Wednesday, January 31, 2007

NEWSPERSONNELUPCOMING EVENTSRESOURCESFEATUREEXTRA
Brethren Disaster Response opens fourth Katrina recovery project.

Brethren Disaster Response has announced the opening of a fourth active Hurricane Katrina recovery project as of Feb. 11. This project will be based in Chalmette, La., in St. Bernard Parish. The three other Katrina recovery projects are located in Pearl River, La.; Lucedale, Miss.; and McComb, Miss. Disaster Child Care also is working at a FEMA “Welcome Home Center” in New Orleans.

Hurricane Katrina caused levee failures that inundated homes throughout St. Bernard Parish with six to twenty feet of water for more than two weeks, reported Brethren Disaster Response coordinator Jane Yount. More than 200 parish residents lost their lives, and 100 percent of the homes were officially declared uninhabitable. Nearly 50 percent of the residents were senior citizens.

Brethren Disaster Response is coordinating efforts with the St. Bernard Project, a local all-volunteer organization. The city has taken care of demolishing houses and clearing debris. Volunteers will do major repair work including insulation, drywall, laminate flooring, plumbing, electric repairs, and roofing, to allow residents to get back into their homes.

The St. Bernard Project has obtained seven trailers on loan from FEMA for housing for the Brethren volunteers and project directors; trailers are located in a trailer community of Katrina survivors. Project directors who will open the project are Ken and LouElla Imhoff, with Phil and Joan Taylor assisting. The work crew for the first week will come from Mid-Atlantic District, and include members of the Executive Committee of the General Board.

For more about Brethren Disaster Response go to www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/DisasterResponse.htm.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Brethren funds give $150,000 for hunger, disaster relief.

Two Church of the Brethren funds have given a total of $150,000 for hunger relief and disaster response, through five recent grants. The Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) are ministries of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

An EDF grant of $60,000 has been made to SHARECircle, a relief and rehabilitation organization working in Angola. The funds will help expand services to a recently received USAID grant for feeding centers at schools in Bie province, and will provide medical supplies, medicine, and school kits to be shipped from the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Medicine and supplies will be provided by Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA), and school kits and Gift of the Heart Kids Kits will be provided by Church World Service (CWS).

An EDF grant of $30,000 has been given to Brethren Disaster Response to open a “Hurricane Katrina Rebuilding Site 4" in Chalmette, La. This is a new rebuilding site for the Brethren response to the hurricanes that affected the Gulf coast area. The money will pay for travel expenses, leadership training, additional tools and equipment, food and housing, and some building supplies.

An allocation of $25,000 has been made from the GFCF for the Darfur crisis in Sudan. The grant responds to a CWS appeal for Darfur at the outset of 2007. The grant will help build new water points, maintain or repair existing wells and pumps, construct latrines, conduct health and nutrition education, and distribute tools and seeds.

An allocation of $20,000 from the GFCF will work on reforestation, and supply stoves and cisterns in Guatemala. The grant continues support of a community development program in Guatemala. Work projected to take place in 2007 includes construction of rainwater catchment systems, building fuel-efficient cookstoves, operation of a tree nursery, and transportation of organic fertilizer.

An allocation of $15,000 from the GFCF supports the Rural Service Center in Akleshwar, India. This grant continues Church of the Brethren support of the center, and will help the center engage the rural poor with animal husbandry, soil conservation, vocational guidance, water and soil management, social forestry, public health, and multiple cropping. A portion of the amount of the grant--$5,000--will be used for an assessment of the center’s role in a rapidly changing society.

For more about the Emergency Disaster Fund go to www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/EDF.htm. For more about the Global Food Crisis Fund go to www.brethren.org/genbd/global_mission/gfcf.htm.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Brethren bits: Correction, personnel, job openings, more.
  • Correction: The name of Nelda Rhoades Clarke, a Church of the Brethren representative to the National Council of Churches, was given incorrectly in the Newsline of Dec. 6, 2006. The editor regrets this mistake.

  • Two Global Mission Partnerships/Brethren Volunteer Service workers departed Jan. 21 to begin two-year assignments in Brazil: Athena Gibble and Katie O’Donnell. They fill newly-created positions on the Brazil mission team of the Church of the Brethren General Board. The team will help congregations reach out in service to surrounding communities, and increase the visibility and identity of the church in the process. Gibble is from York, Pa., a graduate of Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and social work. Her home congregation is Codorus Church of the Brethren in Loganville, Pa. O’Donnell is from Marmora, N.J., and has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and elementary/secondary education, also from Juniata College. Her home congregation is Green Tree Church of the Brethren in Oaks, Pa.

  • The General Board has welcomed two new interns. Jordan Blevins of Westminster, Md., began a legislative internship at the Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the General Board on Jan. 1. Jesse Reid, a senior at Manchester College, began an internship on Jan. 31 with the News Services office in Elgin, Ill.

  • Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) seeks a marketing and promotions assistant to fill an interim fulltime hourly position based in Elgin, Ill. Responsibilities include establishing and maintaining a congregational representative network and assisting with creation and implementation of other promotional and marketing initiatives, possibly including development of a denominational database; working to secure BBT representatives in congregations; producing a monthly communication to the representatives; producing materials for BBT-related promotional and department-based assignments in conjunction with the communications department and colleagues; coordinating regional meetings with the representatives; occasional travel to conduct network functions; working to establish and maintain a denominational contact list; providing logistics assistance with other BBT marketing and promotions initiatives. Qualifications include at least an undergraduate degree preferably in communications, English, marketing, or a related field; experience/expertise in customer service, database management, and/or writing; membership in the Church of the Brethren and active participation in a Church of the Brethren congregation. Salary is competitive with Church Benefits Association agencies of comparable size and scope of services. Send a letter of interest, a resume with salary range expectations, and contact information for three references to Susan Brandenbusch, 1505 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; or to sbrandenbusch_bbt@brethren.org.

  • Bridgewater (Va.) Retirement Community seeks a fulltime director of Pastoral Care. The principle responsibility for this position is to provide pastoral care for residents of the Bridgewater Retirement Community, and to supplement, not replace, the residents' own pastors and church homes. A master of divinity or theologically-related degree, Clinical Pastoral Education training and five years or more in a pastoral ministry or equivalent experience, ordination (or licensing) to ministry, and good standing with the Church of the Brethren is required. The position is available May 1. Applications will be accepted through March 7. Send a resume to Paul Hoyt, President, Bridgewater Retirement Community, 302 N. Second St., Bridgewater, VA 22812; 540-828-2666.

  • A position is open in Brethren Press for a customer service resourcing specialist. The position is located in Elgin, Ill., and requires a high school diploma, previous customer service experience, basic understanding of church environment and/or needs, intermediate understanding of accounting, and computer experience. The successful candidate should possess excellent verbal and written communication skills. If you are interested in applying for this position please notify Karin Krog at 847-742-5100 ext. 258 by the close of the business day Feb. 2.

  • “A couple of things are different about the 2007 Nigeria workcamp,” according to David Whitten, Nigeria mission coordinator for the Global Mission Partnerships office of the Church of the Brethren General Board. Whitten is leading the workcamp that began Jan. 12, and runs through Feb. 11. “There’s added meaning to the act itself of helping with building projects for the Nigerian church after several EYN churches were burned down a year ago in religious tensions,” he said. The workcamp is based at the headquarters of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN-the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) near Mubi. “This year’s contingent is smaller, because Swiss and German participants were not able to take part,” Whitten added. The group is doing construction projects at the EYN Comprehensive Secondary School, and cleaning and painting projects for the staff mission house located near Kulp Bible College. Joining about a dozen Nigerians are US participants Larry and Donna Elliott of Mt. Morris (Ill.) Church of the Brethren, Robert Elliott of Sumner, Iowa, and Alden and Susanne Chrysler of Estes Park, Colo. Also participating are Whitten’s daughter Darcy of Bar Harbor, Maine; his son Samuel of Mt. Solon, Va., and their friend Brittany Loflin of Grottoes, Va. Amy Waldron, a Brethren Volunteer Service and Global Mission Partnerships worker from Lima, Ohio, is participating as part of her orientation to Nigeria before teaching at the Comprehensive Secondary School.

  • Online registration begins Feb. 1 for the Church of the Brethren’s first-ever National Junior High Conference. Participation is limited to the first 800 registrants because of limited seating available. Cost is $99 per person for each junior high youth and for their advisors, before April 14. After April 15 cost will be $125. Presenters include Tony Campolo, Mennonite comedians Ted and Lee, and Christian musician Ken Medema. The conference will be held at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College from June 15-17. For more information or to register go to www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/NatJrHighConf.htm.

  • The application deadline is approaching for the Summer 2007 Youth Peace Travel Team. Feb. 4 is the deadline to apply. The first Youth Peace Travel Team was formed for the summer of 1991 as a cooperative effort of a number of General Board programs, according to an announcement from the Brethren Witness/Washington Office. This year's team will be sponsored by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office along with Brethren Volunteer Service, the Outdoor Ministries Association, the Youth and Young Adult Ministries, and On Earth Peace. Four youth or young adults between the ages of 18-22 will be selected. A stipend is available to team members. Go to www.brethren.org/genbd/WitnessWashOffice.html and click on “Youth Peace Travel Team” to download the application.

  • The Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the General Board is working on a Church of the Brethren Civil Rights Project. The goal of this new project is to collect interviews and stories from Church of the Brethren members who participated in the Civil Rights Movement, to put into publication for the 300th anniversary of the Church of the Brethren in 2008. The Brethren Witness/Washington Office already has sent 40 questionnaires to various participants. If you have a story to share about your participation in the Civil Rights Movement and have not yet received a questionnaire, please contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at 800-785-3246 or washington_office_gb@brethren.org.

