- Easing burdens of disaster recovery in Mississippi.
- Disaster Child Care responding in New York, Pacific Northwest.
- Committee on Interchurch Relations sets interfaith focus for 2007.
- Brethren Revival Fellowship BVS unit has begun service.
- Atlantic Southeast District conference is held in Puerto Rico.
- Brethren bits: Job openings, tax-free giving, and more.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
NEWS
Easing burdens of disaster recovery in Mississippi.
Through its 300 volunteers who began arriving in Mississippi in January, the Church of the Brethren has lifted some of the burdens of families with unmet needs after Hurricane Katrina. They've helped primarily in George County by rebuilding or repairing more than 60 homes, replacing roofs and taking on countless other tasks that have earned them the respect and friendship of several communities mauled by Hurricane Katrina.
The Church of the Brethren is one of many voluntary agencies that work together in their disaster preparedness efforts through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD), formed after the devastating Hurricane Camille in 1969 to coordinate services provided to communities affected by disasters. NVOAD participate in the National Response Plan. The plan forms the basis of how the federal government coordinates with the state, local and tribal governments, and the private sector during domestic natural or man-made disasters.
"I have a calling...to assist people and to use my talents to give back to the US and to people in need," said church member Don Atkins, an Indiana resident who spent a month in Lucedale supervising others late this spring. He's been doing disaster relief work with the Church of the Brethren for more than six years.
Atkins and the group of volunteers he supervised worked on Naomi Hudson's house.
"The shingles were down, water damaged the porch, and I had no electricity or water for weeks after the storm," said Hudson, a retired sportswear factory worker in George County. "But I was able to move in just two days after these people (the Church of the Brethren) came to help."
Disaster Recovery Services of George County (DRS) gave Hudson's name to the church's relief workers. DRS, which also serves neighboring Greene County, is one of many longterm recovery committees established with the encouragement of the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) throughout the damaged counties of Mississippi to work on Hurricane Katrina rebuilding and repair projects. The Church of the Brethren is among more than 60 members or voluntary organizations that pitch in to help those people designated by DRS as needing the most attention.
Hudson has insurance but not enough to restore her house for occupancy. The Brethren volunteers showed up at her house with tools, building materials, and lots of elbow grease. She reciprocated with daily meals that included baked ham and sweet potatoes, cheesecakes, and strawberries.
Volunteers, young and old, are trained by the church to rebuild and make repairs.
The church has been responding to disasters since 1941 through its Brethren Disaster Response program. When disaster strikes, the Church of the Brethren Disaster Response provides volunteers to clean up debris and to repair or rebuild homes for disaster survivors who lack sufficient resources to hire a contractor or other paid labor. The presence of these volunteer work teams helps to ease the trauma that is felt in the aftermath of a disaster. Its Emergency Disaster Fund was established in 1960. The church also is known worldwide for its Disaster Child Care program.
Disaster Child Care (DCC) offered a post-Katrina hand to more than 2,700 children, many of them evacuees, at 14 locations in 9 states, including Mississippi. The program trains, certifies, and mobilizes volunteers to disaster sites in the US to provide crisis intervention to young children of families suffering from natural or man-made disasters. Professional counselors are also available to inform and educate parents, teachers, community workers, and the general public about the effects of disasters on children.
Voluntary organizations are an important part of the US Department of Homeland Security's FEMA mission to provide support and guidance to states recovering from disaster.
"I've got new friends from all over the world," said Hudson about the Brethren.
The feeling is mutual.
"We get more out of this work than we put in," said Atkins.
--This article appeared originally as a press release from FEMA and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. It is reprinted here with permission.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
Through its 300 volunteers who began arriving in Mississippi in January, the Church of the Brethren has lifted some of the burdens of families with unmet needs after Hurricane Katrina. They've helped primarily in George County by rebuilding or repairing more than 60 homes, replacing roofs and taking on countless other tasks that have earned them the respect and friendship of several communities mauled by Hurricane Katrina.
The Church of the Brethren is one of many voluntary agencies that work together in their disaster preparedness efforts through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD), formed after the devastating Hurricane Camille in 1969 to coordinate services provided to communities affected by disasters. NVOAD participate in the National Response Plan. The plan forms the basis of how the federal government coordinates with the state, local and tribal governments, and the private sector during domestic natural or man-made disasters.
"I have a calling...to assist people and to use my talents to give back to the US and to people in need," said church member Don Atkins, an Indiana resident who spent a month in Lucedale supervising others late this spring. He's been doing disaster relief work with the Church of the Brethren for more than six years.
Atkins and the group of volunteers he supervised worked on Naomi Hudson's house.
"The shingles were down, water damaged the porch, and I had no electricity or water for weeks after the storm," said Hudson, a retired sportswear factory worker in George County. "But I was able to move in just two days after these people (the Church of the Brethren) came to help."
