wfn.org | Newsline - Church of the Brethren news update

[Church of the Brethren News Services]

Date:      Aug. 18, 2000
Contact:  Walt Wiltschek
V:  847/742-5100   F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL:   CoBNews@AOL.Com

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of
silver." Prov. 25:11

NEWS
 1) A Disaster Child Care team responds to wildfires in Montana.
 2) BRF holds annual meeting in a context of worship and learning.
 3) Brethren are involved in several facets of the People's
Campaign for Nonviolence
 4) Church of North India delegation's visit is postponed.
 5) Reports of some recent district conferences.
 6) Joyful worship, reports, and guests highlight Puerto Rico
assembly.
 7) An anonymous gift to OEPA will provide matching funds for
congregational giving.
 8) The newest BVS unit comes together in Roxbury, Pa.
 9) BVS workers in Europe meet for a retreat in Germany.
10) Another Emergency Disaster Fund grant will aid rebuilding in
Nigeria.
11) Brethren bits: Awards, anniversaries, end-of-life issues, and
more.

PERSONNEL
12) Bob Gross and Barb Sayler are called as team executives for On
Earth Peace.
13) Ron and Shirley Spire announce their retirement as Southeastern
District executives.
14) David Longenecker resigns as associate district executive of
Atlantic Northeast.
15) Kristi Kellerman resigns as Annual Conference assistant.
16) The Annual Conference office seeks an administrative assistant.
17) BBT seeks a director of communications.

RESOURCES
18) September's "Source" packet helps to explain work of church
agencies.

FEATURES
19) Summer youth campers dig deep to support church projects.

Due to heavy news volume, a "bonus" edition of Newsline will be
sent Aug. 25.

*******************************************************************

 1) In response to the many wildfires that have been burning in the
western United States, Church of the Brethren Emergency
Response/Service Ministries has sent a Disaster Child Care team to
Hamilton, Mont., south of Missoula.

The team of six certified caregivers, activated this past Monday,
has served at a Red Cross Service Center and several shelters set
up for evacuees of the firestorms, moving as needed. The team has
kept flexible hours to meet the needs of families. Dozens of
children ages 12 and under were expected to require care. 

Lorna and John Grow of the Dallas Center (Iowa) Church of the
Brethren are serving as disaster project managers; Lorna made a
community presentation Wednesday night on helping children cope
with the stress. Other team members are Jean Ellis, Dorothy Wright,
and Jackie Snyder--all of the Minburn (Iowa) United Methodist
Church, and Carol Swenson of the West Point (Neb.) United Methodist
Church. Others are on alert in case additional aid is needed.

Four major fires are burning in the Hamilton area, covering nearly
250,000 acres. Additional details on the fires can be found at
www.fs.fed.us/r1/pgr/fireinfo/summary.html and www.missoulian.com. 

ER/SM also continues to aid cleanup efforts in eastern North
Carolina, heavily damaged by a hurricane last fall, and has been
assessing other disasters as they occur to determine needed
assistance. Gordon and Virginia Driver are serving as disaster
project directors in North Carolina for September.

 
 2) About 300 Brethren from at least eight states gathered July
28-30 at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College's Leffler Chapel for Brethren
Alive 2000. The conference, sponsored by Brethren Revival
Fellowship, brought together "Anabaptist-oriented evangelical
Brethren" from around the country to celebrate the church and to
encourage one another.

Taking Acts 2:42-47 as the theme scripture, the conference heard
from four main speakers. James Myer, chairman of BRF and minister
in Manheim, Pa., called Brethren to uphold New Testament doctrine.
David Kent, physician and minister from St. Thomas, Pa., preached
from John 4 on the true worship of God. David Rittenhouse, former
Brethren missionary to Ecuador and minister from Dunmore, W.Va.,
emphasized fellowship and the lack of community in today's
churches. And Phill Carlos Archbold, associate pastor in Brooklyn,
N.Y., and the 2001 Annual Conference moderator, challenged
participants to have a desire for evangelism.

Several groups provided special music for the weekend, including a
final directing performance of the Midway congregation (Lebanon,
Pa.) men's choir by Arlene Keller after 50 years of service. Robert
Kettering, pastor of the Lititz, Pa., congregation, and Melody
Keller, from the Lewiston, Maine, congregation, led congregational
singing.

