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Date: Nov. 5, 2004
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

Newsline       Nov. 5, 2004

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...." Matthew 28:19a

NEWS
1) General Board approves Haiti mission, announces committee to
study property.
2) Anniversary Committee meets with the Brethren Church.
3) Mid-Atlantic District instructed in `Christian Pestering.'
4) Western Pennsylvania challenged to pray continually.
5) Cross-cultural music tour covers two districts.
6) Vital Pastor program holds recruitment retreat.
7) Brethren bits: Correction, remembrance, and more.

FEATURE
8) World Council of Churches US conference meets on peace.

***********************************************************
1) General Board approves Haiti mission, announces committee to
study property.

The General Board, meeting in Elgin, Ill., Oct. 15-18, approved a
denominational mission in Haiti; announced a Stewardship of
Property Committee to study use of its properties and buildings in
Elgin and New Windsor, Md.; approved a budget for 2005; and
approved a shift in relationship with the American Baptist Churches
USA among other business. The theme for worship and business was
taken from the annual report for 2004, "Bound Together, Finely
Woven." Donna Shumate led the meetings as chair. Ken Hunn,
executive director of the Brethren Church, brought the Sunday
morning message.

"I have the call of introducing Christ to those around me," said
Doug Diamond, board and Mission and Ministries Planning Council
(MMPC) member who introduced a proposal for mission in Haiti. The
proposal from MMPC is the fruit of lengthy exploration with Church
of the Brethren districts, congregations, and individuals already
at work in Haiti. Two Church of the Brethren fellowships reportedly
have been planted there, said Merv Keeney, executive director of
Global Mission Partnerships--a development that MMPC learned of in
conversation with two districts, Haitian Brethren congregations,
and Haitian Brethren leaders in the US and the Dominican Republic.
Other Brethren efforts in Haiti have included wells programs,
health ministries, short-term mission trips, and work camps, Keeney
said.

The denominational mission in Haiti will be a new model for the
church, Keeney told the board, and will be "Haitian-led," he said.
"This brings two parts of our church joining together in mission to
a third place," he said as he outlined the plan for Haitian
Brethren leaders from the US and the DR to lead the mission.

"It sounds like we can either get on board with what God is doing
or step back," said board member Doug Price during discussion of
the proposal. "The church is at work.... I for one want to really
affirm this and am eager to vote yes." The proposal was approved
after discussion of staffing, budget, and the board's financial
responsibility, and after a few moments of silence and prayer.

An initial announcement of a six-member Stewardship of Property
Committee, an ad hoc committee appointed by the Executive
Committee, was met by calls to diversify the committee to include
women, ethnic minorities, and members from the western US. Later in
the meeting, a special session was held to process the concerns.
Shumate announced that two more members would be added to the
committee and called for suggestions of names.

Since the meeting, the final make up of the Stewardship of Property
Committee has been announced: D. Miller Davis, of Westminster (Md.)
Church of the Brethren; Fletcher Farrar, Springfield (Ill.) Church
of the Brethren; Dale Grosbach, Messiah Church of the Brethren,
Kansas City, Mo.; Wanda Haynes, Columbia-Lakewood Community Church
of the Brethren, Seattle, Wash.; Ivan Patterson, Bear Creek Church
of the Brethren, Dayton, Ohio; Marianne Rhoades Pittman, Good
Shepherd Church of the Brethren, Blacksburg, Va.; Dale Roth,
University Baptist and Brethren Church, State College, Pa.; and
David Sollenberger, representing the General Board. The group will
hold a first meeting by Jan. 2005 and will report to the General
Board in March 2006.

A 2005 budget for the core ministries of the board totaled
$5,376,410. The board chose to adopt a budget with a small income
over expense of $49,210. The parameter originally set for 2005
represented a $199,000 reduction; the final budget approved is a
reduction of $248,000. The board also approved budgets for its
self-funded units, most of which have zero-based budgets. When
adding these in, the full scope of the board's ministries is
represented by a total gross income in 2005 of $9,025,110. The
reduction means that two vacant staff positions in Congregational
Life Ministries and Information Services will not be filled.

An encouraging giving report came from Ken Neher, director of
Funding and Donor Development, that overall giving to the
ministries of the board is up 23 percent from this time last year.
That figure encompasses a dip of 1.3 percent in congregational
giving to the board's core ministries as well as a gain in
individual giving and a sharp increase in giving to two of the
board's special funds, the Emergency Disaster Fund and the Special
Gifts Fund. "But by far the largest increase in unrestricted income
was in our bequest gift category, where estate settlements have
rebounded from two years of very little activity," Neher said.

