Newsline: October 18, 2012

NEWS

• Older Adult Ministry offers advice for getting best value for Medicare Part D dollars.

PERSONNEL

• Kauffman to retire as executive of Northern Indiana District.
• On Earth Peace announces new development staff.
• Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 299 begins work.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Resources are offered for ‘One People, One King’ worship emphasis.
• Mission Alive conference to be viewable by webcast.
• Seminary to webcast Hornbacker’s professorial lecture.
• ‘Journey Through the Bible’ is theme for Holy Land trip in 2013.
• McPherson’s automotive program featured on 'Chasing Classic Cars.'

BRETHREN BITS

• Remembrances, personnel, jobs, Camp Mack campaign, and much more.

Older Adult Ministry offers advice for getting best value for Medicare Part D dollars.

Older adults may be paying more for medications than they need to if they have Medicare Part D coverage for prescription drugs, reports the denomination’s Older Adult Ministry office. The Medicare website offers tools to help choose the best plan for medication needs during open enrollment, Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 this year.

“By entering your medications, you can see the annual cost for all the plans in your area. You may be surprised by what you find,” says Kim Ebersole, director of Older Adult Ministries.

Ebersole says there are more things to consider when choosing a Part D plan than just the monthly premium. The price a participant pays for medications can vary significantly from plan to plan, so the total cost--premiums plus the price of prescriptions--should be considered when making a decision about a plan.

It is especially important to make sure all of a participant’s medications are on the formulary (list of drugs covered) for the plan you choose. If they are not, the person may pay full price for those drugs, which can make the cost go up significantly.

“I did a test comparison between Part D plans for three medications that treat health conditions older adults often experience: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and acid reflux,” Ebersole reported. “I found the annual cost for those medications, plus the plan premiums, ranged from $384 to $3,660 at a retail pharmacy, and from $512 to $3,471 for mail order. That is quite a difference for the same three medications. It pays to do some checking before signing up to ensure you are getting the best value for your money.”

Whether signing up for Part D coverage for the first time during the initial enrollment period, or deciding whether to stay with a current plan or switch to another during the open enrollment period, the Medicare website makes it easy to check to see what the total annual costs through Part D insurers will be based on a person’s current medications. Not computer savvy? Call Medicare at 1-800-633-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).

• Go to www.medicare.gov and click on “Find health & drug plans.”

• Enter your ZIP code and click on “Find Plans.”

• Answer the questions about your current coverage and click on “Continue to Plan Results.”

• Follow the directions to enter your drugs. When you have entered all of them, click on “My Drug List is Complete.”

• Select your pharmacies and click “Continue to Plan Results.”

• Select “Prescription Drug Plans (with Original Medicare)” and click on “Continue to Plan Results.”

• Scroll down to see Prescription Drug Plans. Click on “View 50” to see more plans on your screen.

• Choose “Lowest Estimated Annual Retail Drug Cost” to sort results, then click “Sort” button.

• Scroll down the list. The annual prices of both retail pharmacy and mail order are in the left hand column.

• You can click on individual plans to see more information about coverage and costs with that plan. You can also select up to three plans at a time to compare pricing by checking the box next to the plans and clicking on “Compare Plans.”

• If you decide to remain with your current 2012 plan for 2013, you do not need to do anything. If you wish to switch plans during the open enrollment period (Oct. 15-Dec. 7), you can enroll online by selecting the plan and clicking on “Enroll” or you can enroll by phone with the number provided by the plan.

• The tools can also be used when you sign up for Part D for the first time.

“It pays to make sure you are spending your healthcare dollars wisely,” advises Ebersole. “Choosing the plan that covers your medication needs at a lower annual expense is being a good steward of your resources.”

For more about the church’s Older Adult Ministries go to www.brethren.org/oam.

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

Kauffman to retire as executive of Northern Indiana District.

Herman D. Kauffman has announced his plans to retire as Northern Indiana District executive minister, effective Dec. 31. He began his ministry with the district on Nov. 1, 1994, and has served as district executive for 18 years.

Kauffman was licensed to the ministry in April 1971 and ordained in June 1976 at Maple Grove Church of the Brethren in New Paris, Ind. He is a graduate of Manchester College (now Manchester University) in N. Manchester, Ind., having earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and graduated from Bethany Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree.

His call into ministry included a number of summer chaplaincy, student, and intern ministries, followed by pastorates at Columbia City (Ind.) Church of the Brethren 1976-79, Lafayette (Ind.) Church of the Brethren 1979-87, Painesville (Ohio) Church of the Brethren 1987-90, and Everett (Pa.) Church of the Brethren 1991-94.

After retirement, he plans to continue living in Nappanee, Ind., while exploring future possibilities including part-time ministry or local volunteer opportunities.

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

On Earth Peace announces new development staff.

On Earth Peace has announced two staff members who will be working in the area of development for the organization: Bob Gross and Elizabeth Schallert. On Earth Peace is an agency of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, rooted in Christian faith, with a goal of cultivating individuals and communities who advance justice and build a peaceful world.

Bob Gross has been named Development director for On Earth Peace. As part of a leadership transition process planned in 2010, he has moved from the role of executive director to this new position. This change took place during the summer, as Bill Scheurer assumed the executive director responsibilities. “I’m very glad for this change, and for the opportunity to continue with On Earth Peace,” said Gross. “It will be good to be able to focus in one area of responsibility and I look forward to working more closely with our many supporters and partners.”

Elizabeth Schallert has been named Development assistant. Since May of 2011, she has been assisting in a variety of development-related projects with On Earth Peace, and is now working in a quarter-time contract role. She will work primarily with program staff to expand opportunities through grant funding. She holds a master’s degree in Social Work, with a focus in community development, and resides in North Manchester, Ind.