Seven workshops focusing on specific ways to work at renewal in the
life of the individual and the church were also a part of the
weekend, ranging from a Bible study of Acts 2 to a session on
"Roadblocks to Revival and Hot Potatoes in the Church of the
Brethren."

During the BRF Annual Meeting, Carl Brubaker (Lititz, Pa.) and Dean
Garrett (West Alexandria, Ohio) were re-elected to serve five-year
terms on the BRF Committee. Myer reported that Earl and Barbara Eby
are now in the Dominican Republic to begin setting up the new
Brethren Mission House in Azua, which will serve as a base for new
Brethren Volunteer Service workers there. Ben Barlow, a former
BVSer who served at Lewiston, Maine, shared his testimony on the
impact of BVS in his life, and the BRF website, www.brfwitness.org,
was also highlighted.

Brethren Alive 2000 was followed by the annual Brethren Bible
Institute, which had 122 students registered for the week of
classes on the Elizabethtown campus.

 3) Thousands of people went to Washington, D.C., this summer to
maintain a 40-day peacemaking presence through the "People's
Campaign for Nonviolence," sponsored by The Fellowship of
Reconciliation. Demanding disarmament, peace and justice
organizations from across the country hosted daily activities and
nonviolent direct action at the Pentagon, White House, or the US
Capitol from July 1 to Aug. 9.

The event opened with a day of panel discussion and nonviolence
training. The following days were a call for peace and social
justice through rallies, workshops, peaceful protests, interfaith
prayer services, marches, and discussion. Each day concluded with
prayer and reflection led by a guest speaker.

Brethren participated in a number of events, including the Abolish
the Death Penalty vigil July 26 near the White House. In drizzling
rain about 100 people participated in a two-hour litany, which was
followed by speeches and discussion pointing out the faults of the
death penalty.

Phil Jones, pastor of the Shalom Fellowship congregation (Durham,
N.C.) and former prison chaplain, attended the vigil with his son,
Drew. "We not only need a political voice against the death penalty
but a pastoral voice as well," Jones said. "We need to be in
prayerful support of those on death row and their families."

Other events attended by Brethren included the Conference to Ban
Landmines--two days of lobbying in mid-July; the Speakout Against
Star Wars, with numerous influential speakers against the National
Missile Defense on July 18; and events Aug. 5-7 focusing on nuclear
disarmament in remembrance of the economic sanctions in Iraq and
the bombing of Hiroshima. 

For more information about The People's Campaign visit
www.forusa.org, or call the Church of the Brethren Washington
Office at 202 546-3202.

 4) A meeting scheduled to begin today between three high-ranking
representatives from the Church of North India and General Board
members and staff has been postponed.

The Most Rev. Vinod Peter, moderator of CNI; the Right Rev. V.M.
Malaviya, bishop of Gujarat State, where many of the separated
Brethren are located; and Dr. V.S. Lall, general secretary of CNI,
were slated to attend, but Peter experienced back problems and was
unable to make the trip. The meetings will be rescheduled at a
later date.

The visit was to continue conversations regarding the "separated"
Brethren in India. The Church of the Brethren in India joined CNI
in 1970, but some congregations seceded in 1978 and have sought
formal recognition then. CNI representatives planned to meet with
a recognition committee that visited India this past spring as well
as with General Board executive director Judy Mills Reimer, Global
Mission Partnerships director Merv Keeney, and others.

 5) Reports from some recent Church of the Brethren district
conferences:
 *Oregon/Washington: Held at Camp Myrtlewood, it marked the fourth
year of a new format where district conference is combined with
family camp. Moderator Colleen Michael sought to incorporate and
share about Worshipful-Work during the business meeting, when a
report on the district's workcamp group to Nigeria was given. About
40 people attended an annual auction to raise funds for disaster
relief, raising more than $4,500. District executive Steve Gregory
said the money will be used to send volunteers from the district to
a disaster site.

