Church of the Brethren Newsline

Newsline: January 25, 2012

2012-01-25T12:11:00.000-06:00

NEWS

Daily devotion leaders announced for 2012 Annual Conference.
New web design, 2012 Annual Conference packet are unveiled.
BMC approved as project site for BVS
Client investments enable BBT to take stand against human trafficking.
Brethren congregations among those being surveyed.
Stewardship leadership seminar focuses on generosity.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Leaders in disaster ministry to gather at Brethren Service Center.
Bethany Seminary to hold 2012 Presidential Forum.
Renovaré Essentials Conference offered by Atlantic Northeast District.
Clergy Tax Seminar will review tax law, 2011 changes.

FEATURE

What makes for peace? A nomination for Okinawa Peace Prize.

BRETHREN BITS

Personnel, jobs, nursing scholarships, Nigeria, and much more.

Daily devotion leaders announced for 2012 Annual Conference.

2012-01-25T12:07:00.000-06:00

Moderator Tim Harvey has announced leaders of the devotional times that will start the Monday and Tuesday business sessions at the 2012 Annual Conference. The Conference takes place in St. Louis, Mo., on July 7-11.

Morning devotions begin at 8:30 a.m. and will be led on Monday, July 9, by Wallace Cole, an interim district executive minister in Southeastern District; and on Tuesday, July 10, by Pamela Reist, a member of the denomination’s Mission and Ministry Board and a pastor at Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren.

Afternoon devotions will be led July 9 by Jonathan A. Prater, a new church planter in Shenandoah District and pastor of Mt. Zion Church of the Brethren in Linville, Va.; and on July 10 by Becky Ullom, the Church of the Brethren’s director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries.

Time set aside for devotional thoughts or Bible study reflections also will include hymns and prayers, and will address the daily themes of the Conference. For more information about the 2012 Annual Conference, and for online registration of congregational delegates, go to www.brethren.org/ac. Registration for nondelegates opens online Feb. 22 at 12 noon (central).

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

New web design, 2012 Annual Conference packet are unveiled.

2012-01-25T12:05:00.000-06:00

The Conference Office has unveiled a new website design at www.brethren.org/ac , where the information packet for the 2012 Annual Conference is now available to download. Postcards giving the web address have been sent to each congregation of the Church of the Brethren.

The Conference Office has emphasized that unlike in years past, this year the information packet will not be distributed on disk but will be made available solely online at the Annual Conference website.

The information packet provides basic information about the 2012 Conference to be held in St. Louis, Mo., from July 7-11. Included are sections on the theme, schedule, location and facilities, fees, hotel information, age group activities, Conference Choir, and more.

Congregations can register their delegates online now. Nondelegate registration and hotel reservations will open online at 12 noon (central time) on Feb. 22. For more information go to www.brethren.org/ac.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

BMC approved as project site for BVS

2012-01-25T12:02:00.000-06:00

The Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests (BMC) has been accepted as a placement site for Brethren Volunteer Service volunteers.

The group has applied on a regular basis for some years. During that time there have been Brethren volunteers who have worked at the BMC office in Minneapolis, but they have served through other volunteer organizations.

BVS currently lists more than 100 volunteer opportunities with projects and organizations that meet human needs, work for peace, advocate justice, and care for creation. Projects are located across the United States and in a number of other countries in Europe, Central and South America, Asia, and Africa. The program was begun as an initiative of young adults at the 1948 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren.

For more about BVS go to www.brethren.org/bvs/about.html.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

Client investments enable BBT to take stand against human trafficking.

2012-01-25T12:01:00.000-06:00

Putting the spotlight on global slavery and trafficking: That is what retirement contributions and congregational investments through Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) have helped achieve through the agency’s socially responsible investing initiatives. BBT signed on to a January letter urging the US Congress to require large companies to enact policies and auditing procedures that can expose and eliminate human mistreatment in their global supply chains.

“BBT represents the denomination’s positions, as established by Annual Conference actions, through its socially responsible investing activities,” said Steve Mason, director of BBT’s socially responsible investing initiatives. “Our members and clients have a voice, and today that voice is urging Congress and large companies to take significant action against trafficking and slavery.”

Through its relationship with the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, an interfaith corporate advocacy organization, BBT has signed on to the letter, which is addressed to House of Representatives speaker John Boehner and majority leader Eric Cantor. It urges Republican leadership to place the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (HR 2759) at the top of the Financial Services Committee’s agenda. This bill requires companies with a minimum of $100 million in gross receipts to report their organization’s efforts to address trafficking and slavery to the Securities Exchange Commission and on their websites.

The letter reads, “Given trends in globalization and growing concerns regarding working conditions, labor issues, human trafficking, and slavery, investors and other stakeholders will increasingly call for greater disclosure from companies related to their supply chains. We therefore strongly encourage the Republican House leadership to support investors, companies, workers, and consumers by moving this important legislation forward in an expeditious manner.”

Signing on to this letter is another step in BBT’s efforts to represent its members and clients by bringing human rights matters to the attention of the US government and publicly traded companies. In 2011, BBT’s work with energy company ConocoPhillips helped to persuade the company to review its Human Rights Position to address the rights of indigenous peoples occupying areas in which ConocoPhillips does business. An Aug. 2010 letter from BBT to President Barack Obama urged the US government to support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

For more information about BBT’s socially responsible investing projects, visit www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/socially-responsible-investing or contact Steve Mason at 800-746-1505 ext. 369 or smason@cobbt.org.

-- Brian Solem is publications coordinator for Brethren Benefit Trust.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

Brethren congregations among those being surveyed.

2012-01-25T11:58:00.000-06:00

Church of the Brethren congregations are being invited to respond to a survey that will be arriving in mailboxes soon. The survey is a broad curriculum survey being conducted by the Protestant Church-owned Publishers Association (PCPA), of which Brethren Press is a member.

The survey seeks to explore an underlying issue in congregations today--that is, how to work effectively at growing disciples in today’s culture. The publishers are interested in learning what new strategies and programs local churches are using today to disciple their members of all ages, and what resources they are looking for to support these programs.

The survey sample will include every congregation within the Church of the Brethren, since the Brethren are smaller than the other participating denominations. Others are providing random samplings of 1,265 congregations.

PCPA is an association of about three dozen publishing houses that vary greatly in size and theology. About 15 of the member publishing houses are participating in the survey, for a combined survey group of about 19,000 congregations. The curriculum survey is being carried out by LifeWay Research, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Respondents will be able to fill out the survey on paper or online.

-- Wendy McFadden is publisher of Brethren Press and Church of the Brethren communications.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

Stewardship leadership seminar focuses on generosity.

2012-01-25T11:56:00.000-06:00

Photo by Ecumenical Stewardship Center

Resources from the Ecumenical Stewardship Center include Giving magazine along with offering theme materials and more.

On Nov. 28, 2011, more than 80 steward leaders gathered at the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach, Fla., for the Ecumenical Stewardship Center 2011 Leadership Seminar. The theme was “Creating Congregational Culture of Generosity in the 21st Century.” Representatives from nearly 20 denominations heard presentations on the subject by plenary speakers Carol F. Johnston, Jill Schumann, and Paul Johnson. Attendees participated in lively discussion, sharing of ideas, and mutual encouragement.

On Tuesday morning, associate professor of Theology and Culture and director of Lifelong Theological Education at Christian Theological Seminary, Carol Johnston, shared her extensive research about the public roles that congregations play in communities. She told stories of churches in different cities across the US, their unique personalities, and key roles in neighborhood development.

After an ocean-view lunch break, Jill Schumann spoke from her experience as president and CEO of Lutheran Services in America, and suggested “rethinking stewardship” according to shifts in culture and technology. Thinking positively about asset mapping and mutual care were large components of her informative speech.

Wednesday morning brought a presentation from Paul Johnson, director of Neighborhood Development Strategies of the City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He continued the theme of viewing stewardship through a new perspective, and told of trials and successes of unusual and innovative community-based programs in Hamilton.

All three speakers were prepared to discuss difficult questions and speak from their extensive experience at the panel discussion that afternoon. Each of the three days also included worship led by Ted & Company Theaterworks. The company concluded the event with a rousing performance of their original piece, “What’s So Funny About Money,” at the seminar’s closing banquet.

Though the Florida weather was cool and windy, the energy during group discussion, “talk-back” sessions, and songs of praise sung each morning kept participants warm. Inspiring, informative, and encouraging conversation dominated the seminar and the atmosphere was supportive and collegial. After the closing festivities, attendees lingered to exchange embraces and contact information, and that one last idea until meeting again next year at the ESC Leadership Seminar 2012.

-- Mandy Garcia is coordinator of donor development for the Church of the Brethren. For more about the Ecumenical Stewardship Center, of which the Church of the Brethren is a denominational supporter, go to www.stewardshipresources.org. Former Bethany Seminary staff member Marcia Shetler is now serving as executive director of ESC, which recently adopted a new set of by-laws and new governance structure to enhance its position as a stewardship education and resource leader for churches and denominations.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

Leaders in disaster ministry to gather at Brethren Service Center.

2012-01-25T11:52:00.000-06:00

Faith communities often play a crucial role in responding to disasters throughout the US, such as by building houses, providing emotional care to survivors, and meeting other unmet needs. How and why faith communities respond to disasters will be explored at the 2012 Church World Service (CWS) Forum on Domestic Disaster Ministry, March 19-21 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.

The biennial forum brings together leading scholars, theologians, and staff who work in disaster programs throughout the interreligious community. Participants explore the changing nature of response to disasters and learn from experienced practitioners in the field.

The forum will focus on "Sacred Hospitality: Compassion and Community in the Wake of Disaster" and explore topics including economic justice, spiritual and emotional care, and forging partnerships with secular, faith-based, and government agencies.

The forum is a great place to learn the latest developments in how faith communities are responding to disasters, according to Barry Shade, CWS associate director for Domestic Emergency Response. “We're very excited about the speakers who are coming this year,” Shade says. “We'll cover everything from the theological to the practical aspects of disaster response and recovery.”

Amy Oden, a scholar of Christian traditions of hospitality and the dean of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., will be the keynote speaker. Other scheduled speakers include Stan Duncan, Bob Fogal, Bonnie Osei-Frimpong, Ruama Camp, Claire Rubin, Jamison Day, and Bruce Epperly.

Participants in past forums have included staff members from faith-based disaster programs, government agencies, corporations, foundations, and community organizations.

The gathering will be the fifth CWS Forum on Domestic Disaster Ministry. It will take place at the New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center in rural, western Maryland. Transportation is available from Baltimore-Washington International Airport for those who register by March 10. The registration form and additional information are available at www.cwserp.org.

-- Lesley Crosson and Jan Dragin of Church World Service provided this release.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

Bethany Seminary to hold 2012 Presidential Forum.

2012-01-25T11:49:00.000-06:00

Photo by: Melanie Weidner artwork

“Joy and Suffering in the Body: Turning toward Each Other” is the theme of Bethany Theological Seminary’s 2012 Presidential Forum, to be held April 13-14 at the campus in Richmond, Ind.

The title of the forum refers to experiences both within individual bodies and our faith bodies. Ruthann Johansen, president of Bethany, describes the development of the theme: “For people of faith to be created in the image of God calls us to embrace the gifts of our sexuality and our spirituality and to treat our own and one another's lives with reverence. This forum topic will explore the intersections of human sexuality and spirituality openly to increase our understanding of ourselves and one another and to help us live in Christ-like integrity with compassion and justice toward all people.”

The forum is also a response to the call stated in Standing Committee's report from the 2011 Annual Conference in Grand Rapids--“to continue deeper conversations concerning human sexuality outside of the query process”--and to the recommendations of the original 1983 statement “Human Sexuality from a Christian Perspective.”

James Forbes will be the keynote speaker, with an address titled “Who for the Joy Set Before Him.” He is senior minister emeritus of Riverside Church in New York City and the Harry Emerson Fosdick Adjunct Professor of preaching at Union Theological Seminary. He is also president of the Healing of the Nations Foundation, which draws its mission from Revelation 22:2: “And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”

Panelists representing the fields of medicine, ecclesiology and sexuality, Christian history, religion and psychiatry, and biblical studies will round out leadership. They include David E. Fuchs, MD; David Hunter, Cottrill-Rolfes Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Kentucky; Gayle Gerber Koontz, professor of theology and ethics at Mennonite Biblical Seminary; Amy Bentley Lamborn, assistant professor of pastoral theology at General Theological Seminary; and Ken Stone, academic dean and professor of Hebrew Bible, culture, and hermeneutics at Chicago Theological Seminary. Each panelist’s presentation will incorporate opportunity for audience discussion.

Parker Thompson, Bethany student and coordinator of the Forum Planning Committee, says, “Guided by the command to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind’ (Matthew 22:37), we were looking for leaders who could address spirituality and sexuality in the full context of Christian living. In seeing Dr. Forbes preach at a conference in Chicago on urban ministry, I experienced him to be an amazingly embodied preacher with a gift and a passion for seeking healing in this broken world. Each of the panelists is excited about contributing her or his unique expertise to the forum’s holistic approach to spirituality and sexuality.”

As a complementing event, a Pre-Forum Gathering is planned for April 12-13, sponsored by Bethany’s Alumni/ae Coordinating Council. “The gathering will bring alumni/ae and other interested persons together for educational presentations by faculty as well as the opportunity to reconnect and meet new friends,” says council member Greg Davidson Laszakovits. “Rooted in the Presidential Forum’s theme of spirituality and sexuality, this event will take a practical approach toward equipping participants to work with these real-life issues in their ministries and lives.”

Attendees of the Pre-Forum Gathering will hear four sessions presented by faculty from Bethany and Earlham School of Religion: Julie M. Hostetter, director of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership; Russell Haitch, associate professor of Christian education and director of the Institute for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults at Bethany; Jim Higginbotham, assistant professor of pastoral care and counseling at ESR; and Dan Ulrich, professor of New Testament studies at Bethany. This event is the second of its kind to be held in conjunction with a Presidential Forum.

Continuing education units are available for both events. Those attending the Pre-Forum Gathering can earn 0.5 units, while forum attendees can earn up to 0.6 units. Participants must attend all sessions on a given day to receive credit.

The 2012 forum is the fourth in a series begun in 2008. “The Presidential Forums were inaugurated to develop substantive topics that thoughtfully and prophetically address issues of faith and ethics and that enable the seminary to provide visionary, educational leadership for the church and society,” states Johansen. In Fall 2010, Bethany received a generous grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations to endow the Presidential Forums.

Forum and pre-forum activities will include worship services and a concert by the band Mutual Kumquat. The forum also will feature the artwork of ESR graduate Melanie Weidner, whose painting “Between Us” is serving as the feature piece of the forum.

The Pre-Forum Gathering will begin with dinner and fellowship on Thursday, April 12; the forum will likewise begin with dinner and worship on Friday, April 13. Discounted rates are available for students. For a complete schedule and session descriptions, registration information, and housing options, visit www.bethanyseminary.edu/forum2012. For further questions, contact forum@bethanyseminary.edu. Registration will be capped at 150 participants.

-- Jenny Williams is director of communications and alumni/ae relations at Bethany Seminary. The artwork titled “Between Us” is reproduced by permission, © 2005 by Melanie Weidner www.listenforjoy.com.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

Renovaré Essentials Conference offered by Atlantic Northeast District.

2012-01-25T11:46:00.000-06:00

Richard Foster, founder of Renovaré and author of “Celebration of Discipline,” along with Chris Webb, new president of Renovaré and an Anglican Priest from Wales, will be the featured leaders at a Renovaré Essentials Conference on April 21, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., at Leffler Chapel at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College.

Sponsored by the Church of the Brethren’s Atlantic Northeast District, the conference is a day of spiritual growth for participants to develop a balanced vision for personal and corporate spiritual renewal.

An added feature of this conference will be classes for children on the spiritual disciplines, held at nearby Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren, with a new curriculum written by Jean Moyer.

Resources on developing the spiritual life will be offered in an onsite bookstore. The District Spiritual Renewal Team who is organizing the conference has a sheet of information available to help congregations prepare for the conference and suggested resources for follow up. A prayer team also is at work for the conference.

Cost by March 1 is $40, after which registration increases to $50. Children through grade 6 may register for $5. Continuing education units (.65 CEU) will be available for an additional $10 fee. A registration form is available both on the Atlantic Northeast District website at www.cob-net.org/church/ane or by e-mailing David Young, chair of the steering committee, at davidyoung@churchrenewalservant.org. A cordial welcome is extended to all.

-- David S. Young, with his wife Joan, is founder of the Springs of Living Water initiative for church renewal, which is active in several Church of the Brethren districts.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

Clergy Tax Seminar will review tax law, 2011 changes.

2012-01-25T11:43:00.000-06:00

Photo by Brethren Academy

A tax seminar for clergy will be held on Feb. 20 through a collaboration of Bethany Seminary's Office of Electronic Communication, the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, and the Church of the Brethren Office of Ministry. Seminary students, pastors, and other church leaders are invited to attend the seminar either in person at Bethany Seminary in Richmond, Ind., or online.

The sessions will cover tax law for clergy, changes for 2011 (the most current tax year), and detailed assistance on how to file the various forms and schedules that pertain to clergy (including housing allowances, self-employment, etc.).

Greatly appreciated by Bethany Seminary students, this seminar is being opened up to clergy and others across the denomination for the first time. It is recommended for all pastors and other church leaders who wish to understand clergy taxes.

Leading the seminar is Deborah L. Oskin, EA, NTPI Fellow, and an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren. She has been doing clergy tax returns since 1989 when her husband became pastor of a small Church of the Brethren congregation. She has learned the problems and pitfalls associated with the IRS identification of clergy as "hybrid employees" both from personal and professional experience as an H&R Block agent. During 12 years with the company (2000-2011) she achieved the highest level of expertise certification as a master tax adviser, a teaching certification as a certified advanced instructor, and the status of enrolled agent with the IRS. She is serving Living Peace Church of the Brethren in Columbus, Ohio, as peace minister to the wider community. She also was Southern Ohio District's board chair from 2007-2011, and works closely with several interfaith peace organizations in central Ohio.

The schedule for Feb. 20: morning session 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (eastern), lunch on your own, afternoon session 2-4 p.m. (eastern). Registration is $15 per person (nonrefundable to keep fees and overhead low). Registration for current students of Bethany Seminary, Training in Ministry (TRIM), Education for Shared Ministry (EFSM), and Earlham School of Religion is fully subsidized and free to the student. Those who register to attend online will receive instructions about how to gain access to the seminar a few days prior to the event. Registrations are not complete until payment is received. Register at www.bethanyseminary.edu/webcasts/clergytax2012.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

What makes for peace? A nomination for the Okinawa Peace Prize.

2012-01-25T11:39:00.000-06:00

Photo by JoAnn Sims

Hiromu Morishita welcoming guests at the Barbara Reynolds monument unveiling at Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima in June 2011.

Since 1895 the world recognizes individuals through the Nobel Prize for achievements in various fields such as economics, physics, literature, or medicine. The Nobel Peace Prize is the best known and perhaps the most revered prize as it recognizes a peacemaker in a world that is often in conflict. Nobel’s will described the recipient of the peace prize as “a person who shall have done the most or best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” The world waits each year to hear who will receive the next award.

There is another peace prize award. It is not as well known and has a history only since 2001. It is the Okinawa Peace Prize. It is awarded every two years. The prize is issued from Okinawa as the only prefecture in Japan during World War II where a severe ground battle engulfed all residents and claimed over 200,000 lives. Okinawa has a deep appreciation of the preciousness of life and the importance of peace. Okinawa sees itself as a bridge and a Crossroad of Peace in the Asia-Pacific region, and is involved in the building and maintenance of peace with the rest of the world.

The Okinawa Peace Prize recognizes efforts of individuals and organizations contributing to the promotion of peace in the Asia-Pacific region geographically and historically related to Okinawa. There are three foundations for eligibility: 1) Promote peace and nonviolence in the Asia-Pacific region. 2) Help achieve human security, promote human rights, solutions to poverty, hunger, disease, and activities that contribute to enriching society. 3) Cultivate cultural diversity and mutual respect and make efforts to create foundations for peace in different regions around the world.

As volunteer directors of the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima, Japan, we nominated Hiromu Morishita for the Okinawa Peace Prize. He is an amazing individual. His story begins in 1945 when he survived the A-bomb in Hiroshima. He was severely burned. He became a high school home room and calligraphy teacher. Stunned that his students didn’t know about the A-bomb and the realities of war, he decided he needed to tell his story in hopes that such a horror would never be repeated.

He joined a peace mission sponsored by Barbara Reynolds, founder of the World Friendship Center. That experience helped shape his lifetime of peacemaking. One of his contributions to peace is as a peace ambassador, visiting 30 countries with his message of peace and sharing his A-bomb survival story.

He is the founder of peace education in Japan, developing curriculum and organizing A-bomb teacher survivor associations. He directly influenced over 10,000 students and indirectly over 6 million students since 1970 when peace education began in Japan.

Hiromu Morishita is a poet and master calligrapher. On his peace ambassador trips he shares his story through poetry and by teaching or demonstrating calligraphy. His poetry and calligraphy are displayed on significant monuments in Hiroshima and its Peace Memorial Park. Over one million visitors view his work each year.

Morishita has been chairperson of the World Friendship Center for 26 years. Under his guidance the center has sent multiple peace ambassador teams to Germany, Poland, the US, and Korea to tell the story of Hiroshima and its work for Peace. The center operates a guesthouse and has shared the story of Hibakusha (survivors of the A-bomb), the hope of Hiroshima for a world without nuclear weapons, and the story of Barbara Reynolds to over 80,000 visitors. The World Friendship Center is celebrating its 47th year of operation. Hiromu Morishita has guided its direction and accomplishments, with the most recent example his overseeing the design and unveiling of a monument dedicated to Barbara Reynolds, jointly erected by the City of Hiroshima and the World Friendship Center.

Mr. Morishita is a worthy nominee for the Okinawa Peace Prize. He represents for each of us a living model of peacemaking. We are hopeful he will be selected.

-- JoAnn and Larry Sims are co-directors of the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima, Japan, working through Brethren Volunteer Service. Go to www.brethren.org/bvs/updates/hiroshima/how-do-you-know.html for a reflection on how they were called to Hiroshima. Also on the page is a video of receiving origami peace cranes from a congregation in the US, set to the music of Brethren folksinger Mike Stern. They write: “Part of the peace activities we do at World Friendship Center is to register the paper cranes we receive and take photos of the process.”

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

Brethren bits: Personnel, jobs, nursing scholarships, Nigeria, and much more.

2012-01-25T11:35:00.000-06:00

Service Sunday on Feb. 5 is an opportunity for Church of the Brethren congregations to celebrate those who offer service in the name of Jesus Christ in our communities and around the world, and to explore and call people to new opportunities to serve through church ministries. The annual commemoration on the first Sunday of February is sponsored jointly by Brethren Disaster Ministries, Brethren Volunteer Service, the Brethren Service Center, and the Workcamp Ministry. This year’s theme, “Using Our Lives for Faith-Filled Service,” comes from 1 John 3:18. Find worship resources online at www.brethren.org/servicesunday .

Deborah Brehm begins Jan. 31 as part-time program assistant in Church of the Brethren Human Resources in Elgin, Ill. She is a previous intern with the office from 2008-10. Most recently she has been a new business processor for Protective Life Insurance Co. She also has been a commercial loan secretary and administrative assistant at Harris Bank in Roselle, Ill. In volunteer commitments she is a committee chairperson for Christian Youth Theater and has been on the board and faculty of Heritage Homeschool Workshops. She earned a degree in human resource management from Judson University in 2010. She and her family live in Huntley, Ill.

Steve Bickler has shifted responsibilities at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., and is now working half-time in Brethren Press and half-time as support for Buildings and Grounds. Bickler has worked for the Church of the Brethren for 33 years.

The Church of the Brethren seeks a fulltime director for Intercultural Ministries to fill a position based at the General Offices in Elgin, Ill. This position is part of a team of leaders in Congregational Life Ministries and will be integral in developing intercultural ministries throughout the denomination. Responsibilities include strengthening the intercultural competence of the church at all levels; relating to, advocating for, and integrating gifts, experiences, and needs of nondominant cultural groups within the church; assisting congregations toward greater diversity; resourcing church planting efforts; calling and working effectively with advisory groups; participating in development of financial strategies to support intercultural ministries; and pro-actively articulating the vision for and reinforcing commitment to a church that is multicultural. The preferred candidate will demonstrate Christian character, commitment to the values and practices of the Church of the Brethren, a disciplined spiritual life, biblical rootedness, flexibility to work collaboratively in a variety of contexts, intercultural competence, experience in leading new initiatives, and ability to follow an idea through from conception to implementation. The preferred candidate will have expertise in group dynamics and facilitation, teaching, public speaking, strategic planning, and project development. Communication skills and strong interpersonal competency are required, bilingual Spanish and English preferred. The selected candidate will work as part of a team, utilize a variety of computer and digital technologies, represent the Mission and Ministry Board, attend to self-care and continuing education, efficiently manage a complex workload, participate in regular processes of review and priority-setting, and understand this position as part of a larger vocational commitment. Applications are received immediately and will be reviewed beginning Feb. 13, with interviews commencing in February and continuing until the position is filled. Request the application form and job description, submit a résumé and letter of application, and request three references to send letters of recommendation to: Office of Human Resources, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 258; humanresources@brethren.org.

Pinecrest Community, a Church of the Brethren retirement community in Mount Morris, Ill., seeks a director of Advancement/Marketing with the general purpose to develop, coordinate, and monitor overall fundraising strategy for solicitation, cultivation, and closing of major and planned gifts and manage relationships with donors, congregations, and prospects. The position also oversees capital campaigns, direct mail, and social media appeals, and advancement communications; maintains and expands 50-60 major donor relationships; expands the Century II Club, the planned giving society of Pinecrest Community; is an active leader in the organization as part of the administrative team and works closely with the Board of Directors, Foundation Board, and community volunteers. Requirements include minimum of a bachelor’s degree; preferred five years of fundraising experience with two years supervisory experience and understanding of retirement and long-term care communities. Skills and abilities include coordinating and/or directing a variety of complex tasks and assignments simultaneously; oral and written communication skills; management skills; ability to deliver individual and group presentations; energy and vision to take the advancement function to the next level; ability to motivate self and others with strong relationship skills; ability to work individually or collaboratively; working knowledge of general business operations in a nonprofit, social service, or similar environment; responsibility for departmental budget; fluency in fundraising software; working knowledge of MS Office. Pinecrest offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefit package. The position description is posted at www.iwdcob.org . Resumes should be sent electronically to vmarshall@pinecrestcommunity.org or mailed to Pinecrest Community, Attn: Victoria Marshall, 414 S. Wesley Ave., Mt. Morris, IL 61054.

Fahrney Keedy Home and Village, a Church of the Brethren retirement community near Boonsboro, Md., seeks an administrator. This position is responsible for day-to-day operations of 106 skilled bed and 32 assisted living bed units in accordance with regulations that govern long-term and assisted living facilities. Candidates must hold a current unencumbered nursing facility Administrator’s License for the State of Maryland. For additional information visit www.fkhv.org . Send resumes or applications to Cassandra Weaver, Vice President of Operations, 301-671-5014, cweaver@fkhv.org.

Camp Pine Lake in Eldora, Iowa, outdoor ministry center for Northern Plains District, seeks four energetic, hard working, nature-loving people to join the 2012 summer staff. Applicants must be flexible, willing to work as a team, love children, and have a deep desire to share God’s love. Summer staff will live and work at the camp June 1-Aug. 15; serve in all capacities on a rotation of property, kitchen, and programming preparation work during outside rentals; and as full-time counselors during all Church of the Brethren camps. Applicants must be 19 years of age and out of high school with one year of college or equivalent. Some counseling experience and/or work with children is preferred, as well as previous involvement in organized church activities. A formal training weekend or retreat will be required, as well as participation in summer-long team building and Bible study meetings. Compensation is $1,500 to be paid in monthly stipends or directly to an educational institution in the form of a scholarship. Room and board is provided. Application materials include the application form, essay worksheet, and two letters of reference--one character and one professional. Each applicant will be interviewed by current camp staff. Each staff member will go through a complete background check. Deadline is March 1. To apply contact Camp Pine Lake for more information: camppinelake@heartofiowa.net or 641-939-5334, or bwlewczak@netins.net or 515-240-0060.

The deadline to apply for the 2012 Youth Peace Travel Team has been extended until Jan. 31. To learn more about the Youth Peace Travel Team or to apply visit www.brethren.org/youthpeacetravelteam . If you have questions, contact Becky Ullom, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, at bullom@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 297.

Nursing scholarships are available from the Church of the Brethren’s Caring Ministries. The program awards a limited number of scholarships each year to individuals enrolled in an LPN, RN, or nursing graduate program who are members of the Church of the Brethren. Scholarships of up to $2,000 for RN and graduate nurse candidates and up to $1,000 for LPN candidates will be awarded. A preference is given to new applications, and to individuals who are in their second year of an associate’s degree or third year of a baccalaureate program. Scholarship recipients are eligible for only one scholarship per degree. Applications and supporting documentation must be submitted by April 1. Candidates who are awarded scholarships will be notified no later than July, and funds will be sent directly to the appropriate school for the Fall term. To apply, print or download the instructions and application from www.brethren.org/nursingscholarships.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Olav Fykse Tveit has sent a letter to Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan expressing sadness over the violence in Nigeria, calling on the churches to pray for the victims, and asking the president to support solidarity efforts for peace by both Christians and Muslims. Tveit wrote, “We continue to mourn the loss of life, particularly among those who were killed in brutal attacks this past weekend in Kano and the attacks on and deaths of Christian worshipers celebrating the mass service of Christmas in Abuja only a month ago.” He said that actions of both Christian and Muslim leaders working together in Nigeria will ultimately allow both communities to live in peace. “Nigeria cannot become another battlefield where religion is used to promote division, hatred and allowing for destructive intentions. Christians and Muslims around the world offer their support to our sisters and brothers in Nigeria to enable them to live together in peace.” Read the letter at www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=5040f33e791a1acc7a4a.

In more news from Nigeria, Church of the Brethren mission worker Carol Smith reported some encouragement in the midst of more attacks by the Boko Haram Islamist sect. She reports that Brethren leaders are continuing efforts at dialogue and cooperative peacemaking with local Muslim leaders, with a next meeting scheduled for Feb. 6. They also plan to deliver letters of condolence and encouragement to the Emir of Mubi and the leader of the Igbo people living in the area, whose communities suffered attacks by Boko Haram earlier this month. In her e-mail reports, Smith said some of the southern Igbo people who had fled the violence are already beginning to return to the northeast of Nigeria. She also shared some nonviolent initiatives, originally reported by the BBC, including an incident in which Boko Haram soldiers turned in their guns saying they were tired of killing, and places where Christians and Muslims have cooperated to protect each other. Nigerian church leaders continue to ask for prayer.

Would you like to have constantly updated Church of the Brethren news for your church, district, or even personal website? An RSS feed is now available to add Newsline content to a website, and to update that content automatically. The process is simple, a matter of copying and adding code to the web page where you would like to see Church of the Brethren news appear. Users may also add the feed URL ( www.brethren.org/feeds/news.xml ) in a personal news reader to have Church of the Brethren news delivered directly to your computer. More information is at www.brethren.org/news/2012/newsline-now-available-as-rss-feed.html.

The church’s advocacy and peace witness office asks Brethren to take a survey to help decide a focus for Peace Witness Ministries for 2012. “It is time to consider what issues can the Church of the Brethren best bring its voice to,” said the Action Alert. “Is it issues of creation care, calling for the church and society to live in better relationship with God’s Creation? Is it working to eradicate hunger and poverty--both in our communities and around the world? Is it seeking to reduce military spending, and lessen the impacts and reality of the violence wrought by war in so many places? Is it engaging the 2012 election process, and making sure issues of justice are highlighted? Now is your chance to weigh in!” Find the Action Alert and a link to the survey at http://cob.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=15081.0&dlv_id=16782.