Disaster Recovery Services of George County (DRS) gave Hudson's name to the church's relief workers. DRS, which also serves neighboring Greene County, is one of many longterm recovery committees established with the encouragement of the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) throughout the damaged counties of Mississippi to work on Hurricane Katrina rebuilding and repair projects. The Church of the Brethren is among more than 60 members or voluntary organizations that pitch in to help those people designated by DRS as needing the most attention.
Hudson has insurance but not enough to restore her house for occupancy. The Brethren volunteers showed up at her house with tools, building materials, and lots of elbow grease. She reciprocated with daily meals that included baked ham and sweet potatoes, cheesecakes, and strawberries.
Volunteers, young and old, are trained by the church to rebuild and make repairs.
The church has been responding to disasters since 1941 through its Brethren Disaster Response program. When disaster strikes, the Church of the Brethren Disaster Response provides volunteers to clean up debris and to repair or rebuild homes for disaster survivors who lack sufficient resources to hire a contractor or other paid labor. The presence of these volunteer work teams helps to ease the trauma that is felt in the aftermath of a disaster. Its Emergency Disaster Fund was established in 1960. The church also is known worldwide for its Disaster Child Care program.
Disaster Child Care (DCC) offered a post-Katrina hand to more than 2,700 children, many of them evacuees, at 14 locations in 9 states, including Mississippi. The program trains, certifies, and mobilizes volunteers to disaster sites in the US to provide crisis intervention to young children of families suffering from natural or man-made disasters. Professional counselors are also available to inform and educate parents, teachers, community workers, and the general public about the effects of disasters on children.
Voluntary organizations are an important part of the US Department of Homeland Security's FEMA mission to provide support and guidance to states recovering from disaster.
"I've got new friends from all over the world," said Hudson about the Brethren.
The feeling is mutual.
"We get more out of this work than we put in," said Atkins.
--This article appeared originally as a press release from FEMA and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. It is reprinted here with permission.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
Disaster Child Care responding in New York, Pacific Northwest.
Six Disaster Child Care (DCC) volunteers are currently serving families affected by storms in New York state. The ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board also is exploring a response to a typhoon in the Pacific Northwest, according to a report from coordinator Helen Stonesifer.
A DCC Center has been set up at FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Buffalo, N.Y., following a surprise snowstorm Oct. 12-13 that dumped two feet of snow in the New York area. The storm caused nearly 400,000 people to be without power for several days. High winds and heavy ice and snow downed trees and power lines. As the snow melted rather quickly, other households coped with basement flooding. Damage ranged from trees that fell on roofs, to several feet of flood water inside of homes, Stonesifer said.
The New York child care center opened Nov. 6 "and will remain open for as long as our services are needed," Stonesifer added. Barbara Weaver from Tonawanda, N.Y., is serving as project manager.
Disaster Child Care also is assessing the needs of families affected by the typhoon in the northwest, where some areas of Oregon and Washington states have received 26 inches of rain in the last day. Almost every river and stream is flooded, with many at 15 feet above flood stage, and heavy rains have forced schools, roads, and industrial closures in the Tillamook area of Oregon, Stonesifer reported.
DCC regional coordinator Carol Elms is contacting disaster relief agencies, such as the American Red Cross and FEMA, to offer child care services and to research the number of families with children who are affected, and if plans are being made to open shelters, service centers, or disaster recovery centers.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
Six Disaster Child Care (DCC) volunteers are currently serving families affected by storms in New York state. The ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board also is exploring a response to a typhoon in the Pacific Northwest, according to a report from coordinator Helen Stonesifer.
A DCC Center has been set up at FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Buffalo, N.Y., following a surprise snowstorm Oct. 12-13 that dumped two feet of snow in the New York area. The storm caused nearly 400,000 people to be without power for several days. High winds and heavy ice and snow downed trees and power lines. As the snow melted rather quickly, other households coped with basement flooding. Damage ranged from trees that fell on roofs, to several feet of flood water inside of homes, Stonesifer said.
The New York child care center opened Nov. 6 "and will remain open for as long as our services are needed," Stonesifer added. Barbara Weaver from Tonawanda, N.Y., is serving as project manager.
Disaster Child Care also is assessing the needs of families affected by the typhoon in the northwest, where some areas of Oregon and Washington states have received 26 inches of rain in the last day. Almost every river and stream is flooded, with many at 15 feet above flood stage, and heavy rains have forced schools, roads, and industrial closures in the Tillamook area of Oregon, Stonesifer reported.
DCC regional coordinator Carol Elms is contacting disaster relief agencies, such as the American Red Cross and FEMA, to offer child care services and to research the number of families with children who are affected, and if plans are being made to open shelters, service centers, or disaster recovery centers.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
Committee on Interchurch Relations sets interfaith focus for 2007.
