Wednesday, August 29, 2007

NEWSPERSONNELUPCOMING EVENTS300th ANNIVERSARY UPDATENEWSLINE EXTRA
Brethren Benefit Trust offers resource to find health insurance.

Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) is offering an online resource to locate health insurance, following the decision by the 2007 Annual Conference to phase out the Brethren Medical Plan’s medical insurance component for the Ministers’ Group. This group includes employees of Church of the Brethren congregations, districts, and camps.

BBT has created the resource to support participants in the Ministers' Group to find medical coverage for themselves and their families, as this component of the Brethren Medical Plan will be closed on Dec. 31. The resource is intended for those with pre-existing conditions who are likely to have a difficult time in obtaining health insurance on their own. People who do not have such conditions are expected to be able to obtain insurance on their own from any insurance provider.

The online resource is a website titled "Insurance Coverage Support Center." It may be accessed off of the "Insurance Plans" page at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org (click on "Insurance Services" in the left-hand column).

Through the Insurance Coverage Support Center, employees may view coverage information specific to their states, find answers to frequently asked questions about insurance, and see what’s new with Brethren Benefit Trust insurance.

The website explains how individual states comply with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The act guarantees health insurance coverage for individuals, regardless of pre-existing medical condition, who have had 18 months of credible coverage and lose coverage through a plan closure.

For example, if an employee lives in Illinois, he or she will find information about the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (HIPAA-CHIP) including information about rates in different areas of the state, eligibility requirements, coverage highlights, how to enroll, and a brochure.

BBT also is offering to help participants of the Ministers’ Group find other group coverage that may be available through organizations such as AARP. For more information contact Insurance Services staff at 800-746-1505 or e-mail tchudy_bbt@brethren.org.
Shepherd's Spring will build and host a Heifer Global Village.

Heifer International and Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center in Sharpsburg, Md., recently signed a letter of agreement to establish a Heifer Global Village at Shepherd's Spring. Shepherd’s Spring is an outdoor ministry and conference center of the Church of the Brethren’s Mid-Atlantic District.

Construction of the new Heifer Global Village on the Shepherd's Spring 220-acre campus will begin this fall. On Sept. 30, at 3:30 p.m., Shepherd's Spring will host a groundbreaking event to bless the land and prepare the site. An Open House precedes the groundbreaking at 2-4 p.m., and a parade and road dedication are planned for 2:30 p.m.

"Heifer started with the Church of the Brethren, so we’re glad to bring it full circle," said Ann Cornell, Shepherd’s Spring administrator.

Over a five-year period, an estimated 38,000 people will learn about world hunger and Heifer's mission through the programs at Shepherd's Spring. The outdoor ministry center has been a part of Heifer's Learning Center expansion process since Dec. 2003 to become a pilot Heifer Global Village community sponsor who builds and operates a Heifer Global Village at their expense.

In this model, Heifer provides Shepherd's Spring with the program curriculum, staff training, and construction plans for the Global Village. Heifer also will provide marketing support along with an annual operations review and program evaluation. For its part, Shepherd's Spring will meet Heifer's required standards and will provide the funding and staffing for the sites and programs.

Through donations, Shepherd's Spring has raised $200,000 to pave the entrance road and estimates a total cost of $120,000 to construct the village. Shepherd’s Spring will pay for the construction expenses through donations and grants, and plans to cover operational expenses through program fees and donations.

For more information visit www.shepherdsspring.org.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
Brethren Volunteer Service introduces 275th orientation unit.

Volunteers who took part in Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) orientation unit 275 have begun their terms of service. The unit included 15 volunteers. The New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center at the Brethren Service Center hosted the orientation from July 23-Aug. 10.

The volunteers, their congregations or hometowns, and projects:

