- Global Food Crisis Fund makes $75,265 in grants.
- Council relocates office, revises exhibit guidelines.
- Disaster projects close in Louisiana, open in Mississippi.
- Brethren bits: Personnel, job openings, and much more.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Global Food Crisis Fund makes $75,265 in grants.
The General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund has made $75,265 in six grants for hunger relief programs in Guatemala, Armenia, Niger, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, and the US. The six grants bring to $325,000 granted from the fund since a year ago, and a bit over $750,000 over the past two years, reported fund manager Howard Royer.
He also celebrated the giving to the fund in 2005. "Given the emergencies and their attendant needs of 2005, the church's giving for longterm development programs is quite remarkable," Royer said.
An allocation of $20,265 has been given for costs for an ongoing trees, cisterns, and stoves program in Guatemala in 2006. The program is being carried out by Church of the Brethren mission staff.
A grant of $15,000 will provide start-up assistance for 15 Church of the Brethren Foods Resource Bank growing projects in 2006.
A grant of $12,000 will fund rehabilitation of the environment and enhancement of productivity in Zimbabwe's Zhomba area. The initiative partners with Heifer International in a three-year, agro-ecology project focused on reclamation, protection, and sustainable utilization of natural resources. Additionally, the grant will help fund work with human nutrition and food security with communities impacted by HIV/AIDS.
A grant of $10,000 is going for food security, economic, and social development work among rural women in Armenia who are heads of households. The initiative joins Heifer International to help provide seeds and livestock, as well as nurturing relationships through rural women's unions. Additionally, "pass-on" gifts will benefit women in neighboring countries of Georgia and Azerbaijan.
An additional allocation of $10,000 has gone for continuing food security measures in West Timor in Indonesia. This follows an initial $10,000 allocation given to Church World Service in 2005 for food security in West Timor.
An additional allocation of $8,000 will be spent for emergency and longterm development work in Niger. An initial $10,000 grant was given in 2005 to a Church World Service appeal for the work in Niger.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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The General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund has made $75,265 in six grants for hunger relief programs in Guatemala, Armenia, Niger, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, and the US. The six grants bring to $325,000 granted from the fund since a year ago, and a bit over $750,000 over the past two years, reported fund manager Howard Royer.
He also celebrated the giving to the fund in 2005. "Given the emergencies and their attendant needs of 2005, the church's giving for longterm development programs is quite remarkable," Royer said.
An allocation of $20,265 has been given for costs for an ongoing trees, cisterns, and stoves program in Guatemala in 2006. The program is being carried out by Church of the Brethren mission staff.
A grant of $15,000 will provide start-up assistance for 15 Church of the Brethren Foods Resource Bank growing projects in 2006.
A grant of $12,000 will fund rehabilitation of the environment and enhancement of productivity in Zimbabwe's Zhomba area. The initiative partners with Heifer International in a three-year, agro-ecology project focused on reclamation, protection, and sustainable utilization of natural resources. Additionally, the grant will help fund work with human nutrition and food security with communities impacted by HIV/AIDS.
A grant of $10,000 is going for food security, economic, and social development work among rural women in Armenia who are heads of households. The initiative joins Heifer International to help provide seeds and livestock, as well as nurturing relationships through rural women's unions. Additionally, "pass-on" gifts will benefit women in neighboring countries of Georgia and Azerbaijan.
An additional allocation of $10,000 has gone for continuing food security measures in West Timor in Indonesia. This follows an initial $10,000 allocation given to Church World Service in 2005 for food security in West Timor.
An additional allocation of $8,000 will be spent for emergency and longterm development work in Niger. An initial $10,000 grant was given in 2005 to a Church World Service appeal for the work in Niger.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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Council relocates office, revises exhibit guidelines.
The Annual Conference Council, the executive committee for the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, has given approval for the transfer of the Annual Conference Office from Elgin, Ill., to New Windsor, Md. The new office location after Aug. 31 will be the New Windsor Service Center, a property of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
The council met Dec. 7-8, 2005, in New Windsor, and gave final approval to the move in a conference call on Jan. 6, reported Conference secretary Fred Swartz. Also approved were a position description for the Annual Conference Assistant, a vacancy now open due to the resignation of Rose Ingold who held the post for six years. In other business, the council conducted a three-year performance review for the Conference's executive director Lerry Fogle, approved updated guidelines for exhibits and literature distribution at Annual Conference, adopted a budget for 2006, and received reports.
Fogle said the office relocation comes as a result of "personnel changes and efficiency of operation for the Annual Conference Office in a central location." The office's new address on the New Windsor campus will be announced at a future date.
In the performance review, the council cited Fogle's leadership of the Annual Conference as professional, innovative, and especially committed in Christian faith and family ideals and in loyalty to Conference and the church. The council engaged colleagues, Conference coordinators, and other members of the church at large in the evaluation process.
The council received progress reports from study committees and reviewed accomplishments toward the implementation of recent Conference actions. A special task force created by the council to evaluate reasons for declining attendance at Annual Conferences and to submit recommendations for the promotion of Conference is currently at work. Tracy L. Wiser of Myersville, Md., is chairing the task force. The council also made final plans for posting the Church of the Brethren's "Manual of Organization and Polity" on the Annual Conference website.
Updated guidelines for exhibits and literature distribution were drafted by the Program and Arrangements Committee and submitted to the Council for final approval. The revised guidelines, effective Jan. 3, provide a more positive statement about criteria for granting exhibit space, expectations of exhibitors, and general issues related to literature distribution throughout Conference facilities, Fogle said. The committee "wants to emphasize that the guidelines contain revisions to the existing document; they are not a total rewrite of the original document," he said.
The Aug. 2005 mailing of exhibitor applications for the 2006 Annual Conference contained the previous version of the guidelines. Both that version and the revised version were taken into consideration when applications for exhibitor status were reviewed, Fogle said. The updated guidelines will be available soon at the Conference website www.brethren.org/ac, click on "Policies and Guidelines" under "Minutes and Statements." Questions can be addressed to Fogle at 800-323-8039 ext. 291 or annualconference@brethren.org; or write to the Annual Conference Office, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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The Annual Conference Council, the executive committee for the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, has given approval for the transfer of the Annual Conference Office from Elgin, Ill., to New Windsor, Md. The new office location after Aug. 31 will be the New Windsor Service Center, a property of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
The council met Dec. 7-8, 2005, in New Windsor, and gave final approval to the move in a conference call on Jan. 6, reported Conference secretary Fred Swartz. Also approved were a position description for the Annual Conference Assistant, a vacancy now open due to the resignation of Rose Ingold who held the post for six years. In other business, the council conducted a three-year performance review for the Conference's executive director Lerry Fogle, approved updated guidelines for exhibits and literature distribution at Annual Conference, adopted a budget for 2006, and received reports.
Fogle said the office relocation comes as a result of "personnel changes and efficiency of operation for the Annual Conference Office in a central location." The office's new address on the New Windsor campus will be announced at a future date.
In the performance review, the council cited Fogle's leadership of the Annual Conference as professional, innovative, and especially committed in Christian faith and family ideals and in loyalty to Conference and the church. The council engaged colleagues, Conference coordinators, and other members of the church at large in the evaluation process.
The council received progress reports from study committees and reviewed accomplishments toward the implementation of recent Conference actions. A special task force created by the council to evaluate reasons for declining attendance at Annual Conferences and to submit recommendations for the promotion of Conference is currently at work. Tracy L. Wiser of Myersville, Md., is chairing the task force. The council also made final plans for posting the Church of the Brethren's "Manual of Organization and Polity" on the Annual Conference website.
Updated guidelines for exhibits and literature distribution were drafted by the Program and Arrangements Committee and submitted to the Council for final approval. The revised guidelines, effective Jan. 3, provide a more positive statement about criteria for granting exhibit space, expectations of exhibitors, and general issues related to literature distribution throughout Conference facilities, Fogle said. The committee "wants to emphasize that the guidelines contain revisions to the existing document; they are not a total rewrite of the original document," he said.
The Aug. 2005 mailing of exhibitor applications for the 2006 Annual Conference contained the previous version of the guidelines. Both that version and the revised version were taken into consideration when applications for exhibitor status were reviewed, Fogle said. The updated guidelines will be available soon at the Conference website www.brethren.org/ac, click on "Policies and Guidelines" under "Minutes and Statements." Questions can be addressed to Fogle at 800-323-8039 ext. 291 or annualconference@brethren.org; or write to the Annual Conference Office, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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Disaster project close in Louisiana, open in Mississippi.
The Brethren Disaster Response program of the General Board has completed a Hurricane Rita clean-up project based in Roanoke, La., as of Dec. 17, 2005, and has moved a project repairing damage from Hurricane Katrina in southern Alabama across the state line to Mississippi.
During the two months that the project in the Lake Charles area of Louisiana was operating, more than 100 households received assistance with debris, tree removal, and roof tarping, reported Jane Yount, coordinator of Brethren Disaster Response. Volunteers Ed and Bonnie Bryan and Brethren Volunteer Service volunteers Jodi Eller and Joan and Phil Taylor headed up the effort with leadership from Roanoke Church of the Brethren and pastor James Balmer, and Lake Charles Community Church of the Brethren.