  • The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership is offering several courses this winter and early spring. Among them are “Now the Silence, Now the Songs: The Body of Christ at Worship,” an online course March 11-May 6, taught by Lee-Lani Wright (registration deadline Feb. 16, go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/pdf%20files/WorshipCourse2007.pdf); and “Church of the Brethren Polity and Practice,” on March 16-19 at Bakersfield (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, taught by Warren Eshbach, Spanish translation provided (registration deadline Feb. 16, go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/pdf%20files/CoBPolity.pdf). Courses offered through the academy are open to Training in Ministry and Education for Shared Ministry students, pastors, and lay people. For more information contact the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, 765-983-1824, academy@bethanyseminary.edu.

  • The 96th anniversary of Live Oak Church of the Brethren was noted in a feature article in the “Appeal-Democrat” newspaper of Marysville-Yuba City, Calif. The article titled, “Brethren a Blessing for Live Oak” added that the church has been “a cornerstone in the community.” To find the article online go to www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/2007/01/23/features/focus/focus1.txt.

  • Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren brought more than 75 people to the march and rally against the Iraq war in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 27. The “Patriot-News” of Harrisburg, Pa., covered the trip by the Elizabethtown group (“Midstaters at rally straddle 'a fine line'” at www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/116995201396040.xml&coll=1). John Weigel and his two daughters were among those from the congregation to participate in the rally, and were among several Brethren were interviewed by the paper.

  • On Jan. 20, members and friends of Dranesville Church of the Brethren in Herndon, Va., rode with the “Grate Patrol” to distribute food and water to the homeless in Washington D.C., according to the “Great Falls Connection” newspaper. The church group has been participating in this activity on the third Saturday of every other month for many years, the paper said. Volunteers make soup, assemble bag lunches, donate warm clothing, and distribute the items. For more information, contact the church at 703-430-7872 or dcoboffice@aol.com.

  • The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) is calling for submissions for its first ever eco-justice sermon writing award. The award is a celebration of God's creation in the proclaimed gospel, and is open to clergy, lay leaders, and other religious leaders. Entries can focus on a variety of environmental issues such as sustainability, global warming, wilderness, and water. "Christians have the moral responsibility to protect all of God's creation for current and future generations," said Cassandra Carmichael, eco-justice program director for the NCC. "This sermon award will help highlight the good work going on in churches across the nation as well as provide sermon starters for worship leaders." Sermon submissions should be no longer than 1,500 words. Deadline is March 1. Send submissions to info@nccecojustice.org. More information is at www.nccecojustice.org/sermoncontest.htm and www.councilofchurches.org.

  • Southern Sudan was the destination for a Jan. 7-25 delegation sponsored by the New Community Project, a Brethren-related organization, and hosted by the New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC). Led by Florence Bayoa of the NSCC and by David Radcliff of the New Community Project, the delegation of eight people visited communities and environmental projects, met with United Nations personnel and church leaders, toured nature preserves, and delivered school kits put together by the older elementary children at Annual Conference. “The delegation found that although some progress has been made in the two years since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed by the northern government and southern rebels, many challenges remain,” Radcliff said. “Among these are conflict between returning refugees and those who remained behind during the war, lack of basics such as clean water, serviceable roads, malaria protection, health services, education, adult literacy programs, and vocational training.” The New Community Project is committing grants totaling $16,000 for girls' education, adult literacy, reforestation, bicycles, and women's development in Sudan, Radcliff reported. It also will facilitate placement of several volunteers to help launch a preschool in the community of Maridi. For more go to www.newcommunityproject.org.
Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Bach resigns from seminary, appointed director of Young Center.

Jeffrey A. Bach, associate professor of Brethren studies at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., has accepted an appointment beginning Aug. 1 as director of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. In addition to his administrative appointment, Bach will hold the rank of associate professor of religious studies.

The Young Center, located on the campus of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, engages in research and teaching as well as sponsoring conferences related to the study of Anabaptist and Pietist groups primarily in the North American context. It is named for Galen S. Young and Jesse M. Young.

Bach graduated from Bethany Seminary in 1983 and served for seven years as pastor of Prairie City (Iowa) Church of the Brethren prior to his graduate study at Duke University. He holds a doctorate in religion from Duke, a master of divinity degree from Bethany, and a bachelor’s degree in German and elementary education from McPherson (Kan.) College.

Along with his teaching position at the seminary, he has provided educational seminars in districts and congregations throughout the denomination, directed the peace studies program, and served as acting dean. Bach also is an authority on the Ephrata Cloister and his book, “Voices of the Turtledoves: The Sacred World of Ephrata” (Penn State Press, 2003) has won several awards including the inaugural Dale Brown Book Award from the Young Center. He has published numerous articles and reviews for “Brethren Life and Thought” and other journals. Currently he chairs the 300th Anniversary Committee of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Hall resigns from human resources at the Brethren Service Center.

Effective March 3, Ellen Hall will retire from the human resources department of the Church of the Brethren General Board, located at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Currently she serves as coordinator of human resources.

Hall accepted the position of human resources secretary at the Brethren Service Center in Oct. 1996. She came to the center after 30 years of federal service as a logistics manager. As coordinator, she has worked with General Board employees and on matters related to insurance, human resources policies, and benefits.

Hall announced that her retirement recognizes more time required for family relationships. She may continue to help out with the work of human resources at the center as needed.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Ministry of Reconciliation schedules spring workshops.

The Ministry of Reconciliation (MoR) has announced its workshop schedule for spring 2007. “This spring, there is something for everyone,” said Annie Clark, MoR coordinator and staff member for On Earth Peace. “We have offerings for those who are looking for an introduction to reconciliation and conflict transformation skills and those who are seasoned practitioners.”

A Matthew 18 workshop at Glendora (Calif.) Church of the Brethren is planned for Saturday, Feb. 24. All Church of the Brethren members in the Los Angeles area and neighboring communities are invited to attend.

Two workshops for Shalom Teams are scheduled: a Midwestern Regional Matthew 18 Training for Trainers at Camp Mack in Milford, Ind., on March 9-10; and a basic Shalom Team Workshop at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor (Md.) on April 18.

A workshop on Appreciative Inquiry for church leaders, practitioners, and Shalom Team members will be held April 19 at the Brethren Service Center. In this workshop, leaders learn skills needed to guide congregations through change by utilizing the positive assets of the congregation.

A Ministry with Difficult Behaviors workshop on April 21 is sponsored by Atlantic Northeast District for pastors and congregational and district leaders, to be held at Myersville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren.

A 30-hour Christian Conciliation and Mediation workshop is offered on May 4, 5, 11, and 12 at Crest Manor Church of the Brethren in South Bend, Ind.

The season wraps up with a pre-Annual Conference workshop on Saturday, June 30, at the Annual Conference venue in Cleveland, Ohio, on Exploring Consensus Decision-Making.

Registration is required for all workshops. For more information, including details about content, cost, and schedules, go to www.brethren.org/oepa/programs/mor/upcoming-events/index.html or contact coordinator Annie Clark at aclark_oepa@brethren.org or 260-982-8595.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Tour takes cross-cultural music group to midwest.

A music tour sponsored by the Cross Cultural Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is giving worship concerts in several venues in Ohio and Indiana. Concerts are free and open to the public. Freewill offerings will be received.

In the tour Jan. 31-Feb. 4, a cross-cultural music group of Brethren musicians will present worship concerts and share testimonies, Bible study, and music that emphasize God’s desire for the church to reflect racial and ethnic diversity.

The tour kicked off Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. at Elm Street Church of the Brethren in Lima, Ohio. It continues Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Wesleyan Community Center in Dayton, Ohio; Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. at the Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio; Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. at Dupont (Ohio) Church of the Brethren; Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. at Osceola (Ind.) Church of the Brethren; and a closing performance Feb. 4 at 10 a.m. at Eel River Community Church of the Brethren in Silver Lake, Ind., where the group will help lead Sunday morning worship.

Participants are Gilbert Romero, pastor of Bella Vista Church of the Brethren in Los Angeles; Joseph Craddock, a community minister at Germantown Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia; Larry Brumfield, a licensed minister from Westminster (Md.) Church of the Brethren; Ron Free, a musician from Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren; and Duane Grady, of the General Board’s Congregational Life Teams.

The tour is part of an ongoing series of similar events happening across the Church of the Brethren to promote racial and ethnic diversity. Contact Duane Grady, Congregational Life Team, 3124 E. 5th St., Anderson, IN 46012; 800-505-1596; dgrady_gb@brethren.org.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Deacon/caregiver ministry training events scheduled for the spring.

The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) will hold three Deacon/Caregiver Ministry Training events this spring, with each event exploring the theme "Healing Balm." These day-long training sessions will help church caregivers learn about what it means to be a church deacon or caregiver, and how to extend the healing balm of Jesus to those in need.

The Deacon/Caregiving Ministry Training events will be held on March 10 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren, with a registration deadline of March 2; on April 21 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Brethren Hillcrest Homes in La Verne, Calif., registration deadline April 6; and on June 9 from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Cedars in McPherson, Kan., registration deadline May 25.

Bernie Fuska's keynote presentation for the Bridgewater event will explore the theme, "Portrait of a Christ-like Heart." Fuska is pastor of Timberville (Va.) Church of the Brethren and has served on the General Board and Standing Committee. He is a resource person for Conflict Transformation for Shenandoah District and a member of the Ministry of Reconciliation Practitioners network.

At Hillcrest and the Cedars, Wallace Landes will give the keynote address titled "Anoint Us, Lord." Landes is pastor of Palmyra (Pa.) Chruch of the Brethren and chair of the ABC Board. He is an adjunct member of the Religious Studies faculty at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College.

