Court decision on properties is celebrated by First District Church of the Brethren in India

The Supreme Court in India has made a decision in a decades-long bitter court battle over ownership and control of former Brethren mission properties, following an early 1970s merger with the Church of North India (CNI) that included the former mission of the Church of the Brethren.

The court decision of Sept. 30, 2013--Civil Appeal Case #8801, Malavia Vs. Gameti--ruled that the First District Church of the Brethren in India continues as the legal successor of the Church of the Brethren mission and is vested with its properties. The ruling states that it does not hold that the resolution for unification to establish the Church of North India resulted in the dissolution of the First District Church of the Brethren and, de facto, all properties transfer to CNI.

Church of the Brethren denominational staff in the US including the general secretary and executive director of Global Mission and Service have stayed in touch with leadership of CNI and leadership of First District Church of the Brethren as the court issued its ruling and as the church properties move into the control of First District and its congregations.

General secretary Stan Noffsinger has expressed a desire to leaders of the First District Church of the Brethren to meet later this spring to encourage continued efforts at reconciliation between the two communions as the properties case comes to an end.

Jay Wittmeyer

Ankleswar Church in India, one of the church buildings affected by the Supreme Court decision in a decades-long dispute over former Brethren mission properties.

History of the dispute

The Church of the Brethren is a founding member of the CNI and has been in close relationship with the unified church, which included participating in the 40th anniversary celebration. While the Church of the Brethren helped establish CNI in the 1970s, a number of individuals decided to remain outside of that unification process and continued to worship as First District Church of the Brethren India.

Ownership of the properties, including church buildings of local congregations as well as schools and other mission institutions, was disputed since 1978, when a lawsuit challenging CNI ownership was first brought. The case was mired in the courts for many years, eventually coming to the country’s Supreme Court.

Through the years, the American church was aware of ongoing tensions in its former mission area and tried to follow the prolonged litigation process that ensued without participating in it or influencing it. However, the Church of the Brethren in the US has been involved as the organization required to nominate trustees to steward properties during the legal dispute.

In 2003, Annual Conference made a decision to seek a relationship with both bodies, after the American denomination had related in an official capacity solely to CNI for more than 30 years. Brethren in the US have tried to relate to both church communions equally. American Brethren have sent delegations to India in efforts to maintain relationships and have sponsored attempts at reconciliation and mediation between the parties to the dispute.

“We rejoice that the vision for unity that gathered the members and congregations of six denominations, including the congregations arising from the Church of the Brethren mission in India, and which formed the Church of North India (CNI) in 1970, has provided a strong church framework for most of the participants,” the Annual Conference statement of 2003 said, in part. “We also recognize that this framework has not been suitable for many of the former Church of the Brethren members.... The US Church of the Brethren mourns the division that has emerged.... We seek forgiveness for instances during this period where either action or inaction by the US church was hurtful or divisive for either body. We believe that the churches in India have primary responsibility for resolving the issues of name, property, and resolution of the conflicts that plague them” ( www.brethren.org/ac/statements/2003-recommendation.html ).

First District Church of the Brethren celebrates ruling

One result of the court decision has been to restore most of the church buildings to the possession of local Brethren congregations, said a report to the Global Mission and Service office from a leader in First District Church of the Brethren. In practice, up to the time of the ruling many of the local church buildings under dispute had been shared with CNI congregations.

First District Church of the Brethren in India “has been freed from the shackles of conflict, controversy, and uncertainty,” said the report. “Our church will henceforth move ahead independently and unfettered as the body of Christ following the Brethren principles of peace and harmony.

“To mark this historic occasion...a thanksgiving meeting was organized at Valsad followed by a community luncheon. Representatives from different Brethren churches participated in these celebrations. And a rally was taken out through the City of Valsad as a part of these celebrations.”

Jay Wittmeyer

The Church of North India congregation at Ankleswar held a special service and gathering of the historically Brethren congregations of CNI in the area to welcome Global Mission and Service executive Jay Wittmeyer during a visit in 2009. At the time, CNI was marking the beginning of its 40th anniversary year. Shown here, women and girls prepare to dance for the celebration.

CNI experiences adverse effects from ruling

“After Supreme Court order, Church of North India on the verge of falling apart,” was the headline of a DNA India news report in late November. Reporter Ashutosh Shukla wrote that the Supreme Court order “stated that CNI cannot have any authority over one of five Protestant denominations over which it holds sway. Based on this order, another denomination will approach the state to pull away from the CNI.”

When CNI was formed in 1970 it merged four other Protestant denominations in addition to the Church of the Brethren, and the court decision may put all of those mergers at risk, the news report indicated.

“This opposition that is brewing among the denominations of the CNI has put a question mark over its very existence,” DNA India reported.

The Supreme Court decision “also settled the issue about following of a faith,” the DNA India news piece added, quoting a section of the ruling that stated, “In the name of unification and merger, it is aimed that there is total control of not only properties and the churches but it will also have an ultimate effect of imposing particular faith or belief, which is not permissible.”

Bishop of the Gujarat Diocese of CNI, Silvans S. Christian, has written to Global Mission staff in the US that “CNI has been removed and have no place to worship the Almighty. Hence, they are meeting either in the open space or hiring the Hall or other premises. This situation, I surely believe, will compel you to bring out tears.”

At present, according to Christian, the CNI congregations of Valsad, Khergam, Vyara, Ankleswar, Umalla, Navsari, and Vali are facing a serious problem of finding a place to meet for worship.

Read the DNA India article at www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-after-supreme-court-order-church-of-north-india-on-the-verge-of-falling-apart-1921928.

(Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service, contributed to this report.)

Source: 2/15/2014 Newsline

WCC shares hopes for peace in Syria with members of Syrian opposition

“The immediate end of the suffering of the people in Syria must now be the focus for all parties in the Geneva 2 talks,” World Council of Churches general secretary Olav Fykse Tveit said in a meeting today, Feb. 14, in Geneva, Switzerland, with members of the Syrian opposition. And “this includes all parties in the conflict,” he added.

Representatives of the Syrian opposition requested the meeting with Tveit after receiving a WCC message calling for an end to the conflict delivered to both sides of the Geneva 2 talks by Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN representative leading the talks and the United Nations-Arab League joint representative for Syria.

Church of the Brethren general secretary Stanley J. Noffsinger was one of the American church leaders who took part in the ecumenical gathering that issued the message.

The message, which was given to Brahimi in mid-January before the talks, stresses the need for “immediate cessation of all armed confrontation and hostility within Syria” ensuring that “all vulnerable communities in Syria and refugees in neighbouring countries receive appropriate humanitarian assistance.” It urges “a comprehensive and inclusive process toward establishing a just peace and rebuilding Syria.”

Representatives from the Syrian opposition included Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Abdel-Hady al-Yaaqubi, Islamic scholar, Dr. Badr Jamous, vice-president of the Syrian National Coalition, Abdul-Ahad Steifo from the Assyrian Democratic Organization, Mohammad Farouk Tayfour, deputy leader of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, Dr. Imad Eldin Rashid, president of the Syrian National Movement.

The group met for an hour and a half and then joined a press conference where Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Abdel-Hady al-Yaaqubi made a strong plea for the release of kidnapped Syrian religious and laypersons.

In the meeting Tveit invoked prayers for peace in Syria, saying that with concern for security of all Syrians, including Christians, Muslims, and people of different faiths “we hope for a ‘just peace’ in Syria, a vision to which the WCC is deeply committed”.

We as religious leaders have to carry the hope that miracles are possible and that there will be peace,” he said. “If we are not doing this, who will?”

Tveit said that “we must work together for a future for Syria, where equal rights, stability, democracy and freedom for religion and expression for all” can prevail.

The WCC and its member churches “believe we must work together as religious communities and leaders,” he said.

Ending conflict, contributing to peace process

In discussions with the WCC staff members, the representatives of Syrian opposition each shared their perspectives on the current challenges of the dialogue process, as well as efforts aimed at defusing the conflict.