The Committee on Interchurch Relations (CIR) met Sept. 22-24 at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. CIR is responsible for ecumenical and interfaith relations on behalf of the Church of the Brethren General Board and Annual Conference.
It was decided that an emphasis on interfaith conversations and understanding will highlight the CIR's contributions to Annual Conference 2007. The speaker for the Ecumenical Luncheon will be Brethren minister and scholar Paul Numrich, professor of World Religion and Inter-Religious Dialogue for the Theological Consortium of Greater Columbus, Ohio. A Tuesday evening insight session will be on the theme, "Can We Talk? A Muslim and an Evangelical Christian Come Together."
In addition, the committee is working on a statement related to Muslim-Christian relations and the crusades.
The CIR took action to recommend to Annual Conference and the General Board that the Church of the Brethren become a full participant in Christian Churches Together in the USA (more information appeared with the report from the General Board's fall meeting).
CIR also put in place a plan to receive a report on the Church of the Brethren's annual Cross-Cultural Consultation and Celebration.
The committee received reports that Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board, was elected to the board of the US Conference of the World Council of Churches; and that Becky Ullom, General Board director of identity and relations, has been appointed proxy for National Council of Churches delegate David Whitten who has assumed staff responsibilities with the General Board in Nigeria.
In other reports, American Baptist Churches USA representative Rothang Chhangte reported on the work of that denomination, reports were received from the annual conferences of other Brethren groups, and from the CIR representation at the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church USA.
The committee will meet next by conference call for further planning and for conversation with Church of the Brethren delegates to the National Council of Churches.
Committee members are Ilexene Alphonse, James Eikenberry, Michael Hostetter, Robert Johansen, Rene Quintanilla, and Carolyn Schrock, who was unable to be present due to weather-related flight delays. Stan Noffsinger and Jon Kobel provided staff support from the General Board. Chhangte represented the American Baptist Churches USA for the second consecutive year.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
The Committee on Interchurch Relations (CIR) met Sept. 22-24 at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. CIR is responsible for ecumenical and interfaith relations on behalf of the Church of the Brethren General Board and Annual Conference.
It was decided that an emphasis on interfaith conversations and understanding will highlight the CIR's contributions to Annual Conference 2007. The speaker for the Ecumenical Luncheon will be Brethren minister and scholar Paul Numrich, professor of World Religion and Inter-Religious Dialogue for the Theological Consortium of Greater Columbus, Ohio. A Tuesday evening insight session will be on the theme, "Can We Talk? A Muslim and an Evangelical Christian Come Together."
In addition, the committee is working on a statement related to Muslim-Christian relations and the crusades.
The CIR took action to recommend to Annual Conference and the General Board that the Church of the Brethren become a full participant in Christian Churches Together in the USA (more information appeared with the report from the General Board's fall meeting).
CIR also put in place a plan to receive a report on the Church of the Brethren's annual Cross-Cultural Consultation and Celebration.
The committee received reports that Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board, was elected to the board of the US Conference of the World Council of Churches; and that Becky Ullom, General Board director of identity and relations, has been appointed proxy for National Council of Churches delegate David Whitten who has assumed staff responsibilities with the General Board in Nigeria.
In other reports, American Baptist Churches USA representative Rothang Chhangte reported on the work of that denomination, reports were received from the annual conferences of other Brethren groups, and from the CIR representation at the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church USA.
The committee will meet next by conference call for further planning and for conversation with Church of the Brethren delegates to the National Council of Churches.
Committee members are Ilexene Alphonse, James Eikenberry, Michael Hostetter, Robert Johansen, Rene Quintanilla, and Carolyn Schrock, who was unable to be present due to weather-related flight delays. Stan Noffsinger and Jon Kobel provided staff support from the General Board. Chhangte represented the American Baptist Churches USA for the second consecutive year.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
Brethren Revival Fellowship BVS unit has begun service.
The annual Brethren Revival Fellowship unit of Brethren Volunteer Service has begun a year of service at the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Lewiston, Maine. The unit completed orientation Aug. 30 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
The five members of Unit 271 are Matt Fuhrman of Pleasant Hill Church of the Brethren in Spring Grove, Pa.; Tonia Little of Blue Rock Independent Brethren Church in Mercersburg, Pa.; Nathan Meyers of Upton Church of the Brethren in Greencastle, Pa.; and Andy and Renae Newcomer, and children Abigail and Alex, of the Pleasant Hill congregation.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
The annual Brethren Revival Fellowship unit of Brethren Volunteer Service has begun a year of service at the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Lewiston, Maine. The unit completed orientation Aug. 30 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
The five members of Unit 271 are Matt Fuhrman of Pleasant Hill Church of the Brethren in Spring Grove, Pa.; Tonia Little of Blue Rock Independent Brethren Church in Mercersburg, Pa.; Nathan Meyers of Upton Church of the Brethren in Greencastle, Pa.; and Andy and Renae Newcomer, and children Abigail and Alex, of the Pleasant Hill congregation.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
Atlantic Southeast District conference is held in Puerto Rico.