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 299 begins work.

Photo by Brethren Volunteer Service

Members of Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 299, the fall 2012 orientation unit for BVS, are: (first row, from left) Hannah Button-Harrison,Jocelyn Snyder, Lena Deutschkaemer, Tricia Ziegler, Adam Braun; (second row) Rebecca Jolliff, Kayla Robbins, Kirsten Stopher, Krista Mauger, Hannah Monroe; (third row) Rayce Reynoldson, Nicole Sprenger, Sophie Thomas, Michelle Geus, Merle Koester; (fourth row) Jan Hunsaenger, Chloe Hockley, Katie Cummings, Rebekka Adelberger, Bryan Hanger; (fifth row) Nils Kohm, Dennis Droll, Frederik Blum, Paul Zelder, Elena Hodapp.

Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) Unit 299 completed orientation on Sept. 16-Oct. 5. The fall orientation was held at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.

Following are the new volunteers, their home congregations or home towns, and the projects where they will serve through BVS:

Rebekka Adelberger of Velbert, Germany, will serve with Sisters of the Road in Portland, Ore.

Frederik Blum of Blaustein, Germany; Nicole Sprenger of Altenmedingen, Germany; and Nils Kohm of Wiesloch, Germany, all are going to Project PLASE in Baltimore, Md.

Adam Braun of Pleasant Dale Church of the Brethren in Decatur, Ind., will work with Brethren Disaster Ministries in New Windsor, Md.

Hannah Button-Harrison of Ames, Iowa, will serve at the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C.

Katie Cummings of Summit Church of the Brethren in Bridgewater, Va., and Tricia Ziegler of Sebring (Fla.) Church of the Brethren, are working with the Workcamp Ministry at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.

Dennis Droll of Buehl, Germany, and Michelle Geus of Leverkusen, Germany, are serving at the Interfaith Hospitality Network in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Bryan Hanger of Oak Grove Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va., is an intern at the Church of the Brethren’s Advocacy and Peace Witness office in Washington, D.C.

Chloe Hockley of Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, will work at Cincinnati (Ohio) Church of the Brethren.

Jan Hunsaenger of Kamp-Bornhofen, Germany, will serve with Human Solutions in Portland, Ore.

Rebecca Jolliff of Newberg, Ore., is going to the Center on Conscience and War in Washington, D.C.

Hannah Monroe of University Park Church of the Brethren in Hyattsville, Md., will go to the L’Arche community in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Rayce Reynoldson of Antelope Park Church of the Brethren in Lincoln, Neb., is serving at Camp Courageous in Monticello, Iowa.

Kayla Robbins of Wolgamuth Church of the Brethren in Dillsburg, Pa., will work for the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund in Washington, D.C.

Jocelyn Snyder of Hartville (Ohio) Church of the Brethren will be serving with the African Inland Church Secondary School of Torit, South Sudan, in a seconded position with the Church of the Brethren Global Mission and Service program.

Kirsten Stopher of Archbold, Ohio, will work at Abbé Pierre Emmaüs Center in Esteville, France.

Sophie Thomas of Westminster, Md., is going to the New Community Project in Harrisonburg, Va.

Paul Zelder of Braunschweig, Germany, will work with Abode Services in Fremont, Calif.

Four of the new BVS volunteers--Lena Deutschkaemer of Unterkirnach, Germany; Elena Hodapp of Sasbach, Germany; Merle Koester of Koenigslutter, Germany; and Krista Mauger of Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren in Quarryville, Pa.--are all going to work at the Family Abuse Center in Waco, Texas.

For more about Brethren Volunteer Service go to www.brethren.org/bvs .

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

Resources are offered for ‘One People, One King’ worship emphasis.

“One People, One King” is the theme for a special worship emphasis in the Church of the Brethren, being planned for Sunday, Nov. 25. Scheduled for an unusual Sunday that falls this year between Thanksgiving and the start of Advent--traditionally called “Christ the King” or “Reign of Christ” Sunday in the church calendar--this worship emphasis invites believers to be reminded, before a season of waiting, of whom we await.

In a year of contention and partisan rhetoric surrounding the national election, Christians also threaten to become a people divided. For the potentially divisive time after the election, a group of denominational staff have planned a worship emphasis based instead on the New Testament understanding that followers of Christ are a people with one ruler, from Philippians 3:20:

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Original resources written by a number of church leaders are available at www.brethren.org/onepeople to help invite congregations entering into preparations for Christmas to spend this Sunday recalling that “our citizenship is in heaven”:

•  A brief reflection by Annual Conference moderator Robert Krouse, pastor at Little Swatara Church of the Brethren in Bethel, Pa.

• A prayer written by Annual Conference moderator-elect Nancy S. Heishman, interim co-pastor at West Charleston Church of the Brethren in Tipp City, Ohio

• A sermon outline by Tim Harvey, pastor of Roanoke (Va.) Central Church of the Brethren

• A litany, including scripture, written for four readers and congregation by Ray Hileman, pastor of First Church of the Brethren in Miami, Fla.

• A responsive prayer by Jennifer Hosler of Washington (D.C.) City Church of the Brethren

• A video clip titled “Kingdom Citizens,” in which renowned Latin American theologian and author Rene Padilla discusses Christian citizenship and God's sovereignty

Find these “One People, One King” resources for Nov. 25 at www.brethren.org/onepeople .

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

Mission Alive conference to be viewable by webcast.

