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

[COBNews@aol.com]

Date: May 13, 2003
Contact: Walt Wiltschek
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

NEWS
 1) Youth and advisors meet for national Christian Citizenship
Seminar.
 2) Global Food Crisis Fund sends additional grant to Iraq.
 3) Dominican Republic Brethren continue growth, thank leadership.
 4) Violent storms cause widespread damage across United States.
 5) Brethren bits: Coming events, congregations, camps, and more.

PERSONNEL
 6) Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center seeks executive
director.

FEATURES
 7) Positive news comes for North Carolina Death Row case.

****************************************************************
 
 1) One hundred senior high youth and advisors from all parts of
the country participated in this year's national Christian
Citizenship Seminar (CCS), sponsored by the General Board's
Youth/Young Adult Ministry Office and the Church of the Brethren
Washington Office.

The week-long conference, held annually except National Youth
Conference years, explores a topic relevant to current events as it
relates to government and faith. This year's seminar, held May 3-8,
looked at globalization issues with the theme "It's a Small World
After All." The week began in New York City and ended in
Washington, D.C. Brethren came from California, Kansas, Illinois,
Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and New York.

Keynote speakers included Brethren Witness director David Radcliff,
staff members of United Nations programs, and Washington Office
staff. Manchester College professor Brian Peterson led a hands-on
international trade simulation that showed "countries" of the world
competing for scarce resources.

Radcliff used the Old Testament story of Naboth's vineyard to
illustrate the widely different circumstances in which people live,
and how those in the "palace life" often put down those in the
vineyard. "God wants to bring blessings to all, not just some,"
Radcliff said. "Jesus is calling us to see our world in a different
way."

Washington Office staff walked the group through the technicalities
of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the World Bank,
the International Monetary Fund, and other interconnected pieces
that together form the engine of globalization. Peterson noted that
globalization in and of itself is not a bad thing, but that it
tends to become "skewed" by inequalities and political power-plays.

Wednesday afternoon was spent in visits with congressional
representatives. Washington Office coordinator Greg Davidson
Laszakovits said CCS is the "most powerful day of witness that the
Church of the Brethren will see on Capitol Hill all year."

Other highlights included a tour of the United Nations, Sunday
morning worship in New York churches (including the Brooklyn First
Church of the Brethren and Brooklyn Haitian congregation), and a
night in Washington in which groups went out to a variety of ethnic
restaurants in unique neighborhoods. Ample free time also allowed
for additional exploration of these two key US cities.

More special activities were planned, but thunderstorms wiped out
a tour of memorials in Washington, and district authorities didn't
grant the needed permit for a planned witness event. Small groups
met several times during the week to process learnings and
questions, and the entire group joined in worship each day. During
the closing, several youth said they had found the seminar to be a
powerful experience.

"The main thing I learned this week is that we have a voice as
teens, and as Brethren," junior Nathan Hollenberg of the
Westminster (Md.) congregation said. "I've made a challenge to
myself . . . to take a stand for what I believe in, and not be
afraid to speak out."

"I think we can all agree that this has been quite a week," Heather
Houff of Palmyra (Pa.) Church of the Brethren added. "This week
really changed me, and something this week clicked with me. . . .
I finally realized how unfair this world of ours is."

A 2004 Christian Citizenship Seminar is already being planned for
next spring. Details will be available later this year from the
Youth/Young Adult office at 800-323-8039, ext. 297.

 2) A new grant from the General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund
will send $20,000 through Church World Service to support two
UNICEF initiatives in Iraq.

Half of the grant will help supply clean water -- considered
critical to good health, especially for children -- to medical
clinics. The other half will aid a project involving duckweed,
which is dried and used as a high-nutrition supplement for children
and pregnant mothers. Due to short supplies in Iraq, the duckweed
will be imported from neighboring Jordan and Syria. 