The 82nd annual District Conference of Atlantic Southeast District, moderated by Hector Perez Borges, was held on the island of Puerto Rico. The host church was Yahuecas, and the host pastor was Norma Medina.
Two workshops were held prior to the Conference: "Building Healing and Welcoming Congregations" led by Juan G. Feliciano, and "Unleashing the Power of Prayer: Becoming a Spiritual House Acceptable to God" led by Belita Mitchell, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.
Opening worship was led by Heriberto Martinez, with youth from the Arecibo congregation offering a pantomime presentation and a concert following the worship service. A licensing service conducted by district executive Martha Beach was held for Jose Medina of Manati Church of the Brethren. Ordinations were also conducted at the service for Jaime Diaz of the Castaner congregation and Hector Perez Borges of the Vega Baja congregation. Diaz and Ana Figueroa interpreted for the service.
Youth were involved in the conference, with youth from the Arecibo congregation offering a pantomime presentation for the opening worship service and a concert following the service, youth from the island serving breakfast on Saturday morning.
In business sessions, delegates accepted the nomination of Wayne Sutton of Miami (Fla.) First Church of the Brethren as moderator elect. Ana Figueroa of St. Petersburg (Fla.) Church of the Brethren will serve as moderator for the 83rd District Conference to be held next year in St. Petersburg. Other persons installed for district leadership were James Graybill and Jerry Hartwell on the District Board, Ray Hileman and Isabel Martinez on the Church Development Council, Jose Medina on the Nominating and Personnel Committee, and Jerry Hartwell on the Discipleship and Reconciliation Committee.
Delegates also accepted written by-laws changes; accepted a recommendation to close the Brandon "Good Samaritan" church, "made and accepted with sadness," according to the report from Beach; accepted a recommendation of the District Board to establish a District Designated Fund for the purpose of helping to create financial stability for the District; and accepted for a one-year term a request from the District Board to revise the 1998 District Conference decision for the distribution of undesignated funds given to the district. A committee is to be formed and a recommendation is to be brought to next year's conference with regard to the undesignated funds. A bread and cup communion was served following the business session.
During a final worship service, Mitchell offered a closing challenge to the 70-some people in attendance, and Diaz and Borges were consecrated with a moving laying-on-of-hands service at the conclusion of her message. Guests from denominational agencies, along with all of the credentialed ministers in attendance and associate district executive Jorge Rivera and Beach participated in the service.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
The 82nd annual District Conference of Atlantic Southeast District, moderated by Hector Perez Borges, was held on the island of Puerto Rico. The host church was Yahuecas, and the host pastor was Norma Medina.
Two workshops were held prior to the Conference: "Building Healing and Welcoming Congregations" led by Juan G. Feliciano, and "Unleashing the Power of Prayer: Becoming a Spiritual House Acceptable to God" led by Belita Mitchell, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.
Opening worship was led by Heriberto Martinez, with youth from the Arecibo congregation offering a pantomime presentation and a concert following the worship service. A licensing service conducted by district executive Martha Beach was held for Jose Medina of Manati Church of the Brethren. Ordinations were also conducted at the service for Jaime Diaz of the Castaner congregation and Hector Perez Borges of the Vega Baja congregation. Diaz and Ana Figueroa interpreted for the service.
Youth were involved in the conference, with youth from the Arecibo congregation offering a pantomime presentation for the opening worship service and a concert following the service, youth from the island serving breakfast on Saturday morning.
In business sessions, delegates accepted the nomination of Wayne Sutton of Miami (Fla.) First Church of the Brethren as moderator elect. Ana Figueroa of St. Petersburg (Fla.) Church of the Brethren will serve as moderator for the 83rd District Conference to be held next year in St. Petersburg. Other persons installed for district leadership were James Graybill and Jerry Hartwell on the District Board, Ray Hileman and Isabel Martinez on the Church Development Council, Jose Medina on the Nominating and Personnel Committee, and Jerry Hartwell on the Discipleship and Reconciliation Committee.
Delegates also accepted written by-laws changes; accepted a recommendation to close the Brandon "Good Samaritan" church, "made and accepted with sadness," according to the report from Beach; accepted a recommendation of the District Board to establish a District Designated Fund for the purpose of helping to create financial stability for the District; and accepted for a one-year term a request from the District Board to revise the 1998 District Conference decision for the distribution of undesignated funds given to the district. A committee is to be formed and a recommendation is to be brought to next year's conference with regard to the undesignated funds. A bread and cup communion was served following the business session.