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women will meet in New York for two weeks from Feb. 26-March 9. Church of the Brethren representative to the UN, Doris Abdullah, invites interested Brethren to join her in attending related events such as those hosted by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, to be held at the Church Center for the UN, the Salvation Army, and other locations around the city at the same time. The theme is:”The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication; Development and current challenges.” “Join me and come to New York with a good pair of walking shoes. Together, we will explore the many discussions and debates around the issue of rural women 2012 across the globe,” Abdullah writes. The discussions and debates both inside and outside of the UN are free. More information is at www.un.org and www.ngocsw.org.

“Brethren Life and Thought,” a joint publication of Bethany Theological Seminary and the Brethren Journal Association, has begun an online blog with postings from young adults reflecting on the church in a changing culture and prospects for future leadership. Find the blog at www.brethrenlifeandthought.org as well as more information about the journal.

Monitor Community Church of the Brethren in McPherson, Kan., is looking for past and present members and friends of the church to help celebrate its 125th anniversary. “We would like to have any knowledge, addresses, or e-mail addresses of friends and members, and/or pictures of the beginnings of Monitor Church to the present, that you may have or know about,” said the announcement. The church will be celebrating its anniversary Sunday, Oct. 7. Send any information, pictures, or questions to monitorchurch@gmail.com or Monitor Church of the Brethren, P.O. Box 218, McPherson, KS 67460. The planning committee includes Sara Brubaker, Leslie Billhimer Frye, Kay Billhimer, Bill Kostlovy, and Mary Ellen Howell.

David Shetler, district executive of Southern Ohio District, has shared a prayer request for Happy Corner Church of the Brethren in Clayton, Ohio. Significant damage was done to the church building when a stolen car was driven through the glass entry area and into the sanctuary early on Thursday, Jan. 19. “Your prayers are appreciated,” he wrote. The “Dayton Daily News” reported that, “The vehicle continued to plow into the church sanctuary where it ran into a rear wall, causing possible structural damage, according to police. The driver also spun the car’s tires, ripping up carpet and damaging numerous pews inside the sanctuary.” Television coverage with dramatic views of the damage to the church is at www.whiotv.com/videos/news/video-clayton-church-sanctuary-destroyed-by/vFpS3.

Brethren Woods Camp and Retreat Center in Keezletown, Va., is holding a Caving Adventure Day on Feb. 12. The half day of caving will take participants underground to see natural subterranean features. The group will gather at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren and travel to a cave in the area, led by Lester Zook of WildGuyde Adventures and EMU’s Outdoor Ministry and Adventure Leadership Department. Cost is $45. For more information contact the camp office at 540-269-2741. Registrations are due Jan. 27.

The University of La Verne, a Brethren-related school in southern California, has attracted attention in a number of areas recently. An opinion piece by ULV president Devorah Lieberman titled “Diversity benefits higher education” ran in several publications including the “San Gabriel Valley Tribune,” “LA Daily News,” “Long Beach Press,” and others. She wrote, in part, “The US Departments of Justice and Education recently issued new guidelines for the use of race to measure diversity and increased student learning outcomes in colleges and universities. The guidelines make a compelling case for academic, social, and economic benefits to be achieved through a pluralistic, co-education of people from diverse backgrounds.” In other news, associate professor of writing Sean Bernard was awarded $25,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts in recognition of his fiction (see www.dailynews.com/ci_19641408 ); the university received attention for moving its Ventura County campus to a new location; and Lou Obermeyer, a graduate of the Doctoral Program in Organizational Leadership, was named 2011 Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators (see http://laverne.edu/voice/2012/01/superintendent-supreme).

Work on Manchester College’s new $9.1 million Academic Center is progressing through the winter reports a release from the school in N. Manchester, Ind. “We are on target for a June 4 possession of the Academic Center from the contractors,” said Jack Gochenaur, vice president for finance and treasurer. The Academic Center is a renovation and expansion of the former Holl-Kintner Hall of Science.

The Anna B. Mow Endowed Lecture Series at Bridgewater (Va.) College on Feb. 1 features race car driver and environmental activist Leilani Münter, who will speak on “Never Underestimate a Vegetarian Hippy Chick with a Race Car.” Recognizing that racing is “not an eco-friendly sport,” says a release from the college, Münter has a strategy for minimizing an oversized carbon footprint. Her goals include convincing auto racing executives to develop more fuel-efficient engines and eco-friendly venues. Münter races in the ARCA Series, a development league of NASCAR, and is the fourth woman in history to race in the Indy Pro Series. The event at 7:30 p.m. in Cole Hall is open to the public at no charge.

Poet and playwright Amiri Baraka will discuss American politics and culture Feb. 1 at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, as part of Bowers Writers House events. Baraka is a recipient of the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Rockefeller Foundation Award for Drama, the Langston Hughes Award from the City College of New York, and a lifetime achievement award from the Before Columbus Foundation. He will give two presentations on Feb. 1, at 11 a.m. in Leffler Chapel, and at 8 p.m. in Brinser Lecture Hall, Steinman 114. Admission is free, seating is first-come, first-served. More information is at http://readme.readmedia.com/Poet-playwright-Amiri-Baraka-discusses-American-politics-culture-Feb-1-at-Elizabethtown-College/3346462.

Brethren, slavery, and Hutterite colonies will be the subject of February talks at Elizabethtown College's Young Center. Although the Brethren were strong opponents of slave holding, with some even paying to free slaves, a few rare individuals kept slaves. Jeff Bach, director of the Young Center for Pietist and Anabaptist Studies will explore these cases in a presentation titled "The Unchristian Slave Trade: Brethren and Slavery," at 7 p.m. on Feb. 2, in the Bucher Meetinghouse. At 7 p.m. on Feb. 23, also in the meetinghouse, college graduate Ryan Long will discuss the challenges facing Hutterite colonies during World War I. For more information contact the Young Center at 717-361-1470 or youngctr@etown.edu.

New Zealand ambassador Jim McLay is the first United Nations Visiting Scholar at Juniata College’s Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies. The church-related college is in Huntingdon, Pa. McLay is New Zealand's permanent representative to the UN, and is spending the week of Jan. 22-27 at the college. The UN Visiting Scholar program will bring UN diplomats and envoys to central Pennsylvania in coming years.

The Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF) has announced its latest book: From the pen of longtime BRF leader Harold S. Martin comes “A Study of Basic Bible Teachings.” The 164-page book may be purchased for $12 plus $2 shipping for each book for requests under five copies. Five copies or more receive free shipping. Ten copies or more in one order receive a 10 percent discount and free shipping. According to a release from the BRF, the book “proclaims sound doctrine from a solid evangelical biblical point of view, with understandings in keeping with historic Brethren beliefs.” The 13 chapters address a wide variety of topics including the scriptures, the nature of the Trinity (“God Our Father,” “Jesus Christ Our Savior,” “The Holy Spirit Our Teacher”), sin, salvation, the church, living the Christian life, and more. Request copies at www.brfwitness.org/?page_id=268&category=3&product_id=29.

Chris Raschka's illustrated children’s book “A Ball for Daisy” (Random/Schwartz and Wade Books) was awarded the Caldecott Medal at a recent meeting of the American Library Association. Raschka, who grew up in the Church of the Brethren as son of Hedda Durnbaugh and the late Donald F. Durnbaugh, has illustrated several Brethren Press books including "Benjamin Brody's Backyard Bag" by Phyllis Vos Wezeman and Colleen Allsburg Wiessner; "R and R: A Story of Two Alphabets," written and illustrated by Raschka; and "This I Remember" by George Dolnikowski, a memoir by the Russian-born professor emeritus at Juniata College. Raschka was a speaker for the Brethren Press breakfast at the 2007 Annual Conference, where he demonstrated to a fascinated audience his illustration technique for “The Hello, Goodbye Window,” which won the top illustration honor in 2006. His book “Yo! Yes?” also has won a Caldecott Honor. This year he takes the 75th Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children (see www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/893406-312/gantos_raschka_awarded_newbery_caldecott.html.csp ). Brethren Press is carrying “A Ball for Daisy” as well as “Benjamin Brody’s Backyard Bag” and “The Hello, Goodbye Window,” order from www.brethrenpress.com or call 800-441-3712.

Source:1/25/2012 Newsline

Credits

2012-01-25T11:28:00.000-06:00

Newsline is produced by the news services of the Church of the Brethren. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. Contributors to this Newsline include Jan Fischer Bachman, Jordan Blevins, Beth Carpentier, Mary Jo Flory-Steury, Leslie Frye, Elizabeth Harvey, Mary Kay Heatwole, Jeff Lennard, Ralph McFadden, Alisha M. Rosas, John Wall, Julia Wheeler, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.

Newsline: January 11, 2012

2012-01-11T12:16:00.000-06:00

REMEMBERING THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE

Brethren mark the second anniversary of Haiti’s earthquake.
An overview of Brethren accomplishments in Haiti, 2010-2011.
A reflection on the Haiti earthquake: Two years of recovery.
Dear beloved Church of the Brethren: A letter from Port-au-Prince.
Thoughts from Haiti on the new year.

NEWS

BBT members, clients invest $700,000 in low-income communities.
Dueck offers coaching, resources on ‘Emotional Intelligence.’

PERSONNEL

Gross moves into new role at On Earth Peace.

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY EVENTS

Church’s Elgin warehouse to be collection point for MLK food drive.
Brethren colleges hold events honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

Schedule, workshop topics, DVD available for congregational workshop.
New Church Development Conference registration opens Jan. 17.

RESOURCES

New from Brethren Press: Devotions for Lent, hymn plaque, more.

BRETHREN BITS

Remembrance, personnel, prayer for Nigeria, and more.

Brethren mark the second anniversary of Haiti’s earthquake.

2012-01-11T12:12:00.000-06:00

Photo by Roy Winter

A deacon of the church plays his accordion in the ruins of the Delmas 3 Church of the Brethren, Jan. 20, 2010. This photo was taken by Brethren Disaster Ministries director Roy Winter just a week after the 7.0 quake that devastated the capital city of Haiti. Winter traveled to Haiti just days after the earthquake with a small delegation from the US that also included Pastor Ludovic St. Fleur of Miami, Fla., Klebert Exceus, and Jeff Boshart.

The Church of the Brethren in Haiti this week is remembering the earthquake that devastated the Caribbean island nation in early 2010. Tomorrow, Jan. 12, is the second anniversary of the earthquake.

The powerful 7.0 earthquake hit at 4:53 p.m. on a weekday afternoon. Its epicenter was Léogâne, a town 15 miles from the capital city Port-au-Prince. It caused the deaths of as many as 200,000 or more people, with thousands more injured. There were numerous aftershocks, as well as the aftereffects of injuries, illness, homelessness, lack of sanitation, and other privations that caused yet more deaths. More than a million people in Port-au-Prince and surroundings areas were left without shelter. Rubble filled the streets. Tent cities and encampments sprang up. A cholera outbreak many months after the earthquake was linked to a continued widespread lack of shelter, sanitation facilities, and clean water. Two years later, many Haitians still struggle to regain homes and employment.

Since the earthquake the Church of the Brethren has been heavily involved in disaster response in Haiti. The collaborative response joins together efforts of Brethren Disaster Ministries and the Global Mission and Service program of the US church with Eglise des Freres Haitiens (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti).

At first, Brethren focused on immediate needs: food and water, medical care, temporary housing, and those suffering psychological trauma. Building of permanent homes for earthquake survivors then started, and longer term needs of Brethren congregations and their communities began to be addressed. The effort has included building a new Ministry Center and Guesthouse complex for Eglise des Freres Haitiens in the Port-au-Prince neighborhood Croix des Bouquets. Work groups from the US also have been traveling to Haiti to help out.

In these two years, the Emergency Disaster Fund has expended $1 million in grants for Haiti, supporting both Church of the Brethren and ecumenical disaster response. (See articles below for an overview of Brethren accomplishments in Haiti and reflections from leaders in the effort.)

Tomorrow a number of Haitian Brethren congregations will fast and hold prayer meetings, said Pastor Ludovic St. Fleur of Miami, Fla., who has been a guiding force in establishing Eglise des Freres Haitiens. The Brethren in Croix des Bouquets, whose church building is located at the new Ministry Center complex, for example, will remember the day by fasting from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., reports Ilexene Alphonse, who is managing the Ministry Center and Guesthouse. “They said they will spend the time thanking God for life,” he reported by e-mail.

The Haitian Brethren prayer and fasting will “thank God for those who are alive, saved from that tragedy,” said St. Fleur.

Haitian Brethren in the US commemorating the anniversary will include members of Haitian First Church of New York. The church, located in Brooklyn, also houses the Haitian Family Resource Center that started up two years ago to aid Haitians who had lost loved ones or were otherwise affected by the earthquake. The center is continuing to offer services to the Haitian community in New York, Pastor Verel Montauban reported by telephone.

Haitian First Church is holding a prayer service tomorrow evening, 7-10 p.m. Visitors are welcome. During the service, pictures of the earthquake and damage will be shown on a large screen, as the church did for the one-year anniversary last January--but images like the removal of bodies won’t be shown because they would be too disturbing for a congregation that had at least 50 relatives in Haiti affected by the earthquake, Montauban said. “Some of them are still in crisis,” he added.

For IMA World Health the anniversary is a special occasion. The organization, which has its offices at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., is holding a “Happy Hour for Haiti” hosted by CEO and earthquake survivor Rick Santos. Santos and two IMA colleagues were in Port-au-Prince at the time of the earthquake and were trapped for days in the rubble of the Montana Hotel, before they were rescued without serious injury. The IMA gathering is 4:30-7 p.m. tomorrow, Jan. 12, at Hudson Restaurant and Lounge in Washington, D.C. A $10 suggested donation will support health and development programs in Haiti.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

An overview of Brethren accomplishments in Haiti, 2010-2011.

2012-01-11T12:11:00.000-06:00

This map shows the locations of some of the main Church of the Brethren congregations in the area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Circled in red at center right is Croix des Bouquets, the neighborhood where Eglise des Freres Haitiens has its new Ministry Center and Guesthouse complex, and where the Croix des Bouquet Church is now meeting in a new building.

This listing of work and achievements of the Brethren in Haiti 2010-2011 was compiled by Klebert Exceus, who has led the Brethren Disaster Ministries building projects there (translated from French with the help of Jeff Boshart). All disaster related relief and response programs were funded by Brethren Disaster Ministries via the Emergency Disaster Fund including support for strategic partnerships and much of the agricultural work, except where it is noted that the Global Food Crisis Fund supported the project. All of the church building was made possible through special donations from congregations and individuals to the Emerging Global Mission Fund.

2010

Distributions:

seed distribution in 20 areas of the country
support (through the Global Food Crisis Fund) for an agricultural program in Bombadopolis distributing goats
water filters in more than 15 areas of the country to combat cholera
distributions of food in Port-au-Prince during six months following the earthquake for around 300 families
household kits to more than 500 beneficiaries across the country
distributed cases of canned chicken in more than 12 areas of the country after the earthquake, approximately 5,000 cases

Built:

built temporary homes for around 50 families, a temporary village constructed on a plot of land
a community cistern and a water retention pond on the island of La Tortue (Tortuga) with support from the Global Food Crisis Fund
a security wall around land purchased for a Ministry Center

Supported:

the Paul Lochard School in the Delmas neighborhood of Port-au-Prince for one year by paying teachers, providing food, and temporary classrooms
three other schools in Haiti: Ecole Evangelique de la Nouvelle Alliance de St. Louis du Nord, Ecole des Freres de La Tortue aux Plaines, and Ecole des Freres de Grand Bois Cornillon
mobile health clinics in six locations after the earthquake (now continuing in more than five areas of the country)

Purchased:

a Nissan Frontier pick up truck for transportation, etc.
land in Croix des Bouquets for a Ministry Center, guesthouse, and church offices

2011

Built:

50 homes, 45 square meters, following anti-seismic standards
guesthouse built on the Ministry Center land to receive volunteers
5 churches (supported through the Emerging Global Mission Fund): Eglise des Freres de Gonaives, Eglise des Freres de Saut d’eau, Eglise des Freres de La Feriere, Eglise des Frères de Pignon, Eglise des Freres de Morne Boulage
5 church shelters (supported through the Emerging Global Mission Fund): La Premiere Eglise des Frères de Delmas, Eglise des Frères de Tom Gateau, Eglise des Frères de Marin, Eglise des Freres de Croix des Bouquets, Eglise des Freres de Canaan
currently around 23 churches or preaching points in the country of Haiti

Supported:

financing for a micro-loan program for those families who could not find land upon which to build a permanent home, and paid rent for one year for those families
supported other agricultural programs in 12 areas of the country
created 500 jobs through all of these activities
provided civic, social, and Christian education for over 500 children in Port au Prince (through Vacation Bible School)
supported other organizations working in Haiti (including IMA World Health and Church World Service)
sent groups of mission volunteers to work in the country

Additional information provided by Brethren Disaster Ministries:

Strategic partnerships have provided relief work in areas where Brethren Disaster Ministries does not have the proper expertise or capacity, but are areas considered critical for this response.

Health services partner IMA World Health:
As a member communion of IMA World Health, Brethren Disaster Ministries supporting ACCorD (Areas for Cooperation and Coordination of Development), a program demonstrating how faith-based organizations can co-manage health and development programming to improve service delivery, utilization, and community health in Haiti. Project objectives focus on strengthening health interventions through: 1. Maternal, newborn, and child health: antenatal care visits, assisted deliveries, immunizations and growth monitoring; 2. Addressing malnutrition: nutrition demonstration center and therapeutic food distribution; 3. Community development: constructing latrines and wells.

Emotional and spiritual care partner STAR Haiti:
Also called Twomatizasyon ak Wozo, STAR Haiti is a program of Eastern Mennonite University. "Of all the many things that have come to Haiti following the earthquake, STAR is the best of all of them,” stated Freny Elie, a Church of the Brethren pastor and teacher, after attending Advanced STAR training in February 2011. The program provides knowledge and skills for Haitian church and community leaders to assist them in dealing with the effects of trauma in their congregations and communities. Two Brethren leaders participate on the advisory council and as STAR trainers. Brethren leaders train others and the information is shared throughout the church and the local communities. This process is replicated in other participating churches and communities.

Ecumenical response partner Church World Service (CWS):
Partnering with CWS supports a large-scale ecumenical response, expanding the response beyond what Church of the Brethren resources allow. CWS provides: 1. Material and aid for two camps of internally displaced people; 2. Reconstruction of permanent housing; 3. Repairing of institutional centers; 4. Support for agricultural sustainability; 5. Programs addressing the needs (education, nutrition, counseling) of vulnerable children; 6. Support for economic recovery within Haiti through empowering and supporting people with disabilities and implementing disaster risk reduction strategies.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

A reflection on the Haiti earthquake: Two years of recovery.

2012-01-11T12:04:00.001-06:00

Photo by Jeff Boshart

Roy Winter (left), director of Brethren Disaster Ministries, traveled to Haiti just days after the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake with a small delegation from the US church. He is shown here with Pastor Ludovic St. Fleur (at center in red) of Miami, Fla, meeting with members of Eglise des Freres Haitiens (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) who were affected by the disaster.

Roy Winter is associate executive director of Global Mission and Service for the Church of the Brethren and director of Brethren Disaster Ministries. He provided the following personal reflection to mark the second anniversary of the earthquake:

When I learned of the terrible earthquake in Haiti my mind started racing, while my voice trembled and emotions peaked. I searched the Internet, e-mails, and news for more information. My heart wept as I thought of the fledgling Church of the Brethren in Haiti, some members whom I had the pleasure to work with. Did the church leaders survive? Would the church survive?

Yet, in the midst of this chaos that quiet voice repeated: “Respond boldly, be creative in the response, but do no harm.” Don’t let the response, all the finances and all this activity, harm the Haitian people or this fledgling church.

The Haitian Church of the Brethren not only survives, it has continued to grow and share an uncommon faith found in a land filled with hardship and poverty. The church leadership has grown from victims of the earthquake to leaders in the response, while still leading the church. So often I am surprised, even astounded, and completely inspired by the Haitian Brethren. They come to God with thanks, with hope, with a deep faith, even as they live in the deepest poverty and unemployment found in the Americas. They want to thank me for the support from the US church, but I thank them for their faith, which has touched me in ways I can’t describe. It gives me a whole different perspective on life.

Another surprise has been how smoothly the early disaster relief and now recovery programs have gone. When working in Haiti we expect to encounter major obstacles with supplies, logistics, leadership, the government, local town officials, and even the real possibility of violence or theft. Under Klebert Exceus’ and Jeff Boshart’s leadership so many obstacles have been avoided or navigated without major delays, and I am astounded.

When other agencies are seeking expensive housing for expatriate staff, we are hiring and mentoring unemployed Haitians. When a shortage of US dollars means other relief agencies can’t pay staff, we continue to pay staff in Haitian dollars. When Klebert was under threat of kidnapping or violence, the local Brethren helped him leave by a different route. He knew to send others to supervise the home construction or travel in unexpected ways.

Our work in Haiti is sometime dangerous, always challenging, and in an extremely difficult setting, but each step of the way guidance has been provided. So once again I am amazed at how God is working through people to make all this possible!

So often North Americans rather arrogantly believe they have the right answers for people of developing countries like Haiti, especially on issues of faith. While certainly education, medical care, food security, and jobs with dignity should be shared with all people, we are the ones with much to learn. Even more we need to experience the extraordinary faith of the Haitian Brethren.

I have much gratitude for the Haitian people and especially the Haitian Brethren in how they have embraced us North Americans. I have been impressed with the humility and faith of US Brethren workcampers as they work beside and under the leadership of Haitian “bosses.” I am profoundly grateful for all the material, prayer, and financial support of the US church; this is the foundation for our response. We should all celebrate the inspired leadership of Klebert Exceus (response director in Haiti) and Jeff Boshart (response coordinator based in the US). It is their leadership, guided by faith, respect, and wisdom, which sets us apart from other response organizations, and really made this response possible.

We can all celebrate and thank God for what has been accomplished in these last two years, both things of the world and of faith. However, the greatest tragedy in Haiti continues: extreme poverty. I wonder if we, the US church, will walk away as response funds dwindle and the headlines are long forgotten? Or will we feel compelled--or even better called--to continue this journey of faith and hope with the Haitian people?

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

Dear beloved Church of the Brethren: A letter from Port-au-Prince.

2012-01-11T12:04:00.000-06:00

Ilexene Alphonse is manager of the Ministry Center and Guesthouse of Eglise des Freres Haitiens, where he serves as a program volunteer for the Church of the Brethren’s Global Mission and Service program. He sent this letter to the Church of the Brethren in the US:

Port au Prince, Haiti
January 5, 2012

Dear beloved Church of the Brethren,

January 12 is my wedding anniversary to my wife Michaela. January 12 is the day I saw my country falling, my people dying, and my hopes for my people fading. I lost family members and friends. I felt like a bird with two wings but could not fly to avoid danger. I imagine on January 12, 2012, there’ll be mourning, praying, singing. People will light candles, visit mass graves to remember loved ones. People will give speeches. People will again make a lot of promises. As for me I will remember this day in prayer thanking God for life and thanking God for the Church of the Brethren.

Some people prefer not to know what’s going on, because information might bring obligation. The old saying is “What you don’t know doesn’t hurt.” Nehemiah asked about Jerusalem and the Jews living there because he had a caring heart. When you care about people, you want the facts, no matter how painful they may be.

Church of the Brethren, you did not rebuild Haiti in 52 days, but the rebuilding, restoring, and healing started two days after the earthquake. When brothers Roy Winter, Jeff Boshart, and Ludovic St. Fleur showed up the people saw a very small but very bright light coming out of the dark. They had hope.

Church of the Brethren, you didn’t just ask about the Haitian remnant, you didn’t say: You are Haitian, you are strong, you are a resilient people you’ll survive. But you stayed. You’re touching lives, giving hope to a hopeless people, feeding school children, providing hygiene kits, mobile clinics, building houses, building relationships, and still doing these things today. I have seen school children rejoicing after a hot meal, people receiving medical treatment, moving from homelessness to a beautiful home. The smiles are incomparable. All this happened because you care, and you asked for the facts.

I don’t have the right words to thank you for what you’ve done for the people of Haiti. For the love you’ve shown, for the peace you brought, THANK YOU. Thank you for answering God’s call when you came to our rescue. Thank you for saying yes. Jesus will never take what you did for granted. When you do it to the least you do it to Him. “Who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done” (Proverbs 19:17).

Shalom,
Ilexene Alphonse

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

Thoughts from Haiti on the new year.

2012-01-11T11:59:00.000-06:00

Jean Bily Telfort is general secretary of the Comité National of Eglise des Freres Haitiens, the National Committee of the Haitian Church of the Brethren. He wrote the following on Dec. 31, as 2011 transitioned into 2012 (translated from Kreyol by Jeff Boshart):

To: Church of the Brethren USA

The peace of God be with you.

I am extremely happy today to give you this year-end greeting.
2011 - What a support and comfort 2011 was for me.
2011 - Well done in the way in which you helped my country Haiti.
2011 - We will be saying goodbye to 2011 in 7 hours.

2011+1=2012 - By faith in Jesus I'm wishing you a great 2012.
2012 - May you have blessings in your lives.
2012 - May you have progress in your lives.
2012 - In 2012 may God's protection be with you.
2012 - May 2012 bring you good things that you have never seen in your lives.
2012 - May you have a year of good health for your families.
2012 - May this be a year in which God spares his children from danger, as he says, "I am with you always until the end," and in Psalm 23, "The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not fear anything." May his grace cover you each day of your life.

All that comes tomorrow will be good for you because the bride is waiting for her bridegroom. All will be well as we already have the oil or gas (Holy Spirit) in the lamp, therefore we need not fear for tomorrow.

I will finish by saying that I love you and thank you for how you all helped my country, my church, and my family.

A special thank you to Brother Roy (Winter) for the size of the love that God placed in your heart so that your thoughts and your work could help my country. I remember the condition my country was in. I saw how you were crying and that made me feel that in God's family there is no discrimination. With your interventions, Br. Roy, the social condition of the lives of many people changed. Thank you because you agreed to support me with a salary as part of BDM's (Brethren Disaster Ministries) activities. That helped me a great deal with my family. Thank you Br. Jeff (Boshart), Br. Jay (Wittmeyer), and everyone else. May

God bless you greatly.

Happy New Year 2012.

La pe Bon Dye ak nou.

Mwen reyelman kontan jodi a poum ba nou denye salitasyon sa a.
2011 - Se te 2011 sipo ak sa te ye pou mwen.
2011 - Byenfe nan fason ke nou te ede Ayiti peyi pa m lan. Mwen pwofite di nou.
2011 - Remesiman pou tout sa nou te fe mwen pandan ane 2011 lan.
2011 - 2011 ap di nou babay apre 7h de tan.

2011+1=2012 - Pa la fwa nan jezi map deklare Bon ane 2012.
2012 - Benediksyon sou la vi nou.
2012 - Pwogre sou la vi nou.
2012 - Se 2012 pwoteksyon k'ap soti nan Bon Dye.
2012 - Se 2012 bagay ki bon ke nou pat janm fe nan lavi nou.
2012 - Yon ane de sante pou fanmi nou.
2012 - Yon ane ke Bondye va epanye pitit li yo de 2012 danje, ka li di. Mwen avek nou jouk sa kaba epi nan som 23 senye a se Beje nou nou pap pe anyen gras li va kouvri nou chak jou nan lavi nou. Tout sa ki va vini demen mwen ak ou lap bon pou nou paske nou se yon demwazel kap tan n menaj nou. Sa ki pi bon seke nou gen deja lwil ou byen gaz (Sentespri) nan lan lanp nou deja donk ke nou pa sote pou demen.

Ma fini pou mwen di nou kem renmen nou anpil e mesi pou tout fason nou te edem swa se peyim legliz mwen fanmiy mwen mesi.

Yon mesi espesyal pou fre Roy pou yon gwose lanmou Bondye te mete nan ke w pou te kapab panse anpil travay anpil pou w te ka edepeyim. Mwen sonje nan sitiyasyon peyim te ye. Mwen te we jan ou tap kriye mwen te fremi we sa. Sa te fem santi nan fanmi Bondye a pa gen diskriminasyon. Ak entevansyon ou yo fr Roy lavi sosyal anpil moun te chanje mesi paske nou te dako sipotem ak yon sale nan aktivite BDM. Sa te edem anpil ak fanmi m. Mesi fr Jeff, FR JAY, AK TOUT LOT MOUN. Ke Bondye beni nou anpil.

Bon ane 2012.

--Fr. Telfort Jean Bily

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

BBT members, clients invest $700,000 in low-income communities.

2012-01-11T11:48:00.000-06:00

From soup kitchens to small businesses in the US and abroad, Brethren Benefit Trust’s member and client assets are making a positive impact on projects that serve low-income areas. In 2011, Brethren Pension Plan members and Brethren Foundation clients provided $735,776 in loans to projects that serve the needs of at-risk communities through BBT’s Community Development Investment Fund (CDIF).

“Our members and clients should celebrate the support they’re offering to qualified community development institutions around the world through the CDIF,” said BBT president Nevin Dulabaum. “This fund reflects the Brethren principle of mutuality, and those who place assets in this fund are helping low-income communities grow stronger and enriching people’s lives.”

BBT member and client assets invested in the CDIF are used to purchase Community Investment Notes at a fixed interest rate through Calvert Foundation. These notes are used to provide loans in the areas of community development, affordable housing, microcredit, and small business development.

In total, Calvert Foundation reported that BBT member and client assets helped build or rehabilitate 13 affordable housing units and financed three not-for-profit organizations, cooperatives, or social innovations in 2011. CDIF assets also funded 120 new enterprises and created 175 new jobs in 2011.

Through Calvert Foundation, the CDIF supports projects like Boston Community Capital, an organization that buys foreclosed properties and resells them to the original owners--often with reduced mortgages. A Calvert Foundation borrower provided $7 million of its tax credit allocation to support expansion of St. John’s Bread and Life, a Brooklyn soup kitchen and nutritional counseling center, so that it could serve a total of 450,000 meals annually. Internationally, investments in the CDIF help projects like KREDIT, a small loans provider that helps support entrepreneurs in Cambodia.

Pension Plan members and Brethren Foundation clients who are interested in investing in the CDIF are encouraged to allocate no more than one percent of their portfolio to this fund. For more information, Brethren Foundation clients should contact Steve Mason, director, at 800-746-1505 ext. 369, or at smason@cobbt.org . Brethren Pension Plan members should contact John Carroll, manager of Pension Operations, at 800-746-1505 ext. 383 or jcarroll@cobbt.org .

-- Brian Solem is publications coordinator for Brethren Benefit Trust.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

Dueck offers coaching, resources on ‘Emotional Intelligence.’

2012-01-11T11:45:00.001-06:00

Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh Cayford

Stan Dueck discusses coaching and mentoring at the Intercultural Consultation and Celebration

Emotional intelligence accounts for more than 50 percent of a person’s leadership capacity. In 2011, Stan Dueck, the Church of the Brethren’s director for Transforming Practices, completed the certification process in “Emotional Intelligence with Multiple Health Services.” Emotional intelligence is an important companion to a pastor’s or church leader’s spiritual foundation, especially while serving congregations during this time of profound change for many churches, he reports.

Emotional intelligence is an awareness of the interaction between a person and the environment in which he or she operates. Emotional intelligence is a set of personal and social skills that influence how we relate with others, cope with challenges, and achieve our potential.

Dueck’s training supports Congregational Life Ministries’ expanding capacity to utilize reliable resources that help church leaders identify key skills and growth potential. Emotional intelligence surveys such as the EQ-i2.0 and EQ 360 benefit an individual’s understanding of how he or she interacts within various personal and vocational contexts along with insightful feedback from others. This, in turn, can lead to increases in the person’s interaction with others and leadership potential when used as a development tool.

