NEWS

• Annual Conference Council expresses concern over funding shortfall.
  
• Bethany Seminary board honors president Eugene F. Roop.
  
• Brethren deliver World Day of Prayer requests to House Speaker.
  
• Brethren bits: Correction, personnel, RYC, and more.

PERSONNEL

• Scheppard to be new vice president, dean at Bridgewater College.
  
• Youth Peace Travel Team is selected for summer 2007.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Bethany Seminary holds reception to honor president Roop.
  
• Brethren women create 'Mother's Day Gratitude Project.'
  
• 300th anniversary update: District youth teams to receive training.
  
• 300th anniversary bits and pieces.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE PREVIEW

• Annual Conference moderator will make history.
  
• 2007 Conference will 'Proclaim the Power of God.'
  
• Review of agencies, medical plan, becoming intercultural top business agenda.
  
• Committee completes Medical Plan study.

PRE-CONFERENCE EVENTS

• Ministers' Association to discuss 'Excellence in Ministry.'
  
• Song and Story Fest focuses on eco-justice.
  
• More pre-Conference offerings.

Annual Conference Council expresses concern over funding shortfall.

The 2001 Annual Conference referred concerns for the funding of Conference to the Annual Conference Council. Taking that responsibility seriously, the council took an in-depth look at the financial situation of Annual Conference in its spring meeting March 12-13 at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.

Of utmost concern to the council is a trend toward deficit funding, exacerbated by a shortfall of congregational delegates at the 2006 Annual Conference. The Annual Conference Fund ended 2006 with a $31,000 deficit. Income for the current year is projected to be nearly $70,000 less than the costs of having the Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, where labor and security required by the convention facilities are inflating the budget much higher than usual.

The council received the unsettling news via a portfolio of reports generated jointly by executive director Lerry Fogle and treasurer Judy Keyser. The reports also observed that one query and two reports coming to the 2007 Conference include questions about Annual Conference frequency and purpose.

The council also considered a number of suggestions, some of which have been implemented, from a Conference marketing task force it commissioned last year.

Arising out of the council's discussion and prayer came several significant decisions: The council voted to delay booking a Conference site for the year 2012 until the 2007 Conference resolves its agenda. A concise but future-looking report of the Conference financial situation will be included in the report of the Program and Arrangements Committee to the 2007 Conference. Information about the Conference Fund will be shared with the Church of the Brethren Inter-Agency Forum. The Standing Committee of district representatives will be made aware of the financial situation and consulted regarding ways to increase the Annual Conference offerings. The council will add an extra day to its November meeting in order to devote major attention to evaluating the future of Annual Conference in light of the financial situation.

Other items on the agenda included follow-up with the Brethren Historical Library and Archives related to questions of transcription of past Conference business sessions; a progress report toward achieving a finished draft of the denominational organizational and polity manual, scheduled to be completed by this fall; agreement with the Program Feasibility Committee that the Unfunded Mandates paper needs revision and greater clarity, with the council deciding to take a revised draft to the 2007 Standing Committee for consideration; a review of the ratio of district Standing Committee delegates in light of the most recent membership statistics for the denomination; an updating of the Conference contingency and disaster plan; a review of the 300th Anniversary Committee's activities and funding; and a recommendation to the Conference officers that Standing Committee be given copies of a 1981 study committee report on diminishing membership as background material for a 2007 query from Idaho and Western Montana District.

The council expressed its appreciation for the leadership of past Annual Conference moderator Ron Beachley, who chaired the council during the past year.

--Fred Swartz is the secretary of Annual Conference.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

Bethany Seminary board honors president Eugene F. Roop.

The semi-annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., on March 23-25 included significant moments of celebration and recognition. Eugene F. Roop, who is retiring on June 30 after 15 years of service as president of the seminary, was honored at a dinner for board members and guests on March 24. The dinner included a time of recognition, with faculty and representatives of educational, civic, and church organizations participating.

The board also expressed appreciation to Jeff Bach, associate professor of Brethren and Historical Studies, for his 13 years of service. Bach has accepted an appointment as director of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, effective this summer.

In other business, the board approved 19 candidates for graduation pending successful completion of course work, the largest number since 1998. This includes Bethany's first graduate of Connections, the school's distributed education Master of Divinity program: Christopher Zepp of Bridgewater, Va. The board noted that the undergraduate grade point average of Bethany graduate students continues to rise, with 43 percent at a 3.5 undergraduate GPA or above.

A budget of slightly more than $2.2 million was approved for the 2007-08 fiscal year, approximately 2.5 percent increase from the current year. The board approved searches for administrative staff and teaching faculty positions: a half-time coordinator for Ministry Formation, and two faculty positions in historical and theological studies.

The Student and Business Affairs Committee reported that web enhancements focused on student recruitment are under development. This will include a virtual open house, providing the opportunity for online, real-time conversation with Bethany admissions staff.

The Institutional Advancement Committee shared fundraising and constituency relations strategies that will be implemented now that the seminary's financial campaign has been completed.

Ted Flory of Bridgewater, Va., was named as the new chair, beginning July 1. Other officers called are vice chair Ray Donadio of Greenville, Ohio; and secretary Frances Beam of Concord, N.C. Carol Scheppard of Mount Crawford, Va., was called as chair of the Academic Affairs Committee; Elaine Gibbel of Lititz, Pa., as chair of the Institutional Advancement Committee; and Jim Dodson of Lexington, Ky., as chair of the Student and Business Affairs Committee.

The board thanked Marie Willoughby, ex-officio member representing the Council of District Executives, and Anne Murray Reid, current chair, for their service to the board as they complete their terms.

For more about Bethany go to www.bethanyseminary.edu.

--Marcia Shetler is director of Public Relations for Bethany Theological Seminary.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

Brethren deliver World Day of Prayer requests to House Speaker.

On World Day of Prayer, March 2, the Church of the Brethren delivered 300 requests of prayer for an end to the Iraq war to the first woman Speaker of the House. Brethren from across the nation requested of Speaker Nancy Pelosi the following: "Please pray that God will grant peace to all races, creeds, and nationalities worldwide. Please also honor your commitment to help end the conflict in Iraq and bring peace to this world we share, through your actions as one of America's political leaders," reported the Brethren Witness/Washington Office.

In delivering the prayer requests, Phil Jones, director of the office, shared these thoughts: "The Church of the Brethren has a long and rich heritage of living out the Christian teachings of nonviolence. We share in the pain and anguish that the violence of war is bringing on our nation's families as well as on the families of those of Iraq and Afghanistan. On this day of prayer we ask for committed prayers of peace and well being for all people. Speaker Pelosi, we hope you will be diligent in searching for ways to guide our congress into an understanding of peace and nonviolence, dialog and mediation, along with compromise and compassion as tools of foreign policy. Seek the way of unity, not division."

Since 1812 women have encouraged one another to engage in personal prayer and take leadership in communal prayer within their mission auxiliaries and associations, according to a brief history of the World Day of Prayer from the Brethren Witness/Washington Office. This emphasis led to annual days and weeks of prayer. In 1941 the coordination of World Day of Prayer in the US became the responsibility of an interdenominational movement now known as Church Women United. World Day of Prayer is recognized around the world on the first Friday of March.

For more information contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, 337 N. Carolina Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20003; 800-785-3246; washington_office_gb@brethren.org.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

Brethren bits: Correction, personnel, RYC, and more.

• Correction: Newsline gave incorrect e-mail addresses for the Annual Conference moderator-elect and secretary, in the March 28 issue. The correct e-mail address for moderator-elect Jim Beckwith is moderatorelect_ac@brethren.org; the correct address for secretary Fred Swartz is acsecretary@brethren.org. The editor apologizes for this error.
  
  
• Jacqueline Azimi has resigned as network operations specialist for the Church of the Brethren General Board, located in Elgin, Ill., effective April 11. Her last day of work was April 10. She has worked for the General Board for almost 18 years, beginning on Sept. 18, 1989. While with the board she served as systems coordinator/secretary, and in 1997 was promoted to personal computer specialist. During her time with the board she participated in certification training for the GWAVA e-mail spam filter software, enabling her to fine tune the filter and help control the amount of spam the staff receives. When the General Board relocated the IBM I5 mainframe from the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., to the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, she became the networking specialist.
  
  
• Marin (Marni) O'Brien of Newton, Mass., a Global Mission Partnerships worker serving through Brethren Volunteer Service, returned home from her placement site in Totonicapon, Guatemala, on Feb. 16 for family reasons.
  
  
• The theme for the Regional Youth Conference (RYC) on April 28-29 at Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., is "'Now Follow Me'--Jesus" (Luke 9:23). Three worship celebrations will be held, along with workshops, and opportunities for service projects. Seth Hendricks will lead music. Keynote speaker is Walt Wiltschek, editor of the "Messenger,"and a district youth advisor for Illinois and Wisconsin. District youth cabinets are invited to arrive early for a leadership development workshop on Friday evening, April 27. Registration is due April 12. For more go to www.manchester.edu/OCA/Church/RegionalYouthConference.htm.
  
  
• Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) is announcing the start of an older adult orientation April 23-May 4 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. This will be the 274th unit for BVS and will consist of 11 individuals and couples. The volunteers will spend two weeks exploring project possibilities and topics of community building, faith sharing, diversity training, and more. They will have the opportunity for two work days at SERRV International and the Washington (D.C.) Soup Kitchen. Guest staff and speakers will include Larry and Alice Petry, Susanna Farrahat, Joyce Nolen, Phil Jones, Grace LaFever, and Rebekah Carswell. For more information contact the BVS office at 800-323-8039.
  
