NEWS

• Dominican Vacation Bible School celebrates 'God in my life.'
  
• Brethren Witness/Washington Office director arrested at Sudan
  embassy.
  
• CoBACE funds make Christian education events possible.
  
• Western Plains District called to discipleship.
  
• Vespers at Pleasant Hill focus on turning walls into bridges.
  
• Brethren bits: Correction, remembrance, and more.

PERSONNEL

• Joan Lowry called to leadership in Southern Plains.
  
• Kathy Royer will serve as seminary's director of Admissions.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Faith Expeditions will tour the South, Guatemala, Nigeria, Iraq.
  
• ABC encourages National Children's Sabbath observance.

FEATURE

• Peacemaker shares Iraqi Christians' pain and fear.

Dominican Vacation Bible School celebrates 'God in my life.'

During the week of June 21-25, 19 of the Church of the Brethren congregations in the Dominican Republic held their second annual Summer Vacation Bible School. The theme was "Dios en mi vida" (God in my life). The Los Toros church had the largest attendance with a daily average of 412 children. Over 2,700 children participated in all.

The Los Toros congregation received permission to use the public school in town at no cost. The Peniel church organized a march to announce the event and invite neighborhood children to come. The congregation later "dazzled" the children with clowns who helped teach the Bible lessons, said Irvin Heishman, General Board's mission coordinator, in his report on the event. The church in Tabara Abajo worked with neighboring churches to pool resources for a large ecumenical Vacation Bible School in that community. One church reported 15 youth expressing a desire to accept Christ and be part of the church, and membership classes will be provided as a follow up.

"None of these churches have classrooms or tables and chairs for crafts, or kitchens for preparing snacks," Heishman said. "Yet, limitations can help provide focus on what is really important. The planning committee noted that some things like snacks for the kids are optional and not really necessary for a good Vacation Bible School. Bible lessons and ways to share God's love, on the other hand, are essential."

Heishman said that for many of the children, Vacation Bible School was the only activity organized for them in their community. "Children from the community around the San Luis church returned on the Monday following the week of Vacation Bible School, hoping the activities would continue all summer! The church sends a strong message of God's love to the children by caring enough to provide this exciting experience for them."

Brethren from the United States assisted with games and crafts in eight of the congregations--41 participants of a denominational youth workcamp, a Brethren Revival Fellowship youth workcamp, and a work group from Mount Zion Road Church of the Brethren in Lebanon, Pa.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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Brethren Witness/Washington Office director arrested at Sudan embassy.

Phil Jones, director of the General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office, was arrested at the Sudan embassy on July 30, one of several religious and political leaders to commit civil disobedience in a campaign of daily arrests coordinated by Christian Solidarity International to protest the genocide taking place in Darfur, in western Sudan.

Jones was arrested with American Baptist minister Rob Turner while attempting to deliver a letter asking Sudan to "take the bold and necessary steps to curb this violence and bring reform." When denied entry, he and Turner knelt in prayer in front of the doors. They were arrested for "disorderly conduct" and blocking the entrance to a public building, and were held for a few hours and fined $50. Others arrested in the continuing nonviolent protest have included National Council of Churches general secretary Robert Edgar, Congressman Charles Rangel of New York, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, and actor Danny Glover.

An estimated 30,000 to 148,000 people have been killed and more than 1,000,000 have fled the violence in Darfur, which is being carried out by Arabic tribes and militias armed by the Sudan government and pits Arabic nomads against black African farmers and villagers. UN envoy to Sudan Jan Pronk said Aug. 4 that Sudan had stopped militia attacks in Darfur, but Church World Service reported Aug. 3 that violence was continuing or even increasing. Hunger and disease contribute to a CWS estimate of 500 deaths daily of refugees in camps in Sudan and Chad.

In related news, in mid-September the Brethren Witness/Washington Office will host Haruun Ruun and Emmanuel LoWilla, leaders of the New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC), in a US visit to draw support for RECONCILE, a program for civil leadership development in southern Sudan. The NSCC leaders will explore funding and partnership development with the Brethren, US AID, the State Department, and others.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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CoBACE funds make Christian education events possible.

Funds from the former Church of the Brethren Association for Christian Education (CoBACE) made it possible for Brethren Press and the General Board's Congregational Life Teams to offer training events on Christian education at Annual Conference this year. CoBACE bequeathed a total of $1,678 to promote Christian education in the denomination when it disbanded in 2001. Over its 21-year career, CoBACE published a newsletter, hosted Annual Conference luncheons and insight sessions on a variety of topics, and provided continuing education activities for professional and volunteer church educators.

