke-free."
Yum! Brands has more restaurants around the world than any other company. Its Taco Bell, Long John Silver's, and A&W All-American Foods chains are already smoke-free in company-owned restaurants within the US.
"We are taking this action today to help heighten awareness of second-hand smoke issues raised by US Surgeon General, Richard Carmona, who has indicated second-hand smoke may be harmful and hazardous to the health of the general public," said Gregg Dedrick, KFC president, and Peter Hearl, president of Pizza Hut, speaking Friday during a press conference. "In our opinion, going smoke-free is simply the right thing to do."
For more information about BBT and its ministries, go to www.brethrenbenefittrust.org.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
Credit union implements staggered terms for board.
Church of the Brethren Credit Union (CoBCU) members elected board members for the next year in a venue and process new to the organization, at their annual meeting in July.
Meeting for the first time at the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, in Peoria, Ill., credit union members elected nine returning and three new members to serve on the board during the upcoming year. However, unlike in past years, not all board members were elected to one-year terms. Concerned about the potential loss of corporate memory if a number of board members should simultaneously decide not to run for re-election, the CoBCU board in April approved an executive committee recommendation that created three-year terms.
To immediately implement these terms, all 12 candidates were up for election--four for one year, four for two years, and four for three years. Henceforth, only four board seats will be up for election for three-year terms in a given year.
Elected for 2005-06 for one-year terms were Nevin Dulabaum, director of Communication and Information Services for the Brethren Benefit Trust; Cathy S. Huffman, a teacher from Rocky Mount, Va.; Don Post, self-employed contractor and collector from Elgin, Ill.; and Ed Woolf, gift management/resources assistant for the General Board.
Elected for two-year terms, from 2005-07, were Janice L. Bratton, an investment officer of Hershey (Pa.) Trust Company; Paul W. Brubaker, executive vice president of Ephrata (Pa.) National Bank; Eric P. Kabler, owner of a financial service firm in Johnstown, Pa.; and Wilfred E. Nolen, president of Brethren Benefit Trust.
Elected for three-year terms (2005-08) were Ann Quay Davis, co-managing partner of Vicenti, Lloyd, and Stutzman in Glendora, Calif.; Darryl K. Deardorff, chief financial officer of Brethren Benefit Trust and director of the Brethren Foundation Inc.; David K. Gerber, senior vice president of Finance at Brethren Home Community in New Oxford, Pa.; and Daniel Poole, pastor of Covington (Ohio) Church of the Brethren.
The CoBCU executive committee for 2005-06 is David Gerber, chair; Nevin Dulabaum, vice chair; Ann Quay Davis, treasurer; and Ed Woolf, secretary.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
Church of the Brethren Credit Union (CoBCU) members elected board members for the next year in a venue and process new to the organization, at their annual meeting in July.
Meeting for the first time at the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, in Peoria, Ill., credit union members elected nine returning and three new members to serve on the board during the upcoming year. However, unlike in past years, not all board members were elected to one-year terms. Concerned about the potential loss of corporate memory if a number of board members should simultaneously decide not to run for re-election, the CoBCU board in April approved an executive committee recommendation that created three-year terms.
To immediately implement these terms, all 12 candidates were up for election--four for one year, four for two years, and four for three years. Henceforth, only four board seats will be up for election for three-year terms in a given year.
Elected for 2005-06 for one-year terms were Nevin Dulabaum, director of Communication and Information Services for the Brethren Benefit Trust; Cathy S. Huffman, a teacher from Rocky Mount, Va.; Don Post, self-employed contractor and collector from Elgin, Ill.; and Ed Woolf, gift management/resources assistant for the General Board.
Elected for two-year terms, from 2005-07, were Janice L. Bratton, an investment officer of Hershey (Pa.) Trust Company; Paul W. Brubaker, executive vice president of Ephrata (Pa.) National Bank; Eric P. Kabler, owner of a financial service firm in Johnstown, Pa.; and Wilfred E. Nolen, president of Brethren Benefit Trust.
Elected for three-year terms (2005-08) were Ann Quay Davis, co-managing partner of Vicenti, Lloyd, and Stutzman in Glendora, Calif.; Darryl K. Deardorff, chief financial officer of Brethren Benefit Trust and director of the Brethren Foundation Inc.; David K. Gerber, senior vice president of Finance at Brethren Home Community in New Oxford, Pa.; and Daniel Poole, pastor of Covington (Ohio) Church of the Brethren.