Brethren work teams accomplished much in the way of debris removal, roofing, and repairs in the area of Citronelle, Ala., since mid-September 2005. Over the weekend, the project moved to Mississippi, where the Brethren have been invited to assist with rebuilding and repair projects in George County. Volunteer housing is in the Crossroads Pentecostal Church parsonage outside of Lucedale, Yount reported. "The church is graciously providing this facility to us at no charge. We feel blessed by God's provision so that we can continue his work on behalf of those who have suffered loss," she said.
Another project continues in Pensacola, Fla., following Hurricane Ivan. "The Florida Panhandle was clobbered first by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, then by Hurricane Dennis in July 2005, affecting thousands of households in the poorest area of the state," Yount said. "We said we were in for the long haul, and that has proven to be true." The work in Florida consists mainly of repairs to water-damaged sections of homes, including drywall, floors, insulation, and siding.
At another continuing project in Belmont County, Ohio, since June 2005 volunteers have been doing repair work and completing rebuilding of homes damaged by flooding. Three additional rebuilds will be started after foundations are completed.
A training for new district disaster coordinators will be held at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., on April 24-26. "There has been quite a turnover in district disaster coordinators in the last year," said Yount, who reported that there are new coordinators in about ten districts. Any district disaster coordinator who has never been to a training will be invited. A conference for all district disaster coordinators and disaster project directors is planned for 2007.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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The Brethren Disaster Response program of the General Board has completed a Hurricane Rita clean-up project based in Roanoke, La., as of Dec. 17, 2005, and has moved a project repairing damage from Hurricane Katrina in southern Alabama across the state line to Mississippi.
During the two months that the project in the Lake Charles area of Louisiana was operating, more than 100 households received assistance with debris, tree removal, and roof tarping, reported Jane Yount, coordinator of Brethren Disaster Response. Volunteers Ed and Bonnie Bryan and Brethren Volunteer Service volunteers Jodi Eller and Joan and Phil Taylor headed up the effort with leadership from Roanoke Church of the Brethren and pastor James Balmer, and Lake Charles Community Church of the Brethren.
Brethren work teams accomplished much in the way of debris removal, roofing, and repairs in the area of Citronelle, Ala., since mid-September 2005. Over the weekend, the project moved to Mississippi, where the Brethren have been invited to assist with rebuilding and repair projects in George County. Volunteer housing is in the Crossroads Pentecostal Church parsonage outside of Lucedale, Yount reported. "The church is graciously providing this facility to us at no charge. We feel blessed by God's provision so that we can continue his work on behalf of those who have suffered loss," she said.
Another project continues in Pensacola, Fla., following Hurricane Ivan. "The Florida Panhandle was clobbered first by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, then by Hurricane Dennis in July 2005, affecting thousands of households in the poorest area of the state," Yount said. "We said we were in for the long haul, and that has proven to be true." The work in Florida consists mainly of repairs to water-damaged sections of homes, including drywall, floors, insulation, and siding.
At another continuing project in Belmont County, Ohio, since June 2005 volunteers have been doing repair work and completing rebuilding of homes damaged by flooding. Three additional rebuilds will be started after foundations are completed.
A training for new district disaster coordinators will be held at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., on April 24-26. "There has been quite a turnover in district disaster coordinators in the last year," said Yount, who reported that there are new coordinators in about ten districts. Any district disaster coordinator who has never been to a training will be invited. A conference for all district disaster coordinators and disaster project directors is planned for 2007.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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Brethren bits: Personnel, job openings, and much more.
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- Marisel Olivencia has been engaged on a contract basis by the Congregational Life Ministries of the General Board to assist with preparations for the 2006 Cross-Cultural Consultation and Celebration in Lancaster, Pa., May 4-7. She will provide services on the board's behalf from Jan. 23-May 8. Her responsibilities will include reaching out to Spanish-speaking congregations, coordinating a youth event and day care for the celebration, and helping to coordinate information. Olivencia serves as part-time Hispanic pastor at First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa. For more information about the Cross-Cultural Consultation and Celebration see www.brethren.org/genbd/clm/clt/CrossCultural.html.
- MAX (Mutual Aid eXchange) has named Carl Litwiller of Lancaster, Pa., as executive vice president of MAX Mutual Aid Ministries, and Scott Forland as executive vice president of Insurance Operations. Forland, who has been instrumental in merging 10 former mutual aid organizations into MAX, will oversee and manage insurance operations throughout the US and Canada. For more information about MAX see www.mutualaidexchange.com.
- The Church of the Brethren General Board seeks a fulltime director of Human Resources, located in Elgin, Ill. Responsibilities include developing, implementing, and managing human resources procedures and systems; promoting and maintaining employee relationships and development; maintaining accurate position descriptions and compensation system; assuring compliance with policies and employment law; facilitating periodic training events; directing the hiring process. Qualifications include a minimum of five years in a generalist position in human resources; communication skills; experience with computer systems including HRIS, word processing, and spreadsheets; progressive management and supervisory skills. Education and experience requirements include a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, with SHRM certification beneficial. A position description and application form are available on request. Application deadline is March 10. Qualified candidates are invited to complete the General Board application form, submit a résumé and letter of application, and request three references to send letters of recommendation to the Office of Human Resources, Church of the Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120-1694; 800-323-8039 ext. 258; mgarrison_gb@brethren.org. Job openings in Church of the Brethren-related organizations are regularly posted at www.brethren.org/mrkclass.html.
- The General Board seeks an associate director of Emergency Response to fill a fulltime position located at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Responsibilities include engaging church constituents in the activities of the program; maintaining ecumenical relationships; providing financial management in coordination with the director; giving oversight to maintenance, property, and equipment; providing supervision and training for staff and volunteers of Brethren Disaster Response and Disaster Child Care. Qualifications include experience in managing staff and volunteers; knowledge of house construction, repairs, and building codes; communication skills, with background in adult education, workshops, or other training experience; ability to travel extensively in the US. A bachelor's degree is preferred. A position description and application form are available on request. Application deadline is Feb. 28. Qualified candidates are invited to complete the General Board application form, submit a resume and letter of application, and request three references to send letters of recommendation to the Office of Human Resources, Church of the Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120-1694; 800-323-8039 ext. 258; mgarrison_gb@brethren.org.
- The Annual Conference Office seeks a fulltime, salaried Annual Conference assistant. Start date is June 5. Location will be in New Windsor, Md. Position functions include administration of the daily operation of the Annual Conference office; office communications; supervision of part-time employees; work with convention centers and the Program and Arrangements Committee; establishment of offices at Annual Conference sites; creation, coordination, editing, and shipping of a variety of materials; coordination of responsibilities for meal events and insight sessions at Conferences. Skills and knowledge required include administrative and office management background; effective and pleasant communication style; software proficiency with Windows-based applications, Word, Excel, Quark; customer service skills; ability to travel to other states. A minimum of five years of progressive office responsibilities is required, as well as working with and training volunteers or other groups. A minimum of some college education, plus extensive experience, is required; a college graduate is preferred. Submit a cover letter, resume, application form, and three letters of reference by March 31 to the following address. Forms and information also are available from the Office of Human Resources, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120-1694; 800-323-8039 ext. 258; mgarrison_gb@brethren.org.
- The Annual Conference Office seeks a registration coordinator to fill a temporary, fulltime position from March 1 through May 31. Position functions include tasks related to the registration process of Annual Conference, registration reports, processing payments, serving as the initial contact person for registration, and other clerical functions as necessary. Skills and knowledge required include strong word processing skills, effective and pleasant communication style, experience with software applications such as Word and Excel, and demonstrated quality customer service skills. Two to three years of experience in a general office setting is required, including experience in a variety of work situations with direct contact with customers. Education required is a minimum of high school graduation. Application deadline is Jan. 19. Send cover letter and resume to Office of Human Resources, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120-1694; 800-323-8039 ext. 259; mgarrison_gb@brethren.org.
- The Nominating Committee of the Annual Conference Standing Committee met recently in Elgin, Ill., to structure the 2006 ballot for Annual Conference. Chair Bruce Hostetler of South/Central Indiana District extended appreciation to everyone in the denomination who allowed their names to be placed in nomination, and to the many people who submitted nominations. Other members of the committee are Kathryn Ludwick of West Marva District, Ron McAdams of Southern Ohio District, Sue Ellen Wheatley of Mid-Atlantic District, Don Fitzkee of Atlantic Northeast District, Mary Anne Whited of Middle Pennsylvania District, Larry Dentler of Southern Pennsylvania District, and Glenn Bollinger of Shenandoah District. The 2006 ballot will be announced in early March. For more information about the election process, contact Annual Conference executive director Lerry Fogle or Conference secretary Fred Swartz at the Annual Conference Office, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039.
