SPECIAL EDITION

Church of the Brethren invited to provide Christmas Eve special on CBS.

Television network CBS has invited the Church of the Brethren to provide its nationally telecast Christmas Eve service. A different denomination is invited each year. The program will air 11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. Eastern Standard Time during the slot normally occupied by the David Letterman show. The service will be taped Nov. 23 at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., and is being produced by the General Board.

“This is a rare opportunity, and we are honored by the invitation,” said Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board, whose office received the invitation from CBS on behalf of the denomination. “We are grateful for the involvement of the Bethany Theological Seminary community, which is lending Nicarry Chapel for the worship venue.”

Those who are planning the service are Chris Bowman, pastor of Oakton (Va.) Church of the Brethren, who will deliver the message; music coordinator Shawn Kirchner, minister of music at La Verne Church of the Brethren and a professional musician with the Los Angeles Master Chorale; worship consultant Dawn Ottoni Wilhelm, assistant professor of Ministry Studies at Bethany; consultants Stan Noffsinger and Del Keeney, executive director of the board’s Congregational Life Ministries; and executive producer Wendy McFadden, publisher of Brethren Press.

A news release will be made available to Church of the Brethren congregations after taping is complete, to be sent to local news outlets as a customized “home town” release. Also, look for a report on the taping of the service in the Dec. 2 Newsline. Brethren Press is planning to offer DVD/videotapes of the service, and Brethren videographer David Sollenberger is planning a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the service, as bonus material on the DVD. A web page with more information will be available soon.