Plenary sessions and other events at Mission Alive 2012, a conference sponsored by the Global Mission and Service program of the Church of Brethren, will be webcast and viewable through an Internet connection. The conference is Nov. 16-18 at Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren with the theme, “Entrusted with the Message” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

The webcasting is provided by Brethren videographer David Sollenberger and Enten Eller of the Bethany Seminary staff.

Following is the schedule of sessions that will be webcast at www.brethren.org/webcasts/MissionAlive (all times are eastern):

•  Friday, Nov. 16, 3-5 p.m., plenary session with Jonathan Bonk, Mennonite minister and executive director of the Overseas Ministries Study Center in New Haven, Conn., and editor of “The International Bulletin of Missionary Research”

• Friday, Nov. 16, 7-9 p.m., plenary session with Josh Glacken, Mid-Atlantic regional director for Global Media Outreach

• Saturday, Nov. 17, 9-10:15 a.m., plenary session with Samuel Dali, president of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria)

• Saturday, Nov. 17, 2-4 p.m., plenary session with Suely Zanetti Inhauser, family therapist and ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren who is a pastor in Igreja da Irmandade (Brazil) and co-coordinator for a Brazilian church planting project

• Saturday, Nov. 17, 4:15 p.m., a workshop about the new Global Mission Advocate Network

• Saturday, Nov. 17, 7-8:15 p.m., plenary session with Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service for the Church of the Brethren

• Sunday, Nov. 18, 9-10:15 a.m., worship at Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren with preacher Samuel Dali, president of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria

A special event during Mission Alive 2012, the concert by Philadelphia-based band REILLY, will not be webcast. The concert is open to the public, for a charge of $5 per ticket at the door.

Connect to Mission Alive webcasts by going to www.brethren.org/webcasts/MissionAlive.

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

Seminary to webcast Hornbacker’s professorial lecture.

Bethany Theological Seminary professor Tara Hornbacker will present her professorial lecture on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 7:15 pm (eastern time) in honor of her promotion to full professor of ministry formation.

Entitled “Incarnational Education and Improvisational Evangelism,” the lecture is open to the public and will be webcast live from Nicarry Chapel on the seminary campus in Richmond, Ind.

Hornbacker will explore the practice of theatrical improvisation as a method for evangelism that is both appropriate for a pluralistic society and coherent with the Anabaptist-Pietist understanding of incarnational love. Having begun her professional life in the theater, she finds a natural connection in relating that earlier dramatic training to current contextual challenges for sharing the gospel.

Beginning with Acts 17:16-33 as a model for contextual theology, the presentation will explore several New Testament texts from the perspective of improvisational evangelism. The audience can anticipate participation in improvisation exercises, encounters with biblical texts, and fresh expressions of the gospel story.

Viewers will be able to join the webcast by going to www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/hlecture and following the instructions. The webcast will also be archived on Bethany’s website at www.bethanyseminary.edu/webcasts for future viewing.

-- Jenny Williams is director of Communications and Alumni/ae Relations for Bethany Seminary.

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

‘Journey Through the Bible’ is theme for Holy Land trip in 2013.

“Join us on our Holy Land Trip!” says an announcement from the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, which is offering a study tour to the Middle East in June 2013.

“The dream of a lifetime? A way to undergird ministry and bring scripture alive? A pilgrimage of devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Whatever urges you to consider this invitation,
we want you to know that we will be delighted to have you as a part of this life changing, educational travel experience!” said the announcement.

Dan Ulrich, professor of New Testament Studies at Bethany Theological Seminary, and Marilyn Lerch, coordinator of the Training in Ministry (TRIM) program at the academy, will lend their expertise to that of top-notch guides the study group will enjoy through Educational Opportunities, an organization that has been taking groups to the Holy Land for years.

The theme of the tour is “Journey Through the Bible” and the itinerary will include many sites that are part of the Christian faith story, from Bethlehem to Nazareth, including the Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee, Mount of Olives, and the place where it is said Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem. Scriptures will be read on location. Participants also will get a glimpse of the Middle East today. Ulrich and Lerch will provide additional information and lead devotional moments along the journey.

The 12-day trip departs from JFK airport in New York on June 3, with other departure cities also available. Basic cost of the trip is $3,198 and includes, among other expenses, round trip airfare from New York, all lodging, breakfast and dinner daily, guide sightseeing, and deluxe motor coaches. An initial deposit is required.

Current students at Bethany Seminary and students in the TRIM and Education for Shared Ministry (EFSM) programs will earn course credit (TRIM and EFSM students may apply for financial assistance to take part in this study tour). Clergy traveling with the group may earn 4 continuing education units. Lay members of the church are welcome to join the group as well. Participants will receive a suggested reading list, some of which may be required to earn academic credit or continuing education units.

All participants must carry a passport that is valid for a minimum of six months after the tour is complete, and must provide passport information by Feb. 18, 2013. US citizens do not need a visa for entry to Israel.

Brochures are available on the Brethren Academy website at www.bethanyseminary/academy/courses. A paper travel brochure is available on request from the Brethren Academy Office, call 765-983-1824. To register, either fill out the form in the brochure or register online at www.eotravelwithus.com by clicking on “Find a Trip” and entering the following codes: HL13 in the “Tour” box, 060313 in the “Departure date” box and clicking on “B” in the adjacent drop down menu, and 31970 as the “Group Leader Id #.”

For more information contact: Marilyn Lerch, 814-494-1978 or lerchma@bethanyseminary,edu ; or Dan Ulrich, 765-983-1819 or ulricda@bethanyseminary.edu.

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

McPherson’s automotive program to be featured on 'Chasing Classic Cars.'

Photo by Essex Television Group

Ferrari expert and master car restorer Wayne Carini visits with automotive restoration students at McPherson College.