- Districts are sending representatives to a launch event for Gather 'Round: Hearing and Sharing God's Good News, Feb. 10-12 in Pittsburgh, Pa. The new Sunday school curriculum comes from Brethren Press and the Mennonite Publishing Network. Church of the Brethren districts are sending representatives to be trained in use of the curriculum in church school classes for all ages. Free samples sessions for different age groups are at www.gatherround.org, as well as more information about the curriculum including documents that show its theological and educational foundations. The curriculum is available in February for use beginning this fall. Sample kits will be available for $79.95 plus shipping and handling beginning in February, call Brethren Press at 800-441-3712.
- The spring issue of "A Guide for Biblical Studies" has been released by Brethren Press. The theme for the Bible study series for March, April, and May is "Living in and as God's Creation" focusing on passages from the Psalms, Job, Mark, Ecclesiastes, John, and Proverbs. The writer for the spring quarter is William Abshire, a professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Bridgewater (Va.) College. Frank Ramirez, pastor of Everett (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, writes the "Out of Context" column. Order from Brethren Press for $2.90 each, $5.15 for large print, plus shipping and handling; call 800-441-3712.
- A free five-minute DVD presenting a music-video style glimpse of the overall work of the Church of the Brethren General Board is available from Brethren videographer David Sollenberger. The video is suitable for use as an inspirational component during a morning worship service, or to share with a church board, ministry coordinating team, Sunday school class, or small group. "Bound Together" was used at Annual Conference 2005. Copies will be mailed free of charge. Please e-mail a request to LSVideo@Comcast.net or call 717-867-4187 or write to 1804 Horseshoe Pike, Annville, PA 17003.
- Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) announces its 2006 winter orientation, Jan. 29-Feb. 17, at Camp Ithiel in Gotha, Fla. This will be the 268th BVS training unit, and will be made up of seven volunteers from across the US and Germany including several Church of the Brethren members. A weekend immersion with the Haitian Brethren community in Miami is planned, and while in the city the volunteers also will work at food banks and Habitat for Humanity. The group also will work at Camp Ithiel for a day. A BVS potluck is open to all those who are interested on Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Camp Ithiel. "Please feel free to come and welcome the new BVS volunteers and share your own experiences," invited Becky Snavely, of the BVS office."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." For more information contact the BVS office at 800-323-8039 ext. 423.
- US Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona visited Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren on Jan. 9 while touring a clinic that is hosted by the congregation. The Mission of Mercy's Mobile Medical Clinic provides free medical, dental, and prescription coverage to thousands of Frederick County residents each year, according to an article about the event in the "Frederick News-Post." Frederick pastor Paul Mundey reported that the congregation has provided space for "a mobile medical clinic for the working poor" for some time. Carmona told the paper that what inspired him most was that "the only clearance to come here is a need. There's no paperwork, there's no qualification, and what's dispensed here is not as much care as it is love and dignity for a fellow human being." To find the newspaper article online go to http://www.gazette.net/stories/010906/frednew153957_31912.shtml.
- Trees for Life's president, Balbir Mathur, will be featured in a radio interview Thursday, Jan. 19, that can be heard also on the Internet. The interview will be on WBEZ 91.5 FM Chicago Public Radio at 12 noon to 1 p.m. central time. Trees for Life is a nonprofit people-to-people movement that helps plant fruit trees in developing countries, based in Wichita, Kan. It was begun in 1984 with connections to the Church of the Brethren. It also is a Brethren Volunteer Service project site. To hear the broadcast live online go to www.chicagopublicradio.org, under "Listen Now" click the link for Live Webcast in RealAudio. The interview also will be available in the archives at www.chicagopublicradio.org/audio_library/wv_rajan06.asp. (To listen to the interview online, Real Player must be installed on the computer, see www.real.com.) For more information see www.treesforlife.org, or contact Trees for Life, 3006 W. St. Louis, Wichita, KS 67203; 316-945-6929; info@treesforlife.org.
- The Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center in Harrisonburg, Va., and the Valley Research Associates announce publication of Volume III of "Unionists and the Civil War Experience in the Shenandoah Valley" by Bittinger, Rodes, and Wenger. This third in a projected seven-volume history of the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia focuses on Rockingham County families in and around the towns of Bridgewater and Dayton and westward to the mountains. The series has been noted for adding new information about the effects of Gen. Sheridan's campaign of burning and destruction carried out in Oct. 1864, said a release from the center. The volumes also add new information about the Underground Railroad created in the Shenandoah Valley, naming different escape routes across the western mountains and giving the names of pilots, guides, numerous "safe houses," their locations, organizers of the routes, and volume of traffic. A total of 126 local families are included in the three volumes published to date. Each volume retails for $49.95 plus tax ($44.95 for each additional book) plus shipping. Order from Valley Research Associates, P.O. Box 526, Dayton, VA 22821; VRAssociates526@aol.com.
- Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) held a "Follow the Light" Epiphany fast in front of the White House on Jan. 6-8. The group had sent a letter to the Bush administration requesting a meeting with the president and his staff to share stories and words of wisdom about the US presence in Iraq, reported Todd Flory of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office. "The fast is kind of a spiritual under-girding for that request," said Church of the Brethren and CPT member Cliff Kindy. "It's to recognize the ways in which we're all held captive by the war, whether we're CPTers held captive by the Swords of Righteousness or soldiers held captive or Iraqis or even a president held captive by the idea of war and missing the realities of it." Throughout the three days of fasting, many people stopped to chat with the CPT members while others gave their support or disapproval as they passed, Flory reported. "The people who stop have been positive," said CPT member Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. "The people who aren't so positive keep walking by." President Bush did not grant CPT's request for a visit.
- By visiting www.wcc-assembly.info, you can be part of the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on Feb. 14-23. The site also can be accessed via www.brethren.org/genbd/GeneralSecretary/index.htm. The assembly, which is held every eight years, will bring thousands of Christians from around the world together for ecumenical encounter, prayer, celebration, and deliberation. The website offers an overview of what will happen at the assembly including the theme, "God, in your grace, transform the world"; issues and concerns to be discussed; prayers and Bible studies; news and photos; stories of transformation from churches; and the program and preparation documents. During the assembly the site will provide news coverage as it happens, video summaries, live webcasts of plenaries, and an e-news service. Brethren who will attend the assembly include the Church of the Brethren delegate Jeffrey W. Carter, pastor of Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren; Annual Conference moderator Ronald Beachley and his wife, Linda; Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board; Merv Keeney, executive director of Global Mission Partnerships for the General Board; Dale Brown, professor emeritus at Bethany Theological Seminary, attending as an observer; and Walt Wiltschek, editor of "Messenger" magazine, who will work with the WCC communications team.
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Garrison retires as General Board's director of Human Resources.
Mary Lou Garrison, director of Human Resources for the Church of the Brethren General Board, has announced her retirement effective July 28. She began in the position located in Elgin, Ill., on Oct. 15, 2001.
A Manchester College graduate, Garrison has served in Church of the Brethren organizations since 1982. Prior to her work with the General Board, she was employed by Pinecrest Community, a Brethren retirement and longterm care community in Mount Morris, Ill., as director of Human Resources since 1988. She began at Pinecrest as a geriatric social worker and then transitioned to director of Programming, while developing the first Alzheimer unit at the facility. Garrison achieved lifetime certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources in 1994.
In retirement, Garrison will join her husband, Ed, as he retires from a career in education this June. Both plan to explore opportunities that will utilize their non-professional skills and interests, including spending more time with their grandsons in Peace Valley, Mo.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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Mary Lou Garrison, director of Human Resources for the Church of the Brethren General Board, has announced her retirement effective July 28. She began in the position located in Elgin, Ill., on Oct. 15, 2001.
A Manchester College graduate, Garrison has served in Church of the Brethren organizations since 1982. Prior to her work with the General Board, she was employed by Pinecrest Community, a Brethren retirement and longterm care community in Mount Morris, Ill., as director of Human Resources since 1988. She began at Pinecrest as a geriatric social worker and then transitioned to director of Programming, while developing the first Alzheimer unit at the facility. Garrison achieved lifetime certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources in 1994.
In retirement, Garrison will join her husband, Ed, as he retires from a career in education this June. Both plan to explore opportunities that will utilize their non-professional skills and interests, including spending more time with their grandsons in Peace Valley, Mo.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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Daniel begins as administrative executive for Idaho District.
Sue Daniel began Jan. 1 as half-time administrative executive of the Idaho District of the Church of the Brethren.
Daniel is a graduate of the University of La Verne, a Church of the Brethren related college in La Verne, Calif., and recently retired as off-campus center director of Eastern Oregon University. She has been actively involved in the Church of the Brethren, having served as district moderator and in other district and congregational positions.
Daniel will work from an office in her home; contact her at 1816 First Avenue S., Payette, ID 83661; 208-642-1577; srdd24@netzero.net.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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Sue Daniel began Jan. 1 as half-time administrative executive of the Idaho District of the Church of the Brethren.
Daniel is a graduate of the University of La Verne, a Church of the Brethren related college in La Verne, Calif., and recently retired as off-campus center director of Eastern Oregon University. She has been actively involved in the Church of the Brethren, having served as district moderator and in other district and congregational positions.