Sheikh Mohammad Abdel-Hady al-Yaaqubi, in his response affirmed the role of religious leaders in supporting efforts for peace, stability and democracy in Syria.

He said that all communities, regardless of their religious affiliations in Syria have suffered.

Yaaqubi, along with others in the group, highlighted the significance of common heritage of both Muslims and Christians, which he said has historical roots spanned over centuries in Syria and the Middle East.

On behalf of the members of the group, he also strongly condemned the kidnapping of the nuns of the Ste Thecla Convent in Maaloula, and the two Orthodox bishops from Aleppo last year in Syria.

In a press conference following the meeting, Yaaqubi made a strong statement on the kidnappings, “calling upon all Islamic militants to immediately release all those who are unjustly detained against their will, especially the innocent bishops, nuns and monks”. He emphasized that this sort of activity does not reflect the values of Islam.

In April 2013 Archbishop Mar Yohanna Gregorios Ibrahim from the Syriac Orthodox Church and Archbishop Paul Yazigi from the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch were kidnapped near Aleppo while returning from a humanitarian mission. Later in December 2013, 12 nuns were also kidnapped.

During the press conference Tveit emphasized that the WCC condemns all violence perpetrated against the Syrian people, repeating that their suffering has to end.

Find the Statement to Geneva 2 talks from the WCC Ecumenical Consultation on Syria at www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/public-witness-addressing-power-affirming-peace/middle-east-peace/statement-for-geneva-2-talks-on-syria.

Source: 2/15/2014 Newsline

National Christian leaders oppose mass incarceration

Christian leaders sat transfixed as Darren Ferguson, pastor of Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Far Rockaway, N.Y., told the story of his decline from adolescent years with promise to incarceration and God’s power to restore and redeem. On this night, the leaders were struck by one thing: Jesus loves the prisoner and he was one.

Christian Churches Together (CCT) represents the broadest coalition of church leaders in the United States, including several church “families”: Historic Protestant, Evangelical/Pentecostal, Catholic, Orthodox, and Historic Black Churches. They came together for the group’s annual meeting in Newark, N.J., Feb. 4-7.

Annual Conference moderator Nancy Sollenberger Heishman preached for a worship service led by the Brethren participants. Also in attendance were moderator-elect David Steele; general secretary Stan Noffsinger; Brethren Press publisher Wendy McFadden, president of CCT’s Historic Protestant group; and Office of Public Witness coordinator Nathan Hosler.

For the past six years, CCT has educated itself and taken action on issues of poverty, racial justice, and immigration reform. This year, the group furthered its commitment to these issues by engaging the issue of mass incarceration in the US.

The message was clear, from speakers that included formerly incarcerated faith leaders, a federal judge, a former prosecutor, a director of state corrections and a social worker, as well as the deliberation among CCT participants: Mass incarceration is not just an issue. It is first and foremost about people created in God’s image with lives, families, hopes, and dreams ensnared within a web of personal struggles and choices exacerbated by social conditions, laws, structures, and historic dehumanization of people of color.

Mass incarceration is a destructive system of human control in which certain ethnic minorities experience inequitable interaction with the nation’s penal system. Current realities include:

• With only 5 percent of the world’s population, the US has 25 percent of the world’s imprisoned people (source: Sentencing Project).

• Incarceration rates have increased from 500,000 inmates in jail and prison in 1980 to more than 2.2 million in 2010 (Sentencing Project).

• For-profit prison companies commonly demand 90 percent occupancy from the states that contract with them (“Six Shocking Revelations About How Private Prisons Make Money,” by April M. Short on Salon.com).

• CCA and Geo Group, the nation’s two major private prison companies, “have had a hand in shaping and pushing for criminal justice policies such as mandatory minimum sentences that favor increased incarceration” (Public Interest Report, Sept. 2013).

• The “War on Drugs” dramatically increased the US prison population from 41,000 drug offenders in 1980 to half a million in 2010 (Sentencing Project).

• African-Americans make up 13 percent of the US population and use drugs at the same rates as people of other races, but represent 45 percent of those imprisoned for drug violations (Drug Policy Alliance Report).

• Criminal prosecutions of immigration suspects in federal court districts along the US southern border have increased by 1,475 percent over the last 20 years resulting in increased demand for prisons and detention centers to hold inmates (“War on Undocumented Immigrants Threatens to Swell US Prison Population,” by Chris Kirkham on Huffington Post and TRAC Reports).

• One in three Black men and one in six Latino men are likely to be imprisoned in their lifetime; only 1 in 17 white men will experience the inside of a jail or prison in his lifetime (Sentencing Project).

In light of these facts and others corroborated by the personal testimonies of several speakers, agreement among CCT’s leaders was palpable. The group declared:

“The church in the United States has a moral and ethical imperative to protect human dignity and must address the problem of mass incarceration in our nation.

“First, we recognize that the legacy of the dehumanization of people of color has borne lasting effects in current-day society. These effects are perhaps most acutely experienced by our African-American brothers and sisters who were deemed non-human ‘chattel’ by law in the days of antebellum slavery and whose human equality was challenged by the Jim Crow system of subjugation until passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 attempted to right it. We see the vestiges of these systems of human control in America’s current system of mass incarceration.

“Second, we recognize that these systems are not only affecting African-Americans. They are now impacting all people of color, the poor, the marginalized, and the immigrant in the United States. Latinos and other immigrants, in particular, are experiencing the brunt of increased detention rates in the midst of their struggle for immigration reform.

“Third, while there is a role for prisons to address violent offenses, we recognize that our nation’s justice system has lost the hope embodied by its historic vision to ‘correct’ and restore broken people back to society. As followers of Jesus Christ, we believe in the redemption and reconciliation of all things, rather than retribution. This includes the prisoner and broken systems. This is the essence of the gospel.”

As Christian leaders, CCT declared: “Mass incarceration must stop. We are challenging ourselves together with government and the nation to seize this moment when multiple forces are aligning toward positive action to correct the injustices within our ‘justice’ system.”

CCT is encouraging its member denominations and organizations to increase awareness, educate, and take action to oppose mass incarceration in the public square. CCT also committed to developing guiding principles for the church in its efforts.

(This report is taken from a release provided by Christian Churches Together.)

Source: 2/15/2014 Newsline

EYN ministers hold annual conference

By Zakariya Musa of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria

The Minister’s Annual Conference of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) opened the evening of Feb. 10 with worship sessions led by Bulus Danladi Jau. In their song during the session, the EYN Headquarters Church ZME (women’s choir) sang, “Nigeria is in confusion, as killings and burnings are going on. Why? God help us.”

Photo by Zakariya Musa

EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, held its annual Ministers Conference this month, with about 700 pastors in attendance.

A special prayer was offered for granting the participants yet another time to fellowship together despite the challenges of insecurity in the country. Requests were made for a safe conclusion of the meeting through Lawan Andimi, DCC Secretary in Abuja, and James Mamza, pastor in charge of EYN LCC Gombi No. 2. Prayers were offered for peace in Nigeria, Sudan, and their like, and for the healing of two pastors, said by Maina Mamman and Carl Hill, a Church of the Brethren missionary worker at Kulp Bible College.

During the session, preacher Haruna Y. Yaduma based his sermon on texts from 1 Peter 5:1-5 and Matthew 21:18-20, titled “The Shepherd.” He challenged the pastors to self-evaluation on whether they are shepherding and are fruitful in their ministerial work or not.

As part of the business at the conference, two pastors were welcomed as newly ordained ministers into the fellowship, namely Stephen Musa from LCC Federal Low-cost, Jimeta, the only one approved for ordination as a full minister during the 2013 annual conference; and Rev. Ennoson.

EYN president addresses the conference

Samuel Dante Dali, EYN president and chairman of the Ministers’ Council, in his welcome address thanked God for sustaining us to see 2014. The president said, “It was not easy to scale through 2013 especially in places.... As a result of the continuous attacks on Christians in these areas, EYN has suffered the most and we are still suffering. A total of 138 Local Church Councils and church branches were burnt. Over 400 of our members have also been killed while over 5,000 have fled to the Cameroun, Niger, and other neighboring countries. Also, countless of properties worth millions of Naira have been looted or destroyed.