The Automotive Restoration program at McPherson (Kan.) College--the only place in the world that offers a four-year bachelor’s degree in automotive restoration--will be featured on an entire episode of the national cable television program “Chasing Classic Cars.”

The episode airs Oct. 23 on Velocity Channel by Discovery at 10 p.m. (eastern time).

The show, hosted by Ferrari expert and master car restorer Wayne Carini, follows his adventures as he seeks out, restores, and sells rare and unique collector cars. Carini has owned and operated three classic car and restoration businesses in Portland, Conn., and has a special interest in getting young people involved in the collector car hobby.

"We want these young people to take over our own businesses or start their own someday," Carini said, while attending the 13th annual C.A.R.S. Club Car Show at McPherson College last spring. "If we don't have that, all of this is going to go away."

The episode featuring McPherson College focuses on Carini's search for an apprentice from among the automotive restoration students at McPherson. Viewers of the program will see Carini meet and interview students, watch a team of students assemble a Model T from parts to running in less than 10 minutes, and attend the C.A.R.S. Club Car show.

Carini was the special guest at "An Evening with Automotive Restoration" dinner on May 4 this year. He stayed on through Saturday to attend the student-run car show and to interview candidates for a summer intern.

"We were so pleased to have Wayne visit us and to recognize the high-quality, artistic automotive restorers coming from McPherson College," said Amanda Gutierrez, vice president of automotive restoration. "Now this national program will bring McPherson College into homes and living rooms across the United States and inspire the next generation of young restorers and car enthusiasts to discover how much McPherson has to offer them."

To view schedules for the premiere as well as rebroadcasts of the episode--which is Episode 516: "Wayne's Apprentice"--visit velocity.discovery.com and click on "TV Schedules." Visit www.mcpherson.edu for more information about McPherson College.

-- Adam Pracht is coordinator of Development Communications for McPherson College.

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

Brethren bits: Remembrances, personnel, jobs, Camp Mack campaign, and much more.

Photo by Carol Smith

A student learns using shape puzzles at the Comprehensive Secondary School in Nigeria. Carol Smith, who took this photo, is continuing as a teacher and mission worker at the school connected with Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). See a note below in Brethren bits about her work at the school.

• Remembrance: Robert  G. “Bob” Greiner, 94, who served for several decades as treasurer for the former Church of the Brethren General Board, passed away Oct. 3 at Timbercrest Healthcare in N. Manchester, Ind. He was born June 11, 1918, in Lancaster County, Pa., to Noah and Anna (Geib) Greiner. He attended Elizabethtown (Pa.) College for two years, later graduating from Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Law. On Oct. 31, 1942, he married Edna M. Mosemann. After being drafted in 1941, he chose to enter Civilian Public Service and served first at Camp Lagro, Ind., and after a year was transferred to the Treasurer’s Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board in Elgin, Ill., where for the next three years he was the accountant for the CPS camps throughout the nation. From 1945-1952, he was assistant treasurer of the General Board. He was then appointed treasurer, serving in that leadership position for the denomination until his retirement in 1981. Following his retirement from the Church of the Brethren, he was a real estate agent at Hoover-Burnidge Realtors in Elgin from 1981-91. In 1993, he and his wife Edna moved to Timbercrest. He enjoyed traveling with his wife through most of the United States, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and in 1973 to the Church of the Brethren Mission in Nigeria. Edna preceded him in death in 2004. He is survived by daughters Donna (Jerry) McKee of North Manchester, and Beverly (Brian) Graham of Warsaw, Ind., as well as grandchildren and great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Sunday, Oct. 21, at 2 p.m., at Timbercrest Chapel in N. Manchester with pastor Kurt Borgmann officiating. The family will receive friends following the service. Memorial contributions are received to Timbercrest Senior Living Community or Manchester Church of the Brethren.

• Remembrance: Ralph A. Royer, 80, who spent many years in mission work in Africa with his first wife, Florence (“Flossie”) Royer, died Oct. 14 in N. Manchester, Ind. He was born July 26, 1932, in the village of Virgwi, Nigeria, to missionary parents Harold (“Red”) and Gladys Royer, and attended Hillcrest School in Jos, Nigeria. After two years at McPherson (Kan.) College he returned to Nigeria as a conscientious objector and there met Flossie S. Miller, a nurse from Grantville, Pa. They were married April 17, 1955. She died Feb. 25, 2005. After doing his alternative service, he returned to the US and completed his college degree. The couple returned to Nigeria where they were Church of the Brethren missionaries for 18 years. Their three daughters were born in Nigeria. Ralph was supervisor of the mission primary schools until 1969, when the mission school system was turned over to state governments. From 1969-72 he was superintendent of schools in Waka, which included Waka Teacher’s College and Waka Secondary School. When in 1973 the Waka Schools were turned over to the state, the Royers became houseparents at Hillcrest School in Jos, Nigeria. In 1976 they moved to Niger, which was suffering a devastating drought. There he was director of Church World Service (CWS) for 11 years, and was an appropriate technology consultant. Later, for a time in the early 1990s, the couple served with CWS in Liberia. Returning to Indiana in 1986 he worked in construction for the next 20 years. Since then, his volunteer work included serving on a delegation to Haiti with Christian Peacemaker Teams, eight years on the Grant Review Panel for the Global Food Crisis Fund, participation in workcamps and disaster relief, and organizing reunions of Hillcrest alumni. He also poured time, energy, and love into Eel River Community Church of the Brethren in Silver Lake, Ind., and the surrounding community. On April 29, 2006, he married Barbara (Peters) McFadden. For the last six years Barbara has joined Ralph in his efforts. Surviving are his wife, Barbara; daughters Linda Shankster of Elkhart, Ind., Roxane (Carl) Hill of Abilene, Texas, and Sylvia (Andrew) Taussig of Oklahoma City, Okla.; grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held yesterday, Oct. 17, at Eel River Community Church of the Brethren. Memorial gifts are received to Kulp Bible College, a ministerial training school for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) care of McKee Mortuary ( http://mckeemortuary.com ).