Daniel will work from an office in her home; contact her at 1816 First Avenue S., Payette, ID 83661; 208-642-1577; srdd24@netzero.net.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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Berster named president of Peter Becker Community.
Carol A. Berster of Hollidaysburg, Pa., has been named president of Peter Becker Community in Harleysville, Pa. She will begin Feb. 20. The Church of the Brethren retirement community has been served by an interim president since Oct. 2005, when Rod Mason resigned after serving as CEO for 19 years.
Berster most recently served as a regional CEO for PHI, Inc., a Presbyterian system with 19 senior communities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. She has been in the senior services field since 1976. According to Peter Becker board president Don Price, "Berster was selected for her passion to serve the senior adult community as well as for her strengths in finance and business."
This year, Peter Becker Community is celebrating 35 years of service to senior adults through easy living cottages and apartments, an assisted living unit, and a healthcare center. For more information about the community go to www.peterbeckercommunity.com.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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Carol A. Berster of Hollidaysburg, Pa., has been named president of Peter Becker Community in Harleysville, Pa. She will begin Feb. 20. The Church of the Brethren retirement community has been served by an interim president since Oct. 2005, when Rod Mason resigned after serving as CEO for 19 years.
Berster most recently served as a regional CEO for PHI, Inc., a Presbyterian system with 19 senior communities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. She has been in the senior services field since 1976. According to Peter Becker board president Don Price, "Berster was selected for her passion to serve the senior adult community as well as for her strengths in finance and business."
This year, Peter Becker Community is celebrating 35 years of service to senior adults through easy living cottages and apartments, an assisted living unit, and a healthcare center. For more information about the community go to www.peterbeckercommunity.com.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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University of La Verne group spends Thanksgiving in the Gulf.
by Debbie Roberts and Steve Kinzie
Six University of La Verne (ULV) students and four university staff members traveled to the Lake Charles area of Louisiana over the Thanksgiving break to help clean up debris and destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Rita. ULV is a Church of the Brethren school in La Verne, Calif.
Although it had been more than six weeks since the hurricane hit, communities were still struggling to recover from extensive damage. Much of the destruction inland resulted from uprooted trees falling into houses and buildings. In Cameron Parish, a tremendous storm surge did enormous damage to lakefront homes, killed animals, and pushed furniture, house siding, appliances, and large boats hundreds of feet onto the land.
We worked at a number of different sites. The first day we spent raking debris and recycling boards from a jumbled dock. After sharing in a wonderful Thanksgiving meal hosted by Lake Charles Community Church of the Brethren, on Friday we spent the morning cleaning up dozens of fallen trees in the acre behind an inland home. That afternoon we cleared debris from around the much damaged home of an elderly woman resident in Lake Charles. The last day, we cleared a massive tangle of fallen trees at the small home of a disabled couple. Their poverty and need was tremendous, and we were very touched by their suffering and graciousness.
This mixture of suffering and graciousness, in fact, met us at every turn. Even when people had very little to share they were generous with their food, smiles, and thanks. All of us returned sobered by the reality of the continuing hardships faced by the wonderful people we were blessed to meet and work with for even so short a time.
Many thanks to La Verne Church of the Brethren, ULV, and the wider La Verne community for their financial support in helping to make this experience possible.
--Debbie Roberts serves as campus minister and director of Peace Studies at the University of La Verne. Her husband, Steve Kinzie, is assistant director of the university's Learning Enhancement Center and an adjunct professor.
Source: 1/18/2006 Newsline
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by Debbie Roberts and Steve Kinzie
Six University of La Verne (ULV) students and four university staff members traveled to the Lake Charles area of Louisiana over the Thanksgiving break to help clean up debris and destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Rita. ULV is a Church of the Brethren school in La Verne, Calif.
Although it had been more than six weeks since the hurricane hit, communities were still struggling to recover from extensive damage. Much of the destruction inland resulted from uprooted trees falling into houses and buildings. In Cameron Parish, a tremendous storm surge did enormous damage to lakefront homes, killed animals, and pushed furniture, house siding, appliances, and large boats hundreds of feet onto the land.
We worked at a number of different sites. The first day we spent raking debris and recycling boards from a jumbled dock. After sharing in a wonderful Thanksgiving meal hosted by Lake Charles Community Church of the Brethren, on Friday we spent the morning cleaning up dozens of fallen trees in the acre behind an inland home. That afternoon we cleared debris from around the much damaged home of an elderly woman resident in Lake Charles. The last day, we cleared a massive tangle of fallen trees at the small home of a disabled couple. Their poverty and need was tremendous, and we were very touched by their suffering and graciousness.
This mixture of suffering and graciousness, in fact, met us at every turn. Even when people had very little to share they were generous with their food, smiles, and thanks. All of us returned sobered by the reality of the continuing hardships faced by the wonderful people we were blessed to meet and work with for even so short a time.
Many thanks to La Verne Church of the Brethren, ULV, and the wider La Verne community for their financial support in helping to make this experience possible.
--Debbie Roberts serves as campus minister and director of Peace Studies at the University of La Verne. Her husband, Steve Kinzie, is assistant director of the university's Learning Enhancement Center and an adjunct professor.
Source: 1/18/2006 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. J. Allen Brubaker, Todd Flory, Mary Lou Garrison, Del Keeney, Nancy Knepper, Jon Kobel, Howard Royer, Becky Snavely, Fred Swartz, and Jane Yount 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. J. Allen Brubaker, Todd Flory, Mary Lou Garrison, Del Keeney, Nancy Knepper, Jon Kobel, Howard Royer, Becky Snavely, Fred Swartz, and Jane Yount contributed to this report.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
NEWS
- Committee holds first meeting on new mission in Haiti.
- Manchester College researchers report decline in violence but 'alarming' trends for most vulnerable in nation.
- On tsunami anniversary, Church World Service sees signs of recovery at 'people level.'
- Brethren bits: Job openings, Martin Luther King Day events, and more.
- Group plans workcamp trip to Nigeria.
- Deacon ministry training events, nursing scholarships are announced.
- Registration closes soon for Cross-Cultural Celebration.
Committee holds first meeting on new mission in Haiti.
The Haiti Advisory Committee for the Church of the Brethren mission in Haiti held its first meeting on Dec. 17, 2005, at L'Eglise des Freres Haitiens (Haitian Church of the Brethren) in Miami, Fla. While seeking to clarify its role in the new mission effort, the group received a report of a fledgling Church of the Brethren congregation in Haiti.
Those present included Ludovic St. Fleur, pastor of L'Eglise des Freres Haitiens, Volcy Beauplan, Jonathan Cadette, Marc Labranche, Jean Nixon Aubel, Wayne Sutton, Merle Crouse, Renel Exceus, Jeff Boshart, and Merv Keeney, executive director of Global Mission Partnerships for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Boshart provided this report of the meeting.
The committee sought to define its role and clarify how it may support the mission effort. It also began to think about ways to report about the mission, and to connect the effort more widely. The advisory committee model is an effort to support St. Fleur and Haitian leadership who have been assigned the responsibility for guiding the new mission effort under the General Board's international mission structure, the Global Mission Partnerships office.
The Haiti mission was approved by the General Board in Oct. 2004 as a "Haitian-led" endeavor, a new model for the church according to Keeney. The proposal came to the General Board from the Mission and Ministries Planning Council following lengthy exploration with Brethren districts, congregations, and individuals already at work in Haiti.
St. Fleur shared that a "mother congregation" has been formed in Haiti's capital of Port au Prince. Over 100 people are attending worship, and leadership development is under way. The church building is located on land leased from the Haitian government, near one of the most dangerous parts of the city. As there is tremendous uncertainty regarding the stability of the government, a new location for worship is being investigated. St. Fleur said the greatest needs of the new congregation at this time are for much prayer, more Brethren printed materials to be translated into Haitian Creole, and the necessity of locating a new place of worship.
Jonathan Cadette of First Church of the Brethren in Miami, Fla., who worked as a lawyer in Haiti before coming to the US, said that to be recognized as a denomination in Haiti the Church of the Brethren will have to meet certain criteria including establishment of a headquarters, formation of at least five congregations, and initiation of a social outreach, for example in education, health, agriculture, etc. Work will be done toward meeting the requirements, but the committee felt that practically speaking they do not have any immediate impact on the fledgling congregation.
Former General Board mission staff Merle Crouse, of New Covenant Church of the Brethren in Gotha, Fla., recounted previous Brethren involvement in Haiti and expressed his hope that some connections will be made with remnants of that earlier work. Committee members will follow up on various contacts both in the US and in Haiti.
The general feeling of the meeting was one of optimism and a desire to see the work in Haiti grow and flourish. "We need to keep God in first place, use our knees, leave room for our faith to act, and remember that the future does not belong to us," said Cadette. June 3 was selected for the committee's next meeting.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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The Haiti Advisory Committee for the Church of the Brethren mission in Haiti held its first meeting on Dec. 17, 2005, at L'Eglise des Freres Haitiens (Haitian Church of the Brethren) in Miami, Fla. While seeking to clarify its role in the new mission effort, the group received a report of a fledgling Church of the Brethren congregation in Haiti.
