Brethren bits: Personnel, job openings, and much more.

• Jerry Duble is retiring from his position with the Church of the Brethren General Board on Dec. 31. He has been serving as housekeeping supervisor for the New Windsor Conference Center located at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. He began his career with the General Board at the Brethren Service Center in 1994, working for SERRV International. Duble has been a key staff member at the New Windsor Conference Center since 1999. He is a member of Edgewood Church of the Brethren in New Windsor.
  
  
• Lois Duble is retiring for a second time from programs of the Church of the Brethren General Board at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. In retirement following several fulltime positions at the center, she has been working part-time as needed for Children’s Disaster Services and Brethren Disaster Ministries. She has had a total 18 years with the center.
  
  
• LethaJoy Martin started on Dec. 17 as a program assistant in the Children’s Disaster Services ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board, at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. She is returning to the workforce after a break from Maryland Public Television, where she was involved with the production of shows such as "Wall Street Week" and "Great Performances." She also has worked as missions coordinator for Mays Chapel United Methodist Church in Timonium, Md., and secretary for Good Bears of the World. She holds a bachelor's degree in broadcast and business administration from Anderson (Ind.) University.
  
  
• Tammy Chudy will move from temporary employment to permanent employment status with Brethren Benefit Trust on Jan. 1, 2008. Her title will be Insurance Plans member services representative.
  
  
• Pacific Southwest District has named Richard Hart as interim district executive minister as of Jan. 1, 2008. He previously served the district in the same position almost five years ago.
  
  
• Pacific Southwest District seeks a fulltime district executive minister. Responsibilities are to serve as executive of the district, strengthening a diverse, collaborative team environment; collaborate with the district board in shaping vision; articulate and promote the vision of the district; strengthen relationships with pastors and congregations; facilitate pastoral placement; administer the work of the district board. Qualifications include passion about the potential of the Church of the Brethren and openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit; pastoral and prophetic gifts; deep faith and prayer life; spiritual maturity and Christian integrity; being a student of the scriptures with a good grasp of theology and Brethren history; staff and team management skills; flexibility working with staff, volunteer, pastoral, and lay leadership; experience with growth and change; communication skills with ability to build relationships across cultural, theological, and geographic boundaries; abilidad para escuchar y crear puentes en medio de la diversidad cultural, teologica y geografica. A masters degree is preferred, English and Spanish bilingual skills are advantageous. Send a letter of interest and resume via e-mail to DistrictMinistries_gb@brethren.org. Applicants are requested to contact three or four people to provide a letter of reference. Application deadline is Feb. 15, 2008.
  
  
• The Church of the Brethren General Board seeks a director for Conference Center and Marketing at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., to begin in early 2008. This new position will direct all aspects of the New Windsor Conference Center (dining services, conference coordination, and housekeeping) as well as lead development, implementation, and evaluation of a strategic marketing plan. The director will be responsible for increasing the total number of bookings and revenue of the conference center, must be strongly versed in quality customer service, and bears ultimate responsibility for insuring that the needs of each guest or volunteer are met. Qualifications include ability to relate with integrity and respect within and beyond the Brethren Service Center, at least two years of experience developing and implementing a successful marketing plan, at least two years of hotel or conference center management experience, strong general management skills, knowledge and experience in budget development. Non-profit and volunteer coordination experience are preferred. A bachelor's degree is required, preferably in management or marketing. EOE/ADA. Send a resume with a cover letter no later than Jan. 16, 2008, to Joan McGrath, Human Resources Coordinator, Brethren Service Center, P.O. Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776; or by e-mail to jmcgrath_gb@brethren.org.
  