Coaching along with leadership resources pertaining to emotional intelligence are one of several instruments and strategies available to pastors and church members through Congregational Life Ministries and the office of Transforming Practices. Dueck has used EI resources when coaching pastors and church leaders and in consultations and leadership training events with congregations.

Contact Stan Dueck for more information about the benefits you and your congregation can receive from coaching and leadership resources: 717-335-3226, 800-323-8039, sdueck@brethren.org.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

Gross moves into new role at On Earth Peace.

2012-01-11T11:45:00.000-06:00

On Earth Peace is launching a search for a new executive director. Bob Gross, who has served as director of On Earth Peace since October 2000, will be moving to another role in the organization.

“We have been planning for this transition for the past two years,” said Gross, “and we look forward to strengthening our staff team with the addition of a new organizational leader. As our ministries grow in scope and depth, it is time for fresh leadership, and I look forward to a new set of responsibilities.”

Gross has served in leadership of On Earth Peace for more than a decade, for a number of years serving as a co-executive director alongside former co-executive Barbara Sayler. His tenure with On Earth Peace has included notable service to the denomination in the area of mediation work and training, including mediation work in India during conflict over former mission properties there, and most recently facilitating a special session of the Mission and Ministry Board as a part of denomination-wide conversations on sexuality, as the Church of the Brethren was preparing for the 2011 Annual Conference.

He also has led several delegations to Israel and Palestine in cooperation with Christian Peacemaker Teams, but during the last delegation in January 2010 was detained by Israeli airport security and refused entry to the country, presumably because of his peacemaking work with Palestinian partners.

Gross has engaged in peacemaking work in a number of areas throughout his life, starting with his witness as a conscientious objector and draft resister. He and his family are part of a longstanding simple living community and farm near North Manchester, Ind., where his wife, Rachel Gross, leads the Death Row Support Project originally formed by concerned Church of the Brethren members in 1978.

On Earth Peace plans to have a new director on board this spring, and to introduce the new staff leader at the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in St. Louis in July. (The position opening announcement appears below in the “Brethren bits” section of this issue of Newsline.)

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

Church’s Elgin warehouse to be collection point for MLK food drive.

2012-01-11T11:42:00.000-06:00

For Elgin's Martin Luther King Day commemorations the church is lending for display a large poster of this photograph of the Wales Window from the 16th St. Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., taken by Brethren Press publisher Wendy McFadden during a Christian Churches Together meeting. The window was a gift from the people of Wales, U.K., to the church two years after the bombing there that killed four girls in 1963. Created by Welsh artist John Petts, the window depicts Christ who with one hand rejects injustice and with the other extends forgiveness. The text, "You do it to me," was the Sunday school lesson the morning of the tragedy. This image became a powerful symbol for the CCT leaders who met in Birmingham prior to Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday last January.

The warehouse at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., is to be the collection point for the city’s food drive commemorating Martin Luther King Day. Food collected over the weekend by churches and schools will be brought to the warehouse at 1451 Dundee Ave. for sorting and distribution to area food pantries and the Community Crisis Center that serves families affected by domestic violence.

Youth from across Elgin also are invited to make Monday, Jan. 16, a day for service to the community, with the food collection at the church’s warehouse as one option for youth groups to take part.

Brethren Volunteer Service workers Rachel Witkovsky and Catherine Gong will be two of the workshop presenters at the afternoon Youth Leadership Conference that will follow the morning’s service projects.

This year is Elgin’s 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. Additional elements of the weekend--which are being planned with input from the Elgin Human Relations Commission and church congregations along with other community organizations--are a Friday evening Gospel Talent Show Kick Off at Elgin Community College, an Annual Prayer Breakfast on Saturday morning, and a public program featuring a community choir on Sunday afternoon. More information is at www.cityofelgin.org.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

Brethren colleges hold events honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

2012-01-11T11:40:00.000-06:00

A number of colleges related to the Church of the Brethren are holding special events to commemorate Martin Luther King Day, including Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., and Manchester College in N. Manchester, Ind. (information is from college press releases):

Elizabethtown College marks Martin Luther King Day Jan. 16 with a day dedicated to service and a series of events, most open to the public (a complete list is at http://www.etown.edu/mlk ). All day Jan. 16 there will be no classes, but community service activities will be offered for the campus community. At 10:30 a.m. is the MLK Program Kick Off in Brossman Commons, Blue Bean Café. At 11 a.m. the commons holds an MLK-themed lunch in its Marketplace hosted by the Office of Diversity with traditional southern fare. That evening at 6:15 p.m. is a Candlelight March starting at the commons, re-enacting the Civil Rights March to remember the struggles of the civil rights movement. At 7 p.m. an MLK Gospel Extravaganza and Awards in Leffler Chapel will feature community and college performers including Harris AME Zion Church Choir, the Elizabethtown College Concert Choir, St. Peter's Lutheran Church Choir, and Jamal Anthony Gospel Rock. Awards will be given to faculty and staff members for contributions to diversity and inclusion.

On Jan. 18, at 11 a.m. a presentation, "Black History of the White House," will be given at Leffler Chapel by Clarence Lusane, associate professor at the School of International Service, American University, and an author on race, human rights, and electoral politics. Also Jan. 18 at 8:30 p.m. in the Blue Bean Café will be a “Stand Up" session about what students stand for in terms of justice and service.

At Juniata College, Imani Uzuri will lecture and perform on Jan. 16-17. She will showcase and discuss her upcoming album, "The Gypsy Diaries," at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 16, in Rosenberger Auditorium. She also will facilitate an inclusion-focused workshop, "Hush Arbor: Living Legacies of Negro Spirituals" at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 17, in Sill Boardroom in the von Liebig Center for Science. Admission to both events is free and open to the public. Featuring vocals, violin, cello, acoustic guitar, sitar and daf, Uzuri's music is both spiritual and meditative. She has performed in venues as varied as the Apollo Theater, Joe's Pub, the Whitney Museum, and the UN. The "Hush Arbor" workshop will discuss the history of African-American spirituals. Hush Arbors were wooded areas where slaves would gather to mourn, worship, or sing. The workshop focuses on the conditions in which the songs were created and how they were pathways to catharsis, revolt, and freedom.

Manchester College celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with two special events on Jan. 13 and Jan. 16. The public is welcome and reservations are not necessary at both free events.

“Eyes on Economic Justice, the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” is the topic of a speech by Christopher M. Whitt, founder of the Africana Studies program at Augustana College, at 7 p.m. this Friday, Jan. 13, in the upper College Union. The talk focuses on King’s push for economic justice, what he saw as the next frontier in the Civil Rights Movement. Whitt will deliver his message from the same podium Dr. King used on Feb. 1, 1968, at Manchester College as he gave his final campus speech, two months before his assassination.

Manchester continues its celebration at 7 p.m. on Jan. 16 in Petersime Chapel with an interfaith gathering featuring a hypothetical conversation among influential leaders about King’s dream. The Martin Luther King events are sponsored by the college’s Office of Multicultural Affairs and Campus Ministry. Find the full news release at www.manchester.edu/News/MLK2012.htm.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

Schedule, workshop topics, DVD available for congregational workshop.

2012-01-11T11:37:00.000-06:00

Government regulations, basic operations and compliance tips, and the potential impact of health care reform will be examined at an interdenominational tax and benefits workshop titled “Best Financial Practices for Your Congregation: Accountability, Transparency, and Integrity” on Saturday, Feb. 4, in Kansas City, Mo. The event, co-sponsored by Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT), is designed for pastors, church treasurers, financial secretaries, stewardship and finance committee members, and others involved with church finances.

Questions that will be discussed include: What can churches expect regarding government regulations for congregations in the future? Why is it important to work together as faith-based communities in areas of compliance and regulation? What do we know and what don’t we know about health care reform? Where does one go for help when trying to stay current?

The day-long seminar will be led by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), a Christian financial educational organization. A group of member denominations affiliated with the Church Benefits Association, including BBT, is sponsoring the event. The Church Benefits Association is an association of approximately 50 church pension boards, religious orders, and denominational benefit programs for clergy and church professionals.

“Best Financial Practices for Your Congregation: Accountability, Transparency, and Integrity” will be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Kansas City (Mo.) International Airport Marriott. Registration information is available at www.ecfa.org/events (scroll down to the “Best Practices Resource Workshop” and click on “Register now”). The registration fee of $50 includes lunch.

A DVD with highlights from the workshop will be offered to Church of the Brethren leaders and members who are not able to attend the event. This DVD will be available free to the first 200 interested individuals or congregations. The remaining DVDs will be available to purchase for $19.95 each. To order a copy, contact BBT at communicatons@cobbt.org or 800-746-1505 ext. 376.

Find a flyer giving details about leadership and schedule for the workshop at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Best%20Practices%20Flyer%2012-13-11.pdf.

-- Brian Solem is publications coordinator for Brethren Benefit Trust.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

New Church Development Conference registration opens Jan. 17.

2012-01-11T11:33:00.000-06:00

Registration for the Church of the Brethren’s New Church Development Conference opens online Jan. 17 at noon (central time) at www.brethren.org/churchplanting/events.html . Conference information including a schedule, workshop list, and logistical details, is available now at the same web address.

The conference takes place May 17-19 at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., on the theme, “Plant Generously, Reap Bountifully.” Scripture theme is from 1 Corinthians 3:6: “I (Paul) planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” Onsite registration and pre-conference activities begin May 16. Sponsors are the New Church Development Advisory Committee and Congregational Life Ministries, with Bethany Seminary serving as host.

The conference is for church planters, those considering church planting, core team members, district leaders, churches planting churches, and anyone interested in considering how to further God’s mission through new communities of worship and service. Workshops for Spanish speaking leaders are also offered and Spanish translation is available. Keynote leaders are Tom Johnston and Mike Chong Perkinson of the Praxis Center for Church Development ( www.praxiscenter.org ).

An early registration fee of $169 is available through March 15. After March 15 and until the conference begins, registration is $199. Students registered for either the Brethren Academy course or the Bethany Seminary course M245 “Foundations for Church Growth” can register for $129. Lodging is not guaranteed for registrations received after May 5. Lodging for the nights of May 16, 17, and 18 is included in the registration fee, as are breakfasts and lunches. The Quality Inn provides double occupancy accommodations. Single rooms are available for an addition fee. Breakfasts and lunches are provided in the fee. For more information go to www.brethren.org/churchplanting/events.html.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

New from Brethren Press: Devotions for Lent, hymn plaque, more.

2012-01-11T11:31:00.000-06:00

A number of new resources are being offered by the Church of the Brethren publishing house. To order any of those listed call Brethren Press at 800-441-3712 or go to www.brethrenpress.com.

“A Community of Love: Devotions for Ash Wednesday Through Easter”: The 2012 Lenten devotional booklet, offering devotions for Ash Wednesday through Easter, is written by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford. Each day features a scripture, meditation, and prayer in a pocket-sized booklet suitable for individual use or for congregations to offer to members. Order for $2.50 per copy, plus shipping and handling, or $5.95 for large print. Become a seasonal subscriber and receive both annual devotionals--Advent and Lent--at the pre-production price of $2 or $5 for large print. Seasonal subscriptions are automatically renewed each year and can be cancelled or changed at any time.

“Move in Our Midst” hymn plaque: One of the most beloved Brethren hymns of all time is laser etched into a solid block of alder wood. The finished plaque has coved edges and looks like it was taken directly from the Hymnal. “Makes a perfect gift for music lovers,” notes Brethren Press. Dimensions are 9 inches high by 7 inches wide. Order for $24.99 plus shipping and handling.

Inglenook apron and mug set: As the countdown to a new Inglenook cookbook gets underway, Brethren Press is offering a set of Inglenook mugs and an Inglenook apron. The set of four 11-ounce dinner mugs features woodcut imprints and the Inglenook cookbook logo. Order the set and save 20 percent off the individual price ($35 plus shipping and handling). The apron is adjustable, made of heavyweight poly/cotton, with three patch pockets to hold cooking essentials. It measures 25 inches wide by 34.5 inches long. Order for $24.95 plus shipping and handling.

2012 Brethren Reminder: The 2012 Brethren Reminder pocket calendar for church leaders also is now in stock. Pastors will receive their complimentary copy by mail.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

Brethren bits: Remembrance, personnel, prayer for Nigeria, and more.

2012-01-11T11:25:00.000-06:00

Correction: Following is an update to a previous Newsline announcement about the Annual Meeting and Dinner of CrossRoads Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center in Harrisonburg, Va.: The CrossRoads Annual Meeting and Dinner will take place Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at Shady Oaks at Weavers Mennonite Church. All are invited to join in a meal prepared by the Rhodes sisters and provided by a generous donor. Highlights will include "A Walk Down Memory Lane" slideshow compiled by Allen Brubaker and "Voices from the Courthouse Prison," a re-enactment of the imprisonment of Mennonite and Brethren leaders in the early spring of 1862.

Remembrance: Ruth Ellen Early, 94, the Church of the Brethren’s first Washington representative and a former director of Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services, died Dec. 17, 2011, in Richmond, Mo. She was born Nov. 1, 1917, in Hardin, Mo., to Jesse and Maggie (Mason) Early. She first became an employee of the Church of the Brethren as regional representative for the western area, centered in McPherson, Kan. She then moved to the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., to direct the refugee settlement program for several years. She was involved in peace work that saw the beginning of what is today On Earth Peace. Moving to Washington, D.C., she returned to school at the American University where she also worked in the field of international relations, then took a position with the Friends Committee on National Legislation, became the first woman to serve as associate director of the National Service Board for Religious Objectors, and followed that appointment with her service as first Washington representative for the denomination. She opened the Washington office on Capitol Hill on Jan. 1, 1962, in response to an action of Annual Conference asking for the establishment of a church office in the nation’s capital. For a short time, she also was associate director of the Disarmament Campaign in Nyack, N.Y., and her career included service on committees of Church World Service, namely the Operations Committee of Immigration Service. She earned a master’s degree in psychology and counseling from American University and spent the last of her working years as an academic counselor there. In 1985, she retired and moved to the Palms in Sebring, Fla., for the next 15 years, then returned to her home state of Missouri where she lived in the Kansas City area. A memorial service Dec. 31 was led by Western Plains District executive minister Sonja Griffith. The family suggests memorial contributions to On Earth Peace and the Church of the Brethren.

Randi Rowan started Jan. 2 as program assistant for Congregational Life Ministries, at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. Her responsibilities include general support for the staff and breadth of programming related to Congregational Life Ministries. Previously she was office coordinator for the director of Health Professions at Wheaton (Ill.) College, and has worked with the Evangelical Alliance Mission’s US office in Wheaton. She also has been active at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill. She majored in graphic design at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She and her family live in Carol Stream, Ill.

In district staff changes, Ed Kerschensteiner has begun as interim district executive for the Church of the Brethren’s Idaho District. Jennifer Jensen has resigned as district youth coordinator in Western Plains District, effective Jan. 1. She had served in the position for seven years.

On Earth Peace, an agency of the Church of the Brethren, is seeking a full-time executive director. The executive director has the overall strategic and operational responsibility for On Earth Peace’s staff, programs, expansion, and execution of its mission. S/he will have a deep knowledge of the organization’s core programs, operations, and business plans. Interested applicants may check the On Earth Peace website for details of the mission and program: www.onearthpeace.org . The responsibilities and duties will include longterm strategic planning, rigorous program evaluation, and consistent quality of finance, administration, fundraising, and resource development, marketing, and communications. The executive director will engage and energize On Earth Peace staff, board members, volunteers, donors, and partnering organizations, and represent OEP to the larger church and ecumenical gatherings. S/he will develop and implement fundraising and revenue generating plans and goals, and establish and maintain relationships with top donors and volunteers. Qualifications and experience: A bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred; at least 10 years of experience in nonprofit senior management, including in the areas of human resources, marketing, public relations, and fundraising/resource development; solid business and financial experience, including the ability to set and achieve strategic objectives and manage a budget; strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of constituents; and knowledge of the Church of the Brethren denomination desired. Skills will include excellent oral and written communication skills and computer literacy. The deadline for applications is Feb. 29. Send a cover letter and resume to Ralph McFadden, Search Consultant, oepsearch@sbcglobal.net . Or contact McFadden at his home/office telephone 847-622-1677.

Prayer is requested for Nigeria, where terrorist-type violence has prompted the government to declare a state of emergency in parts of four northern states. In recent weeks, attacks perpetrated in the name of the Islamist group Boko Haram have shifted from targeting government facilities to targeting people of the southern Igbo tribe who are living in the north, as well as Christian churches. Christians in the southeast have begun threatening and attacking Muslims from the north living in their areas. Many Igbo are fleeing the north and Muslims have been leaving the southeast. Unlike previous episodes of interfaith mob violence that have plagued northern cities like Maiduguri and Jos, church leaders report the new violence echoes Nigeria’s civil war of the late 1960s and is rooted more in economics, ethnic and political struggles, and control of oil. The majority of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria condemn Boko Haram’s activities, and the church leaders request that the violence not be treated as a conflict between Christians and Muslims. Prayer is requested for the Nigerian Brethren, their congregations, pastors, and denominational leaders, and for Church of the Brethren mission worker Carol Smith.

This week’s Action Alert from the church’s advocacy and peace witness office calls attention to Jan. 11 as the 10th anniversary of prisoners being detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The alert invites Brethren to join the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) in urging President Obama to live up to a promise he made three years ago to close the prison camp. The alert follows up on the 2010 Annual Conference “Resolution Against Torture” and includes a responsive prayer for the closing of Guantanamo. Find the Action Alert at http://cob.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=14963.0&dlv_id=16641.

Jan. 11 also is Human Trafficking Awareness Day, declared by an act of the US Congress. Faith-based organizations are calling on Americans to become more aware of the millions who are victimized by trafficking, and more involved in finding ways to stop it. A release from the National Council of Churches said “the US Government recently reported that 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year; 80 percent of them are female and almost half are minors. These figures do not include the millions who are trafficked into labor and sexual slavery within national borders.” Find the 2008 Annual Conference resolution on modern-day slavery and more resources at www.brethren.org/advocacy/moderndayslavery.html.

Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) is announcing the start of its 2012 Winter Orientation, to be held Jan. 19-Feb. 17 at Camp Ithiel in Gotha, Fla. This will be the 296th BVS unit and will include 15 volunteers from across the US and Germany. Several Church of the Brethren members will attend, and remaining volunteers come from varied faith backgrounds adding a healthy diversity to the orientation experience. A highlight will be a weekend immersion in Miami. In both the Miami and Orlando areas, the group will have the opportunity to work at area food banks, Habitat for Humanity, and various nonprofits. The group also will experience a “Toxic Tour” showing the devastation of agricultural chemicals on the land and water of Lake Apopka and its farmworkers. A BVS potluck is open to all those who are interested on Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. at Camp Ithiel. “Welcome the new BVS volunteers and share your own experiences,” said an invitation from orientation coordinator Callie Surber. “As always your thoughts and prayers are welcome and needed. Please remember this new unit and the people they will touch during their year of service through BVS.” For more information contact the BVS office at 800-323-8039 ext. 425.

The Outdoor Ministry Association is accepting environmental grant proposals from camps, outdoor ministry centers, and congregations. OMA also seeks nominations for Outdoor Ministry Volunteer and Staff Person of the Year, to be honored at aluncheon at the 2012 Annual Conference. Forms and information are at www.campmardela.org . All forms are due by Feb. 20.

In November, McPherson (Kan.) College announced “Jump Start Kansas,” offering a $5,000 grant to the Kansas high school student who comes up with the best new commercial venture with another $5,000 for the team of students who present the best entrepreneurial idea--one in the area of commercial entrepreneurship and one for social entrepreneurship. Grants come with no stipulation that the students attend McPherson College. In addition, the college is offering scholarships for the winners and 10 finalists. A recent release notes that the deadline for Kansas high school students to take advantage of this opportunity is Jan. 25. Enter ideas at http://blogs.mcpherson.edu/entrepreneurship/jump-start-kansas. An independent panel will select finalists to attend a pitch competition on Feb. 15 for the top prize of a $5,000 grant to develop the idea, as well as a $20,000, four-year scholarship to McPherson. The other eight finalists also will receive a $4,000 scholarship to the college.

Source:1/11/2012 Newsline

Credits

2012-01-11T11:24:00.000-06:00

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 Jordan Blevins, Jeff Boshart, Joan L. Daggett, Kendra Flory, Mary Jo Flory-Steury, Gieta Gresh, Sonja Griffith, Elizabeth Harvey, Jeri S. Kornegay, Ellen Santa Maria, Adam Pracht, Callie Surber, Roy Winter, Jay Wittmeyer, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.

Newsline: December 29, 2011

2011-12-29T19:11:00.000-06:00

NEWS

GFCF gives grants to Rural Service Center, Brethren group in Congo.
EDF sends money to Thailand, Cambodia for flood response.
Brethren staff leave North Korea for Christmas break.
Hoslers conclude their service in Nigeria, report on peace work.
NCC condemns attack on worshipers in Nigeria.
BVS Europe welcomes largest number of volunteers since 2004.
Juniata takes action during Sandusky investigation.

PERSONNEL

Royer retires as manager of Global Food Crisis Fund.
Blevins resigns as advocacy officer, ecumenical peace coordinator.

UPCOMING EVENTS

World Interfaith Harmony Week is Feb. 1-7.

FEATURE

Peace meditation: Reflections from a BVS volunteer in Europe.

BRETHREN BITS

Remembrance, jobs, youth opportunities, registration deadlines, more.

GFCF gives grants to Rural Service Center, Brethren group in Congo.

2011-12-29T18:53:00.000-06:00

Recent grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) have gone to the Rural Service Center in India and an agricultural development project of Brethren congregations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

A grant of $8,000 has gone to the Rural Service Center for its work in tribal and small-holder communities in the Ankleshwar area of Gujarat State, India. The money will support center operations that link small farm operators to resources such as soil testing, biogas development, animal vaccination, and greenhouse produce.

The Rural Service Center is an extension program begun by the Church of the Brethren in the late 1950s. This support for the center allows the church to stay actively involved in a region of India that is fast becoming a modernized breadbasket, according to the GFCF grant request. Within range of Mumbai, the area has an insatiable appetite for food, energy, and technology. While agribusinesses may flourish, smallholder farmers find the complexities of technology and capitalization overwhelming. The suicide rate of Indian farmers is among the highest in the world, the grant request said.

“For an Indian family to lose land that it has possessed for generations is devastating,” said Jay Wittmeyer of the church’s Global Mission and Service program. “A Global Food Crisis Fund grant of $8,000 enables the Rural Service Center to help vulnerable farm families navigate the tumultuous times of globalization.”

A grant of $2,500 supports reconciliation and agriculture work in the DRC. A cluster of Brethren congregations in the Congo are working at mediation with displaced Pygmy and Bafulero communities. The funds will help enable displaced people to return home and restart agriculture, with reconciliation work remaining the prime focus.

For five years, Brethren in the DRC have been actively engaged in a peacebuilding program titled SHAMIREDE (Shalom Ministry in Reconciliation and Development). Initially funded by the UN Development Program, the endeavor more recently is being supported by the Church of the Brethren in the United States, and also works in collaboration with the Quaker Peace Network.

Two displaced groups, the Pygmy and Bafulero, have been engaged in a violent conflict for a number of years, according to the GFCF grant request. The conflict recently escalated, with people killed, villages burned, and many families displaced. The source of the conflict has been a degrading of hunting-gathering resources for the Pygmies, and the slow creep of the Bafulero into Pygmy regions for slash-and-burn agriculture. Both groups have recognized the need for mediation, which the Congolese Brethren are working at by visiting communities in the mountains to carry mediation forward. Families are beginning to trust the process and want to return to their home areas. This funding helps them restart agriculture and get farming back on track.

For more about the Global Food Crisis Fund go to www.brethren.org/gfcf.

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

EDF sends money to Thailand, Cambodia for flood response.

2011-12-29T18:49:00.000-06:00

Grants have been made for flood response in Thailand and Cambodia by the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF). Also in recent grants is support for disaster relief following wildfires in Texas.

A grant of $20,000 responds to a Church World Service (CWS) appeal following monsoon rains in Thailand, which resulted in extensive flooding. Funds support CWS work through partner Church of Christ in Thailand and the ACT Alliance, providing emergency food, survival packets, and shelters to survivors.

Heavy monsoon rains plagued southeast Asia this fall and severely affected one-third of Thailand's land mass, according to the CWS appeal. A total of 3.4 million acres of farmland--an area 13 times the size of Hong Kong--was submerged under water with more than 12.3 million livestock affected and more than 2 million tons of un-milled rice destroyed. Authorities said the death toll exceeded 307. More than 2.4 million people including 700,000 children were affected.

In Cambodia, a grant of $10,000 responds to a CWS appeal following extensive seasonal flooding. The money helps provide emergency food and water purification tablets for the most affected and poorest families. According to CWS, Cambodia has experienced its worst seasonal flooding in more than a decade, with 17 of 24 provinces affected. Some 1,500,000 people have been affected and more than 90,000 families displaced. About 13 percent of Cambodia’s rice crop was flooded, and almost half of it destroyed. Shortages and high prices are likely to make rice unaffordable through to the next harvest period in Dec. 2012. CWS is responding as part of a joint six-month effort of ACT Alliance members. Distribution of rice and other food has begun, with an overall objective to provide food and water purification tablets to 8,859 of the most affected and poorest families in six of the nation’s provinces.

A grant of $2,500 from the Emergency Disaster Fund has been given to a CWS appeal following multiple wildfires in east-central Texas in September and October. In Bastrop County fires destroyed 1,700 homes of which approximately half were not insured. Additionally four churches were destroyed. In the Spicewood area approximately 5,600 acres were burned and 52 homes were destroyed. Most families affected were lower middle class. The grant supports CWS efforts to assist local Long Term Recovery Committees with start-up grants and group training.

To support the work of the Emergency Disaster Fund go to www.brethren.org/edf.

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

Brethren staff leave North Korea for Christmas break.

2011-12-29T18:45:00.000-06:00

Photo courtesy of Robert Shank

Robert Shank (center) was one of the speakers at the recent international conference at PUST, a university in Pyongyan, North Korea. Shank is dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. He and his wife, Linda, are teaching at PUST with sponsorship fromthe Church of the Brethren Global Mission and Service program.

Robert and Linda Shank, Church of the Brethren staff in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), were free to leave as scheduled for a Christmas break, reports mission executive Jay Wittmeyer.

Many worried that the death of Kim Jong-Il would cause political instability with repercussions for the Shanks and other expatriates in the country, but there were no difficulties.

The Shanks heard about the death of Kim Jong-il through a CNN broadcast, which they saw on the campus of the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology where Robert is dean of the School of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Linda teaches English. This news was then shared with PUST staff and students.

When the Shanks arrived in Beijing, their plane was met by a throng of Chinese reporters wanting to hear details of events in Pyongyang since Kim’s death. The Shanks arrived in Chicago Tuesday afternoon.

The Elgin (Ill.) “Courier-News” yesterday ran an interview with Howard Royer, manager of the Global Food Crisis Fund, about the Shanks’ work at PUST and prospects for N. Korea now. Royer has been one of the denominational staff responsible for Church of the Brethren connections in North Korea. Go to http://couriernews.suntimes.com/news/9670253-418/elgin-church-volunteers-return-from-north-korea-without-hassle-after-leaders-death.html.

-- Wendy McFadden, publisher of Brethren Press and communications for the Church of the Brethren, contributed to this report.

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

Hoslers conclude their service in Nigeria, report on peace work.

2011-12-29T18:39:00.000-06:00

Church of the Brethren mission workers Nathan and Jennifer Hosler have concluded their service in Nigeria and returned to the United States in mid-December. Following is an excerpt from their final newsletter reporting on their work at Kulp Bible College of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria):

We have had much time for reflection lately--with farewell parties, goodbyes, and graduations--and feel content at the progress that has been made since we arrived in 2009. A peace and reconciliation curriculum is now complete and included in the course of studies at Kulp Bible College (KBC). An interfaith steering committee, CAMPI (Christians and Muslims for Peacebuilding Initiatives), has been in existence for more than one year, it has completed its first peace initiative and is currently planning the second. Through CAMPI, imams and pastors have been brought together, have dialogued with each other, and have built relationships across religious divides. A KBC Peace Club was formed and it is actively pursuing peace initiatives within communities around KBC.

Photo courtesy of the Hoslers

The CAMPI Committee, along with new Peace Program staff of EYN (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), at a farewell meal for Nathan and Jennifer Hosler as they finish their term in Nigeria. CAMPI (Christians and Muslims for Peacebuilding Initiatives), in existence now for more than a year, brings imams and pastors together to dialogue with each other and build relationships across religious divides.

We leave thankful that we can see fruit of our labors and the labors of our colleagues. The EYN Peace Program has assigned new Nigerian staff to the organization and the denominational leadership of EYN has expressed its commitment to further strengthening peacebuilding in EYN. We know that the work will move forward and pray for a continued strengthening of the Peace Program, CAMPI, and peace education within EYN. We look forward with expectation and hope that we will hear more about the progress for peace which will come in the future: Christians and Muslims living together peacefully, EYN churches modeling reconciliation, conflict transformation, and justice to their surrounding communities.

Peace Club update: When we think of peace, we typically assume that the opposite of peace is conflict or violence. However, when we think about the broader practice of peacebuilding and the biblical theology of peace, we must expand our thinking to include many other aspects of life. For many people the absence of peace means poverty. When your children are hungry, susceptible to treatable diseases, and are unable to attend school because of poverty--this is the absence of peace. Additionally, resource scarcity tends to lead to conflict. This semester, the KBC Peace Club prepared two dramas and two sermons addressing the issues of peace and poverty. They suggested that we can deal with poverty through working together (literally in Hausa it is “putting heads together”) and challenging injustice. The program was conducted on Nov. 5 and 6 as well as Nov. 12 and 13. Between the two services, more than 2,000 people attended the programs. They constituted the third and fourth outreach events conducted by the KBC Peace Club.

Documentary: In early November, videographer Dave Sollenberger visited Nigeria and EYN. He conducted filming for a documentary on the conflicts in Nigeria and EYN’s response to conflict through its Peace Program. He attended the Peace Club event on Nov. 6. He also filmed a CAMPI meeting, KBC peace classes, the Peace Resource Library, and interviewed many EYN workers and members.

Finishing up our work: Dec. 13 we will be leaving KBC. Our final weeks have included the expected packing up procedures and farewells, as well as handing over Peace Program documents, tasks, and projects, working to organize the Peace Club so that it will continue, and finishing all of the other relatively small but numerous tasks.

We are grateful for the prayers, support, and encouragement that sisters and brothers have given to us during our time of service. As we head back to the United States, we look forward to three months of home leave where we can rest, regroup, visit with family, attend a staff meeting in Elgin, Ill., and speak at Church of the Brethren churches about peace ministry in Nigeria.

Prayer requests: For travel preparations and travel. The Christmas season is expected to bring more incidences of violence. For peace in Nigeria in this time when the angels proclaimed “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” For a smooth transfer of our work to other Peace Program staff.

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

NCC condemns attack on worshipers in Nigeria.

2011-12-29T18:25:00.000-06:00

The National Council of Churches (NCC) has condemned the Christmas Day bombing of a Roman Catholic Church in Madella, Nigeria, as “intrinsically evil.” Incoming NCC president Kathryn Mary Lohre joined Pope Benedict XVI and other religious leaders in denouncing the terrorist acts that claimed the lives of 39 people and injured hundreds.

“The National Council of Churches deplores any attack on Christian communities anywhere in the world,” Lohre said. “But more than that, we condemn any violent act so contrary to the common understanding of God’s love as it is expressed among Christians, Muslims, and persons of all the major faith traditions.”

Lohre called on the council’s member communions “and all persons of good will to pray for the families in Madella who have lost loved ones, and to ask God’s healing mercies for all who have been touched by this tragedy.”