 *Southeastern: More than 100 delegates represented 30
congregations at the Knoxville, Tenn., meeting. Nearly 30 people
from the Fruitdale, Ala., church made the long journey to support
moderator and fellow member Frank Thornton. Outgoing district
executives Shirley and Ron Spire were recognized with a plaque for
their 15 years of service, plus a quilt and two pillows. Other
highlights included reports on a new CROP Walk hosted by the
Jackson Park church (Jonesborough, Tenn.) this year; a quilt
auctioned by the Jackson Park to raise money for Camp Placid;
Brethren history addresses and two insight sessions led by Dr.
Randy Griffith of the Erwin (Tenn.) church; and a Friday evening
talent show.

 6) The 14th annual assembly of the Church of the Brethren in
Puerto Rico was held at the Yahuecas congregation June 2-3. The
meeting began with Jaime Diaz, pastor of the Castaner Church of the
Brethren, conducting a workshop on the use of Worshipful-Work as a
model for church business.

An inspiring opening worship service featured presentations from
the "Program for the Arts" started at the Vega Baja congregation
under pastor Jaime Rivera. Participants shared vocal, 
instrumental, pantomime, and drama gifts, including an original
drama on Jesus Christ in the year 2000. 

Business included an update on work for a new church start in the
Arecibo area and the enthusiastic receiving of other reports.

Special guests recognized included Rev. Jaime Rivera Solero,
regional secretary of the Latin American Council of Churches; Felix
Antonio Arias Mateo, fraternal delegate from the Dominican
Republic; Roy Stern, director of ministry for Atlantic Southeast
District; General Board Congregational Life Team representative
Carol Yeazell; and Robert and Martha Beach. Martha Beach was
recognized and welcomed as the new district executive minister for
Atlantic Southeast, while Yeazell received a plaque honoring her
service as former district executive minister.

 7) On Earth Peace Assembly, based in New Windsor, Md., has
received an anonymous gift of $50,000 to be used as a challenge
gift to congregations. The gift will match dollar for dollar all
new and/or increased financial gifts from local churches, whether
in the annual budget or received via special congregational
offerings.

Funds received will go toward support of On Earth Peace's general
ministries, including peace education, Ministry of Reconciliation,
and peace resources.

 8) Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 240, held in partnership with
Brethren Revival Fellowship, is taking place Aug. 14-23 at Roxbury
(Pa.) Holiness Camp. Guest leadership is being provided by John and
Ruby Shenk; Kenneth Leininger, Samuel Cassel, Walter Heisey,
Kenneth Nell, and James Myer are assisting as resource leaders.

Nine volunteers are participating: Sally Jo Caracheo, Highland
Avenue congregation, Elgin, Ill.; Becky Cater, White Oak, Manheim,
Pa.; Daniel Greenawalt, Asbury United Methodist, Harrisonburg, Va.;
Gregory and Jill Keeney, East Fairview, Manheim, Pa.; Denise
Negley, Kenda Negley, and Sherwin Shank, Upton, Mercersburg, Pa.;
and Jewel Sheeler, Diller Mennonite Church, Newville, Pa.

BVS/BRF volunteers will be placed in Lewiston, Maine, or in the
Dominican Republic. This is the first unit that will be sending
volunteers to join in the mission work and English teaching efforts
in the Dominican Republic.

 9) The annual European Brethren Volunteer Service retreat took
place July 28-Aug. 3 in Berlin, Germany. The group met at Haus
Kreisau, a Protestant church youth training and retreat center
named for a village in Poland where church members met in
resistance to the Nazis.

Sixteen BVS workers attended the retreat along with BVS Europe
coordinator Kristin Flory and several guest facilitators. Issues
discussed included work at BVS Europe projects, what it's like to
be a BVSer in Europe, regional issues in the post-war Balkans and
Northern Ireland, and the Jubilee 2000 debt-relief campaign.

The program also included an all-day role play on refugee issues
plus time for daily meditations, relaxation, and fun.

 10) Another Emergency Disaster Fund grant for Nigeria has been
requested and approved, aiding continuing relief work in a nation
torn by violence between Muslims and Christians.

This newest grant is for $5,000 and will help to rebuild the church
and parsonage that were burned during riots in Damboa, as well as
church buildings at two preaching points.

 11) Brethren bits: Other brief news notes from around the
denomination and elsewhere.
 *The Area 1 (Northeast) Urban Ministry celebration event scheduled
for Aug. 26 has been postponed due to low registration caused by
schedule conflicts. Organizers say the event will be rescheduled
next year.