  
• Registration cost for the National Junior High Conference will go up after April 15. The National Junior High Conference will be held June 15-17 at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, for junior high youth in the Church of the Brethren and their adult advisors. Registration cost is currently $99 per person (for youth or adult). After April 15, the cost increases to $125 per person. Register at www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/NatJrHighConf.htm.
  
  
• The Church of the Brethren's annual Cross-Cultural Consultation and Celebration will be held April 19-22 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., on the scriptural theme John 14:27. Along with the signature worship services filled with music and prayer in many different languages, led by Brethren from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, participants will discuss questions related to peacemaking, and enjoy free time for informal fellowship. An overnight youth event at Union Bridge Church of the Brethren will be led by On Earth Peace. Youth also will lead worship and sharing on Saturday morning, April 21. The Intercultural Study Committee will report. For more information go to www.brethren.org/genbd/clm/clt/CrossCultural.html.
  
  
• "Creating Peacemaking Congregations" is the theme of a New Church Development Retreat on May 18-19 at Natural Bridge, Va. Leadership will be provided by Jack L. Eades, director of the Outreach Commission of the West Virginia Baptist Convention (ABC-USA). The purpose of the retreat is to inspire, motivate, and encourage church planters and those interested in developing congregations for the Church of the Brethren from Maine to Florida. Time will be given for each new church project or fellowship to share about its experiences and vision for church planting. Although it began as an annual gathering for fellowship and sharing among new church core groups in Virginia and North Carolina, the retreat is currently sponsored by the Church Extension Committee of Virlina District. Contact nuchurch@aol.com.
  
  
• Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind., put together an event on March 24 to raise awareness of the situation in Afghanistan. Some members have had longstanding connections with that part of the world, according to a release from On Earth Peace. The event centered around a presentation by Nelofer Pazira at the Andorfer Commons at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, on March 24. Pazira, an author and filmmaker, fled Afghanistan when she was a teenager and immigrated to Canada. She wrote the book, "Bed of Red Flowers," starred in the movie, "Kandahar," and co-produced and co-directed the documentary, "Return to Kandahar." The event included a showing of the two films, a reception and book signing, Afghan food, and an evening event with Pazira at which she spoke about her stories of Afghanistan. The program was coordinated by the church, and sponsors contributed to cover expenses.
  
  
• The Way of the Cross on Good Friday in Hagerstown, Md., visited seven different locations to connect the passion of Christ to the ongoing suffering in the world. The "Herald-Mail" reported that stops included, for example, the "Public Square ... for religious tolerance; a slave auction site ... for racial harmony; Hagerstown Refugee Resettlement Center ... for hope, care and justice for immigrants." The walk began and ended at Hagerstown Church of the Brethren, which also provided its sanctuary as a place for prayer and meditation for those who were not able to walk.
  
  
• Youth who participated in the Agape-Satyagraha training offered by Brethren Community Ministries in Harrisburg, Pa., will be recognized at a banquet at 6 p.m. April 13 at First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg. Agape-Satyagraha is a year-round weekly conflict resolution training designed to help youths resolve family, neighborhood, and peer conflicts without violence, according to a report in the "Patriot-News." Tickets are $6 for one, or $10 for two people. Proceeds will be used by Brethren Community Ministries to serve residents of the South Allison Hill neighborhoods. For more visit www.bcmcob.org.
  
  
• New Beginnings Fellowship Church of the Brethren (formerly Faith Church of the Brethren) in Batavia, Ill., is holding an event titled "Sudan--Trail of Tears" on April 14 at 7 p.m. Area churches have been invited. "We're praying for a good turnout," said an invitation in the Illinois and Wisconsin District newsletter.
  
  
• On April 21 Green Hill Church of the Brethren in Salem, Va., will hold a "Jesus Jam" from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Ten bands will play a variety of music including bluegrass, gospel, contemporary, and heavy metal. Ten speakers will bring messages. The event also includes workshops and a tent for prayer and meditation. All youth in the Roanoke Valley are invited to attend. For information call the Green Hill church at 540-389-5109.
  
  
• Sponsored by the Atlantic Northeast District Spiritual Renewal Team, the annual Ministry Conference for Church Leadership is designed to be a day apart for ministers, church leaders, and other interested people. It will be held April 25, 8:15 a.m.-4 p.m., at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College. Guest speaker is Lou George, executive minister of the American Baptist Churches, USA. Assisting with leadership is David Young. The registration fee of $30 includes a "heart-healthy" lunch. Participants may receive .6 continuing education units for an extra fee of $10. Scholarship assistance is available, contact David Young at 717-738-1887 or davidyoung@churchrenewalservant.org. Registration deadline is April 16, contact the Atlantic Northeast District office for more information, 717-367-4730.
  
  
• The 6th Annual Sounds of the Mountains Festival at Camp Bethel near Fincastle, Va., is scheduled for April 20-21. The event will feature Donald Davis, Sheila Kay Adams, Andy Offutt Irwin, Joseph Helfrich, and the Celtibillies. The festival "for families, hipsters, and everyone in between" according to the camp e-mail newsletter, is a fundraiser for the ministries of the camp. For schedule and ticket information go to www.soundsofthemountains.org.
  
  
• The McPherson (Kan.) College Choir presents its Spring Concert on Sunday, April 15, at McPherson Church of the Brethren. The program centers on the theme "The Greatest of These Is Love," and begins at 7:30 p.m. The choir and the McPherson College Singers, the college's select vocal ensemble, will perform a program of religious and secular music. A free will offering will help support the expenses of the vocal music program.
  
  
• A Great Strides 10K walk to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will be held on Sunday, April 15, at Bridgewater (Va.) College, beginning at 2 p.m. in front of Nininger Hall. Great Strides walks are held across the country to raise money for research, the cost of which continues to escalate because of the expense of new technology. Sara Wagner, a senior biology and allied health science double major from Powhatan, Va., is coordinating the event in honor of her cousin, who has the disease. For more information contact smw004@bridgewater.edu or 804-366-5341.
  
  
• Muma Mambula, the 2007 Fellow at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College's Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, will discuss relations between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria at 7:30 p.m. on April 19, in the Susquehanna Room of Myer Hall. His talk is open to the public free of charge and will be presented following the Young Center's annual banquet. A reception for Mambula begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the banquet at 6 p.m. (reservations for the banquet were required by April 6). Provost of the Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Mambula earned a doctorate in education from the University of Maiduguri and a master's degree in theology from Bethany Theological Seminary.
  
  
• The Lilly Endowment has announced the eighth year of its National Clergy Renewal Program, in which congregations have the opportunity to design and carry out periods of renewal for their pastors. In 2007 up to 120 congregations will be selected to participate. Each grant proposal may request up to $45,000, up to $15,000 of that may be used for congregational activities during a pastor's absence. Ministers must be ordained and have earned a master of divinity degree from an accredited theological seminary or divinity school. A brochure and application form are available at www.lillyendowment.org or contact 317-916-7350 or clergyrenewal@yahoo.com. Creating a proposal requires a joint effort of pastor and congregation; applicants are encouraged not to put off applying until the last minute. The deadline for proposals is May 15.
  
  
• Women Touched by Grace grants are available, through a program recommended by pastor Erin Matteson of Modesto (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, a recent participant. This Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program funded by the Lily Endowment, Inc., is a spiritual renewal program for women clergy in congregations. It includes five ten-day sessions over three years, beginning April 2008. It takes place at the Benedict Inn Retreat and Conference Center, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Benedict in Beech Grove, Ind. The group of 20 chosen to participate is intentionally diverse denominationally and geographically. Requirements, details, and an application form can be found at www.benedictinn.org. Or contact Matteson at erin@modcob.org or 209-523-1438. Application deadline is June 1.
  
  
• Three people were arrested during an event protesting the war in Iraq at the federal building in Fort Wayne, Ind., including two members of the Church of the Brethren--Cliff Kindy, who has worked with Christian Peacemaker Teams, and Nicolas Kauffman, a student at Manchester College. On March 30 the Fort Wayne "Journal-Gazette" reported that the men were arrested after a demonstration that called for Senators Evan Bayh and Richard Lugar to stop supporting funding for the war. Previously, a group of about 30 people had gathered outside the building in a peaceful protest, and some had met with Lugar's staff. Another Church of the Brethren member, Rachel Gross, and another Manchester College student, Joshua Archer, were also at the event and were interviewed by the paper.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

Scheppard to be new vice president, dean at Bridgewater College.

Carol Scheppard, associate professor of philosophy and religion, has been appointed vice president and dean for academic affairs at Bridgewater (Va.) College, effective July 1. She is a member of Lebanon Church of the Brethren in Mount Sidney, Va., and an ordained Church of the Brethren minister.

She succeeds Arthur C. Hessler, who earlier this year announced his retirement on June 30. The college conducted a national search to fill the position.

Scheppard holds degrees from Wesleyan University, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the University of Pennsylvania. She spent 10 years as a teacher and administrator at Landmark School in Massachusetts, and Landmark College in Vermont, schools with curricula designed specifically for students with dyslexia. She joined the Bridgewater faculty in 1998.

