- Corrections to the Newsline of May 25: In "Emergency Response director sees tsunami response in India," Church World Service has helped build a temporary facility for water treatment in Meulaboh, Indonesia. In "Committee seeks information on barriers to intercultural ministries," the committee's recorder Nadine L. Monn was not identified in full. In the May 11 issue, "ABC announces Caregiver Awards," the Woodbury Church of the Brethren is located in Woodbury, Pa.
- Mary Dadisman, a former mission nurse and teacher for the General Board, died June 5 at Brethren Hillcrest Homes in La Verne, Calif. She was 92. She received nursing training at Bethany Brethren Hospital in Chicago; was a graduate of Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa.; and studied midwifery at the Frontier Nursing School in Kentucky. A May 2004 "Messenger" story about her reported that she was inspired to serve in Africa by her good friend Grayce Brumbaugh, a fellow nurse. Dadisman was a nurse with the Brethren mission in Nigeria 1941-79, although one of her first jobs was to establish a school for mission children--Hillcrest School in Jos--now a joint venture with several Christian mission groups. In 1947 she became nursing superintendent at Garkida General Hospital. Over the years she also taught village health workers in the Lafiya program, directed a scholarship program for medical workers, was an acting principal at Waka Schools, was active in women's work, and did relief work during the Biafra civil war. She also delivered many of the babies born to Brethren missionaries during her tenure. "To a host of Nigerians, she is the beloved 'Sister,' the traditional British term for the head nurse of a hospital. To her fellow American missionaries, she is known affectionately as 'Mary D,'" wrote Raymond R. Stayer in the "Juniata College Bulletin" in 1974. Following retirement, Dadisman continued to promote the church's mission efforts and served on the board of quality assurance for Woods Hospital at Brethren Hillcrest Homes. A memorial service is tentatively planned to take place at Brethren Hillcrest Homes on July 9.
- The board of directors of the Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio, announces the appointment of Tim Hissong as president and chief executive officer. Hissong brings a strong financial background and expertise in management to the position, having served for the past 13 years as vice president of Finance and treasurer of the Brethren Retirement Community. He holds an MBA in management from Wright State University and is a registered housing professional, as well as a licensed nursing home administrator. He is chair of the board of the Southern Ohio District of the Church of the Brethren and also sits on the boards of A Learning Place; Happy Corner Church of the Brethren in Clayton, Ohio; Woodland Altars, the camp of Southern Ohio District; and the Business Technologies Division of Sinclair Community College, where he is an adjunct instructor.
- Camp Swatara is accepting applications and resumes for the position of program coordinator. The camp is located in Bethel, Pa. A job description may be requested by contacting the camp office at 717-933-8510. Questions about the position should be addressed to camp administrator Marlin Houff. The deadline for applications is July 15; the camp hopes to fill the position by Sept. 1. The position has been vacated by Michele Gibbel, who served for 12 summers on the camp staff, the last five as fulltime program coordinator. She has resigned the position to return to graduate school. For more information about the camp, see www.campswatara.org.
- The Annual Conference Anniversary Committee has extended the deadline to Aug. 31 for composers to submit hymns, anthems, folk songs, praise songs, children's songs, or other musical compositions that interpret the 2008 tricentennial theme, "Surrendered to God, Transformed in Christ, Empowered by the Spirit." The committee also seeks submissions of drama and worship resources related to the theme, both with a deadline of Dec. 31. All submissions become the property of the Anniversary Committee for use in tricentennial activities. The name, address, and phone number of the writer or composer should not appear on submissions but should be included on a separate page. Music, drama, and worship resources should be sent to the Annual Conference Office, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
- The Stewardship of Property Committee met last week in listening sessions with General Board employees and Annual Conference agencies and ecumenical partners (the Mid-Atlantic District Office, the Association of Brethren Caregivers, Brethren Benefit Trust, On Earth Peace, Interchurch Medical Assistance, and A Greater Gift/SERRV) that are located on or participate in programs located at the board's properties in New Windsor, Md., and Elgin, Ill. "The interviews were productive, meaningful, and most helpful to the task the committee has to accomplish," said Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board. The committee will seek additional responses during interviews of General Board deployed staff on Friday evening July 1, before Annual Conference begins in Peoria, Ill., as well as through an insight session planned for Sunday evening July 3 at 9 p.m. at the Conference. In addition to these face-to-face sessions, a questionnaire will be included in delegate packets at Annual Conference, and can be found at the General Board display at the Conference for any attendee to participate in the process. The questionnaire also will be available online at www.brethren.org following Annual Conference. The next meeting of the Stewardship of Property Committee will be Sept. 8-9 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor. Evaluation of the gathered data and preparation for the committee's time with the General Board in October will be on the agenda.
- Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA) and the General Board's Emergency Response/Service Ministries hosted a visit by Sushant Agrawal, executive director of Church's Auxiliary for Social Action in India. The May 18 visit was coordinated by Lutheran World Relief and provided an opportunity to tour the distribution center at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., and meet with Emergency Response director Roy Winter and IMA vice president for International Program Development Daniel Aukerman. Much of the church-sponsored material resources shipped to India for tsunami relief was packed by Service Ministries staff at the center.
- Forty-five Christian educators from across the denomination's Area 1 in the northeast, attended a seminar May 21 at Carlisle (Pa.) Church of the Brethren to examine a teaching and learning approach based on hospitality at the table. The event was a collaborative effort of the General Board's Congregational Life Team for Area 1, Atlantic Northeast District, Mid-Atlantic District, Middle Pennsylvania District, Southern Pennsylvania District, and the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center of Bethany Theological Seminary. Cheryl Magrini, minister of Christian education at First United Methodist Church at the Chicago (Ill.) Temple, led participants through a teaching process based on the biblical story of the five loaves and two fish. Magrini teaches that fellowship at the table and "meal stories" have special significance in her teaching and learning approach with children in the Christian setting. A copy of the outline of the event is available from Jan Glass King, coordinator for Area 1; e-mail jking_gb@brethren.org. Find more specific information on the hospitable teaching and learning approach in the fall 2005 issue of "The Seed Packet" Christian education newsletter published by Brethren Press. The newsletter will be sent in the Source packet to all Church of the Brethren congregations, and may be ordered from Brethren Press at 800-441-3712.
- Brethren Volunteer Service is having a potluck supper on Saturday, July 30, at 6:30 p.m. at Union Bridge (Md.) Church of the Brethren. BVS invites any former Brethren Volunteer Service workers and Civilian Public Service workers, and anyone who has a connection to either program. "We see this potluck as a wonderful opportunity for the 'volunteers in training' from BVS Unit 265 to be able to connect with people that have done similar service," said Sam Bowman of the BVS office. "We hope to see you there." Bring a covered dish to share, or other food for the potluck. There will be a short informal time of introduction and sharing.
- On Earth Peace is holding a conference call on counter-recruitment strategies for this fall, to take place at 6-7:30 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow June 9. Participants will hear from each other about plans for next steps in countering military recruitment, and brainstorm about how to move forward. The call will feature Chuck Fager of Quaker House in Fayetteville, N.C., as a resource person. For more information call Matt Guynn at 765-962-6234 or e-mail mattguynn@earthlink.net.
- Naperville (Ill.) Church of the Brethren is marking its 150th anniversary on the fourth of July weekend. The church invites those going to and from Annual Conference to stop in to help celebrate, beginning on Friday evening July 1 through Sunday morning July 3. For more information call the church at 630-355-7171.
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