During a final worship service, Mitchell offered a closing challenge to the 70-some people in attendance, and Diaz and Borges were consecrated with a moving laying-on-of-hands service at the conclusion of her message. Guests from denominational agencies, along with all of the credentialed ministers in attendance and associate district executive Jorge Rivera and Beach participated in the service.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
Brethren bits: Job openings, tax-free giving, and more.
- The Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign seeks an assistant director. This grant-funded staff position of the National Council of Churches works with the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, and national and state campaigns to coordinate state field organizers and implement initiatives. The campaign's mandate is to proclaim and enact God's biblical mandate of stewardship by working within the faith community to curb global warming, with special attention to the needs of the poor. Starting in the fall of 2006, the organization will engage in an intensive grassroots campaign that utilizes an education-to-advocacy framework. Location is in Washington, D.C. Salary is commensurate with experience. For the full job posting go to www.ncccusa.org/jobs/jobshome.html (scroll down to find the posting). Send cover letter, resume, and writing sample to ICEC Search, Attn: Joan Gardner, jgardner@ncccusa.org or National Council of Churches, 475 Riverside Dr., Rm. 812, New York, NY 10115 (electronic applications preferred). The NCC is an equal opportunity employer. Deadline for applications is Nov. 27.
- Retirees have a new option for tax-free giving to the church or church agencies through the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Those age 70-and-a-half or older may give up to $100,000 in 2006-07 directly from an individual retirement account (IRA) without reporting the gift as income. Previously such gifts would be taxable. Gifts must be made on or before Dec. 31, 2007, and transferred directly from the IRA by its administrator or trustee. Some funds are ineligible to receive such gifts including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and donor-advised funds. For more information contact one of the funding staff of the Church of the Brethren General Board or the Brethren Benefit Trust, or a personal financial advisor.
- The US federal budget for 2007 calls for cuts in domestic human needs programs so that more money can be allocated for defense, said an Action Alert from the Brethren Witness/Washington Office. The alert supports a call for action by the faith community from Domestic Human Needs, an ecumenical faith-based working group. The budget will be finalized in the upcoming "lame duck" session of Congress. The alert listed how budget cuts will affect domestic human needs programs including cuts in job-training programs for the fifth year in a row; cuts in the budget of Head Start of $140 million less than the program would need to provide a 2006 level of service; a cut of $43 million for child care, primarily provided through the Child Care and Development Block Grant, likely to cause 11,000 children to lose assistance; funding for Pell Grants for low- and middle-income students of $725 million below the 2006 level plus inflation; funding for the National Institutes of Health that is $351 million below the 2006 level plus inflation. The office is providing a sample letter expressing these concerns to send to a local newspaper or to members of Congress. Contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at 800-785-3246 or washington_office_gb@brethren.org.
- A workshop titled, "A Faithful Response: Supporting and Welcoming Those Who Choose Military Service or Conscientious Objection," will be held Nov. 11 at Messiah Church of the Brethren in Kansas City, Mo. On Earth Peace staff Susanna Farahat and Laura Partridge of the American Friends Service Committee, along with Kansas City pastors Barbra Davis and Sonja Griffith, will provide leadership for the day-long peace retreat sponsored by the Kansas City Metro Parish. Sessions include "Christian Nonviolence," "Military Recruitment/Conscientious Objection," "Sharing Stories in Community," and "Welcoming Veterans Home." Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The event begins with worship at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. To register at no cost, e-mail messiah15@isp.com or call 816-678-7664. Church of the Brethren ministers receive .5 continuing education units for participating in this event.
- A fire broke out at Middle River Church of the Brethren in Fort Defiance, Va., early on the morning of Nov. 7. An inspector was due to assess the damage later the same day. Shenandoah District has requested prayers for the congregation.
- The Moms and Tots program meeting at Annville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The free program attracts at least 30 moms and even more children, according to a report in the "Patriot-News" newspaper. Moms and Tots offers a program for mothers and activities for children, taught by Lebanon Valley College students and other parents.
- Virlina District holds its district conference Nov. 10-11, in Rocky Mount, Va. Shirley Jamison will serve as moderator.
- Bridgewater (Va.) College is working with two community colleges to make a bachelor's degree more accessible to local students. Bridgewater has signed Guaranteed Admission Agreements with Germanna Community Collge in Locust Grove, and Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Daleville, to allow students meeting certain requirements to transfer directly from the community colleges to Bridgewater's bachelor's degree program. For more information go to www.bridgewater.edu.
- "Who's Who Among American Teachers" is recognizing eight Manchester College faculty members for educational excellence: James R.C. Adams, chair of the Department of Art; Mark Angelos, who teaches European history and medieval and gender studies; Dagny Boebel, chair of the Department of English; Gregory W. Clark, chair of the Department of Physics; Mary P. Lahman, professor of communication studies; Heather A. Schilling of the Department of Education faculty; Scott K. Strode, chair of the Department of Communication Studies and director of theater; and Janina P. Traxler, chair of the Department of Modern Languages. For more visit www.manchester.edu.