Pope Benedict termed the attacks as “absurd.” “Violence is a path that leads only to pain, destruction, and death,” Benedict said. “Respect, reconciliation, and love are the only path to peace.”

Responsibility for the attack was claimed by an Islamist extremist group Boko Haram.

-- Philip E. Jenks of the NCC communications staff provided this release. As of today, no word has been received that congregations or members of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) were affected by the attacks on Christmas Day in the capital city of Abuja and the city of Jos in central Nigeria.

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

BVS Europe welcomes largest number of volunteers since 2004.

2011-12-29T18:23:00.000-06:00

Photo by Don Knieriem

Some of the Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) workers who went to project sites in Europe recently. The Europe program this year logged its largest number of volunteers since 2004.

The Europe program of Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) welcomed many new BVS volunteers this year, 2011--16 in all, “which is more than we’ve seen since 2004,” reports coordinator Kristin Flory in a recent newsletter. Flory works out of an office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Following are the BVS volunteers who have served in Europe this year or are currently serving, listed by country, along with information about their projects:

In Belgium, Bahirah Adewunmi has worked in Brussels in the Pax Christi International office.

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Samantha Lyon-Hill has worked in Mostar with the OKC Abrasevic Youth Cultural Center. Julianne Funk Deckard has been in Sarajevo with Mali Koraci, an interfaith peace network.

In Hungary, Jill Piebiak is in Budapest has worked in the World Student Christian Federation’s European regional office.

In Germany, Marie Schuster has lived and worked in Tecklenburg at the Arche community there. Kendra Johnson has been in Hamburg with Peace Brigades International’s German office. Susan Pracht has been in Laufdorf at the international office of Church and Peace. Katarina Eller has lived and worked at the Brot und Rosen community in Hamburg.

In Ireland, Joe Pittoco has worked in Callan, Co. Kilkenny, with the L’Arche Community. Michelle Cernoch has been living and working in Cork with the L’Arche Community there.

In Northern Ireland, Courtney Klosterman and Samantha Carwile have worked in Belfast at the Quaker Cottage family center. Micah and Lucy Loucks have been living and working with the L’Arche Belfast Community. Megan Miller has been with the East Belfast Mission, a project of the Methodist church. Rebecca Marek has worked with Holywell Consultancy and with the Junction community relations center in Derry/Londonderry. A. J. Detwiler, Adam Stokes, and Cori Miner have been at Greenhill YMCA in Newcastle, Co. Down. Tiffany Monarch has been in Coleraine with the Kilcranny House peace farm/residential center.

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

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

Juniata takes action during Sandusky investigation.

2011-12-29T18:16:00.000-06:00

Juniata College, a Church of the Brethren-related school in Huntingdon, Pa., has been named in news reports of the investigation of charges against Jerry Sandusky, former football coach at Penn State. ESPN reported that in May 2010, Sandusky applied for a volunteer football coaching job at Juniata but was rejected after failing a background check ( http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7326214/jerry-sandusky-denied-job-juniata-college-failing-background-check-school-says ). Other media outlets followed up with reports that Sandusky continued to be on the Juniata campus parts of last year. On Dec. 16, Juniata president Thomas R. Kepple Jr. released the following open letter on the college website:

Taking Action: Juniata and Steps Taken During Sandusky Investigation

Dear Juniata Community, in the last several weeks, as the alleged actions of Jerry Sandusky have dominated news headlines, we have been talking with various media about the facts of Sandusky's having been present on our campus and around our football team during the 2010 season.

The story has rightly caused concern among our alumni, students, families of our students, and other friends of Juniata. To aid in your understanding of what happened and to give you confidence in what Juniata is doing about it, I will share three things: facts regarding our initial response, the facts about Sandusky's presence as we have known and have communicated them, and what we are doing to ensure such a situation does not occur again.

JUNIATA INITIAL RESPONSE
When Sandusky was initially arrested, Juniata administration received information and communication from individuals close to and employed by our football program. We interviewed athletics staff still here, reviewed public safety reports, and worked to ensure we understood the facts. We contacted the state police on Nov. 9, 2011, and let them know Sandusky had been around our team. We offered to be of assistance should they want to interview people or perform any other investigative work. To date, they have thanked us for calling, but have chosen not to do any work here.

Our current athletic director, Greg Curley, and current head football coach, Tim Launtz, communicated with players, reminding them of campus resources if they wished to speak with counselors. We encouraged players and coaches that, if they had information of any wrongdoing, to contact police. We also shared with players that if they were approached by media, to feel free to talk with them. We also offered players, if they wished, to work with our media relations professionals, to help them know what to expect if talking with press. We also ensured that our media relations professionals had the facts as best we knew them to respond to press, and urged campus staff to send all inquiries through them.

In the days and weeks that followed, various media outlets chose to accentuate some facts rather than others, and some outlets have made errors of fact. We have responded to news media as they have contacted us. While CBS 21 in Harrisburg first chose to break the story, we have shared facts with other media outlets prior to speaking with CBS 21, none of whom opted to run the story.

FACTS ABOUT SANDUSKY'S PRESENCE AT JUNIATA
In August 2009, Jerry Sandusky gave a motivational talk to players, as one of several individuals who gave similar talks during the preseason. The former head coach, Carmen Felus, had numerous contacts in central Pennsylvania and asked them to come and talk with players.

In May 2010, Felus, then the football coach, asked to have Jerry Sandusky serve as a volunteer coach with our football program. As is standard practice with anyone who wishes to do significant volunteer work or work on our campus, Juniata ran a background check on May 27, 2010. We received notice on June 2, 2010, that Sandusky was under criminal investigation.

Sandusky did not mention the investigation on the form for his background check. He was informed in a letter sent to his home that he was to have no association with Juniata's football program.
At this point Juniata College did not know the full nature of the criminal investigation affecting Jerry Sandusky. We knew only that he was under investigation in Clinton County.

Our athletic director at the time, Larry Bock, and provost, Jim Lakso, instructed Felus twice in June 2010 that Sandusky was not to be associated with the program. When Sandusky was spotted in the press box at the Franklin & Marshall game on Sept. 25, 2010, Larry Bock again informed Felus that Sandusky was not to be part of the program.

We have learned recently that assistant coaching staff present in Fall 2010 were unaware of the ban on Sandusky, despite Felus having been directed to inform his staff and players. Juniata administration was not aware of Sandusky's reappearance and its increasing frequency late in the fall 2010 semester until the following spring semester, by which time the former head coach had resigned.

We have spoken with several current players and coaching staff and accounts of the degree to which Sandusky was present after Sept. 25, 2010, are varied. We now know Sandusky attended Sunday coaching meetings (at which players are not typically present), but do not know which practices he did or did not attend.

We do not know and will not speculate on the relationship between Sandusky and the former head coach, nor do we know or wish to speculate on the reasons Felus had for continuing to enable Sandusky to be present.

Juniata administration heard neither complaints nor commentary from any students, coaches, or athletes about Sandusky's presence during the fall 2010 semester.

WHAT JUNIATA IS DOING DIFFERENTLY AS A RESULT
Juniata made changes as soon as the former head coach resigned on March 3, 2011.

The first thing we did was to hire an upstanding member of the Juniata community to serve as head coach--Tim Launtz. Launtz's background as director of public safety and residence life made him student- and academics-centered, and he had a record of excellent communication and assistance with students, faculty and administration. Tim was made clear that we expected significant communication and collaboration, and he readily and enthusiastically agreed.

Since then, Tim has built positive relationships with the enrollment office, the Dean of Students office, the provost, alumni relations, and a host of other campus bodies. Tim has clearly and repeatedly shared the mission he has for Juniata football. I quote him here: "The mission of the Juniata football program is to make Juniata men. A Juniata man is a man who treats women with respect; does not lie, steal, cheat; does not use drugs; and respects the cultural differences of his teammates and the campus community. We want our student/athletes to receive a degree in four years, have a plan for their future, and know that they had a positive experience at Juniata."

I have spoken with Tim many times this fall both before and after this situation. He has elevated and broadened the communication and connection between Juniata football and the rest of the community.

When Larry Bock left for a new full-time coaching position at Navy in February 2011, we discussed the limitations (which Larry had pointed out and helped us to consider) of having an athletic director who coached at a time when he or she could give limited attention to football. As the sport with the largest roster, largest attendance, and largest gross budget, football had to have better oversight from an athletic director.

Our current athletic director, Greg Curley, a longtime Juniata basketball coach, has a season that begins after football ends. He has been able to work with Coach Launtz, be present at games, and provide oversight for our larger-roster sports (football, as well as field hockey, men's and women's soccer, cross country, track and field) while they are in season, given that basketball's season runs at a time with few other sports active.

Greg's focus with our coaches has reiterated communication and the primacy of Juniata's educational mission. We have an excellent coaching staff, and their words and actions repeatedly underscore that the education of our students is our top priority.

In January 2012, we will convene a meeting of Juniata's leadership team, comprised of supervising directors in administration across all campus units. In these meetings we discuss enrollment, budgets, operations, and generally the ways we can improve. Given the human resource issues this situation has involved, we will be discussing proper use and administration of chain-of-command, documentation of key communications, and a review of our whistleblower policies (recently strengthened by our Board of Trustees Audit Committee).

We have also started reviewing with our Office of Public Safety how to ensure people understand reporting burdens in the event of various crimes and access issues. We have emergency notification protocols in place, and routinely perform practice exercises with key administrative staff, so I am confident we will be able to update and remind key personnel of our collective duties and responsibilities.

Finally, our Board of Trustees has been fully informed along the way about these issues and our actions.

I cannot say enough good things about our faculty, students and staff here at Juniata. They are the source of all that is great on this campus, and their work is what defines us. Juniata is far more than the actions of any one individual. We are the collective achievements of many people who work to serve others, to promote peace and learning, and to change their communities and their world for the better. And because we are a community of learners, we will learn from what happened here, and work toward better things.

If you have questions, please contact me.

--Thomas R. Kepple Jr., President

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

Royer retires as manager of Global Food Crisis Fund.

2011-12-29T18:13:00.000-06:00

Howard E. Royer is retiring as manager of the Church of the Brethren’s Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) on Dec. 31. He has completed eight years as GFCF manager, serving three-quarter time on a contract/volunteer basis.

Also ending its work is the GFCF Grant Review Panel composed of three former international mission workers: Shantilal Bhagat of La Verne, Calif.; Peggy Boshart of Fort Atkinson, Wis.; and Ralph Royer of Claypool, Ind. The three served as volunteers.

This is the second time that Howard Royer has retired from service on the Church of the Brethren staff. He previously served on the denominational staff for 50 consecutive years from 1953-2003, starting out as a 1-W conscientious objector and volunteer in stewardship. He then filled successive roles as youth editor, news director, editor of “Messenger” magazine, coordinator of a salvation and justice program, and director of interpretation.

Over the span of his career, he served terms as national president of the Associated Church Press and the Religious Public Relations Council and as executive of the Council on Church and Media. He has carried out media assignments with the National Council of Churches, Church World Service, Religion News Service, and the World Council of Churches. He served six years on the board of SERRV International, eight years on the board of the Foods Resource Bank, and as a regular participant with inter-faith hunger directors.

Royer is credited with initiating the REGNUH campaign to “Turn Hunger Around” and a very successful food pantry matching grant project. He encouraged Brethren congregations across the country to become involved in growing projects to fight hunger and build denominational ties with the Foods Resource Bank, having the Brethren take the lead on FRB hunger projects in such places as Nicaragua, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and most notably North Korea. His efforts were instrumental in establishing a Church of the Brethren staff presence in North Korea.

The Global Food Crisis Fund continues as a program of Global Mission and Service. Since its beginning in 1983, the fund has issued grants of several millions dollars to foster sustainable food security in more than 30 countries. It issued grants totaling approximately $325,000 in 2011. Find out more at www.brethren.org/gfcf.

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

Blevins resigns as advocacy officer, ecumenical peace coordinator.

2011-12-29T18:07:00.000-06:00

Jordan Blevins has resigned as advocacy officer and ecumenical peace coordinator for the Church of the Brethren and the National Council of Churches (NCC), effective March 1, 2012. He has served the Church of the Brethren, seconded to the NCC, since July 1, 2010, giving the denomination a new kind of witness and presence in Washington, D.C., and giving staff support to the peace witness of the NCC.

In that time, more than 450 Brethren have called on their members of Congress to support policies more reflective of Brethren values and have given voice to issues including poverty and hunger, creation care, and issues of violence. The NCC has actively supported the ratification of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, passed a General Assembly resolution calling for an end to the war in Afghanistan, and pursued a United States conversation following the World Council of Churches Decade to Overcome Violence.

"Jordan's work in Washington for both the Brethren and the National Council of Churches has raised the Brethren voice on peace and justice on the national and international stage,” commented general secretary Stan Noffsinger. “He is well respected and has received appreciation from many who have worked with him."

Previously, Blevins served in the NCC’s Eco-Justice Program and Domestic Poverty Initiative. His last day of work will be Feb. 29.

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

World Interfaith Harmony Week is Feb. 1-7.

2011-12-29T18:01:00.000-06:00

On Oct. 20, 2010, the General Assembly of the United Nations unanimously adopted a resolution designating the first week in February to be an annual World Interfaith Harmony Week. The General Assembly called for dialogue among the different religions internationally, nationally, and locally to enhance interfaith harmony and cooperation.

In this historic action the UN General Assembly recognized the possibility and necessity for the believers in the major world religions to facilitate peace building and to engage in the global moral issues of poverty, hunger, health care, environmental destruction, and other world challenges. Clergy and congregations are asked to focus during this week on

learning about the faith and beliefs of followers of other religious traditions,
remembering interfaith cooperation in prayers and messages, and
sharing together in cooperative compassionate care for persons suffering and marginalized in local communities.

Increasingly, American diversity has persons of other faith traditions living with us as neighbors. In the cacophony of misunderstanding and mistrust, harmony is a recognition of the moral impact of learning about each other’s faith, religious beliefs, and practices, and the increased possibilities of helping local people in need through cooperative service. The World Interfaith Harmony Week is an opportunity to expand compassion locally by reducing our fears and prejudices.

For further information and resources go to www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com .

-- Larry Ulrich is the Church of the Brethren representative on the Interfaith Relations Commission of the National Council of Churches.

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

Peace meditation: Reflections from a BVS volunteer in Europe.

2011-12-29T17:55:00.000-06:00

Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) worker Susan Pracht has completed a term of service with Church and Peace in Laufdorf, Germany--the first BVSer to serve there since the late 1980s. Church and Peace is an ecumenical organization of more than 110 corporate and individual members from all over Europe. Before departing Europe, Pracht posted the following meditation on Facebook:

In a few weeks we will be back to the unlit bare bones of trees gracing our landscape on whatever walk we can convince ourselves to endure in below freezing weather. The cloak of the festive holiday season will be stripped away, and we will be left to face January on our own.

For these short weeks of Advent and the Christmas season, we are awash in the best qualities of humanity and God: peace, joy, love, hope, family, comfort, gratitude, beauty, grace, selflessness. A few years ago I worshiped at a midnight Mass in a very formal Anglican church. With the incense, the bells, and the choir, it was easy to believe that it was magic, that the coming of the Savior really had changed everything, ourselves, all the beings of the world.

In the cold bleakness of January, it’s just harder to maintain that belief. Does our attachment to the beautiful sentiment of “righteousness and peace will kiss each other” (Psalm 85:10) mean anything after Jan. 1, 2012? In my ministry with Brethren Volunteer Service, I have had the great privilege of meeting people and communities that have dedicated decades of their lives to the peace movement. What does it take to sustain such a commitment? Based on what I have seen, these people have given themselves as a “living sacrifice.” As a member of Church and Peace’s Administrative Committee put it, peace is not a church project; it is the way of Christ.

So how do we bring the way of Christ into our everyday lives? As “The Message” translation of Psalm 85:10-13 phrases it: “Love and Truth meet in the street.” Love and Truth meet on the bus. Love and Truth meet in the grocery store. Any time you recognize the Inner Light, the image of God within another being, and treat them as such.

“Right Living and Whole Living embrace and kiss!” Or, in the words of W.H. Bellinger Jr., a professor in the United States: “God’s unchanging love and trustworthiness come together to bring the community into right relationship with God and each other” ( www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=8/7/2011 ). When we accept that gift of redeemed relationship and strive to live our lives accordingly, with grace, mercy, and compassion from God, God gives us peace and acceptance with ourselves, and out of that, we can give that to others. But it’s not easy. There are many voices in our heads and in our hearts. Do something every day that helps you separate yourself from the autopilot in your mind, whether it is centering prayer, meditation, cooking, taking a walk....

“Truth spouts green from the ground, Right Living pours down from the skies!” When in doubt, step outside. Breathe deeply. Look. Listen.

“Oh yes! God gives Goodness and Beauty; our land responds with Bounty and Blessing. Right Living strides out before him, and clears a path for his passage.”

-- Susan Chase Pracht, Advent 2011

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

Brethren bits

2011-12-29T17:32:00.000-06:00

Remembrance: Teresa Anne "Terri" Meushaw, 62, died on Dec. 17 after a long battle with cancer. (The story of her struggle with cancer is told in an online journal, find it at www.caringbridge.org/visit/terrimeushaw .) She had retired as administrative assistant for the Church of the Brethren’s Mid-Atlantic District. She was a long-time presence at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., having also been a part of SERRV, a former administrative assistant to Miller Davis when he was director of the center, and director of the New Windsor Conference Center. Her memorial service will be held on her birthday, Dec. 31, at noon at Uniontown Bible Church in Union Bridge, Md. Memorial contributions are received to Uniontown Bible Church in support of missions. “Please keep Terri’s husband Bill and her children in your prayers,” said a prayer concern from the district.

The Church of the Brethren seeks a coordinator of Workcamps and Volunteer Recruitment. This full-time salaried position located at the General Offices in Elgin, Ill., provides oversight and administration of youth and young adult workcamps and supports recruitment of volunteers for Brethren Volunteer Service. Applicants will need the following: Experience in leadership during workcamps or mission trips; experience working with youth; strong interpersonal skills and an ability to take initiative without regular supervision; experience working in a team; excellent ability in organizational skills; demonstrated ability in communication skills (verbal and written); demonstrated ability in providing faith/spiritual leadership in group settings; experience in word processing, database, and spreadsheet software. In addition the candidate will be well-grounded in Church of the Brethren heritage, theology, and practices, and be able to articulate and operate out of the vision of the Mission and Ministry Board of the Church of the Brethren. Recruitment experience in a college or equivalent volunteer service setting preferred. Understanding of managing a budget required. Experience managing a budget preferred. Willingness to travel extensively is required. A bachelor’s degree is expected, with a master’s degree or equivalent work experience helpful but not required. Request an application packet and full job description by contacting Director of Human Resources, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; mjflorysteury@brethren.org.

The Church of the Brethren seeks a manager to fill a three-quarter time salaried position with benefits to provide oversight and administration of the Global Food Crisis Fund and the Emerging Global Mission Fund. This includes fundraising, grant making, and education and support of the Church of the Brethren regarding hunger issues. A bachelor’s degree is required, a master’s degree or equivalent experience is preferred in sustainable agriculture, economic development, community development, or a related field. Requirements also include strong interpersonal skills; ability to take initiative without regular supervision; strong verbal and written communication skills; willingness to travel; experience in word processing, database, and spreadsheet software; and understanding of budget management, with experience with grant management preferred. Knowledge of Church of the Brethren heritage, theology, and polity strongly preferred. Request an application packet and full job description by contacting Director of Human Resources, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; mjflorysteury@brethren.org.

The Church of the Brethren seeks a program assistant in Human Resources, a part-time hourly position located at the General Offices in Elgin, Ill. The program assistant will facilitate human resources activities such as employment, compensation, labor relations, benefits, training, and employee services. Requirements include an associate’s degree, with a bachelor’s degree strongly preferred; two to four years generalist experience and/or training in the Human Resources field, business, or equivalent combination of education and experience; knowledge of the ADP Workforce Now human resource and payroll system a plus. Request an application packet and full job description by contacting Director of Human Resources, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; mjflorysteury@brethren.org.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has publicized vacancy notices for four positions: Manager Income Monitoring and Development (deadline for receiving applications is Jan. 25, 2012); Associate General Secretary for Programmes Public Witness and Diakonia to set strategic directions for the WCC’s programmatic work in the area of Public Witness and Diakonia (deadline for receiving applications is Jan. 25, 2012); Programme Executive for Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation to facilitate reflection and action on dialogue and cooperation with other religions, especially in relation to East Asian religions (deadline for receiving applications is Jan. 10, 2012); and EAPPI Communications Officer. The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) is a program of the WCC that brings internationals to the West Bank to experience life under occupation. Ecumenical Accompaniers provide protective presence to vulnerable communities, monitor and report human rights abuses, and support Palestinians and Israelis working together for peace and for a just and peaceful resolution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict through an end to the occupation, respect for international law, and implementation of UN resolutions (deadline for receiving applications is Jan. 16, 2012). Vacancy notices are at www.oikoumene.org/en/who-are-we/vacancy-notices.html . Applicants should apply online to HRO@wcc-coe.org within the planned time frames.

Applications for the Church of the Brethren’s Youth Peace Travel Team for summer 2012 are due Jan. 13. Each year four young adults ages 18-23 spend the summer visiting Brethren camps and conferences to educate youth about Christian peacemaking, with sponsorship from the Youth and Young Adult ministry, On Earth Peace, the Outdoor Ministries Association, Brethren Volunteer Service, and Global Mission and Service. Find information and application form at www.brethren.org/yya/peaceteam.html.

Also due Jan. 13 are applications for Ministry Summer Service 2012. MSS is a leadership development program for college students in the Church of the Brethren who spend 10 weeks of the summer working in the church either in a local congregation, district office, camp, or denominational program. The 2012 orientation is June 1-6. For more about the program go to www.brethren.org/yya/mss.

A number of online registration opportunities begin in the next few days:

Jan. 2 is the opening date for early registration for congregational delegates to the 2012 Annual Conference in St. Louis, Mo. Registration opens at noon (central time) on Jan. 2 at www.brethren.org/ac. The early registration fee is $285 per delegate. The fee increases to $310 on Feb. 23. Congregations will be able to register their delegates online and will be able to pay either by credit card or by sending a check. A memo and registration form has been mailed to every congregation. Nondelegate registration and housing reservations will begin Feb. 22. Contact the Conference Office at annualconference@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 229.
Jan. 6 is when online registration opens for National Young Adult Conference. Registration opens at 8 p.m. (central) on Jan. 6 at www.brethren.org/yac. The conference is June 18-22 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with the theme, "Humble Yet Bold: Being the Church" (Matthew 5:13-18). Go to the YAC web page above for more information about the conference.
Jan. 9 is the opening day of registration for the 2012 workcamps. “Get ready, get set, and get registered!” says a reminder from the Workcamp Office. “Can’t wait to see you this summer!” Workcamp registration opens Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. (central). Go to www.brethren.org/workcamps to register. For questions, please contact Cat Gong or Rachel Witkovsky in the Workcamp Office by e-mail at cobworkcamps@brethren.org or by phone at 800-323-8039 ext. 283 or 301.

A draft revision of “Ministerial Leadership Polity in the Church of the Brethren” as well as resources to help explain and interpret the paper are posted at www.brethren.org/ministryoffice/polity-revision.html . The revision will come to the Annual Conference for a first read in 2012, to be voted on in 2013. “Until Annual Conference approves a new polity document on ministerial leadership, the Church of the Brethren follows polity laid out in the paper on Ministerial Leadership adopted by Annual Conference in 1999,” explains an introductory note from the Ministry Office. “Calling and sustaining leadership for the church are the responsibilities of the whole church. Individuals, congregations, districts and the denomination work together to call forth leaders for our life together. Our hope in making this draft widely available is that we might read, study, and consider all that it includes--together.” Plans are for each district to host a listening and information session for its District Ministry Commission, facilitated by Office of Ministry staff and representatives to the Ministry Advisory Council, in the early months of 2012. Available at www.brethren.org/ministryoffice/polity-revision.html are the draft revision, timeline, and responses to frequently asked questions.

“Benign Neglect Imperils Children after a Disaster” is the title of an article contributed by Judy Bezon, associate director of the Church of the Brethren’s Children’s Disaster Services, to the “The Dialogue,” a journal published by the Disaster Technical Assistance Center of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The journal provides information and resources to disaster behavioral health professionals. Find the article at www.samhsa.gov/dtac/dialogue/Dialogue_vol8_issue2.pdf.

The Brethren Historical Library and Archives has acquired a historic chest originally belonging to the Kurtz family. The chest reportedly was brought over to the US from Europe in 1817 by Henry Kurtz (1796-1874), first Brethren publisher (“Monthly Gospel-Visiter”). Measuring two feet by two feet by 55 inches, made of wood with metal fastenings and handles, the chest stayed in the family long after the death of Henry Kurtz. It was donated to the archives at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., by Edward and Mary Jane Todd of Columbiana, Ohio, members of Zion Hill Church of the Brethren. The chest is a companion piece to a pipe organ (1698) brought over to America by Henry Kurtz in 1817. For a “Hidden Gems” page about Henry Kurtz go to www.brethren.org/bhla/hiddengems.html.

The Church of the Brethren in Hollidaysburg, Pa., is only one of many Brethren congregations who received media coverage this month. A video report from WTAJ TV News reviews the Hollidaysburg live Nativity at http://wearecentralpa.com/wtaj-news-fulltext/?nxd_id=331487 . The rebuilt Black River Church of the Brethren in Spencer, Ohio, was featured by WKYC-TV NBC in Cleveland with a report and slide show at www.wkyc.com/news/article/221521/45/Medina-After-2007-Christmas-Eve-fire-church-rebuilt . Dranesville Church of the Brethren in Herndon, Va., held a candlelight peace service Dec.18 to commemorate the loss of life in the Civil War Battle of Dranesville in 1861, and pastor Glenn Young gave an interview to the “Fairfax Underground” at www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/777817/777817.html . Find the latest “Brethren in the News” links for December at www.brethren.org/news/2011/brethren-in-the-news-2.html .

The Third Peace Gathering of the Historic Peace Churches in Florida will be held Jan. 28, 2012, from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. hosted by Sebring Church of the Brethren. The $20 registration fee includes lunch and snacks. A special peace testimony will be given by Enten Eller, former draft resister and now staff at Bethany Theological Seminary, who also will lead a morning workshop on “Social Networking and Electronic Communications for Peace.” Other workshops will address praying for peace, peace education, witnessing to lawmakers, and more. Contact Phil Lersch, facilitator of the coordinating committee, at 727-544-2911 or phillersch@verizon.net .

Emmert F. Bittinger’s book, “Allegheny Passage: Churches and Families of the West Marva District of the Church of the Brethren, 1752-1990,” is being reprinted and will be made available in early 2012 by West Marva District. The book had been out of print for some years. A group from West Marva, working with the Bittinger family, facilitated the reprinting. A pre-publication discount price of $64.95 (plus $6 shipping and handling per copy by mail) is available for those purchasing the book by Dec. 31. After the first of the year, the cost will be $79.95 plus shipping and handling. Contact West Marva District Office, 384 Dennett Rd., Oakland MD 21550.

The Milestones in Ministry dinner was again a part of the Shenandoah District Conference this year. Twenty-eight ministers were recognized for years of service since ordination: Fred Bowman and Emerson Fike, 65 years; Bob McFadden, 60 years; Dee Flory, David Rittenhouse, and Albert Sauls, 55 years; Auburn Boyers and Fred Swartz, 50 years; J.D. Glick, 45 years; Ed Carl and John Foster, 40 years; Sam Sligar, 35 years; JuliAnne Bowser Sloughfy, Don Curry, and Bruce Noffsinger, 30 years; Jim Jinks and Elaine Hartman McGann, 25 years; Bill Abshire, Shelvie Mantz, Julian Rittenhouse, and George Yocum, 20 years; George Bowers, Walt Crull, Bill Fitchett, and Don Guthrie, 15 years; Gary Major, Daryl Ritchie, and Glenn Shifflett, 5 years.

At least two other districts also honored ministers for terms of service: Virlina District Conference honored L. Clyde Carter Jr. for 50 years of service. Atlantic Southeast District Conference recognized the following ministers: Steve Horrell and Jaime Diaz, 5 years; Jimmy Baker, 20 years; Jerry Hartwell and Benjamin Perez, 35 years; Terry Hatfield, 40 years; Wendell Bohrer and Merle Crouse, 55 years. Also, Berwyn Oltman received the Gemmer Peace Award at the Atlantic Southeast District Conference.

Feb. 3, 2012, is the Annual Dinner and Meeting of the Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center in Harrisonburg, Va. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at Shady Oak beside Weavers Mennonite Church. In addition to food prepared by the Rhodes Sisters and provided by a generous donor, guests will see a preview of the play, "Jordan's Stormy Banks."

The December edition of "Brethren Voices," the community television program produced by Portland's Peace Church of the Brethren, features the Intentional Community Houses of Brethren Volunteer Service. Since 2009, BVS has created Intentional Community Houses in Elgin, Ill.; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Portland, Ore. These projects offer volunteers a community living experience and the opportunity to volunteer with local organizations serving the needs of the nearby community, along with relationship to a local congregation. This edition of “Brethren Voices,” hosted by Brent Carlson, features five volunteers who have been the first to serve in the Portland project. Members of the congregation provide insight into how a small church was able to bring this into reality as part of its ministry. The January 2012 “Brethren Voices” features 2012 Annual Conference moderator Tim Harvey of Roanoke, Va. “Brethren Voices” is offered as community television resource and isbeing used by some congregations as a resource for Sunday school classes. Contact Ed Groff at Groffprod1@msn.com for more information.

A children’s book by Jan West Schrock, daughter of Heifer International founder Dan West, has been made into a play. Schrock reports, “My little children’s book, ‘Give A Goat,’ is featured in the Dec. 2011 ‘Library Sparks’ magazine. It has become a play in the Reader’s Theater for children Grades 3-5.” Find an interview with Schrock at www.librarysparks.com , click on “Meet the Author.”

Two Church of the Brethren members have co-authored “Beneath the Tip of the Iceberg: Improving English and Understanding US Cultural Patterns” (Univ. of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor). Darla K. Bowman Deardorff of Peace Covenant Church of the Brethren in Durham, N.C., is executive director of the association of International Education Administrators based at Duke University where she also teaches cross-cultural courses, and on the faculty at North Carolina State University and the University of N. Carolina, Chapel Hill. Kay M. Bowman of Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren is a retired minister’s wife, speaker, author, and writer for more than 50 years. Their book introduces students who are new to the US to deeper levels of American culture in order to help improve their interactions with others in their communities.

Source:12/29/2011 Newsline

Credits

2011-12-29T17:30:00.000-06:00

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 Terry Barkley, James Deaton, Kristin Flory, Ed Groff, Karin L. Krog, Howard Royer, Larry Ulrich, Rachel Witkovsky, Jay Wittmeyer, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.

Newsline: December 14, 2011

2011-12-14T13:10:00.000-06:00

NEWS

Brethren statement presented at meeting on torture.
Mission and Ministry Board member is part of ecumenical visit to Cuba.
National Youth Cabinet chooses theme for the year.
Bethany Seminary receives grant for faculty study.

PERSONNEL

On Earth Peace announces staff changes.
New Brethren staff are placed in South Sudan.

FEATURES

Reflections on Cuba, December 2011.
Wonder stick: An interview with Grace Mishler.
An Advent letter from the Annual Conference officers.

BRETHREN BITS

Brethren bits: Job openings, Annual Conference delegate registration, college news, and more.

Brethren statement presented at meeting on torture.

2011-12-14T13:06:00.000-06:00

Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger was one of several officials of faith-based groups in a meeting with members of the Obama administration to discuss the issue of torture. The meeting yesterday, Dec. 13, in Washington, D.C., followed up on a letter to the administration from the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) urging that the US sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture.

