Church of the Brethren staff participate in White House conference call.

Two Church of the Brethren staff participated on April 17 in a meeting by conference call with the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation. Kathy Reid, associate general secretary and executive director of Caring Ministries, and Dan McFadden, director of Brethren Volunteer Service, took part. Reid offered the following report:

"The purpose of the meeting was to continue the dialogue between the faith community and the White House to strengthen the call to service, which is a priority for President Obama. With the passage of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, President Obama has called on Americans to engage in the economic recovery agenda and to commit to service as a life-long endeavor.

"On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, both the President and the First Lady challenged people of all ages to commit to a day of service. Very shortly they will again call Americans this time to commit to a summer of service (mid-June through mid-September). The four priority areas of service are economic recovery, healthcare, energy, and education. This call will be supported by tool kits, websites, and other support services to enable Americans to find opportunities and skills for this summer of service.

"This conference call was the first of a series for the White House to seek guidance from the faith community and from those who have a history of providing service opportunities. The Church of the Brethren, the BVS office in particular, will continue to participate to support these service opportunities within the church and the wider community. Future calls will detail the coming opportunities to participate in President Obama's service agenda."

Source: 4/22/2009 Newsline