“One of the significant questions to be answered in a situation like we are experiencing in northeastern Nigeria is, will the Church survive as a church in this era of persecution? Will the church workers, especially pastors, still feel called by God to go into all nations to proclaim the gospel? Will the church members continue to be faithful to God when the situation appears as if God has abandoned them? The answer to these questions is, we don’t know....

“In a period of persecution such as this we are experiencing, we must be able to lead our members to an authentic encounter with God or they will look somewhere else. We must encourage our members to be in daily link with God in order to get comfort and encouragement in their faith. The church is a place where God is expected to be present and it is our responsibility to make our members understand this.” (The text of president Dali’s full remarks follow below.)

Two topics chosen for teaching

Two topics were chosen for teaching at the conference, which had an attendance of about 700 EYN pastors from across Nigeria, Togo, and the Cameroun. The topics were “HIV/AIDS” presented by Emery Mpwate from Mission 21, and “The Pastor and Politics” presented by Andrew Haruna from Jos.

According to Mpwate, Mission 21 has made the HIV/AIDS program a priority. In sub-Saharan regions, he said, Christians are the most affected. He also drew the attention of the pastors to what he called “the problem” rather than HIV/AIDS. “Our real problem is not HIV/AIDS; our real problem is our sexual behavior.... We as a church don’t talk about sexuality which actually is part of us.” There is lack of sex education in the church, and churches are not contributing much to the program of HIV/AIDS.

Adding to Mpwate’s address, the EYN president said that the aim of bringing in an HIV/AIDS program is to know the status of EYN members on HIV/AIDS.

A medical doctor was introduced by the president to the gathering. He has started work as a contract officer at the EYN Dispensary. Dr. Zira Kumanda is a retired civil servant, who worked at the Teaching Hospital in Yola. While appreciating the offer to serve the church with his long experience, he said that a lot of people come from far places to the EYN Clinic. He therefore called for more staff, such as young doctors to help the people.

-- Zakariya Musa is secretary of “Sabon Haske,” a publication of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria. To read the full text of president Samuel Dante Dali’s remarks, go to www.brethren.org/news/2014/eyn-ministers-hold-annual-conference.html.

Source: 2/15/2014 Newsline

Young adults to study Jeremiah 29:11 at YAC

The Church of the Brethren Young Adult Conference (YAC) will be held May 23-25 at Camp Brethren Woods near Keezletown, Va. With the words from Jeremiah 29:11 as a focus, participants will address the theme “Coming Home: For I Know the Plans I Have for You.”

Speakers include Emily Shonk Edwards, Joel Gibbel, Kelsey Murray, and Marcus Harden. Music and worship leadership will be by Jessica Strawderman, Eric Landram, and Bethany Clark. The cost for the weekend (food, lodging, and programming) is $125. Scholarships are available from local churches and for those currently serving in Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS).

Registration is open online at www.brethren.org/yac. For more information or to request scholarship assistance, contact Becky Ullom Naugle in the Youth/Young Adult office at bullomnaugle@brethren.org.

Source: 2/15/2014 Newsline

Webinars on ‘Generative Leadership’ offered by Congregational Life Ministries with partners in the UK

Two new webinars are being offered by Congregational Life Ministries and partners in the United Kingdom. The topic is “Generative Leadership.” Hosted by the Church of the Brethren, the webinars are organized together with Urban Expression, Bristol Baptist College, and BMS World Mission.

The webinars feature presenters Kerry Coke and Fran Beckett, Christian leaders actively involved in missional communities in the UK, and are a result of the cooperative effort between Congregational Life Ministries and organizations that network with Stuart Murray Williams to promote the vitality of Christian faith communities.

On Tuesday, Feb. 25, the webinar titled “Relational Leadership” will be led by Kerry Coke. Interested in developing a leadership culture that values relational behavior? The webinar explores ways of identifying and drawing out individual leadership potential in a multicultural and diverse context through relationships.

On Thursday, March 27, the webinar titled “Leading Teams--Positives, Pressures, and Potential” will be led by Fran Beckett. The webinar explores the role of leadership in building and leading effective teams. The presentation will include consideration of principles and practicalities of an empowering leadership style, and how vulnerability as a team leader can have a positive impact.

Webinar dates and time are Feb. 25 and March 27 at 2:30-4 p.m. (Eastern time) or 7:30-9 p.m. in the UK

Ministers who attend the live webinar may earn .15 continuing education credit. Register and find out more at www.brethren.org/webcasts. For questions contact Stan Dueck at 800-323-8039 ext. 343 or sdueck@brethren.org.

Source: 2/15/2014 Newsline

Brethren bits

• Richard L. Moffitt of Glenville, Pa., has been hired as maintenance mechanic at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. He comes to the position with over 40 years of experience in the fields of HVACR, refrigeration, and plumbing. Most recently he was employed at First Class Mechanical in Westminster, Md., since 2012. He holds a State of Maryland HVACR Master License and has taken numerous HVACR and EPA courses.

Photo courtesy of Becky Ullom Naugle

Youth and Young Adult Ministries director Becky Ullom Naugle with her mentor Eric Heinekamp. She recently completed a 20-month Certificate in Youth and Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. The program includes various components such as learning retreats, online courses, the Princeton Youth Ministry Forums, a mentoring relationship, a professional leadership assessment, and a final project.

• Becky Ullom Naugle recently completed a 20-month Certificate in Youth and Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. The program is designed for leaders actively serving in youth ministry and includes various components such as learning retreats, online courses, the Princeton Youth Ministry Forums, a mentoring relationship, a professional leadership assessment, and a final project. Participants are grouped into cohorts; Naugle was a part of Cohort D with 24 ecumenical youth ministry colleagues from around the US and Canada. Her final project focused on integrating patterns of rest and renewal into ministry as a way to encourage long-term sustainability. “This program has given me an ecumenical peer network through which I can seek support, and gave me access to a wide variety of resources--including a local mentor!” she reported. “I felt honored to learn from distinguished theologians at the retreats and forums. I appreciated the program’s focus on practical ministry issues, and would highly recommend it to others who are seeking additional youth ministry formation.”

• Hashtag NYC! The National Youth Conference coordinators have posted a fun video overview of the upcoming youth conference via hashtags. NYC takes place in Colorado in July, find out more at www.brethren.org/yya/nyc/ . View the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJUtsr3XDyk&list=UU5_HKLUHa1UDQo4nnETlRPA&feature=c4-overview.

• In another note from the NYC office, this weekend is the last chance to send in entries to the National Youth Conference youth speech and music contests. Submit entries at www.brethren.org/yya/nyc/forms.html . Entries are due by Sunday, Feb. 16.

• Registration deadlines for upcoming events at Bethany Theological Seminary have been announced, including the deadline for the early registration discount for the Presidential Forum on April 4-5 at the campus in Richmond, Ind.; and closing of online registration for the junior high event Immerse! on June 12-17 at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College and Explore Your Call (EYC) for senior highs in advance of National Youth Conference on July 15-19. Junior high youth having completed 7th, 8th, or 9th grades have one more month to register for Immerse!, the seminary’s junior high Bible immersion and Brethren history program; online registration closes March 14. Go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/immerse. The EYC online application deadline is March 31; go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/eyc. EYC will be held July 15-19 at Colorado State University immediately preceding National Youth Conference. Rising juniors and seniors in high school may attend this free, grant-funded discernment program. For more information about Immerse! or EYC contact Bekah Houff, coordinator of outreach programs, at houffre@bethanyseminary.edu or 765-983-1809. Those who wish to receive a discount rate for the Presidential Forum have until midnight Feb. 15 to register (registration at the regular rate will remain open). The forum on “Living Love Feast” will be April 4-5 on the Bethany campus. For information and to register, go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/forum2014.

• Arvada (Colo.) Mennonite/Spirit of Joy Fellowship Church of the Brethren is celebrating its transformation into Living Light of Peace Church with a special worship service on Sunday, March 30, at 3 p.m. This time of worship also includes installation of Jeni Hiett Umble as pastor, said an announcement from Western Plains District. A reception will follow.