- The Church of the Brethren's Womaen's Caucus has given its 2006 "Friend of Caucus" award to Jan Fairchild. She has served on the Womaen's Caucus Steering Committee for four years, including a time when the group had no administrator. Fairchild is retired from a ministry position in Oregon and Washington District, and currently living in Bloomington, Ind., where she is a regular volunteer at Middle Way House Domestic Violence Shelter.
- The Annual Pinecrest Bazaar has added a home tour this year. The event, now in its 15th year, is sponsored by Pinecrest Community, a Church of the Brethren retirement center in Mount Morris, Ill. The bazaar on Nov. 10, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. features holiday gifts, homemade baked goods, barbecue lunch, and hand-crafted items including jewelry, dolls, clothing--and this year the possibility of shopping for a retirement home at Pinecrest Grove, a 20-acre active adult development. For more information about the bazaar call Janell Miller at 815-734-4103 ext. 218. For more information about the tour, call Chrystal Bostian at 815-734-4103 ext. 242.
- The New Community Project is holding a Fall Retreat at Camp Brethren Woods in the mountains of Virginia, on Nov. 24-25. Leaders includes David and Daniel Radcliff of New Community Project, Carol Lena Miller of the Virginia ilderness Committee, Chris Keeney of the National Youth Conference band, and Susan Chapman, program director at Camp Bethel. Activities include singing, sharing, hiking, a photo tour of Nepal and Burma, and a special visit by "St. Francis of Assisi." Cost is $40 for an individual, $25 for each additional family member, $100 family maximum. Register by Nov. 20 at http://newcommunityproject.org/fall_retreat.shtml or contact ncp@newcommunityproject.org or 888-800-2985. The New Community Project is a Brethren-related nonprofit, "following Christ toward a new community of justice, peace, and respect for God's earth."
- John Braun, who has directed Brethren in Business, has announced that the network has come to an end. "More than 400 Brethren business persons have given time and encouragement for conversations about Brethren in Business. My personal thanks is enormous," he wrote in the announcement. He added that the network accomplished connections with a wider community of Brethren who run businesses, and helped stimulate entrepreneurism with Brethren ethical values.
- Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) has announced delegations for 2007: To the Arizona Borderlands March 1-8 and May 24-June 4, to monitor human rights and meet with representatives of human rights groups, government officials, and individuals on both sides of the border; participants arrange their own transportation to Tucson, Ariz., and raise $400 for on-ground expenses. To Colombia Jan. 17-30, May 23-June 5, July 18-31, and Sept. 26-Oct. 9, to meet with human rights workers and church leaders to gain perspective on the longest ongoing armed conflict in the Western Hemisphere, and to provide accompaniment to villagers threatened by armed groups; delegates raise $1,800 to cover costs. To Israel/Palestine on Jan. 10-22, March 19-31, May 29-June 10, July 30-Aug. 11, Oct. 16-28, and Nov. 19-Dec. 1, to meet with representatives of Israeli and Palestinian peace and human rights groups, tour the "security wall," and visit Palestinian families threatened by Israeli settlements; delegates raise $2,000 to cover costs. For more information see www.cpt.org, click on "Delegations." 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.
- The National Council of Churches has released a report giving churches "bright ideas for reducing utility bills and caring for creation." Lighting, heating, and housing activities comes at a cost to a church's bottom line and negatively impact the environment and human health, the NCC said in a release about the report. "Bottom Line Ministries that Matter: Congregational Stewardship with Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Technologies" outlines how congregations can save money as they reduce carbon emissions that lead to global warming. The report promotes moral and financial stewardship and gives examples of how churches successfully saved $8,000-$16,000 a year using energy efficient technologies. Download from www.nccecojustice.org/network (user must sign up for the network to download resources)
National Young Adult Conference is planned for 2008.
"NYAC is coming!!! NYAC is coming!!!" said an announcement of the Church of the Brethren's next National Young Adult Conference, planned for Aug. 11-15, 2008. Young adults from Church of the Brethren congregations across the country will meet at the Estes Park YMCA camp in Colorado, just outside of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Smaller young adult gatherings will continue to be held annually. The 2007 gathering is planned for May 25-27.
The 2008 event is the second larger "national" conference for young adults, sponsored by the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the General Board. The first was held at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA in Colorado in 2004, and featured worship, workshops, fellowship, singing, and meeting new people. The 255 young adults who attended called for another such conference, said the announcement from Youth and Young Adult Ministries director Chris Douglas.
"Plan now to gather with other young adults for this exciting event!" Douglas said. "We hope that over 500 young adults will come and help shape this important opportunity in our denomination."