Her denominational service includes membership of the board of trustees of Bethany Theological Seminary, where she is the chair of the presidential search committee.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

Youth Peace Travel Team is selected for summer 2007.

The three members of the 2007 Youth Peace Travel Team has been selected: Amanda Glover of Mountain View Fellowship Church of the Brethren in McGaheysville, Va.; Audrey Hollenberg of Westminster (Md.) Church of the Brethren; and Emily LaPrade of Antioch Church of the Brethren in Rocky Mount, Va.

The team is jointly sponsored by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, Brethren Volunteer Service, and the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the Church of the Brethren General Board, and by the Outdoor Ministries Association and On Earth Peace.

Team members will share Christ's message of peace with youth across the denomination this summer. They will join fellow Ministry Summer Service workers in Elgin, Ill., for orientation at the Church of the Brethren General Offices, and then will travel to Woodland Altars, a Church of the Brethren camp in Peebles, Ohio, to continue their orientation and provide leadership for a senior high youth camp. Other stops later in the summer include Camp Eder in Fairfield, Pa.; Camp Harmony in Hooversville, Pa.; Shepherd's Spring in Sharpsburg, Md.; Camp Mardela in Denton, Md.; Camp Swatara in Bethel, Pa.; Camp Blue Diamond in Petersburg, Pa.; and Annual Conference in Cleveland, Ohio.

For more information contact Susanna Farahat of On Earth Peace at sfarahat_oepa@brethren.org or 410-635-8706.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

Bethany Seminary holds reception to honor president Roop.

A reception for Bethany Theological Seminary president Eugene F. Roop is scheduled for Sunday, April 29, from 2-4 p.m. at the seminary in Richmond, Ind. The reception will feature a program at 3 p.m.

Roop will retire June 30, after having served as Bethany's president since 1992. He led the seminary through several major transitions and accomplishments, including a move from Oak Brook, Ill., to Richmond in 1994, and an affiliation with Earlham School of Religion in Richmond.

With the sale of Bethany's Illinois property and the establishment of prudent financial practices, the seminary retired all debt and built a significant endowment. All of the school's current fulltime teaching and administrative faculty joined Bethany's staff during Roop's tenure. Among the programs developed during his years as president are Connections, a distributed education program; the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, a certificate program for ministry training sponsored jointly with the General Board; the Institute for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults; and offsite graduate courses hosted at the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center in Pennsylvania.

For more information go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/?page=news_roopreception.php or call the seminary at 765-983-1823.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

Brethren women create 'Mother's Day Gratitude Project.'

The Global Women's Project, a Church of the Brethren women's organization, has announced the launch of a Mother's Day Gratitude Project. "Rather than buying material gifts for your loved one (she probably has plenty), this year express your gratitude with a gift that helps other women around the world," said the announcement. "Your donation allows us to fund projects that focus on issues related to women's health, education, and employment. In return, your chosen recipient will receive a card of gratitude indicating that a gift has been made in her honor."

Gratitude cards will be mailed in time for Mother's Day on May 13. To participate, make donations out to Global Women's Project, and send the donation along with the sender's name and contact information, and the honoree's name and address, to Global Women's Project steering committee member Jacki Hartley at 213 Perry St., Elgin, IL 60123.

Global Women's Project seeks to raise awareness of the global poverty, oppression and injustice suffered by women around the world; to recognize how overconsumption and misuse of resources directly contribute to women's suffering; to examine and change ways of living; and to support self-help community projects that are led by, empower, and benefit women in the US and developing areas.

A bulletin insert and additional information can be found at the Global Women's Project website hosted by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at www.brethren.org/genbd/witness/gwp.htm.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

300th anniversary update: District youth teams to receive training.

The Church of the Brethren districts have been invited to name two youth from each to serve as Youth Heritage Travel Teams for the 300th anniversary of the Brethren movement in 2008. A training event for the teams is scheduled for April 13-15, at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. The training group will include 42 youth and 12 adults.

The training is a cooperative venture of the 300th Anniversary Committee and the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the General Board. The teams will provide leadership at district events and in congregations throughout the anniversary year. They will be trained in the areas of storytelling, public speaking, drama, music, heritage, and Brethren beliefs and practices, and will be equipped to visit congregations to lead worship services and Sunday school classes.

Leadership for the training will be provided by Rhonda Pittman Gingrich, Leslie Lake, Jeff Bach, Jim Lehman, Joseph Helfrich, Wendy McFadden, Nevin Dulabaum, Paula Langdon, and Chris Douglas.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

300th anniversary bits and pieces.

• The Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College is planning a national conference on Oct. 11-13 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Brethren. The theme will be "Honoring a Legacy, Embracing a Future: 300 Years of Brethren Heritage," with plenary speakers Carl D. Bowman, Chris Bucher, Richard Hughes, Marcus Meier, and Dale Stoffer. An Oct. 13 Love Feast Celebration will be led by Jeff Bach at the Bucher Meetinghouse, by reservation. For more information go to www.etown.edu/youngctr or call 717-361-1470.
  
  
• The Association for the Arts is beginning to work on two projects celebrating the 300th anniversary: Each congregation is requested to bring to this year's Annual Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, one yard of 100 percent cotton print fabric, for a special quilt to be designed and constructed for display at the 2008 Annual Conference. Congregational representatives should drop off fabric pieces at the Association for the Arts booth. In a second anniversary project, artists are invited to create a three-dimensional art piece, painting, fiber art, or photograph that captures elements of the 300th anniversary logo (view at www.churchofthebrethrenanniversary.org). A selection committee will choose 12-15 pieces to show in the 2008 Anniversary Conference exhibit. Artists should send or bring a concept description, rough drawing, or completed art piece along with another sample of their art work to the Association for the Arts booth at the 2007 Annual Conference; or send by mail to Don and Joyce Parker, 1293 Laurel Dr., West Salem, OH 44287.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline

Annual Conference moderator will make history.

Belita D. Mitchell will make history when Annual Conference convenes in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 30-July 4. She is the first African-American woman, and the first female African-American ordained minister, to moderate the annual meeting of the Church of the Brethren. Mitchell serves as pastor of First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa.

The Conference moderator serves in the highest elected position in the Church of the Brethren, which is a volunteer position. In Cleveland, Mitchell will lead a delegate body of hundreds of representatives of congregations from across the US and Puerto Rico, and a Standing Committee of representatives of the denomination's 23 districts.

"Looks like we're going to have an excellent Conference!" she said in an telephone interview as she prepared to start out on a "trek" to meet with district briefings for the 2007 Conference. In light of the full business schedule, she is encouraging delegates "to study all of the business items, so that you understand the business, and to pray, so that you come with an open mind and an open spirit, so that you come to the work of business as worship."

Mitchell said she hopes the Conference will come prepared by prayer. The preparation of prayer "helps us to embody more openly and visibly what it means to be the body of Christ," she said. "If we were to come 'prayed up,' then we'll be more open to see what God has for us to do."

Several unfinished business items are coming back to the Conference this year, and Mitchell has suggested to her own congregation to send the same delegate as last year, to make for a better informed delegate body. She also urges delegates to be in conversation with their congregations about the business, and while at the Conference to find ways to be in communication with other members of their congregation who also will be in attendance.

Belita Mitchell and her spouse of 35 years, Don Mitchell, live in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Don Mitchell is a retired business owner and serves as director of Church Development for Atlantic Northeast District. The Mitchells are the parents of four children and four grandchildren. They have three surviving children, Sanya Ward-Wallace of Fontana, Calif., Kym Mitchell-Moore of Seattle, Wash., and Don-Valliant Mitchell of Mechanicsburg. Grandchildren are Noelle, Shannon, Marcus, and Serenity.

Mitchell was born Belita D. Brewington in Colp, Ill. She received her elementary education in Detroit, Mich., and completed high school and college in southern Illinois. She received a bachelor of arts degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

She is a second career ministerial leader, following a 30-year career in professional sales with a Fortune 100 company. Her first pastorate was at Imperial Heights Church of the Brethren in Los Angeles. Her ministry training was completed through the Training in Ministry program of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, and included coursework at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. While in California, she was active in Pacific Southwest District, and served on the Board of Directors of Brethren Hillcrest Homes in La Verne.

Her denominational service has included a term on the Committee on Interchurch Relations, and participation in the Cross Cultural Ministries Steering Committee. She was one of the Church of the Brethren representatives to the Anabaptist Consultation on Alternative Service in 2005.

Mitchell's request continues to be for prayer, as she leads the Church of the Brethren this year. "I'm asking everyone to pray for me, that I'll be able to keep it together," she said.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline Extra

2007 Conference will 'Proclaim the Power of God.'

The 2007 Annual Conference--the 221st recorded annual meeting of the Church of the Brethren--will take place in Cleveland, Ohio, from June 30-July 4. This year's theme, "Proclaim the Power of God," is taken from Psalm 68:34-35. Online registration is now open at www.brethren.org/ac through May 21. After that time, Conference-goers must register onsite, with an additional fee.

The schedule includes daily worship services, business sessions, insight sessions, meal events, concerts, a blood drive, a 5K run/walk fitness challenge, mutual help groups, a quilt auction, activities for children and youth, and more.