Conferencegoers could earn continuing education credit, through the Brethren Academy, for attending a "track" of five insight sessions and a meal event focused on Christian education. CoBACE funds paid for the leadership of Karen-Marie Yust, Christian education researcher and associate professor of Christian Education at Christian Theological Seminary, at two insight sessions and the Brethren Press breakfast. Yust spoke on becoming a dynamic 21st century Sunday school teacher, selecting Sunday school curriculum, and her three-year study of 150 different Sunday school curricula and how congregations nurture their children's spirituality in Sunday school, worship, and children's church.

Three additional sessions in the track were funded by Congregational Life Teams and featured Jacqueline Nowak, Christian educator and director of The Blessing Center at Memorial United Presbyterian Church, Xenia, Ohio, on family prayer time, the spirituality of children, and family faith formation. Fourteen people received continuing education credit, and between 17 and 65 conferencegoers came to each insight session. Julie Hostetter, CLT for Area 3, and Jewel McNary and Anna Speicher of Brethren Press coordinated the events.

The CoBACE bequest also supported insight sessions at last year's Annual Conference led by Judith Myers-Walls, associate professor of Child Development and Family Studies at Purdue University.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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Western Plains District called to discipleship.

"Called to Be and to Make Disciples" was the theme for Western Plains District conference, held at McPherson (Kan.) College and McPherson Church of the Brethren July 30-Aug. 1. Moderator Irven Stern led 76 delegates representing 32 congregations in business sessions that received reports from related organizations, Church of the Brethren agencies, and the district board; revised the district's constitution and by laws; and adopted a balanced budget of $151,995 for 2005. Registered attendance was 255.

Special events included the installation of executive district ministers Ken and Elsie Holderread. Moderator Stern and Bethany Theological Seminary dean Stephen Reid preached. A troupe from the McPherson congregation presenting "Cotton Patch Gospel," directed by Shane Kirchner.

A Renewal Steering Committee gave an initial report of work that the committee is doing using the book "Reclaiming the Great Commission," by Bishop Claude Payne as a basis and guide. Several testimonies were given of what is already happening in church renewal in Western Plains. "The mood of the conference was positive, with a high degree of enthusiasm for the efforts of the work of the Renewal Steering Committee," reported Ray Glick, the General Board's counselor for Deferred Gifts, who attended the conference to lead an Estate Planning Seminar.

The conference also viewed a slide show prepared by Don Vermilyea, Brethren Volunteer Service worker engaged in a "Walk Across America." Vermilyea, currently in Northern Plains District, had visited most congregations in Western Plains on his walk. He donated a pair of "well worn" shoes to the annual Projects Unlimited auction that brought in $5,248 for a variety of charities. A children's playhouse sold for $800, which will go to disaster relief. The playhouse was built on-site at the conference, coordinated by disaster response team members Bill Winter and Byron Frantz.

The next Western Plains District conference will be held Aug. 5-7, 2005, with Parsram Venkatsammy as moderator and LeRoy Weddle as moderator-elect.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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Vespers at Pleasant Hill focus on turning walls into bridges.

"Walls into Bridges" was the theme of a June 27 vesper service at Pleasant Hill (Ohio) Church of the Brethren. Over 40 people gathered in the early evening to explore the walls that separate and how to transform walls into bridges.

The area where worshipers sat was divided by a wall of bricks that prohibited people on one side from seeing those on the other side. Each brick had a message that could build a wall between people. "I don't like the way you dress," "I hate anyone who doesn't share my religion," and "You could lose weight if you'd only try" were some of the messages.

Pastor Nick Beam challenged worshipers to examine how they feel when they meet strangers who look different or come from different faiths or cultures. Joseph Helfrich interspersed thought-provoking and inspirational songs including "When I'm Gone" and "In These Times," from his most recent album entitled "While I'm Here." Sharon Bledsoe told of her parents' trip though the Berlin Wall and Rick Polhamus shared stories from his Christian Peacemaker Teams experiences.

Bledsoe then invited worshipers to remove bricks from the wall while reflecting on how words and actions can build bridges as well as walls. The bricks were used to build a bridge to unite the group, reminding all of Jesus' teaching to love God, neighbors, and even enemies.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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Brethren bits: Correction, remembrance, and more.