Simon Albrecht of Siegen, Germany, and Jillian Baker of Woodbridge, Va., will work at the Brethren Nutrition Program in Washington D.C. Rianna Barrett of Manassas, Va., will go to the Witness to Washington Office in Washington D.C. Thomas Bergman of Yellville, Ark., will serve at the Center on Conscience and War in Washington D.C. Tom Birdzell of Wilmington (Del.) Church of the Brethren, will work with the Church of the Brethren General Board computer operations in Elgin, Ill. Becca Creath of Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind., is going to Gould Farm in Monterey, Mass. Solomon Fenton-Miller of Florence Church of the Brethren in Marcellus, Mich., will work with Musicians Without Borders in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. Leo Firus of Speyer, Germany, is going to Brethren Woods in Keezletown, Va. Steve Guenwald of Calbelah, Germany, is going to the Tri-City Homeless Coalition in Fremont, Calif. Bekah Houff of Palmyra (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, will work with the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the General Board in Elgin, Ill. Sandy Howard of Elkton, Md., will serve at Samaritan House in Atlanta, Ga. Jay Irizarry of Waterford (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, is working for computer operations at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Danielle Pals of Moscow, Idaho, will serve at Jubilee USA Network in Washington, D.C. Ben Prueser of Luebeck, Germany, will go to the International Community School in Decatur, Ga. Willem Rabe of Bruehl, Germany, is to serve with Su Casa Catholic Worker House in Chicago, Ill.

"Your prayer support is greatly appreciated. Please think of the unit and the people they will touch during their year of service," said Beth Merrill of the BVS office. For more call 800-323-8039 or visit www.brethrenvolunteerservice.org.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
Northern Ohio District declares that ‘Faith Is in the Following.’

"Faith Is in the Following" was the theme for the 143rd Northern Ohio District Conference. A total of 333 delegates and other district members gathered from July 27-29 at Ashland (Ohio) University for worship, business, fellowship, and information-gathering. Moderator Larry Bradley, pastor of Reading Church of the Brethren in Homeworth, Ohio, presided over the business session.

The Friday worship service drama, "The Names of God," was provided by the Senior Performing Arts Camp. The Junior Performing Arts musical, "American Ideal," gave a humorous look at popculture fame and fortune turned around to shine the spotlight on God’s truth about humility. Conference moderator Larry Bradley spoke on the theme Sunday morning, presenting the challenge that faith goes beyond a verbal profession, it must be followed with action. The message from William Q. Brown, pastor at Marvelous Light Ministries in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday evening followed his personal testimony of the power of God who changed his life, when he determined by faith to follow Christ. Offerings totaled $2,587.73.

The following business items were handled by the delegates: approval of fellowhip status for the Faith in Action ministry in Delta, Ohio; approval of a 2008 district budget of $195,021.50; election of district leaders; affirmation of Manchester College Trustees; and "Conversations on Being the District."

The District Board called Paul Bartholomew of Mohican Church of the Brethren in West Salem, as chair, and Bruce Jacobsen of Mount Pleasant Church of the Brethren in North Canton, as vice-chair. Doug Price, associate pastor at Dupont (Ohio) Church of the Brethren, will serve as moderator in 2008. Wes Richard, co-pastor at Elm Street Church of the Brethren in Lima, Ohio, was selected to be moderator-elect. A consecration service was held for the moderator and moderator-elect following the Sunday morning worship service.

"Conversations on Being the District" was a vital part of the business. The District Board desired to engage everyone in a time of discussion to discern core resources for the district. Participants were asked to complete a survey, marking their choices of top six "core resources" out of ten that had been identified by the District Board. The survey results identified these priorities: 1. camp, 2. age-specific outreach (youth, young adult, adult), 3. leadership development (clergy and laity), 4. district office (pastoral placement, information, etc.), 5. missional projects (church planting/church vitality), 6. District Conference (connection/communication), 7. disaster response, 8. stewardship, 9. peace witness, 10. retirement homes. The newly re-organized District Board will use the survey results to discern how to proceed with the desired priorities that have been identified. During this time, a motion was brought to the floor and approved, to form a Camp Board for oversight of Inspiration Hills.

In other business, the district introduced a "District Ministries" DVD, agency reports were received, and pastor Mark Teal of Black River Church of the Brethren in Spencer, reported that the congregation will break ground within the next few months for construction of a new church building. The previous structure was destroyed by fire this past Christmas Eve.

In other conference events, the Ministry Commission recognized special service anniversaries of 24 ordained ministers, including four who have served 60 years or more: Guy Buch (64), Richard Speicher (61), Wayne Wheeler (61), and Durward Hays (60). The District 300th Anniversary Committee presented biographical sketches of "founding fathers" from the Northern Ohio District. The Anniversary Committee also commissioned each congregation to bring a poster to conference that gave a brief written history of the congregation and photographs. The Peace Task Team held a Silent Auction to benefit the District Peace Endowment Fund, which provides funding for a Peace and Conciliation staff person. The auction raised $2,036.05.