A Brethren Volunteer Service position of coordinating NYAC will be available in June of 2007. This fulltime volunteer will work for a year in the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office in Elgin, Ill. To express interest in the position of NYAC coordinator, request an application from Chris Douglas at cdouglas_gb@brethren.org.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
"NYAC is coming!!! NYAC is coming!!!" said an announcement of the Church of the Brethren's next National Young Adult Conference, planned for Aug. 11-15, 2008. Young adults from Church of the Brethren congregations across the country will meet at the Estes Park YMCA camp in Colorado, just outside of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Smaller young adult gatherings will continue to be held annually. The 2007 gathering is planned for May 25-27.
The 2008 event is the second larger "national" conference for young adults, sponsored by the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the General Board. The first was held at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA in Colorado in 2004, and featured worship, workshops, fellowship, singing, and meeting new people. The 255 young adults who attended called for another such conference, said the announcement from Youth and Young Adult Ministries director Chris Douglas.
"Plan now to gather with other young adults for this exciting event!" Douglas said. "We hope that over 500 young adults will come and help shape this important opportunity in our denomination."
A Brethren Volunteer Service position of coordinating NYAC will be available in June of 2007. This fulltime volunteer will work for a year in the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office in Elgin, Ill. To express interest in the position of NYAC coordinator, request an application from Chris Douglas at cdouglas_gb@brethren.org.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
Brethren Volunteer Service presents a personal face to congregations.
By Todd Flory
If for no other purpose, the newly-formed Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) special assignment of visiting churches and pastors proved valuable in placing a personal face on the program. For pastors, deacons, and youth groups in 154 congregations in 8 districts, that personal face belonged to Sam Bowman, who recently completed a year of traveling the country to talk about BVS. Bowman has been serving as a fulltime BVS volunteer.
Two other BVS workers also have been making visits to congregations: Carolyn Gong has visited pastors in the Middle Pennsylvania District over the past several weeks and in Pacific Southwest District earlier in the year, and Monica Rice will visit pastors in northern and southern Ohio in upcoming months.
"The idea was to go to congregations, build bridges, have face-to-face contact, and talk about BVS," Bowman said. "A large number of them (the pastors) thanked me for coming, for being a face, a warm body, instead of a piece of paper that could slide across a table into a trash can," he added. "I wasn't going with a presentation, but to listen."
During the visits, the volunteers' main objective was to ask what pastors knew about BVS, to provide additional information if asked, to listen to what the church leaders like or dislike about BVS, and to receive any suggestions of what they would like to see in BVS. A secondary purpose was to ask pastors their thoughts on the prospect of a military draft, and to find out what support churches will need in the event of a draft.
The volunteers also gave pastors BVS materials and conscientious objection packets from the Brethren Witness/Washington Office. Bowman said many pastors were unaware of the materials on conscientious objection. "An amazing number would say, 'There should be a packet for CO's and how people could register as a CO,'" said Bowman, "and I'd show them the packet and they'd say, 'Oh, this is great!'"
Gong said the pastors she spoke to were very receptive and supportive of BVS, and that each congregation seemed like a family. "Overall, it's been a really positive experience, " she said, describing the pastors as having "a deep love for Christ in what they're doing. That's their life work, their passion." It is that passion that Gong hopes will help push more people into choosing to do volunteer service. "Sometimes people are hesitant to leave home," Gong said. "They go straight from school to the job, but that's our mainstream, our culture. I think any kind of volunteer service is vital to the country."
As diverse as the over 17,000 miles of landscapes through which Bowman drove, the views on service and peace were often just as varied. "I got to see the reality of the diversity" in the Church of the Brethren, he said. He described his congregational visits as a roller-coaster. Often, on the same day, he talked with pastors who had completely differing views on certain issues. "I could see why this person was on the right or the left, and each side had truth to what they said and believed," he commented.
Even on the peace issue, which has been and remains such an integral part of Brethren identity, there emerged varying viewpoints. "All the pastors I talked to have been proponents of peace, and try to incorporate that into their sermons, but some have different views of how to promote peace," Gong said, noting that some pastors said they were pro-peace, but still supported the military, while others viewed the military as an impediment to peace.
Positive aspects of BVS for the pastors included that it is an opportunity to live out one's faith, serve the community and God, and is an avenue for personal growth. A common aspect that many pastors wish to see more of in BVS is evangelism and more project placements for faith and faith-sharing.
A discovery for Bowman was the need for greater communication and connectedness between congregations and the denomination. Some congregations, Bowman said, feel disconnected from the larger church. Many feel not enough is being put back into the congregations, that there needs to be an emphasis placed on the congregation as the strongest part of the denomination rather than an emphasis on certain programs or agencies.
Part of creating a better sense of connectedness, Bowman feels, is sharing stories. "In general, members of the Church of the Brethren aren't doing a good job of telling their faith stories with the congregation or the district," he said. "I'd ask, 'How many former BVSers or conscientious objectors do you have in the church? Do they ever share their stories?'" The pastors would reply, "'No, not really,'" he said.