 *The Carlisle (Pa.) Church of the Brethren recently received a
"Citizens for Peace" award from the Families Against Violence
Network for its continuing work in the area of non-violence.

 *The Ottumwa (Iowa) congregation will celebrate its 100th
anniversary Sept. 16-17. Fraternity Church of the Brethren,
Winston-Salem, N.C., celebrates its 225th Sept. 23-24. The York
Center congregation (Lombard, Ill.) marked its 50th this past
weekend.

 *The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
selected Russell T. Flora, Jr., chairman of the Brethren Retirement
Community (Greenville, Ohio) Board of Trustees, for its 2000
Trustee of the Year Award.

 *District conference season continues as Michigan District holds
its conference this weekend in Hastings. Several districts have
already held meetings, and many others will meet in September,
October, and early November.

 *By invitation of the Cuban Council of Churches, a US National
Council of Churches official delegation, headed by the NCC general
secretary Bob Edgar, will visit Cuba Sept. 2-7.

 *Mohammed Islam of Bangladesh visited SERRV International in New
Windsor, Md., last week, representing 14 artisan groups. He
addressed the SERRV staff and volunteers to share the challenges
that producers in Bangladesh face.

 *An address for submitting original works for the "Music and Hymn
Poetry Notebook" being compiled by the Association for the Arts in
the Church of the Brethren is now available. Send all items to Don
Parker at 1293 Laurel Drive, West Salem, OH 44287. For further
information or questions, send an e-mail to djparker@bright.net or
call 419 945-2327.

 *The Association of Brethren Caregivers is recommending a PBS
series called "On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying" with Bill Moyers,
to be broadcast Sept. 10-13. PBS had produced a discussion guide,
and additional details can be found at
http://www.pbs.org/onourownterms/. ABC also has end-of-life
resources available for churches. Call 800 323-8039.

 *Correction: A typographical error in the Aug. 4 edition
misidentified pastor Ernie Bolz's service on the General Board.
Bolz served on the General Board from 1994-99.

 12) On Earth Peace Assembly, based in New Windsor, Md., has called
Bob Gross and Barbara Sayler as team executive directors to manage
the agency and implement its mission.

Gross has been coordinator of the Ministry of Reconciliation
program of On Earth Peace since 1995 and has been serving as
interim staff coordinator since April. He has also been director of
training at Education for Conflict Resolution Inc., in North
Manchester, Ind., since 1991 and the part-time executive director
since 1998. For 25 years Gross has had experience in non-profit
administration and leading workshops and teaching courses in areas
of conflict resolution, mediation, communication, nonviolence, and
prejudice reduction. He will continue to work out of North
Manchester.

Sayler, a licensed minister, holds a master of divinity degree with
a Peace Studies emphasis from Bethany Theological Seminary and a
bachelor of arts in music eduation and vocal performance from
McPherson (Kan.) College. In the decade between college and
seminary, Sayler served ministries including program assistant for
Brethren Volunteer Service, assistant to the director in the Church
of the Brethren Washington Office, and coordinator of volunteers in
Disaster Child Care. She has been an active participant in peace
and justice movements.

The shared executive position, to begin this fall, will allow Gross
to continue as director of ministries of MoR and will allow Sayler
to plan and begin program emphases projected by On Earth Peace that
envision action as an essential ingredient in peace education.

 13) Ron and Shirley Spire have announced their retirement as
district executives of Southeastern District effective March 31,
2001. At that time they will have completed 15 years of service.

 14) David Longenecker has resigned as associate district executive
of the Atlantic Northeast District effective Aug. 31. He has served
in that position since 1994. Longenecker has been called as pastor
of the Myerstown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren in Atlantic Northeast
beginning Sept. 1.

 15) Kristi Kellerman has announced her resignation as Conference
assistant in the Annual Conference office effective Aug. 25.
Kellerman has worked in the office for almost two and a half years.

 16) The Annual Conference is seeking an administrative assistant,
a full-time position available Sept. 1 (start date is negotiable).
Responsibilities include handling daily mail for the office,
editing and preparing camera-ready copy for publications, traveling
several times per year and serving on-site at Annual Conference,
supervising part-time employees, and working with the executive
director to accomplish the tasks of the office.