The CoBCU executive committee for 2005-06 is David Gerber, chair; Nevin Dulabaum, vice chair; Ann Quay Davis, treasurer; and Ed Woolf, secretary.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
Northern Plains District meets 'With Christ, Without Fear.'
Under the theme, "With Christ, Without Fear," the Northern Plains District Conference was held on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa on Aug. 5-7. Tim Peter, pastor of Prairie City Church of the Brethren, served as moderator. Some 180 people were registered for the event, with others joining for worship and activities at various times during the weekend.
Joseph Helfrich was a special guest who provided music and story-telling during worship and in a Saturday evening concert. Helfrich delighted worshipers on Sunday morning by sharing a song he composed during the weekend based on the sermon preached by Peter on Friday evening.
The "worshipful work" business agenda included approving the 2006 district budget, electing district leaders, approving the closure of Prairie Peace Fellowship in Surrey, N.D., and approving locations for the 2006 and 2007 district conferences. Leaders from two new church projects in Sioux City, Iowa, and Minneapolis, Minn., were introduced during the business session.
A blood drive service project conducted by the District Witness Commission gathered 38 units of blood. Conference-goers also enjoyed an auction that raised over $3,100 for the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund.
Several attendees were recognized. Camp Pine Lake Board president Kirby Leland presented the annual Volunteer of the Year Award to Cletus and Dorothy Miller for their many years of service. Milestones in Ministry awards were given to several ordained ministers during a Friday evening banquet.
The conference concluded with Sunday worship and consecration of new officers and leaders. Diane Mason, a laywoman from Fairview Church of the Brethren, was installed as moderator. Lay speaker Jerry Waterman from Iowa River Church of the Brethren was selected as moderator-elect.
The 2006 Northern Plains District Conference will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 1--the Saturday afternoon just prior to the beginning of the 2006 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
Under the theme, "With Christ, Without Fear," the Northern Plains District Conference was held on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa on Aug. 5-7. Tim Peter, pastor of Prairie City Church of the Brethren, served as moderator. Some 180 people were registered for the event, with others joining for worship and activities at various times during the weekend.
Joseph Helfrich was a special guest who provided music and story-telling during worship and in a Saturday evening concert. Helfrich delighted worshipers on Sunday morning by sharing a song he composed during the weekend based on the sermon preached by Peter on Friday evening.
The "worshipful work" business agenda included approving the 2006 district budget, electing district leaders, approving the closure of Prairie Peace Fellowship in Surrey, N.D., and approving locations for the 2006 and 2007 district conferences. Leaders from two new church projects in Sioux City, Iowa, and Minneapolis, Minn., were introduced during the business session.
A blood drive service project conducted by the District Witness Commission gathered 38 units of blood. Conference-goers also enjoyed an auction that raised over $3,100 for the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund.
Several attendees were recognized. Camp Pine Lake Board president Kirby Leland presented the annual Volunteer of the Year Award to Cletus and Dorothy Miller for their many years of service. Milestones in Ministry awards were given to several ordained ministers during a Friday evening banquet.
The conference concluded with Sunday worship and consecration of new officers and leaders. Diane Mason, a laywoman from Fairview Church of the Brethren, was installed as moderator. Lay speaker Jerry Waterman from Iowa River Church of the Brethren was selected as moderator-elect.
The 2006 Northern Plains District Conference will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 1--the Saturday afternoon just prior to the beginning of the 2006 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
New shoes, a stop at the denominational offices for the Walk Across America.
On Aug. 11 a New Balance shoe store in Geneva, Ill., witnessed a unique event in Don Vermilyea's Walk Across America: the chance to buy a new pair of shoes in person, and to try them on with the help of a sales clerk.
Vermilyea is a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) worker on a Walk Across America, a quest to visit on foot every Church of the Brethren congregation in the US that extends an invitation. Along the way, Vermilyea shares his message "that it is time to get serious about our relationship with Jesus Christ." He has walked for more than three and a half years, and more than 15,700 miles, beginning in Tucson, Ariz.
BVS staff usually buy his shoes from congregational and individual gifts, and mail them to his next destination, said Vermilyea--who walks everywhere he goes and does not accept rides except in unusual circumstances. The shoes he exchanged for a new pair carried him from southern Louisiana to Arkansas, then from Missouri to Faith Church of the Brethren in Batavia, Ill. They had "only" 1,312 miles on them, Vermilyea said, regretting that he was not able to put on one pair the full mileage of the Illinois and Wisconsin District. However, this pair had become unwalkable because of uneven wear on the heels. Walking up to 34 miles a day, Vermilyea cannot take the chance of injury to his ankles.
