NEWS

• Bethany Theological Seminary president Eugene F. Roop announces retirement at Board of Trustees meeting.
  
• Association of Brethren Caregivers Board approves new ADA resolution.
  
• Brethren from all districts trained to facilitate 'Together' conversations.
  
• Disaster Child Care celebrates training experience.
  
• Survey will help Education for Shared Ministry evaluate its work.
  
• Brethren bits: Job opening, Annual Conference, and more.

FEATURE

• Jesus Jubilee program refreshes Nigerian congregations and pastors.

For more Church of the Brethren news, go to www.brethren.org, click on "News" to find a news feature, more "Brethren bits," links to Brethren in the news, and links to the General Board's photo albums and the Newsline archive. The page is updated as close to daily as possible.

Bethany Theological Seminary president Eugene F. Roop announces retirement at Board of Trustees meeting.

Bethany Theological Seminary President Eugene F. Roop announced his retirement, effective June 30, 2007, at the March 24-26 meeting of the seminary's Board of Trustees. Roop has served as Bethany's president since 1992.

Board chair Anne Murray Reid of Roanoke, Va., shared the announcement with the Bethany community. "The board accepts Dr. Roop's announcement with regret, and with deep appreciation for the 15 years of dedicated service he has given to this Brethren institution," she said.

Roop led the seminary through several major transitions and accomplishments, including a move from Oak Brook, Ill., to Richmond, Ind., in 1994, and an affiliation with Earlham School of Religion. With the sale of Bethany's Illinois property and the establishment of prudent financial practices, the seminary retired all debt and built a significant endowment. The current $15.5 million financial campaign, "Inspired by the Spirit--Educating for Ministry," has added additional financial strength. Bethany met the initial goal of the campaign in Sept. 2005, and projections indicate that by the campaign's conclusion on June 30, the total may top $17 million.

All of the current fulltime teaching and administrative faculty members joined Bethany's staff during Roop's tenure. Among the programs developed during his years as president were an educational partnership with Earlham School of Religion; Connections, a distributed education program; the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, a non-graduate level ministry training program administered in partnership with the Church of the Brethren General Board; Bethany's Institute for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults; Ministry Formation, a distinctive design to the Master of Divinity program in partnership with church congregations and agencies; Cross-Cultural Bank, a program to help finance a cross-cultural study for Bethany students; and off-site graduate courses hosted at the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center in Pennsylvania.

Roop is a graduate of Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind.; Bethany Theological Seminary; and Claremont (Calif.) Graduate University. In 2001 he was awarded a D.D. "honora causa" from Manchester College. Roop began his theological teaching at Earlham School of Religion in 1970. His career at Bethany began in 1977 as associate professor of Biblical Studies. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including "Living the Biblical Story" and two commentaries in the Believer's Church Commentary series: "Genesis" and "Ruth, Jonah and Esther." He was a significant contributor to "Bethany Theological Seminary: A Centennial History," published in 2005.

Board of Trustees member Carol Scheppard of Bridgewater, Va., will chair the search committee for a new president. The committee will open a search in late spring, reviewing candidates until an appointment is made, with the hope of bringing a candidate for board approval in March 2007. The committee anticipates that the new president will take office July 1, 2007. Other search committee members are board members Jim Dodson, Connie Rutt, and Philip Stone, Jr.; Ed Poling, pastor of Hagerstown (Md.) Church of the Brethren; Elizabeth Keller, Bethany student; and Bethany faculty members Stephen Breck Reid and Russell Haitch.

In other business:

• The board expressed appreciation to people who are retiring or completing their service to the seminary including board member Ron Wyrick of Harrisonburg, Va., who completes his service on June 30; Theresa Eshbach, who retires June 30 having served as executive director of Institutional Advancement from 1993-2004 and part-time advancement associate 2004-06; Becky Muhl, accounting specialist, who joined the staff in 1994 and retires Aug. 31; and Warren Eshbach, retiring as director of the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center this summer.
  
  
• The board unveiled the seminary's new logo. This is the first design change since 1963, when the previous logo was created to mark the seminary's move to its former location in Oak Brook, Ill. "Consistent with Bethany's mission to educate witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the cross is prominent at the center of the logo, arising from baptismal waters and rehearsed in the practice of foot washing," said a release from the seminary. "The bottom perimeter of the symbol suggests a circle, not closed but open to light from above and new voices from beyond. At the bottom of the waters is a fish, the symbol early Christians used to express their commitment to Jesus Christ, the son of God. Atop the waters is a form which...as a book, denotes both Bethany's biblical foundation and striving for academic excellence. As a dove, the lines lift up both the dove of divine presence at baptism and the dove of peace." Creation of the logo was a part of the seminary's institutional identity project, developed under the direction of Hafenbrack Marketing of Miamisburg, Ohio.
  
  
• The board called leadership for the 2006-07 academic year: Anne Reid will continue as chair and Ray Donadio as vice chair. Frances Beam of Concord, N.C., will serve as secretary. Ted Flory of Bridgewater, Va., will chair the Academic Affairs Committee; Connie Rutt of Quarryville, Pa., will chair the Institutional Advancement Committee; and Jim Dodson of Lexington, Ky., will chair the Student and Business Affairs Committee.
  
  
• The board approved a $2.15 million operating budget for 2006-07
  fiscal year and approved 11 candidates for graduation.

For more information go to www.bethanyseminary.edu.

Source: 3/29/2006 Newsline
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Association of Brethren Caregivers Board approves new ADA resolution.

The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) Board has moved forward with plans to present a new resolution regarding the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) to Annual Conference delegates. The decision took place during board meetings March 24-26 at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. The ABC Board approved a statement calling for congregations to recommit themselves to the goals of the ADA.

The resolution, titled "Commitment to Accessibility and Inclusion Resolution," urges congregations, agencies, and gatherings of the Church of the Brethren to enable all activities to be accessible so that "all may worship, serve, be served, learn, and grow in the presence of God as valued members of the Christian community."

The resolution encourages these same groups to examine physical and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating fully; to make a commitment that all existing and future denominational offices be modified or designed to follow the guidelines of the ADA; and to request that ABC continue to make resources available to assist in fulfilling these commitments.

"Even though our denomination has worked intentionally to allow people with disabilities to more readily worship within our buildings, this newest resolution points out that more work is still needed to ensure that people with disabilities are incorporated into the fabric of our church," said Kathy Reid, ABC executive director and staff for the Disabilities Ministry. The Disabilities Ministry drafted the resolution and brought it to the ABC Board for approval.

The ABC Board also heard from three representatives it appointed to the Governing Council of Advocate Bethany, a Chicago hospital that began in conjunction with Bethany Theological Seminary when it was located in Chicago. Advocate Bethany plans to become a specialty hospital providing longterm acute care, a move that has been scrutinized in Chicago-area newspapers since it was announced in January.

John Cassel and Janine Katonah, both of York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, Ill., and Jan Lugibihl, executive director of Bethany Brethren Community Center based at First Church of the Brethren in Chicago, serve on the Governing Council since being appointed by ABC as representatives of the Church of the Brethren. Their presentation identified that Advocate Bethany has not been utilized fully by those in the neighborhood and that its move toward becoming a specialty hospital for longterm acute care is a needed by other area hospitals.

In other business, the board:

• Participated in a board development session led by Jeff Shireman, CEO of Lebanon Valley Brethren Home in Palmyra, Pa., that explored the "Green House" model of care offering de-institutionalized care where groups of 10-12 residents live in an independent home.
  
  
• Learned of several joint projects involving the Fellowship of Brethren Homes and the Peace Church Initiatives, a nonprofit corporation that is an outgrowth of the collaboration between ABC, Friends Services for the Aging, and Mennonite Health Services Alliance. The programs include a new venture in offering longterm care insurance for the denomination and anyone associated with the homes.
  
  
• Learned that some ABC staff members have been trained to lead a series of board development seminars, "Called to God's Work." These training modules are available to all boards of churches, districts, and agencies of the denomination.
  
  
• Heard reports about ABC ministries including upcoming events: National Older Adult Conference Sept. 4-8 at Lake Junaluska (N.C.) Assembly, and the Annual Forum for CEOs and staff of Brethren Retirement Centers on May 4-6 at the Cedars of McPherson, Kan.
  
  
• Recognized the contributions of Scott Douglas, who resigned as director of Older Adult Ministry effective June 1.

The March meetings were the first for new board members Tammy Kiser of Dayton, Va., Bill Cave of Palmyra, Pa., and Marilyn Bussey of Roanoke, Va. Another new board member, John Kinsel of Beavercreek, Ohio, was unable to attend.

For more information about the Association of Brethren Caregivers go to www.brethren.org/abc.

Source: 3/29/2006 Newsline
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Brethren from all districts trained to facilitate 'Together' conversations.

"It was the best of being church," said Kathy Reid of the training event for "Together: Conversations on Being the Church." Reid is executive director of the Association of Brethren Caregivers, and has been on the planning committee for the Together conversations. "This experience was everything I hoped for," she said.