The board approved a recommendation from the Committee on
Interchurch Relations, which has made a two-year study of the
"observer consultant" relationship with the American Baptist
Churches USA. Brandy Fix, CIR member and pastor of Wabash (Ind.)
Church of the Brethren, brought the recommendation that the
relationship continue "because we find that it is of great value."
In a move to more meaningfully relate with the American Baptists,
CIR recommended that the position of observer-consultant be shifted
from the General Board to CIR. The American Baptists are
considering a similar shift in their structure, Fix said.

In other business the board appointed Dale Minnich and Ken Wenger
to its Audit and Investment Committee; heard reports; recognized
employees; held conversations with staff in ministry areas; and
approved polity revisions to be considered by the 2005 Annual
Conference. A variety of small revisions were approved, mostly to
bring the polity up to date.

A change in the nominations process for the board also was made,
initiated by staff who discovered a mathematical "glitch" that will
create a vacancy of a district representative every eight years
beginning in 2005. The board approved a proposal brought by Annual
Conference secretary Fred Swartz to fill the vacancy with an
"at-large" district representative nominated by the board. The
nomination will be submitted to Annual Conference for its approval.

2) Anniversary Committee meets with the Brethren Church.

The Annual Conference Anniversary Committee met Oct. 14-17 in
Ashland, Ohio, spending an afternoon with the Brethren Church
Tercentennial Committee to plan joint activities at Annual
Conference 2008 in Richmond, Va. The Anniversary Committee is
developing events, activities, and resources to help the Church of
the Brethren celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Brethren
movement in 2008.

Plans for the joint 2008 Annual Conference were announced by the
committee's recorder, Rhonda Pittman Gingrich: The Church of the
Brethren and the Brethren Church will open the conference with
separate worship services on Saturday evening. The groups will join
together for celebratory events on Sunday including morning
worship, interpretive activities in the afternoon, and a global
celebration in the evening. The denominations will conduct business
separately on Monday and Tuesday, and close the conference with a
joint worship service Wednesday morning. The conference will
include joint interpretive displays related to the anniversary. A
subcommittee has been named to plan the Sunday afternoon
activities: Leslie Lake of the Church of the Brethren, Dean Garrett
of the Church of the Brethren, Brad Weidenhamer of the Brethren
Church, and Dale Stoffer of the Brethren Church. Another
subcommittee will be named to plan the joint worship experiences,
including members from both anniversary committees and the Annual
Conference Program and Arrangements Committee.

A kick-off celebration at Germantown Church of the Brethren in
Philadelphia, Pa., in Sept. 2007 is being planned. Members of all
the denominations that trace their roots to the first Brethren
baptisms in 1708 in Schwarzenau, Germany, will be invited. Initial
ideas for the event include lectures, a Sunday morning worship
service, a neighborhood service project, ethnic food booths, and a
marketplace. The committee will collaborate with the Germantown
congregation in planning the event and consult the Brethren
Encyclopedia Board and the Germantown Trust.

The committee spent a significant amount of time planning events
and activities specific to the Church of the Brethren. Planning
continued to engage children and youth in the anniversary
celebration, to distribute anniversary resources to congregations
and districts, and to develop heritage tours. Gingrich reported
that the committee has held conversations with a variety of groups
about how to include them and their constituents in the
celebration: the Association for the Arts in the Church of the
Brethren, the Cross-Cultural Ministries Team, Womaen's Caucus, the
Annual Conference Program and Arrangements Committee, and the
Brethren Encyclopedia Board planning an anniversary event in
Schwarzenau in Aug. 2008.

Calls for submissions of anniversary-related music and dramas have
been made and a call for worship resources is forthcoming; details
are at www.churchofthebrethrenanniversary.org. Resources will be
distributed in late 2006 so that congregations and districts can
prepare for 2007-08 celebrations. The anniversary logo will be made
available to download from the website. Congregations and districts
are encouraged to use the logo for worship, publicity, and
anniversary-related events, but may not use it for unauthorized
commercial purposes.

Committee members are chair Jeff Bach, Don Durnbaugh, Dean Garrett,
Rhonda Pittman Gingrich, Leslie Lake, Lorele Yager, and Annual
Conference executive director Lerry Fogle, ex-officio.

3) Mid-Atlantic District instructed in `Christian Pestering.'