After the shoe store, Vermilyea's next stop was the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., where he presented a slide show and held a question and answer session on Aug. 13. Vermilyea called on his audience to "wake up" to changes needed in American society, showing pictures he has taken along his walk of environmental destruction, pollution, development, and even road kill--and signs people have displayed expressing hatred and support for the war in Iraq. "I'm walking across America because we... Christians need to do things differently," he told the group of denominational staff who gathered to hear him.
On Sunday Aug. 14, he preached and held a "talk on" at Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin. Previous stops in the district included many of the congregations in Illinois, the church in Wisconsin, and two weeks with the junior and senior high youth camps at Camp Emmaus in Mount Morris, Ill. Vermilyea was invited to join the junior highs for their annual seven-mile hike to White Pines State Park by camp counselor Jim Miner. While the rest of the group accepted a hayride back to camp, five youth opted to walk back with Vermilyea. Miner said that at the close of the senior high camp, more than 90 people walked a stretch of road with Vermilyea, the largest group to walk with him since the start of his trek in February 2002.
From Elgin, Vermilyea headed east through Chicago-land, making stops at Church of the Brethren congregations and a large downtown Presbyterian church. On Aug. 16 he visited York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, and today Aug. 17 he will be at Douglas Park Church of the Brethren in Chicago. On Aug. 21 he plans to speak at Fourth Presbyterian Church, and on Aug. 24 at First Church of the Brethren in Chicago.
From there, Vermilyea plans to walk through southern Illinois and eventually to Florida, where he hopes to spend the winter. Plans for 2006 and following years include walking north through the east-coast states, and then heading west again to visit the mid-western Brethren. Vermilyea estimates that he will complete the walk in 2011 or 2012.
For more information and a photo gallery see www.brethren.org/genbd/witness/Walk.html.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
On Aug. 11 a New Balance shoe store in Geneva, Ill., witnessed a unique event in Don Vermilyea's Walk Across America: the chance to buy a new pair of shoes in person, and to try them on with the help of a sales clerk.
Vermilyea is a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) worker on a Walk Across America, a quest to visit on foot every Church of the Brethren congregation in the US that extends an invitation. Along the way, Vermilyea shares his message "that it is time to get serious about our relationship with Jesus Christ." He has walked for more than three and a half years, and more than 15,700 miles, beginning in Tucson, Ariz.
BVS staff usually buy his shoes from congregational and individual gifts, and mail them to his next destination, said Vermilyea--who walks everywhere he goes and does not accept rides except in unusual circumstances. The shoes he exchanged for a new pair carried him from southern Louisiana to Arkansas, then from Missouri to Faith Church of the Brethren in Batavia, Ill. They had "only" 1,312 miles on them, Vermilyea said, regretting that he was not able to put on one pair the full mileage of the Illinois and Wisconsin District. However, this pair had become unwalkable because of uneven wear on the heels. Walking up to 34 miles a day, Vermilyea cannot take the chance of injury to his ankles.
After the shoe store, Vermilyea's next stop was the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., where he presented a slide show and held a question and answer session on Aug. 13. Vermilyea called on his audience to "wake up" to changes needed in American society, showing pictures he has taken along his walk of environmental destruction, pollution, development, and even road kill--and signs people have displayed expressing hatred and support for the war in Iraq. "I'm walking across America because we... Christians need to do things differently," he told the group of denominational staff who gathered to hear him.
On Sunday Aug. 14, he preached and held a "talk on" at Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin. Previous stops in the district included many of the congregations in Illinois, the church in Wisconsin, and two weeks with the junior and senior high youth camps at Camp Emmaus in Mount Morris, Ill. Vermilyea was invited to join the junior highs for their annual seven-mile hike to White Pines State Park by camp counselor Jim Miner. While the rest of the group accepted a hayride back to camp, five youth opted to walk back with Vermilyea. Miner said that at the close of the senior high camp, more than 90 people walked a stretch of road with Vermilyea, the largest group to walk with him since the start of his trek in February 2002.
From Elgin, Vermilyea headed east through Chicago-land, making stops at Church of the Brethren congregations and a large downtown Presbyterian church. On Aug. 16 he visited York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, and today Aug. 17 he will be at Douglas Park Church of the Brethren in Chicago. On Aug. 21 he plans to speak at Fourth Presbyterian Church, and on Aug. 24 at First Church of the Brethren in Chicago.