The Mission and Social Action Commission provided a truck, with the challenge to "Fill it up!" with Gift of the Heart Kits for disaster relief. Although the truck was not completely filled, the district sent two pallets of health and school kits to the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Mort Curie, district disaster coordinator, drove the truck to New Windsor to deliver the kits.

The display area provided information tables for various denominational and district ministries, as well as Brethren Press and A Greater Gift (SERRV). Insight sessions were available on Friday and Saturday evenings for participants to gain valuable information on a variety of ministries and subjects. Each session averaged 20 participants.

Next year’s District Conference will take place July 25-27, 2008, at Ashland University.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
Brethren bits: Personnel, news from congregations, and more.
  • Matt and Kristy Messick will be delaying their participation in the Sudan mission initiative, announced Bradley Bohrer, director of the Sudan mission for the Church of the Brethren General Board. The Messicks were introduced as members of the lead team of mission workers for Sudan at the 2007 Annual Conference in July. "After prayerful consideration during this preparatory time, the decision has been made that they and their family will be able to serve the church and the Sudan initiative at a later date. This precludes them from being part of the lead team of mission workers, but allows for them being part of later staffing options," Bohrer said. "We regret this loss to the team and to this vital ministry."

  • Westernport (Md.) Church of the Brethren celebrated a Homecoming on Aug. 5 marking the 50th anniversary that the church has held services at its present site, and its 80th anniversary as a congregation. The theme for the event was "Precious Memories." Former pastor Ervin Huston was the guest speaker, with current pastor William C. Shimer Sr. as worship leader.

  • Becky and Harry Rhodes, interim pastors at Good Shepherd Church of the Brethren in Blacksburg, Va., are interested in contacting Brethren students at Virginia Tech, especially incoming freshmen. The congregation is located close to the university campus, and the pastors hope to continue the church’s care for students and offer hospitality to students who are living away from their home churches, according to the Virlina District e-mail newsletter. Contact Becky Rhodes at rhodes58@cox.net, 540-588-3252, or 540-343-5781.

  • Atlantic Southeast District’s Action for Peace Team has designed a "Peacemaking Within Ministerial Leadership Questionnaire" for use in interviews of pastoral candidates by district ministerial examining committees and by congregational search committees. The questionnaire was developed in collaboration with the Brethren Witness/Washington Office and On Earth Peace, and offers committees help to discern a candidate’s familiarity with biblical and Brethren positions on peacemaking. For a copy of the questionnaire contact Phil Lersch, Chair, Action for Peace Team, 6301 56th Avenue, N., St. Petersburg, FL 33709; 727-544-2911; phillersch@verizon.net.

  • Bicycle tours are planned in Middle Pennsylvania District, announced in the district newsletter. A "Tour de Dunker Ride" Sept. 9 starts at Memorial Church of the Brethren in Martinsburg, Pa., at 8:30 a.m. The tour of about 60 miles includes a 30-mile ride in the morning, lunch at the church, and the 20-plus mile Martinsburg leg of the Tour de Toona race in the afternoon. A ride is tentatively planned for Oct. 14 on Little Pine Creek Trail. Call 814-793-3451 for more details.

  • During Camp Bethel's 80th Anniversary Celebration and Potluck Dinner on Sunday, Sept. 2, Fonda Wilson will be honored as the camp’s director of food services from 2004-07. Her last day at camp was Aug. 15. Camp Bethel’s 23rd Heritage Day Festival fundraiser also is planned for this fall, on Oct. 6. Information is at www.campbethelvirginia.org/hday.htm.

  • Three more Manchester College graduates have received Fulbright scholarships, continuing the college's leadership in the state of Indiana of Fulbrights per capita/student, with 22 Fulbrights in the past 12 years. The three latest recipients are Stacey A. Carmichael of South Bend, Ind., who received a bachelor's degree in elementary education in May and will be teaching English in South Korea; Samuel A. Cox of Kokomo, Ind., who received a bachelor's degree in history and German in May and will teach English in Germany; and Rachel A. Paske of Fort Wayne, Ind., who received a bachelor's degree in sociology and German in 2004 and also will teach English in Germany. For more about Manchester, visit www.manchester.edu.

  • The 2007 Brethren Revival Fellowship General Meeting is set for Saturday, Sept. 8, 10 a.m.-3:45 p.m., at Shanks Church of the Brethren near Greencastle, Pa. Held on the theme, "The Future of the Church of the Brethren," the meeting will be moderated by John A. Shelly. The morning message will be brought by Craig Alan Myers and the afternoon message by Harold S. Martin. Participants are invited to bring their own lunch; beverage will be provided by the host church.