• Correction: The General Board's Emergency Response/Service Ministries has revised the count of Gift of the Heart kits and clinic boxes collected at Annual Conference. A total of 1,551 health kits, 658 school kits, 2 baby kits, and 37 clinic boxes were donated.
  
  
• A former General Board staff member instrumental in establishing the SERRV International Gift Shop at the New Windsor (Md.) Service Center has passed away. Wilma Glover Champaygne died July 22 at Manor Care Nursing Home in Dallastown, Pa. She was 88 years old. With her first husband, Elmer Glover, she served with the Brethren Service Commission at New Windsor 1946-66, starting out as a cloth cutter in the program supplying clothing for World War II refugees. She was a member of Hanover (Pa.) Church of the Brethren and is survived by a brother and sisters.
  
  
• Publishers of the forthcoming Gather 'Round Sunday school curriculum seek an experienced, fulltime editor to help edit materials, manage scheduling and production of all products, and assist the project director with overall development and administration. Applicants should be well grounded in Mennonite or Church of the Brethren beliefs and practices, have excellent editorial and communication skills, and have high ability to manage detail. Denominational balance on project staff will be a significant factor in selection. Preferred location is Elgin, Ill. Start date is negotiable, but participation in a September writers conference is desired. Contact Gather 'Round project director Anna Speicher at 800-323-8039 ext. 209 or e-mail gatherround@brethren.org. Deadline for applications is Sept. 3.
  
  
• In an update appropriate for Aug. 6--the 59th anniversary of the first use of a nuclear weapon--demolition has begun on Building 771 at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons factory in Colorado. Clean up began in mid-July of what was called "the most dangerous building in America" in an Associated Press report. Hundreds of Brethren have taken part in protests as well as prayer and worship services at Rocky Flats. Church of the Brethren youth attending National Youth Conferences in Colorado have witnessed outside its gates, Brethren members have been put on trial for civil disobedience committed there, and Brethren college students have traveled to Rocky Flats to protest the building of nuclear bombs. The plant once handled highly radioactive plutonium used in triggers for nuclear weapons. Part of Building 771 was closed 30 years ago because "radiation levels were off the charts," the AP report said. The plant as a whole was closed in 1989. Decommissioning began in 1994 and may be completed in 2006. The land will be used for a wildlife refuge.
  
  
• Becky Ullom, the General Board's new director of Identity and Relations, leaves for the Dominican Republic Aug. 10 to speak at the eighth annual young adult camp of the Dominican Church of the Brethren, which will be held Aug. 13-15. Ullom will deliver two Bible studies in Spanish on the camp's theme, "To meditate and reflect on the obedience and holiness of the Lord." She also will visit Brethren congregations.
  
  
• The Association of Brethren Caregivers is calling attention to a unique seminar offered in conjunction with National Older Adult Conference (NOAC): "Effective Ministry For, By and With Older Adults" Sept. 6-8 at Lake Junaluska, N.C., for district executives, pastors, chaplains, and lay leaders. Author and lecturer Tex Sample, coordinator of the Network for the Study of US Lifestyles, will provide leadership. The seminar will give a vision for older adult ministry that includes four key partners: congregations, retirement communities, districts, and denominational agencies. Participants will learn "tools" to establish an older adult ministry. Continuing education credit is available for Brethren clergy and EFSM/TRIM students. The student fee is $285, cost for others is $175 excluding accommodation and meal expense. Registration includes participation in NOAC. Visit www.brethren.org/abc/ or call 800-323-8039.
  
  
• Northern Plains District and Northern Ohio District will hold conferences this weekend, Aug. 6-8. Northern Plains will meet at the University of Northern Iowa with Beth Cage as moderator. The conference will include a blood drive, an auction with proceeds going to Heifer International, old Brethren style worship, and the Mennonite duo Ted and Lee. Northern Ohio will meet at Ashland University with Bruce Jacobsen as moderator, on a theme from Ephesians 2:8-9, "Grace Alone." The conference will include performing arts musicals, messages from the moderator and executive minister John Ballinger, installation of moderator-elect Terry Baldwin, a variety of insight sessions, and a silent auction for the District Peace Endowment Fund.
  