The training Feb. 24-26 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., brought more than 140 people from across the denomination to talk about what it means to be the church, in preparation for facilitating and leading conversations in their own areas. Participants included representatives of all 23 Church of the Brethren districts, the district representatives to Standing Committee, district executives, and representatives of the five Annual Conference agencies.

The training was led by Lisa M. Hess and Brian D. Maguire. The married couple, who are ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), will serve as leaders for the Together conversations to take place at Annual Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, July 1-5. Hess teaches practical theology (ecclesiology, ministry formation, leadership development, and Christian education) at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio; Maguire is pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Xenia, Ohio.

A new Together study guide and DVD published by Brethren Press was used to help spark conversation in small groups at the training. The guide is the primary Together tool, providing a flexible plan for groups to worship, learn, listen, pray, and reflect, and includes background reading, conversation questions, and worship suggestions. The training schedule included a practice or run-through of what a Together conversation might look like in a congregational, district, or regional setting, using the guide written by James L. Benedict, pastor of Union Bridge (Md.) Church of the Brethren.

The study guide is available from Brethren Press for $4.95 each, and the accompanying DVD for $4.95 each, plus shipping and handling (order one guide for each group participant and leader; the companion DVD contains supplemental images for two of the sessions--order one DVD for each congregation or group). Call 800-441-3712.

In addition, participants also worshiped together and met for Bible study and to plan Together conversations in their own areas. "The design and details for continuing the process will be determined by the people from the individual districts present," said Julie Hostetter in a communication with participants before the event. Hostetter, a former member of the General Board's Congregational Life Teams, is on the planning team for Together and chaired the training event committee.

A "listening group" served as recorders of the conversations that took place. Three process observers from On Earth Peace offered feedback on the sessions.

Reid said that by the time the weekend was over, her small group representing widely different theological viewpoints and experiences of the church, had bonded. "We sang together, we laughed together, had way too much fun, and we cried together," she said. The group of seven people included two men and five women, all from different districts, and denominational and district staff. They connected so well that they took a group picture to help them remember the experience, exchanged e-mail addresses, and have kept in touch since the training, Reid said. The group plans to meet again at Annual Conference.

The Together conversation was initiated in 2003 by a statement from the district executives identifying fragmentation in the Church of the Brethren and calling for conversation "concerning who, whose, and what we are." Since then, a group of leaders and staff of Annual Conference agencies and representatives of the district executives have been planning a denomination-wide discussion. From its beginning, the broad intent of the work is to help bring about a renewal of the church.

The training event "was a good experience," said Lerry Fogle, executive director of Annual Conference, "but one that needs to go beyond discussion of what it means to be the church, to being the Church. Hopefully that will occur in greater measure in the months and years ahead."

The February training is the jumping-off point for Together conversations later this year and next at Annual Conference and in congregations, districts, and regional events. At the 2006 Conference, "the Annual Conference officers have provided four 30-minute sessions on Together that hold the possibility to broaden the discussion and spur us on to our God-ordained ministry," Fogle said. Conference participants also are invited to a Saturday evening dinner meeting about Together, and a Tuesday evening insight session.

The Together process will culminate at Annual Conference 2007. For more information go to www.togetherconversations.org or www.conversacionesjuntos.org.

Source: 3/29/2006 Newsline
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Disaster Child Care celebrates training experience.

Shenandoah District and Montezuma Church of the Brethren in Dayton, Va., co-sponsored a Level I Disaster Child Care (DCC) Training Workshop on March 10-11. "This training event, organized by Patricia Black, was a huge success with 21 persons participating," said Helen Stonesifer, coordinator of the program. DCC is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

Leadership for the workshop was provided by Patricia Ronk of Roanoke, Va., and Donna Uhlig of New Enterprise, Pa. Both currently "wear several hats" with the DCC program, Stonesifer said. On Saturday, pairs of the trainees took turns standing on chairs and scolding their partners, who knelt on the floor. "We do that so they know how (the children) feel," said Ronk. "Always put yourself in the child's position."

Taking part in Disaster Child Care "is something I feel very personally and spiritually about," said Carol Yowell, a mother of three, who participated in the training. "I've been wanting to do this for some time now." Once the participants successfully complete the DCC certification process, they will be equipped to serve children affected by disaster.

Another Level I Disaster Child Care Training Workshop scheduled to take place at Indian Creek Church of the Brethren in Harleysville, Pa., March 17-18, has been postponed and may be rescheduled for next year.

Stonesifer and DCC volunteers Jean Myers and Donald and Barbara Weaver also participated in a Camp Noah training in Minneapolis, Minn., last week. Camp Noah is a week long, faith-based day camp offered for elementary-age children and youth who have experienced disaster. The curriculum is based upon the Old Testament story of Noah's Ark and the flood.

"Hearing this story and comparing themselves to it gives the children the platform to talk about the various phases and emotions of their own disaster experience," Stonesifer reported. "Camp Noah and the Disaster Child Care program have the same interests at heart when it comes to helping children cope with disaster."

Source: 3/29/2006 Newsline
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Survey will help Education for Shared Ministry evaluate its work.

Since 1977, Education for a Shared Ministry (EFSM) has been equipping congregations and training pastors in the Church of the Brethren. The program is part of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, a ministry training partnership of the Church of the Brethren General Board and Bethany Theological Seminary.

"As the training and leadership needs of our pastors and congregations continue to change, it is important to evaluate our current work and adapt for the future," reported Brethren Academy director Jonathan Shively. "To that end the Brethren Academy is conducting an evaluation of the EFSM program."

All current and past EFSM students, LIT group members, supervisors, district executive ministers, current and past denominational EFSM staff, and others who have had direct connections with EFSM are invited to participate in a brief online survey to evaluate the structure and overall effectiveness of the ministry training program. The online survey will be available April 3-21 at http://scs.earlham.edu/survey/index.php?sid=4.

Responses will be collected by an independent party and forwarded to the Brethren Academy for use in the evaluation process. Selected individuals may be contacted for further conversation.

"If you have experience at any level with EFSM, your input and responses will be greatly appreciated," said Shively. Direct questions to the Brethren Academy at efsm@bethanyseminary.edu or 765-983-1824.–Jonathan Shively

Source: 3/29/2006 Newsline
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Brethren bits: Job opening, Annual Conference, and more.

• The Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center (SVMC) is seeking applicants for the position of executive director. Applicants should have a deep commitment to Jesus Christ and be a member of the Church of the Brethren. The executive director is reportable and accountable to the Governing Board of SVMC and collaborates with the dean of Bethany Theological Seminary regarding Bethany's graduate program offerings at SVMC. This is a part-time position. The SVMC office is located at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College. Resumes are accepted until June 15. Applications and inquiries should be sent to Dr. Robert W. Neff, The Village at Morrison's Cove, 429 S. Market St., Martinsburg PA 16662.
  
  
• Planning continues for the move of the Annual Conference Office to the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The move will take place the week of Aug. 21-25. The office will open for business in New Windsor on Monday, Aug. 28. Lerry Fogle, executive director of Annual Conference, reports that the address of the Annual Conference Office in New Windsor will be 500 Main Street, P. O. Box 720, New Windsor, MD, 21776-0720; 410-635-8740 (primary office number); 800-688-5186 (toll free); 410-635-8781 (executive director); fax 410-635-8742. All contact information will be published in the 2006 Church of the Brethren Yearbook.
  
  
• An action alert from the Brethren Witness/Washington Office this week calls Brethren to contact their congressional representatives regarding two current pieces of legislation: immigration legislation being debated by the Senate, and a budget resolution being worked on by the House Budget Committee. The alert listed significant issues in the immigration legislation including "the 11-12 million undocumented workers currently in the United States could apply for a work visa, after paying back taxes and a penalty; ...organizations and individuals providing humanitarian aid, such as food, clothing, shelter, and medical care, would be protected from prosecution; ...doubling of the number of Border Patrol agents over five years and expanding fencing, although only in Arizona." A bill passed by the Senate will have to be reconciled with the House's enforcement-only immigration bill, the alert said. About the budget resolution in the House, the alert said that "harmful cuts" are expected for federal budget items such as food aid for seniors, young children, and mothers; education for the disadvantaged; and subsidized child care. For more information and congressional contact information go to the Brethren Witness/Washington Office website www.brethren.org/genbd/WitnessWashOffice.html.
  
  
• The Brethren Witness/Washington Office is encouraging congregations to celebrate Earth Day 2006 on Sunday, April 19, or any Sunday near that date. Earth Day this year is Wednesday, April 22. "We are glad to introduce to Brethren congregations an excellent resource from the National Council of Churches (NCC) Eco-Justice Program," the office said. "We hope you will use this resource to celebrate our earth and to draw attention to our critical challenge of caring for God's creation." The NCC resource, "Through the Eye of a Hurricane: Rebuilding Just Communities," describes the devastation of the Gulf Coast region and issues of environmental justice and racism, toxic contamination, and consumer lifestyles. It provides background information, sermon notes, a bulletin insert, and study questions to plan a worship service dedicated to the Gulf Coast. Go to www.nccecojustice.org/Earth%20Day/index.html.
  