Each event will include Bible study, keynote presentation, workshops, and worship. Workshops will address practical issues that regularly confront deacons in their ministry. A $15 registration fee includes the cost of lunch for attendees who register by the appropriate deadline. Registration materials will be mailed to Church of the Brethren congregations and district offices, and are available at www.brethren-caregivers.org. Please contact the ABC office at 800-323-8039 with questions.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Information packet for 300th anniversary devotional is available.

A packet of information for congregations wishing to make prepublication orders of “Fresh from the Word,” a daily devotional book for the 300th anniversary of the Brethren movement, is now available from Brethren Press.

The packet has been mailed to the church board chair of each Church of the Brethren congregation. It includes information about the devotional book, an order form with discounts for prepublication orders, a sampler of the devotions, an idea sheet, camera ready advertisements for a church newsletter or bulletin insert, an announcement script, and a poster.

The devotional book celebrates the Brethren anniversary with 366 devotions, one for each day of the anniversary year 2008. The more than 100 writers are drawn from all six of the Brethren groups, including the Church of the Brethren, the Brethren Church, and several others--and from some of the countries beyond the US where Brethren are following Christ today. Devotions are “perpetually dated,” and are not linked to the day of the week, so that the book can be reused in years to come. The volume is in hardcover, with a ribbon bookmark, and includes indexes of the writers and scriptures, and a family tree of the Brethren movement.

Congregations may order at a discount before the devotional goes to press this summer. Order by March 15 to receive a discount off the list price of $20. No payment is due until the books are received. Prepublication orders at this special discount are nonreturnable. Discounts are: 25 percent off single copies ($15 each); or 40 percent off orders of 10 or more ($12 each). After March 15, orders of 10 or more copies will still receive a discount of 25 percent.

For a copy of the packet, to place an order, or for more information, contact Brethren Press at 800-441-3712.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Brethren participate in peace rally in Washington, D.C.
By Emily O’Donnell

It was a historic day on Saturday, Jan. 27, as the largest number of protesters since the beginning of the Iraq war gathered in the nation’s capitol to voice opposition to the troop surge and demand the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

Crowd estimates ranged from 200,000 to 300,000 as people from all areas of life, both young and old, united in a march to pressure Congress and the Bush administration to end the war in Iraq. The march in Washington, D.C., was organized by United for Peace and Justice, and began with a rally on the National Mall at 11 a.m. The rally included high-profile speakers such as actresses Susan Sarandon and Jane Fonda, actors Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, Jesse Jackson, congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), congresswomen Maxine Walters (D-CA). Also speaking was Bob Watada, father of Lieutenant Watada, the first military officer to refuse deployment to Iraq and currently facing court-martial. Fonda spoke to a cheering crowd announcing that “silence is no longer an option.”

More than 200 members of the Church of the Brethren gathered to participate in the march, at the invitation of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office and On Earth Peace. Around 120 Brethren members gathered at 10 a.m. at Washington City Church of the Brethren, home of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office. They were later joined by more Brethren at the National Mall.

Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren brought more than 75 people to the event. Three Brethren colleges also sent large student delegations: Bridgewater (Va.) College, Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., and Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa. Other Brethren participants traveled from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Illinois to attend the march.

At Washington City Church of the Brethren, a short prayer vigil was held and participants reaffirmed their commitment to the Iraq Resolution made in 2006 by the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference calling for the withdrawal of troops (for the text of the resolution go to www.brethren.org/ac/ac_statements/2006IraqWarResolution.pdf). Following the prayer vigil, the Brethren marched together carry signs stating “Church of the Brethren: A Living Peace Church,” “A Matter of Conscience, A Conviction of Faith,” and many other signs with scriptures and words promoting peace.

Following the rally at the National Mall, the Brethren group also marched with thousands of others around the Capitol building. One seven-year-old girl chanted, “What do we want?” The marchers shouted, “Peace.” The little girl continued, “When do we want it?” The crowd roared, “Now!”

"For once I felt like I was in a majority,” said Church of the Brethren member and Bridgewater alumni Rebekah Houff. “Knowing that the majority of the country is against the President's decision to send more troops to Iraq and seeing over 200,000 people come to D.C. to oppose the war was an overwhelming experience!"

The Church of the Brethren’s participation in the march was one of the greatest examples of putting our faith into action. Our commitment to peace and our opposition to all war is a pillar of our denomination, and on Jan. 27 this commitment was reaffirmed. We truly are a living peace church, and as disciples of Jesus we must continue to call for the end to the Iraq War.

--Emily O’Donnell is a legislative associate with the Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Extra: International Brethren respond to Iraq speech

Leaders of international Brethren bodies were invited to consider giving their own responses to President Bush’s speech on the Iraq war, as Stan Noffsinger considered his response to the Jan. 10 speech. Noffsinger serves as general secretary to the Church of the Brethren General Board--his response appeared as a “Newsline Extra” on Jan. 12 (go to www.brethren.org/genbd/newsline/2007/jan1207.htm. A Spanish translation will be made available soon.)

Following are responses received from the president of Igreja da Irmandade (the Church of the Brethren in Brazil), and from a leading pastor in Iglesia de los Hermanos (the Church of the Brethren) in the Dominican Republic:

“The Igreja da Irmandade, which has its roots in Anabaptism and the Church of the Brethren, one of the three historic peace churches, publicly expresses its deep concern about the recent decision of the President of the United States, George W. Bush, to send more troops to Iraq. We truly believe and understand, considering Jesus’ teaching, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers,’ that those who decide for war lack wisdom in their decision, and have no wisdom to make other decisions rather than to stop the war. Thus, for us, to send more troops is maintaining a foolish decision that started the war and is a sinful and cursed decision. Also, we believe that wisdom comes from the communitarian interpretation of history and decision making process. The decision to start the war was against the general understanding of the nations and the Security Council of the United Nations. Again, the recent decision to send more troops goes against the understanding of the nations and of the people in the United States. Democracy as a negotiating political system is not only to be preached and lived inside of the nation, but it must be true in the concert of the nations, as well. Additionally, we would like to say that the decision to start the war was based on reasoning that is untrue, as is very well-known now. We believe that a ‘bad tree cannot produce a good fruit,’ and the decision to start the war was based on false reasoning, so it cannot produce good fruits. As it has been our practice since the beginning of our church, we are praying for peace, and we prayed and will pray for the President of USA and others that are directly or indirectly involved in promoting peace and the core of these prayers is asking God to give them wisdom on their decisions. (Campinas, 27 de janeiro de 2007.)”

--Marcos R. Inhauser serves as president of Igreja da Irmandade, headquartered in Campinas, Brazil, and is national director of mission in Brazil for the General Board. (This response will be made available soon in Spanish translation.)

“We were created for peace and war destroys our nature, the essence of that for which human beings were created. War creates hatred for generations and its damage is incalculable and irreparable. War fundamentally damages the feelings and emotions of the individual. Any type of war or aggression is intolerable for our Heavenly Father. In fact God says in his word, ‘In peace I have come among you.’ I understand that war is an evil that is planted firmly in the heart of humans and this is damaging because we can transfer this evil to future generations. Jesus said, ‘My peace I give to you. My peace I give, not as the world gives do I give to you.’ Given that we understand this, the human being is mistaken in his own concept of peace being used in the world; he does not understand clearly what peace means.”

"Estuvimos creados por la paz y la guerra desnaturaliza, la esencia para la cual fue creado el ser humano porque la guerra crea odio por generaciones y su daño es incalculable e irreparable. La guerra golpea fundamentalmente los sentimientos y las emociones del individuo. Cualquier tipo de guerra o agresión es intolerable por nuestro Padre Celestial. Porque dice en su palabra, "a paz he venido entre nosotros." Porque entiendo que la guerra es un mal que está arraigado en el corazón de los hombres e eso es dañino porque podemos transferir eso malo a generaciones futuros. Jesús dijo, "La paz os dejo, mi paz os doy; yo no os la doy como el mundo la da." Dando a entender que el hombre está equivocado en su propio concepto de paz empleado en el mundo, no sabe claramente lo que significa paz."

--Félix Arias Mateo is pastor of the Maranatha new church plant in San Juan de la Maguana, the Dominican Republic. He also serves as president of the Board of Directors of the Community Development Committee that supervises the church’s microloan program in the DR.

Source: 1/31/2007 Newsline
Credits

Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Annie Clark, Mary Dulabaum, Jon Kobel, Karin Krog, Emily O’Donnell, Janis Pyle, David Radcliff, Marcia Shetler, and Jane Yount contributed to this report.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

NEWSRESOURCES
Brethren invest half-million dollars for turning hunger around.

A half-million dollars to counter world hunger was raised in 2006 by the Global Food Crisis Fund and the growing projects it spawned through the Foods Resource Bank. The effort was marked by several firsts, reported Global Food Crisis Fund manager Howard Royer, including the "REGNUH ... Turning Hunger Around" campaign of senior high youth and senior adults, and a doubling of the number and acreage of local growing projects for the Foods Resource Bank. The fund is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

Giving to the Global Food Crisis Fund topped $318,000 in 2006. Of this amount, approximately $100,000 came from the REGNUH campaign of National Youth Conference that featured tithing, a run/walk, and hunger education and worship components. The fund was further supported through "My 2 Cents Worth" offerings of congregations, churchwide art and hunger auctions, vacation Bible school and camping projects, and individual donor gifts.