• Imperial Heights Community Church of the Brethren in Los Angeles received this year’s Energy Efficiency Participation Award from Edison International. “By replacing more than 80 incandescent lamps and fixtures with energy-efficient linear fluorescents, the church was able to reduce its energy consumption and lower its energy bills,” said a release. Read the Edison International post at http://newsroom.edison.com/stories/l-a-county-district-attorney-jackie-lacey-urges-audience-to-keep-the-dream-alive-for-future-generations-at-sce-s-black-history-month-celebration.

• Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren will host John Barr in an organ recital at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, in a fundraiser for the Leupold Foundation of Colfax, N.C. The foundation is devoted to preserving the culture of the pipe organ and is a resource for organ music. The recital will consist exclusively of organ music published by Wayne Leupold Editions, including selections that demonstrate the organ for various age groups. Included will be "Tune Factory," based on traditional rounds suitable for pre-school and elementary students, said an announcement. Parents with young children are invited. Donations will be accepted at the door. Barr is organist at Bridgewater Church of the Brethren and professor emeritus of organ and piano at Bridgewater College.

• First Church of the Brethren in Chicago and the Renew Now players will present a dramatic reading of “Project Unspeakable,” a new play about the 1960s assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Robert F. Kennedy. The play is performed on Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. at First Church, 425 S. Central Park Blvd., Chicago. Inspired by James Douglass’ book, “JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters,” the script by playwright Court Dorsey “breaks the silence that continues to surround the four unspeakable assassinations,” said a release. “The words and stories of courageous people who refused to be silenced by intimidation are timely encouragement to witnesses of ongoing crimes of unspeakable scope and devastation. Twelve readers from Chicago communities, representing a breadth of experience in neighborhood and international work for justice and peace, will breathe life into their witness.” The reading is free and open to the public.  Free will donations will be accepted. For further information, see www.renewnow.us/unspeakable or contact Duane Ediger at 312-523-9955.  For background on the script see www.projectunspeakable.com.

• Shenandoah District received several designs for the District NYC T-Shirt Design Contest for youth going to National Youth Conference. The district e-newsletter announced the winner is Sally Hotchkiss from Linville Creek Church of the Brethren. View some of the great t-shirts worn at the last NYC in 2010 at http://support.brethren.org/site/PhotoAlbumUser?AlbumID=11708&view=UserAlbum.

• The Caving Adventure Day sponsored by Brethren Woods, a camp and outdoor ministries center in Shenandoah District, will be led by Derek Young of Harrisonburg (Va.) First Church of the Brethren. The date is Feb. 22, registrations are due today, Feb. 14. More information is available at www.brethrenwoods.org/adventure.

• “Tensions mount in the early months of 1864 as the Civil War impacts homes and farms in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia,” says an invitation to dinner events at the John Kline Homestead in Broadway, Va. “Experience a family's struggle as they converse around a family-style meal in the John Kline house.” For reservations, call 540-896-5001, or e-mail proth@eagles.bridgewater.edu . Cost is $40. Groups are welcome. Seating is limited to 32.

• Attorney Peter Goldberger from Ardmore, Pa., will speak on “Religious Conscience, the Law, and Taxes that Support Perpetual War” at a free public meeting on Saturday, March 15, 9-11 a.m.,  at the Friends Meeting House in Lancaster, Pa. Goldberger has been a counselor and defender of conscientious objectors for 38 years since graduating from Yale Law School. For more information about this event sponsored by 1040forpeace.org, contact Titus Peachey at 717-859-1151.

• The World Council of Churches (WCC) Executive Committee has condemned the military use of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), saying that they pose “serious threats to humanity” and the “right to life” while setting “dangerous precedents in inter-state relations.” A release states that these concerns were expressed by the WCC in a statement issued by its Executive Committee on Feb. 12, when the committee was meeting in Bossey, Switzerland. The statement adds that UAV technology is permitting countries like the “United States of America, Israel, Russia and the United Kingdom, to move towards systems that would give full combat autonomy to machines.” The statement calls governments to “respect and recognize the duty to protect the right to life of their subjects and oppose the violation of human rights. The use of UAVs, first made operational in the Balkans war, has subsequently escalated in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and Somalia and most recently in Pakistan.” The statement calls the international community to “oppose the unlawful policies and practices, particularly of US drone strikes in Pakistan.” It also urges the “US government to ensure justice for victims of unlawful drone strikes, including family members of the victims of unlawful killings” and to provide effective access to remedies, especially restitution, compensation to families of civilians killed or injured and adequate protection for their rehabilitation. Read the full statement at www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/executive-committee/geneva-february-2014/statement-on-the-use-of-drones-and-denial-of-the-right-to-life.

• Rick Polhamus of Pleasant Hill (Ohio) Church of the Brethren was honored for his work with Christian Peacemaker Teams and On Earth Peace on Jan. 18, during the Nobel Peace Prize Luncheon of the Dayton International Peace Museum. He received a Peace Hero Award from the peace museum, which was founded by Ralph and Christine Dull of Lower Miami Church of the Brethren.

Source: 2/15/2014 Newsline

Credits

Newsline is produced by the news services of the Church of the Brethren. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Chris Douglas, Duane Ediger, Kendra Flory, Leslie Frye, Tim Heishman, Jon Kobel, Zakariya Musa, Becky Ullom Naugle, Stan Noffsinger, Harold A. Penner, Rick Polhamus, Paul Roth, Les Shenefelt, Jenny Williams, Jay Wittmeyer, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.

Newsline: February 8, 2014

NEWS

• Minnich and Murray head up Annual Conference ballot for 2014
• Vital Ministry Journey helps congregations and relationships
• Church of the Brethren begins partnership with Anabaptist Disabilities Network
• Grant aids displaced people in South Sudan
• NYC offers intercultural scholarships to 100 youth and advisors
• Brethren teaching at PUST are on view in BBC One news show
• Congress adopts Farm Bill: Points of interest for the church
• Christian Peacemaker Teams to challenge denial of entry in Israeli High Court

PERSONNEL

• Youth Peace Travel Team is announced for 2014

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Next intercultural gathering to be co-sponsored by Pacific Southwest District
• Brethren Academy updates its course listing for 2014

RESOURCES

• Congregational Life offers new Spiritual Gifts Resource

BRETHREN BITS

• Corrections, job opening at Brethren Disaster Ministries, “Jesus Weeps” theme for EAD, SVMC events, Hollins Road men can cook, benefit concert for Haiti Medical Project, new directors at Fahrney-Keedy, COBYS banquet, Camp Harmony celebrates, more.

Minnich and Murray head up Annual Conference ballot for 2014

The Standing Committee of district delegates has released a ballot for the 2014 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren. The Conference takes place July 2-6, on a Wednesday through Sunday schedule, in Columbus, Ohio. Nominees are listed below, by position:

Moderator-elect: Dale E. Minnich of Moundridge, Kan.; Andy Murray of Huntingdon, Pa.

Program and Arrangements Committee: Rhonda Pittman Gingrich of Minneapolis, Minn.; Steven Sauder of Mt. Lake Park, Md.

Bethany Theological Seminary trustee, colleges: William Abshire of Mount Sidney, Va.; Eric Bishop of Pomona, Calif.

On Earth Peace Board: Carla Gillespie of Dayton, Ohio; Barbara Wise Lewczak of Minburn, Iowa

Brethren Benefit Trust Board: Dennis Kingery of Centennial, Colo.; Alan Patrick Linton of Frederick, Md.

Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee: John Ballinger of Ashland, Ohio; David K. Shumate of Roanoke, Va.

For more information about Annual Conference go to www.brethren.org/ac. Online registration for non-delegates will open on Feb. 26.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Vital Ministry Journey helps congregations and relationships

By Lucas Kauffman

The Church of the Brethren Congregational Life Ministries started the Vital Ministry Journey in 2011. According to Jonathan Shively, executive director of Congregational Life Ministries, the initiative started with a conversation between Congregational Life staff and Middle Pennsylvania District executive David Steele. Shively and Stan Dueck, director of Transforming Practices, had conversations with Steele about how to find a way to work with different congregations to solve problems proactively.