  • Eight members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) including Church of the Brethren member Cliff Kindy were arrested while attempting to deliver roses to Alliant Techsystems Inc. headquarters in Edina, Minn., on Hiroshima Day, Aug. 6. CPT said the arrests followed a gathering of some 40 people to offer prayers for those who have suffered the effects of depleted uranium, and to commemorate those who died in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 62 years ago. A CPT release said Alliant is the world's largest producer of depleted uranium weapons, and produces motors for launching nuclear missiles. The Church of the Brethren General Board in late June issued a resolution against the use of depleted uranium weapons and in support of the work of CPT and the World Council of Churches against the weapons. Kindy has been a leader of the CPT campaign against depleted uranium. He and the other seven who were arrested each received a citation for trespassing that carries a $142 fine. Originally a violence-reduction initiative of the historic peace churches (Church of the Brethren, Mennonite, and Quaker), CPT now enjoys support and membership from a wide range of Christian denominations.

  • Brethren were involved in two New Community Project Learning Tours this summer. A July trip to Honduras included 22 Church of the Brethren members. The group lived and worked in the Chorti Mayan community of Barbasco in the western part of Honduras, helping install water lines and latrines, and learning about poverty and the racial and gender discrimination facing the indigenous community. Twelve Brethren joined an August trip to Alaska's Denali/Kenai Fjords National Parks. Sightings of lynx, bears, caribou, sheep, moose, and a variety of sea life were highlights, along with a visit to a native center. For more about the New Community Project go to http://newcommunityproject.org/learningtours.shtml.

  • The World Council of Churches (WCC) has announced its internship program for 2008. The WCC will welcome five young people aged 18-30 to serve as interns in its offices in Geneva, Switzerland, from Feb. 2008-Jan. 2009. Interns will be assigned to one of the WCC working areas. Each intern will be expected to plan an ecumenical project to implement in his or her home context when they return home in Feb. 2009. Along with an application, applicants must send background information about their church or Christian youth network that will help them in implementing their proposed ecumenical project. Closing date for receiving applications is Sept. 20. More information and an application form are at www.oikoumene.org/?id=3187.
Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
Keller named interim director of admissions at Bethany Seminary.

Elizabeth J. Keller of Richmond, Ind., has been named interim director of admissions for Bethany Theological Seminary from Aug. 23, 2007, until Sept. 30, 2008. Keller currently is enrolled in Bethany’s Master of Divinity program and intends to graduate in May 2008.

Keller has served as the seminary’s chapel coordinator and on the presidential search committee. During her time as a Bethany student, Keller also has served Northview Church of the Brethren in Indianapolis, Ind., as a student pastor, and has been a summer intern with Bethany’s Institutional Advancement office.

A 1997 graduate of Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., she was senior admissions counselor there from 1997-2000.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
Annual Conference announces 2012 site, schedule for 2008.

The Program and Arrangements Committee of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference met recently at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. A number of significant decisions were made regarding future conferences.

The site of Annual Conference 2012 has been chosen. The event will be held in St. Louis, Mo., July 7-11, 2012.

A number of unique events are planned for next year’s Annual Conference in Richmond, Va., July 12-16, 2008. The Conference will commemorate the 300th anniversary celebration of the Brethren movement by holding a simultaneous annual meeting with the Brethren Church at the same location, the Greater Richmond Convention Center and the Richmond Coliseum. Many joint activities are planned, in addition to other Church of the Brethren-only activities.

Notable differences from the usual Conference schedule are the time of opening worship at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, followed by a concert of the 200-voice National Christian Choir at 8 p.m.; joint activities with the Brethren Church on Sunday, July 13, starting with worship at 10 a.m., followed by celebratory activities in the afternoon and an evening service focusing on missions; Church of the Brethren worship services on Monday and Tuesday, July 14-15, at 8:30 a.m. rather than the usual evening time slot; participation by Christian musician and composer Ken Medema in the Monday morning worship service, and a Medema concert on Monday evening at 8 p.m.; a drama on the life and death of Church of the Brethren volunteer Ted Studebaker during the Vietnam War, on Tuesday at 8 p.m.; and a closing joint worship service with the Brethren Church on Wednesday morning, July 16.