Fourteen Brethren growing projects, some engaging partner churches of other denominations, raised over $200,000 for investing in Foods Resource Bank agricultural programs in poor countries, in the 2006 preliminary accounting. First-time growing projects were launched by Brethren in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Minnesota, and--gearing up for the winter wheat harvest in 2007--Kansas. Other sponsors in 2006 were the first Brethren camp, Camp Mack in Indiana, and the first Brethren retirement community, Brethren Village in Lancaster, Pa.

Were the donations of Brethren to such efforts as Emergency Disaster Fund, Church World Service/CROP, Heifer International, SERRV, America’s Second Harvest, Bread for the World, and other hunger- and poverty-focused endeavors taken into account, the level of giving would likely be tripled, commented Royer. "Brethren have a passion for reaching out to the world’s poor and vulnerable," he stated.

"A significant initiative of the denomination last summer was the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals by Annual Conference," said Royer. "But more significant still is that the Church of the Brethren did not just sign on to the goals to reduce poverty and hunger; its response reveals Brethren sense deeply the call of Christ to feed the hungry and to work toward a healthier and more just world."

Both the Global Food Crisis Fund and the Foods Resource Bank issue grants that enable partner agencies in underdeveloped countries to launch sustainable, community-based agriculture. The grants currently support work in two-dozen countries.

Source: 1/17/2007 Newsline
Haiti mission continues to grow.

A Brethren mission in Haiti continued to grow in 2006, despite instability in the Caribbean island nation. The Haiti Mission Advisory Committee that met on Nov. 18, 2006, in Miami, Fla., received reports that the effort is still in the very early stages but already includes a worshiping group of about 100--including 80 children--in the Delmas area of the capital city Port-au-Prince. In addition, two preaching points are emerging in neighboring areas of Croix des Bouquets and La Plaine.

"The formation of a fellowship and two preaching points within two years is an amazing pace-- especially with a part-time mission coordinator," commented Merv Keeney, executive director of Global Mission Partnerships for the Church of the Brethren General Board.

It was the third meeting for the advisory committee responsible for the new Haiti mission. The committee’s role is to bring together wider church perspective and mission experience to support and give counsel to the mission committee of L’Eglise des Freres Haitiens and its pastor, Ludovic St. Fleur, who also serves as mission coordinator. Committee members include St. Fleur, Jonathan Cadette, Marie Andre Ridore, Gaston Pierre Louis, Wayne Sutton, Jean Nixon Aubel, Merle Crouse, Jeff Boshart, and Keeney.

The mission in Haiti was approved by the General Board in Oct. 2004, in response to requests from Haitian Brethren in the US and Dominican Republic for a mission to their homeland. It is being carried out through a partnering model that incorporates Haitian Brethren leaders from the US and the DR as prime leadership, under the oversight of the General Board’s executive for Global Mission Partnerships. Pastor Ludovic St. Fleur was called to serve as mission coordinator on a part time basis while he continues pastoral duties at L’Eglise des Freres Haitiens (Haitian Church of the Brethren) in Miami.

In November St. Fleur reported that he had not made a trip to Haiti in the past six months because of instability and risk in the country, where kidnapings for ransom have increased. This insecurity has delayed some of the steps that had been planned for the year. Nevertheless, some other members of the Miami Haitian congregation have visited and made contact with the fellowships in Haiti during this period, according to a report from Keeney.

Teaching basic Christian beliefs has been a main priority for the fellowship, and there have been a number of baptisms. Pastor Yves, who brings some pastoral training and experience from another church background, has been called to give pastoral care for the group. He is being supported with a small stipend. One student has been selected for pastoral training and is being supported for fulltime study at a major seminary in Haiti.

Teaching for all participants and training of leadership are important initial objectives of the mission, Keeney's report added. Initial teaching had been done on earlier trips by St. Fleur and others, and a plan is developing for a series of week-long intensive trainings for 2007. The training will seek to deepen the understanding of Brethren beliefs and practices, especially the role and function of church leadership, which is quite different than is common in Haiti. Haitian Brethren from the DR will be invited to join in leading the training events. A related objective is to translate more Brethren resources into Creole.

The process to legally register as a church in Haiti also has been an area of focus for the Haiti Mission Advisory Committee. This process requires that the church have three recognized pastors, an office headquarters, and some type of service outreach to the community. St. Fleur reported that he and his pastoral team in Miami can be a part of this leadership requirement. The office requirement is prompting exploration of land and sites for possible location of an office and church building, with the possibility of a school or other ministry attached.

Official Church of the Brethren relationships in Haiti go back to at least the 1960s. This history of denominational involvement and recent private mission ventures by Brethren members has resulted in a mix of short-term and semi-permanent ministries and relationships in Haiti. The possibility of linking with some of these efforts, many of which have continuing Brethren support, has the potential to speed up movement toward official registration and also toward fostering a viable church in the country, Keeney said.

The meeting of the advisory committee also included a financial report and a recognition of the 2006 Annual Conference insight session in which three committee members shared various dimensions of the work.

Source: 1/17/2007 Newsline
Credit union offers new savings options for kids, youth, and adults.

The Church of the Brethren Credit Union began offering new savings options in December to facilitate good stewardship practices. The new products include regular money market accounts, Traditional IRA and Roth IRA money market accounts, Coverdell Education money market accounts, and five unique club savings accounts. The credit union is a ministry affiliated with Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT).

Two of the new savings accounts, the Kids Club and the Youth Club, are designed especially for children. The credit union feels so strongly about the importance of encouraging children to become disciplined savers, according to a newsletter article from BBT, that these accounts offer a higher rate of interest. (For the article go to www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/news/newsindex.html.)

"Nothing teaches sound financial practices like first-hand experience; opening a savings account for your children is an excellent way to get them started on the road to good stewardship," the article said. The Kids Club is available to any child through the age of 12; the Youth Club from ages 13-18.

The new Christmas Club and Vacation Club savings accounts are designed to encourage members to plan ahead and save towards specific goals, thereby avoiding excessive credit card debt and the risk of late payment fees and high interest rates. These accounts earn a higher dividend than regular savings, but require a monthly deposit. Withdrawals are limited to four per year.

The Brethren Youth Mission Club is truly unique to the Church of the Brethren, according to the credit union. The new savings account club is offered to encourage savings for those planning to participate in Brethren service or educational opportunities such as National Youth Conference, Christian Citizenship Seminar, workcamps, or local projects. The Brethren Youth Mission Club is available to any individual, youth group, Sunday school class, congregation, or district.

Also now available from the credit union are the Coverdell Education money market accounts. Parents or grandparents are encouraged to open a Coverdell education money market account for children or grandchildren, with the suggestion for regular contributions to the accounts to be made at Christmastime, on birthdays, or at any other time.

Money market accounts earn higher dividend rates than regular savings accounts, but limit withdrawals to six a month. Regular money market accounts reward members who maintain a balance of $2,500 with a higher interest rate. The Traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts and the Coverdell Education accounts do not have a minimum balance requirement.

Members who wish to contribute regularly to their retirement savings or toward savings for education will benefit from these money market accounts; as their balances reach set amounts, members can transfer their funds into IRA or Coverdell certificates to earn even higher dividends.

For more information or to open a money market or a club account, contact the Church of the Brethren Credit Union at 888-832-1383 or dkingery_bbt@brethren.org.

Source: 1/17/2007 Newsline

Fund gives $120,000 for Middle East, Katrina, Sudan, among grants.

The Emergency Disaster Fund of the Church of the Brethren General Board has given a total of $120,000 in six recent grants. The amount includes grants for peace efforts in the Middle East along with Brethren disaster relief work in the Gulf following Hurricane Katrina, and support for displaced people returning to southern Sudan, among other projects.

An allocation of $40,000 supports a Church World Service (CWS) appeal addressing humanitarian need in several regions of the Middle East resulting from war and violent conflict. These funds will provide medical care, food aid, material resources, rebuilding of schools, and repairing water systems.

A grant of $30,000 supports a project of Brethren Disaster Response in McComb, Miss. This new "Katrina Site 3" project will repair and rebuild homes destroyed or damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The grant money will provide travel expenses and food and housing for volunteers, leadership training, additional tools and equipment, and some building supplies.

An additional allocation of $25,000 continues funding of Brethren Disaster Response work at the "Katrina Site 2" in Pearl River, La. The funds will provide food, housing, transportation, and support for Brethren volunteers who travel to Louisiana to do home rebuilding and repairs, as well as tools and materials.

The sum of $15,000 has been given in response to a CWS appeal to assist displaced Sudanese people who are returning to their homes in southern Sudan. The funds will be used by a CWS partner, Churches Ecumenical Action in Sudan, to provide water and sanitation as well as education and health services to 66,000 residents, displaced persons, and returnees.

An allocation of $5,000 supports a new year-long project for Disaster Child Care in New Orleans. The project called "The Road Home" is at the request of FEMA, to provide child care assistance to families returning home to New Orleans throughout 2007. On Jan. 2, FEMA is opening a Louisiana Welcome Home Center as a "One-Stop-Shop" housing agencies and organizations that can provide resources to those who had to be evacuated during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Disaster Child Care center will be set up at the One-Stop-Shop. The grant money will support volunteer travel, food, housing, and training. Future grants are also expected.

A grant of $5,000 responds to a CWS appeal following flooding and storm damage this fall in many states including Washington, New York, Texas, New Mexico, North Carolina, Alabama, and Hawaii. The grant will support capacity-building work by the CWS Disaster Response and Recovery Liaisons in these states, as well as local longterm recovery groups.

Source: 1/17/2007 Newsline
Peace church insurance group declares dividend, decreases rates.

Peace Church Risk Retention Group, at its annual shareholders meeting in Baltimore Md., declared a $500,000 dividend distribution to its shareholders, payable by March 15. The board also announced that it would be reducing its renewal rates for 2007 by 11 percent.

