Brethren bits

• Remembrance: Allen C. Deeter, 82, of North Manchester, Ind., a former administrator of Brethren Colleges Abroad for 24 years and professor of religion and philosophy at Manchester College (now Manchester University) for 40 years, passed away Dec. 20 at Timbercrest Healthcare Center. He also had directed the Peace Studies program at Manchester College. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, on March 8, 1931, to Raymond and Flora (Petry) Deeter. On Aug. 31, 1952, he married Joan George. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Manchester College, where he was one of the first peace studies majors to graduate from the program. He also earned degrees from Bethany Theological Seminary and Princeton University and did post-graduate work at Harvard University and Phillips University, Marburg, Germany. He was the recipient of the Manchester College Alumni Honor Award, received on Honorary Doctorate from Bridgewater (Va.) College, and authored two books, “Heirs of a Promise” and “Toyohiko Kagawa.” He is survived by his wife Joan George Deeter; sons Michael Deeter of Milwaukee, Wis., Dan (Jamie Marfurt) Deeter of Granger, Ind., and David (Serena Sheldon) Deeter of Lake Forest, Calif.; and grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Jan. 18 at Manchester Church of the Brethren, where he was a member. The family will receive friends following the service. Memorial contributions are received to the Endowment for Peace Studies Chair at Manchester University, or the Allen C. Deeter Brethren College Abroad Scholarship Endowment at the Community Foundation of Wabash County. For the full obituary online go to www.staceypageonline.com/2013/12/24/dr-allen-c-deeter.

• Sharon Norris has resigned as administrative assistant with the Church of the Brethren, working at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Her last day at work was today, Jan. 3. She has completed four years of service at the Brethren Service Center.

• Also resigning from his position at the Brethren Service Center is David Chaney, who resigned as maintenance mechanic effective Nov. 19, 2013. He has worked in the position for more than a year.

• Tammy Chudy has been promoted to assistant director of Employee Benefits at Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT). After serving in an interim role as the manager of operations for both the Brethren Pension Plan and Brethren Insurance Services, she was promoted effective Oct. 9, 2013. She has served BBT in a combined tenure for over 11 years. She will now provide oversight of both Insurance and Pension operations, as well as overseeing BBT’s member services representatives.

• In another personnel announcement from BBT, one of the member services representatives, Barb Ingold, ended her time with BBT as of the end of 2013. She was hired as a temporary member of the Employee Benefits team in April 2012, and her last day with BBT was Dec. 23, 2013.

• Carol Pfeiffer has announced her retirement as fulltime chaplain at Timbercrest Senior Living Community in North Manchester, Ind. She has been at Timbercrest since July 2011, and plans to retire by the end of February. She is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren and a graduate of Bethany Theological Seminary, and previously pastored Church of the Brethren congregations in Iowa and Indiana. Ted Neidlinger, associate administrator of Timbercrest stated, “Carol has provided a tremendous service to our residents and staff, and will be missed by both.” Ordained or licensed ministers in the Church of the Brethren may contact Neidlinger about the opening left by Pfeiffer’s retirement, at Timbercrest Senior Living Community, 2201 East Street, P.O. Box 501, North Manchester, IN 46962; tneidlinger@timbercrest.org or 260-982-2118.

• Manchester University student Lucas Kauffman starts a January term internship with the Church of the Brethren News Services today. He will be writing news reports, doing photography, and taking on other tasks during the three-week internship at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.

• The Brethren Mission Fund, which is related to the Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF), has announced a committee member change. Paul Brubaker has served on the committee since its inception in 1998 and has served as secretary for those 15 years, said a recent newsletter. Brubaker has attained emeritus status and will no longer serve on the committee, the newsletter announced. Dale Wolgemuth from White Oak Church of the Brethren in Atlantic Northeast District will serve on the committee. “We want to thank Paul for his many years of service, and welcome Dale to the committee,” said the announcement.

• In more news from the Brethren Mission Fund, the committee is contributing $3,000 to the EYN Compassion Fund of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) to support Nigerian Brethren who have lost a family member, home, or property to violence. In recent years northern Nigeria has suffered from terrorist violence carried out by an extremist Islamist sect named Boko Haram, and EYN churches and members have been among those affected.