  
• Is your youth group looking for a great place to stop on the way back from National Youth Conference? Bethany Theological Seminary is offering TGIF (tours, games, information, and food) on July 29, from 2-9 p.m. Youth traveling home from NYC will be welcomed at Bethany's Richmond, Ind., campus. For more information or to let the seminary know that a youth group will attend, contact Kathy Royer at 756-983-1832 or royerka@bethanyseminary.edu.
  
  
• Youth from the central and plains states will be at McPherson (Kan.) College this weekend, March 31-April 2, for Regional Youth Conference on the theme "Come and See." Leadership includes the National Youth Conference coordinators Cindy Laprade, Beth Rhodes, and Emily Tyler as keynote speakers; and Seth Hendricks, a member of the band Mutual Kumquat, leading music. For more information contact 620-421-0742 ext. 1226 or replogles@mcpherson.edu.
  
  
• This year's theme for "Awakening Services" in the Roanoke and Botetourt areas of Virginia, in Virlina District, will be "Together: Envisioning the Body of Christ." The theme follows the Together: Being the Church conversations that have begun across the Church of the Brethren. The services will be held at Hollins Road Church of the Brethren in Roanoke each evening April 2-5, with the message brought by David K. Shumate, Virlina District executive. Bible studies on the same theme will be held by several other congregations.
  
  
• The spring tour of Bridgewater (Va.) College's 49-voice Concert Choir, 24-voice Chorale, and student-directed Handbell Choir include several stops at Church of the Brethren congregations and other Brethren venues. Upcoming concerts in Brethren venues are scheduled at Oakton (Va.) Church of the Brethren at 11 a.m. April 9; Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren at 7:30 p.m. April 21; Camp Swatara in Bethel, Pa., at 2 p.m. on April 22; Lebanon Valley Brethren Home in Palmyra, Pa., at 7:30 p.m. April 22; Annville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren at 10:15 a.m. April 23; and the Carter Center at Bridgewater College at 7:30 p.m. April 23. The choir and chorale are conducted by Jesse E. Hopkins, Edwin L. Turner distinguished professor of music at Bridgewater. For more see www.bridgewater.edu.
  
  
• CrossRoads, the Valley Brethren and Mennonite Heritage Center in Harrisonburg, Va., is sponsoring two events in April: an Open House for the Breneman-Turner Mill on April 15, 1-5 p.m.; and an annual Easter Sunrise Service on April 16, 6:30 a.m., on the CrossRoads hilltop. The 200-year-old mill, which will soon be on the National Historic Register, is the only remaining pre-Civil War mill in Rockingham County still fully equipped with grist mill equipment. The public is invited to hear plans to restore and preserve the mill at the open house, which also will feature tours. The Easter Sunrise Service will be held at 711 Garbers Church Rd., sponsored by Harrisonburg First Church of the Brethren and Weavers Mennonite Church. Bring a lawn chair. In case of rain go to Weavers Mennonite Church. For more information see www.vbmhc.org.
  
  
• A Greater Gift (SERRV) Shop at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., will hold its annual Seconds and Overstock Sale on March 30-April 8, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. The sale will be held in the SERRV warehouse. Textiles, pottery, jewelry, furniture and more are 75 percent off original prices. Artisans have received a fair trade wage before any merchandise is sold. No children are used in the production of food or craft items. For more information go to www.agreatergift.org.
  
  
• Valeria Fike, a Church of the Brethren member and librarian at College of DuPage Library in Glen Ellyn, Ill., is featured on the cover of "Library Journal" as the "Paraprofessional of the Year." A lead article about her work as supervisor of reference support and College and Career Information Center services is written by John N. Berry III. Fike holds a master's degree in theology from Bethany Theological Seminary and is an ordained minister.

Source: 3/29/2006 Newsline
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Jesus Jubilee program refreshes Nigerian congregations and pastors.

Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has developed a congregational renewal program with the help of Robert Krouse, Nigeria mission coordinator for the Church of the Brethren General Board.

The program called Jesus Jubilee is a three-day event hosted by congregations on Friday through Sunday with the aim of stimulating the church's growth and maturity of Christian discipleship. The program emphasizes identifying obstacles to spiritual growth, identifying stages of development a disciple must go through on the way to maturity in Christ, and developing a dynamic personal and corporate prayer life in the faith community.

Nearly 10,000 people have participate in Jesus Jubilee, and many congregations have requested a visit from the congregational renewal team. A similar program is being developed for EYN's pastors and evangelists. An outgrowth of the effort has been the development of the EYN Office of Pastoral Development with Anthony Ndamsai serving as coordinator.

Krouse said that 66 pastors attended a first pastoral development seminar in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. Word spread and 258 pastors attended the second seminar held a month later. Since then, five seminars have been held in five different regions of EYN, giving every pastor an opportunity to attend. A second series of seminars is planned to run each month for five months, beginning in April and concluding in August.

Following is Krouse's report of the beginnings of Jesus Jubilee:

"This project began as a field work assignment for Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN) students. The students are required to do field work between the semester that ends in May and the next semester that begins in August. I had been meeting with EYN TCNN students every Tuesday for a time of prayer. Some EYN students who are concerned about EYN's drift away from Brethren teachings and practice were part of the impetus that lead to this weekly prayer meeting.

"After several months of praying together, it seemed that God was calling us to go out to local congregations with a message of renewal. The idea of Jubilee came from Leviticus 25 where God calls the people of Israel to have a kind of spiritual house cleaning and renew their commitment to God and recommit themselves to the original covenant every 50 years. It seems that God understands our human tendency to forget who we are and how we are called to live.

"We decided that we could take the message of Jubilee to 10 congregations during the semester break, and we chose meeting places that were central in their districts and large enough so that members from other churches in the district could be invited to attend. A total of about 11,000 people attended the 10 weekends.

"Filibus Gwama, EYN president, attended the Jesus Jubilee weekend that took place at Hildi No. 1 church. ...He ended up coming to all of the services. He said to me, 'Everyone in EYN needs to receive this message. Our pastors and people have become weary from the hard lives they live, and God will use this ministry to refresh them.'"

Source: 3/29/2006 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, Mary Dulabaum, Mary Kay Heatwole, Janis Pyle, Kathy Royer, Mary Schiavoni, Marcia Shetler, Jonathan Shively, Deanna Shumaker, and Helen Stonesifer contributed to this report.

Newsline Special Report: Peacemakers are freed

NEWS

• Three Christian Peacemaker Teams workers freed in Baghdad.
  
• Full statement from Christian Peacemaker Teams: CPT rejoices in the release of our peacemakers.

For more Church of the Brethren news, go to www.brethren.org, click on "News" to find a news feature, "Brethren bits," links to Brethren in the news, and links to the General Board's photo albums and the Newsline archive. The page is updated as close to daily as possible.

Three Christian Peacemaker Teams workers freed in Baghdad.

Three Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) workers who disappeared in Iraq four months ago have been freed. CPT confirmed news reports this morning that the hostages--Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember--were freed without violence by British and US military.

Tom Fox, the fourth CPT worker who disappeared Nov. 26, 2005, was found dead in Baghdad on March 9. A group called Swords of Righteousness Brigades had claimed responsibility for taking the men hostage, and videos of the men had been shown on Al Jazeera television.

"Our hearts were filled with joy today as we heard that Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember have been safely released in Baghdad," said CPT in a statement today. "Christian Peacemaker Teams rejoices with their families and friends at the expectation of their return to their loved ones and community. Together we have endured uncertainty, hope, fear, grief and now joy during the four months since they were abducted in Baghdad."

"Sisters and brothers, praise be to God! Harmeet, Jim, and Norman have been freed!" said an e-mail from On Earth Peace, sent out this morning. On Earth Peace co-executive director Bob Gross said in the e-mail, "We are eager for them to return home to their families and friends.... Thanks be to God!" On Earth Peace is a Church of the Brethren agency with a close relationship to CPT.

CNN reported that no captors were present early this morning when the three were freed from a house in western Baghdad, following information received from a "detainee who was captured the night before," CNN said. All three were well, unhurt, and safe, a British embassy official told CNN. The men were reported to be in the British embassy in Baghdad.

"We remember with tears Tom Fox," CPT said. "Our gladness today is made bittersweet by the fact that Tom is not alive to join in the celebration. However, we are confident that his spirit is very much present in each reunion."

The CPT statement added, "During these past months, we have tasted of the pain that has been the daily bread of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis: Why have our loved ones been taken? Where are they being held? Under what conditions? How are they? Will they be released? When?.... We continue to pray for a swift and joyful homecoming for the many Iraqis and internationals who long to be reunited with their families. We renew our commitment to work for an end to the war and the occupation of Iraq as a way to continue the witness of Tom Fox. We trust in God's compassionate love to show us the way."

Originally a violence-reduction initiative of the historic peace churches (Church of the Brethren, Mennonite, and Quaker), CPT now enjoys support and membership from a wide range of Christian denominations. For more information go to www.cpt.org.