"This is a significant day for us," said Ed Brubaker, chair of the board. "We have had a good start, continue to see solid growth, and now it is time to see a return on our investment."

Peace Church Risk Retention Group is an insurance captive that was formed three years ago by the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC), Friends Service for the Aging, and Mennonite Health Services. The group represents the health care agencies of the Church of the Brethren, the Religious Society of Friends, and the Mennonites--all historic peace churches--to provide liability coverage for 42 of their nursing and retirement care facilities. The group is administered by AARM, a third-party administrator located in Lancaster, Pa.

"It has long been thought that peace church facilities have been able to self-insure their liability needs without relying on the excessive premiums charged by commercial insurance carriers," said Brubaker, "and in three years time, we have shown steady growth in capital and reserves, to the point where it is financially appropriate to make a distribution."

In its three-year history, the Peace Church Risk Retention Group has yet to pay a claim. "Part of our success is the huge emphasis we place on risk management," said Kathy Reid, executive director of ABC, and a member and officer of the group’s board of directors. "When incidents occur in our facilities, we teach our policy holders to report them to us so that we can take appropriate measures to ensure that these incidents are dealt with at the management level and don’t become potential landmines."

This approach is somewhat different than the thought process that chooses not to report incidents to insurance carriers for fear of a rate increase. The risk management education has worked so well that instead of a rate increase, the 2007 renewal rates will actually decline by 11 percent. Risk management training courses are offered through the year at various locations around the country.

Peace Church Risk Retention Group currently follows guidelines established by A.M. Best, an insurance rating agency well known in the insurance world, for "best practices" for insurance companies. It also intends to apply for a rating from A.M. Best.

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

Source: 1/17/2007 Newsline
Brethren bits: Correction, personnel, job opening, and much more.
  • Correction: Karen Orpurt Crim joined the board of Brethren Benefit Trust in the fall of 2006. Newsline incorrectly reported on Dec. 20 that Karen Crim Dillon had joined the BBT board.

  • Shanita Hamlin has resigned as customer service specialist for Brethren Press in order to begin a job with Chicago Metro AEYC, the Illinois Chapter of the National Association for Young Children. In this position she will inform preschool providers about funds that have been allocated to enhance preschool in Illinois, and will assist them in applying for the funds. Jan. 17 was her last day with Brethren Press. "Shanita has been a strong advocate for the new Gather ’Round curriculum during these important months of introduction," said Wendy McFadden, executive director of the press. "We will miss her on the Brethren Press team."

  • Wendi Hutchinson, director of church relations at Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., has resigned from the position as of Jan. 12. She began Jan. 16 as director of alumni relations and special events for the College of Consumer and Family Services at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. Many at Manchester College will share the church relations responsibilities following Hutchinson’s resignation, including new campus pastor Steve Crain, trustees, Manchester president Jo Young Switzer, faculty, and others on the college staff. The campus pastor and president Switzer will share leadership for church relations; admissions secretary Sandy Bendsen will provide administrative support. For more information contact executive vice president Dave McFadden at dfmcfadden@manchester.edu.

  • Diane Ford Jones of Cleveland, Ohio, has been named national director of Every Church A Peace Church (see www.ecapc.org). John Stoner, co-founder and coordinator for the past five years, will continue in an advisory role. Jones is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC), and since 2002 has been the minister for communication and education mission of the UCC Justice and Witness Ministries, in the denomination’s national office. She spent formative years with the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in Washington, D.C., and holds masters degrees in divinity and journalism from Boston University. She will lead a strategic planning process, promote conferences, supervise production of a peace study curriculum for churches, expand television and web-based communications, and will promote the National Registry of Peace Churches. Every Church A Peace Church was begun by an ecumenical group including Church of the Brethren representatives.

  • Sharing Services Agency/MutualAid eXchange (MAX), a property and casualty insurance company serving Anabaptists across the US and Canada, is seeking a producer/agent in its Goshen, Ind., office. Responsibilities include developing strong connections to the Anabaptist community, generating opportunities for providing MAX insurance, and delivering outstanding service to members. Previous insurance experience and a current Property and Casualty insurance license is a plus. Training the right person not already licensed can be considered. To learn more about the company and those it serves, visit www.mutualaidexchange.com. Resumes may be e-mailed to skwine@maxkc.com or faxed to 877-785-0085.

  • A Middle East Peacemaking Delegation co-sponsored by On Earth Peace and Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) arrived in Israel/Palestine on Jan. 11. The delegation will conclude on Jan. 22. The trip began in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and then travels to Hebron and the village of At-Tuwani, to join in CPT’s ongoing work of violence-deterrence, accompaniment, and documentation. The 12 delegation members includes participants from the US, Canada, Ghana, and Northern Ireland, including several with Church of the Brethren connections. Delegation leader Rick Polhamus is a member of Pleasant Hill (Ohio) Church of the Brethren. The group planned to meet with members of the Israeli military, Israeli settlers, Palestinian families, and human rights and peace workers from both Israel and Palestine; join in a public witness that nonviolently confronts injustice and violence; tour the ‘security wall’ separating Israel from the West Bank; and visit Palestinian families whose homes and livelihoods are threatened by expanding Israeli settlements. Track the delegation’s activities at http://hebrondelegation.blogspot.com. For more information go to www.brethren.org/oepa/programs/special/middle-east-peacemaking/index.html.

  • Disaster Child Care Level 1 Training Workshops planned for early 2007 include events on Feb. 16-17 in Atlanta, Ga.; Feb. 23-24 in Tampa, Fla.; March 9-10 in Dallas Center, Iowa; March 16-17 in Fort Wayne, Ind.; March 23-24 in Natchitoches, La.; and April 20-21 in Littleton, Colo. Disaster Child Care is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board that 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. Volunteers must become certified and successfully complete an intensive 27-hour training workshop. The training covers information on the needs of children following a disaster, learning skills for effective interaction with children, and experiencing a simulated disaster aftermath. The Disaster Child Care program currently has volunteers working two-week shifts in New Orleans at a "Welcome Home Center" set up by FEMA--since the beginning of the year a total of eight volunteers have served 75 children. For additional information and a registration form, visit www.disasterchildcare.org or call the DCC Office at 800-451-4407 (option 5).

  • The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership is offering several courses this winter and early spring, among them "Confronting Death, Proclaiming Hope: A Brethren Approach to Funerals and Memorial Services," on Feb. 11-12 at Shepherd’s Spring Outdoor Ministry Center in Sharpsburg, Md., and March 2-3 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., taught by James Benedict (registration deadline Jan. 26, go to http://bts.earlham.edu/academy/pdf/BenedictClass.pdf); and "Exploring Christian Faith: An Introduction to Theology," an online course Feb. 26-April 28, taught by Craig Gandy (registration deadline Jan. 29, go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/pdf%20files/IntrotoTheology-Gandy-2007m.pdf). Courses offered through the academy are open to Training in Ministry and Education for Shared Ministry students, pastors, and lay people. For more contact 765-983-1824 or academy@bethanyseminary.edu.

  • Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) has announced its 2007 Winter Orientation, Jan. 28-Feb. 16 at Camp Ithiel in Gotha, Fla. This will be the 273th orientation unit for BVS and will consist of 16 volunteers from across the US and Germany. Several Church of the Brethren members will attend, and the remaining volunteers come from varied faith backgrounds. A highlight of the three weeks will be a weekend immersion with the Brethren Haitian community in Miami and Orlando, where volunteers will have the opportunity to work at food banks, nature preserves, nonprofit organizations, and Habitat for Humanity. The group will also have a chance to work at Camp Ithiel for a day. A BVS potluck is open to all those who are interested on Feb. 4 at 5:30 p.m. at Camp Ithiel. "Please feel free to come and welcome the new BVS volunteers and to share your own experiences," invited Hannah Kliewer of the BVS office. For more information contact the BVS office at 800-323-8039 ext. 423. "As always your thoughts and prayers are welcome and needed. Please remember this new unit and the people they will touch during their year of service through BVS," Kliewer said.

  • Reading (Pa.) First Church of the Brethren, located in Wyomissing, is taking advantage of a developer’s interest in its property and preparing to build a new facility, reports the "Reading Eagle." Pastor Timothy Speicher told the paper the church will build a new facility on three acres it will retain at the rear of the property, and in the meantime will worship at nearby Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom synagogue. During its own building renovation the synagogue met at Reading First. Read more at www.readingeagle.com/re/religion/1615525.asp.

  • "Darfur Awareness Day" at Glade Valley Church of the Brethren on Dec. 10 brought more than 50 people from the congregation and community to learn about violence taking place in Darfur, Sudan. Caitlyn Leiter-Mason organized the event along with help from friends and members of Glade Valley. She reported that donations from the event totaled over $2,500. The contributions will be sent to Church World Service to support work with refugees from Darfur.

  • Illinois and Wisconsin District has announced a new "satellite" office. Contact district executive minister Kevin Kessler at the new office, 120 N. 3rd Ave., Canton, IL 61520; 309-647-4828; kevink.iwdcob@sbcglobal.net. Contact district administrative assistant Duane Steiner at the former office, which will remain at York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, Ill.

  • The Great Plains Office of Church World Service (CWS) has recognized Lee Rodgers, a member of Newton (Kan.) Church of the Brethren, for a half-century of service to CROP. Fifty years of counting CROP Hunger Walk money is enough, said Rodgers in a CWS release. He retired after last October’s CROP Walk, ending a run that began in 1956. "I started as a banker in 1938," he said. "When I returned from military service in 1956, my boss at the bank handed the CROP treasurer’s job over to me." Although in recent years Rodgers served as a local treasurer, in the past he was responsible for all of Harvey County, in which Newton is located. In those early days, methods were a little different, he said. Farmers took wheat to the grain elevator and donated the profits. Rodgers collected the proceeds and sent them to Church World Service. He recalled the Friendship Trains that would take the grain away. Rodgers is a life-long member of the Newton congregation. "The churches ran the walk. All I did was handle the money," he said. His time as treasurer was a labor of love, he noted. "It was worthwhile."