"We need to be telling and sharing our stories, because that's how things are passed down--how we share what's important," Bowman said. "If one thing can be gleaned from this, it's that our churches want more personal contact with each other, with their leadership, with programs, and I would say with God as well."
--Todd Flory is a Brethren Volunteer Service worker in the BVS office in Elgin, Ill. Previously he served as a legislative associate at the Brethren Witness/Washington Office.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
By Todd Flory
If for no other purpose, the newly-formed Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) special assignment of visiting churches and pastors proved valuable in placing a personal face on the program. For pastors, deacons, and youth groups in 154 congregations in 8 districts, that personal face belonged to Sam Bowman, who recently completed a year of traveling the country to talk about BVS. Bowman has been serving as a fulltime BVS volunteer.
Two other BVS workers also have been making visits to congregations: Carolyn Gong has visited pastors in the Middle Pennsylvania District over the past several weeks and in Pacific Southwest District earlier in the year, and Monica Rice will visit pastors in northern and southern Ohio in upcoming months.
"The idea was to go to congregations, build bridges, have face-to-face contact, and talk about BVS," Bowman said. "A large number of them (the pastors) thanked me for coming, for being a face, a warm body, instead of a piece of paper that could slide across a table into a trash can," he added. "I wasn't going with a presentation, but to listen."
During the visits, the volunteers' main objective was to ask what pastors knew about BVS, to provide additional information if asked, to listen to what the church leaders like or dislike about BVS, and to receive any suggestions of what they would like to see in BVS. A secondary purpose was to ask pastors their thoughts on the prospect of a military draft, and to find out what support churches will need in the event of a draft.
The volunteers also gave pastors BVS materials and conscientious objection packets from the Brethren Witness/Washington Office. Bowman said many pastors were unaware of the materials on conscientious objection. "An amazing number would say, 'There should be a packet for CO's and how people could register as a CO,'" said Bowman, "and I'd show them the packet and they'd say, 'Oh, this is great!'"
Gong said the pastors she spoke to were very receptive and supportive of BVS, and that each congregation seemed like a family. "Overall, it's been a really positive experience, " she said, describing the pastors as having "a deep love for Christ in what they're doing. That's their life work, their passion." It is that passion that Gong hopes will help push more people into choosing to do volunteer service. "Sometimes people are hesitant to leave home," Gong said. "They go straight from school to the job, but that's our mainstream, our culture. I think any kind of volunteer service is vital to the country."
As diverse as the over 17,000 miles of landscapes through which Bowman drove, the views on service and peace were often just as varied. "I got to see the reality of the diversity" in the Church of the Brethren, he said. He described his congregational visits as a roller-coaster. Often, on the same day, he talked with pastors who had completely differing views on certain issues. "I could see why this person was on the right or the left, and each side had truth to what they said and believed," he commented.
Even on the peace issue, which has been and remains such an integral part of Brethren identity, there emerged varying viewpoints. "All the pastors I talked to have been proponents of peace, and try to incorporate that into their sermons, but some have different views of how to promote peace," Gong said, noting that some pastors said they were pro-peace, but still supported the military, while others viewed the military as an impediment to peace.
Positive aspects of BVS for the pastors included that it is an opportunity to live out one's faith, serve the community and God, and is an avenue for personal growth. A common aspect that many pastors wish to see more of in BVS is evangelism and more project placements for faith and faith-sharing.
A discovery for Bowman was the need for greater communication and connectedness between congregations and the denomination. Some congregations, Bowman said, feel disconnected from the larger church. Many feel not enough is being put back into the congregations, that there needs to be an emphasis placed on the congregation as the strongest part of the denomination rather than an emphasis on certain programs or agencies.
Part of creating a better sense of connectedness, Bowman feels, is sharing stories. "In general, members of the Church of the Brethren aren't doing a good job of telling their faith stories with the congregation or the district," he said. "I'd ask, 'How many former BVSers or conscientious objectors do you have in the church? Do they ever share their stories?'" The pastors would reply, "'No, not really,'" he said.
"We need to be telling and sharing our stories, because that's how things are passed down--how we share what's important," Bowman said. "If one thing can be gleaned from this, it's that our churches want more personal contact with each other, with their leadership, with programs, and I would say with God as well."
--Todd Flory is a Brethren Volunteer Service worker in the BVS office in Elgin, Ill. Previously he served as a legislative associate at the Brethren Witness/Washington Office.
Source: 11/08/2006 Newsline
Credits
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Martha Beach, Michael Hostetter, Jeri S. Kornegay, and Helen Stonesifer contributed to this report.
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Martha Beach, Michael Hostetter, Jeri S. Kornegay, and Helen Stonesifer contributed to this report.
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