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

[COBNews@aol.com]

Date: June 28, 2002
Contact: Walt Wiltschek
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

SPECIAL REPORT

NEWS
 1) Annual Conference activities start on sad note.

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

 1) Annual Conference week began with tragedy in Louisville, Ky.,
as a member of the denomination's Standing Committee was killed in
a traffic accident Thursday evening.

Karen Jones, a fourth-year representative from Western Pennsylvania
District, was struck by a pickup as she crossed the intersection of
Fourth Street and Market Street, one of the city's main
thoroughfares. The accident occurred during a thunderstorm at about
9 p.m., following Standing Committee's final meeting of the day.

A report in The Courier-Journal of Louisville said the impact
knocked Jones about 20 yards down Market Street, according to
Louisville police spokesman Detective Bill Keeling. He said Jones
died at the scene.

Police were investigating whether the pickup had run the light or
whether Jones had crossed against the signal, the report said.
Several Conference participants, however, said that Jones had been
crossing against the light.

The driver has not been charged. The police investigation had not
been completed as of Friday night, and no other details on the
investigation were available.

Myrna Baer, also a Standing Committee representative from Western
Pennsylvania, called Jones "a very dedicated servant of God and a
fine Christian . . . who will be very much missed by all."

Standing Committee began its meeting Friday morning with a time of
prayer and sharing to remember Jones, her family and church, the
driver of the pickup, and other Conference participants who were on
the scene at the time of the accident. No one else was injured.

Jones, from Champion, Pa., was a licensed minister in the County
Line congregation, where she served as choir director. She is
survived by her father, Kermit Jones, who is also a minister in
Western Pennsylvania, and by three sisters.

Annual Conference formally begins with worship tomorrow evening,
June 29. It continues through July 3. Daily coverage will be posted
at www.brethren.org.

 

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. Fred Swartz and The
Courier-Journal metro desk contributed to this report.

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