Leadership will be provided by moderator Belita D. Mitchell, pastor of First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa.; moderator-elect Jim Beckwith, pastor of Annville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; and secretary Fred W. Swartz of Bridgewater, Va. Lerry Fogle serves as executive director of the Conference. The Program and Arrangements Committee for the Conference includes Kristi Kellerman, Scott L. Duffey, and Joanna Willoughby, along with the Conference officers and treasurer Judy E. Keyser.

Main events will be held at the Cleveland Convention Center, with worship and business in the center's Public Auditorium and exhibits and booths in the center's Exhibit Hall B. Meal events and insight sessions will take place at the Cleveland Convention Center and two hotels: the Crowne Plaza Cleveland-City Centre and the Cleveland Downtown Marriott at Key Center.

Speakers for worship will be Jeff Carter, pastor of Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren, on Saturday evening; moderator Mitchell, on Sunday morning; Duane Grady, of the General Board's Congregational Life Team, on Monday evening; Tim Harvey, pastor of Central Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va., on Tuesday evening; and Ataloa Woodin, pastor of Community Brethren Church in Fresno, Calif., on Wednesday morning. Tuesday evening worship will include a service of anointing, assisted by 50 pastors and 50 deacons from across the denomination. Wednesday morning will include installation of the 2008 moderator and moderator-elect.

Other major presenters include:

• Joan Brown Campbell, former general secretary of the National Council of Churches and currently director of the Chautauqua Institution Department of Religion, on "Christians and Citizens: The Church in the World Today" at the Messenger Dinner on Sunday, July 1.
  
  
• Deforia Lane, director of the Ireland Cancer Center and director of music therapy at University Hospitals of Cleveland, on "Music Therapy: Medicine for the Body, Healing for the Soul" at the Association of Brethren Caregivers Recognition Dinner on Saturday, June 30.
  
  
• Eugene F. Roop, retiring president of Bethany Theological Seminary, at the Bethany Luncheon on Tuesday, July 3. Bethany also invites Conference-goers to a reception honoring Roop's service as president of the seminary, on Monday, July 2, at 4:45-7 p.m.
  
  
• Stephen Breck Reid, Bethany's academic dean, on "Black Theology and the Hebrew Prophets" at the Brethren Life and Thought Luncheon on Monday, July 2.
  
  
• President Ted Long of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College on "Advancing Brethren Heritage Through Higher Education," at the Elizabethtown Alumni Luncheon on Sunday, July 1.
  
  
• Chris Raschka, illustrator of children's books including "The Hello, Goodbye Window" which earned him the Caldecott Award in 2006, at the Brethren Press Breakfast on Monday, July 2.
  
  
• Paul Numrich, Church of the Brethren minister and associate professor and chair of the Program in World Religions and Inter-Religious Dialogue at the Theological Consortium of Greater Columbus, Ohio, on "Living Among People of Other Faiths" at the Ecumenical Luncheon on Tuesday, July 3.
  
  
• Art Gish, Church of the Brethren member and organic farmer who has worked with Christian Peacemaker Teams in the Middle East, on "The Call for Christian Peacemaking in These Times" at the On Earth Peace Breakfast on Tuesday, July 3.
  
  
• Balbir Mathur, co-founder of Trees for Life, on "The Song of Service," at the Brethren Volunteer Service Luncheon on Monday, July 2.
  
  
• Irv and Nancy Heishman, Church of the Brethren mission coordinators in the Dominican Republic, on "Blessing, Bartering, and Being: Stories of Faith and Life Among the Dominican Brethren" at the International Welcome Dinner on Saturday, June 30.

This year the line up for the "Early Evening with the Arts" (formerly Early Evening Concerts) includes a musical by the Junior Arts Camp at Inspiration Hills Camp and Retreat Center in Burbank, Ohio, on Saturday; the East Chippewa Vocal Band, a men's southern gospel group from East Chippewa Church of the Brethren in Orrville, Ohio, on Sunday; the new African-American music ministry "Friends Ministry of Good News" on Monday; and a concert led by pastor Thomas Dowdy of Imperial Heights Church of the Brethren in Los Angeles, on Tuesday.

A "Worship Music Celebration" will be held in the Public Auditorium following the evening worship services on Sunday and Monday. The celebrations will feature a wide variety of music including Gospel, Spanish, contemporary Christian, African, African-American, Haitian, and more, hosted by Los Angeles pastors Gilbert Romero of Bella Vista Church of the Brethren on Sunday, and Thomas Dowdy of Imperial Heights Church of the Brethren on Monday.

Several Conference events offer continuing education units for ministers:

• A series on "Evangelism and Church Renewal" sponsored by the Congregational Life Ministries of the General Board includes seven insight sessions and the Congregational Life/Global Ministries Dinner with speaker Craig Sider of the Brethren in Christ Church, on "Growing the Church The Anabaptist Way." The events offer .1 credit each, cost is $10 for each .1 credit.
  
  
• A series from the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) offers .01 credit, at no charge, for each of 11 insight sessions on a range of health and welfare issues.
  
  
• On Earth Peace is offering five insight sessions for .1 credit each, on topics such as "Non-Anxious Pastoring in Difficult Times" and "Biblical Basics of Peacemaking."
  
  
• An insight session with Jim Eikenberry and Amir Assadi-Rad of San Joaquin Delta College in California, will address the topic, "Can We Talk? A Muslim and an Evangelical Christian Come Together" on Tuesday evening, July 3; the session offers .1 credit.

This year blood donors may pre-register for the blood drive at Annual Conference, through online programs of the American Red Cross. The blood drive is co-sponsored by the Emergency Response/Service Ministries of the General Board. To make an appointment to give blood at the Cleveland Convention Center on July 1-3, log on to www.givelife.org and enter sponsor code "brethren," then click on the time and site desired to reach a login screen. New registrants will create a profile, following the directions given. E-mail reminders will be sent to registrants. Appointment times may be changed online. Walk-ins will still be able to donate at Conference.

Activities for children will include field trips to Cleveland Metro Parks Zoo and Rainforest, the Great Lakes Science Center and Omnimax Theater, and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. Plans for youth include a Cleveland Indians Game, a visit to the Geauga Lake Amusement and Water Park, and a service project. Young adults will hold a field trip to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens along with a game night, ice cream social, and discussion and fellowship evenings.

For more about business items, see the story below. More information about schedule, fees, meal tickets, parking, transportation, aids for those with disabilities, housing, and registration may be found at www.brethren.org/ac.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline Extra

Becoming intercultural, medical plan, review of agencies top the business agenda.

Business for the 2007 Conference ranges from the future of the Brethren Medical Plan, to a final report from the Intercultural Study Committee, to recommendations to reorganize some church agencies, among nine items of unfinished and new business (full documents are at www.brethren.org/ac). The business agenda also includes reports from Conference-related agencies and committees, and an election of church leaders.

Unfinished business

Intercultural Study Committee report:

The Intercultural Study Committee states that its report "is a call for transformation." After three years of study, the committee reports that "God is calling us today, to be transformed into a whole body of Christ, so that we are SEPARATE NO MORE." Numerous recommendations are directed to the denomination as a whole, the Conference and its agencies, the districts, congregations, and Brethren individuals.

The recommendations section begins with two specific recommendations, to "bring us (the denomination) into conformity with the vision of Revelation 7:9," and to "formulate a mechanism to report intercultural ministry progress at Annual Conference through 2010."

In the several pages that follow, the committee calls for including the concept of intentional intercultural inclusion in the purpose and vision statement of Annual Conference and its reportable agencies, establishing a discernment process during hiring for the denominational agencies that considers candidates' intercultural competence and denominational needs, requiring annual intercultural orientation and education for staff and program volunteers of denominational agencies, and developing programs to include and formally mentor young adults of every ethnic and racial background into leadership positions, among others. The committee recommends a fulltime, funded specialist position in the Congregational Life Teams of the General Board to assist in facilitating intercultural activity in the denomination.

To districts, the committee recommends that all pastors have ongoing continuing education focused on intercultural activity, and that intercultural content continuing education units be required for re-ordination and re-licensing of ministers, as well as a formal mentoring program for new minority pastors, among other recommendations.

To congregations, the committee recommends the following "salient principles" of leadership, in order to become an intercultural family of God: intentionality, adaptability, and integrated worship. The committee calls on churches to reach out to neighbors from different backgrounds, and to become informed of conditions of life for ethnic and racial minorities.

To individuals, the committee recommends being intentional about forming authentic relationships with diverse neighbors, becoming better informed about racism and discrimination, and standing in solidarity with victims of hate crimes, among others.

The report includes steps to account for implementation. Appendices give a draft of the proposed new Congregational Life Teams position, signs of intercultural church development, principles of growing multicultural churches, and case studies from First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa., and Peace Covenant Church in Durham, N.C. A resource list closes the report.

Brethren Medical Plan Resolution:

The Brethren Medical Plan Study Committee appointed in 2005 is making its report to the 2007 Conference. The Brethren Medical Plan is a program of Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) offering a health insurance plan for pastors and church employees, district employees, employees of Annual Conference agencies and affiliated agencies and institutions, and their families. A resolution from BBT to the 2005 Conference called for this study. BBT had announced that the plan was in a "death spiral" caused by decreased membership, the erosion of a good spread of risk, increased health care costs, and increased premiums.

After two years of study the committee recommends that BBT phase out the medical insurance component of the Brethren Medical Plan for ministers and retirees, while continuing to explore viability of the plan for agency employees, and continuing to offer its longterm disability, life, vision, and dental insurance plans.

