Walk Across America makes change in scheduling of church visits.

"After over four years and 18,000 miles it is time for a change in the way scheduling has been handled," said Don Vermilyea, in an announcement about the Walk Across America. Vermilyea is a Brethren Volunteer Service worker who began a 'Walk Across America for Jesus Christ' in Feb. 2002. He started walking in Tucson, Ariz., with the goal of walking to every Church of the Brethren congregation in the US.

After Feb. 12, Vermilyea is asking congregations to take the initiative in arranging for him to visit, by calling contact people who will be handling the scheduling of his church visits. Vermilyea said he is no longer able to make arrangements for congregational visits from the road, and will no longer take the initiative to call congregations that are on his route in order to arrange the visits.

He also announced a change in the name of the effort: "Chapter One of the 'Walk Across America for Jesus Christ' will end Feb. 12 in Jacksonville, Fla.," he said. "The next day, Chapter Two will begin as the 'Walk for Jesus' from Florida to Michigan."

Vermilyea plans to be in Southeastern District beginning in February. "Georgia, South Carolina, western North Carolina, western Virginia, and eastern Tennessee are next up," he said, adding that he already has visited the Church of the Brethren congregations in Alabama, in the fall of 2005.

After Southeastern District, Vermilyea plans to traverse Kentucky and Indiana on the way to Michigan. Four other Church of the Brethren members will be his contact people for those states. Their names and phone numbers will be publicized while Vermilyea is completing the walk in Southeastern District.

Frank Thornton, a member of Fruitdale (Ala.) Church of the Brethren and former Southeastern District moderator, will be Vermilyea's contact for the churches of Southeastern District. Congregations interested in hosting the Walk for Jesus are asked to call Thornton at 251-827-6337.

"If you or your congregation would like to host the Walk, please make direct phone contact with Frank" or one of the other four contact people who will be named for later parts of the walk, Vermilyea requested, asking that congregational representatives speak personally with the contact person named for their area. Thornton and the other contact people are familiar with the walk and will be able to answer most questions. "The schedule will fill in, thus timeliness is important on your part," Vermilyea alerted congregations who are still on his route across the country.

For more information about the Walk for Jesus, and for stories and photos from Don Vermilyea's experiences on the road, visit www.brethren.org/genbd/witness/Walk.html.

Source: 2/1/2006 Newsline
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