  
• Michigan District will hold its conference next weekend Aug. 12-15 at the Wesleyan Conference Center in Hastings, where Bill Raymor, Jr., will serve as moderator. The theme will be, "Renewing Our Vision: Of God and His Word, Of His Church, Of Our Mission." The event will include a workshop on "Peace and Unity" and a workshop with Annual Conference moderator Jim Hardenbrook, a Love Feast, and worship services led by James Myer of the Brethren Revival Fellowship.
  
  
• Casa de Modesto (Calif.), a Church of the Brethren-related retirement center, has begun a "Tribute Gift Program" as a meaningful way to celebrate a person's life or to mark a special occasion. Donors can direct gifts to a specific purpose or to the center's general fund. For more information call 209-529-4950 or e-mail cdm@casademodesto.org.
  
  
• Bridgewater (Va.) College has announced several upcoming events, beginning with the Aug. 31 opening convocation featuring Phillip C. Stone, Bridgewater's president, 9:30 a.m. at Nininger Hall. Also beginning Aug. 31 is an art exhibit of "Sfumato: Italian Landscape Monotypes" at the Cleo Driver Miller Art Gallery on campus. Charles Goolsby, chair of the art department at Emory and Henry College, will exhibit prints drawn from the most ancient sites of Rome. A reception with the artist will be held 5-7 p.m. Sept. 6.
  
  
• Bill Davidson, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., and Sarah Bellak, a recent graduate of Juniata (Pa.) College, are taking international assignments through the New Community Project, a Brethren-related nonprofit organization. Originally from Lebanon, Pa., and Annville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, Davidson recently arrived in Narus, Sudan, where he will teach at Blessed Bakhita School for Girls. Bellak is in a summer assignment at the Christian Commission for Development in Honduras, serving as a translator and coordinator for visiting delegations.
  
  
• Voices for an Open Spirit, a grassroots Church of the Brethren organization, will hold its third annual Fall Gathering in Portland, Ore., Oct. 1-3 with speakers Nancy Faus, professor emerita of Bethany Theological Seminary, and Tom Mullen, professor emeritus of Earlham School of Religion, on the theme "Weaving Story and Celebration." Participants at the meeting also will be asked to think about the accomplishments of the organization and adjustments or changes that need to be made to look to the future. For more information or to register, see www.voicesforanopenspirit.org.
  
  
• Christian and Muslim leaders have denounced the Aug. 1 bombing of churches in Iraq. At least 11 people died and 50 were injured. Half of those killed were Muslims who lived nearby, according to Religion News Service (RNS). The Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, leader of the Shiite Muslims in Iraq, condemned the attacks as "hideous crimes" and asserted the importance of respecting the rights of Christians. "This action further undermines efforts to rebuild Iraq as a democratic society where all religious communities and peoples can live in harmony," said Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches. The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the bombings as a perversion of Islam. The attacks were coordinated to target Sunday evening services. Bombs struck three Catholic churches, an Armenian Catholic church, and a Chaldean seminary. Another bomb was disarmed before it detonated. Officials blamed an al-Qaida ally and said the bombings were meant to drive Christians out of the country. An estimated 800,000 Christians live in Iraq, about 3 percent of the population.
  
  
• Fifteen-passenger Ford vans are the subject of a lawsuit by families of young adults killed or injured in a 2003 accident in California, according to Religion News Service (RNS). "The vehicles are often called 'church vans' because of their popularity with church groups," RNS said. In 2001 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a "Consumer Advisory" that 15-passenger vans transporting ten or more occupants had a rollover rate in single vehicle crashes that was nearly three times the rate of those that were lightly loaded, and that such vans need to be driven by experienced drivers. In 2002 the National Transportation Safety Board informed Ford that "fully loading or nearly loading a 15-passenger van causes the center of gravity to move rearward and upward, which increases the vehicle's rollover propensity and could increase the potential for driver loss of control in emergency maneuvers." The government prohibits public elementary and secondary schools from transporting students in 15-passenger vans. Settlement money from a fatal accident in Mexico involving a 15-passenger van has been used to create "Van Angels," a nonprofit program to help churches and schools retrofit vans to prevent rollovers by adding two rear tires.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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Joan Lowry called to leadership in Southern Plains.

Joan Lowry has been called as executive minister of Southern Plains District, effective immediately. The position is part time. She will maintain the district office in her home in Norman, Okla.