  • On Earth Peace staff member Matt Guynn was one of a panel interviewed on national radio as part of an activist-oriented training network called Training for Change (see www.trainingforchange.org). The interview was broadcast from Philadelphia on Saturday, Jan. 13, as part of the show, "Weekend America." The show related to the Martin Luther King holiday and included clips from Dr. King’s speeches and responses from the panelists about the speeches’ relevance for today. Find "Weekend America" at http://weekendamerica.publicradio.org.

  • CrossRoads Valley Brethren and Mennonite Heritage Center annual dinner meeting will be held 6 p.m. on Feb. 2 at First Church of the Brethren in Harrisonburg, Va. Tickets are $15, with registration required, call 540-438-1275. The program will include highlights of 2006, plans for 2007, and an address by Steve Watson, professor of religion and philosophy at Bridgewater (Va.) College. For more about CrossRoads go to www.vbmhc.org.

  • New Life Ministries is sponsoring a Leadership Training Event entitled "Deep and Wide: Expanding Hospitality in the Faithful Church" on Tuesday, May 8, at Franconia Mennonite Church in Telford, Pa. Keynote speakers are Ron Sider and Eddie Gibbs. Participants will receive a copy of a new hospitality and assimilation resource by Steve Clapp, Fred Bernhard, and Ed Bontrager. Pastors will earn .6 continuing education units. Discounts are available for early registration and for multiple persons attending from the same congregation. For more information about the event and to register, contact Kristen Leverton Helbert, director of New Life Ministries, at 800-774-3360 or NLMServiceCenter@aol.com.

  • During the week of Jan. 15-21, a campaign of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) against the use of depleted uranium weapons will be assisting residents of the Jonesborough, Tenn., area to conduct a health poll of the neighborhood around an Aerojet Ordnance plant where the weapons are made. CPT held a fall delegation related to the campaign, five days of which were spent in a prayer vigil at the plant where participants had contacts with neighbors and plant employees who expressed concerns about health issues because of the depleted uranium products, CPT member Cliff Kindy reported. "This health poll has developed as a response to those concerns. Perhaps it can serve as a stimulus for a more exhaustive and credible study," he said. CPT has announced two more delegations to investigate and challenge the use and manufacture of depleted uranium munitions, on March 16-25 and on May 18-27. Starting in Jonesborough, the delegations will meet with people affected by the weapons and will organize a nonviolent public witness. The March delegation may also travel to Washington, D.C. Delegates will arrange their own transportation to Knoxville, Tenn., and raise $300 for expenses. For more information or to apply contact Christian Peacemaker Teams, 773-277-0253, delegations@cpt.org; or see www.cpt.org. For more information about the campaign against depleted uranium weapons visit www.stop-du.org.
Source: 1/17/2007 Newsline
Commentary series celebrates 20th volume in 20 years.

On Nov. 17, 2006, more than two dozen writers and editors working with the Believers Church Bible Commentary met for dinner to celebrate the publication of 20 volumes in 20 years. The dinner was held in Washington, D.C., at the conclusion of a workshop for writers and prior to the Society of Biblical Literature meeting that began the next day.

The Believers Church Bible Commentary series began 20 years ago with the publication of Elmer Martens’ “Jeremiah” (1986). Martens served for many years as Old Testament editor. Douglas B. Miller of Tabor College is the current Old Testament editor; Loren Johns of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary is the current New Testament editor.

With the recent publication of “Psalms,” the project has averaged one new volume per year for the past 20 years. The commentary’s editorial council has stated its desire to complete the New Testament volumes within 10 years and the Old Testament volumes within 14 years. The commentaries have been received well so far in critical reviews.

The series originated when a Bible commentary series in Papua, New Guinea, caused Mennonite publisher Ben Cutrell to ask, “Might the Mennonites in North America do something similar?” Since then several Anabaptist denominations including the Church of the Brethren, Mennonite Church Canada, Mennonite Church USA, the Brethren in Christ, and the Brethren Church have partnered to develop a commentary series. An editorial council of scholars representing each of these church groups meets annually.

Nineteen scholars met at the writers workshop, which brought together those who had already written commentaries published in the series and those who are working on upcoming volumes. The workshop featured the personal experiences of commentary writers--how they went about the process of research, writing, and rewriting. Several reflected on the challenge of finding the right balance between technical or historical-critical background and contemporary appropriation in ways that communicate compellingly.

Another challenge writers have faced is being relevant without writing things that become quickly dated. Two key features of the series, which have begun to show up in other commentary series, are the sections, “The Text in Biblical Context” and “The Text in the Life of the Church.” A third challenge has been finding the right balance between how the text has functioned in the life of the church and how it might function in the life of the church.

Commentaries already published include “Genesis” by Bethany Theological Seminary president Eugene F. Roop (1987), which has been translated into Russian. Roop also authored “Ruth, Jonah, Esther” (2002). Other commentaries by Brethren authors include “Matthew” by Richard B. Gardner (1991), and “Acts” by Chalmer E. Faw (1993). In addition, the series has published “Exodus,” “Judges,” “Psalms,” “Proverbs,” “Jeremiah,” “Ezekiel,” “Daniel,” “Hosea, Amos,” “Mark,” “Romans,” “2 Corinthians,” “Ephesians,” “Colossians, Philemon,” “1 and 2 Thessalonians,” “1-2 Peter, Jude,” and “Revelation.”

The series is available through Brethren Press, call 800-441-3712 or go to www.brethrenpress.com.

Source: 1/17/2007 Newsline
Credits

Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. J. Allen Brubaker, Don Fecher, Matt Guynn, Kristen Leverton Helbert, Loren L. Johns, Mervin Keeney, Cliff Kindy, Dennis Kingery, Hannah Kliewer, Jon Kobel, Jeri S. Kornegay, Wendy McFadden, Howard Royer, and Paul M. Zehr contributed to this report.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Newsline Extra

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN LEADER RESPONDS TO IRAQ SPEECH

The general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board, Stanley J. Noffsinger, has made a response to President Bush’s speech about the Iraq war. Following is the response, which will be posted at the website of the National Council of Churches along with responses from leaders of other Christian denominations (go to www.ncccusa.org):

"As Christians, we are called to continually give witness to Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who called us to love our enemies. Last summer, in July 2006, the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference made a resolution about the war in Iraq that is even more applicable today.

"As the highest authority in the Church of the Brethren, the Annual Conference voted to affirm our denomination’s historic and living witness that all war is sin. As disciples of Christ and members of one of the three Historic Peace Churches, we resolved that we cannot ignore the death, destruction, and violence of the war in Iraq.

"The message of Jesus ‘to love your enemy,’ from the Gospel of Matthew 5:44, is inconsistent with military action. Jesus’ words instead move us toward peaceful methods, diplomacy, moral suasion, nonviolent sanctions, and international cooperation to address violence and aggression.

"War demeans and brutalizes all its participants. Military combatants and support personnel as well as innocent civilians, including women, children, and the infirm, are being killed and maimed. Military intervention in Iraq has triggered wave after wave of brutal acts of terrorism. In addition, the enormous expense of the war is a disastrous drain on the resources that are so desperately needed to relieve suffering at home and around the world.

"The Church of the Brethren has called on its members to pray and give witness to the sin of violence, and has petitioned the federal government of the United States, the United Nations, and other nations and groups to seek peace by taking action to bring troops home from Iraq.

"Also, we have called on religious leaders from all faiths who preach violence to consider the things that truly make for peace. The wisdom of the scriptures, in the book of Jonah, provides direction: ‘Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence’ (Jonah 3:8).

"Now, in response to the points the President is seeking, these statements by the Church of the Brethren are reaffirmed. Furthermore, we reiterate the church’s prayerful call upon the global community to formulate and actively implement a nonviolent, just plan that will bring peace and security to Iraq and all its people."

For Church of the Brethren statements about the war in Iraq see:The Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

NEWSPERSONNELUPCOMING EVENTSFEATURE
Ohio church burns on Christmas Eve, district calls for prayer.

Black River Church of the Brethren in Spencer, Ohio, burned to the ground near midnight on Christmas Eve. The fire broke out some time after the congregation’s Christmas Eve service was over, but preliminary reports are that the fire was not related to the candlelight service.

"We’re all okay. We’re looking ahead to rebuild," said pastor Mark Teal. "The real church is the people," he added.

"Please keep pastor Mark Teal and the congregation in your prayers as they faithfully look to the future," said John Ballinger, executive minister of Northern Ohio District. The congregation of about 80 on a Sunday morning is "a vibrant, very healthy congregation," said Ballinger. "They have a very good spirit about them. They are going to recover."

The congregation is meeting in a building of Chatham Community Church, a neighboring church just a couple of miles away, Teal said. They have received a lot of support from the community and the district, he said, and received a supportive visit from General Board staff member Brad Bohrer and his family last Sunday.

The fire was a shock for the congregation, which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year, Teal said. Black River weathered a disaster not many years ago in 2001, when its roof was damaged by a tornado. The church then had to do extensive remodeling because of water damage.

Now that sanctuary is completely gone, Teal said. All that is left standing is a "bump out" that used to be the entrance to the building, and two walls. "It’s a complete loss," he said.

The official report of the fire has not yet been issued, but is due at any time, Teal said. He said preliminary reports are that the fire was not set deliberately and most probably was an electrical fire, but the exact cause has been difficult to determine.