• Remembrance: Mary Blocher Smeltzer died at home in La Verne, Calif., on Oct. 8. Her long life of service and peace witness included teaching in the Manzanar internment camp for Japanese Americans during World War II, with her late husband Ralph Smeltzer. They were among several teachers who volunteered to join their students in the camps after 110,000 people of Japanese descent were incarcerated following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Smeltzers helped about 1,000 people leave the camps and resettle elsewhere. After a few months at Manzanar, with the help of M.R. Zigler who was then head of Brethren Service, and with participation from Bethany Seminary, they set up a hostel in Chicago for Japanese American evacuees. A second hostel in New York, which housed evacuees 1944-46, was met with “noisy opposition from New York Mayor LaGuardia and New Jersey Governor Edge,” according to a “Messenger” report. Ralph went on to become director of peace and social education and later Washington Office representative for the Church of the Brethren. He died in 1976. In recent decades Mary was active in many peace and justice efforts including founding Womaen’s Caucus, which she served for several years as co-chair and which has instituted an award in her name; serving in the Peace Corps in Botswana; serving as host at the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima, Japan, 1981-82; and in 1985 addressing a Brethren gathering during the tying of a Peace Ribbon around the Pentagon. In 1983 she was the denomination’s delegate to the World Council of Churches Sixth Assembly. In her 70s, she was arrested for civil disobedience at the Nevada nuclear test site. In 2010 “Brethren Voices”--a cable television show produced by Portland (Ore.) Peace Church of the Brethren--featured her work at Manzanar (view it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppm_Ohm3Ewk ). In 2005 at age 89 she was among 200 educators honored by the Japanese American National Museum. Interviewed by the “Los Angeles Times” on that occasion, she was asked why she reached out to internees. She said, “It’s just part of me. It’s just part of being a Christian, being a peace person, part of doing what I think is right.” She enjoyed the companionship of her partner, Chuck Butterfield, from 1998 until his death in 2011. Also preceding her in death was daughter Janet, who died at age 9 in a car accident. Surviving are children Marty Smeltzer West of Davis, Calif., Patricia Himes of La Verne, Calif., and Ken (Bonnie) Kline Smeltzer of Boalsburg, Pa., grandchildren, and great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Friday, Oct. 19, at 10:30 a.m. at La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren. Memorial contributions are received to the La Verne Church, designated for a peace camp, and to the Janet Smeltzer Scholarship Fund at the University of La Verne.

• The Church of the Brethren’s Advocacy and Peace Witness office welcomes Bryan Hanger as a new Brethren Volunteer Service worker. He was a member of the BVS Unit 299, which recently completed orientation, and will work in Washington, D.C., with Nathan Hosler, advocacy officer for the Church of the Brethren and the National Council of Churches, and Jonathan Stauffer, a BVS intern in the Advocacy and Peace Witness office.

• The Church of the Brethren seeks a program assistant for the director of Donor Relations and the associate director of Donor Communications, to work at the church’s General Offices in Elgin, Ill. This newly created fulltime hourly position will support and assist in developing connections with donors and friends of the denomination through electronic and print correspondence, individual and congregational contacts, special offerings, and stewardship education resources. Key performance accountabilities include communication with individuals, communication with congregations, and donor support. Tasks include assisting with production, printing, proofreading, and other development of materials; communication with contributors to various projects; assisting with donor relations contacts, schedules, files, and databases. A complete list of tasks is included on the position description. Required skills and knowledge include a high level of skill in oral and written communication; a positive, creative, and collaborative working style; technological savvy and ability to learn new technology quickly; proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Word, Excel, and Outlook; ability to become familiar with other software programs including Adobe Acrobat Pro, Photoshop, InDesign, and Convio. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience is required. Experience in communications, fundraising, public relations, administration, or marketing is desired. For an application form and a full job description contact the Office of Human Resources, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 367; humanresources@brethren.org .

• The University of La Verne, Calif., seeks an associate provost for Faculty Affairs, and a director for the Center of the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. The associate provost will provide support and assistance to the Provost for all faculty affairs as well as units within the Academic Affairs Division that directly support faculty professional development, the teaching and learning process, the assessment of teaching and learning, WASC accreditation, faculty scholarship, research and creative work, and associated support services. The associate provost will supervise the associate vice presidents, the director of the Library, the director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, and the director of Sponsored Programs. The director for the Center of the Advancement of Teaching and Learning manages the center and works collaboratively with academic leadership and faculty to develop and implement faculty development programming, instructional technology initiatives, pedagogical innovations, action research, manages university wide assessment, and provides expert leadership to the Provost and the Academic Affairs Team. Find links to fuller information about these open positions and more job openings at http://sites.laverne.edu/hr/job-openings .

• The Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board holds fall meetings Oct. 18-21 at the denomination’s General Offices in Elgin, Ill. For this meeting the regular schedule has shifted forward a day, with new member orientation and the Executive Committee starting today, and an all-board education event planned for tomorrow afternoon. Open sessions of the full board will be Saturday, Oct. 20, and Sunday morning, Oct. 21. On the agenda: a budget for 2013, a financial review of 2012, follow up on Annual Conference actions regarding the district representation on the board and the future of the denomination’s ecumenical witness, a report from process observers who attended Annual Conference among several other reports, and a Board Development Session, among other business.