If the recommendations are adopted, BBT will be directed "to attempt to find alternative medical coverage for those current participants who would not otherwise be able to obtain or afford medical insurance."

Review and Evaluation Committee:

A regularly scheduled review of the program work of the denomination is carried out every decade by a Review and Evaluation Committee, with a new committee elected in the fifth year of each decade. This year the Conference will receive the report of the Review and Evaluation Committee elected in 2005.

In previous decades, the review was limited to the work of the General Board. With the reorganization of the board in 1997 and the expansion of agencies reportable to Conference, this review evaluates total denominational organization, structure, and program, including the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) and On Earth Peace along with the General Board.

Among 10 detailed points of recommendation, the committee recommends the merger of the General Board and ABC into an entity called "The Church of the Brethren, USA," and encourages On Earth Peace to consider joining (the other two agencies--Bethany Theological Seminary and Brethren Benefit Trust--would continue in their present capacities). In addition, the recommendation is for the new board to replace the roles and functions of both the current General Board and the Annual Conference Council, uniting them into a single body.

"The duplication of resources expended for separate boards, separate finance and fundraising needs of each of these agencies has meant the draining of both financial and people resources within the denomination," the report says. "The hope is that a simpler structure can... minimize the footprint that the agencies within the church impose on the local church's mission and ministry."

The report includes other recommendations such as enhancing orientation for and care for church leaders, and promoting the core values and heritage of the Church of the Brethren, among others.

Doing Church Business:

The Annual Conference Program Feasibility Study Committee will report, as the group to which the Doing Church Business report was referred by the 2006 Conference. Delegates will address the Doing Church Business report in light of the feasibility study, resuming discussion at the point at which the business item was referred--when an amendment to delete a section on "Length of Conference" was on the floor. The Doing Church Business report has the potential to make significant changes in the format of the Conference and the way delegates address business. (For more about how the 2006 Conference dealt with this item, go to www.brethren.org/genbd/newsline/2006/AC2006/TuesdayBusiness.html.)

New business

Query: Child Abuse Prevention: Referring to church statements that include recommendations for the prevention of child abuse, the query from Michigan District, originating at Skyridge Church of the Brethren in Kalamazoo, asks Conference to examine how the recommendations are used and implemented by congregations, agencies, and organizations, and to bring a recommendation for implementation at all levels of denominational programming.

Query: Annual Conference Schedule: The query from Pacific Southwest District, originating with Papago Buttes Church of the Brethren in Scottsdale, Ariz., asks, "What is the best way for the denomination to schedule Annual Conferences, taking into consideration frequency, length, technology-based, and other options?"

Query: Reverse Membership Trend: The query from Idaho and Western Montana District, originating in Nampa (Idaho) Church of the Brethren, "confesses our sinful complicity with the declining membership of our denomination and asks when and how the Church of the Brethren can halt and reverse this trend toward extinction?"

Update to Annual Conference Polity: The Annual Conference Council recommends a change in polity for rotation of Conference locations, in order to hold the event more often in population concentrations of Brethren. The recommendation is to hold Conference in the East and Midwest four times respectively over a 12-year period, with other years of the cycle seeing Conference held in the Southeast once, the Northwest once, the Plains states once, and the Southwest once. Currently locations are rotated over the course of six years, to the East, the Midwest east of the Mississippi, the Midwest west of the Mississippi, the Southeast, the Midwest east of the Mississippi, and the far West, alternating every six years between the Northwest and Southwest.

Recommendation Regarding Christian Churches Together: The Committee on Interchurch Relations and the General Board jointly recommend that the Church of the Brethren fully participate in Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT), a new ecumenical organization that includes a broad representation of Christian denominations and Christian organizations including the National Council of Churches and the National Association of Evangelicals.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline Extra

Committee completes Medical Plan study.

The following article appeared in the "Benefit News" newsletter from Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT), giving more information about the study of the Brethren Medical Plan:

After nearly two years of study, the Annual Conference Brethren Medical Plan Study Committee has issued three recommendations for the 2007 Annual Conference delegates to consider.

Citing a 78 percent drop in participation in the Brethren Medical Plan since 1993, when there were more than 3,119 primary members, to just 684 as of January 2007, the committee concluded that "the Brethren Medical Plan's medical coverage component is neither feasible nor viable in its current state." The committee recommends that the medical insurance component for ministers and retirees be phased out.

"The only way to ensure the Medical Plans' longterm existence," the study said, "would be to expand its risk pool and to increase its reserves." In order to expand the risk pool, more participants would have to join the plan who could help spread the risk to a more acceptable level. This goal appears to be unattainable, the study concluded, based on the history of participation in the plan and the recent efforts expended in trying to increase denomination-wide participation. Since 2005 alone, total participation in the Medical Plan has decreased by 16 percent, further shrinking the risk pool. The report stated that "attracting more participants just like the high-risk group already in the plan would not solve the problem."

Reserves are of equal concern, the study said. While the Brethren Medical Plan is currently functioning, it does not have a reserve balance sufficient to incur several years of negative loss claims similar to what it experienced in the catastrophic years of 2003-04.

The study reported that participants in the Brethren Medical Plan like the plan, feel it is competitive with other plans, and have seen a significant improvement in customer service and the availability of network providers since Blue Cross/Blue Shield became the service provider. Many participants continue in the plan out of a sense of mutuality and need, the study said.

In contrast to its recommendation regarding ministers and retirees, the committee does recommend that BBT continue to explore the viability of the plan for the church-related agencies. In addition, it recommends that BBT be directed to attempt to find alternative medical coverage for those current participants who would not otherwise be able to obtain or afford medical insurance. The committee also recommends that the stand-alone plans of longterm disability, life, vision, and dental insurance continue.

BBT is diligently working to be prepared for whatever action the 2007 Annual Conference takes regarding the study committee's three recommendations, whether delegates approve, modify, reject, or delay action on the recommendations, in whole or in part. If changes are made to the plan, adequate time is expected to be provided for members to change their medical coverage. All eligible employees are to participate in the Brethren Medical Plan through the conclusion of the study, as directed by Annual Conference 2005. BBT is committed to providing as much information as possible regarding the Brethren Medical Plan. For more information visit www.brethrenbenefittrust.com or call the Insurance Department at 800-746-1505.

Three events are planned to discuss the Brethren Medical Plan at Annual Conference 2007: A hearing by the Brethren Medical Plan Study Committee is scheduled for Saturday, June 30, at 9 p.m. to provide a clearer understanding of the report; as a business item, the study committee's report is tentatively scheduled to be considered by delegates on Monday, July 2, at 10:50 a.m.; as a follow up, a BBT insight session is scheduled that evening at 9 p.m. to discuss BBT's next steps.

We request that all be prayerful and discerning in determining what God would have for the Church of the Brethren regarding this issue.

--Jay Wittmeyer is the manager of publications for Brethren Benefit Trust.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline Extra

Ministers' Association to discuss 'Excellence in Ministry.'

The Pre-Conference continuing education event sponsored by the Church of the Brethren Ministers' Association takes place in Cleveland on June 29-30. The keynote presenter is L. Gregory Jones, dean of Duke Divinity School, co-convenor of the "Pulpit and Pew" Excellence in Ministry Colloquim, and co-author with Kevin R. Armstrong of "Resurrecting Excellence: Shaping Faithful Christian Ministry." The theme is "Excellence in Ministry" (Philippians 2:5).

Opening worship begins at 2 p.m. on June 29. Sessions led by Jones will be offered in the afternoon and evening of June 29 and the morning of June 30. A business meeting is planned for 4:30 p.m. on June 29. A "Picnic in the Park" for pre-registered participants and families takes place at 5-7 p.m, June 29, for an extra fee.

Those pre-registered by June 1 will pay $60, $90 for couples, $20 for seminary or EFMS and TRIM students. Per session registration costs $35 for an individual or couple. Pre-registered participants receive a copy of "Resurrecting Excellence," available for pick up at the event. Participants receive .8 continuing education units. Child care for infants through grade 8 is offered for $5 per child per session, maximum $25 per family. Cost for the meal is $10 for adults and youth ages 13 and up, $5 for children.

Find the registration form in the Annual Conference Information Packet at www.brethren.org/ac or contact Tim Sollenberger Morphew, Bethany Church of the Brethren, P.O. Box 52, New Paris, IN 46553-0052.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline Extra

Song and Story Fest focuses on eco-justice.

This summer's Song and Story Fest, an annual intergenerational camp for all ages co-sponsored by On Earth Peace, will be held at Inspiration Hills Camp and Retreat Center in Burbank, Ohio. The theme for the June 24-30 event is "The Arc of the Universe: Bending Toward Eco-Justice?"

The fest is scheduled as a pre-Annual Conference event, concluding the morning of the day on which Annual Conference starts in Cleveland.

Ken Kline Smeltzer coordinates the fest, which is in its 11th year. The event features Brethren musicians and storytellers. This year's leadership includes a number of Brethren speakers, story tellers, and musicians, along with the groups Shen Fine and Mutual Kumquat. Also on the schedule are intergenerational gatherings, worship, family time, recreation, story swaps, music-making, campfires, concerts, a folk dance, and workshops for adults, children, and youth.

Registration includes meals, and is based on age: adults pay $220; teenagers pay $180; children ages 6-12 pay $150; children five and under are welcome at no charge; maximum fee per family is $660. Daily fees are $40 per person, $100 per family, including meals. Registrations post-marked after June 1 will be charges an additional 10 percent as a late fee.