The general schedule for next year’s Conference will be posted soon at www.brethren.org/ac/richmond/schedule.html. Registration fees for 2008 have not increased over 2007, the Annual Conference office announced. Fees for all aspects of Annual Conference next year can be found at www.brethren.org/ac/richmond/feeschedule.html.

For more information go to www.brethren.org/ac. Questions may be directed to executive director Lerry Fogle, 800-688-5186.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
More than 50 churches to observe day of prayer for peace.

As of Aug. 24, 54 congregations or colleges associated with the Church of the Brethren are planning a time of prayer on or near Friday, Sept. 21, to mark the International Day of Prayer for Peace, according to an update from On Earth Peace. The Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board and On Earth Peace are encouraging congregations and faith communities to hold public prayer events. The day of prayer is connected with the World Council of Churches’ Decade to Overcome Violence.

The next networking call for those planning events will be offered on Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. eastern time. The call facilitator is Matt Guynn, coordinator of peace witness for On Earth Peace. To register contact Mimi Copp, organizer for the International Day of Prayer for Peace in the Church of the Brethren, at 260-479-5087 or miminski@gmail.com.

In addition to the more than 50 congregations and organizations taking part, "We are also very excited to learn that our sisters and brothers in the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria, are planning to participate," said On Earth Peace. In addition, the Brethren Witness/Washington Office is hosting a delegation of people from five continents, through the World Council of Churches. The office will be taking the group around the east coast, including a stop in "Amish country," and ending up in New York City on Sept. 21 to be part of the United Nation’s service of prayer for peace.

Following are some examples of peace events being planned by congregations:
  • Skippack Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia, Pa., is installing a peace pole on Sept. 21.

  • Una Nueva Vida en Cristo church in Floyd, Va., is planning Bible study and prayer about the importance of peace in our world and our responsibility as Christians to achieve peace.

  • Lower Miami Church of the Brethren in Dayton, Ohio, is planning an all-day prayer vigil, ending with a prayer service the evening of Sept. 21. Neighbor churches will be invited.

  • Children at Beaver Dam Church of the Brethren in Union Bridge, Md., will pray for peace in conjunction with an "On Earth Pizza" event.

  • Springfield (Ill.) First Church of the Brethren is co-sponsoring an interfaith worship event on Thursday evening, Sept. 20; a Rally for Peace on Sept. 21 at the Illinois State Capitol; and is hosting a 7 a.m. prayer service at the church’s peace pole.
For the list of Brethren congregations planning peace events, and a link to resources in English and Spanish, go to www.brethren.org/oepa/programs/peace-witness/prayforpeace.html.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
Nigeria workcamp is announced for 2008.

The annual Nigeria workcamp jointly sponsored by the Global Mission Partnerships of the Church of the Brethren General Board, Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), and Mission 21 (formally Basel Mission), will be held Jan. 12-Feb. 10, 2008. The workcamp led by Dave Whitten, Nigeria mission coordinator for the Church of the Brethren, will continue construction of the EYN Comprehensive Secondary School.

The workcamp also may have opportunities to worship in churches that have been repaired after being partially destroyed in religious riots, and to learn about EYN programs that strengthen the witness for Christ in Nigeria. The group will be hosted in the homes of EYN members. On the work project, American and European participants will work with Nigerian Christians with opportunities for each person to share their skills regardless of their talents and expertise.

"Are you looking for an opportunity to visit Christian sisters and brothers in Nigeria who live in the land of the world’s happiest people? Pray under the same tamarind tree where Church of the Brethren missionaries to Nigeria held their first worship service in 1923? Have your own faith strengthened and deepened?" asked Larry and Donna Elliott, former Brethren mission workers in Nigeria, in an e-mail encouraging members of the US church to take part in the next workcamp. "We would urge you to take a step of faith and say, ‘Yes, Lord I want to be a part of the Nigerian workcamp experience.’"

Cost of $2,200 includes round-trip travel from the closest airport in the continental US and living expenses while in Nigeria. For more go to www.brethren.org/genbd/global_mission/workcamp/index.html. For an application contact the Global Mission Partnerships Office, 800-323-8039 ext. 230 or mmunson_gb@brethren.org. Deadline for applications is Sept. 24.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
‘Brethren Heritage Collection’ DVD set offers 75 years of history.