"A rare opportunity to hear one of the world's most-recognized and
finest preacher/professors, Dr. Fred B. Craddock, made the 38th
annual Mid-Atlantic District Conference one to remember," reported
administrative staff Terri Meushaw. The conference was held Oct.
8-9 in Easton, Md. Marjorie "Pete" Fox was the onsite coordinator.

Pastors attended a pre-conference preaching workshop by Craddock.
"Dr. Craddock's down-home style and humor created an atmosphere of
comfort and Christian fellowship that seemed to endure throughout
the entire conference," Meushaw reported. The conference opened
with worship led by Craddock on "Christian Pestering," introducing
the conference theme, "Provoke One Another to Love and Good Deeds."
The conference banner by Alexis Bear featured a post-it note
reminder of the theme. Eastern Shore musicians and worship leader
Paul Mundey joined Craddock in the service. A coffeehouse sponsored
by the Peace and Justice Committee rounded out the day.

A more contemporary worship service led by Jody Gunn opened
Saturday's events. Clowns and musicians participated along with the
district youth band "Awaiting," The General Board's director of
Youth and Young Adult Ministry Chris Douglas preached the sermon
and spent the remaining conference time meeting with the youth.

Business sessions attended by 299 members representing 54
congregations were presided over by moderator Charlotte Bear,
assisted by moderator-elect John Thompson and clerk Jeanne
Laudermilch. Annual Conference moderator Jim Hardenbrook brought an
invitation to the Conference in Peoria, Ill., in 2005. Ministry
Moments were presented by Brethren agencies. Ann Cornell gave a
rendition of Shepherd Spring's Twelve Tidbits of 2004 Camping.

District executive Don Booz highlighted the medical insurance
crisis for pastors, church extension plants, and the goal to grow
faithful disciples. He tied the conference theme and Craddock's
comments to his report, with the theory that church membership may
be declining "because we have lost reason to pester one another
towards stronger discipleship of Jesus," Meushaw said. Booz
challenged the district to "Continue the work of Jesus...Pestering.
Simply. Together."

In other business, delegates received reports from newly
established ministry teams, passed a 2005 budget, tabled action on
a 2003 Query about Annual District Financial Audits and referred it
back for more study, and passed a query creating a task team to
consider changing the date of District Conference.

The majority of leadership positions were filled by affirming a
slate with Jeff Carter as moderator-elect; Jan Young as clerk; Karl
Layton, Jane Adair-Seleski, Loyal Vanderveer, and Nancy Fitzgerald
to the Leadership Team; Marilyn Kieffaber to the Program and
Arrangements Committee; and Bob Schall to Standing Committee. New
Outdoor Ministry Teams for each district camp were affirmed.
Barbara Groff and Alan Smith were elected to the Leadership Calling
Team.

"An open mike period found speakers inviting others to special
events at their churches as well as enthusiastically pestering and
provoking each other to make continued and conscious efforts to
live as loving and committed disciples of Jesus. The general
consensus seemed to be that the 38th MAD Conference had been a real
success," Meushaw reported.

4) Western Pennsylvania challenged to pray continually.

Western Pennsylvania District held its 138th annual conference at
Meyersdale (Pa.) Church of the Brethren on Oct. 16. Moderator
Mildred Z. Hartzell challenged the approximately 200 participants
with the theme "Pray Continually--Grow in Faith--Believing,"
reported administrative staff Suzanne Moss. Christopher A. Forry
was installed as moderator for the next year. Phillip A. King was
named moderator-elect.

In business sessions, a 2005 budget of $181,202 was adopted by 162
delegates representing 51 congregations. The district comprises 69
churches with a membership of over 10,000. Six people were elected
to the district board: Judith A. Firestone, Homer H. Marshall,
Angela F. Decker, John D. Cable, Guy L. Myers, and Gary N. Weaver.
Wade E. Thomas was re-elected to the board. Robert J. Brotemarkle
and Paul R. Woolslayer were named to the Church of the Brethren
Home board. Claire Montoya was elected to the District Charitable
Trust Board. John E. Eash, Sally M. Houghton, and Patricia Shaulis
were approved for terms on the board of Camp Harmony. William A.
Waugh was elected to Standing Committee. Judy M. Walker will serve
on the Nominating and Personnel Committee. Regina P. Deffenbaugh
will serve on the Program and Arrangements Committee.

In other business, a certificate of appreciation was presented to
Jack Lybarger for compiling a photo album with pictures of all of
the district's churches, the district office, Camp Harmony, and the
Church of the Brethren Home. Worship and music were interspersed
throughout the business through visual presentations and
reflections on peace. Insight sessions were held on subjects
including a review of the new district video, a discussion of the
work of the Structure Review and Redesign Team, and a presentation
from On Earth Peace.