Register at www.brethren.org/oepa/programs/special/song-story-fest/index.html. Contact Barb Sayler at On Earth Peace for information about financial help, 502-222-5886 or bsayler_oepa@brethren.org.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline Extra

More pre-Conference offerings.

• On Earth Peace is sponsoring a workshop on "Exploring Consensus Decision-Making," on Saturday, June 30, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Presenters are Annie Clark, coordinator of the Ministry of Reconciliation for On Earth Peace, and Carol Mason, coordinator of Congregational Life Teams, Area 3, for the General Board. There is no charge. A continuing education credit of .3 is available. Pre-registration is recommended; send name, contact information, and number of participants to aclark_oepa@brethren.org by June 15.
  
  
• The Church of the Brethren Credit Union is holding an Open House and Members' Meeting on June 30, at 2 p.m. All are welcome to come and learn about credit union services. Door prizes will be given, refreshments will be served, and $1 will be donated to Heifer International for every attendee. Contact Dennis Kingery at 888-832-1383 or dkingery_bbt@brethren.org.

Source: 4/11/2007 Newsline Extra

Credits

Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Mary Dolheimer, Chris Douglas, Susanna Farahat, Jacki Hartley, Mary Kay Heatwole, Hannah Kliewer, Karin Krog, Erin Matteson, Janis Pyle, Marcia Shetler, and Fred Swartz contributed to this report.

NEWS

• Christian Peace Witness for Iraq is ‘a candle in the darkness.’
  
• Vital Pastor program continues to launch and conclude pastor groups.
  
• Disaster Child Care provides training workshops.
  
• Brethren Disaster Response appeals for more volunteers.
  
• Brethren bits: Remembrance, personnel, job opening, and more.

PERSONNEL

• Mark Hartwig to direct Information Services for General Board.
  
• Carol Yeazell serves as interim director of Congregational Life Team.

FEATURE

• ‘I don’t have it all together, but I can try’: A reflection on working for peace.

Christian Peace Witness for Iraq is ‘a candle in the darkness.’

A hand holding a candle in the darkness was the central image for the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, which took place in Washington, D.C., on Friday evening, March 16. Some 3,500 Christians gathered to repent of their complicity with the war and to seek the end of the US occupation of Iraq. On Earth Peace and the Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board were among the organizations sponsoring the witness. On Earth Peace staff Matt Guynn and Susanna Farahat provided logistics for a peacekeeper training before the event.

The witness marked the fourth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. It was attended by Church of the Brethren members from as far away as California and as close as Virginia, with Brethren also traveling from Kansas, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and New York, among others. More than 210 Brethren were identified as participating in the weekend including the Christian Peace Witness on Friday evening, a Brethren breakfast the next morning, and a March on the Pentagon on Saturday afternoon, according to the Brethren Witness/Washington Office.

The Christian Peace Witness began with an ecumenical worship service at the National Cathedral. Candles shone as they were carried into the cathedral's immense stone hall by representatives of 15 denominations and more than 30 partner organizations, including Phil Jones, director of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office representing the General Board, and Verdena Lee, a physician representing On Earth Peace.

Testimony and messages from US soldiers, Iraqi citizens, Abu Ghraib detainees, and members of Christian Peacemaker Teams were shared. “Hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches,” was the refrain repeated again and again.

One of the preachers, Raphael G. Warnock of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., preached that, “Too often, the wrong question is being asked when people say, 'What can we do to keep from losing this war?' The danger is not that America may lose the war, but that America may lose its soul.” In a month when the administration made a case for a temporary surge in US troops in Iraq, Warnock said, “The surge we need is a surge in truthtelling, a surge in the nonviolent army of the Lord.”

In a four-mile candlelight procession down the hill from the cathedral and surrounding the White House, participants expressed support for soldiers, a desire to end the occupation, and a prayer for the just rebuilding of Iraq. In a nonviolence training before the procession, participants spiritually prepared themselves to surround the White House with the light of Christ, and some prepared to risk arrest by entering restricted space around the White House.

At the White House, 222 people were arrested including at least four members of the Church of the Brethren--Esther Moller Ho, Phil Jones, Phil Rieman, and Illana Naylor. Esther Ho later reflected, “I decided to participate in the civil disobedience so that my trip would have the strongest impact against the war. My primary motivation comes from the example Jesus gave us by being arrested and going to the cross in obedience to God. I felt humbled and honored that my congregation initiated the idea of my going to the witness and paid my way.” She is a member of Fellowship in Christ Church of the Brethren in Fremont, Calif.

At least 60 Brethren and friends joined together for breakfast following the witness, organized by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at Washington City Church of the Brethren. Art Gish, recently returned from working with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in Iraq, was the keynote speaker. He and his wife Peggy Gish have rotated in and out of Iraq and Hebron as members of CPT. Brethren at the breakfast collected more than $480 for the work of CPT and $120 in support of the fines given to the four Brethren who were arrested, according to the Brethren Witness/Washington Office.

While major events like the Christian Peace Witness can be moments of media focus, spiritual formation for nonviolent followers of Jesus requires longterm organizing and prayer at the congregational level. The trip to Washington was the culmination of such a process for Jan Long, pastor for congregational life at Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind., who accompanied a delegation of 10 members and friends of her congregation.

In the months leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Beacon Heights formed a group called Persistent in Prayer for Peace.“Initially, we were very focused on sharing our own personal commitments and connecting around praying for the situation in Iraq,” Long reported. “We grew into a group that educates itself on the issues, calling ourselves to be faithful and persistent in being involved--from writing letters to actively participating in public witness, a whole variety of things. The group has become a space where we know that we have support and that there are others who are aware of what we are doing for peace. It has been really helpful to know a group of people that are also called to have this (peace commitment) be an ongoing part of our faith journey.”

The Beacon Heights group studied the work of theologian Walter Wink, participated in local groups with witnesses related to the Iraq war, and participated in other community peace events. “All along, it has been my vision to see this group continue to grow in involvement and activity,” Long said. “To have 10 people commit to go to this national witness felt like clearly another step of being persistent for peace.”

Is witnessing in the streets the only way to work for peace? “No,” said Long, but added, “being in the streets is a way of witnessing with our physical presence, where we find our spirits called and engaged,” she said. “It's a way of joining with others to make a call for the awareness of injustice and alternative possibilities in our world. Peace groups and Christians who take that seriously are a megaphone that help to amplify that message for our world.”

--Matt Guynn is coordinator of peace witness for On Earth Peace.

Source: 3/28/2007 Newsline

Vital Pastor program continues to launch and conclude pastor groups.

In late 2006 and early 2007, six pastoral cohort groups in the Church of the Brethren were awarded Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) grants that launched a two-year, self-chosen study focus for each group. SPE is administered by the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, a joint ministry of Bethany Theological Seminary and the Church of the Brethren General Board, and is funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. Following are the groups of pastors, their congregations, and their questions for study:

Dennis Beckner, Columbia City (Ind.) Church of the Brethren; Linda Lewis, Mansfield (Ohio) Church of the Brethren; Cara McCallister, Lafayette (Ind.) Church of the Brethren; Carol Pfeiffer, North Liberty (Ind.) Church of the Brethren; Keith Simmons, Agape Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Mark Stahl, Kokomo (Ind.) Church of the Brethren. Question: “How shall the Brethren be grown--what are the pastoral leadership characteristics and skills needed to help congregations grow?”

David Banaszak, Martinsburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Dale Dowdy, Stone Church of the Brethren in Huntingdon, Pa.; Marlys Hershberger, Hollidaysburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Connie Maclay, Beech Run Church of the Brethren in Mapleton Depot, Pa.; Ken Kline Smeltzer, Burnham (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Dottie Steele, Bedford (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. Question: “In light of a dominant North American culture that breeds alienation, what can we learn from our spiritual ancestors (Anabaptists, Pietists, and other Christian traditions) to strengthen our personal and community practices in order to become a more whole and faithful people?”

Ryan Braught, Hempfield Church of the Brethren in Manheim, Pa.; Dennis Garrison, Spring Creek Church of the Brethren in Hershey, Pa.; Steve Hess, Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; John Hostetter, Lampeter (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Bob Kettering, Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Phil Reynolds, Mohler Church of the Brethren in Ephrata, Pa. Question: “What leadership skills are needed to pastor disciple-forming communities in a postmodern world?”

Joel Kline, Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill.; Kreston Lipscomb, Springfield (Ill.) Church of the Brethren; Orlando Redekopp, First Church of the Brethren in Chicago; Christy Waltersdorff, York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, Ill.; Dennis Webb, Naperville (Ill.) Church of the Brethren. Question: “How can we share the Gospel in ways that will move ourselves (and our congregations) more intentionally toward joyous worship, active peacemaking, passionate faith, and spiritual maturity?”

Paula Bowser, Trotwood (Ohio) Church of the Brethren; Tracy Knechel, Mack Memorial Church of the Brethren in Dayton, Ohio; Nancy Fitzgerald, Nokesville (Va.) Church of the Brethren; Kim McDowell, University Park Church of the Brethren in Hyattsville, Md.; Darlene Meyers, Good Shepherd Church of the Brethren in Silver Spring, Md. Question: “How do image, story, and place create openings for spiritual transformation in us?”