Source: 3/23/Newsline Special Report
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Full statement from Christian Peacemaker Teams: CPT rejoices in the release of our peacemakers.

Our hearts were filled with joy today as we heard that Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember have been safely released in Baghdad. Christian Peacemaker Teams rejoices with their families and friends at the expectation of their return to their loved ones and community. Together we have endured uncertainty, hope, fear, grief and now joy during the four months since they were abducted in Baghdad.

We rejoice in the return of Harmeet Sooden. He has been willing to put his life on the line to promote justice in Iraq and Palestine as a young man newly committed to active peacemaking.

We rejoice in the return of Jim Loney. He has cared for the marginalized and oppressed since childhood, and his gentle, passionate spirit has been an inspiration to people near and far.

We rejoice in the return of Norman Kember. He is a faithful man, an elder and mentor to many in his 50 years of peacemaking, a man prepared to pay the cost.

We remember with tears Tom Fox, whose body was found in Baghdad on March 9, 2006, after three months of captivity with his fellow peacemakers. We had longed for the day when all four men would be released together. Our gladness today is made bittersweet by the fact that Tom is not alive to join in the celebration. However, we are confident that his spirit is very much present in each reunion.

Harmeet, Jim and Norman and Tom were in Iraq to learn of the struggles facing the people in that country. They went, motivated by a passion for justice and peace to live out a nonviolent alternative in a nation wracked by armed conflict. They knew that their only protection was in the power of the love of God and of their Iraqi and international co-workers. We believe that the illegal occupation of Iraq by Multinational Forces is the root cause of the insecurity which led to this kidnapping and so much pain and suffering in Iraq. The occupation must end.

Today, in the face of this joyful news, our faith compels us to love our enemies even when they have committed acts which caused great hardship to our friends and sorrow to their families. In the spirit of the prophetic nonviolence that motivated Jim, Norman, Harmeet and Tom to go to Iraq, we refuse to yield to a spirit of vengeance. We give thanks for the compassionate God who granted our friends courage and who sustained their spirits over the past months. We pray for strength and courage for ourselves so that, together, we can continue the nonviolent struggle for justice and peace.

Throughout these difficult months, we have been heartened by messages of concern for our four colleagues from all over the world. We have been especially moved by the gracious outpouring of support from Muslim brothers and sisters in the Middle East, Europe, and North America. That support continues to come to us day after day. We pray that Christians throughout the world will, in the same spirit, call for justice and for respect for the human rights of the thousands of Iraqis who are being detained illegally by the U.S. and British forces occupying Iraq.

During these past months, we have tasted of the pain that has been the daily bread of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis: Why have our loved ones been taken? Where are they being held? Under what conditions? How are they? Will they be released? When?

With Tom's death, we felt the grief of losing a beloved friend. Today, we rejoice in the release of our friends Harmeet, Jim and Norman. We continue to pray for a swift and joyful homecoming for the many Iraqis and internationals who long to be reunited with their families. We renew our commitment to work for an end to the war and the occupation of Iraq as a way to continue the witness of Tom Fox. We trust in God's compassionate love to show us the way.

Living through the many emotions of this day, we remain committed to the words of Jim Loney, who wrote:

"With God's abiding kindness, we will love even our enemies. With the love of Christ, we will resist all evil. With God's unending faithfulness, we will work to build the beloved community."

Source: 3/23/Newsline Special Report
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Credits

Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on every other Wednesday with other editions as needed.

Newsline Special Report

NEWS

• General Board meeting dominated by properties issue.

FEATURE

• Iraq reflection by Peggy Gish: 'Tom, we will greatly miss you.'

For more Church of the Brethren news, go to www.brethren.org, click on "News" to find a news feature, "Brethren bits," links to Brethren in the news, and links to the General Board's photo albums and the Newsline archive. The page is updated as close to daily as possible.

General Board meeting dominated by properties issue.

The Church of the Brethren General Board wrestled with recommendations from the Stewardship of Property Committee at its March 9-13 meetings in New Windsor, Md. The committee engaged in a two-year study of the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., and the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor. Other business at the meeting included briefings on expansions in the Emergency Response program and the workcamp program of the Youth and Young Adult Office.

The board turned away from a decision to lease or sell the Brethren Service Center, as recommended by the Stewardship of Property Committee. It called instead for an exploration of options for ministry at the property. (For a report of the board's decision, see the Newsline Special of March 12 or go to www.brethren.org and click on "News"; for the Stewardship of Property Committee report go to
http://www.brethren.org/genbd/GeneralSecretary/SOPreport.pdf).

Of the three General Board programs located at New Windsor, the committee noted the financial difficulties facing two--the New Windsor Conference Center and Service Ministries, which ships relief materials around the world. The committee concluded that the third--Emergency Response--is not dependent on the New Windsor location. The shipping of material resources is primarily contract work for other organizations, the largest being Church World Service, Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA), and Lutheran World Relief. The committee learned that these organizations expect a downward trend in shipping material resources because "there is less need and usefulness in sending clothing as an appropriate response to disaster worldwide" and they prefer to buy materials locally because it is more efficient and stimulates the local economy.

In their deliberating, board members asked questions about financial implications of the recommendations, the "human cost" of such a decision in terms of jobs and relationship to the New Windsor community, the history and tradition of the Brethren Service Center, and the value of providing services to ecumenical partners.

Some board members said they wanted to encourage programs at New Windsor to go forward "with vigor." The board struggled with how best to proceed, and with a small majority voted to create a committee to "explore options for ministries related to properties associated with the Brethren Service Center."

In other business, the board expanded its budget parameter for 2006 to anticipate more than the usual number of grants from the Emergency Disaster Fund, and to include three new staff positions. The staff positions are a fulltime director and an "in-country" staff person for the board's new Sudan initiative, and an associate director of Emergency Response. The effect of the changes will be offset by income. The budget parameter for expenses was increased by $883,900 to a total of $10,145,470.

Emergency Response director Roy Winter presented a proposal for expanding the building of housing for Gulf Coast hurricane survivors by constructing modular homes, and received support from the board. "I am just so excited," said board member Ramona Pence. "I think this is moving in the right direction."

Goals for the modular home project include the building of a home a week, expansion into more rebuilding sites in the Gulf Coast, and attracting longterm project managers and more volunteers to work both in Virginia and the Gulf. The new project may establish a "factory" in southern Virginia where the homes would be assembled, and may expand possibilities for disaster volunteers to work closer to home as districts may be able to build parts of the homes off-site. The project will require the purchase of additional vehicles and tools to equip the extra project sites. This project is in addition to current repair and rebuilding projects in Ohio, Florida, and Mississippi, and will not replace the program's traditional work. For more information contact the Emergency Response office at ersm_gb@brethren.org or 800-451-4407.

Presenting a new direction in the board's workcamp program, Chris Douglas, director of the Youth and Young Adult Office, offered a proposal to expand the ministry through hiring an additional staff member. In recent years, the workcamp ministry primarily has been for junior and senior high youth and young adults, and has been carried out by Brethren Volunteer Service workers under Douglas' supervision. Her proposal also highlighted the problem of demand for the workcamp experience, with many of the annual workcamps having been "sold out" recently. There is a call as well for workcamp opportunities to include families, congregation groups, and an intergenerational experience in the program, she told the board.

The workcamp proposal also received an enthusiastic response. "It's right in line with the boldest, most exciting news we could have thought of this weekend," said board member Kate Spire.

Other reports were received on funding and finances; the denominational study emphasis, Together: Conversations on Being the Church; a proposed historic peace churches conference in Asia in late 2007; the new Gather 'Round Sunday school curriculum; the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches; and initial steps for the Sudan initiative. Global Mission Partnerships staff said that a series of Mission Alive conferences is being planned following feedback from a first conference held last year. The next Mission Alive conference is slated for April 13-15, 2007, in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

A love offering for Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) received $7,723, including $5,000 brought from Western Pennsylvania District by Annual Conference moderator Ronald Beachley. The offering responded to interreligious violence that destroyed or damaged five EYN churches. The Church of the Brethren is invited to join in this love offering for EYN through the season of Lent.

As the board considered its decisions in a meeting room sometimes filled with tension and emotion, the theme, "Called Beyond the Waters," evoked the waters of baptism. At opening worship, board chair Glenn Mitchell told the story of his own baptism. "As I climbed the stairs on the far side and the water dripped off of me, I had a sharp sense that things would never be the same."

Mitchell reminded the group that for the first disciples, the call of Christ was beyond the waters they were so familiar with as fisherman. "They were called to leave," Mitchell said. "There is little vision in the New Testament for a settled life. Always in God, there is the call beyond the waters of our current commitment, beyond the shores of our familiarity...to the mission that awaits beyond where we can see, what we know, and all we've cherished as home. We are invited to trust, in brothers and sisters, in God, in the movement of the Spirit."

Source: 3/17/2006 Newsline Special Report
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'Tom, we will greatly miss you.'