Photo courtesy of the National Council of Churches

Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger (left) joined National Council of Churches general secretary Michael Kinnamon (right) at an outdoor vigil in Washington, D.C., yesterday calling on Congress to remember struggling people in the federal budget. The two also were part of a meeting with members of the Obama administration to discuss the issue of torture, organized by NRCAT, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.

Noffsinger was one of those presenting during the meeting (read his prepared comments below). The interfaith group also included Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, and representatives of several Christian denominations and Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh groups. Representing NRCAT was executive director Richard L. Killmer alongside the organization's president and two staff members.

Sixty-six American religious leaders including Noffsinger have signed on to the NRCAT letter calling for the United States to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT). Titled, "Join the Treaty: The US Should Act to Prevent Torture Everywhere," the letter opens with the statement, "Torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment are contrary to our common religious belief in the fundamental dignity of each human being. We call upon the US government, once a leader in the effort to end the use of torture, to reclaim that role by signing and ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture."

The letter proposes that the country take steps against the use of torture by providing independent oversight of conditions in detention facilities such as prisons and police stations. "We believe that if the US joins OPCAT and provides robust oversight of its places of detention, it will be significantly more difficult for cases of torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment to occur within the US. Ratifying OPCAT would also enhance our government's effectiveness in urging other countries to end their use of torture," the letter says.

The full text of Noffsinger's presentation:

"Good morning. It is no surprise that a Historic Peace Church is before you to reflect on the topic of torture as our historical understanding that violence perpetrated against another is inconsistent with Holy Scriptures. Our strong beliefs have at times have placed us in peril with the communities in which we live. Thus, we have experienced violence and torture ourselves, and the price at times has been great.

"In 2010 the church proclaimed its opposition to torture stating that 'torture is a blatant violation of the tenets of our faith.' Torture injects into the perpetrator's character the sense of being better than the other, that dehumanizing the other is justifiable, and that breaking of the human spirit, which is a God begotten gift, is a noble pursuit when done in the name of a nation state. We acknowledged our contemporary complacency and declared, 'we would be silent no more.'

"I was recently an honored guest of the Vatican as a delegate to the Day of Reflection, Dialogue, and Prayer for Peace and Justice in the World, held in Assisi, Italy. Each delegate received a copy of the October 13, 2011, letter from President Obama that commended us to 'interfaith dialogue, to unite in a common cause to lift up the afflicted, make peace where there is strife, and find the way forward to a better world for ourselves and our children.' On that world stage I declared 'my commitment to 'urge the leaders of Nations to make every effort to create and consolidate, on the national and international levels, a world of solidarity and peace based on justice.' I committed to working for world in which peace and justice are recognized as a human right.

"Being present today to encourage the administration and the President to discern, evaluate and eventually sign and the Senate to ratify OPCAT is an implicit responsibility as one who has heard the global community's yearning for a Just Peace. It is my hope and prayer that 'in the name of God, every religion bring upon the earth justice and peace, forgiveness and life.' Thank you."

For more about NRCAT go to www.tortureisamoralissue.org or www.nrcat.org. For the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference statement of 2010, "Resolution Against Torture," go to www.cobannualconference.org/ac_statements/ResolutionAgainstTortureFinal.pdf. For yesterday's Action Alert from the witness ministry of the Church of the Brethren that includes a link for voicing support for the NRCAT letter, go to http://cob.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=14601.0&dlv_id=16101.

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

Mission and Ministry Board member is part of ecumenical visit to Cuba.

2011-12-14T13:03:00.000-06:00

Photo by José Aurelio Paz, Coordinador Área de Comunicaciones del CIC

Becky Ball-Miller, a member of the Mission and Ministry Board, was the Church of the Brethren representative on an ecumenical delegation of church leaders visiting Cuba. Shown here: the two delegations from the councils of churches in the United States and Cuba work together to arrive at a joint statement. Ball-Miller is in the second pew, at center right, wearing a light blue blouse.

A meeting of US church leaders with leaders of the Council of Churches of Cuba concluded in Havana on Dec. 2 with a joint declaration celebrating signs of greater unity between US and Cuban churches. Sixteen representatives of National Council of Churches (NCC) member communions including the Church of the Brethren were in Cuba from Nov. 28-Dec. 2 meeting with Cuban church and political leaders, including President Raúl Castro.

Mission and Ministry Board member Becky Ball-Miller was the Church of the Brethren member on the delegation to Cuba (read her reflections on the trip in the feature article below).

The delegation, which Cuban church leaders said was the highest ranking US church group to visit the island in their memory, was led by Michael Kinnamon, NCC general secretary. The joint statement by the churches declared that normalization of relations between the US and Cuba would be in the best interest of both nations, and the leaders called for the resolution of three humanitarian issues “which cause unjustifiable human misunderstanding and suffering.”

Foremost among the issues is the 53-year-old US economic embargo of Cuba that dates back to the administration of President John F. Kennedy. The embargo is “the major obstacle to the resolution of differences, to economic interaction, and to fuller engagement of our peoples and churches,” the US and Cuban church leaders said.

Also cited as obstacles to normalization of relations is the imprisonment in the US of the “Cuban Five,” whose sentences in 1998 “have been deemed unjust by numerous human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the United Nations; and the two-year incarceration in Cuba of U.S. citizen Alan Gross.

“Together, we affirm the importance of living in hope, but also to demonstrate the credibility of our hope by acting to help make it so,” the church leaders said. “We, therefore, commit ourselves to promote, even more vigorously, the relationship between our churches and church and ecumenical councils, and to advocate, even more assertively, for the normalization of relations between our countries. Such commitment, we confess, is a response to the One who has bound us to one another (e.g., Ephesians 4:6) and sent us forth to be ambassadors of God’s reconciling love.”

Kinnamon and other members of the delegation met with the wives of the “Cuban Five” and with Alan Gross to publicize their support for their release. Gross’ name came up during a meeting Dec. 1 between Kinnamon and Cuban President Raúl Castro. Kinnamon said Castro expressed concern about Gross’ declining health, but did not comment on the possibility of his release.

Kinnamon also preached Nov. 27 at the National Episcopal Cathedral, highlighting a passage from the Apostle Paul: “Give thanks in all circumstances… (1 Thessalonians)”; and laying out challenges faced by the churches of the United States and Cuba.

In addition to Kinnamon and his wife, Mardine Davis, the 18-member US delegation included John McCullough, executive director and CEO of Church World Service, and top leaders of a number of Christian denominations including the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church, among several others.

-- This article is excerpted from a release by Philip E. Jenks of the National Council of Churches communications staff. The full text of the joint declaration can be read at www.ncccusa.org/pdfs/cubajointstatement.pdf.

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

National Youth Cabinet chooses theme for the year.

2011-12-14T12:46:00.000-06:00

Photo by Carol Fike/Jeremy McAvoy

The Church of the Brethren's National Youth Cabinet for 2011-12: (left front to back) Becky Ullom, Marissa Witkovsky, Lara Neher, Michael Himlie; (right, front to back) Ben Lowman, Amy Messler (adult advisor), Michael Novelli (adult advisor), and Josh Bollinger. Not shown: Kinsey Miller.

“Bridging the Gap” (Romans 15:5-7) has been chosen as the youth ministry theme for 2012 by the Church of the Brethren’s National Youth Cabinet, which held a weekend meeting at the General Offices in Elgin, Ill., on Dec. 2-4. “Bridging the Gap” also will be the theme for National Youth Sunday on May 6, 2012.

The members of the 2011-12 National Youth Cabinet are

Josh Bollinger of Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren in Shenandoah District;

Michael Himlie of Root River Church of the Brethren in Northern Plains District;

Ben Lowman of Antioch Church of the Brethren in Virlina District;

Kinsey Miller of Black Rock Church of the Brethren in Southern Pennsylvania District;

Lara Neher of Ivester Church of the Brethren in Northern Plains District;

Marissa Witkovsky of Roaring Spring Church of the Brethren in Middle Pennsylvania District;

adult advisors Amy Messler of Waynesboro Church of the Brethren in Southern Pennsylvania District, and Michael Novelli of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Illinois and Wisconsin District; and

Becky Ullom, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries.

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

Bethany Seminary receives grant for faculty study.

2011-12-14T12:44:00.000-06:00

The Association of Theological Schools has awarded Bethany Seminary a $4,000 grant as part of its Christian Hospitality and Pastoral Practices in a Multifaith Society project. The funds will support Bethany faculty in exploring the nature of ministry in multifaith contexts and in the practical application of these findings to student course work.

“As a faculty, we’ve wondered how to educate people for Christian ministry in multifaith settings, and this grant lets us explore this question in an intentional, disciplined way,” said Russell Haitch, associate professor of Christian education and writer of the grant proposal. Anticipated outcomes of the study, scheduled for spring 2012, include better teaching and learning on pastoral practices in multifaith contexts, greater clarity about key concepts of Bethany’s mission, and stronger collegiate relations and collaborative scholarship.

One influence that led to the writing of the proposal was the seminary’s new mission statement, emphasizing education for “ministering, proclaiming, and living out God’s shalom and Christ’s peace.” Bethany faculty have expressed a desire to examine how this language, in conjunction with the Brethren peace tradition, should inform the preparation of ministry students for the variety of multifaith contexts that exist in society today.

A second factor was Haitch’s personal interest in interfaith dialogue, stemming partly from Bethany’s 2008 Presidential Forum on “Hearing Scriptures of Peace,” which brought together speakers and scholars from Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Haitch also appreciates the work of the Scriptural Reasoning Society, a group of scholars from the Abrahamic traditions. “Their approach is not a big-tent philosophy which searches for some elusive lowest common denominator, but a dialogue which strives for what they call ‘higher quality differences.’ The goal is not consensus but friendship and better understanding,” he said.

Two practical ministry settings will serve as test contexts for the study: hospital ministry and hospitality in cross-cultural experiences, the multifaith contexts that Bethany students are most likely to encounter. A number of students participate in clinical pastoral education in health care settings, and all degree-seeking students are required to participate in a cross-cultural experience.

"We are excited to be one of the few seminaries selected by the Association of Theological Schools to receive this grant,” said Steve Schweitzer, academic dean. “It will provide an excellent opportunity for Bethany faculty to engage in conversations on a topic that affects many of our graduates and has practical implications for those in congregational settings. This type of forward thinking will only make our educational programs stronger."

Six faculty members will participate in the study through a series of meetings and assigned readings. Jewish scholar Peter Ochs from the University of Virginia and Muslim scholar A. Rashied Omar from the University of Notre Dame, both of whom have professional connections with Haitch, have been invited to share their faith and intercultural perspectives.

-- Jenny Williams is director of communications and alumni/ae relations at Bethany Seminary.

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

On Earth Peace announces staff changes.

2011-12-14T12:41:00.000-06:00

On Earth Peace will close the position of communications coordinator on Dec. 31, and will carry out the responsibilities of that position in new ways. This means that Gimbiya Kettering, the current coordinator of communications, will conclude her service this month.Kettering began employment with On Earth Peace in August 2007, and has edited print and electronic newsletters, in addition to producing annual reports to constituents and coordinating the organization’s participation at Annual Conference.

James S. Replogle will conclude his service on the staff of On Earth Peace on Dec. 31. He was called in October 2010 to the temporary role of operations director, to assist the organization with strategic planning and transition.

-- Bob Gross is executive director of On Earth Peace.

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

New Brethren staff are placed in South Sudan.

2011-12-14T12:38:00.000-06:00

Photo by

Athanasus Ungang (right), who began work in South Sudan in September with sponsorship from the denomination's Global Mission and Service program, poses with Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of the program. Ungang is serving as a program volunteer for the Church of the Brethren placed with an ecumenical partner, the Africa Inland Church (AIC).

Athanasus Ungang and Jillian Foerster have begun work in South Sudan on behalf of the Church of the Brethren. Both have been placed with ecumenical partners, with sponsorship from the denomination’s Global Mission and Service program.

Ungang started in September as a program volunteer with the Africa Inland Church (AIC), a Sudanese church denomination where former Church of the Brethren mission worker Michael Wagner also was placed. Ungang is an ordained minister in the AIC, who became connected with the Church of the Brethren when he was translator for the late Phil and Louise Rieman while they were mission workers in Sudan many years ago. Since then he and his family immigrated to the United States, where he worked for the state of South Dakota on immigrant placement. Ungang’s wife and children continue to live in the US.

Foerster is working with RECONCILE International as an administrative associate, serving through Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS). She is a member of Mill Creek Church of the Brethren in Port Republic, Va., and holds a degree in international relations with a minor in economics.

Global Mission and Service executive director Jay Wittmeyer accompanied Foerster to South Sudan and stayed for a week visiting with ecumenical partners, returning to the US on Dec. 6. He met with leaders of AIC, RECONCILE, and the Sudan Council of Churches.

Wittmeyer reported on plans for the Church of the Brethren to establish a Peace Center in the area of Torit in South Sudan as “a place of outreach out of which we will be able to work.” He envisions partnering with AIC to build a site for the Peace Center, which will also be a place for Brethren to work on related efforts such as theological education, community development, and agricultural development. Wittmeyer added that he hopes establishment of the center will enable the placement of a number of BVS volunteers in South Sudan.

During his trip, Wittmeyer learned of new leadership of the Sudan Council of Churches, where a former head of the council has been removed from office after financial irregularities. Wittmeyer met with Rev. Mark Akec Cien, acting general secretary of the council, who is encouraging the Church of the Brethren to be involved in South Sudan “because of our long history there,” Wittmeyer said.

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

Reflections on Cuba, December 2011.

2011-12-14T12:34:00.000-06:00

Photo by José Aurelio Paz, Coordinador Área de Comunicaciones del CIC

MIchael Kinnamon (right) general secretary of the US National Council of Churches chats with Cuban political leader and Politburo member Esteban Lazo (left) during an ecumenical delegation of US church leaders to Cuba. The delegation included Church of the Brethren representative Becky Ball-Miller, a member of the Mission and Ministry Board from Goshen, Ind.

Becky Ball-Miller, a member of the Church of the Brethren’s Mission and Ministry Board and CEO of Troyer Foods, Inc., an employee-owned company in Goshen, Ind., wrote the following reflection after she returned from an ecumenical delegation to Cuba:

It has been a little over a week since I returned from Cuba as part of a delegation with the National Council of Churches (NCC) meeting with the Cuban Council of Churches. I have not “scribed” my thoughts to paper before this for two reasons; first, life tends to be very full as we enter Advent and return from travels, and second, and mostly, because I have such a myriad of thoughts, feelings, and responses to my time away.

I travelled to Cuba in 1979 for a January term class at Manchester College. I was curious to see how much I remembered from that trip and how my responses may have changed--both because of the change in Cuba and especially because of the change in my life assumptions and expectations. In 1979 I was a self-described “poor college student” and today I might be described by some as a wealthy, successful business person who is blessed with opportunities to serve my faith community.

I was intrigued by how similar my reflections have been regarding the Cuban people and our relationship with Cuba. As one colleague reflected, the Cuban people will often say they may be poor but they are not desperate. It is apparent that they feel “cared for.” They advocate strongly and verbalize often their belief in the fundamental right of all Cubans for healthcare, education, food, and shelter. Cuban Politburo member Esteban Lazo shared that if he has two potatoes and his neighbor has none, then he should share his with his neighbor. It’s hard not to have images of the early church flood to my mind.

As we worked with the Cuban Council of Churches to develop a joint statement on our relations with Cuba, as we listened to the Cuban people and government representative, as we spent time in prayer and reflection, it seemed clear to me that the US embargo feels very much like bullying and holding a grudge. When they shared the dire economic conditions experienced in Cuba after the fall of the wall in 1991 (which they equated to our great depression), I couldn’t help but think that we missed a perfect opportunity to reach out and be the good neighbor, both exercising and asking for forgiveness and entering into a new and life-giving relationship.

What does this mean now? What have I learned from my experience? How will I live differently? I was intrigued by how similar my responses have been to 1979. My sense is that many Cubans have a strong sense of Christian identity and perhaps “do” church better than many Americans. I was intrigued with the level of fundamental care for one another in the midst of what we would define as poverty and perhaps even oppression. I was curious about the statement from an economic advisor we met with that they are not a socialist nation, but a nation founded on socialist principles. Another colleague shared that many of the parishioners described Castro as a strict father who took care of his children and they needed to do as he said.

Perhaps as you read this many mixed emotions and thoughts swirl in your mind, as they do mine. It became clear to me that there is no place for judgment and tremendous opportunity for learning and for improving the human condition--for all of us. It has certainly touched my mind and spirit with a new level of interest in ways we can increase humanitarian aid to Cuba and other people in need.

My life lessons from this experience are still forming. Yet, this I know: I have been much more sensitized to both the “different” and the “same” among us. That first and foremost, I want to focus on the need to offer life-giving care, for my neighbor(s) both near and far, for God’s earth, for God’s creatures (yes I couldn’t help but notice the cats and dogs and even reflect on the difference in care for our pets) and even for myself. It has been very meaningful to step away from the “norm”--my usual hustle and bustle--and be reminded of the spiritual connectedness that the noise in my life can often drown out. I believe this experience will continue to develop me, my relationship with others and my relationship with God and for that I give great thanks.
May we look at each day this Advent season--and always--as a new gift and an opportunity to share in Kingdom living.

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

Wonder stick: An interview with Grace Mishler. Grace Mishler, November 2011

2011-12-14T12:28:00.000-06:00

Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Service / Vaên Ñaït

Grace Mishler is serving in Vietnam with sponsorship from the Global Mission and Service department, placed at the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Working with disabilities issues, she was interviewed for White Cane Safety Day in Vietnam by a journalist from the Vietnam News Outlook, a publication with national distribution.

The following interview with Grace Mishler, Church of the Brethren member serving in Vietnam with support from the denomination’s Global Mission and Service office, is by Vietnamese journalist Löu Vaên Ñaït. It is reprinted here with permission, originally appearing Nov. 15 in English in the “Vietnam News Outlook” social section, whose circulation is nation-wide:

The visually impaired struggle to be more independent by using a white cane that allows them to better integrate into society. “With my cane, I feel more independent in Vieät Nam. It’s my best friend here,” says American Grace Mishler, whose eyesight began to fail when she was 31 years old.

Today, at 64, Grace works as a consultant at the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Her work, which aims to raise public sensitivity and compassion about the disabled, is supported in part by Church of the Brethren Global Mission based in the US.

Grace settled in Vieät Nam 12 years ago after an initial three-week visit. Having traveled all over the country, she is never without her cane. When I arrived at her house for an interview, she insisted that she first demonstrate how to cross a busy street with the white cane. She showed me the moves which she had learned from her friend Leâ Daân Baïch Vieät, who studied mobility training for the blind in the US at the University of Pennsylvania. He later returned to teach blind people in Vieät Nam.

“Leâ was the master of mobility for visually impaired people. Unfortunately, he died from cancer after he set up the first mobility-training course in Vieät Nam,” she adds.

Grace says that most visually impaired people in the country do not know how to use the cane, and they often don’t go out because they feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. Few of them own a white cane, which began to be widely used in the early 20th century in France, the UK, and the US.

Her biggest concern now is that few blind people in Vieät Nam choose to use a cane. Without it, they stay isolated from friends and the community.

The three things that have helped her survive in Vieät Nam are her hat, sunglasses, and white cane, she says. “Even though the cane helps me, I know sometimes I can still get really nervous,” Grace admits.

She struck me as a woman of strong self-determination, with an iron spirit. She has had several difficulties in her life. Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at aged 31, she later discovered that she had leukemia, which was successfully treated and remains in remission.

During her first few days in Vieät Nam, Grace says she felt odd when she stepped out onto the street, hearing the roaring sound of motorbikes. She often took a taxi or motorbike to travel because of her fear. She says the streets in Saøi Goøn can be difficult to navigate without assistance, from either a cane, a seeing-eye dog or another person. The pavements are often crowded with parking lots for motorbikes or kiosks, she says.

In 1999, before coming to Vieät Nam, she relied heavily on her cane during a five-week stay in India. Later, when she moved here, she found that the roads here were more organized than in India. During her 12 years here, she has not had any accident, except for one fall in a bathroom.

More young people in Vieät Nam are beginning to use the white cane, which helps them to walk and use public transport. Hoaøng Vónh Taâm, 18, who was born with a visual impairment, travels by bus to his university in District 3 from Nhaät Hoàng Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Thuû Ñöùc District. He learned how to use the cane from teachers at the centre.

“Thanks to the cane, I travelled independently to high school, and now I can attend university,” says Taâm, who wants to become a tour guide.

A few weeks ago, Taâm got lost when he was going home because the bus suddenly changed route. He got off and began walking. “I was able to get home because of my cane and what I was taught,” he says.

Leâ Thò Vaân Nga, director of the centre, was trained in Australia in mobility techniques for the blind. Nga, who is not visually impaired, says the white cane is like a long finger for the people who use it. Without the cane, they can feel isolated from the community, refusing to participate in social activities or studies at school.

In Vieät Nam, there are only about 20 lecturers around the country who can teach mobility techniques for the blind. Nga said that when she studied in Australia, as part of her training, she was dropped in the middle of nowhere blindfolded, and had to find a way to return to a previously appointed location. In Vieät Nam, Nga teaches the same practical techniques as well as several theory classes. “Walking on the street, I understand the challenges that the blind face, and know the importance of the white cane,” she says.

She hopes to develop more orientation courses for the blind. “Even sighted people get lost, so the course is very important.”

Recently, four five-day courses on mobility techniques were offered to teachers at schools for the blind and other schools.

Symbol of independence: To raise awareness about the visually impaired, Vieät Nam celebrated the first White Cane Safety Day on Oct. 14, with 50 visually impaired people walking with their white canes down Nguyeãn Chí Thanh Street from Nguyeãn Ñình Chieåu Blind School in HCM City. The special day was initiated in 1964 by the US Congress in a joint resolution that designated Oct. 15 as White Cane Safety Day. Renamed Blind Americans Equality Day by President Barack Obama this year on Oct. 14, the day recognises the contributions of Americans who are blind or have poor vision.

“On this day, we celebrate the achievements of blind and visually impaired Americans and reaffirm our commitment to advancing their complete social and economic integration,” Obama said.

Not only does the white cane offer protection and help the visually impaired live independently, it also alerts motor vehicles and pedestrians to yield the right of way to the person using the cane.

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

An Advent letter from the Annual Conference officers.

2011-12-14T12:25:00.000-06:00

“If we have love, disagreement will do us no harm. If we do not have love, agreement will do us no good.” --Kurtis Friend Naylor

To our sisters and brothers in the Church of the Brethren:

The items of business at Annual Conference earlier this year addressed significant matters of life and faith, and our passionate discussions showed that we take those matters seriously.

Vigorous debate is not necessarily cause for concern, but within our discussions there were clearly times when our tone and attitudes toward one another crossed a line. In those moments, it was painful to see that our debate sounded no different from the way society in general debates controversial matters--sides are taken, accusations are made, threats are received. One church member received a death threat. Another member was told, “I wish you would go to hell.” And many individuals spent their time identifying with their particular sub-group rather than with the church as a whole.

As officers of Annual Conference, we long for our discussions in the Church of the Brethren to be markedly different from that of the world. If those who are not disciples of Jesus were to observe us at our most difficult moments, would they be able to see--through our words, our tone, and our actions--how much we love and respect one another?

And so we offer a challenge. We urge each of us to take a step back from our current disagreements and examine whether our own attitudes and actions reflect the transformation we have come to know through the Holy Spirit. Specifically, we encourage members to consider taking the following actions before the 2012 Annual Conference in St. Louis:

If we have spoken ill of anyone or in any way failed to build up the church through our spoken words, our social media, or even by our thoughts, that we make an effort to be reconciled again in Christ Jesus our Lord, in the spirit of Matthew 18:15-20.

That we devote ourselves to study and prayer around the 2012 Annual Conference theme, “Continuing the work of Jesus. Peacefully. Simply. Together,” and theme verses Matthew 28:19-20.

Finally, it is our hope that we would all hold one another in prayer as we seek to “Continue the work of Jesus. Peacefully. Simply. Together.”

Grace and peace to you,
Tim Harvey, 2012 Annual Conference Moderator
Bob Krouse, Moderator-elect and Fred Swartz, Annual Conference Secretary

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

Brethren bits: Job openings, Annual Conference delegate registration, college news, and more.

2011-12-14T12:20:00.000-06:00

Shenandoah District seeks a full-time district executive minister for a position available May 1, 2012. The district includes 97 congregations, 5 fellowships, and 1 project. It seeks a strong, outgoing leader who will develop and build vital and growing relationships with congregations and ministers. The district is making a transition from multiple staff to a district executive minister who will work with a Leadership Team to develop additional staffing needs. Camp Brethren Woods is a significant aspect of district ministry. The camp director is part of district staff as an associate district executive. The district office is located in Weyers Cave, Va. Responsibilities include serving as executive officer of the district Leadership Team; facilitating and overseeing planning and implementation of ministries set forth by the District Conference and the Leadership Team; providing linkages between the district and its congregations, the Mission and Ministry Board, and denominational agencies; promoting and cultivating the vision set forth by the district; providing leadership in pastoral placement, development, and support, among others. Qualifications include a mature and personal commitment to Jesus Christ and a faith shaped by New Testament values and the heritage and practice of the Church of the Brethren; ordination in the Church of the Brethren with at least 5-9 years of pastoral experience; administrative and management skills; oral and written communication skills; interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate and work with a range of personalities; master of divinity degree preferred. Send a letter of interest and resume via e-mail to OfficeofMinistry@brethren.org. Applicants are requested to contact three or four people to provide a letter of reference. Upon receipt of the resume the individual will be sent a candidate profile that must be completed and returned before the application is complete. The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2012.

The Gather 'Round curriculum, produced by Brethren Press and MennoMedia, is accepting applications to write for Preschool, Primary, Middler, Multiage, Junior Youth, or Youth age groups for 2013-14. Writers produce well-written, age-appropriate, and engaging material for teacher's guides, student books, and resource packs. All writers will attend an orientation March 19-23, 2012, in Chicago, Ill. See Job Opportunities at www.gatherround.org . Application deadline is Jan. 9, 2012.

Early registration for congregational delegates to the 2012 Annual Conference in St. Louis, Mo., will open at noon (central time) on Jan. 2. The early registration fee is $285 per delegate. The fee increases to $310 on Feb. 23. Congregations will be able to register their delegates online at www.brethren.org/ac and will be able to pay either by credit card or by sending a check. A memo and registration form also is being mailed to every congregation. Non delegate registration and housing reservations will begin Feb. 22. For questions or more information contact the Conference Office at annualconference@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 229.

Shipping of the 2012 Brethren Reminder has been delayed in order to provide up-to-date staff listings, and copies should arrive in early January. The complimentary pocket calendar is sent by Brethren Press to pastors and other church leaders. It includes key dates on the denominational calendar, as well as address information and staff listings.

The church’s advocacy and peace witness office in Washington, D.C., has signed on to a number of ecumenically sponsored letters. One calls for cuts in nuclear weapons spending, organized by staff of the Friends (Quaker) Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) and signed by 47 faith-based groups. Another communication on behalf of 26 faith-based organizations opposes an anti-diplomacy provision in House of Representatives legislation on sanctions against Iran. Again with organization from the FCNL, the communication expressed concern that “this legislation would undermine prospects for a diplomatic resolution of Iran’s disputed nuclear program, increasing the threat of war.” The Church of the Brethren also joined nearly 150 other organizations in a call to Congress to re-authorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. The act creates an office within the Department of Justice to develop federal policies around issues relating to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

A new “Brethren in the News” page is online at www.brethren.org/news/2011/brethren-in-the-news-1.html . This occasional news feature on the denominational website offers links to the latest Brethren-related news, obituaries for church members, and more, with link to the full stories online.

In recent work, the Material Resources program based at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., has shipped two 40-foot containers of Lutheran World Relief (LWR) quilts, soap, toothpaste, and kits to Tanzania; received and unloaded 11 boxcars and 6 piggyback trailers of LWR materials; shipped Church World Service (CWS) blankets to Michigan, Connecticut, and Florida for homeless and economically disadvantaged people; shipped 1,050 heavyweight CWS blankets to Pharr, Texas, for distribution by Methodist Border Ministries Network and Faith Ministry on both sides of the US/Mexico border; sent 30 CWS blankets to Wellsboro, Pa., for use by homeless individuals and families in Tiogo County; and sent two 40-foot containers on their way on behalf of a cooperative effort of International Orthodox Christian Charities, LWR, CWS, and IMA World Health: one container of school kits for Cameroon and one loaded with quilts, baby kits, and bed sheets for Serbia.

The group who gathered for an international interfaith meeting on HIV and AIDS included two Church of the Brethren members: Anna Speicher, editor of the Gather ’Round curriculum, and Sara Speicher, a former staff of the Association of Brethren Caregivers.

Anna Speicher, editor of the Gather ’Round curriculum, was one of two Church of the Brethren members at an international meeting on HIV and AIDS organized by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance and hosted by the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Her sister, Sara Speicher, who is a former staff of the Association of Brethren Caregivers and a former Brethren Volunteer Service worker, was a primary organizer of the meeting. Leaders from five world religions gathered to encourage engagement and action on HIV in dialogue with people living with HIV. The group expressed dismay at the recent drop in funding for the AIDS response just as recent statistics show the effectiveness of prevention and treatment approaches, and stated in its final reflections: “As we ourselves recommit to deeper and more active engagement in the HIV response, we call on donor and recipient governments to fulfill their promises and provide the sustainable financial resources to reach the goal in the 2011 Political Declaration (UN declaration on HIV and AIDS) that we now see as attainable--zero deaths, zero new infections, and zero stigma and discrimination.” The 15 leaders from the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim traditions included religious leaders living with HIV, and met with representatives of organizations including the Global Network of People Living with HIV, UNAIDS, United Nations Population Fund, and World AIDS Campaign.

A spiritual disciplines folder for Epiphany has been announced by the Springs of Living Water initiative for church renewal, on the theme, “The Invitation to Discipleship, ‘Follow Me and I Will Make You Fish for People.’” Prepared so that churches can distribute them at their Christmas Eve services, this folder is a guide for persons to read the scriptures in their devotional life. The folder can be found on the Springs website at www.churchrenewalservant.org . Vince Cable, pastor of Uniontown Church of the Brethren, prepared study questions on the daily readings which can also be found on the website. For more information e-mail David and Joan Young at davidyoung@churchrenewalservant.org .

Photo courtesy of Fahrney-Keedy Home and Village

Florence Graff (center), a volunteer and former board member at Fahrney-Keedy Home and Village near Boonsboro, Md., was honored on Nov. 4 as a Distinguished Volunteer during the National Philanthropy Day luncheon at Ceresville Mansion in Frederick, Md.

Florence Graff, a volunteer and former board member at Fahrney-Keedy Home and Village near Boonsboro, Md., was honored on Nov. 4 as a Distinguished Volunteer during the National Philanthropy Day luncheon at Ceresville Mansion in Frederick, Md. Graff served on the Fahrney-Keedy Board of Directors 1994-2007. Keith Bryan, president and CEO, said of Mrs. Graff, “Fahrney-Keedy is blessed to have been the recipient of Dr. (Henry) and Mrs. Graff's generosity both through endowments and volunteer efforts over many years. She is tireless in her dedication and hard work and we wish to express our deep thanks on behalf of the facility and its residents for her service to the board.” For more information visit www.fkhv.org.

Manchester College seeks nominations for its 2012 Warren K. and Helen J. Garner Alumni Teacher of the Year. To be eligible, candidates must be currently teaching (preschool -12) and have made significant contributions to education, provide exceptional service to the profession, are deeply concerned for the individual students, and are able to inspire learning. To nominate a Manchester graduate for the award visit www.manchester.edu or contact the Department of Education at 260-982-5056. Deadline for nominations is March 9. The Garners, who have endowed the Teacher of the Year recognition, are 1950 graduates of the college. A member of the Indiana Educator Hall of Fame, Warren Garner chaired the Manchester College Department of Education for more than 20 years and helped rewrite teacher training licensing standards. Helen Garner taught fifth- and sixth-graders for 22 years.