Vital Ministry Journey is designed to uniquely fit each congregation. It begins with a 60-day, 6-session Bible study for small groups within a congregation, for everyone from youth to adults. Congregational Life provides the Bible sessions in a lectio divina format, with a series of study questions and time for sharing and prayer. Each small group agrees to covenants and guidelines for respectful communication. Communication is carried out through a style of mutual invitation, in which  everyone is invited to participate.

Every small group has a facilitator. Every congregation is coached by a district coach or staff of Congregational Life Ministries. The Vital Ministry Journey experience for each congregation begins with a kick-off event, and ends with a celebration. The celebration also is a way to hear feedback from each small group.

The Vital Ministry Journey helps support congregations in a more identifiable way in their respective districts. It helps people within congregations strengthen relationships, and also helps congregations think about their life and mission both within the congregation and in the community. The Vital Ministry Journey may, in addition, help a congregation identify members’ passions, interests, and energy.

More than 60 congregations have completed, or have started the first step of the journey.

“We wanted to find a process that fit all kinds of congregations,” said Shively. “Each congregation will have its own different outcomes.”

Resources developing out of Vital Ministry Journey

 There are several things that the Vital Ministry can be used for, including looking at a congregation’s mission, discovery, and affirmation. The process also takes a look at the question of what God is doing in the congregation, and in the world. Several resources are planned by Congregational Life staff, to be developed as part of the Vital Ministry Journey. “There are stewardship and evangelical resources, as well as worship resources being planned,” said Shively.

A related resource is the new spiritual gifts resource Congregational Life is now offering to congregations, see www.brethren.org/news/2014/congregational-life-offers-spiritual-gifts-resource.html. The spiritual gifts resource can be used as a next step in the Vital Ministry Journey, or as another alternative to the Vital Ministry Journey. It is one of a “tool kit of resources,” said Shively. “Congregations can pick different resources. The resources are not dependent on each other.”

A congregational survey is a part of that tool kit. “The survey helps look at marks of vital congregations,” said Shively. “It helps congregations take a more intentional look at their life together, and look at strengths, as well as areas that they could improve.”

Response from congregations and districts

More than 60 congregations have completed, or have started the first step of the journey. Five districts have partnered with Congregational Life Ministries to offer the Vital Ministry Journey to congregations, and individual congregations in three other districts have participated.

“The response to the Vital Ministry Journey has mostly been positive,” said Shively. “Creating a focus on relationships has been positive, and having a focus on scripture is powerful for people. There is also a sense of energy that comes from congregations that have been through this. Congregations want to do something further, like continue Bible studies, some churches want to have more of a presence within their own community, churches want to continue building relationships with people, they look at their structures and worship and some churches look at their visioning processes.”

Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill., is one congregation that recently started on the Vital Ministry Journey. The congregation went through the small group study in the fall of 2013.

Jeanne Davies, associate pastor, said that the Highland Avenue Church went through the process because it wanted to look at the mission of the congregation. “There was a new program available from the Congregational Life Office, and we wanted to give it a try,’ she said.

According to Davies, people at Highland Avenue loved it. “People have said that they want to continue the small group Bible study,” she said. “We tried to form groups of people who really did not know each other, and that helped people get to know each other better.”

Right now, Highland Avenue is still in the process of putting together all the feedback from the Vital Ministry Journey. “We had a big celebration in December with discussion, and some groups gave their own reports,” said Davies. “Everything is being put together in a document, which is being reviewed by the church board.”

Davies recommends the Vital Ministry Journey to other congregations as “both a scripture-centered process and a discernment process, which is great. It helps invite the Holy Spirit in, and it helps the community to have a voice, with the small group format. It definitely helped strengthen relationships among people.

“I am excited to see where this process leads, and to see the next step in the process,” she said.

One reason that the Vital Ministry Journey has been so well received, according to Shively, is because of the partnership with the districts. “We listen well to both districts and congregations,” said Shively. ”I am pleasantly surprised at how well this has turned out,” he said. “I did not know how it would go in the beginning.”

For more information and resources

The Vital Ministry Journey resources are provided by Congregational Life Ministries and available to order from Brethren Press. For more information about the Vital Ministry Journey, go to www.brethren.org/congregationallife/vmj/about. To purchase materials from Brethren Press, go to www.brethrenpress.com or call 800-441-3712.

-- Lucas Kauffman in a student at Manchester University and recently completed a January term internship with the Church of the Brethren News Services.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Church of the Brethren begins partnership with Anabaptist Disabilities Network

The Church of the Brethren has begun a formal partnership with ADNet, the Anabaptist Disabilities Network. Based out of Elkhart, Ind., ADNet is a strong voice for disabilities and mental health advocacy both within the Mennonite Church USA and ecumenically. The good work they have done and their clear passion for this ministry recently led the Church of the Brethren’s Congregational Life Ministries to develop this partnership.

Donna Kline, director of deacon ministry for the Church of the Brethren, is now a member of the ADNet board, in an ex-officio capacity. To better understand the mission, vision, and breadth of ADNet, visit www.adnetonline.org.

Church of the Brethren congregations are invited to participate in the ADNet Congregational Partnership program, which offers significant print and other resources. More information on this program, including registration forms, can be found at www.brethren.org/disabilities/ADNet. Questions can be directed to Christine Guth at ADNet, cjguth@adnetonline.org or 574-343-1362.

The Church of the Brethren disabilities ministry will only be strengthened through this partnership. While certain aspects of the ministry (including the Open Roof Award), will remain specific to the denomination, many of the resources offered will now come through ADNet. In addition, resources currently specific to the Church of the Brethren (like the We Are Able! workcamp) now will be publicized more broadly through this partnership.

Additional information about the ADNet partnership is included in the March Source packet mailing to all Church of the Brethren congregations.

(Deacon Ministry director Donna Kline and Manchester University student Lucas Kauffman contributed to this report.)

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Grant aids displaced people in South Sudan

Brethren Disaster Ministries has directed an allocation of $15,000 from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to aid displaced people in South Sudan. Fighting that began in Dec. 2013 has resulted in the displacement of more than 200,000 people in South Sudan.

Heavy fighting started in Juba, the capital city, on Dec. 15, apparently between supporters of the president of South Sudan and an ousted leader. The conflict has spread since December to affect seven of the ten states in the country, reports Brethren Disaster Ministries, resulting in more than 200,000 people being displaced. Most are still displaced in South Sudan, although some are fleeing into Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia.Even as there seems to be a cease fire, the needs of displaced people become more critical, the report said.

The Church of the Brethren Global Mission and Service program has staff and volunteers working in the Torit area of South Sudan, where many families are fleeing from the violence further north. This grant will provide emergency support for families in the villages of Lohila and Lafon, both on the road from Jonglei State (northern South Sudan).

The Brethren funds will support the purchase and transport of maize, cooking oil, jerry cans, salt, and soap for those with the greatest needs in these two communities. The distribution will be managed by global mission staffer Athanasus Ungang, with support from local partners.

For more about Brethren Disaster Ministries go to www.brethren.org/bdm. For more information or to donate to the Emergency Disaster Fund go to www.brethren.org/edf.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

NYC offers intercultural scholarships to 100 youth and advisors.

By Tim Heishman

The National Youth Conference (NYC) Office awarded about 100 intercultural scholarships last week to youth and advisors from around the denomination. NYC has offered scholarships for many years to congregations that have a membership that is majority intercultural.