Peggy Gish, a Church of the Brethren member working in Iraq with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), remembers Tom Fox, the CPT worker who was found dead in Baghdad on March 9. Three other CPT members who also disappeared last November--Norman Kember, 74, of Great Britain, and James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, both of Canada--have not been heard from since Fox's body was found with gunshot wounds and signs of having been tortured. Originally a violence-reduction initiative of the historic peace churches (Church of the Brethren, Mennonite, and Quaker), CPT now enjoys support and membership from a wide range of Christian denominations (for more go to www.cpt.org).

"`If I understand the message of God, we are here to take part in the creation of the peaceable Realm of God. And that is to love God with all our heart, our mind and our strength and to love our neighbors and enemies as we love God and ourselves,' Allan Slater read during our memorial service for Tom at a local church in Baghdad. We selected the reading from a reflection Tom Fox had written days before he was kidnapped. At the front of the church was a large picture of Tom, a bouquet of fresh flowers and lit candles.

"'Tom was very clear that if any harm came to him he did not want anyone to act out of revenge or ill will. He calls us to follow Jesus' example of loving and praying for those labeled enemy,' I said as part of the beginning tribute to Tom. When it came to the part about Tom's captivity for over 100 days and his death, the words were harder to get out.

"It was rewarding to see in the church the caring faces of so many Iraqis that had loved Tom. There were members of the congregation, some Christian neighbors, and Muslim friends and colleagues.

"The assembled sang a version of the song, 'Be Thou My Vision,' that Tom had liked.

"Maxine read excerpts from another of Tom's writings. He spoke of his struggle to not let rage take over, become numb, or turn away from the pain he encountered, but to learn compassion while staying with that pain.

"On Friday, the day after we learned of Tom's death, we had to decide whether to go ahead with or cancel two meetings scheduled at our apartment. One was to link leaders from the Muslim Peacemakers Taskforce (MPT) in Najaf with a Sunni human rights organization in Baghdad. They were forming a coalition between Shi'a, Sunni, Christian, and Kurdish organizations to work to prevent sectarian violence. The second was to link MPTers with Palestinian Iraqis whose lives are under daily threat and are asking for accompaniment to travel to one of Iraq's borders. While emotionally it was very hard for us to host these meetings, it seemed important to do so.

"The news of Tom's death hit us hard. We grieve--especially for Tom's family. We also continue to celebrate Tom's life as we remember his words and his work to end all forms of violence. It does not take away the sorrow, but it helps remind us why we are here and why Tom kept returning to Iraq and was willing to give up his life.

"Our memorial service tribute to Tom ended with the words we heard expressed by so many Iraqis in the past three days: 'Tom, we will greatly miss you.'"

Source: 3/17/2006 Newsline Special Report
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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. Kathleen Campanella, Wendy McFadden, Becky Ullom, and Walt Wiltschek contributed to this report.

NEWS

• Inter-Agency Forum discusses decline in church membership.
  
• Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 268 completes training.
  
• Youth Peace Travel Team is chosen for 2006.
  
• Emergency Disaster Fund gives $162,800 in ten new grants.
  
• Brethren Service Center contributes to school shipments for Gulf Coast.
  
• Brethren graduate student reflects on Gulf Coast counseling experience.
  
• Brethren bits: Correction, job opening, and much more.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Churches encouraged to focus on mental illness, older adult ministry in May.
  
• Workcamp space is still available for Pine Ridge Reservation.
  
• National Youth Conference welcomes Superchick, Medema, Gunzel.

PLEASE NOTE: A full report from the Church of the Brethren General Board meeting March 9-13 in New Windsor, Md., will appear soon as a Special Report.

For more Church of the Brethren news, go to www.brethren.org, click on "News" to find a news feature, more "Brethren bits," links to Brethren in the news, and links to the General Board's photo albums and the Newsline archive. The page is updated as close to daily as possible.

Inter-Agency Forum discusses decline in church membership.

The Inter-Agency Forum, a component of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, held its annual meeting Feb. 1-2 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Two major concerns occupied much of the discussion reported Conference secretary Fred Swartz, a proposal from the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) to examine the structure and vision of the Church of the Brethren, and the declining membership of the denomination.

Jim Hardenbrook, immediate past moderator of Annual Conference, presided at the meeting that included the Conference officers, a representative of the Council of District Executives, and the executives and board chairs of the five Annual Conference agencies--Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC), Bethany Theological Seminary, Brethren Benefit Trust, General Board, and On Earth Peace.

ABC served as the meeting host. Fred Swartz, Conference secretary, issued the report of the meeting.

Concern about the vision and structure of the denomination originated in the ABC Board, which has made a proposal for Annual Conference to examine the structure and vision of the denomination, "toward a greater sense of unity and a more responsible stewardship of resources," Swartz reported. The forum referred the matter to the Annual Conference Review and Evaluation Committee.

"The second issue concerned the declining membership of the Church of the Brethren," Swartz said. "Jim Hardenbrook raised the concern, but it was rapidly evident that several of the agencies have had discussion within their boards about the matter." The General Board is supporting a survey of factors contributing to the membership and attendance decline, and Brethren Benefit Trust and Bethany Seminary both have had discussions relating to the relationship of the decline to the number of constituents available for their programs, Swartz said.

"Several other ideas related to the decline were noted, such as cultural and social factors, family patterns, the Brethren style of evangelism, and confusion about Brethren identity," Swartz said. "The agencies agreed to keep this matter on their agendas, to give it prayer and to continue to look for answers."

"What is the Good News," said Hardenbrook, "is that it is not our church. It is God's church."

The meeting also included an evaluation of the 2005 Annual Conference and a look ahead to the 2006 Conference. A report was received on an initiative on wellness by ABC, Brethren Benefit Trust, and the General Board, with ABC providing overall administration including hiring a fulltime director. Each agency, Annual Conference, and the Council of District Executives gave additional reports and projections for future ministries. Summaries are available, call the Annual Conference Office at 800-323-8039.

Source: 3/15/2006 Newsline
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Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 268 completes training.

Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) Unit 268 has completed orientation and the new volunteers have begun their assignments. Camp Ithiel in Gotha, Fla., hosted the winter 2006 orientation from Jan. 29 to Feb. 17.

The unit consisted of seven volunteers: Elizabeth Davis-Mintun of Indianapolis, Ind., whose project assignment is pending; Tom and Gail Druck of Yorkana Church of the Brethren, York, Pa., going to the Meeting Ground, Elkton, Md; Claus Mendler of Stuttgart, Germany, to serve at the Brethren Nutrition Program, Washington, D.C.; Bastian Matutis of Allmersbach im Tal, Germany, to work at Gould Farm, Monterey, Mass.; Wanja Frank of Berlin, Germany, serving at the Samaritan House, Atlanta, Ga.; and Patrick Meinelt of Burgstadt, Germany, to serve with the Community Home Repair Project of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.

While in Florida, the volunteers spent several days serving the community including a workday at Camp Ithiel, Habitat for Humanity, and several food banks. During a weekend immersion experience in Miami, the group fellowshiped with the Church of the Brethren Haitian community. "The group also hosted a potluck for current and past BVS volunteers and had a great time sharing food and stories," reported Becky Snavely of the BVS office.

"As always, your prayer support is greatly appreciated," said Snavely. "Please pray for the unit, and the people they will touch during their year of service through BVS." For more information call the BVS office at 800-323-8039, or visit www.brethrenvolunteerservice.org.

Source: 3/15/2006 Newsline
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Youth Peace Travel Team is chosen for 2006.

The members of the Youth Peace Travel Team have been chosen for the summer of 2006. Four young adult women were chosen from the field of applicants to travel to youth camps throughout the Church of the Brethren. The goal of the team's work is to talk with other young people about the Christian message and the Brethren tradition of peacemaking.

Team members will be Corinne Lipscomb, a Manchester College student from Springfield (Ill.) Church of the Brethren; Christina McPherson, a McPherson (Kan.) College student from Boise Valley Church of the Brethren in Meridian, Idaho; Margaret Bortner, a Lycoming College student from Palmyra (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; and Karen Duhai, an Elizabethtown (Pa.) College student from Bedford (Pa.) Church of the Brethren.

The Youth Peace Travel Team is sponsored by On Earth Peace, the Outdoor Ministries Association, and the Church of the Brethren General Board's Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office, Brethren Witness/Washington Office, and Brethren Volunteer Service.

Source: 3/15/2006 Newsline
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Emergency Disaster Fund gives $162,800 in ten new grants.

The Emergency Disaster Fund, a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board, has given ten grants totaling $162,800, for disaster relief in the US, Kenya, Liberia, and Guatemala.

An allocation of $40,000 was given to a Church World Service (CWS) appeal for a prolonged drought in Kenya affecting some 2.5 million people. The funds will provide food distribution, water for people and animals, restocking livestock, and seeds for the next crop season.

An additional allocation of $35,000 supports the continuing Brethren Disaster Response project for hurricane recovery in Florida, which began in 2004. The project continues in Pensacola and is projected to take several more years. Previous allocations to this project total $80,000.