• The Children’s Aid Society receives congratulations from Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger in a video clip that may be viewed on the denomination’s home page www.brethren.org . The society is a ministry of Southern Pennsylvania District, and last weekend held the first event in a year-long celebration of its 100th anniversary.

• In related news, on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 21, the Children's Aid Society holds a Free Community Event at Sovereign Bank Stadium in York, Pa., on the Brooks Robinson Plaza. Highlights are "York’s Got Talent" and "Minute to Win It" contests (entry fee for contestants is $25). “York’s Got Talent” will feature singing, dancing, and juggling in an effort to win a grand prize of $1,000. In “Minute to Win It” businesses will compete for a chance to win prizes. Child artists may contribute pieces to a Children’s Art Auction. Other activities for the whole family include a petting zoo, face painting, play area, booths by community businesses and organizations, children’s safety information from the police department, and painting of a large mural that will be displayed at the Lehman Center in downtown York. For more information go to www.cassd.org/index_files/Page898.htm .

• Global Mission and Service announces preparations for three workcamps, each scheduled to take place early next year. A workcamp to Nigeria in January 2013 will include construction on the headquarters of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). A workcamp to Burundi is projected to begin around the last week of February, led by John Braun in service to the Twa Pygmies. A workcamp to South Sudan next spring will include construction of a new Brethren ministry center. Indicate interest in any of these workcamps by e-mailing mission@brethren.org .

• In more news from Africa, mission worker Carol Smith is continuing this year as a math teacher at the Comprehensive Secondary School of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria. In a recent interview, made in preparation for the Mission Alive conference, she explains the three things she attempts to teach in the classroom: 1. character and honesty, 2. learning skills, and 3. math skills. Smith views her role as a teacher as encouraging future leaders of the church and of Nigeria to believe in themselves and to act with honesty and good character, reports Anna Emrick in the denomination’s Global Mission and Service office. Smith has been teaching in Nigeria since early 2011.

• New online at www.brethren.org is the most recent Brethren Volunteer Service newsletter, “The Volunteer,” at www.brethren.org/bvs/updates with stories from a new BVS project site in Japan, and the first EIRENE volunteer in BVS, among others. Also newly posted is the fall newsletter from the Global Food Crisis Fund, go to www.brethren.org/gfcf/stories .

• Doris Abdullah, Church of the Brethren representative to the United Nations, is offering opening remarks for a forum today at the UN Plaza in New York. Tiled “The Impact of Religion, Spirituality, and Beliefs on Racism, Migration, and Development” is sponsored by the committee she chairs, the NGO Sub-Committee for the Elimination of Racism. Featured speakers are Hardayal Singh, director of the United Sikhs; Victoria Edmond, a major in the Salvation Army; and John Rafferty, president of the Secular Humanist Society of New York. Offering closing remarks will be Bruce Knotts, chair of the NGO Committee on Human Rights and representative of the Unitarian Universalist UN Office.

• “Growing from the Ashes” is the name of the Camp Mack campaign to raise funds to build Becker Retreat Center on the site of the former Becker Lodge. The lodge was lost to a fire in July 2010. After the June 2011 completion of the John Kline Welcome Center to replace the food service and office functions formerly housed in the lodge, Camp Mack now needs to replace lodging and meeting areas. The campaign goal is $2,466,000 toward the project goal of $3,766,000. As a part of the campaign, Camp Mack has been holding fundraising dinners throughout Indiana on Saturday and Sunday evenings. The first dinners were held Sept. 22 at Camp Mack, in Kokomo on Sept. 30, and in N. Manchester on Oct. Upcoming dinners are scheduled for Fort Wayne on Oct. 20, Indianapolis on Nov. 4, Mishawaka on Nov. 17, Richmond on Dec. 1, and a final dinner at Camp Mack on Dec. 9. Information about the campaign, the dinners, and an opportunity to donate, are at www.campmack.org . Reservations for a dinner may be made by calling Camp Mack at 574-658-4831.

• West View Manor, a Church of the Brethren related retirement community in Wooster, Ohio, has changed its name to West View Healthy Living as part of a recently completed strategic planning process. A letter from administrator Jerrold E. Blackmore announced the change.

• Beavercreek (Ohio) Church of the Brethren is celebrating 200 years of ministry, the oldest worshiping congregation in Southern Ohio District. The church began meeting in 1805 and received recognition as a congregation in 1812, according to a district announcement. On Oct. 27, at 7 p.m., Beavercreek holds an evening of music titled “Celebrating 200 Years in Song and Script.” Also featured are appearances by Alexander Mack and Dan West, and the story of the congregation’s response to the 1974 Xenia tornado disaster. On Oct. 28 at 10:15 a.m. the church will worship “old style” followed by a carry-in meal, with historical displays and an art exhibit. RSVP to beavercreekcob@yahoo.com or 937-429-1434.

• The 100th Anniversary of the Dranesville Church of the Brethren building is planned for Oct. 21. An invitation notes that the first service in the building was on Oct. 27, 1912. The church is located in Herndon, Va.

• “The Times of Our Lives” is a workshop event hosted by Manchester Church of the Brethren in N. Manchester, Ind., and provided free of charge by South/Central Indiana District on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 27. A caramel roll and fruit breakfast starts the day at 8 a.m. followed by a keynote address “Politicians, the Public, and Polarization” by Leonard Williams, professor of Political Science at Manchester University. A number of workshops will follow including a “Conversation About Polarization” with professor Williams, and “Cactus Blooms and the Search for Hope” led by district executive minister Beth Sollenberger, among others.