Dennis Lohr, Palmyra (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Twyla Rowe, Westminster (Md.) Church of the Brethren; Dick Shreckhise, Lancaster (Pa.) Church of the Brethren; Jim Zerfing, Lake View Christian Fellowship Church of the Brethren in East Berlin, Pa. Question: “What are the insights and skills needed for effective pastoral leadership to minister amid the intersections of our Anabaptist/Pietist identity and the emerging postmodern church/culture?”

Source: 3/28/2007 Newsline

Disaster Child Care provides training workshops.

This year, Disaster Child Care has been offering a series of Level I Training Workshops for child care volunteers, and has named a new training coordinator. The program is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.

Robert (Bob) Roach of Phenix, Va., will work on a volunteer basis with Disaster Child Care coordinator Helen Stonesifer to coordinate the Level I Training Workshops. He will work with sponsoring organizations to establish dates and locations, and to assign trainers. Congregations interested in sponsoring a training may contact him at 434-542-5565 or phenixva@hotmail.com. “Our goal continues to be to schedule training events in the Gulf Coast states, as well as in other states where there are very few trained volunteers or none at all,” Stonesifer said.

Level I Training Workshops have been held in Atlanta, Ga., on Feb. 16-17, with 19 participants; in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 23-24, with 18 in attendance; at Dallas Center (Iowa) Church of the Brethren on March 9-10 with 19 participants; at Agape Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind., on March 16-17 with 11 people registered; and at the Martin Luther King Center in Natchitoches, La., on March 23-24.

An upcoming training on April 20-21 will be at Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren in Littleton, Colo.; contact Judy Gump at 970-352-9091 or Maxine Meunier at 303-973-4727.

Several experienced child care volunteers are receiving American Red Cross (ARC) Critical Response Team Training this week. Eight volunteers are attending the training in Las Vegas, Nev., on March 25-30, including a special Disaster Child Care orientation on March 26. The training will help volunteers understand the roles and responsibilities of a Critical Response Team member and how Disaster Child Care fits into the structure of the ARC Critical Response Team.

In other work, Disaster Child Care has represented the Church of the Brethren in conversations with the American Red Cross and Save the Children, in the process of establishing a “Statement of Understanding” to ensure the wellbeing of children in emergency evacuation shelters for people who have been affected by conflict and disasters. “One of the ways to achieve this is to set up safe play spaces--designed for children ages 4 to 10 to play and participate in recreational activities with other children for several hours each day,” Stonesifer said. “Working together, these agencies plan to provide a ‘Safe Space Kit’ and to secure and train volunteers to work in the areas,” she said.

Source: 3/28/2007 Newsline

Brethren Disaster Response appeals for more volunteers.

“Katrina survivors desperately need your help!” said an appeal from Brethren Disaster Response, a program of the Church of the Brethren General Board. “Now, 19 months after the storm, tens of thousands of families are still living in FEMA trailers or in crowded living conditions with extended family members or friends.”

Brethren Disaster Response volunteers rebuild and repair homes following disasters. The program currently has four active rebuilding projects in Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Volunteers are urgently needed this spring and summer: in Chalmette, La., volunteers are needed from May 20-26, May 27-June 2, June 3-9, July 8-14, July 15-21, and August 19-25; in Pearl River, La., volunteers are needed from May 27-June 2, and August 12-18.

The appeal included a testimonial from Adam A., a hurricane survivor from Slidell, La.: “We were severely impacted by Katrina and are receiving amazing help from a group of Brethren from all over the country. I am touched by their service, concern, and compassion. After feeling helpless for such a long time, and seeing these people come from out of nowhere to do the impossible to rebuild the homes and lives of my family, I am simply left speechless by what has happened.... The Brethren that I have met truly are amazing representatives of Christ and stand as the salt of the earth.... This has answered years of daily prayers and lifted a terrible burden from my shoulders.”

To volunteer contact your District Disaster Coordinator or the Brethren Disaster Response office at ersm_gb@brethren.org or 800-451-4407. For more go to www.brethrendisasterresponse.org.

Source: 3/28/2007 Newsline

Brethren bits: Remembrance, personnel, job opening, and more.

• Rae Hungerford Mason, a career missionary for the Church of the Brethren, died Dec. 3, 2006, in Portland, Ore. She was the widow of George Mason, who passed away in 1983, and together with her husband had served in Puerto Rico, China, and India. In Puerto Rico they contributed to the building of the hospital in Castaner. They next served the church in China, until they were forced to leave by the communists. In India they were mission workers for 26 years, from 1952 until they retired in 1978. They worked in rural development, first in Bulsar then in Anklesvar, Gujarat. While raising her children, Rae supported her husband through his work of co-creating and running the Rural Service Center. Her work in India included relief food distribution in schools, hosting international travelers, substitute teaching in music, and serving as a housemother at Woodstock School. The couple retired to Centralia, Wash. Rae Mason had been born in Pullman, Wash., was a 1941 graduate of the University of Washington, and in high school played violin in the Portland Junior Symphony. She was active in peace and justice causes, was a life-long member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, participated in civil rights sit-ins of CORE and NAACP, supported Japanese-Americans during the internment after Pearl Harbor, and participated in anti-nuclear protests during the 1980s. Her activism included supporting the rights of conscientious objectors--she met her husband when he was in alternative service at the Cascade Locks camp for conscientious objectors. She is survived by her daughters Anne Mason and Greta Mason Nelson and husband, Peter, and daughter-in-law, Carol Mason, and by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, Ralph Mason, who was a Brethren mission worker in Nigeria.
  
  
• Margaret Drafall began March 26 as customer service resource specialist for Brethren Press, working at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. She brings more than 24 years of experience in office management, including customer service, human resources, and business administration. She is an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Elgin, where she serves on the church council and the worship committee, and is liaison to the Child Development Center.
  
  
• The application deadline for the position of “lead team” for the Church of the Brethren mission in Sudan has been extended. The Global Mission Partnerships of the General Board continues to seek two couples or families to serve as the lead team to begin the new ministry in Sudan, seeking to rebuild and heal communities after decades of war. As a holistic effort, the work will include the formation of churches. A complementary team that includes people bringing one or more of the following skill sets is preferred: peace and conflict transformation, healthcare, church planting and Christian education, community development preferably with experience in developing nations, dealing with trauma, and literacy and adult education. Candidates should bring relevant education and experience in their area of specialty and previous experience in international cross-cultural settings, be well-grounded in Church of the Brethren identity and practice, and have a team orientation. Secondary skills in repair and maintenance of computers, houses, or vehicle mechanics will be useful. Team members will participate in raising their own support under General Board oversight. The application deadline has been extended from previous announcements of this position. The extended timetable is for interviews and decisions to be made during this spring, with placement possibly by the fall of this year. Application forms may be requested from Karin Krog, Office of Human Resources, by telephone at 800-323-8039.
  
  
• Great Harvest Church Planting of Illinois and Wisconsin District seeks individuals who desire to fulfill the biblical mandate of the Great Commission by starting new, multiplying congregations of believers in the district. “Church planting is considered the most effective means of evangelism,” said the announcement from Lynda Lubbs-DeVore, apostle for the district’s New Church Development Board. “Great Harvest Church Planting is working hard to develop systems and strategies in order to equip church planters to launch healthy, missional churches in the district,” she said. Great Harvest Church Planting will offer help to church planters including help with assessment, training and coaching, and grant funds to get started. “We will do all that we can to assist you and your family as you explore and respond to the call to plant a successful, multiplying church,” the announcement said. “If you are not satisfied with ministry that is ‘status quo,’ if you have a heart for lost people and God has given you a desire to live and do ministry in our region, church planting may be what God is calling you to. Don’t ignore that call!” Contact DeVore at Lynda@ncdb.org or 630-675-9740.
  
  
• The Annual Conference Office is listing e-mail addresses for communicating with the Annual Conference Officers. Each Annual Conference officer has an e-mail addresses through which he or she may be contacted on matters related to Annual Conference. Contact moderator Belita Mitchell at moderator@brethren.org. Contact moderator-elect Jim Beckwith at moderatorelect_ac@brethren.org. Contact secretary Fred Swartz at acsecretary@brethren.org.
  
  
• The Service Ministries program of the Church of the Brethren General Board has had a busy beginning to the year, reported director Loretta Wolf. International shipments of relief materials have been sent to Angola, with items from both Church World Service (CWS) and Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA) organized through the Church of the Brethren Emergency Response; to Montenegro and Romania, through a cooperative effort of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and CWS; to Serbia, sponsored by Lutheran World Relief and IOCC; to Burkina Faso, on behalf of CWS; to Jordan, on behalf of Lutheran World Relief; and a pending shipment to the Palestinian Territories, for Lutheran World Relief. Domestic US shipments for CWS this year have included blankets to McAlester, Okla., and Austin, Texas, in response to winter storms; blankets to homeless and disadvantaged people in Binghamton, N.Y.; blankets, baby kits, health kits, and cleanup buckets in response to tornados in the area of Orlando, Fla.; blankets to disadvantaged border areas near Brownsville, Texas; blankets to St. Paul, Minn., for the homeless and disadvantaged; baby kits, health kits, and emergency cleanup buckets to Gould, Ark., following the tornados and severe storms that hit the southern US.
  