From there, Vermilyea plans to walk through southern Illinois and eventually to Florida, where he hopes to spend the winter. Plans for 2006 and following years include walking north through the east-coast states, and then heading west again to visit the mid-western Brethren. Vermilyea estimates that he will complete the walk in 2011 or 2012.
For more information and a photo gallery see www.brethren.org/genbd/witness/Walk.html.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
Brethren bits: Remembrances, job openings, and more.
top
- J. Stanley Earhart died at Brethren Village in Lancaster, Pa., on Aug. 1. He was executive secretary of Southern Pennsylvania District from 1970-83. He also served as part-time director of District Ministries for the General Board 1983-86. He pastored several Pennsylvania and Maryland congregations from 1942-70. In his work for the General Board he supported district staff and assisted districts in calling church members to district staff positions. Earhart served on several denominational committees, including Standing Committee and the Annual Conference Central Committee, and chaired the Council of District Executives. In retirement, he also directed the Keystone Bible Institutes, a cooperative Bible study program of the Church of the Brethren, Brethren in Christ, and Mennonite Churches of eastern Pennsylvania. He was a graduate of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College--which conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree--and of Bethany Bible Training School. He is survived by his wife, Anna Lois (Laurie), and three children. A memorial service was held Aug. 13 at Lampeter (Pa.) Church of the Brethren.
- John Wilburn Lewallen died Aug. 8 at Timbercrest Church of the Brethren Home in North Manchester, Ind., surrounded by family. He was 86. He had served as executive minister of Northern Illinois and Wisconsin Districts beginning in 1955, and of Northern Indiana District from 1962-77. He also served as pastor of Church of the Brethren congregations in Kansas and Ohio, where he retired from the ministry in 1982. He was a graduate of McPherson (Kan.) College and of Bethany Biblical Seminary in Chicago, Ill. Lewallen had a lifelong interest in photography and also was skilled at woodworking, refinishing antiques, creating stained glass lamps, and cutting and polishing rocks. He had lived at Timbercrest Health Care since 2001. His family includes his wife, Joy, two children, four grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. Services were held this afternoon, Aug. 17, at the Timbercrest Chapel in North Manchester.
- The General Board seeks a public health professional or physician to serve as a consultant for Community Health/Church Development in the Dominican Republic. This is a fulltime staff position. The consultant will guide development of a community-based health program similar to the model of the Lafiya Rural Health program in Nigeria, working closely with mission coordinators in the DR. A candidate with appropriate health background will be considered, but a person or team with both health and pastoral experience is preferred. Qualifications include background and licenses in medicine, public health, or a related field; grounding in Church of the Brethren heritage, theology, and polity; communication skills and ability to facilitate change and motive others; ability to function collaboratively with colleagues in a team; Spanish and/or Creole language skills or ability to learn functional language. Theological education and pastoral experience is an asset. Starting date is January 2006. Applications will be received and the search will continue until the position is filled. Initial deadline to indicate interest is Sept. 15. Qualified candidates are invited to submit a resume and letter of application, and to 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; 800-323-8039 ext. 258.
- The General Board's Emergency Response/Service Ministries (ER/SM) is publicizing staffing vacancies in Darfur, Sudan, with ACT (Action by Churches Together) and Caritas Internationalis, the federations of Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic aid agencies worldwide. The Church of the Brethren is providing relief to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, working through Church World Service, ACT, and Caritas Internationalis. "These are demanding positions in a very high stress situation," ER/SM staff reported. "The ACT management makes all placement decisions, but we can work to help any interested Brethren with a placement." Positions with job descriptions are: architect/construction engineer for the health program (6-12 month contract), environmental health program manager (12-month unaccompanied contract is offered), health advisor (up to the end of December), health promotion officer (up to the end of December), officer manager Khartoum (up to the end of December), protection officer (up to the end of December). Positions currently without a job description are: partner support advisor, personnel and administrative manager, nutrition program manager, security manager. Terms and conditions include contract with a six-week probationary period, start date immediate with later starting dates considered, salary competitive with international NGO salary and benefits package. Contact Roy Winter, Emergency Response/Service Ministries, 601 Main St., P.O. Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776; 800-451-4407 ext. 7; rwinter_gb@brethren.org.