Scholarships were awarded to youth and advisors from 12 churches in 5 districts:

• Atlantic Northeast District--Harrisburg (Pa.) First Church of the Brethren
• Atlantic Southeast District--Castañer (P.R.) Iglesia de los Hermanos, Miami (Fla.) First Church of the Brethren, and Eglise des Frere, a Haitian Brethren congregation in Miami
• Illinois and Wisconsin District--Naperville (Ill.) Church of the Brethren and Rockford (Ill.) Community Church of the Brethren
• Pacific Southwest District--Glendale (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, Empire Church of the Brethren in Modesto, Calif., Iglesia de Cristo Sion in Pomona, Calif., and Principe de Paz in Santa Ana, Calif.
• Virlina District--the Renacer congregations in Roanoke and in Floyd County, Va.

Applications for intercultural scholarships are still being accepted. They are considered on a case-by-case basis, and awarded based on need. Youth groups attending by scholarship plan to fundraise and coordinate with other groups traveling from their district to minimize travel costs. For inquiries related to NYC intercultural scholarships, please contact the NYC office at 847-429-4323 or cobyouth@brethren.org.

National Youth Conference is the largest gathering of Church of the Brethren youth and takes place every four years. NYC 2014 will be held at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., from July 19-24. All youth who have completed ninth grade through one year post high school at the time of NYC are eligible and encouraged to attend. For more information visit www.brethren.org/NYC.

-- Tim Heishman is one of the coordinators of the 2014 National Youth Conference, and a Brethren Volunteer Service worker.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Brethren teaching at PUST are on view in BBC One news show

Brethren teaching at PUST, the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology in North Korea, are on view in a news program from BBC One, published this week and available to view online. “Educating North Korea” is the title of the BBC One news show Panorama, in which a video crew from the UK-based BBC were given permission to film at PUST.

Church of the Brethren member Robert Shank may be seen at work, teaching agriculture at PUST, in some of the BBC video clips. Robert and Linda Shank have served at PUST with support from the Church of the Brethren Global Mission and Service office.

“Kim Jong-un father gave permission for a remarkable university which exposes students to western ideas and ideology,” said a BBC description of the program. “Many of the students are the sons of some of the most powerful men in North Korea. Women are not allowed to study there. BBC reporter Chris Rogers interviews the students on life and their plans after graduation. The piece includes a remarkable Christian church attendance, even though practicing Christianity is forbidden for ordinary North Koreans.”

Find the BBC One Panorama show at www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JRtFyLiOnE.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Congress adopts Farm Bill: Points of interest for the church

By Bryan Hanger, Advocacy Assistant, Office of Public Witness

The Farm Bill is one of the largest pieces of legislation Congress deals with, and this week the bill was finally passed and signed into law after a three-year legislative process. The $956 billion bill will be in effect for the next five years and it affects things such as farming policy, international food aid, food stamps, and conservation. Below are a few points of interest for the church.

Food stamps: Cut by $8 billion

The largest part of the Farm Bill is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP, commonly referred to as food stamps, is the most direct way that the government provides food assistance to those in need. Unfortunately, SNAP was cut by $8 billion, which will significantly affect the food security of hundreds of thousands of families in the United States. But things could have been much worse. Originally, the House of Representatives proposed a $40 billion cut to SNAP. The impact of this smaller cut is still damaging for the food security of many people.

One positive improvement for SNAP is the creation of a new federal program that will allow SNAP recipients to double the value of their SNAP monies at local farmers markets. Many local and state governments already have enacted similar measures, and now the federal government wants to build on that success by increasing the affordability of fresh foods for many more SNAP recipients.

International food aid: Taking a more flexible approach

This new Farm Bill also signals a shift in America’s international food aid policy. The aid process is shifting away from a food-based system to a more flexible cash-based system. This change will allow for the local purchase of food aid, which will both improve the freshness of the food provided, and also stimulate local and regional economies. This is a big step forward in improving the effectiveness and quality of the United States’ food assistance abroad.

Farming: Direct payments gone, crop insurance is expanded

There also was a considerable change to farming policy, as direct payments to farmers were eliminated and crop insurance has become the safety net for farmers. The direct payments had been widely criticized since they were based only on the number of acres of farmland owned, and not on the condition of the crops produced.

Crop insurance is intended to help keep farmers afloat when prices drop or crop yields unexpectedly change, but many critics see the expanded crop insurance plan as simply a different way to subsidize large agribusinesses. The average family farmer’s opinion of these changes will likely vary depending on which crops they produce, but only time will tell if these changes to farming policy work as planned, or if large agribusinesses will continue to reap the benefits while family farms continue to struggle.

Conservation: Tied to crop insurance expansion

As for the bill’s support for conservation, it seems to be a mixed bag. Conservation funding was cut by about $4 billion. However, there was good news in that conservation practices are now tied to the crop insurance program mentioned above. This means that in order to receive payments from the crop insurance program, farmers will have to demonstrate they are implementing conservation practices such as preventing land erosion and protecting wetlands.

Overall, this farm bill is certainly not a perfect bill. Programs designed to feed the hungry were cut, family farms are not certain how the expanded crop insurance will affect them. On the other hand, the ability to provide vital food aid abroad has improved and some small steps were taken to protect more of God’s creation.

If you have questions about the Farm Bill, please contact Nathan Hosler, director of the Church of the Brethren Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C., at nhosler@brethren.org.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Christian Peacemaker Teams to challenge denial of entry in Israeli High Court

By CPTnet 

Those who have been following CPTnet for the last few months have read stories about Israeli border authorities denying Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) volunteers entry into Palestine. Over the summer, they turned back two reservists from the airport in the same week. Since then, two more CPTers, Jonathan Brenneman and Patrick Thomas, have been denied entry crossing the border from Jordan into the West Bank.

Brenneman attempted three times within the space of three weeks and was told the Israeli authorities would not allow him to enter the West Bank because of his involvement with Christian Peacemaker Teams.

In response to requests from CPT’s partner organizations in Palestine and Israel, CPT Palestine has been devising a strategy to ensure CPTers are able to enter the country. A major part of this strategy is a case that CPT’s lawyers have put together for the Israeli courts.

The case charges that the Israeli authorities, without informing CPT, have established an unreasonable policy that denies members of CPT the right to enter the occupied Palestinian territories (as the border authorities explained to Brenneman), even though they have an invitation from the municipality of Hebron/Al-Khalil and other Palestinian organizations to do so. This action violates several of Israel’s basic laws including the Law of Freedom and Dignity and the right of the accused to have their case heard in court. The Interior Ministry denied CPT’s right to be heard when it enacted this policy without CPT’s knowledge; by doing so, the Interior Ministry gave CPTers no chance to defend themselves. The policy is also unreasonable in that it implies that individuals cannot enter the country because they believe in peace. Therefore, even though the Ministry of Interior has broad discretion to make policies regarding entry of internationals into Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, those policies must not contradict Israel’s basic laws.

Anyone who has traveled to Palestine knows the challenges the Israeli authorities raise for anyone attempting to form relationships with Palestinians and to learn about their experiences living under military occupation. Israel has not explicitly stated a policy of discrimination against those who are fraternizing with Palestinians and working for peace in the Palestine/Israel context, so no one has been able to challenge it. Therefore, the main thrust of the case is to make Israel say explicitly what it is doing regarding the denial of entries at the border, or to stop doing it. Either the courts will say that they oppose allowing internationals who are working for peace to enter Palestine, or they have to stop denying entry to people for that reason.

-- Christian Peacemaker Teams was founded with help from the Historic Peace Churches including the Church of the Brethren. For more information go to www.cpt.org.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Youth Peace Travel Team is announced for 2014

By Becky Ullom Naugle

Members of the 2014 Youth Peace Travel Team have been announced. The team is sponsored each year by the Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Church of the Brethren, the Ministry Office, the Office of Public Witness, the Outdoor Ministries Association, and On Earth Peace. The group of young adults spends the summer at camps across the denomination, teaching about peace, justice, and reconciliation.

Members of the 2014 team are:

• Chris Bache of La Cañada, Calif., and La Verne Church of the Brethren
• Christy Crouse of Warrensburg, Mo., and Warrensburg Church of the Brethren
• Jake Frye of McPherson, Kan., and Monitor Church of the Brethren
• Shelley West of Union, Ohio, and Happy Corner Church of the Brethren.