5) Cross-cultural music tour covers two districts.

A cross cultural music tour built bridges of understanding in
Western Plains and Northern Plains Districts, Sept. 29-Oct. 3,
reported Duane Grady, Congregational Life Team coordinator for
Areas 2 and 4 for the General Board. "Through music and worship,
the message of Ephesians 2 was brought to life as walls of
separation were overcome by a mutual commitment to following
Jesus," Grady reported.

Tour stops included First Central Church of the Brethren, Kansas
City, Kan.; Panther Creek Church of the Brethren, Adel, Iowa;
Ankeny (Iowa) Church of the Brethren; Ivester Church of the
Brethren, Grundy Center, Iowa; and South Waterloo (Iowa) Church of
the Brethren. The tour group also provided a worship service at the
Eldora Training School, a juvenile detention center for teenage
boys in Eldora, Iowa. The tour ended with a love feast celebration
at the Ivester congregation. "Staying in homes and sharing in meals
provided the opportunity for persons from diversely different
backgrounds to learn to know one another," Grady said. "A warm
reception was provided at each location and genuine appreciation
was given for the worship and music."

Tour participants were Gilbert Romero, of East Los Angeles, Calif.;
Jennie Nichols, of Kansas City, Kan.; Michaela Camps, of Miami,
Fla.; James Washington Sr., of Whitehouse, Texas; and Grady. A
similar tour is being planned for Virlina District in May 2005.

6) Vital Pastor program holds recruitment retreat.

Thirteen Church of the Brethren pastors met Oct. 19-20 in
Indianapolis for a recruitment retreat for the Vital Pastor track
of the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) program. SPE is a
program of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership designed
to sustain and improve pastoral quality in the Church of the
Brethren.

The retreat led by SPE coordinators Linda and Glenn Timmons shared
information with pastors who may serve as facilitators of the first
set of "cohort groups" for the Vital Pastor track. Between now and
2005 the pastors who gathered at Indianapolis will recruit pastoral
colleagues interested in pursuing a course of shared learning,
reflection on pastoral ministry and mission, and spiritual
formation.

"Vital Pastor is one of two tracks pastors can consider for their
continuing education requirements," the Timmons reported. "For
Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership a curriculum of
leadership development is offered in the form of eight four-day
retreats over two years. In the Vital Pastor track a self-selected
cohort group determines a focus for study over a two-year period."

Both the Vital Pastor track and the Advanced Foundations track are
funded by a five-year, $2 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.,
awarded to the academy in late 2003. The academy, which offers
several certified ministry training opportunities, is housed at
Bethany Theological Seminary, Richmond, Ind., and is jointly
sponsored by Bethany and the General Board.

7) Brethren bits: Correction, remembrance, and more.

*In a correction to the Oct. 29 story "Plans for `Conversations on
Being the Church' Continue," Jonathan Shively is director of the
Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership.

*The General Board has sent a letter of condolence to the Greek
Orthodox Church on the death of Pope Petros VII, Greek Orthodox
patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, and 17 church leaders and
members of his staff. The patriarch along with bishops, priests,
and lay staff were killed in September in a helicopter crash over
the Aegean. "We hereby express fervent gratitude on receipt of your
brotherly letter through which you participated in the profound
sorrow of the Alexandrian Church," replied Petros Metropolitan of
Alexandria and All Africa. "The prayers of all are a source of
comfort and hope when events beyond our control intervene in our
lives," wrote Demetrios, Archbishop of America, replying on behalf
of the American archdiocese.

*The December Source mailing includes ideas for congregations to
use the unique opportunity of the Church of the Brethren Christmas
Eve Service on CBS. Ideas are given for how congregations may use
the national television broadcast to share the Good News of Jesus
Christ with their communities. The Source packet, a monthly mailing
of resources for congregations, will arrive at church offices by
mid-November. Also in this Source packet: A letter from Annual
Conference moderator Jim Hardenbrook; information from the 300th
Anniversary Committee; order forms for a Lent devotional by Glenn
Mitchell; a Christmas catalogue from Brethren Press; a youth essay
contest by "Messenger" magazine; bulletin inserts on stewardship;
brochures for the 2005 National Workcamps for youth and young
adults; an invitation to send Christmas cards to Brethren Volunteer
Service workers; a flier from A Greater Gift/SERRV; "The Seed
Packet" newsletter for Christian educators; and the "Tapestry"
newsletter.