The Brethren Witness office is mounting a new campaign around this
issue, titled "Women and Children First." Call 800-323-8039 for
details. Four grants have been made from the Global Food Crisis
Fund this year.

Church World Service (CWS) recently sent a Children's Health
Assessment Team to Iraq, noting a heavy patient load at many
hospitals in Baghdad. The organization announced another $75,000
grant for Iraq from CWS' ongoing All Our Children campaign. "There
is a severe humanitarian need that, if not met quickly, could
result in a higher mortality rate for children and others who are
vulnerable," CWS Emergency Response director Rick Augsburger said.

 3) The annual "conferencia" of the Iglesia de los Hermanos (Church
of the Brethren) in the Dominican Republic took place Feb. 21-23 at
Camp Betel in San Juan province. About 300 people attended,
including 90 delegates from 21 of the country's 24 congregations or
preaching points.

Two preaching points -- Boca Chica and Sabana Torsa -- were given
congregational status at the conference, and two other worshipping
communities, in Peniel and La Caya, were formally recognized as
preaching points.

Each pastor gave a "state of the church" report to delegates. Other
business items included continuing support of Dr. Hilcias Ricardo's
medical work in the country, the Rotating Educational Student Loan
Fund for university students, and the approval of summer Bible
schools as a new venture.

Gratitude was expressed for outgoing Global Mission Partnerships
mission coordinators Jerry and Becky Baile Crouse, and prayers were
given for new mission coordinators Irv and Nancy Heishman,
scheduled to arrive in mid-June. Appreciation and recognition was
also given to Jeff and Peggy Boshart and the micro-enterprise
ministry they coordinate via support from the General Board's
Global Food Crisis Fund, and a plaque was presented in worship one
evening to Earl Ziegler of Atlantic Northeast District for his
support of the Dominican church.

According to statistics shared, more than 40 people were baptized
in the past year, with about 800 others in preparation classes for
baptism. Current Church of the Brethren membership in the Dominican
Republic stands at about 1,300.

 4) Thunderstorms and tornadoes ravaged many parts of the United
States over the past week and a half, causing dozens of deaths and
widespread damage in a record-shattering outbreak.

No injuries or property damage for Church of the Brethren members
was immediately reported, though several of the storms in the
Plains passed close to areas where congregations are located. The
Church of the Brethren Emergency Response/Service Ministries office
said it was monitoring where its assistance might be needed.

Church World Service said it had several Disaster Response and
Recovery liaisons on the ground, coordinating with area faith
communities and other disaster responders in the affected regions.
More details will be provided as they become available.

 5) Brethren bits: Other brief news notes from around the
denomination and elsewhere.
 *More than 70 young adults from all parts of the country will meet
at Camp Eder in Fairfield, Pa., May 25-27 for this year's national
Young Adult Conference, sponsored by the General Board's
Youth/Young Adult Ministries office. . . . The Fellowship of
Brethren Homes Forum 2003, coordinated by the Association of
Brethren Caregivers, will be June 5-7 at Brethren Village in
Neffsville, Pa. . . . Nineteen Church of the Brethren members will
attend a new church planting training event at Ashland (Ohio)
Seminary May 19-23. The General Board's Congregational Life
Ministries office and its New Church Development Advisory Committee
are facilitating the group's participation. . . . The
denomination's spiritual directors network will hold a retreat May
27-29 at Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministries Center, Sharpsburg,
Md. About two dozen people are expected to attend.

 *The farewell celebration for the Mineral Creek congregation in
Missouri/Arkansas District brought together more than 100 people on
May 3 for a day of memories, singing, storytelling, a hog roast
dinner, and a worship service with a sermon by district executive
Sandy Bosserman. The congregation, the district's oldest, closed
after 134 years of ministry.

 *A large group of nearly 60 people met in Michigan recently for a
Healthy Congregations workshop led by General Board Congregational
Life Team member Jim Kinsey, a Michigan resident. The event was
held at Beaverton Church of the Brethren, with more than half of
the district's 22 congregations represented. Kinsey emphasized the
need for diversity, a vision and mission, adaptability to change,
and creativity in problem-solving.