As the team spends time with youth this summer at camps across the Church of the Brethren, they will teach about peace, justice, and reconciliation, all core values throughout the church’s more than 300-year history. Follow the ministry of the 2014 Youth Peace Travel Team by visiting www.brethren.org/youthpeacetravelteam.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Next intercultural gathering to be co-sponsored by Pacific Southwest District

Photo by Mandy Garcia

A circle of support at the Great Multitude Symposium, the intercultural gathering in Virlina District in October 2013

Co-sponsored by the Intercultural Ministries of the Church of the Brethren and Pacific Southwest District, the next intercultural gathering in the Church of the Brethren will be held March 28-30 at Iglesia Principe de Paz in Santa Ana, Calif.

The gathering’s focus is “Unity Is More Than a Statement" ( www.brethren.org/intercultural/unity2014 ).

The vibrant, intercultural traditions of Pacific Southwest District can be traced back to its founding by Brethren who traveled to the West Coast in search of new opportunities while also maintaining their values and roots. This year, the individuals and pastors in Pacific Southwest District and neighboring districts who are passionate about intercultural ministries are invited to join a conversation about how to continue to work together to improve congregational diversity and opportunities for intercultural learning. This will be an opportunity to build relationships, share cultural heritages, and develop new ways to work together in various ministries.

For more information contact Gimbiya Kettering at gkettering@brethren.org or 847-429-4387.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Brethren Academy updates its course listing for 2014

The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, a ministry training partnership of the Church of the Brethren and Bethany Theological Seminary, has issued an updated course listing for 2014. Courses are open to Training in Ministry (TRIM) students; pastors, who may earn continuing education credit; and all interested persons.

The academy staff note that while students may be accepted into courses after the published registration deadline, the registration on that date determines whether there are enough students to offer a course. Many courses have required pre-course readings, so students need to be sure to allow enough time to complete those. Do not purchase texts or make travel plans until the registration deadline is passed, and a course confirmation is received.

Courses noted as “SVMC” are offered through the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center with offices on the campus of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College; contact SVMC@etown.edu or 717-361-1450 to register.

For more information or to register for the other courses listed below, go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/academy or call 765-983-1824.

“History of the Church of the Brethren" is offered at the Young Center, Elizabethtown (Pa.) College on March 7-8 and 21-22 with instructor Jeff Bach (SVMC). The registration deadline is March 1.

“Beyond Sunday School: Nurturing the Spiritual Lives of our Children” is an online course with instructor Rhonda Pittman Gingrich, April 21-June 15. The registration deadline is March 17.

“Rock the Church, Rethinking Church Renewal” is offered at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., with instructor Stan Dueck, on May 14-17 in conjunction with the Church Planting Conference.

An Annual Conference Directed Independent Study Unit features leadership from Thomas G. Long, Bandy Professor of Preaching at Candler School of Theology, at the Ministers’ Association meeting in Columbus, Ohio, with instructor Chris Bowman, July 1-2. The registration deadline is June 2.

“Church of the Brethren Polity” is offered at the Young Center, Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, with instructors Warren Eshbach and Randy Yoder, on July 11-12 and Aug. 15-16 (SVMC). The registration deadline is July 1.

“Luke-Acts and the Birth of the Church” is an online course with instructor Matthew Boersma, Sept. 29-Nov. 21. The registration deadline is Aug. 19.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Congregational Life offers new Spiritual Gifts Resource

By Lucas Kauffman

When the Congregational Life Ministries of the Church of the Brethren released the Vital Ministry Journey, staff also began work on a Spiritual Gifts Resource to help congregations and their members explore their gifts and passions for participating in the church. This resource may be used as part of Phase 2 of the Vital Ministry Journey or on its own.

“The Vital Ministry Journey is a resource that helps encourage the vitality of a congregation by discerning what God’s desire is for the congregation,” said Josh Brockway, director of Spiritual Life. Vital Ministry Journey begins with a small group Bible study focused on the question, What is God’s dream for the congregation? “After the first phase of Bible study and sharing congregations can move into another set of specific studies. Phase 2 looks at topics to explore more in-depth,” Brockway said.

The gifts resource helps members and the congregation know what spiritual gifts are available within the congregation. By understanding better what gifts are present in the congregation, the community can begin to explore the specific mission God has in mind.

“The first session of the Spiritual Gifts Resource is based on Acts 6, and the selection and calling of deacons. From there, it takes a look at three other main texts in the New Testament about gifts and callings; 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. The last sessions of small group conversations focus on taking an inventory of the group members’ gifts and passions through two assessment tools provided in the workbook.

“There are a number of different studies and similar resources out there,” said Brockway. “We wanted to develop something to work with spiritual gifts in a Brethren way, with the fellowship of other Brethren believers.”

What are spiritual gifts?

“Spiritual gifts are a reflection of God’s nature that we carry within us,” note the Vital Ministry Journal materials. “By discovering and utilizing your gifts, you will find great passion, joy, and satisfaction.... They are gifts that are given to each believer as their unique contribution within and through the church.” People will more fully understand the gifts that they receive at baptism, as they continue to connect to God and others.

“Spiritual gifts are pure grace,” according to Brockway.

Spiritual gifts should not be confused with skills, Brockway warned. “Skills are developed over time, and people with skills are noted and recognized for them,” he said. “For example, there could be two different people with the gift of leadership, and one may have gained skills through their studies and workplace, while the other might be gifted as a musician. Both are gifted leaders, and the way they use their grace-given gifts is different.

“The Spiritual Gifts Resource reflects the Church of the Brethren’s Anabaptist and Pietist roots, which makes it unique,” said Brockway. By discerning what God has given with others, the study takes community seriously. It will help individuals feel that it is good to be part of the church, and will aid in the way people are shaped through the church, he said.

For more information about the Spiritual Gifts Resource and other resources that may be used with the Vital Ministry Journey, go to www.brethren.org/congregationallife/vmj/resources.html . Order copies of “Vital Passions, Holy Practices: Exploring Spiritual Gifts” from Brethren Press for $7 per copy plus shipping and handling, at www.brethrenpress.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=219 or by calling 800-441-3712.

-- Lucas Kauffman is a student at Manchester University. He recently completed a January term internship with the Church of the Brethren News Services.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Brethren bits

Photo courtesy of Roxane Hill

Freshly painted classrooms and new chairs at a school in Nigeria, thanks to the Ralph Royer Memorial Fund. Roxane and Carl Hill report via Facebook that the semester at EYN’s Kulp Bible College is underway. The Hills are serving with Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), with support from the Global Mission and Service office of the Church of the Brethren.

• Corrections: The denomination’s Inter-Agency Forum includes the chair and vice-chair of the Council of District Executives, who should have been listed in last week’s Newsline along with the heads and board chairs of the Conference-related agencies: Church of the Brethren, Brethren Benefit Trust, Bethany Theological Seminary, and On Earth Peace. Also, the Brethren Disaster Ministries version of “Winter Wonderland” included lyrics by Jane Yount as well as Felix Bernard.

• The Church of the Brethren is seeking a director for Brethren Disaster Ministries. The full-time salaried position is part of the Global Mission and Service team and reports directly to the associate executive director of Global Mission and Service. Major responsibilities include informing and engaging Church of the Brethren constituents in Brethren Disaster Ministries activities, maintaining ecumenical and interagency relationships to facilitate response to human need in the United States, coordinating with staff to employ strategy and operations to facilitate the church’s mission, providing sound financial budget management, and initiating grants from the Emergency Disaster Fund for domestic response activities. Required skills and knowledge include strong interpersonal skills; ability to articulate, support, and operate out of the vision, mission, and core values of the Church of the Brethren; ability to uphold and support the basic beliefs and practices of the Church of the Brethren as determined by Annual Conference; knowledge of International Building Code and ability to act within a multicultural and multigenerational team environment. Training or experience with making effective presentations and providing adult education, especially in conducting skill training workshops; managing staff and volunteers; and in-house construction and repair is required. A bachelor’s degree is required with a preference for an advanced degree. An associate degree or experience in relevant fields will be considered. This position is based at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Applications are received immediately and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Request the application packet by contacting the Office of Human Resources, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 367; humanresources@brethren.org . The Church of the Brethren is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

• “A decade of war has brought us no true security. Let’s try building peace,” said an invitation to the 2014 Ecumenical Advocacy Days. The event takes place March 21-24 on the theme "Jesus Weeps: Resisting Violence, Building Peace." The Church of the Brethren Office of Public Witness is inviting church members to take part by coming to Washington, D.C., for this ecumenical educational and advocacy gathering. More information is at http://advocacydays.org/2014-resisting-violence-building-peace .

