Welcome Home Project for soldiers begun by church agencies.

A Welcome Home Project for soldiers is being coordinated by On Earth Peace and the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC). The Welcome Home Project began when it was recognized that military personnel returning home from combat zones "should experience a loving, compassionate response from the church to help them re-acclimate and heal from their experiences," reported Mary Dulabaum, communication director for ABC. As part of the project an insight session for "Receiving People Returning from Military Service" will be held at the 2005 Annual Conference in Peoria, Ill.

Family members of the military also need care and support, Dulabaum said. "Participants of the Welcome Home Project believe that as a peace church, the Church of the Brethren is called to respond with care, compassion, and service to their neighbors who are experiencing hardship, fear, and possibly grief while their loved ones are gone."

The Welcome Home Project is seeking stories from people or church communities providing support to military personnel returning from combat zones, and to their families. Stories can be e-mailed to Darlene Johnson at On Earth Peace, djohnson_oepa@brethren.org.

Source: 12/03/2004 Newsline