Theater at Bridgewater (Va.) College has been invited by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival to perform its fall 2011 theater production, “A Dream Play” by August Strindberg in a new version by Caryl Churchill at the Regional Festival at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 13, 2012, in Fisher Auditorium at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. “It is a great honor to have our show selected to participate in the Regional Festival,” said Scott W. Cole, associate professor of theater, in a release from the college. “It puts Bridgewater College and the theater program ‘on the map’ as a program of high-quality and excellence.” An encore performance of “A Dream Play” is free and open to the public at 8 p.m. on Jan. 7 in Cole Hall.

The University of La Verne, Calif., received one of 20 competitive grants awarded to Hispanic-serving institutions from the US Department of Agriculture, according to a release sent by the university. The USDA awarded a total of $8.8 million in the grants, as reported by HispanicBusiness.com . The grants are intended to enhance the ability of colleges and universities to support underserved students and develop a skilled American workforce.

McPherson (Kan.) College has announced the winning team of its Global Enterprise Challenge: Panama. The winners receive scholarships and all-expenses paid trip to Panama to explore what it would take to make their entrepreneurial idea a reality. The team proposed "Esperanza: Cultivating with Compassion,” a concept to establish a grade school with a circular model in which the Panamanian community helps sponsor promising students to receive higher education and in return students commit to returning to the community as teachers to help the next generation. The winning team included mentor Jonathan Frye, professor of natural science; Jacob Patrick, sophomore from Elizabeth, Colo.; Lara Neher, freshman from Grundy Center, Iowa; Emily James, junior from Westminster, Colo.; Sarah Neher, senior from Rochester, Minn.; and Tabitha McCullough, senior from Hill City, Kan.

The Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF) is sponsoring an intergenerational work camp for ages 11-plus in Haiti from June 17–25, 2012. The number of participants is limited to 20. The team will be serving at the New Covenant School in St. Louis du Nord, helping to build a new school building as well as leading a vacation Bible school. Another BRF workcamp is planned for July 23-29, 2012, in Puerto Rico for youth who have completed grade 9 to age 19. The number of participants is limited to 20. The team will be at the new Church of the Brethren project in Morovis, and will do light construction or painting as well as community clean-up or working with children. Online registration for both workcamps opens Jan. 9, 2012, at 7 p.m. (central) at the Church of the Brethren website www.brethren.org.

Church Women United celebrated its 70th anniversary on Dec. 1-3. In a recent e-mail, the Global Women’s Project, a Church of the Brethren group, extended its congratulations to Church Women United, reporting that “since 1941, CWU has organized into more than 1,200 local and state units in the United States and Puerto Rico in its quest to create a more just and peaceful world.”

Bethany Seminary professor Dawn Ottoni Wilhelm has co-edited a new Bible lectionary commentary titled, “Preaching God’s Transforming Justice: A Lectionary Commentary, Year B.” The book was published by Westminster John Knox Press with a goal to “help the preacher focus on the implications for social justice in every biblical reading in the Revised Common Lectionary.” It also highlights 22 “Holy Days for Justice” such as World Aids Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The 90 contributors are a diverse group of biblical scholars, preachers, social activists, and professors of preaching. Find out more at www.wjkbooks.com.

Source:12/14/2011 Newsline

Credits

2011-12-14T12:15:00.000-06:00

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 Jordan Blevins, Chris Douglas, Carol Fike, Mary Jo Flory-Steury, Mary Kay Heatwole, Philip E. Jenks, Jon Kobel, Michael Leiter, Adam Pracht, Alisha M. Rosas, Becky Ullom, Julia Wheeler, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.

Newsline: November 30, 2011

2011-11-30T12:13:00.000-06:00

NEWS

Committee announces decisions regarding 2012 Annual Conference.
Enhancing, restructuring, and safeguarding its ministries was the focus of the BBT board’s fall meeting.
BBT board offers Ethos Statement to Church of the Brethren community as a guide for interaction.
Brethren funds jointly support relief for Horn of Africa famine.

PERSONNEL

BBT announces personnel changes and restructuring.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Brethren Academy announces upcoming courses.
Young adults will meet on theme, ‘Humble Yet Bold: Being the Church.’
Bethany Seminary invites youth to explore their call.

BRETHREN BITS

Correction, remembrance, personnel, Christmas events, much more.

Committee announces decisions regarding 2012 Annual Conference.

2011-11-30T12:05:00.000-06:00

The logo for the 2012 Annual Conference offers a new take on the Church of the Brethren "tagline" that has been chosen as the theme of the Conference: Continuing the Work of Jesus. Peacefully. Simply. Together. Logo design by Paul Stocksdale working with Brethren Press publisher Wendy McFadden

At a recent meeting, the Program and Arrangements Committee of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference made a number of decisions including approval of all applications for booth space in the exhibit hall at the 2012 Conference. Among applicants was the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests (BMC).

Other decisions announced by Conference moderator Tim Harvey include a new set up for business sessions that will seat delegates at round tables, a "Continuing the Work of Jesus Wall" to stand in the business and worship hall, a service project to benefit the city of St. Louis, and the naming of Robert Neff as leader of an all-Conference Sunday school session prior to Sunday morning worship. Also, a new logo illustrating the theme, "Continuing the Work of Jesus. Peacefully. Simply. Together," has been unveiled (see image at right).

The Program and Arrangements Committee, which includes the three Annual Conference officers, three elected members, and the Conference director as an ex-officio member, made its decision to grant BMC booth space as part of an evaluation of the 30-plus applications from church-related groups requesting space in the exhibit hall, Harvey said in a telephone interview.

The decision on BMC's application “was based on the decision of the 2011 Annual Conference,” he said, referring to the 2011 delegate body's action that “reaffirmed the entire 1983 Statement on Human Sexuality from a Christian Perspective, and voted to continue deeper conversations concerning human sexuality outside of the query process.” Harvey specifically cited the delegates' reaffirmation of the entire 1983 paper, which includes instruction to the church to challenge fear, hatred, and harassment of homosexual persons, and decision to continue conversation in venues outside the query process that brings items of business to the Conference. “It is the belief of Program and Arrangements Committee that conversation and understanding of the ministries represented in the exhibit hall does take place and is affirmed as a value of the exhibit hall,” Harvey said.

Instruction for the Program and Arrangements Committee to make an evaluation of all the applications it received for exhibit space at the 2012 Conference came from the Standing Committee of district delegates, Harvey said. None of the applications were rejected, he said.

There has been lobbying in the church about the granting of a booth to BMC, Harvey acknowledged. "We received some correspondence both for and against," he said. He stated firmly, however, that none of that correspondence was discussed at the Program and Arrangements Committee meeting. "We were deliberately trying to get out of the political realm...which is why we went back to what the Annual Conference said."

He added that as moderator, he hopes to help the church figure out "a better way to talk with each other." The decision to seat delegates at round tables is another step in that direction. "I'm pretty excited about it," Harvey said. "It's an idea that has been around for awhile."

The concept dates back to a 2007 Conference item on "Doing Church Business" that was received by the delegates and referred to the Annual Conference Officers for implementation. Several recommendations in the document have found life over the years, Harvey noted. He hopes for some business items in 2012 to include time for small group discussion around the tables, including the reports from the Annual Conference-related agencies of the church. He also hopes delegates will sit with people they do not know, and the officers will create opportunities for delegates to find out about each other's congregations and what is going on in churches beyond their own areas. The round tables will "really build these community groups around the hall," he said.

Cost for the table set up is "budget neutral" he said. However, since extra cost would be incurred to change seating arrangements mid-Conference, the round tables also will be in place for worship services held in the same hall as business sessions. Due to space limitations, the tables will be provided only for delegate seating (during the business sessions), with non-delegates seated in rows of chairs.

In the business and worship hall will be the new "Continuing the Work of Jesus Wall." The wall will be a bulletin board for participants to post affirmations in the following three categories: things they are thankful for in their own congregations, "shout outs" to Brethren ministries they are impressed with, and the names of people who should be called to ministry. Program and Arrangements Committee also hopes to set up some electronic means for people to submit affirmations and potential leadership.

The Sunday school session in advance of worship on July 12 will be led by Neff, an Old Testament scholar who is a former general secretary of the denomination, a frequent contributor to Brethren Press, and in recent years a popular speaker at National Older Adult Conference. Harvey said he hopes Neff will be able to take advantage of table groups to foster discussion and make the Bible study an interactive experience for the whole Conference.

Information about the witness to the city of St. Louis will be shared as it is available, Harvey said. The project will be in keeping with the 2008 Annual Conference query ‘Conference Witness to the Host City.” The 2012 Annual Conference takes place in St. Louis, Mo., on July 7-11 next year. For more about the Conference go to www.brethren.org/ac.

Source:11/30/2011 Newsline

Enhancing, restructuring, and safeguarding its ministries was the focus of the BBT board’s fall meeting.

2011-11-30T12:01:00.000-06:00

Photo by Patrice Nightingale

The Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) board of directors held its fall 2011 meeting in mid-November at the Village at Morrisons Cove, a Church of the Brethren retirement community in Martinsburg, Pa.

New capabilities for Brethren Pension Plan members, a restructuring of Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) as an organization, and the creation of a reserve fund for Brethren Foundation Charitable Gift Annuities were three of the main outcomes from the BBT board’s fall face-to-face meeting, which was held Nov. 18-19 in Martinsburg, Pa.

Each of these items will be implemented as a result of the board approving staff’s proposed 2012 budget.

“The respective changes that are on their way will allow the Brethren Pension Plan to better serve its retirees and current plan members, as well as to be more competitive at bringing in new members,” said Nevin Dulabaum, BBT president. “The changes will also reduce BBT’s overall expenses as we seek to maintain our effectiveness while utilizing some new efficiencies, and will provide Brethren Foundation protection from future liabilities. While change is never easy, I am confident that these proposals will serve the organization well.”

Total expenses for 2012 are budgeted at $4.18 million, down $58,000 (1.4 percent) from the 2011 budget and down $11,565 from BBT’s end-of-September annualized expenses. While overall expenses will be at a similar range in 2012, the story is in how the expenses will be allocated. Brethren Pension Plan is going to assume additional expenses so that it can transition to an outsourced record keeper, which will provide a number of value-added services for members and administrators including enhanced online tools for each member’s personal account and asset allocation advice. This shift will keep the plan competitive and compliant in a challenging, regulated marketplace. Meanwhile, BBT’s Insurance Services department will adopt some new efficiencies and will be slightly downsized in operations.

With the slight downsizing in operations in insurance, and with the closing of the Church of the Brethren Credit Union this past June, BBT finds itself with administrative support expenses that can be reduced. Thus, five BBT positions will be eliminated effective Dec. 16. A sixth position previously announced--a chief operating officer--will not be filled. The equivalent of a seventh position is being eliminated from BBT consulting fees. In addition to these positions, staff members combed through all budget line items, rethinking how BBT performs its work as they attempted to balance effectiveness with efficiencies. This process also resulted in BBT freezing its 2011 wages for 2012.

“Our organizational needs are changing,” Dulabaum said. “It is our responsibility to redirect expenses to meet the demands of those we serve and to fulfill internal obligations such as compliance. We are working hard to strengthen our ministries while creatively seeking new efficiencies to help bolster our operations. As we live into our new structure, we will continue to look at ways to reduce costs.”

In addition to the budget reductions, the organization will also become more streamlined in 2012. The BBT management team as of Jan. 1, 2012, will be composed of four members, and each member will carry an additional responsibility. Dulabaum will oversee communications. Scott Douglas, BBT’s vice president and director of Brethren Pension Plan, will become the director of the newly formed Employee Benefits Department, supervising all pension and insurance operations. Steve Mason, director of Brethren Foundation, will continue directing BBT’s socially responsible investing initiatives. John McGough, chief financial officer and director of investments, will become BBT’s chief compliance officer.

The other business item with financial ramifications was the board’s creation of a Charitable Gift Annuity Loss Reserve Fund, which will help offset gift annuities that have greater liabilities than assets. Mason indicated that the fund is needed to protect BFI’s assets from “underwater” gift annuities. The board also approved three additional steps that will help govern the administration of the gift annuities BBT manages; donors and intended recipient agencies will be notified of the changes by BFI staff.

Other significant actions

The BBT board affirmed its Ethos Statement for another year, with the belief that the statement that was first approved in Nov. 2008 continues to serve the organization well. The board also produced an announcement that reaffirms the Ethos Statement (see news item below). The Ethos Statement is available at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/ideals.

The long-term strategy of Brethren Pension Plan’s Retirement Benefits Fund, the status on the search for a pension plan record keeper, and an update from the denomination’s vision committee were some of the reports received by the board.

In September, the board had heard departmental reports during a conference call. This call was designed to accommodate routine business items, which allows for more discussion about difficult issues when the group is convened in person. To this end, the board also decided not to meet at Annual Conference 2012, which would consist of a four-hour meeting following the conclusion of the conference. To conserve expenses and maximize meeting time, the board approved the concept of meeting for two days at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., over a weekend in August or early September.

The board also:

Approved an amendment to Brethren Pension Plan’s legal plan document, which clarifies when a person shall be entitled to receive an annuity benefit.
Retained Sterling Capital Management as its short-term investment manager for a three-year term.
Welcomed board members Harry Rhodes and John Waggoner as the Investment Committee’s chairman and recorder; Ann Quay Davis and Carol Ann Greenwood as the Budget and Audit Review Committee’s chairwoman and recorder; and Donna Forbes Steiner and Eunice Culp as the Governance Committee’s chairwoman and recorder.
Met with Brethren Pension Plan members and Brethren Foundation Clients at the Village at Morrisons Cove retirement community. BBT’s board members and several staff also met with Corey Jones, Bob Neff, and Linda Banaszak, senior staff members of the Village at Morrisons Cove.
Affirmed April 21-22 as the board’s next face-to-face meeting dates, in Elgin, Ill., with a conference call to be held in late March.

(This release was provided by BBT).

Source:11/30/2011 Newsline

BBT board offers Ethos Statement to Church of the Brethren community as a guide for interaction.

2011-11-30T11:57:00.000-06:00

These are difficult times for the church. As an agency of the Annual Conference, Church of the Brethren Benefit Trust takes seriously its leadership role as it serves the church. We value and affirm the relationships that we have with individuals and entities we serve.

In November 2008, the BBT board approved an ethos statement designed to guide board members and staff in their interactions with others. In these uncertain times within the denomination and society, the BBT board reviewed and reaffirmed the statement on Nov. 19 during its fall meeting.

Christ calls us to respect and honor one another. To this end, BBT’s board and staff invite all Church of the Brethren members, congregations, and groups to consider the following statement to guide their interactions with others--

Embracing the spirit of God in all that we do.
Showing unconditional positive regard* for each other and for those we exist to serve.
Equipping ourselves to fulfill our individual and collective responsibilities.
Empowering one another.
Exhibiting a commitment to serve.
Being accountable, individually and corporately, with each other and with those we exist to serve.
Operating in a transparent and collaborative manner.

* Unconditional positive regard, a concept developed by Carl Rogers, is when one person is completely accepting of another, modeling an attitude that is demonstrated through behavior.

(This release was provided by BBT).

Source:11/30/2011 Newsline

Brethren funds jointly support relief for Horn of Africa famine. Kenya camp tents

2011-11-30T11:52:00.000-06:00

Paul Jeffrey, ACT Alliance

Refugees and workers for the ACT Alliance pitch tents in the Dadaab refugee camp in northeastern Kenya. Tens of thousands of refugees have fled drought-stricken Somalia in recent weeks, swelling what was already the world's largest refugee settlement.

Two new grants from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) have been given to help hundreds of thousands of people affected by famine and drought in the Horn of Africa. The EDF grant of $40,000 and the GFCF grant of $25,000 follow up on two previous grants in the same amounts made in August.

The region most affected is southern Somalia, which has had the first true famine of the 21st century, caused by the worst drought to hit northeast Africa in 60 years. Areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, and Eritrea also have experienced severe drought. It is estimated that more than 13 million people are affected.

Not all countries in drought have experienced famine. Famine is defined by several measures of the severity of lack of food, such as more than 3 in 10 children are acutely malnourished, more than 2 of every 10,000 people die in a day, 1 in 5 people are unable to access basic foods. On July 20 the United Nations declared Somalia to be suffering famine. Since then, famine conditions spread into six areas of southern Somalia.

In news shared recently by Ecumenical News International, the movement of migrants has greatly lessened to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, just across the border from Somalia. The change is credited to rainfall, along with increased humanitarian aid, “and military operations inside Somalia.” However, Dadaab continues as the world's biggest refugee complex incorporating outlying border camps that have drawn Somali refugees, particularly women and children. The Dadaab population now exceeds a half million people.

A coordinator of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) relief effort--which is among ecumenical partners receiving Brethren funding--spoke to ENI days after the UN reported that famine had receded in three areas of Somalia previously described as the worst affected. However, ENI also reported that on Nov. 28 the Al-shabab radical Islamic group banned 16 aid agencies, including some with a Christian focus, from areas it controls in southern Somalia. Banning humanitarian agencies from southern Somalia will worsen the situation for 160,000 severely malnourished children and thousands of people recovering from famine, relief agency officials told ENI.

The EDF and GFCF grants jointly support the work of Church World Service (CWS), the ACT Alliance, and partner organizations such as LWF, which are providing life-saving food, water, and support for hundreds of thousands of people. CWS and partners are working in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia to provide immediate relief, and working toward longer-term food security and nutrition and water initiatives in areas of Kenya in particular. In Dadaab, shipments of food, cooking pots, and hygiene supplies have been provided.

With these two most recent grants, the Church of the Brethren has given more than 10 percent of CWS’s total appeal for $1.2 million for the Horn of Africa crisis. A pre-Thanksgiving e-mail letter from Brethren Disaster Ministries director Roy Winter and GFCF manager Howard Royer called Church of the Brethren congregations to join in the response. “A crisis this big should be on the front pages of our newspapers,” the letter said. “We must not ignore it!”

For more about the Brethren response and an opportunity to give online, go to www.brethren.org/africafamine. Gifts to the EDF and GFCF may be sent by mail to Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. A bulletin insert is at www.brethren.org/bdm/files/africa-bulletin-insert.pdf. A sample letter to lawmakers is at www.brethren.org/bdm/files/advocacy-letter-lawmakers.pdf. An illustrated “Prayer for All Who Are Suffering in East Africa” composed by Glenn Kinsel is at www.brethren.org/bdm/files/prayer-for-east-africa.pdf.

Source:11/30/2011 Newsline

BBT announces personnel changes and restructuring.

2011-11-30T11:46:00.000-06:00

Five Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) colleagues will end their responsibilities with the organization effective Dec. 16 due to budgetary and economic factors.

Cindy Benthusen, general office services representative, began her employment on April 17, 2000. She has been the first point of contact for many BBT members and clients, serving as receptionist. She also has provided support to the president’s office, led mailing projects, provided ancillary services to each BBT department, and kept the office supplies stocked. She and her son live in Elgin, Ill.

Cindy Bravos began serving in BBT’s Communications department on May 3, 2007, when she was hired as the Congregational Contact Network coordinator. More recently, she has served as the organization’s marketing coordinator. Her work focused on promoting BBT’s ministries in the denomination and at Brethren-affiliated organizations. She also produced the annual Memorial Tribute video for the past three years. She lives with her family in St. Charles, Ill.

Willie Hisey Pierson began serving BBT as the director of Insurance Services on Sept. 21, 2010, and has helped increase the number of client groups serviced by that ministry. He brought a plethora of insurance knowledge to BBT after gaining more than 16 years of experience working in the industry. He and his family live in Plainfield, Ill.

Lauryn Klotzbach has served as production coordinator since June 1, 2004. She has been key in developing the look of BBT’s marketing materials and publications. She also served as the lead administrator of the organization’s customer relations management system. Prior to her BBT tenure, she worked for Church of the Brethren General Board for four years. She and her husband live in Elgin, Ill.

Diana Seymour joined the insurance team on Jan. 4, 2010, to help grow that ministry’s medical and ancillary business. She spent 24 years in the insurance industry before working at BBT, including positions with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and The Plexus Groupe. She and her husband live in Bartlett, Ill.

These staff will complete their duties in mid-December, but will receive salary and benefits through March 31, 2012. They also will receive consulting services to assist them in finding employment.

Please hold these people in prayer as they search for new employment. To honor the service of these staff members, BBT has scheduled a farewell gathering on Dec. 15 when the General Offices community will have an opportunity to say goodbye.

Additionally, in the restructuring process, Randy Yoder will end his employment with BBT on
Dec. 31, 2011, but maintain a role with BBT as an individual contractor selling Long-Term Care insurance. Patrice Nightingale will shift to the manager of production position effective Jan. 1, 2012, to reflect the changing level of demand on BBT’s Communications department. Also, on Jan. 1, Scott Douglas will become the director of Employee Benefits and provide leadership for insurance services in addition to continuing to provide oversight for the Pension Plan.

Effective Jan. 1, 2012, BBT will restructure according to the following chart:

Administration:

Nevin Dulabaum, President
Donna March, Director of Office Operations
Diane Parrott, Administrative Office Assistant
Eric Thompson, Director of Operations for Information Technology
German Gongora, Programmer Analyst & Technology Support Specialist
Patrice Nightingale, Manager of Production
Loyce Swartz Borgmann, Manager of Client Relations
Brian Solem, Coordinator of Publications

Finance:

John McGough, Chief Financial Officer
Sandy Schild, Director of Financial Operations
Ovidiu Catanescu, Accounting Manager
Veronica Aragon, Systems Specialist

Employee Benefits (includes Pension and Insurance):

Scott Douglas, Director of Employee Benefits
John Carroll, Manager of Pension Operation
Lori Domich, Member Services Representative, Pension
Jill Olson, Member Services Representative, Pension
Tammy Chudy, Manager of Insurance Operations
Connie Sandman, Member Services Representative, Insurance

Foundation:

Steve Mason, Director of Brethren Foundation
Steve Lipinski, Manager of Operations

-- Donna March is director of Office Operations for Brethren Benefit Trust.

Source:11/30/2011 Newsline

Brethren Academy announces upcoming courses.

2011-11-30T11:44:00.000-06:00

The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership has announced courses for 2012. Courses are open to Training in Ministry (TRIM) students, pastors seeking continuing education units, and all interested persons. Registration brochures are available at www.bethanyseminary.edu/academy or call 800-287-8822 ext. 1824. For a Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center course contact SVMC@etown.edu or 717-361-1450.

"The Historic Peace Churches Seeking Cultures of Peace" on Jan. 9-13 at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., taught by Scott Holland (register by Dec. 9).
"The Spiritual Life of the Congregation," an online course with Rhonda Pittman Gingrich from Jan. 30-March 23 (register by Jan. 2).
"Matthew and the Brethren" online with Susan Jeffers from Feb. 12-March 23 (offered through the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center, register by Jan. 30).
"Seeing Things Through John's Eyes: A Study of Revelation" taught by Richard Gardner on April 26-29 at McPherson (Kan.) College (register by March 25).
"The Protestant National Church in Germany Today," a study trip to Marburg, Germany, led by Kendall Rogers on May 18-June 3 (call the Brethren Academy to receive details as they emerge; estimated cost $2,000 from departure airport, not including registration; register by Dec. 1).
Academy level course in conjunction with the Church Planters' Conference, "Plant Generously, Reap Bountifully" held May 17-19 at Bethany Seminary in Richmond, Ind. The instructor will be David K. Shumate; exact class dates TBD.
"Defining Set-Apart Ministry within the Bivocational Reality" online with Sandra Jenkins from June 6-Aug. 14 (register by May 4).

Source:11/30/2011 Newsline

Young adults will meet on theme, ‘Humble Yet Bold: Being the Church.’

2011-11-30T11:40:00.000-06:00

Young adults between the ages of 18-35 are invited to National Young Adult Conference (NYAC) in Knoxville, Tenn., on June 18-22, 2012. The conference sponsored by the Church of the Brethren’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry will be held at the University of Tennessee campus on the theme, "Humble, Yet Bold: Being the Church," from Matthew 5:13-18, "Being Salt for the Earth" and "A Light for the World."

“The Young Adult Steering Committee is hoping this event will be a chance for young adults to gather and create a loving community,” said an invitation. “Young adults will gather together and have engaging conversations about our role in the denomination with one another, our various speakers, and others that will join us in Knoxville.”

Online registration begins Jan. 6, 2012, at 8 p.m. (central time) at www.brethren.org/yac. Cost is $375, which includes housing, programing, and meals. A $100 nonrefundable deposit is due within two weeks of registering. The steering committee encourages congregations to put NYAC scholarships in their 2012 budgets to help young adults be able to attend. Also, NYAC gift certificates may be purchased by friends and family members for their favorite young adults.

Young adults are invited to show their support for the event by joining the Facebook group called "Young Adults of the Church of the Brethren." For more information go to www.brethren.org/yac or contact NYAC coordinator Carol Fike at 800-323-8039 ext. 281 or NYAC2012@brethren.org.

Source:11/30/2011 Newsline

Bethany Seminary invites youth to explore their call.

2011-11-30T11:33:00.000-06:00

High school youth are invited to attend Exploring Your Call (EYC) at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., this summer, June 15-25, 2012. This event provides the opportunity for young people entering their junior or senior year of high school in fall 2012 to explore faith and vocation through classes, congregational involvement, service projects, personal and spiritual enrichment, and recreation.

Russell Haitch, associate professor of Christian education and director of the Institute for Youth and Young Adults at Bethany, oversees EYC. “It’s an intense but beautiful program. Last year, youth studied theology in the classroom, then shadowed pastors and did real-life ministry, then took a trip to Chicago to live in an intentional community and learn about all sorts of non-pastoral vocations. The level of conversation and quality of friendship that developed was really splendid, and I’m excited that equally good things will happen this year.”

Through continued generous funding from Barnabas Ltd., participants can attend EYC at no cost except for travel to and from Richmond, Ind. Located in New South Wales, Australia, this family foundation was begun by the parents of current Bethany trustee Jerry Davis and focuses primarily on projects that help prepare people for ministry. “Although the program is free,” says Haitch, “it could cost you a whole change of direction in life.”

First held from 2001-2005, EYC was revived in summer 2011 with an “intellectually alert, emotionally alive, and spiritually courageous” group of youth, according to Haitch. “Unprompted by us, they started sharing about transformational experiences of God in their lives--and every day it kept getting better.” Participant Stephen Dowdy from Stone Church of the Brethren in Huntington, Pa., said, “EYC helped me to better understand how my actions are a part of my ministry. I came to realize that my church life and my ‘normal’ life should not be separate parts, but a whole experience with a concentration in community.”

Participants have also shared that EYC sparked their interest in doing advanced biblical and theological work in a seminary environment, gave them a lively introduction to the work of pastoral ministry, and enabled them to meet peers who were serious about their Christian faith. Many continue to stay in contact with each other. Former participant Dylan Haro is now a middler student at Bethany and served as a student organizer and leader for EYC 2011. “It was during my participation in Exploring Your Call that I first considered ministry as my vocation. I am excited for high school students today who have the same opportunity to experience this unique and enriching program.... It is programs and people like these that ignite my hope for the future of the church.”

More information and an online application for Exploring Your Call can be found at www.bethanyseminary.edu/eyc or contact eyc@bethanyseminary.edu or 800-287-8822.

-- Jenny Williams is director of communications and alumni/ae relations at Bethany Seminary.

Source:11/30/2011 Newsline

Brethren bits: Correction, remembrance, personnel, Christmas events, much more.

2011-11-30T11:21:00.000-06:00

Corrections: Two links in the Nov. 16 Newsline were incorrect. The correct link to more information about Church of the Brethren workcamps is www.brethren.org/workcamps. The website for the Feast of Love movement is www.feastoflove.org.

Remembrance: Former district executive S. Earl Mitchell (101) passed away Nov. 29 at his home in Slidell, La., according to a prayer concern from Virlina District. He was born in Boones Mill, Va., on Jan. 30, 1910, the son of Martha and Zion Mitchell. He was the beloved husband of the late Vera Woodie Mitchell. He graduated from Bridgewater (Va.) College, and Bethany Theological Seminary, and was awarded a doctor of Divinity degree by Bridgewater in 1958. He served a number of congregations in Virginia, Maryland, and Illinois as pastor following ordination in 1927 and advancement to the eldership in 1933 by the Middle Maryland District. He was a district executive for a predecessor of Mid-Atlantic District (1948-51) and director of Church Relations at Bridgewater College during the 1980s. In 1996 the Mitchells moved to Slidell and became associate members of First United Methodist Church. He is survived by two children, Karen Allen of Slidell and David Mitchell (Alice) of New Port, Ore.; four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to visitation at Honaker Funeral Home in Slidell on Dec. 1 from 6-8 p.m. Funeral service will be at First United Methodist Church in Slidell on Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Antioch Church of the Brethren at a later date. Please visit www.honakerforestlawn.com for a guest book.

Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

Rachel Buller is heading to Japan to serve as a longterm volunteer at a brand new project for Brethren Volunteer Service: ARI, or the Asian Rural Institute in the area of Tochigi-ken.

Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) worker Rachel Buller leaves today for placement at the Asian Rural Institute in the area of Tochigi-ken. The institute, known as ARI, is a new project site for BVS. It developed connections with the Church of the Brethren through the Global Food Crisis Fund, and following the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan ARI also received funding from the church’s Emergency Disaster Fund. Buller will work on an organic farm helping with gardening, caring for livestock, cooking, office work, and hosting short-term volunteer groups. She grew up at Koinonia, an intentional Christian community and farm in Americus, Ga., also known as Jubilee Partners. While awaiting her visa to Japan she has been serving at the Meeting Ground in Elkton, Md.

Manchester College is seeking a new dean for its School of Pharmacy. Philip J. Medon, vice president and founding dean of the new school, has resigned for health reasons. During the search for a replacement, college executive vice president Dave McFadden will serve as interim dean working closely with three associate deans. “We are grateful that Dean Medon has led the School of Pharmacy through several significant stages in its growth since his arrival in 2010,” said Manchester president Jo Young Switzer. “He has hired an exceptional team of faculty and administrators and the accreditation agency has expressed confidence with the leadership transition plan we have put in place.” The school already has 23 faculty members for its four-year professional doctoral program. The pharmacy leadership also already has secured hundreds of experiential opportunities for the pharmacy students in northeast Indiana. Classes will begin in Aug. 2012 for about 70 students in a $20 million state-of-the-art learning and research facility under construction on the north side of Fort Wayne, near Interstate 69 and Dupont Road. By the fourth year of the Pharm.D. program, enrollment is expected to exceed 260 students. The full news release is at www.manchester.edu/pharmacy/newsearch.htm.

On Earth Peace has announced a job opening for a peace retreat coordinator who will serve through Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS). The peace retreat coordinator works closely with the program coordinator for Peace Education to develop, resource, and facilitate peace retreats for youth as well as work with the Step Up! network and other peace education initiatives. For a full job description, contact Marie Benner-Rhoades at mrhoades@onearthpeace.org.

An Associated Press article is reporting on a delegation of US religious leaders to Cuba. The group led by National Council of Churches general secretary Michael Kinnamon includes Becky Ball-Miller, a member of the Mission and Ministry Board, as the Church of the Brethren representative. Find the AP story at www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gFQZb62m7l1m0GYGr21UTHExUHuw?docId=86957156a08d48918410abf648b11319.

Congregational Life Ministries is offering prayers and questions in connection with this year's Advent devotional from Brethren Press. “Join us as we look and listen for the coming of the Word through the reading of scripture, David's reflections, times of prayer, and conversations on this blog,” said an invitation from Joshua Brockway, director of Spiritual Life and Discipleship. Find the blog site at http://blog.brethren.org . Order the devotional written by David W. Miller for $2.50 plus shipping and handling at www.brethrenpress.com or call 800-441-3712.