Congregations may want to mark the 300th Anniversary of the Church of the Brethren with viewings of the 20 titles in the new "Brethren Heritage Collection," a four-DVD boxed set of Brethren-produced films and videos selected from the past 75 years. This collection brings together a dozen and a half of the more significant films and videos from the church's archives, including some never before released to the general public.

The Brethren Service era is well represented in this set by documentaries on the lives of Dan West and M.R. Zigler, as well as the 2006 documentary on the work of the Brethren Service Commission in Europe. A film about a German exchange student's experience at Bridgewater (Va.) College is also included, a film that previously had been available only in silent form. In addition, a 1947-era film detailing the Chinese tractor unit was re-edited to include narration for the first time. Mission work in Africa also is well represented, and a bonus track offers viewers an eyewitness perspective of a plane crash in Sudan in 2000 during the delivery of Bibles to Nuer Christians by the Brethren.

Other featured titles document a tour of Brethren sites in Europe by Don and Hedda Durnbaugh in 1995, and 50 years of ministry in Puerto Rico, as well as the first 50 years of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. More recent titles include an overview of the Brethren peace position, and the Global Food Crisis Fund work in Guatemala.

Brethren video producer David Sollenberger compiled the collection, and wrote the study guide that accompanies it. "What makes this commemorative set unique is a background article for each title and a set of questions that can provide the basis for a post-viewing discussion in a group setting," Sollenberger said. He hopes that many of these videos will be viewed in group settings, so that their content may provoke lively discussion about how Brethren do mission and ministry, and how the church bears witness to the world.

Order the "Brethren Heritage Collection" four-DVD boxed set from Brethren Press for $39.95 plus shipping and handling. Call 800-441-3712.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
300th Anniversary bits and pieces:
  • The Church of the Brethren’s Atlantic Northeast and Southern Pennsylvania Districts have issued an invitation to their joint opening 300th anniversary worship service at the Sight & Sound Theater near Lancaster, Pa., on Sept. 23. Stanley Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board, will be the speaker. Inspirational music will be provided by the Brethren Heritage Singers and a massed choir and orchestra. The event includes a congregational hymn sing and a freewill offering for expenses and disaster relief. For more information, contact Jobie Riley at 717-367-7282 or jeretown@aol.com.

  • Bush Creek Church of the Brethren in Monrovia, Md., is organizing a bus trip to Sunday events at next year’s Annual Conference in Richmond, Va., from the central Maryland area. Anticipated cost is $35 to $40 per person, not including meals or the $15 registration fee at the Conference. "We would like to make this trip available to other Brethren in the central Maryland area, and anticipate pickup points in Westminster, Thurmont, Frederick, Union Bridge, and Hagerstown, in addition to here at Bush Creek Church. We need an early indication of interest from churches," said the announcement. Go to http://bushcreekchurch.org/ACBusTripContacts.html or call Bush Creek Church of the Brethren at 301-663-3025.

  • The youth at Oak Grove Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va., are selling the 300th anniversary commemorative calendars as a fundraiser, for $5 each plus shipping and handling. Contact Carol Elmore at lafnsing@leapmail.net or 540-774-3217.
Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline
Brethren continue work in Gulf Coast two years after Katrina.

On the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of the Gulf Coast, Brethren Disaster Ministries continues rebuilding work in two locations in Louisiana, the towns of Chalmette and Pearl River. "We have been asked by the local recovery groups to stay at these two locations through 2008," reported coordinator Jane Yount. Brethren Disaster Ministries is a program of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

The other two Brethren rebuilding projects that were active this year, in the towns of Lucedale and McComb, Miss., are now closed. "We had a wonderful response for those projects, and much was accomplished," Yount said. "In Lucedale, over 800 volunteers assisted 87 families. In McComb, about 350 volunteers served 47 families."

The Children’s Disaster Ministries program of the Church of the Brethren also continues to provide a response in New Orleans, located at the Welcome Home Center for returning hurricane survivors (see story below). Plans are for the response to continue until mid-September when students go back to school.

A new DVD is available from the Brethren Disaster Ministries office, "The Presence of Christ: Brethren Disaster Ministries in the Gulf Coast," illustrating what is being accomplished with Hurricane Katrina recovery--and how much still needs to be done. "Every church member should view this DVD to find out what they can do to help Katrina survivors and why, after two years, this is still so important," said Yount. For a free copy, contact Brethren Disaster Ministries, P.O. Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776; 800-451-4407; BDM_gb@brethren.org.