A grant of $30,000 supports a Brethren Disaster Response project in Mississippi as part of the continuing work following Hurricane Katrina. Multiple project sites are anticipated. These funds will provide feeding, housing, transport, and support for Brethren volunteers at the project.

The sum of $20,000 supports a CWS appeal responding to the Liberian civil war that has left 500,000 people displaced. The money will help with rehabilitation and resettlement and will include food and non-food items, reconstruction of shelters, agriculture recovery, water and sanitation, health assistance, psychosocial support, and peace and reconciliation activities.

An additional allocation of $13,800 continues emergency response work after landslides and floods in Guatemala. An initial grant of $7,000 was given to provide emergency food. The new funds will help rebuild a bridge needed for an affected community to transport coffee beans to market, and purchase an additional three-month supply of corn. The distribution and work related to the grant is being handled by Brethren Volunteer Service worker Rebecca Allen and the General Board's Latin America specialist Tom Benevento.

Grants of $9,000 and $7,200 cover the balance of expenses for Brethren Disaster Response projects in Alabama and Lake Charles, La., which have been closed. The projects did clean-up work following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

An additional allocation of $3,000 continues support of a CWS appeal in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. The money will provide small "seed grants" to local organizations and help the longterm recovery committee begin the work of case management.

A grant of $3,000 responds to a CWS appeal after wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma destroyed more than 500 homes and damaged another 1,200. The funds will provide small grants to longterm recovery work, and help complete needs assessments, case management, and efforts at reconstruction.

A grant of $1,800 covers the balance of expenses for Disaster Child Care volunteers and others working in southern Florida after Hurricane Wilma. This response has been completed.

For more information about the Church of the Brethren General Board's Emergency Response and Service Ministries, go to www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/DisasterResponse.htm.

Source: 3/15/2006 Newsline
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Brethren Service Center contributes to school shipments for Gulf Coast.

Church World Service (CWS) is distributing grants totaling $599,095 to 13 schools in Mississippi and Louisiana badly damaged by last year's devastating hurricanes. In addition, CWS also sent material assistance valued at $110,170 to the schools, including 7,830 "Gift of the Heart" Kits (school and health), 1,500 blankets, and five recreation boxes donated by UNICEF.

The grant program was made possible by a generous donation from Diakonie Emergency Aid, a German faith-based humanitarian aid agency. The material aid was sent from the distribution center of Service Ministries--a program of the Church of the Brethren General Board at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.

The schools will use the funds to purchase student and teacher supplies, computers, audio-visual equipment, books, musical equipment, and furniture. The 13 schools currently have 15,673 students and 1,839 teachers. The schools are Martin Behrman Elementary (Algiers Charter Schools) in New Orleans; Forked Island/E. Broussard Elementary in Abbeville, La.; East Hancock Elementary in Kiln, Miss.; Franklin Elementary in New Orleans; Gulfview Elementary in Kiln; Hancock High School in Kiln; McMain High School in New Orleans; Orange Grove Elementary in Gulfport, Miss.; Pascagoula (Miss.) School District; Resurrection Middle High School in Pascagoula; St. Thomas Elementary in Long Beach, Miss.; Watkins Elementary in Lake Charles, La.; and Westwood Elementary in Westlake, La.

"Although this has been an exciting and rewarding opportunity to be able to administer this grant program, the sad reality is that out of the 200 schools that were identified, the destruction was so bad that only 13 were able to apply for this program," said CWS Disaster Response and Recovery liaison Lesli Remaly, who served as coordinator of the grant application process.

"Most of the students who attend our school are on the free or reduced lunch program, which means they come from households earning around $16,000 or less per year," said Michelle Lewis, Human Resource manager for Algiers Charter Schools. Lewis said that many of the students recently returned to the area after attending well-equipped schools in other parts of the country unaffected by the hurricanes, mainly in Texas.

At Orange Grove Elementary, 90 percent of students come from low-income families. Stephanie Schepens, a teacher, said many children are in homes with mold conditions and in need of extensive repairs. Some are waiting for FEMA temporary housing trailers; some have already been denied. "To see things new and shiny means so much to them," she said. "The school supplies and blankets were like a Christmas some of them never had."

In addition to shipments aiding Hurricane Katrina survivors, other recent shipments of material aid from the Brethren Service Center include a CWS container for Ghana weighing 8,354 pounds with blankets, school kits, wheelchairs, and walkers; a Global Assistance 40-foot container of medical supplies for the Republic of Congo; a Lutheran World Relief 40-foot container to Nicaragua filled with 525 cartons of school kits; and blankets for the homeless and disadvantaged in Salt Lake City and Binghamton, N.Y.

Source: 3/15/2006 Newsline
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Brethren graduate student reflects on Gulf Coast counseling experience.

"Surreal is the only word I have for it," said Karen Croushorn, describing the Gulf Coast of Mississippi last fall. Driving south from Jackson, Miss., was "eerie...like a nuclear bomb had gone off," she said "We were still looking at roads that were impassible, no clean drinking water, no sanitation."

Croushorn, a member of Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren and a former Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) worker, was one of 14 graduate students and two professors from George Mason University who spent a week in Mississippi doing mental health counseling with survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Croushorn is a part-time graduate student in counseling, and also works for a credit union.

The students spent the week before Thanksgiving in Mississippi, offering counseling services to survivors almost three months after Katrina hit. The group were "not doing formal counseling," Croushorn said, but mainly just sitting down and talking with people who needed a listening ear. The opportunity to do such work is unusual for students who are not authorized to work in disaster zones by the American Red Cross because they are not licensed, she said. But the professors who accompanied the group made connections with the director of Mississippi's Mental Health Counseling Association. Mississippi had such a great need for counselors that the association was willing to take the students. The association director arranged for places to stay and sites at which to work. Croushorn's group worked with almost 600 people at sites from East Biloxi to Pearlington, and west almost to the Louisiana border. The work sites were central locations for survivors to receive services such as help with housing and food.

Many of the people the group met were aid workers themselves, or counselors who were personally affected by the disaster as they attempted to serve clients. Some of the counselors were from Louisiana, and were working in Mississippi because of so much need in the state. The students counseled both people who had evacuated, and people who had stayed through the storm. The professors worked with the professional counselors.

The group was in Mississippi when the "honeymoon period" after the disaster was waning, she said. People were frustrated with the lack of help and attention compared to that given to Louisiana, and a lot of racial tension was resurfacing, she said. "Instilling hope was what we were doing while we were there," she said. The "absolute resiliency" of the people surprised her, as well as the welcome the group received, and the thanks from the people they worked with. "And the fact that they're going to rebuild," even without the insurance or the money to rebuild, she said.

Another goal for the group was to help collect data in order to be effective advocates for Katrina survivors, because funding for such services is being cut off, Croushorn said. "In order to get funding, you have to have data." At the time, the George Mason group was told they were the last such group to be in Mississippi to help with the mental health counseling needs.

As she reflected on the experience a couple of months later, the needs she saw in Mississippi spoke to Croushorn's Brethren understandings of social justice. It was a perspective she had learned in BVS as well, she said. "It put a whole new spin on Thanksgiving, for all of us," she remembered. "First, how much being in something like that (Hurricane Katrina) puts things in perspective."

Since their return from Mississippi, the students have become advocates for the counseling needs of Katrina survivors, Croushorn said. The group is working toward doing lobbying on Capitol Hill. Some of the students planned to attend a March 14 march in Washington to protest the evictions of Katrina survivors without other viable housing options.

Croushorn has learned to talk through the "Katrina fatigue" that she has seen in other areas of the country, where some already are tired of dealing with the aftermath of the disaster. "There's a different kind of `Katrina fatigue' in Mississippi," she said. "It's not that they're tired of it--they can't get away from it, and they're tired."

Source: 3/15/2006 Newsline
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Brethren bits: Correction, job opening, and much more.

• Correction: Since 1985 there have been 20, rather than 13, Nigeria workcamps sponsored by the General Board, as was incorrectly reported in the Newsline Special of March 3.
  
  
• The Church of the Brethren General Board seeks a fulltime coordinator of Workcamp Ministry in the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office in Elgin, Ill. The position starts this summer. Responsibilities include coordination of workcamps for junior high, senior high, and young adults; developing and expanding workcamp offerings; providing training and mentoring for Brethren Volunteer Service workers who serve as assistant coordinators; managing workcamp budgets, databases, and online registrations. Qualifications include membership in the Church of the Brethren, experience in working with youth and young adults, experience on workcamps or mission trips, organizational and administrative skills, experience working in a team, interpersonal and relational skills, ability to mentor young adults and provide spiritual leadership, willingness to travel. Education required is a minimum of a bachelor's degree, seminary education preferred, and competency with database and spreadsheet software. Application deadline is April 14. A position description and application form are available on request. 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, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120-1694; 800-323-8039 ext. 258; mgarrison_gb@brethren.org.
  