Registration for the 2012 Christian Citizenship Seminar opens at www.brethren.org/ccs on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 6 p.m. (central time). The Christian Citizenship Seminar is an opportunity for youth and their advisors to travel to Washington, D.C., and New York City and explore the theme “Stepping Out: Our Relationship with Carbon.” The cost for the week will be $375, which includes some meals, lodging, and transportation from one city to the other. For more information check out www.brethren.org/ccs. Contact Carol Fike or Becky Ullom at 800-323-8039 ext. 281 or 297, or CoBYouth@brethren.org.

The Church of the Brethren’s Intercultural Consultation and Celebration scheduled for April 19-22, 2012, in Santa Ana, Calif., has been postponed until a future time to be determined. “The decision to postpone is due to the current staff vacancy for director of Intercultural Ministries and ongoing strategic planning,” said an announcement from Jonathan Shively, executive director of Congregational Life Ministries. “We remain committed to developing intercultural competence and relationships throughout the Church of the Brethren, but simply do not have the resources and readiness to follow through with this event as originally scheduled. Further information will be posted as it becomes available.” Questions? Contact Shively at 800-323-8039 ext. 282 or jshively@brethren.org.

This week’s Action Alert from the church’s witness and advocacy office calls attention to the United Nations climate change conference that started Monday in Durban, S. Africa, and continues through Dec. 9. Citing the 2011 Annual Conference acceptance of a query regarding the earth’s climate, the alert asks Brethren to help encourage the US to take a prominent role on climate change. It also encourages participation in a “Do It in Durban” ecumenical Christian campaign on climate change led by the National Council of Churches Eco-justice program. The Durban meeting is an attempt to advance toward a global agreement cutting carbon emissions, with expiration of the Kyoto protocol expected at the end of 2012. Find the Action Alert at http://cob.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=14361.0&dlv_id=15922

Photo by Dr. Emerson Pierre

A Brethren-sponsored medical clinic was held in Haiti earlier this month, hosted by Laferriere congregation of Eglise des Freres Haitiens (Haitian Church of the Brethren) near Mirebalais. The initiative for medical clinics in Haiti came out of a medical delegation of Brethren who helped out shortly following the earthquake in 2010.

An initiative for Brethren-sponsored medical clinics in Haiti has held its first clinic, serving some 150 people and hosted by the Laferriere Haitian Brethren congregation near Mirebalais. The initiative is spearheaded by physicians and others who took part in a medical delegation to Haiti in March 2010, shortly after a massive earthquake ravaged the nation. The group hopes to set up an endowment fund of $100,000 for the effort. A grant of $6,000 in initial funding has been given by the denomination’s Global Mission and Service program. For photos from the clinic, plus photos of the new Canaan church in Haiti, go to www.brethren.org/partners/images/haiti/haiti-medical-clinic-november-2011/haiti-medical-clinic.html.

Church of the Brethren United Nations representative Doris Abdullah is inviting church members to join her at a forum for non-governmental organizations on the status of women, from Feb. 26-March 9, 2012, in New York City. The forum kicks off with a Consultation Day on Feb. 26 at the Salvation Army Headquarters (120 West 14th Street) and continues with a reception and other events. For more information go to www.ngocsw.org.

On Nov. 18-20, Miami (Fla.) First Church of the Brethren held its fifth annual Brethren Press booth at the Miami International Book Fair.

Fahrney-Keedy Home and Village retirement community near Boonsboro, Md., is planning its second annual Holiday Festival, from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11. Guests will be able to tour the main building and Village, sample refreshments, hear holiday music in the Dining Room, take a horse-drawn-sleigh ride, and meet staff and residents. Santa will be on hand for photos in the Parlor. A slide show of events during the year at Fahrney-Keedy will be on display. A copy of the 2011 Fahrney-Keedy cookbook, “Golden Goodies, Then and Now” will be a complimentary gift to all attending the event. RSVP by calling 301-671-5016.

Bridgewater (Va.) College Equestrian Club will host the 10th annual “Horses’ Christmas” at the college’s Equestrian Center in Weyers Cave, Va., on Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. This year’s theme is “A Fairy Tale Christmas.” All elementary and pre-school students in the community and their families are invited to the presentation, which will feature horses dressed in seasonal garb and skits that are focused on fairy tales. Santa and Mrs. Claus will make an appearance on horseback. Jerry Schurink, coach of the Bridgewater riding team, will narrate. Awards will be presented to the best costumed entries. Kids will be allowed to reward horses with a tasty treat following the competition. In lieu of an admission charge, the club requests donations of canned goods for a local charity. For more information call Beth R. Boteler at 540-223-2437.

Pleasant Hill Village, the Brethren retirement community in Girard, Ill., is offering a “Church of the Brethren Illinois/Wisconsin District Historic Sites Jigsaw Puzzle” as a gift option for the holidays. “Puzzles make perfect gifts for all occasions!” said an announcement. $25 includes shipping to family and friends, with a note card included carrying a personal message. Sales benefit Pleasant Hill Village. Call 217-627-2181 and order from chaplain Terry Link.

The latest "Brethren Voices" community television program from Portland Peace Church of the Brethren deals with the subject of slavery in the 21st century. “We were able to get permission from a journalist in Denmark to use his documentary, ‘The Dark Side of Chocolate,’” reports producer Ed Groff. “We're asking viewers to contact the CEO of Hershey chocolate to change the ways they do business. Most of their cocoa comes from the Ivory Coast where the documentary was filmed.” The Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in 2008 passed a resolution against modern-day slavery. “The Dark Side of Chocolate” directed by Miki Mistrati shows young children still being illegally trafficked and sold to cocoa plantations in the Ivory Coast, producing cocoa used by Nestle, Hershey’s, and other large chocolate producers. In 2001, these large chocolate producers signed the Cocoa Protocol promising to work for the eradication of child labor by 2008. Contact Groff for a copy of the program, at groffprod1@msn.com.

Tom Hurst, director of service programs at McPherson (Kan.) College, has been recognized as the 2011 Kansas Community Engagement Professional of the Year. The award cites his initiative to greatly increase participation by students and faculty and staff in service work since 2007.

Source:11/30/2011 Newsline

Credits

2011-11-30T11:19:00.000-06:00

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 Jordan Blevins, Jeff Boshart, Josh Brockway, Carol Fike, Mary Kay Heatwole, Julie Hostetter, Jeri S. Kornegay, Michael Leiter, Matthew E. McKimmy, Glen Sargent, Callie Surber, Becky Ullom, Jane Yount, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.

Newsline: November 16, 2011

2011-11-16T11:41:00.000-06:00

NEWS

Northeast Nigeria again experiences violence, EYN church burned.
EDF announces grants, new disaster project to start in Alabama.
Progressive Brethren Gathering focuses on response to 2011 Conference.
Bethany trustees address seminary’s role in church leadership.
Sustaining Pastoral Excellence welcomes final Vital Pastor cohorts.
Elizabethtown College students go hungry for Food Stamp Challenge.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CCS 2012 asks ‘What is your carbon footprint?’
Workcamps prepare participants to be ‘Ready to Listen.’
‘Prepare the Way’ is theme for annual Advent offering.

FEATURE

Honor to whom honor is due: A reflection on St. Martin’s Day.

BRETHREN BITS

NCC and district personnel, church and college news, much more.

Northeast Nigeria again experiences violence, EYN church burned.

2011-11-16T11:36:00.000-06:00

Northeast Nigeria has again suffered terrorist-type violence since Friday, Nov. 4, when attacks blamed on the Boko Haram sect began targeting government facilities like police stations and a military base, along with shops, churches, and mosques. As of last week, the Red Cross has said at least 100 people have been killed.

“Pray for peace and safety in Nigeria,” said a note of condolence from Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of the Church of the Brethren’s Global Mission and Service office. “Our condolences to the family of Jinatu Libra Wamdeo, general secretary of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria, whose wife’s brother was killed at a road block on his way home from work in Sokoto State.” At least one church of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has been burned.

US Brethren currently serving in Nigeria are Carol Smith and Nathan and Jennifer Hosler. In addition, videographer David Sollenberger was in Nigeria documenting peace activities when the new wave of violence broke out.

Boko Haram, a Muslim militant group, has the goal to establish a state based on Sharia or Islamic law in northern Nigeria, according to a CNN report, which added that the US embassy issued a warning to Americans living in Nigeria that more Boko Haram attacks might be imminent during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The holiday is called Sallah in Nigeria and this year was held Nov. 6-9.

Following are excerpts from an e-mail report by Jauro Markus Gamache, EYN administrator for partner relations, who accompanied Sollenberger as he traveled to film in places in central and northeast Nigeria affected by previous episodes of violence:

“Dear brothers and sisters, many greetings from Nigeria.

“The Church of the Brethren in America sent a camera man to interview people about peace among the two faiths in Nigeria and also film places that were destroyed.... His visit and documentation will be a very good resource for the church and our society.

“Prior to Sallah celebration many places were attacked by the Muslim sect Boko Haram and some killings and destruction again in towns like Kwaya Kusar in Borno State, Damaturu in Yobe State, Maiduguri the capital of Borno State.

“For those who have been to Nigeria, Kwaya Kusar is on the way to Biu while coming from Jos. It is just on the main road. On Thursday the 3rd of November we were there to interview the pastor and to film the destroyed EYN properties by the sect in April. That same night after we left the town was attacked again by the sect and burnt police station completely. There was no report of life or churches destroyed in this recent attack.

“Damaturu, the state capital of Yobe State, was also attacked on Friday evening. About 15 people lost their lives and some churches burned down including an EYN church in that town (which has) been destroyed. The pastor of the church and his family including some of his members were away for his daughters' wedding in Nogshe when the violence took place. Damaturu is the big city before you reach Maiduguri when driving from Jos.

“(In) Potiskum there was an attack on churches and community but I am yet to get any full information from there.

“In Maiduguri, the main city where Boko Haram originated, (there were) several explosions at different places but there was no report of life (lost) or burning properties at the time I am writing this mail.
“Jos was very tense but to God be the glory nothing happened with the help of enough security and restricted movement for both Muslims and Christians in some areas to avoid clashes.

“We have not heard of any EYN member being killed but the wife of EYN General Secretary (Mrs. Jinatu Libra Wamdeo) lost her blood brother who was coming home from his place of work in Sokoto State. He was killed at one of the road blocks by the Islamic sect. This has touched the EYN family because the General Secretary and his wife, including workers at the EYN Headquarters and pastors, have to attend the funeral today 7th November.

“We were in Mubi after church service and after Sallah too. We visited the Emir of Mubi and we were welcomed warmly by the people at the place, and the emir himself is a peace loving man.

“Most people in Abuja celebrated Sallah in fear because of threat from the sect to destroy big hotels like the Sheraton and Hilton and other places. The government announced to the public to be careful of those areas during the Sallah celebration.

“We want to thank you for all your prayers and concern.”

For more about the work of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria go to www.brethren.org/partners/nigeria.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

EDF announces grants, new disaster project to start in Alabama.

2011-11-16T11:34:00.000-06:00

Photo by Clara Nelson

Participants in a summer workcamp were some of the Brethren volunteers who put in 1,000 workdays and completed 26 repair jobs at the Brentwood, Tenn., project site of Brethren Disaster Ministries. For more photos from Church of the Brethren workcamps this past summer go to www.brethren.org/album.

The Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) of the Church of the Brethren has announced a number of grants. One is funding start-up of a new Brethren Disaster Ministries project site in northeast Alabama, in the area of Arab.

An EDF allocation of $30,000 provides funding to start a disaster rebuilding site in Arab, struck by a tornado during the “2011 Super Outbreak.” The largest and most destructive tornado outbreak ever recorded on April 25-28 spawned 336 tornadoes in 21 states, claiming 346 lives. The tornado in the Arab area was an EF4 (winds up to 200 miles per hour) and was on the ground for 50 miles. Numerous homes were affected.

Brethren Disaster Ministries has been invited to serve in Arab by repairing and rebuilding homes, working closely with a local long-term recovery group. The Brethren Disaster Ministries caseload includes 12 roof repairs and the building of two new homes, with more cases likely to be identified as work begins. The project site is expected to be active at the end of November.

An EDF grant of $30.000 continues support for a Tennessee flood recovery project of Brethren Disaster Ministries in Cheatham County and surrounding areas. A $19,000 grant continues support for a related project site in Brentwood, Tenn.

In May 2010, devastating floods caused widespread damage to Nashville and surrounding counties. Thousands were left homeless as dozens of trailer home parks were completely destroyed, and neighborhoods of traditional homes flooded up to the roofline. Many were not in identified flood plains and, as a consequence, flood insurance coverage was minimal.

In January, Brethren Disaster Ministries established a project in Ashland City, Tenn., to serve flood-affected residents in Cheatham County. This project is expected to continue through early spring 2012. Working closely with the county longterm recovery committee, Brethren have completed building two new homes, are in process of a third, and have worked on 14 other homes with varied degrees of repair or reconstruction. This project will take on two new buildings started by the Brentwood, Tenn., site as that project closes later this fall. To date more than 3,500 volunteer work days have been given serving the needs in Cheatham County.

Brethren Disaster Ministries established the Brentwood project outside of Nashville in June. Working closely with local long-term recovery organizations, volunteers have been doing mostly repair work in the Bellevue area, mainly for families still in need of permanent housing more than a year after the floods. Plans are to close this project before the end of the year. Volunteers giving at least 1,000 workdays have completed 26 repair jobs so far.

An EDF grant of $25,000 has been given following heavy rains, flooding, and landslides in Central America. The grant supports partners in El Salvador and Honduras who are providing emergency aid and helping with long-term recovery for the most vulnerable displaced families. The amount of $10,000 is going to Proyecto Aldea Global in Honduras, and $6,000 to Emmanuel Baptist Church in El Salvador. The remaining $9,000 will be transferred based on effectiveness of each partner’s relief work and program focused on long-term recovery.

An EDF grant of $3,000 completes funding for the work of Children’s Disaster Services in Joplin following the EF 5 tornado that devastated the town on May 22. The CDS response in Joplin, where teams of volunteers worked in FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers as well as with the American Red Cross, over-spent its initial grant.

For more about the work of the Emergency Disaster Fund go to www.brethren.org/edf.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

Progressive Brethren Gathering focuses on response to 2011 Conference.

2011-11-16T11:31:00.000-06:00

Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

The Progressive Brethren Gathering on Nov. 11-13 was hosted by Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill., and sponsored by a coalition of progressive groups. Some 170 people attended, with about 30 more viewing the live webcasts.

With the theme “Pressing On, No Turning Back,” the Progressive Brethren Gathering Nov. 11-13 focused on a response to decisions and events at the 2011 Annual Conference regarding sexuality and women’s leadership in the church.

This was the fourth Progressive Brethren Gathering, sponsored jointly by Womaen’s Caucus, Voices for an Open Spirit (VOS), and the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests (BMC). The event was hosted by Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill.

In advance of the weekend, organizers had issued an open invitation for “ideas that you think will either sustain us or move us forward as individuals or as a group.” The invitation continued, “We believe that a multitude of responses are required to do this work of justice and faith, so we are interested in a variety of ideas and proposals.”

Following a presentation by keynote speaker Sharon Welch, a nonviolent activist and feminist scholar who is provost and professor of religion and society at Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, the gathering received presentations of action ideas from several groups and individuals. The ideas were discussed and prioritized in small groups, and then participants were offered the opportunity to commit to do further work on several of the ideas presented.

A new Progressive Brethren Council was announced to be a coordinating body for the informal coalition of groups, which now includes the new “Feast of Love” movement formed through social media since the 2011 Conference and led primarily by young adults. The new council includes two representatives of each of the three original sponsoring groups plus Feast of Love.

Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

The Feast of Love interim organizational team was one of the groups presenting at the Progressive Brethren Gathering: (from left) Matt McKimmy of Richmond, Ind.; Elizabeth Ullery of Olympia, Wash.; Josih Hostetler of Pomona, Calif.; Roger Schrock of Mountain Grove, Mo.; and Gimbiya Kettering of Washington, D.C. Feast of Love has grown as a social media movement since the 2011 Annual Conference. More information is at www.progressivebrethren.org/Other/Other/feastoflovemain.html.

Action ideas ranged broadly. One group of ministers proposed creating a list of clergy willing to participate in a marriage celebration for gay or lesbian couples. La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren encouraged addressing concerns through financial means, restricting giving based on the monitoring of church programs “for movement toward greater inclusion.” The BMC board challenged the gathering to strengthen the Supportive Communities Network of churches that are publicly affirming of people of all sexual orientations. The Common Spirit House Church in Minneapolis presented itself as a model for establishing new congregations. The Feast of Love interim organizational team gave a presentation on the goals and growth of its new movement. Ideas for direct nonviolent action at the next Annual Conference were discussed, as were ways to relate to denominational staff.

Many participants signed a petition to the Program and Arrangements Committee of Annual Conference, asking for BMC to be allotted booth space at the 2012 Annual Conference. The petition cited the 2011 Conference decision “to continue deeper conversations concerning human sexuality outside of the query process.”

Some 170 people attended the gathering, with about 30 more viewing live webcasts. The weekend also included daily worship, joining with Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren for the Sunday morning service, as well as a benefit concert for Christian Peacemaker Teams given by the Circle Singers. View webcast recordings at www.progressivebrethren.org.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

Bethany trustees address seminary’s role in church leadership.

2011-11-16T11:19:00.000-06:00

During a semiannual meeting on Oct. 28-30, the Bethany Theological Seminary board of trustees devoted time for thoughtful consideration and discussion of Bethany’s role in leadership for the Church of the Brethren. The board strongly reaffirmed Bethany’s mission and vision to “equip intellectual and spiritual leaders with an Incarnational education for ministering, proclaiming, and living out God’s shalom and Christ’s peace in the church and world.”

Consensus formed around the desire for Bethany to serve as a place for the study of and dialogue about theological, cultural, and individual diversity. Additional key themes included how to communicate this call effectively to the church and society through word and deed and the importance of proactively responding to opportunities that arise from challenges.

The board expressed appreciation for Bethany's efforts to embrace intellectual and spiritual hospitality for individuals of various backgrounds and theological viewpoints, both in the classroom and in campus community life. They affirmed Bethany's actions to foster respectful conversation on difficult and controversial questions, seeking the mind of Christ together as directed by Standing Committee of district delegates to Annual Conference. The April 2012 Presidential Forum at the seminary, “Joy and Suffering in the Body: Turning toward Each Other,” was named as an exemplary step toward this goal.

In other business, four new trustees were welcomed: D. Miller Davis of Westminster, Md., representing laity; Gregory Geisert of Keezletown, Va., at large; Dave McFadden of N. Manchester, Ind., at large; and Katherine Melhorn of Wichita, Kan., representing laity.

Guest presenter Mary Jo Flory-Steury, associate general secretary of the Church of the Brethren, spoke with the board and individual committees about the current draft of the Ministerial Leadership paper, to be brought to Annual Conference in 2013.

Updates were made to the board policy manual and updates to the by-laws were also reviewed in executive session.

Steve Schweitzer, academic dean, reported to the Academic Affairs committee on how changes enacted by accrediting agencies are affecting the seminary. Bethany is currently accredited by both the Association of Theological Schools and the Higher Learning Commission. Due to increasing differences in standards between the two agencies and evidence that ATS is better able to appropriately evaluate a seminary of Bethany’s size and nature, maintaining accreditation with HLC is under review by Bethany’s administration. A complete review of all curriculum is on track to be implemented in fall 2013. The faculty also approved a formation seminar for first-year MA students beginning in fall 2012 as a parallel to the Ministry Formation track for MDiv students. MA students will be able to choose between writing a thesis or a combination of developing a portfolio and taking exams.

The Student and Business Affairs committee recognized Elizabeth Keller, outgoing director of admissions, and received a report that residential student enrollment is trending downward as more students opt for distance education, and a more intentional student development program for these students is being planned. Bethany closed the 2011 fiscal year with a surplus, for which Brenda Reish, treasurer, and staff received appreciation. It was reported that Bethany will discontinue with the Perkins loan program and that the increasing amount of debt held by incoming students is a concern.

Lowell Flory, executive director for institutional advancement and gift planning, reported that Bethany’s total gift income for fiscal year 2011 was higher than in 2010, due to a large estate gift. Although giving to the annual fund was 92.7 percent of goal, this percentage is in keeping with a seven-year average. Congregational giving has continued to decline. The Reimagining Ministries campaign was launched at Annual Conference with the benchmark 47 percent of the total $5.9 million goal having been met. Since then, staff and National Leadership Committee members have been planning and hosting a series of cottage meetings to garner campaign contributions.

Board members, faculty, and staff joined special guest Ruth Aukerman to dedicate her gift of a handcrafted stained glass window titled “I Will Make You Fishers of Men.”

-- Jenny Williams is director of communications and alumni/ae relations at Bethany Seminary.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

Sustaining Pastoral Excellence welcomes final Vital Pastor cohorts.

2011-11-16T11:17:00.000-06:00

The Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership this year has welcomed its final five cohort groups of pastors in the Vital Pastor track. In addition, seven pastors began the Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership track in September.

The final "class" of the Vital Pastor track includes three cohort groups who began in August or September, and two groups that began in January 2011. Each cohort group studies a particular question and has an opportunity for a travel experience.

A cohort from Atlantic Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Districts will study "How can our spirituality be enhanced by experiencing and studying the powerful movement of the Holy Spirit among contemporary Messianic Jewish communities?" The group will travel to Israel in March 2012. It includes Ron Ludwick of Lebanon (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Wayne Hall of Locust Grove Church of the Brethren in Mount Airy, Md.; Nancy Fittery of Swatara Hill Church of the Brethren in Middletown, Pa.; Dean Lengel of Meyerstown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Tracy Wiser of Harmony Church of the Brethren in Myersville, Md.; and Pedro Sanchez of Long Run Church of the Brethren in Lehighton, Pa.

A cohort formed by pastors in South Central Indiana, Northern Indiana, and Northern Ohio Districts is studying "Connecting gnosis and episteme: How do we practice the inescapable presence of God?" They will travel to Scotland and Ireland and the Iona Community. The cohort includes Patricia Meeks of Poplar Ridge Church of the Brethren in Defiance, Ohio; David Bibbee of Lincolnshire Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Andrew Sampson of Eel River Community Church of the Brethren in Silver Lake, Ind.; and Brian Flory of Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne.

A cohort of Florida pastors from Atlantic Southeast District includes Keith Simmons of Sebring Church of the Brethren; Jimmy Baker of Lorida Church of the Brethren; Ken Davis of Good Shepherd Church of the Brethren in Bradenton; Leah Hileman of A Life in Christ Church of the Brethren in Cape Coral; and Ray Hileman of Miami First Church of the Brethren. Their question is "By what means can we, as pastors, develop a disciplined, holistic lifestyle so as to deepen our spirituality and effectively model both discipline and discipleship?" They will attend the Academy for Spiritual Formation, a Renovare Retreat at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, and a third event yet to be named.

Martin Doss of Dayton (Va.) Church of the Brethren; Mary Fleming of Prince of Peace Church in Sacramento, Calif. (a jointly affiliated Brethren and American Baptist congregation); David Hendricks of Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren in South Bend, Ind.; Martin Hutchison of Community of Joy Church of the Brethren in Salisbury, Md.; Roland Johnson of Live Oak (Calif.) Church of the Brethren; Michael Martin of Glendora (Calif.) Church of the Brethren; and Robin Wentworth Mayer of Anderson (Ind.) Church of the Brethren participated in their first Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership session Sept. 26-29. The cohort will meet quarterly over the next two years for spiritual formation, study, and exploration of topics related to leadership.

For more about the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/academy.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

Elizabethtown College students go hungry for Food Stamp Challenge.

2011-11-16T11:14:00.000-06:00

Students at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College are participating in a local version of a national program--Fighting Poverty with Faith Food Stamp Challenge--to create awareness and advocate on behalf of people who receive food stamps.

Under the program offered by the Chaplain's Office of the college, students can choose from one of three scenarios: eat one meal that costs essentially $1.50 or the amount in food stamps that a recipient would have to spend for one meal; exist on $4.50 worth of food stamps for an entire day's meals; or live on $31.50 worth of food stamps or the equivalent of a week's meals.

Students are invited to advocate for the hungry by writing letters to government representatives to continue or increase aid for Food Stamp Assistance. They also may write a letter to the editor of their local paper to help create awareness of the funding issue for the food stamp program. Many students have answered the question "What is it about my faith that causes me to advocate or act on behalf of the hungry?" on video, which can be viewed at www.etown.edu/offices/chaplain/food-stamps-challenge.aspx.

"By stepping into the shoes of someone who lives on food stamps, students experience the difficult decisions many families make every day," said Amy Shorner-Johnson, assistant chaplain at Elizabethtown College. "My hope for the Food Stamp Challenge is students go beyond simply being grateful for what they have, toward action and advocacy on behalf of the hungry."

As reported in the “Huffington Post” on Oct. 31, a number of congressional Democrats are participating in the Food Stamp Challenge to oppose Republican proposed cuts to the program. The number of people relying on food stamps has risen in response to the ongoing recession. According to the Post report, more than 40 million individuals and 19 million households used food stamps in 2010, as cited by the US Department of Agriculture.

-- This release was provided by Elizabeth Harvey, marketing and communications manager for Elizabethtown College (www.etown.edu). The Food Stamp Challenge was promoted as an outreach to the Brethren-related colleges by Jordan Blevins, advocacy officer and ecumenical peace coordinator for the Church of the Brethren and the National Council of Churches.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

CCS 2012 asks ‘What is your carbon footprint?’

2011-11-16T11:11:00.000-06:00

The Church of the Brethren’s Christian Citizenship Seminar (CCS) in 2012 will consider carbon footprints and large-scale responses to elevated levels of carbon in the atmosphere, such as carbon labeling. The event for high school youth and adult advisors takes place April 14-19 in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Participants will focus on how individuals and the country might respond to the high level of carbon in today’s atmosphere. Rather than debate global warming, participants will explore questions like "How much carbon do everyday tasks, such as driving to school or eating a banana, put into the atmosphere?" "What is our country’s carbon footprint?" "How does that footprint compare to other developed countries?" "Are there actions we can encourage our government to implement?"

As always, after a number of educational sessions, CCS participants will visit their legislators to discuss what they have learned and what changes they would like to see in government policy as a result.

Online registration opens at www.brethren.org on Dec. 1. Registration is limited to the first 100 participants. Churches sending over four youth are required to send at least one adult advisor to insure an adequate number of adults. Cost is $375, which includes lodging for five nights, dinner on the opening evening of the seminar, and transportation from New York to Washington. Each participant should bring additional money for meals, sightseeing, personal expenses, and a few subway or taxi fares.

“Our task is nothing less than to join God in preserving, renewing, and fulfilling the creation. It is to relate to nature in ways that sustain life on the planet, provide for the essential material and physical needs of all humankind, and increase justice and wellbeing for all life in a peaceful world” (from the “Creation: Called to Care” statement approved by the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in 1991).

Visit www.brethren.org/ccs for more information, to download a flyer, or to register.

-- Carol Fike and Becky Ullom of the Youth and Young Adult Ministry provided this report.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

Workcamps prepare participants to be ‘Ready to Listen.’

2011-11-16T11:09:00.000-06:00

Photo by Manuel Gonzalez

Workcampers in Castaner, P.R., this past summer. Several photo albums from the 2011 workcamp locations are online. Find descriptions and links at www.brethren.org/album.

“Ready to Listen” (1 Samuel 3:10) is the theme for Church of the Brethren workcamps in 2012. God is always present, listening to us. Join a workcamp this summer and be ready to listen as we continue the work of Jesus and answer God’s call through the workcamp ministry.

Workcamps are short-term mission trips that connect service with Christian faith. They give people from age 12 to 100-plus a chance to have life-changing experiences while helping to change someone else’s life for the better.

Registration opens online on Jan. 9, 2012, at 7 p.m. (central). For more information go to www.brethrenworkcamps.org or contact Catherine Gong or Rachel Witkovsky in the Workcamp Office at 800-323-8039 ext. 283 or ext. 286. If you have access, check out the workcamps Facebook page periodically for updates and spotlights on certain workcamps. E-mail any questions to cobworkcamps@brethren.org. Several photo albums from this past summer’s workcamps are posted for viewing at www.brethren.org/album.

-- Rachel Witkovsky is an assistant coordinator for the workcamp ministry.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

‘Prepare the Way’ is theme for annual Advent offering.

2011-11-16T11:07:00.000-06:00

Resources are now available for the 2011 Church of the Brethren Advent Offering on the theme “Prepare the Way.” The offering is designed to help congregations connect with Church of the Brethren peace and justice ministries through worship and reflection. The offering provides support for the denomination’s core ministries fund.

“Through your gifts you help prepare the way of the Lord, you help the world experience the in-breaking of the kingdom of God, you help the world see Jesus,” said the offering website.

A packet of resources has been mailed to each congregation, and also are available online. Resources available in both Spanish and English include words of reflection, hymn suggestions, and other worship resources. Congregations not already on standing order with Brethren Press can request one-piece bulletin insert/offering envelopes.

Visit www.brethren.org/adventoffering to find out more, and check out www.brethren.org/stewardshipresources for other stewardship materials. E-mail any questions to Mandy Garcia at mgarcia@brethren.org.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

Honor to whom honor is due: A reflection on St. Martin’s Day.

2011-11-16T11:04:00.000-06:00

Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

Dr. James Kim, founder of the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology in N. Korea (second from left) at a reception held in his honor at the Church of the Brethren General Offices on Nov. 10. Also shown with a cake celebrating his visit is (from left) Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service for the Church of the Brethren; Howard Royer, manager of the Global Food Crisis Fund through which the Brethren work in North Korea was established; and Norma Nichols, staff at a sister university in China also founded by Dr. Kim.

The following reflection from chapel at the Church of the Brethren General Offices, Elgin, Ill., was given by Global Mission and Service executive director Jay Wittmeyer. He reflects on the original meaning of Nov. 11 celebrations, and the honor due to St. Martin and modern-day peacemakers like Dr. James Kim, founder of the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology in North Korea, who visited with Brethren staff on Nov. 10:

“Pay to all what is due to them--taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due” (Romans 13:7).

Friday is an unique day, as the calendar will sync as 11/11/11. The eleventh day of the eleventh month in the eleventh year. Nov. 11 is, of course, a special day and has been recognized as a holiday for a long time in many countries. In the US it is Veteran’s Day. As is the American tradition, on Friday a ceremony will be held at the Arlington National Cemetery, commencing precisely at 11 a.m., and a wreath will be laid at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Eleven a.m. is significant because it was exactly at this time in 1918 that the armistice was signed bringing World War I to an end. My grandparents always referred to Nov. 11 as Armistice Day, or the day of cessation of arms that ended the Great War, the war to end all wars. Nov. 11 became Veteran’s Day after World War II. In the UK and Commonwealth nations, Nov. 11 is observed as Remembrance Day. Some also refer to it as Poppy Day because of that poem “In Flanders’s Fields.” Bright red poppies are associated with the day, an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war.

Nov. 11 was fittingly chosen for the cessation of WWI hostilities for it was St. Martin of Tours Day (http://stmartinoftours.org/about-us/st-martins-background). Martin (c. 316-397), a contemporary of Constantine, was an early pacifist of the Roman Empire. Martin Luther, born on Nov.10, was baptized on Nov. 11 and named after St. Martin. St. Martin is the patron saint of France.

Martin was forced to join the Roman army when he was young. One evening while on duty, he was riding in the rain when he saw a beggar lying cold along the side of the road. Martin tore his heavy officer’s cape in half to give part to the beggar. Later that night he had a dream in which he saw Jesus wearing the small cape. Jesus said, “What you do unto the least of these, you do unto me.”