  
• Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) seeks a manager of publications to fill a fulltime one-year interim salaried position in Elgin, Ill., available immediately. Responsibilities include oversight of BBT’s publications; serving as a senior writer; reporting on news and information related to BBT’s ministry areas; supporting BBT’s wellness component and socially responsible investing; managing the publication schedule, content for publications and website, and creating writing and photo assignments; working with a production coordinator and contracted designers; assisting marketing and promotional efforts; and travel to denominational events as assigned. Qualifications include at least an undergraduate degree, preferably in Communications, English, Marketing, Business, or a related field, with experience or expertise in writing, copyediting, or project management. Knowledge of business is helpful. Active membership in the Church of the Brethren is preferred. Salary is competitive with Church Benefits Association agencies of comparable size and scope of services. A full benefits package is included. Send a letter of interest and resume with salary range expectation to Nevin Dulabaum, 1505 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; or e-mail to ndulabaum_bbt@brethren.org. For questions or clarification about the position, please call Dulabaum at 847-778-8274.
  
  
• National Young Adult Conference worship coordinators Jim Chinworth and Becky Ullom have begun planning for the upcoming conference on the theme "Come to the Mountain, Guidance for the Journey," based on Isaiah 2:3. The conference takes place Aug. 11-15, 2008, in Estes Park, Colo. Speakers will include Michaela Camps from Atlantic Southeast District, Thomas Dowdy from Pacific Southwest District, Matt Guynn from the staff of On Earth Peace, and Laura Stone from South/Central Indiana District. Guest worship coordinators are David Sollenberger and Walt Wiltschek. Online registration begins on Jan. 7, 2008 at 12 noon central time. The cost will be reduced to $300 for those registering between Jan. 7 and Feb. 14. Go to www.nyac08.org.
  
  
• Black River Church of the Brethren in Spencer, Ohio, held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new church building on Nov. 18. It will be a year ago on Christmas Eve that the Black River church building was destroyed by fire.
  
  
• The Lititz (Pa.) Area Meals on Wheels has been preparing meals from the church kitchen at Lititz Church of the Brethren since 1973. In November, the 1 millionth meal was served. On Sunday, Nov. 25, the church and Lititz Area Meals on Wheels volunteers were honored as a representative from the Lancaster County Office of the Aging shared comments, and Lititz mayor Russell Pettyjohn read a proclamation recognizing the community ministry.
  
  
• A nationally televised "Farm News Show" from WGN has been taped in part on the campus of Pinecrest Community, a Church of the Brethren retirement center in Mount Morris, Ill. Other area locations will be featured as well, such as White Pines State Park near Mount Morris. The show is scheduled for Dec. 22-24 on satellite and dish networks. It is to air at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Dec. 22, at 7 a.m. on Dec. 23, and 5 p.m. on Dec. 24.
  
  
• Five Learning Tours are being offered in 2008 by the New Community Project, a Brethren-related nonprofit. The trips welcome all ages to learn about troubled areas of the world and build relationships with neighbors and God's creation. Learning Tours will go to Nepal on Jan. 5-15, studying areas of poverty and women's empowerment; to the Ecuadorian Amazon on May 18-29 to explore the rainforest and learn about threats to it; to Guatemala on June 15-25 to visit with indigenous communities, see reforestation efforts, and possibly make church-to-church connections; to Honduras on July 19-28, where participants will live and work in a poor community; to Denali National Park, Alaska, on Aug. 7-15, to view wildlife and the effects of global warming; and to Burma on Aug. 18-27, where the group will study poverty, repression, and visit Christian villages. Go to http://newcommunityproject.org/tours.shtml or contact director David Radcliff at 888-800-2985 or ncp@newcommunityproject.org.
  
  
• Tom Lehman, a librarian at Notre Dame University and a member of the Mennonite Church, is seeking slides of Brethren and Mennonite mission work in Puerto Rico in the 1940s and ’50s for an online collection. He is hoping that those with Puerto Rico slides will make them available for scanning. For details contact Tom Lehman, 17701 Tanager Lane, South Bend, IN 46635; 574-272-3817; telehman@gmail.com. View the online collection at www.flickr.com/photos/tlehman/collections/72157600017663873.

Source: 12/19/2007 Newsline