• A weekend of workshops by Sharon Ellison, author of “Taking the War Out of Our Words,” has been initiated by Westminster (Md.) Church of the Brethren after a Sunday school class studied her book of the same name. An all-day workshop led by Ellison takes place Nov. 10, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at Carroll Community College which is a partner in the event. Social workers and ministers receive continuing education units. Cost to attend in person (includes lunch) or to view the webinar: Carroll County resident $75, Maryland resident $80, Maryland resident over 60 $55 (plus $5 out-of-county fee), not a Maryland resident $85, students $25 (plus $5 out-of-county or $10 out-of-state fee). Register at www.carrollcc.edu/instantenrollment , use course #AHE-238-A2 (students use #AHE-238-A2S) or for the webinar use course #AHE-238-A2W (students use #AHE-238-A2SW). Register by phone at 410-386-8100. Ellison will preach at Westminster on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 10 a.m., and will lead a workshop at the church from 2-4 p.m. on “Taking Power Struggles Out of Parenting” (fee is $25). Sponsors include Bethany Theological Seminary, the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, and Mid-Atlantic District. Register for the Sunday workshop at www.davidebaugh.name/parenting.html . In-home hospitality is offered through the Westminster Church or at local hotels at participant’s expense, an airport shuttle may be arranged; contact 410-848-8090 or PersonalizingPeace@gmail.com .

• Womaen's Caucus has announced live webcasting of the Progressive Brethren Gathering on Oct. 26-28 at La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren. Go to http://new.livestream.com//enten/ProgressiveBrethren2012 to view webcasts and for a tentative schedule. With the theme, "Holy Work: Becoming a Beloved Community," the gathering will feature speakers Abigail A. Fuller, associate professor of Sociology and chair of the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Manchester University in N. Manchester, Ind.; and Katy Gray Brown, associate professor of Philosophy and Peace Studies at Manchester University. To attend the gathering in person register at http://progressivebrethrengathering-es2.eventbrite.com .

• West Marva District has given special recognition to Harvey Vance for 33 years of service as district disaster coordinator. He was presented with a plaque during the recent district conference.

• On Oct. 26-28 the Gathering 2012 will be held by Western Plains District. This has become an annual highlight for the district, offering exciting and fun activities for church members and their families. The Gathering is at Webster Conference Center in Salina, Kan. ( www.wpcob.org ).

• The 158th Southern Ohio District Conference is Oct. 19-20 at W. Charleston Church of the Brethren in Tipp City, Ohio, on the theme, “Thy Kingdom Come.” Special leadership is provided by Bethany Seminary academic dean Steve Schweitzer. Two district worship services have led up to the conference, one held in March at Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren and the other Aug. 10 at Oakland Church of the Brethren.

• In connection with its district conference, Southern Ohio District is offering a workshop for youth leaders and others interested in youth ministry, led by Bekah Houff, coordinator of Outreach Programs at Bethany Seminary. “Youth do best when the whole church cares about them and youth leaders do best when the whole church cares about youth ministry,” explained an announcement. “We’ll talk about how to form a mentoring program, start an intergenerational Sunday school class, or plan a youth-led Sunday worship service. Together we’ll help the church to see its youth leaders less as pied pipers and more as bridge-builders.” The workshop will be at W. Charleston Church of the Brethren in Tipp City, Ohio, on Oct. 20  www.sodcob.org/_forms/view/9276 ).

• Also holding district conference on Oct. 19-20 is Middle Pennsylvania District, with Bedford Church of the Brethren and Snake Spring Valley Church of the Brethren as hosts. The theme will be “Pray, Seek, Listen” (Jeremiah 29:11-13). Conference Office director Chris Douglas is the opening preacher. The Breezewood Trucker Traveler Ministries is the Outreach Project.

• On Oct. 20, Western Pennsylvania District Conference meets at the Fred M. Rogers Center at St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa. This year’s offering will again be received in the form of disaster relief kits or clean-up buckets.

• The 16th Annual Pleasant Hill Village Benefit Dinner and Auction is Oct. 20 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Virden, Ill. Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner is at 6. More than $242,000 has been raised at the retirement community’s annual benefit dinner and auction over the past 15 years, reports the Illinois and Wisconsin District newsletter. The goal for 2012 is $23,000. For more information visit www.pleasanthillvillage.org .

• Camp Eder near Fairfield, Pa., holds its 34th Annual Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 20.

• Camp Bethel reports that its 28th annual Brethren Heritage Day Festival was an “excellent day of wonderful fellowship and fun” with approximately 1,850 guests and helpers enjoying food, crafts, apple butter, and other activities. The event raised $32,804 for the camp's ministries.

• Manchester University dedicates its new pharmacy campus today, Oct. 18. The $20 million, 82,000-square-foot structure is at Dupont and Diebold roads just east of Interstate 69 in Fort Wayne, Ind. The architect was Design Collaborative, general contractor Michael Kinder and Sons Inc., both of Fort Wayne. A $35 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. put Manchester on the path to the “built from scratch” campus, said a release. The public was invited to the dedication where Indiana Senator David C. Long and others will speak, followed by a reception and campus tours. For more visit www.manchester.edu/pharmacy or call 260-470-2700.