An e-mail communication from the district responded to those who have asked how they can help. Teal said that volunteers will not be needed for clean up from the fire, which will need to be done professionally with heavy machinery. However, when the church begins to rebuild, the congregation hopes to hire a contractor who will allow volunteer labor, Teal said.

The limits of the church’s insurance will not cover the building of a comparable sized church, Teal said, and so the congregation will seek help from volunteers, and donations from companies and individuals to make up the difference. Love offerings are being received at First Merit Bank, made out to the "Black River Church of the Brethren Rebuilding Fund."

God’s gift of faith is what is keeping Black River going. Pastor Teal has received "the gift of calm, the gift of peace," he said. "I’ve felt encouraged that God is going to do something bigger and better. God is already blessing and using his people to bless us."

Source: 1/3/2007 Newsline
Anabaptist leaders visit New Orleans.

Leaders of five Anabaptist denominations who are part of the Council of Moderators and Secretaries visited New Orleans and other communities in Louisiana in late 2006. The group was there to support communities in an ongoing struggle following hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Belita D. Mitchell, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, and Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board, are part of the nine-member council that traveled to Louisiana from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2, 2006. The council is a gathering of the leaders of the Church of the Brethren, Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Brethren, Brethren in Christ, and Conservative Mennonite Conference. They meet annually to discuss common concerns among Anabaptist denominations.

The council visited devastated New Orleans neighborhoods, worshiped with an Anabaptist congregation in nearby Metairie, and attended the dedication of a house built by Mennonite Disaster Service in the southern Louisiana community of Pointe-aux-Chenes. They also heard from Roy Winter, director of Emergency Response for the Church of the Brethren General Board, and met with local pastors and aid workers.

Enormous challenges still facing Gulf Coast communities as a result of the hurricanes, the group learned. Among the challenges, hundreds of thousands of people who evacuated have not returned. In many cases, they continue to live in trailers or other temporary housing arrangements in unfamiliar communities far from family, churches, and jobs.

Delays in restoring city services have slowed the return of evacuees, according to Tim Barr, Gulf Coast disaster response coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee. Additionally, many evacuees lack the basic resources they need to make the transition home. "The hope is that a lot of people are going to come back to New Orleans, but the reality is that many people can't," Barr said.

Bob Zehr, a retired Mennonite pastor, thanked aid agencies for their assistance to churches and communities in the Gulf Coast, but added that many needs remain. He said many members of his congregation, Lighthouse Fellowship in Plaquemines Parish, have not yet qualified for housing assistance for various reasons. He fears that some people, such as those in his congregation, are "falling through the cracks."

Source: 1/3/2007 Newsline
Association of Brethren Caregivers sets budget for next two years.

The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) Board approved budgets for the agency during a conference call on Dec. 12, 2006. The board approved budgets of $570,360 for 2007 and $617,320 for 2008.

Board members expressed concern that overall giving has decreased each year since 2004, though ABC’s programs are in demand and well received. ABC’s executive director Kathy Reid noted that the agency’s expenses have been kept to a minimum with the only increases occurring in medical insurance and rent.

Eddie Edmonds, chair-elect of the board, commented that donations for 2006 may be lower by as much as $60,000 from donations received in 2004. This continues to be an issue because less than one-third of all Brethren congregations include ABC in their annual budgets. As an independent ministry, ABC does not receive funds from any other denominational agencies and relies on congregational and individual donations for its programs.

Source: 1/3/2007 Newsline
Advocate Bethany Hospital seeks donations of prayer shawls.

For many years, the Church of the Brethren has supported an effort to bring health and healing to one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago. The ministry started by the Church of the Brethren continues today through Advocate Bethany Hospital.

Many congregations have supported the hospital’s ministry by donating handmade baby blankets and layettes. Last year, the hospital changed its caregiving focus and babies are no longer born there. As a result, the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) is asking congregations to change the nature of their support by making and sending prayer shawls to patients receiving care there.

Last fall Advocate Bethany Hospital became the first and only specialty hospital on Chicago’s west side to provide comprehensive care for patients with complex medical conditions who require an extended hospital stay. Advocate Bethany is not a nursing home, skilled nursing facility, or rehabilitation facility. As a specialty hospital, it provides comprehensive care for patients suffering from complex medical conditions including heart disease, respiratory conditions, stroke, kidney disease, and severe wounds. Patients’ average stays are of at least 25 days, with the ultimate goal of returning home. By providing extensive and individualized care, Advocate Bethany is a vital part of the continuum of care, particularly as society ages and health conditions that require a longer duration of treatment become more common, ABC reported.

To support this health ministry, ABC is encouraging congregations and individuals to send prayer shawls--also called "comfort shawls" or "peace shawls"--symbolizing shelter, peace, and spiritual sustenance so that the hospital staff can give the gift of care and comfort to all patients. Several ecumenical organizations already have donated hand-knitted and crocheted shawls for those in need.

"The Church of the Brethren Prayer Shawl ministry to Advocate Bethany Hospital is a simple, universal and enduring message of caring," said the invitation from ABC. "The creation and presentation of a prayer shawl, like all acts of generosity, enriches the giver as well as the recipient. Compassion and the love of knitting and crocheting have been combined into a prayerful way of passing on love and joy. Many blessings are prayed into every shawl."

Shawls have many uses for patients, and may be used during prayer or meditation, while undergoing medical procedures, during an illness and recovery, while ministering to others, and as a comfort after a loss or in times of stress or bereavement. They also may be used for birthday, anniversary, and holiday gifts.

"Made in prayer, the shawls are passed on hand-to-hand and heart-to-heart," ABC said. Suggestions for groups making shawls include to pass the work in progress around a circle, asking each person to add some stitches to the shawl, or to hold a shawl for a moment to add prayers and good wishes. Before giving it away, shawl makers are invited to say a prayer over each shawl, remembering the one who will receive the gift. It also is suggested to enclose an explanation and prayer in the package as shawls are sent to Advocate Bethany Hospital.

Prayer shawls can be mailed to Bethany Advocate Hospital, Attn: Latrice Jackson, 3435 W. Van Buren, Chicago, IL 60624; 773-265-7700

Source: 1/3/2007 Newsline
Outdoor Ministries Association hears from denominational leaders.

How many outdoor ministry/camp enthusiasts does it take to have a good time? Probably only two or three, but about 40 met at Camp Bethel near Fincastle, Va., Nov. 17-19, 2006, for the Outdoor Ministries Association National Conference.

The event, held biennially to bring together those who work in or have a passion for outdoor ministry in the Church of the Brethren, focused on "Fostering Leadership." Bethany Theological Seminary president Eugene Roop provided keynote leadership, while General Board staff Chris Douglas and Janis Pyle and former Annual Conference moderator Paul Grout led other sessions.

Douglas started things off Friday evening by holding up Jesus as "a master of leadership development who really becomes our model" and looking at partnerships in the Church of the Brethren through which leadership development occurs. Pyle followed Saturday morning by examining "daily mission-mindedness" and stressing the need for intentionality and self-care in carrying out Christ’s work.

Grout, now director of A Place Apart, an intentional community project in Vermont, identified the basic spiritual needs he has heard from every age group--being able to slow down, find meaningful work, not to be afraid, and to find a place of belonging. "In terms of our longing, we’re all pretty much the same," Grout said. He encouraged camps to be "heart centers" for the denomination.

Roop spoke twice later Saturday, providing an overview of generational differences in leadership during his first presentation, and holding together the "two worlds" of God-given creation on one hand and human ingenuity on the other in his second. Using the "cadence of creation" found in Genesis 1, Roop said camps could be places that teach people to live authentically in both worlds. "There’s no place else in the church where that’s the mission," he said. That principle of offering something that "adds value" to people’s lives and meets their passion is key, Roop added.

Veteran camp directors Rex Miller and Jerri Heiser Wenger closed out the formal sessions Sunday morning, leading a roundtable discussion on leadership development through outdoor ministry. Other camp staff shared concerns and ideas, especially looking at leadership needs for summer staff.

The weekend also included numerous worship and singing times, a tour of the camp, and time for fellowship and connecting. Camp directors and managers spent several days meeting in retreat at Brethren Woods near Keezletown, Va., prior to the conference.

Source: 1/3/2007 Newsline
Portland Brethren begin offering programs for community cable.

Ed Groff of Portland (Ore.) Peace Church of the Brethren since July 2005 has been producing a monthly half-hour community television program "to get the word out about the Church of the Brethren and who we are and what we are all about." Now he is beginning exploration of a video project to provide other local communities with a Church of the Brethren program each month.

Rachael Waas Shull has been the host of the Peace Church program, and is often joined by her husband Nate Shull. Since its beginnings, the program--which is broadcast three times each month in Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, Wash., on channels 11 and 21--has dealt with various subjects including alternative Christmas giving, peace and justice, and Heifer International. The programs are produced using volunteer time given by Groff and members and friends of Peace Church.

Groff and others from Peace Church who are involved in the project want to offer such programs to other Brethren congregations that arrange programming with cable television in their communities. Brethren congregations or individuals from across the country would be provided a half-hour program each month, focused on the Church of the Brethren and its values.

Congregations or individuals may contact Groff or Peace Church to share their interest in participating, and to receive information about details such as how to arrange time with a local-access community cable television station, what kinds of contracts or fees may be required, and how delivery of the programs will be carried out. Groff anticipates the cost for a congregation to participate will be $100 for the year.