Those present included Ludovic St. Fleur, pastor of L'Eglise des Freres Haitiens, Volcy Beauplan, Jonathan Cadette, Marc Labranche, Jean Nixon Aubel, Wayne Sutton, Merle Crouse, Renel Exceus, Jeff Boshart, and Merv Keeney, executive director of Global Mission Partnerships for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Boshart provided this report of the meeting.
The committee sought to define its role and clarify how it may support the mission effort. It also began to think about ways to report about the mission, and to connect the effort more widely. The advisory committee model is an effort to support St. Fleur and Haitian leadership who have been assigned the responsibility for guiding the new mission effort under the General Board's international mission structure, the Global Mission Partnerships office.
The Haiti mission was approved by the General Board in Oct. 2004 as a "Haitian-led" endeavor, a new model for the church according to Keeney. The proposal came to the General Board from the Mission and Ministries Planning Council following lengthy exploration with Brethren districts, congregations, and individuals already at work in Haiti.
St. Fleur shared that a "mother congregation" has been formed in Haiti's capital of Port au Prince. Over 100 people are attending worship, and leadership development is under way. The church building is located on land leased from the Haitian government, near one of the most dangerous parts of the city. As there is tremendous uncertainty regarding the stability of the government, a new location for worship is being investigated. St. Fleur said the greatest needs of the new congregation at this time are for much prayer, more Brethren printed materials to be translated into Haitian Creole, and the necessity of locating a new place of worship.
Jonathan Cadette of First Church of the Brethren in Miami, Fla., who worked as a lawyer in Haiti before coming to the US, said that to be recognized as a denomination in Haiti the Church of the Brethren will have to meet certain criteria including establishment of a headquarters, formation of at least five congregations, and initiation of a social outreach, for example in education, health, agriculture, etc. Work will be done toward meeting the requirements, but the committee felt that practically speaking they do not have any immediate impact on the fledgling congregation.
Former General Board mission staff Merle Crouse, of New Covenant Church of the Brethren in Gotha, Fla., recounted previous Brethren involvement in Haiti and expressed his hope that some connections will be made with remnants of that earlier work. Committee members will follow up on various contacts both in the US and in Haiti.
The general feeling of the meeting was one of optimism and a desire to see the work in Haiti grow and flourish. "We need to keep God in first place, use our knees, leave room for our faith to act, and remember that the future does not belong to us," said Cadette. June 3 was selected for the committee's next meeting.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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Manchester College researchers report decline in violence but 'alarming' trends for most vulnerable in nation.
While violence statistically is on the decline in the US, the nation is setting an alarming trend in how it treats the most vulnerable--the hungry, homeless, and uninsured families. That's the report from researchers at Manchester College in their latest National Index of Violence and Harm, according to a press release from the college located in North Manchester, Ind. Manchester is a Church of the Brethren liberal arts college.
Even before the Gulf Coast devastation of Hurricane Katrina, emergency food requests had increased 14.4 percent in just one year--from 2003 to 2004--with 38.2 million people or 13.2 percent of the population living in households experiencing "food insecurity," according to the study.
Several other statistically significant trends emerged in the study of US Census data by three faculty members and a student at Manchester. The team examined 1995-2004 poverty and income levels for several groups in the US population. In 2004, more than 81 percent of US major cities turned people away from overwhelmed shelters, while families with children comprised 35-40 percent of the US homeless population. In that same year, 45.8 million people were without health insurance.
Nevertheless, the latest National Index of Harm and Violence shows positive trends in 14 of the 19 variables measured over the nine-year study period. The index is divided into two broad categories of violence/harm. The Personal Index includes, for example, homicide, suicide, and drug deaths. The Societal Index includes, for example, police abuse, corporate pollution, and child abuse. It also includes harm resulting from the structuring of society, such as poverty and discrimination.
Street crime declined sharply, the index shows, helping to fuel an overall 14 percent drop in the Personal Index since 1995. The Societal Index also dropped, although it did include an increase in the government category (correctional system and law enforcement).
"As opposed to the more familiar and dramatic personal harm, such as homicide, societal harm is just as destructive and is far more pervasive in our society," noted sociology and social work professor Bradley L. Yoder, one of the researchers. "Many more people are adversely affected by structural and institutional forces."
The clearest example of worsening societal harm is social negligence, which continues to climb. Although the high school dropout rate fell significantly in 2002 to 3.4 percent, after hovering near 4.5 percent for six years, in 2003 it bounced up to 3.8 percent.
Other social negligence indicators continued to rise in 2003, some dramatically: lack of health insurance--from 15.2 to 15.6 percent of the population, with 45 million uninsured in 2003; hunger--more than 12.5 million households experienced food insecurity up from 12.1 million in 2002, according to the US Department of Agriculture; homelessness--in 2003 an average increase of 7 percent in requests for emergency housing across major metropolitan areas.
The Manchester College research team is led by psychology professor Neil J. Wollman, and also includes James Brumbaugh-Smith, associate professor of mathematics and computer science, and sophomore Jonathan Largent of Muncie, Ind. The faculty members have been compiling the Index since 1995.
The Manchester College research is unique in considering the homelessness and dropout rates together, said Wollman, senior fellow of the Manchester College Peace Studies Institute and professor of psychology. "By examining them together, we can see whether our society responds adequately to the needs of its citizens, particularly those who are most vulnerable," he said. "Given the basic nature of these long unfulfilled needs--and the fact that all other industrialized countries do provide in these areas--we may need to look more closely at ourselves and our self-image of being a compassionate people."
For example, non-whites were still 2.7 times more likely to be in poverty in 2003. And, while the gap in poverty disparity declined strongly for gender, race, and age, class differences continued to climb. The disparity for 2003 was the greatest on record.
To learn more about the National Index of Harm and Violence and to contact the researchers, visit www.manchester.edu/links/violenceindex. The independent, liberal arts Manchester College is home to the nation's first undergraduate peace studies program and the Graduation Pledge Alliance. To learn more about Manchester visit www.manchester.edu.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
top
While violence statistically is on the decline in the US, the nation is setting an alarming trend in how it treats the most vulnerable--the hungry, homeless, and uninsured families. That's the report from researchers at Manchester College in their latest National Index of Violence and Harm, according to a press release from the college located in North Manchester, Ind. Manchester is a Church of the Brethren liberal arts college.
Even before the Gulf Coast devastation of Hurricane Katrina, emergency food requests had increased 14.4 percent in just one year--from 2003 to 2004--with 38.2 million people or 13.2 percent of the population living in households experiencing "food insecurity," according to the study.
Several other statistically significant trends emerged in the study of US Census data by three faculty members and a student at Manchester. The team examined 1995-2004 poverty and income levels for several groups in the US population. In 2004, more than 81 percent of US major cities turned people away from overwhelmed shelters, while families with children comprised 35-40 percent of the US homeless population. In that same year, 45.8 million people were without health insurance.
Nevertheless, the latest National Index of Harm and Violence shows positive trends in 14 of the 19 variables measured over the nine-year study period. The index is divided into two broad categories of violence/harm. The Personal Index includes, for example, homicide, suicide, and drug deaths. The Societal Index includes, for example, police abuse, corporate pollution, and child abuse. It also includes harm resulting from the structuring of society, such as poverty and discrimination.
Street crime declined sharply, the index shows, helping to fuel an overall 14 percent drop in the Personal Index since 1995. The Societal Index also dropped, although it did include an increase in the government category (correctional system and law enforcement).
"As opposed to the more familiar and dramatic personal harm, such as homicide, societal harm is just as destructive and is far more pervasive in our society," noted sociology and social work professor Bradley L. Yoder, one of the researchers. "Many more people are adversely affected by structural and institutional forces."
The clearest example of worsening societal harm is social negligence, which continues to climb. Although the high school dropout rate fell significantly in 2002 to 3.4 percent, after hovering near 4.5 percent for six years, in 2003 it bounced up to 3.8 percent.
Other social negligence indicators continued to rise in 2003, some dramatically: lack of health insurance--from 15.2 to 15.6 percent of the population, with 45 million uninsured in 2003; hunger--more than 12.5 million households experienced food insecurity up from 12.1 million in 2002, according to the US Department of Agriculture; homelessness--in 2003 an average increase of 7 percent in requests for emergency housing across major metropolitan areas.
The Manchester College research team is led by psychology professor Neil J. Wollman, and also includes James Brumbaugh-Smith, associate professor of mathematics and computer science, and sophomore Jonathan Largent of Muncie, Ind. The faculty members have been compiling the Index since 1995.
The Manchester College research is unique in considering the homelessness and dropout rates together, said Wollman, senior fellow of the Manchester College Peace Studies Institute and professor of psychology. "By examining them together, we can see whether our society responds adequately to the needs of its citizens, particularly those who are most vulnerable," he said. "Given the basic nature of these long unfulfilled needs--and the fact that all other industrialized countries do provide in these areas--we may need to look more closely at ourselves and our self-image of being a compassionate people."
For example, non-whites were still 2.7 times more likely to be in poverty in 2003. And, while the gap in poverty disparity declined strongly for gender, race, and age, class differences continued to climb. The disparity for 2003 was the greatest on record.