Martin was baptized into the church at age 18. Just before a battle, Martin announced that his faith prohibited him from fighting. Charged with cowardice, he was jailed, and his superiors planned to put him in the front of the battle. However, the invaders sued for peace, the battle never occurred, and Martin was released from military service.

Give honor to whom honor is due. After a century of hard-fought and brutal wars, the essence of Nov. 11 has changed for us in the US--from pacifist to armistice to Veteran’s Day, where we honor those, and only those who have served in the armed forces.

But the Christian community should give the same honor and respect to those who are in an even greater service--those who dedicate their lives in service to God. I believe we should honor all to whom honor is due. This includes war correspondents and journalists, missionaries, and professionals serving around the world in organizations like Doctors Without Borders. And what about those who avert war in the first place? What about the negotiators, the diplomats, the peacemakers? What would it mean for someone to actively work to bring peace and avoid nuclear war on the Korean peninsula? What honor should be due that person?

Dr. James Kim is doing that very thing and he visits us at the General Offices tomorrow. Robert and Linda Shank have served in North Korea for the past year with Dr. Kim at the university he began, the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. This is Dr. Kim’s story as told by Lord David Alton (http://davidalton.net/2011/10/14/report-on-the-first-international-conference-to-be-held-at-pyongyang-university-of-science-and-technology-and-how-the-university-came-into-being):

The story of Dr. James Chinkyung Kim:

In 1950, at the outbreak of the Korean War, Chinkyung (James) Kim was just 15 years old. Nevertheless, he enlisted and fought against the north. Of the 800 men in his unit, only 17 survived.

One night on the battlefield, after reading the Gospel of St. John, “There and then I vowed to God to work with the Chinese and the North Koreans, then our enemies,” Dr Kim says, the very forces against whom he had been bearing arms. “If I survived the war, I promised God that I would devote my life to their service, to peace and to reconciliation.”

After the war, penniless, he travelled first to France, and then on to Switzerland, where he met Francis Shaeffer who would write the highly influential “Whatever Happened to the Human Race?” In 1960, he went to Britain where he studied at Bristol’s Clifton Theological College.

Later, he returned to Seoul, Korea, and in 1976 began a series of business enterprises in Florida. But he never forgot his vow--a promise he kept hidden in his heart--and, in the 1980s, he sold his businesses and home to finance a university college in South Korea. By1992 he was ready to export his model of education to China. Yanbian University of Science of Technology, in Yanji, northeastern China, became the country’s first foreign joint-venture university. It, in turn, became the model for Pyongyang.

Before that could happen, Dr. Kim would be arrested by Kim Jong Il’s North Korean Government, accused of being an American spy, and for 40 days he would languish in jail. He was sentenced to death.

Ordered to write a will and, in keeping with his vow to give everything back to his country, he told his captors that once they had executed him they could have his body parts for medical research. In his will and testament he wrote to the US government that “I died doing things I love at my own will. Revenge will only bring more revenge and it will be an endless cycle of bitter hatred. Today, it will stop here and the hate will not see a victory. I am dying for the love of my country and my people. If you take any actions for my death then my death would truly have been for nothing and for no reason.”

In explaining what then occurred, James Kim says that “The North Korean government was moved and allowed me to return to my home in China.” He made no public complaints about what had happened and two years later “They invited me back to North Korea and asked whether I would forget our differences and build a university for them like the one I had established in China?”

Dr. Kim believes his own experience is evidence that the North Korean regime “can be touched and messages can be communicated at some level. On a much grander scale we need to deepen the experience of reconciliation.”

We give honor and respect to Dr. James Kim for his reconciling work in North Korea and to all who serve around the globe on Nov. 11, St. Martin’s Day.

-- Wittmeyer closed the chapel service with a quote from the hymn, “The Church of Christ in Every Age”: “We have no mission but to serve in full obedience to our Lord, to care for all, without reserve, and spread his liberating word.” For more about the Church of the Brethren’s work in North Korea go to www.brethren.org/partners/northkorea. For more about conscientious objectors from the Historic Peace Churches (Church of the Brethren, Mennonite, and Quaker) who served in Civilian Public Service instead of going to war, go to http://civilianpublicservice.org.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

Brethren bits: NCC and district personnel, church and college news, much more.

2011-11-16T10:54:00.000-06:00

The National Council of Churches (NCC) Governing Board has approved a “process for a stable and grace-filled transition” after general secretary Michael Kinnamon announced his intention to leave the position due to health reasons. “Members of the governing board received the news with reverence and respect for Kinnamon’s leadership of the council during the last four years,” said an NCC release. The action by the board came after Kinnamon, 63, said his cardiologist insisted that the stresses of his current position must be reduced immediately.

Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

Jillian Foerster will serve at RECONCILE in South Sudan as a Brethren Volunteer Service worker sponsored by the Church of the Brethren's Global Mission and Service office.

Jillian Foerster, a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) worker from Mill Creek Church of the Brethren in Port Republic, Va., will soon begin as administrative associate at RECONCILE International in Yei, South Sudan. Her placement is sponsored by the Church of the Brethren’s Global Mission and Service program. She plans to leave for Sudan near the end of November. She holds a degree in international relations with a minor in economics.

Don Knieriem has begun in a new data analyst and registration specialist position with the Church of the Brethren Information Services. His primary responsibilities will be database management, reconciliation of discrepancies between multiple databases, and in building, testing, and support for both registration and donation forms. He is a member of Wilmington (Del.) Church of the Brethren and graduated in 2008 from the University of Delaware with degrees in mathematics and computer science. He served as a Brethren Volunteer Service worker for Brethren Disaster Ministries and as a staff volunteer in the BVS office.

Carol Mason, Jim Miller, and Debbie Roberts have accepted appointments as area ministers for Oregon and Washington District. When the district reduced its executive position to quarter time it also established the area minister positions. “We recognized that the far-flung geography of the Pacific Northwest would frustrate the attempts of a quarter-time executive to provide needed support to pastors and churches,” explained the district newsletter. Area ministers will work closely with new district executive Colleen Michael.

Nancy Davis' service as Northern Plains District financial and office secretary concludes Dec. 31, as announced in the district newsletter. “We are grateful for Nancy's years of excellent service,” the announcement said. Phyllis Prichard of Ames, Iowa, has been appointed to begin serving on Jan. 1, 2012, as the district’s next financial secretary. The district has opened a new post office box in Ames, effective immediately. The old post office box in Ankeny, Iowa, will stay open only until the end of the year. The new address is Northern Plains District/Church of the Brethren, P.O. Box 573, Ames, IA 50010-0573.

Applications for the 2012 Youth Peace Travel Team are due Jan. 13. College-age young adults (ages 19-22) are invited to apply. Through the summer, the team travels to camps and conferences talking about the Christian message and the church’s tradition of peacemaking. The team is sponsored by the Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Brethren Volunteer Service, On Earth Peace, and Outdoor Ministries Association. Go to www.brethren.org/yya/peaceteam.html.

Abraham Harley Cassel (1820-1908) is the focus of the latest "Hidden Gems" webpage from the Brethren Historical Library and Archives. Cassel was a 19th century book collector and antiquarian whose collection in his home in Harleysville, Pa., was the major informational source for Martin Grove Brumbaugh’s "History of the German Baptist Brethren" (1899). Go to www.brethren.org/bhla/hiddengems.html.

Church of the Brethren United Nations representative Doris Abdullah was moderator of a Nov. 10 event in the “Sacred Season Series” sponsored by the Subcommittee for the Elimination of Racism of the NGO Committee on Human Rights. Held at the UN Plaza in New York, the event was on the theme “Spirituality, Environmental Justice, and Human Rights.” Abdullah also has called attention to Nov. 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The day was designated by the UN General Assembly in 1999 as the date of a brutal assassination in 1960 of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic. For more information about the day go to www.un.org/en/events/endviolenceday.

New Covenant Church of the Brethren in Chester, Va., has honored Elaine McLauchlin Lowder for 70 years of playing piano for the church. According to the Virlina District newsletter, she began playing at Hopewell Church of the Brethren when she was 16 years old and has continued to play for church, weddings, and special occasions ever since.

Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind., is hosting a presentation on “Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) Witness for Justice in the Middle East” given by Brethren member Peggy Gish. The event is Nov. 17, at 6:30 p.m. Gish has been a longterm volunteer on the CPT team in Iraq.

Papago Buttes Church of the Brethren in Scottsdale, Ariz., has been certified as Monarch Waystation #5125 after the congregation planted a garden of native plants. The Pacific Southwest District newsletter noted that Monarch butterflies are nourished by native milkweed plants, and that master gardeners come and harvest seeds to propagate native milkweed in other waystation gardens. Papago Buttes hosted the fall meeting of the Central Arizona Butterfly Association.

Several ministers have been recognized for significant years of service. Middle Pennsylvania District Conference recognized Luke Bowser and Floyd Mitchell for 70 years; Ronald Hershberger for 60; Marilyn Durr, David L. Miller, and Frank Teeter for 25; and Timothy Laird and Hannah Wilson for 10 years. Atlantic Northeast District Conference recognized Paul H. Boll and Luke B. Bucher for 50 years of ordained ministry.

The second annual “Powerhouse” regional youth conference took place at Manchester College Nov. 12-13, with nearly 100 senior high youth and advisors from Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Jeff Carter, pastor of Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren, spoke at three worship services on the theme “Follow: If You Dare,” looking at what it really means to follow Jesus. Worship themes were inspired by Shawn Kirchner’s 2010 National Youth Conference theme song, “More Than Meets the Eye,” which touched on various aspects of Jesus as he carried out his ministry. Carter looked at some of these aspects in his messages, emphasizing the importance of all facets in fully understanding who Jesus is and what that means for Christians. Students, staff, and others led a variety of workshops during the weekend, which also included opportunities for a campus tour, displays from Brethren programs, recreation, and a game of “Mission Impossible.” The next Powerhouse is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 10-11, 2012.

A Renovaré Conference will be held April 21, 2012, at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College led by Kris Webb, the new president of Renovaré, and Renovaré founder Richard Foster. Atlantic Northeast and Southern Pennsylvania Districts are inviting pastors and church leaders to prepare for the event. Cost is $40, with registration limited to the first 850 people. A children’s program will be offered during the conference, with spiritual disciplines lessons by Jean Moyer. A resource is available for pastors to preach ahead of time on the 12 spiritual disciplines that will be emphasized at the conference. After the conference on May 5 the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center will offer a “Deepening Day” on the topic, “Growing in Christian Spiritual Vitality: Personally and Corporately” led by David Young of the Springs Initiative. For more information contact davidyoung@churchrenewalservant.org.

Springs of Living Water has announced a new Advent/Christmas Spiritual Disciplines folder, posted at www.churchrenewalservant.org. Titled, “For There Is Born to You a Savior Who Is Christ the Lord,” the folder follows the lectionary readings and topics used for the Brethren Press bulletin series. An explanation of the theme and an insert helps church members learn how to use the folders and discern their next steps in spiritual growth. The Bible study questions are written by Vince Cable, pastor of Uniontown Church of the Brethren near Pittsburgh, Pa. For more information contact Joan and David Young at davidyoung@churchrenewalservant.org.

This holiday season relive experiences in the Elder John Kline household in the fall of 1861 around a family-style meal at the John Kline house in Broadway, Va. Candlelight Dinners will be offered Nov. 18 and 19 and Dec. 2 and 3 at 6 p.m. Actors will convey the sentiments of family members after the Civil War came to Virginia soil. Tickets are $40. Call 540-896-5001.

Three Bridgewater (Va.) College alumni were honored Nov. 4 at the President’s Dinner: Carol S. Fenn of Bridgewater, division superintendent of Rockingham County Public Schools, received the Distinguished Alumni Award; Linda Knight Wilson of Mathews, Va., a counselor-educator and civic volunteer, received the West-Whitelow Award for Humanitarian Service; and Cheryl M. Mascarenhas of Plainfield, Ill., associate professor of chemistry at Benedictine University, received the Young Alumnus Award. Also, Krishna Kodukula of Harrisonburg, Va., has been elected to the Bridgewater College board of trustees. He is a scientist, entrepreneur, and executive director of SRI International’s Center for Advanced Drug Research (CADRE).

Global Entrepreneurship Week at McPherson (Kan.) College kicked off a new Global Enterprise Challenge for 35 students competing on teams to come up with the best venture to help out the country of Panama. A release from the college also announced “Jump Start Kansas,” a new program offering a $5,000 grant to the Kansas high school student who comes up with the best new commercial venture and another $5,000 to the best non-profit venture. In addition, scholarships are offered to the winners and 10 finalists. “We’re putting our money (about $100,000 commitment) where our heart is--in developing young entrepreneurs,” said the release. Find an application form for Jump Start Kansas at www.mcpherson.edu/entrepreneurship.

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) has renewed its work on health issues related to the manufacture and use of depleted uranium (DU) weapons. In Jonesborough, Tenn., a CPT Depleted Uranium delegation has been collecting samples to be examined for contamination around an Aerojet Ordnance, Inc. processing plant. In the group that accompanied Dr. Michael Ketterer, professor at Northern Arizona State University, in collecting soil, water, and sediment samples was Church of the Brethren member Cliff Kindy, a longterm volunteer with CPT both in the US and Iraq. The delegation participated in a public forum at Eastern Tennessee State University on Oct. 25 and a public action at the plant on Oct. 29. For more go to www.cpt.org.

As Super Committee lawmakers approach a Nov. 23 deadline to slash $1.2 trillion from the federal budget, Church World Service will be represented at a Nov. 20 “Super Vigil” for a budget that preserves vital domestic and international assistance funding, said a CWS release. CWS is encouraging churches across the country to hold Nov. 20 vigils in their own communities. “We are asking simply for a just and compassionate--a life-saving--budget,” said CWS director of advocacy Martin Shupack, who helps lead the Faithful Budget Campaign. For more Super Vigil information: www.churchworldservice.org/fbc.

Source:11/16/2011 Newsline

Credits

2011-11-16T10:52:00.000-06:00

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 Lesley Crosson, Charles Culbertson, Jan Dragin, Mary Kay Heatwole, Julie Hostetter, Philip E. Jenks, Nancy Miner, Adam Pracht, Elizabeth Ullery, Walt Wiltschek, Roy Winter, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.

Newsline for Nov. 2, 2011

2011-11-02T18:10:00.000-05:00

NEWS

Assisi event calls for peace as a human right.
Brethren faculty report on conference at N. Korean university.
BBT goes green' with e-mail publications, simplifies e-mail addresses.
Global Food Crisis Fund showcases projects for holiday giving.
Brethren Volunteer Service unit begins its work.

UPCOMING EVENTS

BBT co-sponsors financial and benefits seminar for congregations.

RESOURCES

New Bible studies, Yearbook available from Brethren Press.

BRETHREN BITS

Remembrance, personnel, college news, more.

Assisi event calls for peace as a human right.

2011-11-02T18:05:00.000-05:00

Photo by Stan Noffsinger

Pope Benedict XVI on the stage at the World Day of Peace in Assisi, Italy, on Oct. 27, 2011. Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger was one of the world religious leaders who took part in the event. The day commemorated the 25th anniversary of a day for peace held in Assisi by Pope John Paul II in 1986.

Among religious leaders on the stage with Pope Benedict XVI at the World Day of Peace in Assisi last week was Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren. The main message of the Oct. 27 event was that peace is a human right, Noffsinger said in an interview on his return from Italy.

The event was held "to discern and make a statement that peace is a human right for all people, regardless of their religious affiliation or not," he said. "It is a right for every human being to live without the threat of violence, war, and violent death."
Hosted by the Vatican, the day commemorated the 25th anniversary of a historic peace event led by Pope John Paul II in Assisi in 1986. The city some 100 miles north of Rome is known as the home town of St. Francis and is a center for Catholic peacemaking.

Noffsinger attended as a representative of the international Brethren movement. The invitation to a Brethren representative was issued by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and follows several years of heavy Brethren involvement in the Decade to Overcome Violence.

The Pope read a strong statement of commitment to peace at the close of ceremonies: "Violence never again! War never again! Terrorism never again! In the name of God, may every religion bring upon the earth justice and peace, forgiveness and life, love!"

Noffsinger's only disappointment in the event, he said, was lack of formal conversation about peace as a human right. "But that is offset by the countless number of private conversations we were able to have," he added. "That's probably more effective conversation."

There was no formal worship or prayer, in a deliberate choice made by the Vatican. The Pope has "taken heat," as Noffsinger put it, from critics both within and outside the Roman Catholic Church who have made accusations that the event moves toward religious syncretism. An invitation to nonbeliever guests also was a deliberate choice made by Pope Benedict XVI to distinguish this World Day of Peace from that held by the previous Pope, in order to create "a broader table than before," Noffsinger said.

Noffsinger was one of 59 international guests seated on the stage with the Pope. Some 250 observer participants from around the world were seated at the front of the crowds that gathered in Assisi. Among those on the stage were Christian leaders such as World Council of Churches general secretary Olav Fykse Tveit; Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, Ecumenical Patriarch; Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, leader of the Anglican Communion; Larry Miller, executive secretary, and Danisa Ndlovu, president of the Mennonite World Conference; Mounib Younan of the World Lutheran Federation; John Upton of the World Baptist Alliance, among many other representatives of worldwide Christian movements.

Interfaith representatives included Rabbi David Rosen of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and Kyai Haji Hasyim Muzadi, secretary general of the International Conference of Islamic Schools, alongside Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Sikh, and other leaders from major world religions, a representative of African indigenous religions, and even leading agnostics and atheists.

The Pope and official guests traveled by special train from Rome on the morning of Oct. 27, where they were met by crowds waiting at the train station in Assisi, Noffsinger reported. Thousands of people lined the motorcade route from the train station to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, where a formal event took place in the morning. More people waited along the route to the Plaza of San Francesco where an open-air event took place in the late afternoon. "Most noticeable were the young people who were present and engaged in all of the event," Noffsinger said. The pilgrimage ended with a visit to the tomb of St. Francis by the Pope and official guests.

During his trip to Italy, Noffsinger also had time to visit the Comunita di Sant'Egidio in Rome. Over its 40-plus years of existence, several members of the Church of the Brethren have spent time with this all-volunteer Christian community focused on service to the poor. Although Catholic-based, the community welcomes participation by believers from various traditions, and is marked by its youthful membership. Noffsinger estimated an average age of 30 among those who packed a church for the community worship service he attended.

Noffsinger has come away from Assisi with a challenge to increase commitment to peacemaking, both personally and as a church. On a personal level, it "challenged me to ask of myself, What is it that I will do for the pursuit of peace?'" he said. A first step he and the other US church leaders who attended will take is to share their reflections with President Obama, who issued an official letter to the Vatican commending the event.

The challenge for the Church of the Brethren is to ask, "What are we willing to surrender to be a community at peace?" Noffsinger said. He noted that the Assisi event adds impetus for the denomination to build on its work during the Decade to Overcome Violence, and to take seriously the call to "just peace" coming out of the recent International Ecumenical Peace Convocation. In 2013, the Brethren will have an opportunity to be part of worldwide Christian consideration of "just peace" at the next assembly of the World Council of Churches.

In the meantime, the challenge is "to re-evaluate what we are as a church, and if the manner of our living rightly reflects advocacy for God's peace and justice that all may simply live," Noffsinger said. "At the very heart of who we are as the Church of the Brethren is this core understanding of the two great commandments of Jesus. There are no qualifications of who the neighbor may or may not be. God calls us to love our neighbor."

The Assisi event was webcast live by the Vatican Television Center. View a recording at http://player.rv.va/vaticanplayer.asp?language=it&tic=VA_N2GDSIOH.

Source:11/2/2011 Newsline

Brethren faculty report on conference at N. Korean university.

2011-11-02T17:58:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of Robert Shank

Pyongyang University of Science and Technology in North Korea held its first International Conference on Science and Technology on Oct. 4-7 with 27 foreign and almost as many DPRK guests/speakers.

The conference opened with keynote speakers Nobel Laureate Peter Agree addressing "Aquaporins" and Lord David Alton essaying on "Education for Virtue." Parallel sessions were then held on 1) Computer/Information Technology, 2) Agriculture and Life Sciences, 3) International Finance/Management, and 4) Science Diplomacy and Environment, followed by a panel discussion of integrating educational training. I and my department DPRK partner co-chaired the Ag/Life Science session by alternating introduction of speaker/topics. My co-chair also presented on bacterial cellulose filters for research and industry. The conference closed with a day long tour of Pyongyang city attractions and the national apple research farm.

DPRK and foreign scientists and students had ample time to share and question together during coffee and meals since they were all housed and fed on campus. Among the presentations, there was much mutual admiration between students and speakers, especially when former astronaut David Helmers gave a side presentation of his four space missions to a packed room. From outer space he decided to devote the rest of his life to nourishing our planet's people, and presented his Baylor research on the etiology and physiology of malnutrition.

In other presentations, Paul McNamara, University of Illinois Agricultural Economics extensionist, reported on working models of technology transfer throughout the world and the importance of getting research results to the local producer. David Chang showed vivid photos of his MD Anderson team's ability to do reconstructive bone and tissue surgery on cancer patients. Chin Ok Lee from Rockefeller University showed how Digitalis (foxglove) affects the strength of the heartbeat in aging patients. A DPRK researcher presented his work on detection of avian influenza virus with Monoclonal antibodies. And my co-chair presented his work on bacterial cellulose nanofilters.

Our graduate students had many good questions for the speakers and my botany students were amazed that they had just studied Active Facilitated Transport among cells and completely understood the Nobel laureate's work on Aquaporins. Our DPRK administrative partners, our session co-chairman, students, and guest speakers all agreed that the conference was a huge success and should be repeated again next year.

Any professionals interested in getting on the rostrum for next year should contact me now. Our 16 graduate students and 34 undergraduate students have varied interests and we have open teaching positions in microbiology, tissue culture engineering, and Genomics. Teaching positions are available for 6 to 16 weeks starting with the March semester.

-- Robert Shank is dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology in North Korea. He and his wife, Linda, are teaching at PUST with sponsorship from the Church of the Brethren Global Mission and Service program. An additional reflection by Lord David Alton on the conference and history of PUST is at http://davidalton.net/2011/10/14/report-on-the-first-international-conference-to-be-held-at-
pyongyang-university-of-science-and-technology-and-how-the-university-came-into-being.

Source:11/2/2011 Newsline

BBT goes "green" with e-mail publications, simplifies e-mail addresses.

2011-11-02T17:49:00.000-05:00

Here's a simple way for members of the denomination to help conserve natural and financial resources: Sign up to receive three publications from Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) via e-mail rather than postal mail. The agency's "Annual Report," its quarterly newsletter "Benefit News," and press releases/news briefs that are sent to BBT's members and clients can now be received electronically by completing a brief form at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/green.

"BBT is trying to be a good steward of its members' money," said Patrice Nightingale, BBT's director of communications. "Our members seem pleased about this new option--more than 200 people elected to receive these publications electronically in the first five days after an e-mail announcement was sent out to approximately 1,300 members."

If you regularly receive publications from BBT and have not yet signed up to receive these publications via e-mail, expect to receive a postcard in the near future. BBT hopes to offer electronic mailing of all of its paper publications. Most BBT publications are available online at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/publications.

In other news, the agency's e-mail addresses are being simplified. E-mails from Brethren Benefit Trust staff will be sent using a different e-mail address structure starting the first week of November. While e-mails from BBT president Nevin Dulabaum used to come from ndulabaum_bbt@brethren.org, for example, they will now be sent from ndulabaum@cobbt.org. All other staff e-mail addresses will follow this structure (first initial last name @cobbt.org).

The shift occurred as some changes took place for the e-mail routing process that BBT shared with the Church of the Brethren. Until recently, the two organizations shared brethren.org as their e-mail domain name. This change also eliminates the underscore from BBT's email addresses--a character that has been confusing to users and difficult to read in some formats--and reinforces the unique identity of the denomination's financial and benefits agency. E-mail to BBT staff should be sent to the new @cobbt.org addresses effective immediately. Questions may be directed to communications@cobbt.org or 800-746-1505.

-- Brian Solem is publications coordinator for Brethren Benefit Trust.

Source:11/2/2011 Newsline

Global Food Crisis Fund showcases projects for holiday giving.

2011-11-02T17:44:00.000-05:00

Photo by Jean Bily Telfort

A Haitian schoolchild with a goat distributed with funding from the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF). This project in partnership with Haitian Brethren and other organizations in the northwest of Haiti is one of several showcased for alternative gift-giving this holiday season.

The Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) has launched a web page showcasing projects for alternative gift giving this holiday season. Go to www.brethren.org/gfcfgive.

"Reach out your soul to the hungry," says an invitation. "Honor loved ones by giving a gift in their name to the Global Food Crisis Fund. By doing so you and the recipient will be teamed with smallholder farmers in developing countries...equip those who are underfed to feed themselves...promote sound nutrition...and invest in efforts to conserve water, regenerate the soil, and nurture sustainability."

The "Gift-giving that Sustains Lives" page offers options for donating at a variety of levels from $10 to $500. Gifts will meet needs in local communities in a number of different countries, such as village wells to provide drinking water and irrigation in Niger, or super-flour mix for mothers and infants in Nepal. A gift of $67 helps those affected by famine in the Horn of Africa, buying three months of maize, plus beans, oil, salt, and Unimix supplementary porridge for families with children under five.

In other news, a Global Food Crisis Fund grant of $5,000 is helping publish the 2012 Hunger Report of partner organization Bread for the World, titled "Rebalancing Act: Updating US Food and Farm Policies." The report launches Nov. 21, on the eve of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Super Committee) release of recommendations to cut $1.2 trillion in government spending in 10 years. After that date, copies can be requested from GFCF manager Howard Royer at 800-323-8039 ext. 264, while supplies last. For more about the Global Food Crisis Fund go to www.brethren.org/gfcf.

Source:11/2/2011 Newsline

Brethren Volunteer Service unit begins its work.

2011-11-02T17:38:00.000-05:00

Photo by BVS

The 29-member unit of Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) held orientation at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., from Sept. 25-Oct. 14.

Members of Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) unit 295 have begun work at their project placements. The 29-member unit held orientation at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., from Sept. 25-Oct. 14. Following are names, home congregations or hometowns, and project placements of the new volunteers:

Sara Belt of Manassas, Va., to Interfaith Hospitality Network in Cincinnati, Ohio; Tobias Berscheminski of Schifferstadt, Germany, to Abode Services in Fremont, Calif.; Florian Brett of Wendlingen, Germany, and Lorenz Lowis of Bad Kreuznach, Germany, to Lancaster (Pa.) Area Habitat for Humanity; Benedikt Eicke of Hannover, Germany, to Human Solutions in Portland, Ore.; Jillian Foerster of Mill Creek Church of the Brethren in Port Republic, Va., to Reconcile International in Yei, Sudan; Sean Garvey of Dublin, Ireland, to CooperRiis in Mill Spring, N.C.; Andreas Gluecker of Hoechberg, Germany, to Sisters of the Road in Portland, Ore.; Catherine Gong of University Baptist and Brethren Church in State College, Pa., and Rachel Witkovsky of Stone Church of the Brethren in Huntingdon, Pa., to the Church of the Brethren's workcamp ministry in Elgin, Ill.

Thilo Ilg of Tuebingen, Germany, Johannes Mohr of Selbitz, Germany, and Markus Schmidt of Steinheim, Germany, to Project PLASE in Baltimore, Md.; Amanda Kauffman of East Fairview Church of the Brethren in Manheim, Pa., to SERRV in New Windsor, Md.; Sarah Mayer of Open Circle Church of the Brethren in Burnsville, Minn., to Interfaith Hospitality Network in Cincinnati, Ohio; Dylan Menguy of Rochester, N.Y., to the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C.; Megan Miller of Goshen, Ind., to East Belfast Mission in Northern Ireland; Tiffany Monarch of Goshen, Ind., to Kilcranny House in Coleraine, Northern Ireland.

Gloria Oseguera of North Pole, Alaska, to Holywell Trust in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland; Michael O'Sullivan of Potomac, Md., to Camp Mardela in Denton, Md.; Denise Prystawik of Kronberg, Germany, to the Church of the Brethren's Youth and Young Adult Ministries in Elgin, Ill.; Elizabeth Rekowski of Salem, Mo., to the Center on Conscience and War in Washington, D.C.

Rico Sattler of Fuldatal, Germany, to San Antonio (Texas) Catholic Worker House; Marie Schuster of Buffalo, N.Y., to L'Arche in Tecklenburg, Germany; Jonathan Stauffer of Polo (Ill.) Church of the Brethren to the Church of the Brethren and National Council of Churches Advocacy Office in Washington, D.C.; Hanna Stoffregen of Hamburg, Germany, to Family Abuse Center in Waco, Texas; Sharon Sucec of North Winona Church of the Brethren in Warsaw, Ind., to Brethren Disaster Ministries in New Windsor, Md.; Sebastian Wallenwein of Weilheim/Teck, Germany, to Camp Stevens in Julian, Calif.

Source:11/2/2011 Newsline

BBT co-sponsors financial and benefits seminar for congregations.

2011-11-02T17:34:00.000-05:00

Registration is open for the Best Practices Resource Workshop on Feb. 4, 2012, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Kansas City (Mo.) International Airport Marriott. The seminar is co-sponsored by Brethren Benefit Trust, and is designed for pastors, church treasurers, financial secretaries, stewardship and finance committee members, and others involved with the finances of churches.

The workshop will empower leaders to better understand best practices in financial management for local congregations, health reform and the church, latest pastoral housing issues, and taxation, compensation, and retirement issues. It is led by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, a Christian financial educational organization. A group of member denominations affiliated with the Church Benefits Association, including BBT, is sponsoring the event. Registration information is at www.ecfa.org/events. Scroll down to the "Best Practices Resource Workshop" and click on "Register now." Registration fee is $50.

Source:11/2/2011 Newsline

New Bible studies, Yearbook available from Brethren Press.

2011-11-02T17:29:00.000-05:00

Two new Bible studies are now available from Brethren Press: a Covenant Bible Study on "Miracles of Jesus," and the Winter quarter of "A Guide for Biblical Studies" on the theme "God Establishes a Faithful People." The 2011 Advent Devotional also is now available, along with a special Christmas card featuring a colorful graphic from the devotional cover. In addition, the Church of the Brethren Yearbook for 2012 may be purchased on CD.

"Miracles of Jesus" by James Benedict examines the role of miracles in the ministry of Jesus. The study designed for small groups includes 10 sessions, and promotes discussion of how the signs, wonders, and works of power that Jesus performed help us better understand him and what it means to be his disciples. $7.95 per copy.

"God Establishes a Faithful People" offers a weekly Bible study from Dec. 4 through Feb. 26, 2012. The author for the quarter is Tom L. Zuercher, with Frank Ramirez writing the "Out of Context" feature. Scripture texts are from Genesis, Exodus, Luke, and Galatians. $4.25 each or $7.35 for large print.

The Advent Devotional, "In the Beginning Was the Word," is by David W. Miller. This pocket- sized paperback offers a devotion, scripture, and prayer for each day of Advent. It is suitable for congregations to provide to their members as a spiritual resource for the season. $2.50 each or $5.95 for large print.

New Christmas cards from Brethren Press feature calligraphy of the phrase "In the Beginning Was the Word" by Gwen Stamm. The 5 inch by 7 inch cards are sold in packs of 10 with the inner message, "And the Word became flesh and lived among us. Behold the glory of Christ." $8.99 per pack.

"Church of the Brethren Yearbook: 2011 Directory, 2010 Statistics" may be ordered in CD format. It is an essential resource for Church of the Brethren information, offered on a disc format that is searchable, easy to navigate, and contains contact information for congregations, districts, pastors, ministers, moderators, and church agencies. $21.50, order one per user.

Shipping and handling charges will be added to prices listed above. Order resources by calling Brethren Press at 800-441-3712 or go to www.brethrenpress.com.

Source:11/2/2011 Newsline