 *Brethren Service Europe coordinator Kristin Flory and current
European Brethren Volunteer Service worker Rebecca Blocksome
attended the Church & Peace International Conference May 1-4 in
Osijek, Croatia. Blocksome is serving at the Mladi Most project in
Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

 *Woodland Altars, the camp of Southern Ohio District, will host
the dedication of the region's new Appalachian Discovery Birding
and Heritage Trail on May 24. The trail will stretch for about 200
miles, combining birding "hot spots" and significant historical
sites. The dedication is part of a larger Birding Festival at the
camp, located in Peebles, Ohio. . . . About 450 local school
children were among those attending Camp Bethel's second annual
Sounds of the Mountains Festival in Fincastle, Va. The event brings
together musicians and storytellers, some from the Church of the
Brethren, for two days of celebration.

 *The Chamber Singers and A Cappella choir of Manchester College
(North Manchester, Ind.), along with a brass ensemble,	will
conduct a three-state tour later this month. The groups will
perform at Hope Church of the Brethren, Freeport, Mich., on May 26;
Prince of Peace, South Bend, Ind., May 27; Highland Avenue, Elgin,
Ill., May 28, and Bremen (Ind.) May 29. A concert will also take
place May 16 at North Manchester United Methodist Church. It is the
57th year for the annual spring tour.

 *The Brethren Bible Institute, sponsored by Brethren Revival
Fellowship, marks its 30th year this summer. This year's sessions
will be held July 28-Aug. 1 in Elizabethtown, Pa. Eight ministers
and teachers will lead courses on a variety of topics including
studies of Bible books, homiletics, "Answering the Critics" of
Christianity, and biblical interpretation. Registrations are due by
June 28. Cost is $150 for dormitory students, $50 for commuters;
continuing education units are available. For application forms,
write to Brethren Bible Institute, 155 Denver Rd., Denver, PA
17517.

 6) The new Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center of
Harrisonburg, Va., is inviting applications for the full-time
position of executive director. 

Responsibilities include interpreting the vision of the center to
churches and community; overseeing the center's staff, including
recruitment and training; facilitating the work of various
committees; overseeing and coordinating development of the center's
programs, overseeing and participating in fund-raising; envisioning
and guiding strategic planning, including site and program
development; and preparing and overseeing annual operating and
capital budgets.

Applicants must be committed to the Anabaptist and Pietist
traditions and principles and have acquaintance with Brethren and
Mennonites of the Shenandoah Valley. Applicants must also have
management and human relations skills, and must be committed to the
vision of the Heritage Center with a desire to communicate it.

Those interested should send letter of application and resume' to
Cal Redekop, chair, Search Committee, Valley Brethren-Mennonite
Heritage Center, 1675-D Virginia Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802.
Review of applications will begin on June 1.

 7) A powerful story shared at the 2001 Annual Conference in
Baltimore has taken a positive turn.

Donna Shumate, the current General Board vice chair and a North
Carolina attorney, told those at Conference about a client she had
represented. The client, Melanie Anderson, was convicted and ended
up on North Carolina's Death Row.

After North Carolina recently passed legislation saying that the
state would no longer execute the mentally retarded, however,
Anderson filed a "Motion for Appropriate Relief," asking that the
death sentence would be overturned. The Wilkes County court granted
the motion, taking Anderson off Death Row.

"She is singing God's praises for answering the many prayers that
have been made on her behalf," Shumate reported last week. "She
wanted me to thank you all for supporting her cause. . . . God
still answers prayers!"

Newsline is produced by Walt Wiltschek, director of news services
for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on the first, third
and fifth Friday of each month, with other editions as needed.
Newsline stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is cited
as the source. Jon Kobel, Earl Ziegler, Guillermo Encarnacion, and
several district newsletters contributed to this report.

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