*The General Board's Disaster Child Care (DCC) program's response
to Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne is "winding down,"
reported coordinator Helen Stonesifer. The last of four child care
centers in American Red Cross Service Centers will close Nov. 6.
The only child care center remaining open is in Kissimmee, Fla.,
and is expected to close by the end of next week. For more than two
months, in 16 child care centers and three states, approximately
111 volunteers have made more than 2,667 child care contacts,
Stonesifer said.

*Volunteers interested in becoming Disaster Response project
directors will gather from across the denomination Nov. 7-9 for a
training in New Windsor, Md. Thirteen people will prepare to direct
disaster clean up and rebuilding through the General Board's
Emergency Response.

*General Board staff at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor,
Md., are participating in Mission Fairs at churches taking part in
the Purpose Driven Life program. Diane Gosnell attended the
Westminster United Methodist Church mission fair on Oct. 24,
providing volunteer information for organizations on campus; and
Kathleen Campanella will attend the Locust Grove Church of the
Brethren mission fair in Mount Airy, Md., on Nov. 7.	    

*Greensburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren will host a concert by the
Western Pennsylvania District Youth Choir at 7 p.m. Nov. 6. The
15-member choir will sing original compositions by director Paul
Longwell. The group is doing a weekend tour of congregations in the
district.

*The Ephrata Cloister Chorus will perform at Glade Valley Church of
the Brethren, Walkersville, Md., on Nov. 20. The chorus of some 40
women and men includes music directors and pastors of local
Brethren and other congregations, and will perform a mix of early
Brethren music, Shaker music, and later American religious music.
For more information call the church at 301-898-0886.

*Three districts hold conferences this weekend and next:
Illinois-Wisconsin meets Nov. 5-7 at Dixon (Ill.) Church of the
Brethren with Ed Garrison as moderator; Shenandoah meets Nov. 5-6
at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren with John Garber as
moderator; Virlina meets Nov. 12-18 at Bonsack Baptist Church in
Roanoke, Va., with David Minnich as moderator.

*Women of Northern Indiana District meet Nov. 6 for a personal
growth day led by Carol Spicher Waggy at Pine Creek Church of the
Brethren, North Liberty, Ind. The theme is "Piecing It Together."

*A Midwest Pastors Conference Nov. 14-16 at Camp Alexander Mack,
Milford, Ind., is sponsored by midwestern districts. Jerry and
Julia Flora, of Ashland Theological Seminary, will speak. Call the
camp at 574-658-4831.

*Manchester College, North Manchester, Ind., has tripled its
Connections scholarship to $3,000 for new Church of the Brethren
students entering in the fall of 2005. Brethren students will
receive the award on top of all other financial aid for which they
qualify, up to full tuition. "Our Brethren students are
consistently among our top students academically and are leaders on
campus," noted Dave McFadden, vice president for Enrollment and
Planning, in a release from the college. "They are a key part of
what makes us a distinctive college." The release reported that 11
Fulbright Scholars from Manchester have been Church of the
Brethren. Visit www.manchester.edu or call 800-852-3648.

*November events at Bridgewater (Va.) College include an exhibit of
"Eccentric Inventions" by Allan Rosenbaum, a Virginia Commonwealth
University professor, Nov. 15-Dec. 15; and a reception with the
artist 4-7 p.m. Nov. 15. Other special events are the Ensemble
Amarcord, a male a cappella quintet, 8 p.m. Nov. 15; Thanksgiving
Campus Worship Nov. 16 at 9:30 a.m.; a W. Harold Row Endowed
Lecture at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18 on "Overkill Serial Murder Exposed"
with Jack Levin, director of the Program for the Study of Violence
at Northeastern University in Boston; a concert by the Symphonic
Band on Nov. 21 at 3 p.m.; Convocation with the Bridgewater College
International Club at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 30; and at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30
a panel discussion of Brown vs. Board of Education. For information
call 540-828-5486.

*Lebanon Valley Brethren Home, Palmyra, Pa., will hold its 30th
Annual Meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 9. The meeting brings the home's
anniversary celebration to an official conclusion. A scrapbook of
the home's history, including news articles, pictures, and other
memorabilia, may be displayed to celebrate the anniversary. A
history of the home written by Joe Long, board member and amateur
historian, will be published in 2005.