• Kim Ebersole, director of Family and Older Adult Ministries for the Church of the Brethren, is leading a seminar on “Keeping Our Children Safe” on March 22 in Virlina District. The Virlina District Children's Cabinet is sponsoring the seminar for children's directors, pastors, and all interested in child safety policies. Details and location will be announced.

• Oak Grove Church of the Brethren in Rocky Mount, Va., held a "Note-Burning Service" on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013. Virlina District reports that “the church built a 52 foot by 60 foot fellowship addition including a baptismal pool, fellowship area, kitchen and serving area, and restrooms in 2008 at a cost of approximately $190,000, leaving a debt of $125,000. The balance of the debt was paid off in October 2013.”

• The Shalom Team of Northern Indiana District is sponsoring a “Training for Congregational Leadership” on Feb. 22 from 8:30 a.m.-12 noon at Bethany Church of the Brethren. Tara Hornbacker, professor of Ministry Formation at Bethany Theological Seminary, will speak on the topic of “Seeking the Mind of Christ Together--Discipleship and Discernment.” Following her address, two “break-out times” are planned for participants to engage in conversation with Hornbacker, and to allow participants to meet with others according to their congregational leadership role.

• Timbercrest’s Third Annual Festival of Ice will be Feb. 15 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The event will feature ice carvers, with hot chocolate and chili available. Timbercrest is a Church of the Brethren retirement community in North Manchester, Ind., celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.

• Camp Harmony, a camp of Western Pennsylvania District of the Church of the Brethren in Hooversville, Pa., celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2014. Associate camp director Barron Deffenbaugh was interviewed about the celebrations that are being planned for an article in the “Tribune-Democrat” newspaper of Johnstown, Pa. Celebrations begin the weekend of May 30-31 and June 1. Deffenbaugh said area businesses have been invited to attend May 30 for a “meet and greet” with the swimming pool and high and low ropes courses open. There will be an open house for the community on May 31 with the swimming pool, hiking, GPS, and climbing tower available. On June 1 a fellowship celebration will feature a chicken barbecue beginning at 12:30 p.m., recreation and sharing times for church and community members, praise bands, choirs, individual singers, Christian comedy, and worship at 6:30 p.m. with singing and a campfire. Deffenbaugh also told the newspaper that the camp will offer a series of “one-day escapes” during the spring, summer, and fall beginning with a sled riding day on Jan. 18. Go to www.tribune-democrat.com/latestnews/x1956144609/Celebration-to-recognize-camp-s-90th-anniversary.

• Youth Roundtable will be held at Bridgewater (Va.) College on March 21-23. This is an annual event for senior high youth and their adult advisors from the Church of the Brethren districts in the area. The event includes workshops, small groups, singing, an open mic night, and worship. The speaker will be Eric Landram, a Bethany Theological Seminary students, Bridgewater College alumnus, and member of Staunton (Va.) Church of the Brethren. Cost is about $50. For more information and to register go to http://iycroundtable.wix.com/iycbc .

• The Springs Initiative in Church Renewal is offering a spiritual disciplines folder for the season of Epiphany starting Jan. 12. The folder offers daily scripture readings and a prayer format along with study questions, following the lectionary scriptures and the Brethren Press bulletin series. The theme is “Following Christ’s Call in My Life.” Vince Cable, pastor of Uniontown Church of the Brethren, has written the Bible study questions for individual and group use. The Epiphany folder and information on the next Springs Academy courses on church renewal are available at www.churchrenewalservant.org.

• Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) worker Michael Himlie was interviewed by the “News-Record” of Marshall, Iowa, while he was home for the holidays. A member of Root River Church of the Brethren, and having studied at McPherson (Kan.) College, he is described by the reporter as wearing “a simple necklace carrying the symbol for the Church of the Brethren. The cross of Jesus Christ and a wave of water on the symbol represents Himlie's faith and his desire to serve others.” Himlie is spending his BVS term serving at disaster rebuilding sites working with Brethren Disaster Ministries. Read the full interview at www.hometown-pages.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=22&ArticleID=51661

Source: 1/3/2014 Newsline