• Also from the Office of Public Witness, a note about participating in the March 13-16 National Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend. Participating “is as easy as incorporating a prayer, hymn, or homily into your regular service,” said the note posted on Facebook. “Join more than 1,000 participating congregations by pledging your place of worship’s participation.” For more information and to make the participation pledge, go to http://marchsabbath.org .

• Another church of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) has suffered an attack by the extremist Islamist sect Boko Haram, according to a report from the organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide. On Jan. 31, gunmen attacked a service at the EYN church at Sabon Garin Yamdula village in Adamawa State, the report said. “After storming the church, they fired sporadically, killing 11 people, including the senior pastor, who died later in hospital. The gunmen also attempted to burn down the church, but were repelled by youths and local vigilantes firing hunting guns.... Two church members are reported to still be missing.” Christian Solidarity Worldwide also reported the Feb. 1 murder of a prominent Muslim cleric from the city of Zaria and members of his family. Sheikh Mohammed Awwal Adam “had spoken out increasingly strongly against Boko Haram,” the report said.

• Two continuing education events are sponsored by Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center (SVMC) during the month of March. “What Every Christian Should Know about Islam” will be held at Mechanicsburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren on March 15, and “Leadership for the Emerging Church” will be held at the Village at Morrison’s Cove, a Church of the Brethren retirement community in Martinsburg, Pa., on March 22. These one-day seminars begin at 9 a.m. and end around 3:30 p.m. Cost is $50, lunch included. Continuing education credit is available for $10. Registration is due by March 1. SVMC is a ministry partnership of several Church of the Brethren districts--Atlantic Northeast, Southern Pennsylvania, Middle Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania, and Mid-Atlantic--along with the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership and Bethany Theological Seminary. Register at www.etown.edu/programs/svmc/continuing-education.aspx.

• The men of Hollins Road Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va., are sponsoring a "Men Can Cook" tasting in the church social hall on Feb. 15, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. There is no charge, however a "love offering" will be accepted. For more information, contact the church office at hollinsroad@yahoo.com.

• A benefit concert for the Haiti Medical Project will be held on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 4 p.m., at the McPherson (Kan.) Opera House. McPherson community musical groups will present the benefit concert, part of a year-long effort by McPherson Church of the Brethren to raise funds for the project that brings mobile medical clinics to Haitian communities that previously lacked sufficient medical resources. In 2013, the church raised over $80,000 through various fund raisers, from garage sales and bake sales to matching gifts and garden parties, said an announcement. This year the church's goal is to raise $100,000 by Easter. The concert will include instrumental performances by the McPherson Community Brass Choir, Resonance Trio, and the Church of the Brethren Angelus Ringers. Vocal performances will include Delores and the Pickin-Fretter of Wichita; McPherson High School choral director Nick Griggs and his wife, Miriam Griggs; and an a capella women's double trio. The concert will conclude with several choral numbers, including a Haitian Creole piece. The concert is open to the public and a free will offering will be collected. For more information about the concert, contact McPherson Church of the Brethren at 620-241-1109. For more information or to contribute to the Haiti Medical Project, visit www.brethren.org/haiti-medical-project.

• Western Pennsylvania District has announced the theme for its 2014 district conference, “Be Led by the SPIRIT” (Romans 8:14). The 148th Western Pennsylvania District Conference will be on Oct. 18 at Camp Harmony, led by moderator Homer A. Foster.

• Camp Harmony in Hooversville, Pa., holds its 90th Anniversary Celebration on May 30-June 1. The celebration includes a May 30 Open House Celebration for area businesses; a May 31 Open House for community residents; and on June 1 a chicken barbecue, worship celebration, and recreation. More about the camp is at www.campharmony.org .

• Also at Camp Harmony, a Sweetheart Dinner will be held on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. The 1950’s era dinner will include “music, fun, and dancing,” said an announcement. Cost is $15 per person, or $25 per couple. E-mail harmony@campharmony.org or call 814-798-5885.

• The Brethren Home Community in Windber, Pa., is welcoming greetings of love and friendship for its residents on this Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. Anyone wishing to share a Valentine greeting with a resident at the community should address a card to the resident directly, or send cards to “Be My Valentine” at the Brethren Home, 277 Hoffman Ave., Windber, PA 15963.

• The board of directors of Fahrney-Keedy Home and Village near Boonsboro, Md., has added three new members: Mary Rosborough, a Church of the Brethren member with the congregation in Hagerstown, Md., and an independent-living resident at Fahrney-Keedy, is the Village representative on the board; Kay Hoffman, development director for Brook Lane Health Services and vice president of the Brook Lane Foundation, and co-president of Soroptimist International; and Heather Lorenzo, chief medical officer at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, Md., her latest of several positions at the hospital. The board of directors has 15 members and is chaired by former director of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, Lerry Fogle.

• COBYS Family Services is branching out into television news at a fundraising banquet on March 6, at 6:30 p.m. at Middle Creek Church of the Brethren in Lititz, Pa. A release announces that in addition to a family style meal, “The COBYS Nightly News Banquet” will feature aspiring anchormen Mark Cunningham and Don Fitzkee (who haven’t quit their day jobs as COBYS executive director and director of development). “WCOBys Nightly News will feature some real news about COBYS ministries to children and families, along with some more whimsical fare,” said the release. “Expect up-to-the-minute traffic from COBYS Permanency Unit Supervisor Nicole Lauzus; a therapeutic weather report from therapist Laura Miller that not only predicts the weather, but also how it will make you feel; and a word from our sponsor, Gene Wenger’s Meats & Fine Foods.” The program also will feature a performance by The King’s Strings, adoptive parents John and Cindy King and some of their eight children. There is no charge to attend the banquet, but reservations are required and the event will include an opportunity to support COBYS ministries. Guests may reserve a table of eight by enclosing a donation of $250 or more with their registration. Those who reserve tables will receive preferred seating. Only those reserving a table are required to donate in advance. More information and a printable invitation with directions to the church is available at www.cobys.org/news.htm . Register by contacting Don Fitzkee at 717-656-6580 or don@cobys.org no later than Feb. 28.

• Bridgewater (Va.) Retirement Community will host a dinner meeting on March 12 with the authors of “Necessary Conversations,” Gerald and Marlene Kaufman. The presentation will address challenges that adult children and their aging parents face in dealing with issues of finances, housing, health, and end-of-life decisions. The 6 p.m. dinner will be held in the Houff Community Center of Maple Terrace at the retirement community. Reservations are due by March 4, contact 540-828-2550 or 800-419-9129 or reserve2day@brc-online.org. Shenandoah District is helping to provide the event free of charge.

• Byron Miller will mark his 100th birthday on Feb. 16 by preaching for Sunday morning chapel at Timbercrest, a Church of the Brethren retirement community in North Manchester, Ind., reports Manchester Church of the Brethren. Miller’s family is holding a reception in honor of his 100th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2-4 p.m. in the Assembly Room at Timbercrest.

Source: 2/8/2014 Newsline

Credits

Newsline is produced by the news services of the Church of the Brethren. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Jeff Boshart, Deborah Brehm, Josh Brockway, Stan Dueck, Don Fitzkee, Julie Hostetter, Michael Leiter, Fran Massie, Bryan Hanger, Tim Heishman, Lucas Kauffman, Phil King, Donna Kline, Nancy Miner, Becky Ullom Naugle, Glen Sargent, Jonathan Shively, Craig Smith, Roy Winter, Jane Yount, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.