300th Anniversary bits and pieces.

• "Lines, Places, and Heritage: Essays Commemorating the 300th Anniversary of the Church of the Brethren," was released this month by the Brethren Higher Education Association, representing the six Church of the Brethren colleges--Bridgewater (Va.) College, Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., McPherson (Kan.) College, Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., and the University of La Verne (Calif.)--and Bethany Theological Seminary. The new book contains feature articles by Brethren scholars in education, history, political science, sociology, and theology, as gifts of scholarship to the denomination. A total of 14 scholars contributed. It is co-edited by Stephen L. Longenecker, professor of history at Bridgewater, who also contributed an essay to the book; and by Jeff Bach, associate professor of religious studies at Elizabethtown and director of the Young Center for the Study of Anabaptist and Pietist Groups. The foreword is written by Bridgewater College president Phillip C. Stone. "Lines, Places, and Heritage" is available from Brethren Press for $22.95 plus shipping and handling, call 800-441-3712.
  
  
• On Aug. 10, the churches of West Marva District plan to celebrate the 300th Anniversary with an afternoon of free activities, music, and fellowship at Camp Galilee, in Terra Alta, W.Va., from 2-6:30 p.m. Musical entertainment will include traditional hymns from the past 300 years, performed at various intervals between 2-5 p.m. by the Gortner Union Church, Ed and Lynn Remley, the Reeds, the Moon Family, the Oak Park Praise Team, and the Stoner Family. A variety of skits and monologues, a heritage fashion show, a history jeopardy game, power point presentations, and videos also will illustrate various aspects of Church of the Brethren heritage and history. A Communion bread-making demonstration and a history of the Love Feast is scheduled at 3 p.m. and will run concurrently with other activities. The celebration will end with a vesper service and Communion at 5:30-6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be available throughout the afternoon, free of charge.
  
  
• Stonerstown Church of the Brethren in Saxton, Pa. has been observing the denomination's 300th anniversary and also celebrating 105 years as a congregation and 90 years of worship in its present sanctuary. The congregation hosted a special service with a musical program provided by "The Choraleers" from the Salemville German Seventh Day Baptist Church--the one remaining active congregation from a group that separated from the Brethren under the leadership of Conrad Beissel in 1728 and founded the Ephrata Cloister, according to a report from Stonerstown pastor Harold Bowser. The Salemville congregation still has an active ministry of worship, study, fellowship, and outreach, Bowser said. At the same service, Robert Neff delivered the message titled, "A Story of Wind and Fire." Following worship, the two congregations had fellowship and the noon meal together.
  
  
• Virlina District’s 300th Anniversary Committee gave away 300 Brethren heritage coloring books during the 2008 Annual Conference. Twelve drawings by Dana Belle Kinzie, a member of Cloverdale Church of the Brethren, were included in the coloring book.

Source: 7/30/2008 Newsline