*Charles E. Cable, president and CEO of Brethren Hillcrest Homes in
La Verne, Calif., has received a Meritorious Service Award from the
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA),
reported the Association of Brethren Caregivers. The award was
given at the AAHSA annual meeting Oct. 25-28 in Nashville, Tenn.
"Under (Cable's) direction, Hillcrest has been recognized as one of
the outstanding continuing care retirement communities in the
country," stated a citation in the Sept./Oct. issue of "Best
Practices," the AAHSA magazine. The citation also recognized
Cable's service on several AAHSA committees and as board chair of
the California Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.

*Three members of the same family were ordained to pastoral
ministry on the same day at Parker Ford (Pa.) Church of the
Brethren on Oct. 10: Jay and Carol Doering, who serve the Parker
Ford congregation, and their son Tim Doering, pastor of
Discipleship Ministries at Ephrata (Pa.) Church of the Brethren.
"We don't think so much (of being pastors) as a family affair," Jay
told "The Mercury" newspaper of Pottstown, Pa. Tim's ordination was
held last so that his parents could participate, his mother told
the paper. "It's pretty special that we get to participate in his
ordination," she said.

*Two members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) were arrested by
Israeli police in Hebron Nov. 4, and released late that night. Joe
Carr of Kansas City, Mo., and Christina Gibb of Dunedin, New
Zealand, were arrested at a military checkpoint where they were
taking notes of the number of Palestinians passing by and the
percentage who were detained. The arrest comes at a time when CPT
volunteers have been under increased scrutiny by the Israeli
police, army, and secret service, CPT said, and after attacks on
CPT workers by settlers. In other news, veteran CPT worker and
Church of the Brethren member Cliff Kindy returned to Iraq this
week, joining a team of peacemakers that will number six by the end
of November. CPT is a peacemaking initiative of Mennonite and
Brethren congregations and Friends meetings. For more information
visit www.cpt.org.

8) World Council of Churches US conference meets on peace.

By Jeff Carter

The annual meeting of the US Conference for the World Council of
Churches (WCC) was held Oct. 5-6 in Atlanta, Ga., on the theme,
"The Power and Promise of Peace." The theme incorporated themes
found in the WCC's Decade to Overcome Violence, of which the Church
of the Brethren is one of the more active partners.

The honorary chairperson for the event was Martin Luther King III
and leadership included Samuel Kobia, WCC general secretary; Andrew
Young, former congressman and US ambassador; Joseph Roberts, Jr.,
senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church; and WCC staff. Highlights
from the conference included Bible studies focused on the biblical
notion of peace and the power of peacemaking, workshops on the
campuses of Morehouse and Spellman Colleges, worship services at
Ebenezer Baptist Church and the First Congregational Church of
Atlanta, rousing sermons from denominational leaders, and the
continuous presence of bridge-building through fellowship and
structured educational opportunities.

Two of the most momentous events came on the second day of the
conference. First, ten living letters were delivered. Each letter
represented voices from an area of the world outside the US. The
voice reading each letter represented not only the words of a
people, but a worldview at times different than our own. Citizens
of South Africa, Palestine, India, Canada, and more read aloud
words challenging the US churches to be active in proclaiming the
Good News, confronting injustice, and working in the way of peace,
as we seek to resolve conflicts both foreign and domestic. Second,
the closing worship at Ebenezer Baptist Church was inspiring both
in message and historic location, for Ebenezer Baptist Church is
the church of Martin Luther King Jr. The pulpit rang with the theme
of God's call for justice as Michael Pfleger, pastor of the
community of Saint Sabina Church, extended the call to be a living
witness of Christ's presence in this present age. The three-hour
service concluded with a benediction sending the congregation
inspired and empowered to be one in their witness to the power and
promise of peace.

A continual theme throughout the conference came in the
affirmation, "It is good to have the Brethren here." As a charter
member of the WCC, the Church of the Brethren has a unique voice
representing the historic peace church tradition as well as the
Anabaptist and Pietist perspectives. Often the Church of the
Brethren voice is sought in matters of witness and activism.
Brethren integrity, commitment to service, and practical imitation
of Jesus offer another way when discussing the nature and purpose
of the church.

As part of the conference, elections were held for the Board of
Directors for the US Conference.  Stan Noffsinger, general
secretary of the General Board, and I were elected to the Board of
Directors and will serve in this capacity until the 2006 WCC
Assembly in Porto Alegra, Brazil.

--Jeff Carter, pastor at Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren, is
the Church of the Brethren representative to the WCC.

*****************************************************************
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, 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
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Duane Grady, Jeri S. Kornegay, Terri Meushaw, Suzanne Moss, and
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