To learn more about the National Index of Harm and Violence and to contact the researchers, visit www.manchester.edu/links/violenceindex. The independent, liberal arts Manchester College is home to the nation's first undergraduate peace studies program and the Graduation Pledge Alliance. To learn more about Manchester visit www.manchester.edu.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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On tsunami anniversary, Church World Service sees signs of recovery at 'people level.'
Dec. 26, 2005, marked the first anniversary of the tsunami that claimed some 275,000 lives in south Asia. Church World Service (CWS) said the tsunami generated the single largest organizational mobilization in response to a natural disaster in the agency's 60-year history.
As of late December, CWS said in a press release that progress is visibly spreading in affected areas despite continuing challenges. Hundreds of thousands of people, however, are still homeless and living in tents, improvised emergency shelters, and transitional living centers.
CWS has raised $11,436,822 in cash and $6,612,010 in material goods for tsunami relief, the release said. Most of that aid has been directed to Indonesia but also was distributed in Sri Lanka, India, Somalia, and Thailand. CWS Emergency Response Program director Donna Derr said the cash expenditures and material donations have included food aid, emergency shelter, medical assistance, clean water and sanitation facilities reconstruction, psycho-social programs for children, health and nutritional support, reconstruction of homes, and livelihoods recovery programs.
The release cited examples of progress, such as the village of Meue in Aceh Province, Indonesia, where the tsunami destroyed the fishing fleet, most houses, and nearly all livestock. Sounds of renewed enterprise and life are filling the air again in Meue, the release said. In partnership with villagers, CWS teams have drawn from nearby communities and local contractors to help rebuild the village. CWS began a livelihoods recovery project in Meue soon after the tsunami, but further assessments also revealed a continued and urgent need for shelter. CWS Indonesia director Maurice Bloem said the agency has since provided shelter assistance to the village.
"In terms of where affected areas of Indonesia were on the day after the tsunami and where they are now, progress has been such that survivors now have access to basic health, nutrition, education, water services, sanitation facilities, and temporary shelter, as well as increasing access to permanent housing and recovery of livelihoods," said John L. McCullough, CWS executive director.
"Church World Service and our partners in Aceh have been focusing on people first, and on community needs. We've made great strides in either restoring or building new water and sanitation facilities throughout the region," said Bloem. The greatest challenges, however, "are still to provide permanent shelters and better living conditions for people made homeless by the tsunami, and to assist affected communities in recovering their livelihoods," he said.
The reconstruction process will take years, according to Bloem, "because of poor infrastructure, even pre-tsunami, and supply bottlenecks for everything from building materials to skilled labor. Fishing boats cannot be replaced overnight and re-building livelihoods takes longterm commitment," he said. "Especially in Nias, all this is happening against a backdrop of extreme poverty and decades of government neglect, while in Aceh a civil war has just ended after three decades."
Among continuing challenges CWS cited persisting needs for building materials, educational resources for children, and health and medical resources. "This is why Church World Service is continuing to raise funds," Bloem said. "Longterm recovery means just that, and proper financial and programmatic support will be the 'make or break' of this region's future." The agency plans to continue its public fundraising appeal for another 14 months and anticipates continuing recovery programs in Indonesia for some years to come.
Many of the agency's beneficiaries are children, the release said. In Aceh Province, nine-year-old Kursiah lost her father in the tsunami and nearly lost her mother, who was swept away by the water but survived. Now living in Cot Kilat Barracks, maintained by the Indonesian government, Kursiah participates in CWS-run activities for children called Fun and Educational Activities in Tents (FEAT). Kursiah says the games and activities keep her busy so that she doesn't become sad thinking about her father.
For more details see www.churchworldservice.org. The Church of the Brethren contributes to the work of Church World Service through grants from the Emergency Disaster Fund of the General Board. For more about the fund and the General Board's Emergency Response/Service Ministries see www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
top
Dec. 26, 2005, marked the first anniversary of the tsunami that claimed some 275,000 lives in south Asia. Church World Service (CWS) said the tsunami generated the single largest organizational mobilization in response to a natural disaster in the agency's 60-year history.
As of late December, CWS said in a press release that progress is visibly spreading in affected areas despite continuing challenges. Hundreds of thousands of people, however, are still homeless and living in tents, improvised emergency shelters, and transitional living centers.
CWS has raised $11,436,822 in cash and $6,612,010 in material goods for tsunami relief, the release said. Most of that aid has been directed to Indonesia but also was distributed in Sri Lanka, India, Somalia, and Thailand. CWS Emergency Response Program director Donna Derr said the cash expenditures and material donations have included food aid, emergency shelter, medical assistance, clean water and sanitation facilities reconstruction, psycho-social programs for children, health and nutritional support, reconstruction of homes, and livelihoods recovery programs.
The release cited examples of progress, such as the village of Meue in Aceh Province, Indonesia, where the tsunami destroyed the fishing fleet, most houses, and nearly all livestock. Sounds of renewed enterprise and life are filling the air again in Meue, the release said. In partnership with villagers, CWS teams have drawn from nearby communities and local contractors to help rebuild the village. CWS began a livelihoods recovery project in Meue soon after the tsunami, but further assessments also revealed a continued and urgent need for shelter. CWS Indonesia director Maurice Bloem said the agency has since provided shelter assistance to the village.
"In terms of where affected areas of Indonesia were on the day after the tsunami and where they are now, progress has been such that survivors now have access to basic health, nutrition, education, water services, sanitation facilities, and temporary shelter, as well as increasing access to permanent housing and recovery of livelihoods," said John L. McCullough, CWS executive director.
"Church World Service and our partners in Aceh have been focusing on people first, and on community needs. We've made great strides in either restoring or building new water and sanitation facilities throughout the region," said Bloem. The greatest challenges, however, "are still to provide permanent shelters and better living conditions for people made homeless by the tsunami, and to assist affected communities in recovering their livelihoods," he said.
The reconstruction process will take years, according to Bloem, "because of poor infrastructure, even pre-tsunami, and supply bottlenecks for everything from building materials to skilled labor. Fishing boats cannot be replaced overnight and re-building livelihoods takes longterm commitment," he said. "Especially in Nias, all this is happening against a backdrop of extreme poverty and decades of government neglect, while in Aceh a civil war has just ended after three decades."
Among continuing challenges CWS cited persisting needs for building materials, educational resources for children, and health and medical resources. "This is why Church World Service is continuing to raise funds," Bloem said. "Longterm recovery means just that, and proper financial and programmatic support will be the 'make or break' of this region's future." The agency plans to continue its public fundraising appeal for another 14 months and anticipates continuing recovery programs in Indonesia for some years to come.
Many of the agency's beneficiaries are children, the release said. In Aceh Province, nine-year-old Kursiah lost her father in the tsunami and nearly lost her mother, who was swept away by the water but survived. Now living in Cot Kilat Barracks, maintained by the Indonesian government, Kursiah participates in CWS-run activities for children called Fun and Educational Activities in Tents (FEAT). Kursiah says the games and activities keep her busy so that she doesn't become sad thinking about her father.
For more details see www.churchworldservice.org. The Church of the Brethren contributes to the work of Church World Service through grants from the Emergency Disaster Fund of the General Board. For more about the fund and the General Board's Emergency Response/Service Ministries see www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
top
Brethren bits: Job openings, Martin Luther King Day events, and more.
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- Bethany Theological Seminary announces a faculty opening for director of Distributed Education and Electronic Communications, to administer the distributed education track of the M.Div. program. The fulltime position is based in Richmond, Ind., beginning July 1. Responsibilities include providing support to teaching faculty as they design and teach distributed education courses; serving as liaison with distributed education students and the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center in Pennsylvania; teaching up to one course annually; assisting the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership in designing online education; maintaining a website and working with staff in providing electronic communications; working on joint computing resources with Earlham School of Religion. Qualifications include a theological degree at the master's level, earned doctorate in education, theology, or appropriate field preferred; successful completion of a professional development program in distance education or equivalent experience; skills in computer technology, programming, web design, and dynamic website management; familiarity with adult education and teaching experience in religion or theology; administration skills; membership and leadership in a Christian community of faith; ability to work with people of diverse faith experiences; commitment to the mission and values of the seminary to prepare people for ministry in the Church of the Brethren and wider Christian community. Submit letter of application and curriculum vitae, and request three references to submit letters of recommendation by Feb. 1 to: Academic Dean, Bethany Theological Seminary, 615 National Rd. W., Richmond, IN 47374-4019.
- The National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund continues its search for a candidate for executive director. To apply, send a resume by Jan. 17 to NCPTF, 2121 Decatur Pl. NW, Washington, DC 20008; searchcommittee@peacetaxfund.org. For a job description, visit www.peacetaxfund.org/news/2005-09-14edjob.htm. Tim Godshall has been appointed interim executive director until June 30, taking over the duties of longtime executive director Marian Franz, who has served in the position for the past 23 years. Godshall has been director of Outreach and Development for the campaign.