Lowry had served in the position of district administrative secretary for the past year while the Southern Plains board evaluated district staff options. She has served pastorates in Southern Plains at Thomas (Okla.) Church of the Brethren for eight years and Waka (Texas) Church of the Brethren for a year and a half. She is a graduate of the district's three-year reading course for ministry education and a member of Big Creek Church of the Brethren near Cushing, Okla., the congregation through which she and her husband first entered the denomination in 1991.

Kathy Royer will serve as seminary's director of Admissions.

Bethany Theological Seminary has announced the appointment of Kathy Royer as director of Admissions in the Office of Student and Business Services. Her work for the seminary, located in Richmond, Ind., will begin Sept. 20.

For the past nine years Royer has served in various roles at Hospice of Miami County, Ohio, most recently as staff development coordinator. She is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren and served for two years as pastor of spiritual formation at Cedar Grove Church of the Brethren, New Paris, Ohio. She is a graduate of Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa, received a master of divinity degree from Bethany, and is working on a doctorate at the Graduate Theological Foundation in South Bend, Ind.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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Faith Expeditions will tour the South, Guatemala, Nigeria, Iraq.

Faith Expeditions sponsored by the General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office and Global Mission Partnerships Office will take Brethren on a "Nonviolent Tour of the South" as well as to Guatemala, Nigeria, and Iraq.

The tour of the South will take place Sept. 2-5 led by Bernard LaFayette, Jr., director of the Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies at the University of Rhode Island and a colleague of Martin Luther King, Jr. Participants will travel in the footsteps of King through Tuskegee, Montgomery, Selma, Hayneville, and Birmingham, Ala., and will visit the King Center Complex in Atlanta, the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, and the Edmund-Pettus Bridge in Selma. Cost is $290, excluding airfare. A $100 nonrefundable deposit is due Aug. 13.

An Oct. 28-Nov. 5 expedition to Guatemala will visit poor communities where grassroots development is taking place. Participants will learn about threats to God's people and creation, study the roots of poverty and injustice, and view environmental degradation as well as efforts to restore the earth. The expedition will be led by Tom Benevento, Latin American/Caribbean program volunteer for the General Board. Cost is $850.

The first quarter of 2005 is the tentative time period in which a Faith Expedition will be made to Nigeria. Participants will visit communities that make up Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and explore what peace and nonviolence mean for the Nigerian and US cultures. Cost is approximately $2,000.

A tentative date for a tour to Iraq will be Spring of 2005. The tour will visit the Al Khuraish school in Baghdad, rebuilt with funds from the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund, and dialogue with people of different faiths and cultures on the search for peace and healing. The expedition will be hosted by the Middle East Council of Churches and may include visits to Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel and Palestine. Approximate cost is $1,800.

Requirements for participants in all Faith Expeditions are willingness to grow in faith, respect for other cultures, openness to adventure, and willingness to endure very basic living conditions. Scholarships are available for Brethren youth and young adults age 22 or younger. Contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at 800-785-3246 or e-mail washington_office_gb@brethren.org.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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ABC encourages National Children's Sabbath observance.

The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) is encouraging congregations to honor the National Observance of Children's Sabbath Oct. 15-17. On behalf of the Church of the Brethren, ABC is partnering with the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) to support the event.

National Observance of Children's Sabbath seeks justice and care for the 12 million US children who live in poverty, and the 8.5 million who do not have health care insurance, according to a release from ABC. The theme for this year's observance is "Say That I'm a Child of God: Assuring Justice and Care to Leave No Child Behind."

The CDF has created a 2004 Children's Sabbath Resource Manual with planning materials and worship resources. The 174-page, interfaith manual is available from the Religious Action Division of CDF for $7. Call 202-662-3589 or order online at www.childrensdefense.org. Next year, Children's Sabbath will be observed Oct. 14-16, 2005.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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Peacemaker shares Iraqi Christians' pain and fear.

--by Peggy Gish

Even with occasional sounds of gunshot or mortar fire in the distance, my first four days back on the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) team in Baghdad had been fairly calm. I had been adjusting to the increased precautions the team now took, and still felt emotionally distant from the violence the Iraqis were experiencing. On Sunday, Aug. 1, that changed.

Doug Pritchard and I were taking part in a Chaldean worship service in our Karada neighborhood when we heard the blasts of two bombs, exploding outside two nearby churches. Like the Iraqis around us, we were stunned and shaken. There had been some violence against Christians, but this is the first time Iraqi churches had been targeted since the invasion. Out on the street, we stopped to get information about the other churches and listen to Iraqis share their fear and grief. A woman standing at her gate motioned for us to come in.