Required skills include knowledge and experience with WordPerfect,
Microsoft Excel and Access, and Quark XPress; knowledge of other
office technology; good interpersonal skills; accuracy and
proofreading ability; good organizational skills; and flexibility
in working style. 

Qualified candidates should send letter of interest and resume, and
request letters of recommendation from three references to be sent,
to Duane Steiner, Annual Conference executive director, Annual
Conference Office, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL, 60120. 

 17) Brethren Benefit Trust is seeking a director of
communications, a management position to give overall leadership
for promotion, public relations, and member resources.
Responsibilities include communicating BBT mission and programs,
creating program resources for BBT plan members and clients, and
promoting BBT programs and services to prospective customers.

Qualifications include a bachelor's degree or equivalent in
journalism, public relations, communications, or marketing with a
minimum of five years' experience in a related position; strong
written and verbal skills; Internet literacy; and high levels of
proficiency in PageMaker 6.5, Quark XPress, and Photoshop in a
Windows environment. Familiarity with the Church of the Brethren
and its values is helpful.

Interested and qualified persons may apply by sending a letter,
resume, and salary history by fax to 847 742-0135 or by mail to
Claudia Sheets, Brethren Benefit Trust, 1505 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL
60120. Phone 847 622-3389 with any questions.

 18) The September "Source" packet, recently mailed to
congregations, includes several pieces to help explain the work and
ministry of church agencies.

A brochure called "Many Gifts, One Spirit" describes Annual
Conference and all five agencies that report to it, giving details
on program, staff, and budget and helping to explain the
denomination's organizational structure. The General Board annual
report, "How Wondrous the Grace," gives further details on the work
of that agency, while the spring issue of "Seminarian" from Bethany
Theological Seminary covers new training events.

Other items in the packet are a flyer on Brethren Press' new book,
"The Love Feast"; a mini-poster on new features of
www.brethren.org, the official denominational website; a brochure
on an upcoming ecumenical stewardship conference; an explanatory
brochure on Ministry Summer Service; a book called "The First
Thirty Seconds: A Guide to Hospitality for Greeters and Ushers,"
provided by New Life Ministries; a call from the New Windsor (Md.)
Conference Center for volunteer hosts; and an invitiation to help
the Brethren Employees' Credit Union grow by sending letters of
support. 

 19) The generosity of campers at Virlina District's Camp Bethel
(Fincastle, Va.) is enabling youth many miles away to have a camp
experience, too. 

Jerry and Becky Baile Crouse, the General Board's mission
coordinators in the Dominican Republic and former Virlina members,
challenged Bethel to partner with them and support camping
ministries for youth in the Caribbean nation. Bethel's campers
responded in a big way. Nearly 600 campers contributed more than
$5,300 over the course of the summer, a record high for the camp's
summer offering and well above the initial goal of $1,300.

Most of the money came via auctions and challenges for a variety of
service projects, as well as some unique opportunities like dyeing
the hair of staff members--including the visiting Youth Peace
Travel Team. Some people also gave additional gifts. Each week, an
emphasis on the Dominican Republic was presented, and some members
of the Oak Grove congregation (Roanoke, Va.) came to share about
their experiences there this past spring.

At Western Pennsylvania District's Camp Harmony, meanwhile, youth
campers faced a goal of raising $1,000 in just one week for the
General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund. Brethren Witness director
David Radcliff, who administers the fund, was a guest leader for
the week.

Progress toward the goal was marked on a chart during the week, and
the Harmony youth also managed to surge past the goal, bringing in
$1,142 for the project.

Newsline is produced by Walt Wiltschek, manager of news services
for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on the first, third
and fifth Friday of each month. Newsline stories may be reprinted
provided that Newsline is cited as the source and the publication
date is included. Craig Myers, Carol Yeazell, Jeff Glass, Julie
Hostetter, and Kendra Flory contributed to this report.

To receive Newsline by e-mail or fax, call 1-800-323-8039, ext.
263, or write CoBNews@AOL.Com. Newsline is available at
www.brethren.org and is archived with an index at
http://www.wfn.org.