The project plans to begin offering video programs March 1, with the first in the series mailed in mid-February. The first three months of programs include "Food and Clothing, Cattle and Love: Brethren Service in Europe after World War II," an On Earth Peace video by David Sollenberger, provided with permission from On Earth Peace. Another program focuses on countering military recruitment, using video resources of the American Friends Service Committee and On Earth Peace. Ten volunteers from the Pacific northwest are making a trip to Mississippi to assist with Hurricane Katrina relief, through Brethren Disaster Response; a third program will show the efforts of the Church of the Brethren as it continues to serve Katrina survivors.

Contact Ed Groff at Groffprod1@msn.com or 360-256-8550. Contact Portland Peace Church of the Brethren at peacecob@3dwave.com or 503-254-6380.

Source: 1/3/2007 Newsline
Brethren bits: Corrections, personnel, Nigeria love offering, more.
  • Correction: In an addition to the short list of people related to the Church of the Brethren who are working in Antarctica (see the Newsline of Dec. 20, 2006), David Haney also is "on the ice." Haney’s membership is at Goshen (Ind.) City Church of the Brethren.

  • Correction: In the Dec. 20 issue of Newsline, the publisher of "A Passion for Victory," a book about Sam Hornish Jr., was incorrect. The book was not published by the "Bryan Times," but by Hornish’s hometown newspaper the "Crescent-News," in Defiance, Ohio. The book can be ordered at www.crescent-news.com.

  • The New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center is saying farewell to Maria Capusan, a member of the food service staff for 20 years, who retired at the end of 2006. The conference center is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board. "On behalf of the Brethren Service Center employees and volunteers we extend our appreciation for her hard work and commitment to the New Windsor Conference Center," said an announcement from director Kathleen Campanella.

  • Walter Trail began fulltime employment with the Food Service Department of the New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center on Dec. 13. He has extensive professional food service experience after working for CI Foodservice, Eurest Dining Services, and Sbarro, Inc.

  • Amy Waldron began with the Church of the Brethren General Board on Dec. 18, joining the Global Mission Partnerships team in Nigeria though Brethren Volunteer Service. She will teach at the Comprehensive Secondary School of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). She is from Lima, Ohio, and previously worked at Quest Academy.

  • In a year-end update on the love offering for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria following the destruction of churches in interfaith violence in Maiduguri earlier this year, a total of $43,652.63 has been sent to the Nigerian church. EYN president Filibus Gwama responded to communications of concern from Merv Keeney, executive director of the board’s Global Mission Partnerships, with this note: "Many greetings and thanks for your prayers and help for EYN. Maiduguri churches appreciated your love very much. May God bless you and the entire members of Church of the Brethren." The love offering was initiated by the Church of the Brethren General Board at its March meeting. Keeney observed that "this generous and caring response to sisters and brothers in Nigeria reflects our sense of community as members of the global Church of the Brethren."

  • Mission workers Brandy and Paul Liepelt will visit churches and camps in Pennsylvania to share about their work in Nigeria with the Global Mission Partnerships of the Church of the Brethren General Board. The Liepelts teach Bible and Christian doctrine at Kulp Bible College in Mubi, where they help train pastors for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). On Jan. 7 they will speak at New Enterprise Church of the Brethren, and Cherry Lane Church of the Brethren in Clearville; on Jan. 9-10 at Woodbury Church of the Brethren; on Jan. 14 at Holsinger Church of the Brethren in New Enterprise, and Yellow Creek Church of the Brethren in Hopewell; on Jan. 17 at Hollidaysburg Church of the Brethren; on Jan. 18 at Stone Church of the Brethren in Huntingdon; on Jan. 20 at Camp Blue Diamond for a Senior High Retreat; and on Jan. 21 at Dunnings Creek Church of the Brethren in New Paris. For more information about these speaking engagements, please contact the host congregations.

  • A March on Washington to End the Iraq War is scheduled for Jan. 27. Brethren are invited to join in the march by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board. The event is organized by United for Peace and Justice. An action alert from the office said, "This march will call for the immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and demand that Congress pass legislation that will put an end to the Iraq war." Several Chicago-area peace organizations are co-sponsoring a Chicago area mobilization and bus trip to the march, leaving in the late afternoon of Friday, Jan. 26 (for more information send an e-mail with "DC Bus" subject line to wsfpc@comcast.net). For more information about Brethren participation in the march contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, 800-785-3246, washington_office_gb@brethren.org. For more about the event go to www.unitedforpeace.org.

  • The Cross Cultural Ministries Steering Committee has set a date for the Church of the Brethren’s annual Cross Cultural Consultation and Celebration in 2008: April 24-27, in Elgin, Ill. This year’s consultation is planned for New Windsor, Md., on April 19-22; for registration information go to www.brethren.org/genbd/clm/clt/CrossCultural.html.

  • Hammond Avenue Brethren Church of Waterloo, Iowa, collected a ton of food--literally--for the local Salvation Army in Nov. 2006. The congregation is jointly affiliated with the Church of the Brethren and the Brethren Church. Through the "Together We Can Bag Hunger" project members and friends invited their neighbors to join them in providing food by distributing bright yellow bags identified with the phrase, "Small things done with great love will change the world." The church also held a food drive at a local grocery. A total of 2,725 pounds of food was collected. Pastor Ronald W. Waters said an additional goal of the project was to provide an easy way for members of the church to meet and connect with neighbors. "As they collected the food, they also offered to pray for their neighbors about any needs in their family." --Ronald W Waters

  • The Steering Committee for the John Kline Homestead Preservation project is planning a meeting for pastors of congregations in Shenandoah District and surrounding districts on Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren. Elder John Kline was a Brethren leader and martyr during the Civil War; his historic home has recently become available for purchase. The meeting will provide information about the homestead and efforts to preserve this Brethren heritage site.

  • Indianapolis Peace House’s new executive director Kim Overdyck began work on Jan. 2. Laura J. Harms begins as associate director on Jan. 8. The Indianapolis Peace House is an undergraduate residency in peace studies sponsored by the Plowshares consortium of the historic peace church colleges in Indiana: Manchester, Goshen, and Earlham. Overdyck has been leading the University of Notre Dame’s Take Ten program that serves more than 1,200 inner-city children to break the cycle of violence and promote nonviolent conflict resolution in schools in South Bend; previously she spent 13 years investigating crimes against children for the South African Police Service. Harms has been resident services manager of AHC Inc, a private nonprofit developer of housing communities; she is a 1995 peace and global studies graduate of Earlham. For more go to www.plowsharesproject.org/php/peacehouse.

  • McPherson (Kan.) College Department of Music is presenting a concert of music for organ and brass on Sunday, Jan. 14, at 3 p.m. in Brown Auditorium. Participating in the program are the adult choirs of McPherson Church of the Brethren and Trinity Lutheran Church. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. There is no admission charge.

  • A major campus expansion including a second Harmony Ridge apartment building, a wellness center, and a community center addition has been approved for construction at Cross Keys Village, at the Brethren Home Community in New Oxford, Pa. The Wellness Center will be named in honor of Harvey S. Kline, who was administrator and then president of the Brethren Home from 1971-89.

  • Camp Bethel was represented among dozens of "green" vendors and information booths at the 7th Annual Green Living and Energy Expo in Roanoke, Va., Dec. 1-2, 2006. The camp presented its Master Site Plan as a case study in "green" thinking and "green" planning. More at www.campbethelvirginia.org.

  • Clarence Priser spent his 100th birthday preaching at New Haven Church of the Brethren in Sparta, N.C., on Nov. 12, 2006, according to a front page article in "The Alleghany News." The article said New Haven was the first congregation in the county in which Priser began preaching about 20 years ago--he served the church as pastor for about 10 years. Priser is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren, and also has worked as a teacher and photographer. Of reaching the century mark he said, "I want to be ready when God calls whether it’s tonight or tomorrow or whatever. As long as I can do something for Him in this world, I’ll stay and do it."

  • Jodi Johnson was honored as "Citizen of the Year" for 2006 by the Cambridge City (Ind.) Kiwanis Club. She has been a member of Nettle Creek Church of the Brethren in Hagerstown, Ind., for 48 years.

  • For the first time, a Greater Gift/SERRV sales exceeded $2 million in one month, reported president Bob Chase. "Preliminary November (2006) sales were approximately $2,040,000, compared with $1,836,000 last November (2005), for an increase of $204,000 or 11 percent," he said. As of Dec. 1, 2006, sales for the year had exceeded total sales for all of 2005, Chase said. The overall increase included sales of more than $112,000 for November at the store at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., and an increase in sales of 55 percent at the Greater Gift shop in Madison, Wis. "The staff, particularly the New Windsor crew, worked very, very hard to achieve this goal," Chase said. For more go to www.agreatergift.org.

  • The 2007 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be celebrated from Jan. 18-25, on the theme "Break the Silence" from Mark 7:37. The observance is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Roman Catholic Church. This year’s theme has its origins in the experience of Christian communities in the South African region of Umlazi, near Durban, a region affected by unemployment, poverty, and HIV/AIDS, with an estimated 50 percent of residents infected with the virus. Resources include an introduction to the theme, suggested ecumenical worship service, biblical reflections, prayers, and an overview of the situation in South Africa. Go to http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/wop-index.html.

  • A $150,000 grant by the Arcus Foundation of Kalamazoo, Mich., has been awarded to the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests (BMC) and its three collaborative partners, the Association of Affirming and Welcoming Baptists, Gay and Lesbian Affirming Disciples (Christian Church, Disciples of Christ), and the Welcoming Community Network (Community of Christ). A release from BMC said the grant will fund a three-year project to increase the number of congregations that are publicly affirming of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people through the work of a faith-based community organizer. For more information contact BMC at 612-343-2060 or bmc@bmclgbt.org.
Source: 1/3/2007 Newsline