- Jeanne Davies, program assistant for Congregational Life Ministries, has announced her resignation effective Mar. 3. She has worked for the General Board since May 2003. Davies, who attends Bethany Theological Seminary in the "Connections" program, has accepted a position as associate pastor with Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin, Ill.
- Lyall and Vivian Sherred returned to Nigeria Feb. 1 as program volunteers through the Global Mission Partnerships Office of the General Board. They will teach at the Kulp Bible College of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) for six months. For the last several years the Sherreds have made repeated visits to Nigeria and have served previously at the college as well as at the Theological College of Northern Nigeria.
- Registration for the denomination's first large-scale National Young Adult Conference (NYAC), scheduled for June 14-18 in Winter Park, Colo., stood at 160 as of early February. The site can accommodate 500. About 70 percent of those who have registered to date have never before attended a denominational young adult conference, according to Becky Ullom, NYAC coordinator. Registration remains open through April 15 at www.nyac2004.org.
- Annual Conference moderator Chris Bowman, India consultant Bob Gross, and General Board Global Mission Partnerships executive director Merv Keeney will travel to India to meet with church partners Feb. 25 to March 5. The delegation will meet with India Brethren leadership about next steps to rebuild relationships after 30 years of separation. The group will also meet with the Church of North India. This visit implements the 2003 Annual Conference action directing relationship with both churches.
- More than 130 people attended a symposium entitled "Lost in Florida: Rekindling Your First Love for Jesus Christ," at St. Petersburg First Church of the Brethren Jan. 31. Featured speakers were James Myer of White Oak Church of the Brethren, Manheim, Pa., and Paul Mundey, pastor of Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren. Other presenters were Don White on personal evangelism, Carol Yeazell on prayer and spiritual growth, Merle Crouse on missions, and Nancy Knepper Cruz on the "Percept" program. St. Petersburg pastor Terry Hatfield coordinated the event.
- Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA) has received $50,000 from Johnson & Johnson to facilitate distribution of 12,500 Tibozole treatments for HIV/AIDS patients in Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Dominican Republic, Congo, and Haiti. Tibozole is used to treat oro-pharyngeal candidiasis, or thrush, one of the most frequent complaints of those living with HIV/AIDS, according to African home-based care health workers. The Church of the Brethren is an agency partner in IMA, which warehouses medical supplies at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
- Church World Service (CWS) is preparing to assist refugees from Haiti, in response to the escalating political and humanitarian crisis there. In addition, "Haitians are hungry," said a CWS press release. A worsening food crisis was exacerbated by floods in December. CWS has had a long-standing presence in Haiti and supports Haitian asylum seekers and detainees in the US.
- A National Council of Churches (NCC) delegation returned from Cuba convinced of the importance of maintaining contact with churches there, according to an NCC press release. The 30-member group spent Jan. 22-28 in Cuba, led by NCC general secretary Bob Edgar. They heard concerns about the US trade embargo, travel restrictions, and aggressive rhetoric. They were among 2,000 who came from around the world for the consecration of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the first new church to be constructed in Cuba in more than 40 years. President Fidel Castro and other government officials were present for the consecration.
- A Church World Service (CWS) Forum on Domestic Disaster Ministry will offer education and an opportunity for discussion among disaster ministry professionals and volunteers who plan and implement response by the faith community. The March 27-31 event at Princeton (N.J.) Theological Seminary was created by disaster ministry staff and volunteers from the Church of the Brethren, Lutheran Disaster Response, Presbyterian Church USA, the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church. It is the first such meeting sponsored by CWS.
- Southern Ohio District is offering deacons a one-day workshop on "Nurturing the Spiritual Life of Deacons" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 6 at New Carlisle Church of the Brethren. Scott Douglas, staff of the Association of Brethren Caregivers, will lead the event. Participants will explore how personal and corporate spiritual formation shapes and directs caregiving, and will look at ways to develop spiritually. Cost is $10 per person. Congregations should let the district office know by March 1 the number of deacons they are sending.
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