  
• Westernport (Md.) Church of the Brethren will hold a homecoming on Sunday, Aug. 5, to mark its 50th year of service at its present site, and its 80th year as a church, according to an announcement in the “Mineral Daily News-Tribune.” Pastor Leon Swigart will be the guest speaker. Activities will include morning worship, lunch, and an afternoon program with a “Walk Down Memory Lane,” choir, and open-mike period. Displays will feature memorabilia and photographs of church life through the years. A commemorative church history booklet is planned. For more information and to register contact the church office at 301-359-3762. The deadline to register for the luncheon is April 1.
  
  
• In an update on the Boca Chica church building project in the Dominican Republic (see Newsline of Nov. 22, 2006), Irv and Nancy Heishman, co-mission coordinators in the DR for the Church of the Brethren General Board, report that the congregation recently celebrated building accomplishments, including blocks built up to roof level. More fill will need to be added before the floor is poured. The building will include an extension at the back for bathrooms and stairs, leaving open the possibility of adding a second story as the church grows. In the congregation’s Sunday school offering for the construction project, each of four classes competed to be the highest giver for the month. “The winners for January were the ‘Damas’--the women's class,” the Heishmans said. “These women gained some of their offering money by making sweets and other goodies to sell in the streets.” The Heishmans thanked the Brethren World Mission and the General Board for financial support and coordination, and passed on thanks from the congregation: “The Boca Chica church is grateful for the support they feel from the Global Mission and Brethren World Mission.... Praise be to God for what the Spirit is doing here!”
  
  
• The 6th Annual Shenandoah Disaster Auction Kick Off Dinner will be held March 31, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Kline Campus Center at Bridgewater (Va.) College. Entertainment will be provided by the Sunset Mountain Boys.
  
  
• Fahrney-Keedy Home and Village, a Church of the Brethren retirement community near Boonsboro, Md., is remembering resident Charlotte Winters, who died March 27 at age 109. According to Scripps Howard News Service, she was the last living female World War I veteran.
  
  
• In other news from Fahrney-Keedy Home and Village, the community is exhibiting its Celebrity Autograph Quilt and Wall Hangings on April 1, from noon to 3 p.m. The exhibit is free to the public and will be held in the lobby of the main building. A total of 92 celebrities of stage, screen, opera, sports, and music took part in the unique fundraiser, including Charlton Heston, Elizabeth Taylor, James Earl Jones, Lauren Bacall, Hank Williams Jr., and Nascar's Jimmie Johnson, among many others. All items will be offered to international memorabilia collectors on UBID.com internet auction beginning April 9. Proceeds benefit Fahrney-Keedy, and contribute to the Benevolent Fund. For more information, contact Betsy Miller at 301-671-5016 or bmiller@fkmh.org.
  
  
• Manchester College is offering a 150-hour accounting program, after suspending its master of accountancy program following a survey of regional and national accounting firms, according to a release from the college in North Manchester, Ind. Many firms do not pay higher starting salaries for a master's degree, nor do they consider it for promotions, the release said. Janis Fahs, CPA and chair of the Department of Accounting and Business, said the new program positions Manchester students in the job market well-prepared for certification as certified public accountants. The program moves students into the job market six months earlier than the traditional master's degree program, the release said. Students receive a bachelor's degree after completing 128 credit hours; the additional 22 credit hours fulfill CPA certification requirements. For more about Manchester's accounting programs, visit www.manchester.edu.
  
  
• New Life Ministries is sponsoring a Leadership Training Event entitled "Deep and Wide: Expanding Hospitality in the Faithful Church" on May 8 at Franconia Mennonite Church in Telford, Pa. Keynote speakers are Eddie Gibbs and Ron Sider. Registrations received before April 1 qualify for a discount--as well as those registrations with multiple persons attending from the same congregation. For more information visit www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org or contact director Kristen Leverton Helbert at 800-774-3360 or NLMServiceCenter@aol.com.
  
  
• The Brethren Peace Fellowship is encouraging meetings of silent presence to pray for peace throughout the world. A meeting for prayerful presence will take place in front of the Westminster (Md.) branch of the Carroll County Public Library on April 3, between 5-6 p.m. “If you too are longing for a more peaceful world, please come and silently pray with us,” invited Jane Yount, of the Brethren Disaster Response office.
  
  
• The Global Women's Project, a Church of the Brethren women’s organization, is in the process of weighing its future course. A consultation was held at Manchester Church of the Brethren in North Manchester, Ind., on Feb. 16-18 by the project’s Steering Committee: Judi Brown, Lois Grove, Nan Erbaugh, Jacki Hartley, and Bonnie Kline Smeltzer. The committee is in a discernment process on the future of the project, which is a grassroots movement that has lifted up lifestyle and justice issues and initiated women-to-women projects in more than a dozen developing countries over the past 30 years. Among the 15 participants in the consultation were representatives from the Church of the Brethren General Board.
  
  
• Resources for Earth Day Sunday, April 22, are available from the National Council of Churches (NCC). The 2007 Earth Day Sunday resource for worship, study, and action, is titled "Our Daily Bread: Harvesters of Hope and Gardeners of Eden." The resource focuses on creating a more sustainable food system in the US by seeking spirit-filled solutions to the root causes of injustice in farm and food policy. The council also is providing an opportunity for direct action with legislators for Earth Day Sunday, encouraging elected officials to “Sow Justice” in the 2007 farm bill. Congregations may also register their Earth Day Sunday celebrations with the NCC’s Eco-Justice Network so that others in the area can locate events. For more information go to www.nccecojustice.org/faithharvestworship.html.
  
  
• Church of the Brethren congregations may take part in a faith-based health care survey being conducted by the National Council of Churches (NCC). This is the first nationwide, in-depth, systematic study of health services provided by religious communities, according to the NCC. The project will survey more than 100,000 congregations to determine the level of health care education, delivery, and advocacy being offered. The study is made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. A comprehensive report will be released at the conclusion of the study. It will help faith leaders and health care providers determine, for the first time, what role the religious congregation is playing, or not, in the delivery of health-related services to communities across the country. Congregations may take part in the survey at www.ncccusa.org/healthsurvey.

Source: 3/28/2007 Newsline

Mark Hartwig to direct Information Services for General Board.

Mark Hartwig has been hired to fill the position of director of Information Services with the Church of the Brethren General Board, as of March 27. He has worked for the General Board at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., as a computer and applications specialist since March of 2005.

Prior to joining the General Board staff, he had more than 20 years of experience in the information technology field. His prior experience includes positions as computer coordinator/trainer and information services manager. He also holds a master's degree in pastoral studies and is a spiritual director.

Source: 3/28/2007 Newsline

Carol Yeazell serves as interim director of Congregational Life Team.

Carol Yeazell has been called as interim director of the Congregational Life Team for the Church of the Brethren General Board. She serves as a staff member of the Congregational Life Team, Area 3. The interim position will continue at least through this summer.

In previous work for the church, Yeazell, has served as executive minister for Atlantic Southeast District, and as a pastor in Florida. Other work experience has included a position as executive director of Beth-El Farm Worker Ministry in Florida, a position as executive director of the US/Mexico Chamber of Commerce--Gulf States Region, and operation of a family business.

Source: 3/28/2007 Newsline

‘I don’t have it all together, but I can try’: A reflection on working for peace.

I admit it. I had a stereotype about people working for peace. I thought “they” had it all together. I am glad I am wrong.

While I was on the January 2007 delegation to Israel and Palestine jointly sponsored by On Earth Peace and Christian Peacemaker Teams, I heard lots of people’s stories. Some people were in political power, others were in Israel, others in Palestine, and others were just people who were living their lives. I saw a glimpse of what life might be like if I lived under occupation. I saw people’s care for me. And I heard the cry to help carry their stories to my friends, family, and country. I learned that many Palestinians are living peacefully and trying to resist the occupation just by living out their day. Not all is perfect, but they work for peace anyway.

While we were in Jerusalem, we met with Michael Swartz, a representative from Rabbis for Human Rights. This organization brings voice to human rights violations that are happening in Palestine. I not only liked what the organization did, but I found hope in Michael because he didn’t seem to have it all together.

Michael is quite fond of the Wall, quite one-sided on several tension issues that we had previously heard an opposite view, and has some prejudiced attitudes. While I didn’t always agree with his perspective, I really was thankful for him. He was the first person who spoke with the delegation who, in my opinion, didn’t have it all figured out.

He works at a human rights organization and has laid a personal foundation for his social justice perspective--but sometimes other stuff gets in the way. Biases pop up; a brother’s friend gets killed by terrorists; understandings of the real issues get bound up. His realness was refreshing to me. I may want to “grow up” to be other people that I met in Palestine--but I can be Michael now. I don’t have it all together but I can try.

Michael helped me realize the importance of being in the struggle. There will always be the person to look up to, too. Dorothy Day and Mother Teresa come to mind, maybe they really did have it all together. But the average peacemaker, like me and Michael, we have issues, biases, and even are wrong sometimes. We are a part of the process of peace.

Thanks to Michael and others, I realize that I too can work for peace.

--Krista Dutt attends First Church of the Brethren in Chicago and directs DOOR Chicago, a Mennonite and Presbyterian urban education program.

Source: 3/28/2007 Newsline

Credits

Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Janis K. Fahs, Lerry Fogle, Karin Krog, Glenn and Linda Timmons, Helen Stonesifer, Loretta Wolf, and Jane Yount contributed to this report.