• McPherson (Kan.) College celebrates its 125th anniversary with Homecoming on Oct. 19-21. Highlighting the celebration is a “Bulldog Bash” starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20, in and around the Student Union. Saturday morning will include events for the whole family, automotive restoration students assembling a Model T, a tailgate lunch, and a faculty and staff celebration. The football game was cancelled in honor of Tabor football player Brandon Brown, who died in September, and instead will be alumni basketball games and a special cycling event in memory of McPherson sophomore Paul Ziegler, who died in truck/bicycle accident on Sept. 23. "Pedals for Paul" invites participants to a 20-mile bicycle ride starting at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, or to log miles on stationary bikes in the sport center, or to ride on their own and send the number of miles to wiensc@mcpherson.edu by 4 p.m. Oct. 20. The weekend wraps up with a 125th anniversary worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday in Brown Auditorium, recognizing the college's deep roots in the Church of the Brethren. The message will be delivered by campus minister Steve Crain. The service will be webcast at https://new.livestream.com/McPherson-College/125thAnniversary . Find the weekend schedule at www.mcpherson.edu/alumni .

• The University of La Verne, Calif., holds its Homecoming Weekend Oct. 19-21. “This tradition-packed weekend includes a dinner and dance at the beautiful Sheraton Fairplex Hotel and Conference Center on Friday evening,” said an invitation. “Then on Saturday, events include a 5k fun run/walk, street fair, picnic lunch, Celebrate La Verne parade, and football game vs. Pomona-Pitzer.” For a complete list of events visit www.ulv.edu .

• Elizabethtown (Pa.) College will receive a two-year grant from the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program, under the auspices of the US Department of Education. The grant of $93,669 in the first year, combined with matching funding from the college and partners, will strengthen Asian Studies and Languages as signature programs of the college, launch a new Chinese language program, add four new Asian Studies courses and related co-curricular activities, enhance the Japanese language program with needed faculty and instructional support, and host an on-campus national conference titled "Teaching Japan." Additionally, the funding will expand the college's International Studies program through innovative programing in partnership with international NGOs and intergovernmental organizations. Visit www.etown.edu for more about Elizabethtown College.

• In more news from Elizabethtown College, lectures in the areas of peacemaking and care for children have been announced:
  
  On Oct. 23 the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies welcomes Keith Graber Miller as Dale W. Brown Book Award recipient for 2012. He will speak about "Prophetic Peacemaking: Selected Writings of J.R. Burkholder." Miller is professor of Bible, religion, and philosophy at Goshen (Ind.) College. The award honors long-time Church of the Brethren scholar Dale W. Brown.
  
  On Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. Children's Defense Fund founder and president Marian Wright Edelman will give the 2012 Leffler Memorial Lecture on the importance of defending and addressing the needs of children and how the defense of children in the US relates to issues of diversity and inclusion. She is a graduate of Spelman College and Yale Law School, and was the first black woman to be admitted to the Mississippi Bar. She began her professional career in the mid-1960s as director of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund office in Jackson, Miss., and in 1968 was counsel for the Poor People's Campaign organized by Martin Luther King Jr. Tickets are free but must be reserved by calling 717-361-4757.
  
  On Nov. 1 Matthew Southworth, the 2012 Elizabethtown College Alumni Peace Fellow, will speak on "A More Peaceful Future: Making Change in an Election Year" at 7:30 p.m. at the Bucher Meetinghouse at the Young Center. He is a military veteran turned anti-war activist, and Washington, D.C., chapter president of Iraq Veterans Against the War and on the board of directors for Veterans for Peace. This event is free and open to the public.

• Bridgewater (Va.) College will hold a CROP Meal from 4:45-7 p.m. on Oct. 25. Faculty, staff, and members of the community purchase CROP Meals surrendered by Bridgewater students and enjoy “dinner out” in the main campus dining hall. The meals have been paid for on the student meal plan, and proceeds go to CROP’s hunger relief, education, and development programs in 80 countries around the world, with a portion given to the Bridgewater Area Inter-Church Food Pantry. Cost is $6 for adults, $4 for children 12 and under.

• The October "Brethren Voices," the community television program produced by Portland (Ore.) Peace Church of the Brethren, features the Brethren Historical Library and Archives and its director Terry Barkley. Viewers are taken on a tour of the archive at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., including demonstration of a historic pipe organ once owned by Henry Kurtz. Host Brent Carlson takes a look at the digitized website connected with the BHLA featuring publications of the Church of the Brethren and other Brethren groups. In November, "Brethren Voices" visits the Arctic Wildlife Refuge in Alaska with David Radcliff of the New Community Project. The program marks the 90th edition of "Brethren Voices," now in its 9th year. For a complete list of programs, contact Ed Groff at groffprod1@msn.com .

• Members of the Brubaker family from Antioch Church of the Brethren have been honored by the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame, according to the “Roanoke Times.” Brubaker brothers Daniel, Galen, Cline, and Emory were inducted into the hall of fame on Sept. 22 at Virginia Tech. Cline Brubaker, 68, has been owner since 1967 of the Franklin County farm where he was born, serves on the Franklin County Board of Supervisors, and has been president of the American Guernsey Association and the World Guernsey Cattle Federation. Emory Brubaker, 84, was general manager for 20 years of Virginia-North Carolina Select Sires, and is a former member of the Franklin County School Board. Galen Brubaker, who ran Gale-Ru Dairy in Franklin County, died in June at the age of 87. Daniel, 81, operated a dairy farm in Rockingham County, has been president of a poultry cooperative, and a board member of the Rockingham Farm Bureau. Read the story at www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/315080 .

Source: 10/18/2012 Newsline

Credits

Newsline is produced by the news services of the Church of the Brethren. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Jan Fischer Bachman, Kim Ebersole, Anna Emrick, Mary Jo Flory-Steury, Bob Gross, Elizabeth Harvey, Mary Kay Heatwole, Kendra Johnson, Marilyn Lerch, Christina Lopez, Nancy Miner, Amy Mountain, Adam Pracht, Julia Wheeler, Walt Wiltschek, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.