Her young adult daughter spoke English, and she told us the story of how her father, a Christian, was recently killed because he sold liquor. They were still mourning his death. They had not attended their church this evening because they were afraid they might be attacked if they went out of their home. "Now our church has been bombed, and I don't know if my friends are dead or alive," she agonized. Her mother added, "Now Christians may have to leave Iraq. There is no safety here now. What are we going to do?" Their world seemed to be crumbling around them.

The mother bravely held her emotions in, but when we kissed each other in the usual farewell manner, she began to cry. I had been feeling sad for them, but now it touched me on a deeper level. I felt more keenly her pain as a wife and mother. We stood there for a short time, hugging and kissing each other and allowing the tears to flow. We embraced as Iraqi and American and as woman and woman.

Earlier in our conversation I had been thinking that at such a time we North Americans had nothing to offer them, and she may have thought the same. But now in this moment, in the midst of violence and feelings of hopelessness, we were given an unexpected gift. I didn't have to know how our team might respond to these new acts of violence. I didn't have to try to do something for her or know what would result from this time together. The protective barriers of our hearts were broken down, allowing us to hold each other closely in our pain and fear.

--Peggy Gish, a member of the Church of the Brethren at New Covenant Fellowship, Athens, Ohio, returned to Baghdad in late July. She has spent 11 months in Iraq with Christian Peacemaker Teams, beginning before the war. CPT is a program of Brethren, Quaker, and Mennonite churches. For more information see www.cpt.org.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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Credits

Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on the first, third, and fifth Friday of each month, with other editions as needed. Newsline stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is cited as the source. Mary Dulabaum, Ray Glick, Mary Kay Heatwole, Irvin Heishman, Rick Polhamus, and David Radcliff contributed to this report.

Newsline is a free service sent only to those requesting a subscription. To receive it by e-mail, or to unsubscribe, write cobnews@aol.com or call 800-323-8039, ext. 260. Newsline is available and archived at www.brethren.org. Also see Photo Journal at www.brethren.org/pjournal/index.htm for photo coverage of events. For additional news and features, subscribe to the Church of the Brethren magazine "Messenger." Call 800-323-8039.

Source: Newsline 8/06/2004
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NEWS

• Violence in Darfur, Sudan, gains Brethren, international attention.
  
• Brethren respond by the hundreds to tornado in Pennsylvania.
  
• Standing Committee takes on extra business at Annual Conference meetings.
  
• BBT equity funds outperform industry benchmarks.
  
• "Covering Kids and Families" promoted by ABC.
  
• Brethren Academy issues call for pastor candidates for church leadership program.
  
• Brethren bits: Personnel, Brazil trip, and more.

PERSONNEL

• Brethren young adults prepare for mission service.
  
• Nominations are being accepted for the National Youth Cabinet.

FEATURE

• Marble Furnace Church of the Brethren remembered.

Violence in Darfur, Sudan, gains Brethren, international attention.

The Church of the Brethren has responded to genocide in the Darfur region of western Sudan with grants to aid victims of the violence. A total of $75,000 has been given in two grants from the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund. The Brethren Witness/Washington Office has issued an action alert on the tragedy.

The violence "is being carried out by nomadic tribes that were armed by the Sudanese government," said Roy Winter, director of Emergency Response, in the grant request. "More than one million people have fled their homes to escape the looting, house burning, destruction of crops and animals, killings, and rape." Another 175,000 refugees have fled to neighboring Chad. An estimated 30,000 to 148,000 people have been killed, according to the action alert, which quoted the US AID prediction that 350,000 more face death from disease and malnutrition. With roots as far back as the 1980s, the violence pitted Arabic nomads against black African farmers and villagers and was linked to Sudan's decades‑long civil war between the Arabic and Muslim government in the north and Christian and animist rebels in the south.

Brethren funds will assist Church World Service in reaching a goal of $1,750,000 for food, medicine, water, sanitation, agricultural input and tools, and counseling for 500,000 of the most vulnerable in Darfur. Winter warned that gaining access to those in need has been difficult and some areas remain inaccessible. Only half of the 100 refugee camps in Sudan were receiving aid as of mid‑July. Aid workers reported continuing violence and atrocities despite visits by United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan and US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Religious and humanitarian organizations have focused attention on Darfur, hoping to persuade the Sudan government to halt the violence. "The needs in Darfur and Chad are immense under any circumstances, but with the recalcitrance of the Sudanese government, the situation is of untenable and tragic proportions," said Dan Tyler, East Africa director for Church World Service.