- Mennonite Mutual Aid (MMA) is seeking a chief information officer (CIO) to fill its highest-ranking technology position. The CIO is responsible for all information technology strategy, systems, projects, and staff related to traditional and Web technology infrastructure. Qualified applicants will have a bachelor's degree in a technical or business discipline, at least five years of related management or leadership experience, and understanding of network and data architectures. Experience in the finance or health industries is a plus. MMA provides insurance and financial services and is affiliated with Anabaptist denominations. MMA is an equal opportunity employer offering a competitive salary and excellent benefits. Send resume and cover letter to MMA, Human Resources, 1110 N. Main St., P.O. Box 483, Goshen, IN 46527; hr@mma-online.org; fax 574-537-6635.
- The Annual Conference Anniversary Committee invites you to submit music, drama, or worship resources, representing the 2008 tricentennial theme, "Surrendered to God, Transformed in Christ, Empowered by the Spirit." Music submissions, due Aug. 31, can include hymns, folk songs, praise songs, anthems, and children's songs. Dramatic writings, due Dec. 31, can be full-length dramas, skits, monologues, and vignettes for adults, children, and/or youth. Worship resources, due Dec. 31, can include calls to worship, prayers, litanies, responsive readings, offertory statements, children's stories, benedictions, worship centers (description and/or drawing), Powerpoint presentations, and interpretive movements. All submissions become the property of the Anniversary Committee for use in tricentennial activities. The name, address, and phone number of the writer or composer should not appear on submissions but should be included on a separate page. Music, drama, and worship resources should be sent to the Annual Conference Office, 1451 Dundee Ave, Elgin, IL 60120.
- If you lost a valuable item at Annual Conference this summer in Peoria, Ill., please call the Annual Conference office, 800-323-8039 ext. 296, or e-mail annualconference@brethren.org.
- Brethren from across the country gathered at Genesis Church of the Brethren in Putney, Vt., on Aug. 5-7 for the first A Place Apart spiritual retreat. A Place Apart is an initiative to create a Brethren retreat center where Brethren and others can step apart from the busy world to reconnect with God in a wilderness setting. Participants celebrated the Liturgy of the Hours during the weekend, gathering for worship at key times throughout the day. Leadership included Carol Scheppard and Paul Grout. A Place Apart is planning further retreats, in different regions, for April 2006. For more information contact apart@sover.net.
- Osceola (Ind.) Church of the Brethren will host a food-eating contest at the Osceola Bluegrass Festival Aug. 20-21, according to "The Truth" newspaper. Participants, who are encouraged to sign up early at the church's booth, will choose nicknames and bring their own cheering sections. On the menu: hot dogs, pies, peanut butter sandwiches, dill pickles, and/or sweet corn.
- Oregon and Washington District will hold its conference Aug. 26-28 at Camp Koinonia in Cle Elum, Wash., with Carol Mason as moderator. "The focus will continue to be on expanding skills for discernment in decision-making, including release of the 'way we want the vote to go' and becoming aware of how the language we use reveals beliefs about faith and politics," reported Lani Wright, Standing Committee member for the district. "Small groups will practice 'minute-making,' a listening skill for discernment, adding this to the skills practiced last year. The district uses the manual 'Formal Consensus,' recommended by On Earth Peace, as a model for business sessions."
- The 11th Annual Camp Bethel Benefit Golf Tournament will be held Aug. 24 with a 12:45 p.m. start at Botetourt Country Club. The event benefits the camp in Fincastle, Va. Cost is $60 or $240 for a team of four including a banquet that evening at the camp; $10 per person for banquet only. Register by Aug. 19 at www.campbethelvirginia.org/golf.htm.
- The Brethren Revival Fellowship is bringing its summer Brethren Volunteer Service orientation unit to the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., beginning Aug. 21. Fifteen volunteers and staff are expected. The orientation will conclude Aug. 31.
- Bridgewater (Va.) College will hold its opening convocation for the school year Aug. 30 at 9:30 a.m. at Nininger Hall, with president Phillip C. Stone speaking. The event is free and open to the public. For more information call 800-476-4289 or see www.bridgewater.edu.
- COBYS Family Services is seeking to attract 500 people and raise $60,000 on Sept. 11 at its 9th Annual Bike and Hike and Dutch Country Motorcycle Ride. Events begin at 1 p.m. at Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. The event includes a three-mile walk, a 10-mile bicycle Fun Ride, a 25-mile bicycle Challenge Ride, and a 60-mile Dutch Country Motorcycle Ride. Participants obtain sponsors or pay a registration fee. Grand prizes for top fundraisers include a $100 gift card from Bob Neff Tours, a "Do as You Please" trip for two to New York City from Conestoga Tours, two free tickets to Knoebels Grove Amusement Resort, and a two-hour private plane ride for three. Youth group prizes include 20 free Hersheypark tickets and a gym and pizza night. COBYS is a Church of the Brethren-related agency providing adoption and foster care services, counseling, family life education, and a teen mother and child group home. For more go to www.cobys.net/new.htm.