The Christians of the United States have been faithful to the Gulf Coast rebuilding effort, according to a release today from the National Council of Churches (NCC). A survey of the 35 member communions in the NCC estimated those denominations and churches have sent a total of more than 120,000 volunteers to Gulf Coast areas affected by Katrina, donated 3.6 million hours in helping victims put their lives back together, and sent an estimated $250 million in financial aid to local churches and relief agencies. The survey was conducted by the NCC’s Special Commission for the Just Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast.

"The task ahead is still a mammoth one. We need people to stay with us," said Bishop Thomas Hoyt, co-chair of the Special Commission and past president of the NCC, in the release. More volunteers are needed to help people struggling all along the Gulf Coast, Hoyt said.

The release also warned of a pending housing crisis related to the trailers supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The temporary housing was designed for only 18 months to two years, the release said. In a related development, NCC’s Special Commission also has asked FEMA to investigate health risks associated with some of the trailers supplied to hurricane survivors, after reports that some contained toxic levels of formaldehyde.

Brethren Disaster Ministries volunteers and project directors have been staying in trailers provided by FEMA at some rebuilding sites. The program has checked those trailers for obvious odor, and volunteers are not having symptoms of problems with formaldehyde, reported Roy Winter, director of Brethren Disaster Ministries. "We addressed this some time ago," he reassured volunteers.

Brethren Disaster Ministries also has issued a renewed call for disaster volunteers to serve in the Gulf Coast. The program specifically needs volunteers to fill cancellations in the schedule at Pearl River the week of Sept. 9-15, and at Chalmette the week of Sept. 23-29. To volunteer, call Brethren Disaster Ministries at 800-451-4407 or contact a district disaster coordinator.

Yount also called for prayer for those affected by Hurricane Dean, which struck Jamaica and other Caribbean islands, as well as Mexico and Belize in mid-August. "We are now in the throes of hurricane season, with five named storms already," she reminded disaster responders.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline Extra
Children enjoy safe haven at FEMA's Welcome Home Center.

In a small area within a center for disaster victims, five young children bubble with excitement. Three boys play ball. One girl builds houses with blocks, and another one goes to and fro between the imaginary kitchen where she makes cookies with Play-Doh and the fictitious room where she looks after a few baby dolls.

This is one of the lively backdrops that children who experienced Hurricane Katrina encounter at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s Welcome Home Center in New Orleans. A concerted endeavor to serve storm victims, the center includes a special nursery run by volunteers of Children's Disaster Services, a ministry of the Church of the Brethren.

The volunteers, among them retired school teachers and nurses, are trained to provide a safe and comforting environment to children impacted by traumatic events. Since the opening of the multi-resource center in Jan. 2007, a total of 64 volunteers equipped with toys and games have tended to 1,997 children while their parents focused on requesting assistance.

"I like this place because the ladies here play with me," said five-year-old Destiny Domino as she made Play-Doh cookies with a volunteer. Five-year-old Nia Rivers concurred while she tucked in the baby dolls' clothes under the wing of another volunteer.

Both girls lost their Orleans Parish homes to Katrina and remember the day it arrived. Destiny, whose mother went to the Welcome Home Center to request funds for basic home appliances, expressed the fear she felt when her home flooded. Likewise, Nia, whose grandmother asked for assistance to buy furniture, described how upset she was when her home was destroyed and her toys along with it.

"We are here to give children comfort in a wholesome and nurturing atmosphere," said volunteer Carolyn Guay, who worked with Nia. "That is part of the philosophy of disaster child care."

With that in mind, FEMA brought Children’s Disaster Services to the Welcome Home Center.

"We saw the need to have Children’s Disaster Services when we noticed many people with children affected by the storm returning to the city," said Verdie Culpepper, supervisor of the Voluntary Agency Liaison Department at the FEMA Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office. "CDS volunteers have been taking care of the children while their parents do recovery-related paperwork at the center."

A joint effort between the city of New Orleans and FEMA, the Welcome Home Center offers a variety of resources for residents who are rebuilding their lives. The center houses FEMA, the Housing Authority of New Orleans, Louisiana Spirit, Odyssey House, the Small Business Administration, Louisiana State University, and Road Home.

"I thank people for all the time they give to aid us to come back," said Nia's grandmother Bernett Glasper, whose house was decimated by the flood. "It's a long struggle, but we are working together as a family, like in this center. The community is binding together, and that is what is helping us survive."