The Brethren Witness/Washington Office has joined with organizations advocating for the violence to be designated "genocide" by the United Nations, a word that carries specific meaning under international law and requires international intervention. The US Congress already has designated the Darfur violence genocide. For information on an upcoming UN resolution on Darfur, and how to advocate for the victims of the violence with the US ambassador to the UN, call the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at 800‑785‑3246 or e‑mail washington_office_gb@brethren.org.

The Church of the Brethren has worked for decades in Sudan, with the New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC) in the south and the Sudan Council of Churches in the north. General Board staff have served with both councils doing relief and development work, theological education, and administration. The church also supported a project translating the Bible into a Sudanese language. Haruun Ruun, executive secretary of the NSCC, was a guest at Annual Conference this year.

Source: Newsline 7/30/2004
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Brethren respond by the hundreds to tornado in Pennsylvania.

A tornado in central Pennsylvania prompted hundreds of Brethren volunteers to help clean up debris in the week following the July 14 storm. The F3 twister that hit Campbelltown and South Londonderry Township destroyed 32 homes and damaged dozens more, according to staff of the General Board's Emergency Response program.

The estimate of hundreds of volunteers came from Atlantic Northeast District disaster coordinator Tom Cope, who kept a record of at least 405 Brethren who did clean up. Southern Pennsylvania District disaster coordinator Leonard Stoner and district volunteers also lent support to the work, and Emergency Response director Roy Winter and assistant Diane Gosnell were among those in Pennsylvania following the tornado. In addition, a number of Brethren helped out at the Campbelltown fire hall.

Cope "discovered that there were more volunteers who responded to Campbelltown than we knew, literally unsung heroes when we don't know their names," said Gosnell. Winter told the story of a family in the Big Swatara, Hanoverdale Church of the Brethren who suffered the total loss of their house, and whose congregation was there within hours to give support. "We extend a thank you to everybody who went to a neighbor's house to help," Winter said. He asked anyone who is still in need of help following the July 14 tornado to contact his office at 800‑451‑4407.

In other news from the Emergency Response office, another tornado recovery project is planned in Hallam, Neb. The small town was nearly obliterated by an F‑4 tornado on May 22, and of the town's 170 homes only seven are repairable and the rest must be rebuilt. The General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund has allocated $15,000 for a long‑term rebuilding project to begin in early September. "We hope to get as many homes as we can framed up and dried in before winter sets in," reported Jane Yount, the General Board's disaster response coordinator. Emergency Response is looking for volunteers skilled in framing to staff the project.

Three flood recovery projects continue as well, in Poquoson, Va., following Hurricane Isabel; in Greenbrier County, W.Va., scheduled to be completed Aug. 28; and in Skagit and Snohomish Counties, Wash. To volunteer for Emergency Response projects, contact a district disaster coordinator or the Emergency Response office at 800‑451‑4407.

Source: Newsline 7/30/2004
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Standing Committee takes on extra business at Annual Conference meetings.

At its meetings at Annual Conference, alongside the usual agenda items such as reports from districts, sharing counsel with the moderator, and making recommendations on new business coming to the Conference delegates, the Standing Committee of district delegates considered two items added from the floor: discussions of hurts in the denomination, and how to receive concerns that come in ways other than through established channels.

After hearing an explanation of the rules that Conference officers follow in accepting new business for Standing Committee to consider, the group adopted a motion made by James Myer of Atlantic Northeast District to "encourage its officers to relax their rigid rules of not sharing anything they have received." The motion encouraged the use of meeting time to share concerns heard by the officers and to allow the committee to decide if there are items of business to consider.

A second action later in the Conference week created an Envisioning Committee to coordinate and plan a time during Standing Committee business specifically for envisioning, in consultation with Conference officers. The content of the envisioning time will be gathered with input from Standing Committee members, who will be responsible to conduct a session at their district conference or other venue to listen to concerns, ideas, and dreams for the church. Elected to the new committee were Kathryn Ludwick, Nathan Polzin, David Rittenhouse, and David Wysong.