- The 2005-07 edition of Bridgewater (Va.) College's Speakers Bureau, listing more than 85 presentations by 25 faculty and staff members, is now available. Program topics range from "BambaZonke"--a variety show of African stories--to creating effective websites for churches and other organizations. Speakers are available with expertise on playing the game of chess, hydroponics, and the art of storytelling. Topics also include learning disabilities and differences, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and teaching memory strategies to children to help them learn. Experts also are available to help high school students prepare for college, understand the college admissions process, and learn what it is like to be a college student. Request a copy of the Speakers Bureau from the Media Relations Office at 540-828-5486 or e-mail mheatwol@bridgewater.edu.
- Bridgewater College also has announced upcoming events. On Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Cole Hall, the Anna B. Mow Endowed Lecture will sponsor "A Debate on Assisted Suicide" with Lawrence D. Egbert of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Felicia Cohn of the University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine. The Vienna Choir Boys will perform sacred and secular works as part of a tour of North America on Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. at the Carter Center; tickets are $13 for adults and $10 for seniors, non-Bridgewater students, and children. Alexander Kobrin, the 2005 gold medalist of the Van Cliburn Piano Competition, will perform as part of his 2005-06 concert tour on Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. at the Carter Center; tickets are $13 for adults and $10 for seniors, non-Bridgewater students, and children.
- The National Council of Churches (NCC) is inviting faith and community groups to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by joining in advocacy for a living wage on the weekend of his birthday, Jan. 14-16. "Let Justice Roll Living Wage Days" will include worship services, rallies, and other events to inspire congregations and community organizations to support raising the minimum wage at federal and state levels, the NCC said in a release. "There is nothing but a lack of social vision to prevent us from paying an adequate wage to every American (worker) whether he is a hospital worker, laundry worker, maid, or day laborer," King wrote more than 35 years ago in his book, "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community." Recent data compiled by the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign show that since the last increase in the minimum wage in 1997, the value has eroded by more than 15 percent, the NCC said. To have the purchasing power it had in 1968, the year that King was assassinated, the minimum wage would have to be $9.09 an hour today, not $5.15. More information is at www.letjusticeroll.org.
- "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them" from Matthew 18:20 is the theme for the 2006 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18-25. The observance is sponsored jointly by the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. The theme this year was chosen by an ecumenical group in Ireland, which "wished to draw attention to Jesus as the source of our unity" and to underline "the simplicity of two or three coming together in Christian mutual love as a vital means of building up relations between divided peoples and communities." Resources include an ecumenical worship service that churches may adapt for their own contexts, biblical reflections, prayers, and an overview of the ecumenical situation in the particular country that prepared the material. Go to http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/wop2006contents.html.
- A Place Apart, an initiative to establish a Brethren spiritual retreat center, will hold trainings during the spring of 2006 at three locations: Camp Swatara in Bethel, Pa., on April 6-9; Camp Shepherd's Spring in Sharpsburg, Md., on April 27-30; and Camp Alexander Mack in Milford, Ind., on May 4-7. "Participants will learn how to be more aware of God's presence in all of creation, how to develop strategies for living within a daily rhythm of worship, and how following Jesus means training ourselves to be mystics, monks, and warriors," said Jim Stokes-Buckles in a notice of the events. Cost is $189 including meals and activities. Paul Grout, a former moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, is director of A Place Apart, which is described as "a place where all kinds of people can come for a time to break with the frenzied pace and empty value systems of the world." For registration forms and more information contact A Place Apart, P.O. Box 307, Putney VT 05346; 802-387-4517; apart@sover.net.
- The New Community Project, a Brethren-related nonprofit organization, has announced its schedule of Learning Tours for the coming year. The trips are open to all ages, with some scholarship aid for youth and young adults. Learning Tours are designed to increase understanding, deepen faith, build relationships, and show solidarity with God's people and God's creation. Upcoming trips include: El Salvador/Guatemala, Mar. 1-11, cost $600; Guatemala, May 18-30, $500; "Cancer Alley" Louisiana, May 28-31, $350; Honduras, June 19-29, $625; Denali/Kenai Fjords National Parks, Alaska, Aug. 12-21, $500; Arctic Village, Alaska, Aug. 22-30, $800; Nepal, Oct. 16-27, $700; Sudan, Jan. 8-24, $1,300. Costs do not include airfare. Visit www.newcommunityproject.org for more information, or contact New Community Project director David Radcliff at 718 Wilder St., Elgin, IL 60123; 888-800-2985; dradcliff@newcommunityproject.org.
- Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) has begun a "Shine the Light" campaign on torture, hostage-taking, and abuse of detainees. CPT is still awaiting word on four volunteers who were taken hostage in Iraq on Nov. 26. Beginning Jan. 15--the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.--through Jan. 29, CPT will hold daily processions in Washington, D.C., at institutions that bear responsibility for war-making and ending with prayer in front of the White House. Candle-carrying participants will walk in silence guided by a torchbearer shining light on a hooded detainee representing people held captive by war and occupation. CPT invites supporters to join the witness in Washington or to organize processions in their own communities. "Communities may wish to `Shine the Light' throughout the Lenten season or the period leading up to Mar. 19-20--the third anniversary of the (Iraq) war," CPT said. The campaign will be preceded by a "Follow the Light" Epiphany fast in front of the White House, Jan. 6-8. Go to www.cpt.org/iraq/shinethelight.php for resources or to register events. For more information contact Cliff Kindy at 312-933-0546 or light@cpt.org. Kindy is a Church of the Brethren member who has worked with CPT in Iraq. Originally a violence-reduction initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonite, Church of the Brethren and Quaker), CPT enjoys support and membership from a wide range of Christian denominations.
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Group plans workcamp trip to Nigeria.
David Whitten, pastor of Moscow Church of the Brethren in Mount Solon, Va., views his upcoming trip to coordinate the 2006 Nigeria workcamp as a kind of homecoming. The Jan. 16-Feb. 12 workcamp, sponsored by the Global Mission Partnerships of the Church of the Brethren General Board, will be his fourth stay in Nigeria.
Whitten worked as mission staff for the Church of the Brethren's rural development program in Nigeria from 1991-94. "I look forward to reuniting with a lot of friends from the past," he said.
This year's workcamp will have three continents represented, he said. Six American participants will join others from Europe and about two dozen Nigerians to continue construction on the Comprehensive Secondary School at the headquarters of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). The headquarters are located near the city of Mubi in northeastern Nigeria.
Participants from the US include Kyle and Kathleen Brinkmeier of Yellow Creek Church of the Brethren, Pearl City, Ill.; Rebecca Keister of Buffalo Valley Church of the Brethren, Mifflinburg, Pa.; David Whitten and Wesley Grove of Moscow Church of the Brethren; and Joseph Wampler of Santa Cruz, Calif., whose parents were Church of the Brethren missionaries in China.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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David Whitten, pastor of Moscow Church of the Brethren in Mount Solon, Va., views his upcoming trip to coordinate the 2006 Nigeria workcamp as a kind of homecoming. The Jan. 16-Feb. 12 workcamp, sponsored by the Global Mission Partnerships of the Church of the Brethren General Board, will be his fourth stay in Nigeria.
Whitten worked as mission staff for the Church of the Brethren's rural development program in Nigeria from 1991-94. "I look forward to reuniting with a lot of friends from the past," he said.
This year's workcamp will have three continents represented, he said. Six American participants will join others from Europe and about two dozen Nigerians to continue construction on the Comprehensive Secondary School at the headquarters of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). The headquarters are located near the city of Mubi in northeastern Nigeria.
Participants from the US include Kyle and Kathleen Brinkmeier of Yellow Creek Church of the Brethren, Pearl City, Ill.; Rebecca Keister of Buffalo Valley Church of the Brethren, Mifflinburg, Pa.; David Whitten and Wesley Grove of Moscow Church of the Brethren; and Joseph Wampler of Santa Cruz, Calif., whose parents were Church of the Brethren missionaries in China.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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Deacon ministry training events, nursing scholarships are announced.
The Association of Brethren Caregivers will hold three deacon ministry training events this spring in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Florida. Each event will follow the theme, "Healing Balm." Members of the Deacon Ministry Cabinet are helping to plan the one-day training opportunities.
The association also is seeking candidates for its 2006 Nursing Scholarships.
The training events will be held from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on April 8 at The Palms of Sebring, a Church of the Brethren retirement center in Sebring, Fla.; on April 22 at Timbercrest Senior Living in North Manchester, Ind.; and on May 20 at the Brethren Home Community in New Oxford, Pa.
Each event will feature Bible study, keynote presentations, workshops, and worship. Workshops will address issues such as deacon roles and functions, care circles, love feast, resolving conflict, advance directives, and being a healing presence. Cost is $15 per person. Registration materials are available at www.brethren-caregivers.org.
In 2005, the Association of Brethren Caregivers awarded $22,000 in nursing scholarships. Candidates are now sought for the 2006 program. Candidates must be members of the Church of the Brethren and accepted into an LPN, RN, or nursing graduate program. More information is at www.brethren-caregivers.org. Applications submitted by April 1 will be considered for the academic year beginning Fall 2006.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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The Association of Brethren Caregivers will hold three deacon ministry training events this spring in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Florida. Each event will follow the theme, "Healing Balm." Members of the Deacon Ministry Cabinet are helping to plan the one-day training opportunities.