  
• Bethany Theological Seminary will host its annual Open House for college students and others on April 1, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Open House will offer a time of conversation with faculty, students, and staff; a tour of the campus; and information about Bethany's degree programs and financial aid package. Bethany is located in Richmond, Ind. For more information contact Kathy Royer at 800-287-8822 ext. 1832, or e-mail royerka@bethanyseminary.edu. Registration for this event will end March 30.
  
  
• The Global Food Crisis Fund has given an additional allocation of $11,800 to cover remaining expenses for 2005 for the Church of the Brethren Community Development Loan Program in the Dominican Republic. A grant of $73,000 was given in Aug. 2005 for this program, but due to additional costs the actual expenditures exceeded the original grant. The fund is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
  
  
• The 23rd Annual Flower Show at Peter Becker Community, a Church of the Brethren retirement center in Harleysville, Pa., will feature the theme, "See You in the Movies." The show plans to recreate three well-known movies into garden sets, with guests invited to stroll through the magical set of Singing in the Rain, pop through a chalk drawing into the English countryside of Mary Poppins, and discover the sweetness of life in Willie Wonka's edible gardens from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The show will be open March 17, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., and March 18, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Suggested donation is $4, $10 for a family. Proceeds benefit the residents. For more see www.peterbeckercommunity.com.
  
  
• The Womaen's Caucus Steering Committee will meet in Fort Wayne, Ind., March 24-26. The group is hosting a gathering on Saturday evening, March 25, at 6 p.m., at Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren for anyone who would like to learn more about Womaen's Caucus or hear about the group's latest work. An entree will be provided; please bring a salad or dessert. Current Steering Committee members are Carla Kilgore, convener; Deb Peterson, "Femailings" editor; Lucy Loomis; Audrey de Coursey; Heidi Gardner; and Jan Eller, administrator.
  
  
• A book on the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II includes a 14-page chapter on the work of Ralph and Mary Smeltzer, Church of the Brethren members who taught school at the Manzanar internment camp and then directed a hostel for Japanese-Americans leaving internment, connected with Bethany Theological Seminary in Chicago. The 308-page book, "In Good Conscience: Supporting Japanese Americans During the Internment" by the Kansha Project and Shizue Seigel is a project of the Military Intelligence Service of Northern California, funded in part by the California Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, and published by AACP, Inc. Hard cover costs $39.95, soft cover $26.95, plus shipping. Order from AACP, Inc., P.O. Box 1587, San Mateo, CA 94401; 800-874-2242.
  
  
• The first CrossRoads (Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center) lecture for 2006 will be given by Stephen L. Longenecker, history professor at Bridgewater (Va.) College, on March 25 at 7:30 p.m. "Brethren and Mennonites in the Midst of Other Religions in the Valley" will be held at Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Va. In other news from the center, a press kit created with parts of a documentary entitled "The CPS Story: A Life of Peace in a Time of War" has won a Gold Davey Award for WVPT, an educational television station in Harrisonburg, Va. The show featured the stories of Brethren and Mennonite conscientious objectors in the Shenandoah Valley. Al Keim, first director of CrossRoads, served as program coordinator for research and production. WVPT first aired the show in June 2004. It is available for $24.95 from WVPT, 298 Port Republic Rd., Harrisonburg, VA 22801.

Source: 3/15/2006 Newsline
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Churches encouraged to focus on mental illness, older adult ministry in May.

Church of the Brethren congregations are invited to consider "Offering Hope: The Church's Role with Mental Illness" on Health Promotion Sunday, May 21, in a special emphasis by the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC). The Older Adult Ministry of ABC also is encouraging congregations to use the month of May as a time to recognize and provide ministry about older adults.

A special Sunday emphasis on health is sponsored each year by ABC. "By offering the hope and love of God, congregations can walk with families often isolated by the nature of mental illness--an illness that affects one of every four families," said a release from ABC. "Many times families living with mental or emotional illnesses are unable to express their pain, sorrow, and spiritual needs. Sometimes, congregations unwittingly perpetuate stigmas associated with mental illness and further silence those who need compassionate care, acceptance, and understanding."

Health Promotion Sunday resources provide congregations with information about mental illness and the church's unique role of offering help to individuals and families. They are available at www.brethren-caregivers.org. Congregational leaders can request a printed version of the resources at no charge by calling ABC at 800-323-8039.

Several new resources are also available at ABC's website to help congregations consider older adult ministry in worship and Sunday school during May. Older Adult Month helps congregations recognize aging as a natural part of living, and affirm the worth of people in all stages of development and at all functional levels, ABC said. The resources explore issues of loss, empathy, and aging, and were created by members of the Older Adult Ministry Cabinet. A series of reflections provides a month-long study for discussion groups. For more information about Older Adult Ministry, contact ABC staff Scott Douglas at 800-323-8039.

Source: 3/15/2006 Newsline
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Workcamp space is still available for Pine Ridge Reservation.

The Youth and Young Adult Office "is excited to report that all spaces for the junior high workcamp opportunities are full!" said a report from Monica Rice, a workcamp coordinator. The response to the summer workcamps has been "overwhelmingly enthusiastic, and we are looking forward to an amazing summer of work and learning while focusing on the theme of 'Continuing the WORK of Jesus,'" she said.

One camp that still has space available is the senior high workcamp in Kyle, S.D., on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. "This will be a week of service and relationship building with the adults and youth on the reservation," Rice said. Senior high youth in the Church of the Brethren are invited to register for the camp, which will take place the week of June 11-17. The Pine Ridge workcamp experience also is being opened to any young adults who would like to join.

For more information visit http://www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/workcamps/Home.html or contact Rice at mrice_gb@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 281.

Source: 3/15/2006 Newsline
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National Youth Conference welcomes Superchick, Medema, Gunzel.

There are three additions to the line up of speakers and music leadership for National Youth Conference (NYC) in Fort Collins, Colo., July 22-27. The Christian band "Superchick" will be performing during Late Evening Activities on Sunday evening, July 23. Christian musician Ken Medema also will be sharing his talent with the Conference. However, Beatrice Biira will not be able to attend. In her place Beth Gunzel will be speaking.

"We are very excited to have Superchick on our schedule," said the NYC coordinating team of Cindy Laprade, Beth Rhodes, and Emily Tyler. "They're a great up and coming Christian band with songs already out on Christian radio."

Medema has performed at many past National Youth Conferences "and we are happy to have him return once again," the coordinators said. "He will be offering not only a Late Evening Concert, but also workshops and music leadership during a worship service."

Biira will not be able to attend because of problems with getting a visa to visit the US during the summer. Beth Gunzel has accepted the invitation to speak on the evening Biira was scheduled. A Church of the Brethren member working for the General Board's Global Mission Partnerships in the Dominican Republic, Gunzel will offer a unique perspective as a young adult working with an economic development program in the Caribbean island nation. Her work includes exploring "second-generation" business opportunities for communities in the DR. She also is working to increase the capacity of the Dominican Church of the Brethren to foster ownership and enable its successful operation of the program.

The current registration count for the conference stands at 3,133. Registration opened online on Jan. 1, and continues at www.nyc2006.org. The coordinators are hoping for a final registration of around 4,000 youth, advisors, volunteers, and staff.

Recently the worship coordinators and the National Youth Cabinet met to continue preparations for the conference. The coordinators also plan to travel to McPherson, Kan., to lead Regional Youth Conference at the end of March.

Special events at this year's NYC will include a "REGNUH" 5K walk/run to fight hunger, with proceeds going to the Global Food Crisis Fund, a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board (registration is $10, pledge sheets are available online); and the collection of Gift of the Heart School Kits at a Sunday evening offering (for information about collecting and packing items for the kits contact the NYC office or visit the website).

In preparation for the conference, the Church of the Brethren is being called to an "NYC Prayer Day" on June 25, to pray for those who will be traveling to Colorado for the event as well as to have an opportunity for congregations to commission youth and their advisors. Worship resources and commissioning ideas will be sent to pastors and NYC advisors and will be available online.

An "NYC Tithe Challenge" calls on congregations sending youth groups, and individuals who are planning to attend NYC, to give ten percent of their registration fees. This would come to $40 per person. The money will go to the Global Food Crisis Fund.

The worship coordinators also are looking for stories of Church of the Brethren youth to share during the NYC worship services. "Do you know youth who have felt empowered through faith and are doing something unique that is making a difference in the lives of others? Whose faith journey was positively impacted by the 2002 NYC?" asked the group. "If you know of a youth who fits these criteria, we would like to hear about them!" Responders are asked to first seek the youth's permission to tell their stories. Send both your contact information and the youth's contact information to Wendi Hutchinson at wendi_hutchinson@yahoo.com.

To receives updates about National Youth Conference, join a list serve at http://listserver.emountain.net/mailman/listinfo/nyc2006.

Source: 3/15/2006 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. Jane Bankert, J. Allen Brubaker, Mary Dulabaum, Jan Eller, Jon Kobel, Beth Rhodes, Kathy Royer, Becky Snavely, and Emily Tyler contributed to this report.

