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

[COBNews@aol.com]

Date: July 25, 2003
Contact: Walt Wiltschek
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

NEWS
 1) Annual fest fills Idaho with stories and songs.
 2) Council of District Executives expresses concern, proposes
consultation.
 3) Church World Service sends additional humanitarian aid to Iraq.
 4) Many varieties of Brethren gather for Brethren World Assembly.
 5) The church mourns the death of Robert Durnbaugh.
 6) Brethren bits: District conferences, blood drive, and more.

PERSONNEL
 7) The Cedars retirement center seeks CEO.

COMING EVENTS
 8) Southern Ohio, On Earth Peace offer conflict transformation
workshop.

FEATURES
 9) A hot idea saves cool cash for Manchester congregation.

****************************************************************
 
 1) About 160 people--including 27 youth and 13 children--gathered
at Idaho's Camp Wilbur Stover June 29 to July 5 for the seventh
annual Song & Story Fest, titled "Weaving Peace Together."

This week-long family camp featured well known Brethren folk
musicians and storytellers and asked, "How can we more effectively
weave peace into our lives and in our communities?" Morning
gatherings, workshops, and campfires focused on daily themes like
"Learning: To Listen With a Open Heart," and "To Walk With Those
Who Suffer."

On Earth Peace joined as a co-sponsor of the fest this year, and
OEP staff members Bob Gross, Matt Guynn, Rachel Peterson, Barb
Sayler, and Kim Stuckey led workshops on methods of peacemaking.

Musicians Bill and Jacob Jolliff, Shawn Kirchner, Peg Lehman, Jan
and John Long, and Mike Stern led the group in singing and shared
their songs in nightly concerts in the camp's worship center.
Storytellers Debbie Eisenbise, Rocci Hildum, Jonathan Hunter, Jim
Lehman, and Sue Overman brought their own and others' experiences
to life around the campfire, in the morning gatherings, and in
afternoon "story swaps."

Folk dances on the opening and closing evenings and a "potpourri"
talent night rounded out the events of the week. Afternoons were
free for recreation such as playing in the creek, swimming in the
local hot springs, and hiking in the mountains. 

Next year's Song & Story Fest is scheduled for June 27 to July 3,
2004, immediately prior to Annual Conference in Charleston, W.Va.
It will be hosted by Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministries Center
near Sharpsburg, Md.

 2) The Council of District Executives during its meeting at Annual
Conference adopted a "statement of concern" over the increasing
fragmentation seen in the denomination. It notes the "development
of various divisive trends and issues."

The statement lists four signs of this fragmentation, including an
increased sense of mistrust toward Brethren structures and
institutions, a proliferation of special-interest groups, a
tendency to view meetings of the church like Annual Conference as
an "arena for the advancement of particular agendas," and the lack
of a common vision and purpose.

It suggests that a common vision and shared identity need to be
rebuilt. "We believe this is the call of God to our generation, to
reaffirm our identity as members of the Church of the Brethren in
particular and as Christians in general."

As a means toward reaching this goal, the council is proposing that
a consultation on ecclesiology be held, to closely discuss and
examine what it means to be the church. The statement expresses the
hope that other agencies and groups will join the council in
sponsoring the event and fostering an "extensive conversation" on
the issues facing the church.

"This consultation is a first step toward a new and common
understanding within the church concerning who, whose, and what we
are." Planning for the consultation will be occurring over the
coming year.

 3) Church World Service continues its "All Our Children" campaign
for Iraq, providing critical medical aid.

Following the shipment of $1.2 million in donated medical supplies,
the campaign last week sent another $115,000 for three new projects
to be implemented through local partners. The new funds will allow
for the local purchase of 100 beds for pediatric hospitals in
Mosul; a book project to sensitize children about landmines and
other health and safety issues; and the purchase and distribution
of fresh foods for 37 hospitals in Basra and Baghdad.

Copies of the book, being developed by an Iraqi artist and an Iraqi
social worker in conjunction with children, will be distributed in
Iraqi schools. The food project will provide enough for three meals
a day for 5,000 people over a 10-day period. 

"Don't forget Iraq," All Our Children coordinator Steve Weaver
said. "Even though major media may not be giving the humanitarian
situation much attention, there are still serious humanitarian
needs in Iraq--and a lot of things we can do to help."

CWS earlier had sent $183,414 in in-kind aid--including an earlier
round of food aid--and $264,000 in cash for the purchase of
emergency supplies for hospitals and clinics. The General Board's
Emergency Disaster Fund has been among those supporting the massive
effort.

 4) Brethren from at least half a dozen denominations descended
from the original "Schwarzenau eight" are meeting in Winona Lake,
Ind., this week for a Brethren World Assembly looking at "Brethren
Presence Around the World."

Planning team member Bill Eberly, a member of Manchester Church of
the Brethren (North Manchester, Ind.), said there are at least 18
distinct groups in the United States alone that can trace their
roots to the original Brethren in 1708. Added to that are
congregations in 23 nations around the world, now exceeding the US
membership.

"When you get depressed (about our numbers), think about the bigger
overall Brethren movement around the world!" Eberly said. "We're a
real force in the world."