Source: Newsline 7/30/2004
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BBT equity funds outperform industry benchmarks.

For the first half of 2004, equity (stock) funds managed by Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) significantly outperformed their comparable industry benchmarks, according to a release from the agency. "During a challenging period for investment managers, BBT achieved this performance relative to broad market indexes while pursuing its socially responsible investment goals," the release stated.

In the Brethren Pension Plan, the Common Stock Fund gained 6 percent while the Standard and Poor's 500 Index advanced 3.4 percent. The Balanced Fund returned 3.5 percent while a comparable blended index returned 2 percent. The Bond Fund matched the performance of the Lehman Brothers Government/Credit Index, with both falling .2 percent.

In the Brethren Foundation, the Domestic Stock Fund picked up 5.8 percent compared with the Standard and Poor's 500 Index 3.4 percent. The Small Cap Fund gained 10.9 percent while the Russell 2000 Index managed a 6.8 percent return. The International Stock Fund beat the Morgan Stanley Europe/Australia/Far East Index, 4.8 percent compared to 4.6. The Balanced Fund gained 3.5 percent. The Bond Fund, with a .2 percent gain, outperformed the Lehman Brothers Government/Credit Index, which lost .2 percent.

BBT reported that the Common Stock Fund and the Domestic Stock Fund benefitted from strong performance in the "value sector"‑‑stocks that investors believe are trading for less than their true market value. "The value portion of each fund gained almost 14 percent over the six‑month period, resulting in the overall strong performance for each fund," the release said.

BBT investments exclude securities of companies generating more than ten percent of their revenues from gambling, alcohol, tobacco, or prime defense contracts. Pension Plan members and Foundation investors can direct a portion of their accounts into the Community Development Investment Fund, which supports loans to community organizations. "These results for Brethren Benefit Trust investments continue to prove that investors need not give up market returns to invest in a manner consistent with their social values," said Wil Nolen, BBT president.

Source: Newsline 7/30/2004
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"Covering Kids and Families" promoted by ABC.

The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) is drawing Brethren attention to a national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to increase the number of children and adults who benefit from federal and state health care coverage programs. ABC has added its name to the list of organizations working with the initiative, called "Covering Kids and Families." Previously this year, ABC joined the foundation's Cover the Uninsured Week.

The initiative works with others such as health professionals, social service organizations, and faith‑based organizations to inform families about low‑cost or free health care coverage that the foundation said is available in every state. Covering Kids and Families also works to simplify enrollment procedures and to coordinate coverage programs so that enrollees may move from one type of insurance program to another without losing coverage.

The foundation reported that of the nearly 44 million Americans without health care coverage, 8.5 million are children. "Many parents whose children qualify for coverage through SCHIP or Medicaid believe their children are not eligible," according to information from the foundation. Every August, the foundation launches a back‑to‑school campaign to encourage families whose children are uninsured to enroll in SCHIP or Medicaid. Families may call 877‑KIDS‑NOW to find out if they are eligible.

Congregations may order an action kit and other free materials online at www.coveringkidsandfamilies.org/communications/bts/kit. For more information contact ABC at 800‑323‑8039, or Covering Kids and Families at 202‑338‑7227 or visit www.coveringkidsandfamilies.org.

Source: Newsline 7/30/2004
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Brethren Academy issues call for pastor candidates for church leadership program.

Sustaining Pastoral Excellence, the newest of the Brethren Academy's offerings for continuing education for pastors, is now receiving applications for the 2005 Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership cohort group.

Six to fifteen participants will enter and progress through the two‑year program together. The group will meet quarterly for eight four‑day sessions. "Advanced Foundations is an excellent opportunity to deepen one's spiritual grounding, to broaden the understanding of leadership models and skills, and to reflect on ministry issues in a safe learning environment," said coordinators Glenn and Linda Timmons in a release about the openings.

The Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program is designed to encourage and promote excellence in ministry. Two program tracks are available: Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership, following a structured format and curriculum; and Vital Pastor, exploring a self‑selected topic of shared interest and pastoral concern with a peer group. Sustaining Pastoral Excellence is funded by a five‑year, $2 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Bethany Theological Seminary through the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, a joint ministry of Bethany and the General Board. For application information contact the Brethren Academy at 800‑287‑8822 or e‑mail pastoralexcellence@bethanyseminary.edu.

Source: Newsline 7/30/2004
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