Newsline Special Report

GENERAL BOARD ACTS ON STEWARDSHIP OF PROPERTY REPORT

The Church of the Brethren General Board has made several decisions regarding its programs and the use of properties at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., and the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The board began a move to consolidate leadership of the staff at the General Offices.

Also in the decision today, the board affirmed the General Offices in Elgin as its headquarters and directed staff to review, evaluate, and develop an action plan regarding facilities use and improvements in Elgin.

The board decided to "explore options for ministries related to properties associated with the Brethren Service Center."

The decisions came following a report from the Stewardship of Property Committee, which was presented yesterday to the board. The committee was created two years ago by the board and has studied use of the Brethren Service Center and the General Offices. Today the board acted on five recommendations from its executive committee, after receiving the report.

The report was received with gratitude by the board and the board acted affirmatively on almost all of the committee's recommendations. The board's decision departed at two points from the original recommendations.

In its report, the Stewardship of Property committee had recommended that the Brethren Service Center be leased or sold, and that the Emergency Response program be moved to the General Offices. In its decision, the board voted to appoint a committee by the July 2006 General Board meeting to carry out the exploration of options for the Brethren Service Center. The board also voted against a recommendation that Emergency Response be moved.

The board did not address an additional recommendation from the Stewardship of Property Committee that the General Offices be affirmed as the denominational headquarters for the Church of the Brethren.

Discussion addressed a wide range of concerns. The meeting included the opportunity for employees and volunteers from both locations to speak as well as the executives of other Annual Conference agencies, local Church of the Brethren members, district leaders, and visitors.

One of the concerns raised by members of the Stewardship of Property Committee was that the board's ministries are being driven by the property, instead of the ministries guiding use of property. Others raised concerns for employees and their well-being, uncertainty about jobs, the history and importance of the New Windsor property to the Church of the Brethren, the value of Brethren Service Center ministries, financial considerations, and how staff work together.

General Board programs located at the Brethren Service Center are Emergency Response, Service Ministries, and the New Windsor Conference Center, as well as staff for finance, information services, and buildings and grounds. In addition, the center hosts offices of On Earth Peace, warehouses and a retail store of A Greater Gift/SERRV, offices of Interchurch Medical Assistance Inc. (I.M.A.), and the Church of the Brethren's Mid-Atlantic District Office.

General Board ministry areas headquartered in Elgin include Brethren Press, Centralized Resources, Congregational Life Ministries, Global Mission Partnerships, and the Ministry Office. Offices of Brethren Benefit Trust, the Association of Brethren Caregivers, and the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference are also located at the General Offices.

Credits

For more Church of the Brethren news, go to www.brethren.org, click on "News" to find a news feature, more "Brethren bits," links to Brethren in the news, and links to the General Board's photo albums and the Newsline archive. The page is updated as close to daily as possible.

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. Kathleen Campanella and Becky Ullom contributed to this report.

Newsline Special Report

• REPORT FROM THE STEWARDSHIP OF PROPERTIES COMMITTEE OF THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN GENERAL BOARD
  
• STATEMENTS FROM ON EARTH PEACE AND CHRISTIAN PEACEMAKER TEAMS, ON THE DEATH OF PEACEMAKER TOM FOX

REPORT FROM THE STEWARDSHIP OF PROPERTIES COMMITTEE OF THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN GENERAL BOARD

This morning the Church of the Brethren General Board received the following report from its Stewardship of Properties Committee, in spring meetings taking place at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The committee was formed by the board to study use of the General Board’s properties in New Windsor and Elgin, Ill.

Discussion about this business item will continue tomorrow, Sunday, March 12. As of today, no action has been taken on this report.

A press release about the Stewardship of Properties discussion will be posted on this page shortly after this item of business has been completed. The release will appear as early as Sunday afternoon, or later depending on the progress of business at the meeting.

Link to the Stewardship of Property Report (PDF)
Full version - 2.4MB

Link to the Stewardship of Property Report (PDF)
Graphics removed - 72KB

Source: 3/11/2006 Newsline Special Report
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STATEMENTS FROM ON EARTH PEACE AND CHRISTIAN PEACEMAKER TEAMS, ON THE DEATH OF PEACEMAKER TOM FOX

Tom Fox, one of four members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) who have been missing in Iraq since Nov. 2005, was found dead in Baghdad on Thursday evening, March 9. The Associated Press reported that Fox's body had "gunshots to his head and chest." Fox was 54 years old, from Clear Brook, Va.

Following are statements from CPT and from On Earth Peace, a Church of the Brethren agency with a close relationship to CPT.

Statement from On Earth Peace:

The tragic news of the death of Tom Fox brings pain and grief to many of us. Tom was one of four members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) who have been held captive in Baghdad since last November. The other three men, Harmeet Singh Sooden, Norman Kember, and Jim Loney, were seen alive in a brief videotape dated Feb. 28, and shown on Al Jazeera television on March 7.

Tom Fox, a 54-year-old Quaker, was aware of the possible costs of bringing a Christian witness of nonviolence into a war zone. He wrote, "We reject violence to punish anyone. We ask that there be no retaliation on relatives or property. We forgive those who consider us their enemies. We hope that in loving both friends and enemies…we can contribute in some small way to transforming this volatile situation."

A statement released by CPT said, "Even as we grieve the loss of our beloved colleague, we stand in the light of his strong witness to the power of love and the courage of nonviolence. That light reveals the way out of fear and grief and war.... Let us all join our voices on behalf of those who continue to suffer under occupation, whose loved ones have been killed or are missing. In so doing, we may hasten the day when both those who are wrongly detained and those who bear arms will return safely to their homes. In such a peace we will find solace for our grief."

On Earth Peace has a close liaison relationship with Christian Peacemaker Teams, and has co-sponsored peace delegations to Israel/Palestine. We stand beside our CPT sisters and brothers in this time of loss and we deeply appreciate their bold and loving response to this violent act.

In a time so tender and so filled with pain, we call upon Church of the Brethren congregations and individuals to join us in prayer.

The following may be used as a prayer litany in worship services:

We pray for the family of Tom Fox as they cope with this terrible loss.
We pray for the three CPTers who still being held and for those who are holding them. We pray for all who are suffering from violence in Iraq. We pray for ourselves, that we might be inspired by Tom's witness to follow Jesus more closely in our own lives, no matter where that may lead us.

Statement from CPT:

We mourn the loss of Tom Fox

In grief we tremble before God who wraps us with compassion. The death of our beloved colleague and friend pierces us with pain. Tom Fox's body was found in Baghdad yesterday.

Christian Peacemaker Teams extends our deep and heartfelt condolences to the family and community of Tom Fox, with whom we have traveled so closely in these days of crisis.

We mourn the loss of Tom Fox who combined a lightness of spirit, a firm opposition to all oppression, and the recognition of God in everyone.

We renew our plea for the safe release of Harmeet Sooden, Jim Loney, and Norman Kember. Each of our teammates has responded to Jesus' prophetic call to live out a nonviolent alternative to the cycle of violence and revenge.

In response to Tom's passing, we ask that everyone set aside inclinations to vilify or demonize others, no matter what they have done. In Tom's own words: 'We reject violence to punish anyone. We ask that there be no retaliation on relatives or property. We forgive those who consider us their enemies. We hope that in loving both friends and enemies and by intervening nonviolently to aid those who are systematically oppressed, we can contribute in some small way to transforming this volatile situation.'

Even as we grieve the loss of our beloved colleague, we stand in the light of his strong witness to the power of love and the courage of nonviolence. That light reveals the way out of fear and grief and war.

Through these days of crisis, Christian Peacemaker Teams has been surrounded and upheld by a great outpouring of compassion: messages of support, acts of mercy, prayers, and public actions offered by the most senior religious councils and by school children, by political leaders and by those organizing for justice and human rights, by friends in distant nations and by strangers near at hand. These words and actions sustain us. While one of our teammates is lost to us, the strength of this outpouring is not lost to God's movement for just peace among all peoples.

At the forefront of that support are strong and courageous actions from Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the world for which we are profoundly grateful. Their graciousness inspires us to continue working for the day when Christians speak up as boldly for the human rights of thousands Iraqis still detained illegally by the United States and United Kingdom.

Such an outpouring of action for justice and peace would be a fitting memorial for Tom. Let us all join our voices on behalf of those who continue to suffer under occupation, whose loved ones have been killed or are missing. In so doing, we may hasten the day when both those who are wrongly detained and those who bear arms will return safely to their homes. In such a peace we will find solace for our grief.

Despite the tragedy of this day, we remain committed to put into practice these words of Jim Loney: 'With the waging of war, we will not comply. With the help of God's grace, we will struggle for justice. With God's abiding kindness, we will love even our enemies.' We continue in hope for Jim, Harmeet and Norman's safe return home safe."

--Signed by Doug Pritchard, CPT Co-Director (Canada), and Carol Rose, CPT Co-Director (USA). Originally a violence-reduction initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonite, Church of the Brethren, and Quaker), CPT now enjoys support and membership from a wide range of Christian denominations. For more information go to www.cpt.org.

Source: 3/11/2006 Newsline Special Report
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