- Bob Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches (NCC), is urging President Bush to join a group of mothers of soldiers killed in Iraq in an interfaith prayer service outside the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas, at noon Aug. 19. The service has been called by Gold Star mother Cindy Sheehan "as an opportunity for Americans and others across the world to pray for our soldiers in Iraq, their families, and in particular the mothers of our fallen," according to an NCC release. Sheehan's son Casey was killed in Baghdad on April 4, 2004. She, along with United Methodist laywoman Celeste Zappala and other mothers, has been waiting to meet with the President since his five-week vacation began. Edgar visited the mothers and conducted a worship service on Aug. 12 at the invitation of fellow Methodist Zappala, whose son Sherwood was killed in Iraq. "This war, like any war, has generated terrible losses, immense pain, and sharp divisions in our country," Edgar said. "Each day we see the pain in the faces of the Gold Star mothers and their families. It's evident that President Bush, who has faced agonizing decisions in this war, feels the pain as well.... Let's suspend the rhetoric for a few minutes on Friday and join together--commander-in-chief and families of the fallen--to seek strength from the God who sustains us all." In an open letter to religious leaders Aug. 15, Sheehan urged those who cannot attend to host a prayer vigil in their cities. For more information see www.ncccusa.org.
- Habitat for Humanity International's Board of Directors has named Jonathan T.M. Reckford as chief executive officer, in a release by Religion News Service. Reckford has served for two years as executive pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church of Edina, Minn. Previously he was president of stores for the Musicland division of Best Buy, senior vice president of corporate planning and communications for Circuit City, and director of strategic planning for Disney Design and Development. "I believe passionately in Habitat's mission and can't think of a movement I would rather join," said Reckford, who succeeds interim CEO Paul Leonard. For more information see www.habitat.org.
top
General Board offers a Brazilian immersion experience.
Experience the church at work in Brazil, learn about the culture and history of the country, and see the sights as part of a delegation, "A Brazilian Immersion," scheduled for Nov. 19-30. The delegation will be led by Greg and Karin Davidson Laszakovits, Brazil representatives for the Global Mission Partnerships of the General Board.
Pastors, scholars, laypeople, and those interested in witness or mission are invited to sign up for the trip. The schedule will include visits to most of the six fellowships of Igreja da Irmandade (Church of the Brethren in Brazil), participation in their Annual Conference, and sessions on Brazilian culture. The teachings of Jesus will be explored from a Brazilian viewpoint. The trip will be capped off with a two-day sightseeing trip to Rio de Janeiro.
Projected cost is $1,995. Deadline for signing up is Oct. 15. Contact Mary Munson at 800-323-8039 ext. 230 or mmunson_gb@brethren.org.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
Experience the church at work in Brazil, learn about the culture and history of the country, and see the sights as part of a delegation, "A Brazilian Immersion," scheduled for Nov. 19-30. The delegation will be led by Greg and Karin Davidson Laszakovits, Brazil representatives for the Global Mission Partnerships of the General Board.
Pastors, scholars, laypeople, and those interested in witness or mission are invited to sign up for the trip. The schedule will include visits to most of the six fellowships of Igreja da Irmandade (Church of the Brethren in Brazil), participation in their Annual Conference, and sessions on Brazilian culture. The teachings of Jesus will be explored from a Brazilian viewpoint. The trip will be capped off with a two-day sightseeing trip to Rio de Janeiro.
Projected cost is $1,995. Deadline for signing up is Oct. 15. Contact Mary Munson at 800-323-8039 ext. 230 or mmunson_gb@brethren.org.
Source: 8/17/2005 Newsline
top
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. Connie Burkholder, Nevin Dulabaum, Lerry Fogle, Mary Lou Garrison, Mary Kay Heatwole, Elaine Foster Hyde, Janis Pyle, Jim Stokes-Buckles, and Lani Wright contributed to this report.
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. Connie Burkholder, Nevin Dulabaum, Lerry Fogle, Mary Lou Garrison, Mary Kay Heatwole, Elaine Foster Hyde, Janis Pyle, Jim Stokes-Buckles, and Lani Wright contributed to this report.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)