Representatives from the Brethren Church (Ashland), the Church of
the Brethren, and the Grace Brethren gave specific, detailed
presentations about international mission activity, while others
provided additional stories and updates.

Mornings and afternoons are being spent in educational sessions,
followed by evening worship services featuring international
Brethren. Church of the Brethren Brazil coordinator Marcos Inhauser
spoke at Wednesday night's service. About 70 people are attending
the daily sessions, with more joining for the worship gatherings.

This is the third time a Brethren World Assembly, sponsored by
Brethren Encyclopedia Inc., has been held. The last one was in
1998. A full report on this year's event will be included in the
Aug. 8 issue of Newsline.

 5) The church is mourning the death of Robert Durnbaugh, who died
July 17 in Elgin, Ill. He was 67.

Durnbaugh served as general manager and publisher of Brethren Press
in the 1980s, beginning as manager of sales in 1979. He oversaw
publication of the new hymnal and numerous other materials and
curriculum.

Durnbaugh, a Michigan native, earlier had served in Germany with
Brethren Volunteer Service and worked at Bethany Hospital in
Chicago. He was a graduate of Manchester College, North Manchester,
Ind.

A member of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin,
Durnbaugh was actively involved in the music program there and in
the Elgin community and greater Chicago area.  

 6) Brethren bits: Other brief news notes from around the
denomination and elsewhere.
 *District conference season officially begins this weekend as
Southeastern District gathers for its meeting in Mars Hill, N.C.
The three Plains-region districts follow with conferences next
weekend. Nineteen others will follow before wrapping up in early
November.

 *Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 255 holds orientation in New
Windsor, Md., beginning this weekend through Aug. 15. Other
gatherings are occurring in Richmond, Ind., where Bethany
Theological Seminary is hosting an "Exploring Your Call" seminar
for youth interested in ministry options July 24 to Aug. 4, and in
Elizabethtown, Pa., where Brethren Revival Fellowship is sponsoring
its annual Brethren Bible Institute July 28 to Aug. 1. General
Board-sponsored junior high and senior high workcamps are also
continuing in locations around the country.

 *Staff of Church of the Brethren Emergency Response/Service
Ministries and American Red Cross Blood Services, Lewis and Clark
Region, are calling the blood drive at this year's Annual
Conference "a huge success." A total of 208 people registered to
donate, exceeding the goal of 200; of these, 14 were first-time
donors. The drive collected 176 pints of blood. 

 *This year's Midwest Peacemakers conference will be held Aug. 16
at Mill Ridge Village Community Center in Union, Ohio, from 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. It will emphasize the work of the United Nations and will
include a report from Christian Peacemaker Teams worker Art Gish on
nonviolent methods. 

 7) The Cedars, a Church of the Brethren retirement center in
McPherson, Kan., is seeking a Chief Executive Officer. The Cedars,
founded in 1891, has more than 300 residents. It is a CCRC facility
providing independent living homes, assisted living units, total
health care, and a special care Alzheimer's and dementia center.
The Cedars is also affiliated with the Free Methodists.

The Board of Trustees is looking for a visionary person with home
administration credentials and appreciation for Church of the
Brethren heritage/faith. The person will have experience and skills
in strategic planning, fund development, marketing, public
relations, and innovative program development. An NHA is preferred.
Resumes will be accepted until Sept. 15.

Send inquiries to Ralph McFadden, Fellowship of Brethren Homes,
1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. Phone 847-742-5100, ext. 305;
e-mail rmcfadden_abc@brethren.org; or fax 847-742-5160.

 8) Southern Ohio District and On Earth Peace will co-sponsor a
conflict transformation workshop at Mill Ridge Village in Union,
Ohio, on Aug. 23.

Jim Moore, Liz and Greg Bidgood-Enders, and Matt Guynn will address
the theme "Conflict Transformation for Congregational Leaders." It
is designed for anyone taking formal or informal leadership in
congregational life.

Cost is $20, including lunch. It will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., and 0.6 CEUs are available for pastors. Contact Guynn at
765-962-6234 or mguynn@myvine.com to register or for more details. 

 9) Heating and cooling bills no longer make the members of
Manchester Church of the Brethren hot under the collar, thanks to
an innovative energy system.

When the congregation constructed a new building following a 1998
fire, it adopted a plan to use a Ground Source Heat Pump to heat
and cool the church. Rather than burning a fuel, heat comes,
instead, from the ground.

The church has 10 miles of pipe laid out horizontally, buried six
feet deep, on its sizeable plot in front of the building. With the
aid of pumps, water (sometimes mixed with a bit of antifreeze if
necessary) is circulated between the pipes and the heat pumps in
the building. Depending on the season, heat is carried either to
the heat pumps, or away from them. Several small units throughout
the church can be individually controlled.

Though the initial installation for such a system is costly, the
dramatic cost reductions are estimated to pay for the system in
four to seven years. Manchester's utility bills have been averaging
about half that of an average building. 

As an added bonus, members say it provides good stewardship of
nature, embodies Brethren beliefs, and provides funds that can be
redirected for other ministries.

A fuller report on the project can be found in the August issue of
"Messenger."

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. Ken Kline Smeltzer, Tasha Hornbacker, and Helen
Stonesifer contributed to this report.

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