The association also is seeking candidates for its 2006 Nursing Scholarships.
The training events will be held from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on April 8 at The Palms of Sebring, a Church of the Brethren retirement center in Sebring, Fla.; on April 22 at Timbercrest Senior Living in North Manchester, Ind.; and on May 20 at the Brethren Home Community in New Oxford, Pa.
Each event will feature Bible study, keynote presentations, workshops, and worship. Workshops will address issues such as deacon roles and functions, care circles, love feast, resolving conflict, advance directives, and being a healing presence. Cost is $15 per person. Registration materials are available at www.brethren-caregivers.org.
In 2005, the Association of Brethren Caregivers awarded $22,000 in nursing scholarships. Candidates are now sought for the 2006 program. Candidates must be members of the Church of the Brethren and accepted into an LPN, RN, or nursing graduate program. More information is at www.brethren-caregivers.org. Applications submitted by April 1 will be considered for the academic year beginning Fall 2006.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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Registration closes soon for Cross-Cultural Celebration.
Registrations are due Jan. 15 for the annual Cross-Cultural Consultation and Celebration sponsored by the Church of the Brethren Cross Cultural Ministries Team and the Congregational Life Teams of the General Board. The event will be held May 4-7 in Lancaster, Pa., on the theme, "Built Together, the Household of God" from Ephesians 2:17-22.
Plans for the consultation include daily worship in a variety of traditions, Bible study, discussion groups, and prayer circles, with the Friday evening service May 5 featuring bread and cup communion. Sessions are planned on anti-racism, the Annual Conference Intercultural Study Committee, and Disaster Child Care. A new option this year is a work project on Saturday afternoon May 6. Also on Saturday, area youth are invited to participate in special events including a session for conversation between youth and consultation participants on their vision and plans for the future.
There is no registration fee for the event. Free-will offerings will be taken to help cover some expenses. The General Board will provide travel assistance for one to two people per congregation. Lodging is available with host families or participants may make other arrangements at their own expense. Registration information is available in English and Spanish. To register go to www.brethren.org and follow keyword links to "Cross Cultural Ministries." For more information call Duane Grady at 800-505-1596.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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Registrations are due Jan. 15 for the annual Cross-Cultural Consultation and Celebration sponsored by the Church of the Brethren Cross Cultural Ministries Team and the Congregational Life Teams of the General Board. The event will be held May 4-7 in Lancaster, Pa., on the theme, "Built Together, the Household of God" from Ephesians 2:17-22.
Plans for the consultation include daily worship in a variety of traditions, Bible study, discussion groups, and prayer circles, with the Friday evening service May 5 featuring bread and cup communion. Sessions are planned on anti-racism, the Annual Conference Intercultural Study Committee, and Disaster Child Care. A new option this year is a work project on Saturday afternoon May 6. Also on Saturday, area youth are invited to participate in special events including a session for conversation between youth and consultation participants on their vision and plans for the future.
There is no registration fee for the event. Free-will offerings will be taken to help cover some expenses. The General Board will provide travel assistance for one to two people per congregation. Lodging is available with host families or participants may make other arrangements at their own expense. Registration information is available in English and Spanish. To register go to www.brethren.org and follow keyword links to "Cross Cultural Ministries." For more information call Duane Grady at 800-505-1596.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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Samples of Gather 'Round curriculum are posted online.
Free sample sessions of teacher and student materials from Gather 'Round: Hearing and Sharing God's Good News are now posted at www.gatherround.org. Gather 'Round is a curriculum for children, youth, and parents in the Church of the Brethren, Mennonite Church Canada, and Mennonite Church USA.
The website also includes a price list, Bible outlines, and other basic information. Customers without internet access may call 800-245-7894 for assistance. Sample kits will be available for purchase in February, and congregational use will begin in the fall.
In addition to quarterly teacher and student books, Gather 'Round will offer quarterly classroom packs that include such items as teaching pictures and posters. One resource, for example, is a memory verse poster with photographs of children depicting American Sign Language words to represent the memory text, Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
A key emphasis is strengthening the connection between home and church. One way Gather 'Round works at this is through the quarterly "Talkabout," an item to use at the family dinner table. Talkabout will help families extend the Sunday school experience through short scripture readings, prayers, and ideas for service and learning.
A major training event will be held Feb. 10-12, 2006, at Gilmary Retreat Center near Pittsburgh, Pa. Each Church of the Brethren district and Mennonite area conference has been invited to send representatives. Those trained in February will facilitate training in their own regions.
Gather 'Round offers materials for seven levels: "Preschool," ages 3-4 with tips for 2s; "Primary," grades K-2; "Middler," grades 3-5; "Junior Youth," grades 6-8; "Youth," grades 9-12; "Multiage," grades K-6 with tips for older students; "Parent/Caregiver," designed for adult classes or individual study.
Gather 'Round is a joint project of Brethren Press and Mennonite Publishing Network. It follows Jubilee: God's Good News, used in Mennonite and Brethren congregations since 1994.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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Free sample sessions of teacher and student materials from Gather 'Round: Hearing and Sharing God's Good News are now posted at www.gatherround.org. Gather 'Round is a curriculum for children, youth, and parents in the Church of the Brethren, Mennonite Church Canada, and Mennonite Church USA.
The website also includes a price list, Bible outlines, and other basic information. Customers without internet access may call 800-245-7894 for assistance. Sample kits will be available for purchase in February, and congregational use will begin in the fall.
In addition to quarterly teacher and student books, Gather 'Round will offer quarterly classroom packs that include such items as teaching pictures and posters. One resource, for example, is a memory verse poster with photographs of children depicting American Sign Language words to represent the memory text, Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
A key emphasis is strengthening the connection between home and church. One way Gather 'Round works at this is through the quarterly "Talkabout," an item to use at the family dinner table. Talkabout will help families extend the Sunday school experience through short scripture readings, prayers, and ideas for service and learning.
A major training event will be held Feb. 10-12, 2006, at Gilmary Retreat Center near Pittsburgh, Pa. Each Church of the Brethren district and Mennonite area conference has been invited to send representatives. Those trained in February will facilitate training in their own regions.
Gather 'Round offers materials for seven levels: "Preschool," ages 3-4 with tips for 2s; "Primary," grades K-2; "Middler," grades 3-5; "Junior Youth," grades 6-8; "Youth," grades 9-12; "Multiage," grades K-6 with tips for older students; "Parent/Caregiver," designed for adult classes or individual study.
Gather 'Round is a joint project of Brethren Press and Mennonite Publishing Network. It follows Jubilee: God's Good News, used in Mennonite and Brethren congregations since 1994.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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The Hymnal Supplement series is now complete.
Brethren Press has shipped Supplement 10, "Confessing/Reconciling," the final in the Hymnal Supplement Series. Publication of the series began in 2001. Previous instalments provided hymns for seasons of the church year as well as focuses on "Praising, Adoring," "Gathering, Sending," "Rituals and Ordinances," "Witnessing: Peace and Justice," along with other worship topics.
Members of the committee that guided development of the resource are Nancy Faus (chair), Lee-Lani Wright, Jonathan Shively, Michelle Grimm, and Brethren Press publisher Wendy McFadden.
At Annual Conference 2006, attendees will have an opportunity to "Sing Through the Hymnal Supplement" at an insight session this coming July.
Order Supplement 10 from Brethren Press for $1.50 each plus shipping and handling; order the complete "Hymnal Supplement," which comes unassembled with a navy blue binder that matches "Hymnal: A Worship Book," for $13.95 plus shipping and handling. Call 800-441-3712.
Source: 01/04/2006 Newsline
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Brethren Press has shipped Supplement 10, "Confessing/Reconciling," the final in the Hymnal Supplement Series. Publication of the series began in 2001. Previous instalments provided hymns for seasons of the church year as well as focuses on "Praising, Adoring," "Gathering, Sending," "Rituals and Ordinances," "Witnessing: Peace and Justice," along with other worship topics.
Members of the committee that guided development of the resource are Nancy Faus (chair), Lee-Lani Wright, Jonathan Shively, Michelle Grimm, and Brethren Press publisher Wendy McFadden.
At Annual Conference 2006, attendees will have an opportunity to "Sing Through the Hymnal Supplement" at an insight session this coming July.
Order Supplement 10 from Brethren Press for $1.50 each plus shipping and handling; order the complete "Hymnal Supplement," which comes unassembled with a navy blue binder that matches "Hymnal: A Worship Book," for $13.95 plus shipping and handling. Call 800-441-3712.
Source: 01/04/2006 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. Jeff Boshart, Mary Kay Heatwole, Jeri S. Kornegay, Wendy McFadden, Janis Pyle, David Radcliff, and Jim Stokes-Buckles 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. Jeff Boshart, Mary Kay Heatwole, Jeri S. Kornegay, Wendy McFadden, Janis Pyle, David Radcliff, and Jim Stokes-Buckles contributed to this report.
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