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror. For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov.

--Gina Cortez is a Public Affairs Specialist at the US Department of Homeland Security/FEMA Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office in New Orleans. This report was taken from a FEMA press release.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline Extra
Children's Disaster Services responds to storms in midwest.

The American Red Cross has requested Children’s Disaster Services (formerly Disaster Child Care) volunteers to work in a shelter in Rushford in southern Minnesota, following storms and flooding across the midwest. The announcement of the response was sent Aug. 24, in an e-mail to regional coordinators for the program, by Brethren Disaster Ministries director Roy Winter. Children’s Disaster Services is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

Trained volunteers in northern Illinois were to be contacted first, following by volunteers in Iowa and other nearby states, as Children’s Disaster Services sought a team of three for the response. "Currently the shelter only has 25 residents, but the numbers are growing. It is expected this team will transition to a service center once the shelter needs have reduced," Winter reported.

The Red Cross also requested that Children’s Disaster Services put another team on alert for a response in Ohio, at a shelter that was housing 250 people as of last Friday. Children’s Disaster Services staff at the time were awaiting a request from that shelter.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline Extra
Grants support continuing hurricane response, aid to Iraqis.

Seven grants totaling $116,000 have been given from two funds of the Church of the Brethren General Board. The grants from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) support continuing rebuilding following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, aid to Iraqis affected by the war, support to Church World Service (CWS), and other disaster and hunger relief efforts.

An EDF allocation of $25,000 through CWS supports vulnerable Iraqis both in Iraq and those who have been displaced by the war. The funds will help provide nutrition, water, and sanitation, along with shipping and medical supplies and a children’s program.

The Brethren Disaster Ministries program received an additional allocation of $25,000 from the EDF to support its Hurricane Katrina rebuilding site in Chalmette, La. The funds will continue to provide travel expenses for disaster volunteers, leadership training, tools and equipment, food and housing, and some building supplies.

An EDF grant of $22,000 will help the CWS Disaster Response and Recovery Liaison team’s shift to an Emergency Response Specialist program. The funds help provide longterm recovery and aid to vulnerable communities through this newly permanent program.

A GFCF grant of $15,000 will support a water filtering system in Iraq. The allocation assists Norwegian Church Aid in equipping a hospital in Abu Al-Khasib, Iraq, with a water filtering system to provide clean water for the 85-bed hospital, as well as the area’s 200,000 residents.

A grant of $15,000 from the GFCF will go the Democratic Republic of the Congo where the money will assist CWS through Action by Churches Together to underwrite the cost of rehabilitating 15 of 40 wells. The effort will help bring safe drinking water to 8,000 households.

The sum of $10,000 from the EDF responds to a CWS appeal for southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma. Flooding began there in late June, and the area has been further contaminated by an oil spill. The funds will help provide protective clothing and respirators for volunteers.

An EDF allocation of $4,000 supports the Southeast Texas Interfaith Organization, an interfaith and interracial coalition of congregations and faith-based service organizations assisting survivors of Hurricane Rita in southeast Texas. The grant will support ongoing disaster response operations at the Port Arthur Recovery Project that is managed by the organization.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline Extra
Bezon hired as associate director for Children’s Disaster Services.

Brethren Disaster Ministries has announced the hiring of an associate director for the Children's Disaster Services program. On Sept. 10, the program located at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., will welcome Judy Bezon as associate director. Brethren Disaster Ministries and Children’s Disaster Services are programs of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

Bezon has provided volunteer services in four rebuilding experiences, as co-leader of the Camp Hope rebuilding effort in Vancleave, Miss., as a disaster child care worker in Louisiana and Florida, as a project manager for Disaster Child Care in New Orleans, and as a site coordinator for Mississippi United Methodist Disaster Response.

She is retired from 30 years as a school psychologist in upstate New York, and has developed skills as a mediator, in sign language, in play therapy, and in conflict resolution for children.

Source: 08/29/2007 Newsline Extra
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. Mary Dulabaum, Nevin Dulabaum, Larry and Donna Elliott, Lerry Fogle, Matt Guynn, Jon Kobel, Jeri S. Kornegay, Joan E. McGrath, Beth Merrill, Janis Pyle, David Radcliff, Marcia Shetler, David Sollenberger, Roy Winter, Jay Wittmeyer, and Jane Yount contributed to this report.