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Date: April 5, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN	NEWSLINE
Special Report	   April 5,  2005

ASSOCIATION OF BRETHREN CAREGIVERS POSTS END-OF-LIFE  RESOURCES

April 5, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- The Association of Brethren  Caregivers
(ABC), an agency of the Church of the Brethren, has posted  several
end-of-life resources from the Church of the Brethren on  its
website, prompted by the widespread media coverage of the deaths  of
Terri Schiavo and Pope John Paul II. The two deaths have spurred
many  in the church to think about end-of-life issues, ABC said in
a statement. ABC  provides publications and educational and faith
opportunities that encourage  the church to do caring ministries as
the work of Jesus  Christ.

"Within a week's time, the nation and members of the Church of	the
Brethren have witnessed two very different experiences of death
with  the passing of Terri Schiavo and Pope John Paul II," ABC said.
Pope John Paul	II's death came after a long life of service as
leader of the Roman Catholic  Church, and years of deteriorating
health. Schiavo, a Florida woman who had  been declared in a
"vegetative state," died after her feeding tube was  removed by
court order, and after years of legal battles between her  husband
and parents regarding her condition and care.

"These two  different experiences of death have caused many people
to begin discussing  the theological and practical aspects of their
own end of life," ABC said.  "Equally important, Schiavo and Pope
John Paul II's deaths have spurred  families and friends to begin
talking with one another about their wishes and  plans at their end
of life."

End-of-life resources offered at  www.brethren.org/abc/ include
"Facing the Gray Areas in Dying," a four-page  article by Guy
Wampler; two articles about preparing for the end of life,  from the
ABC quarterly magazine "Caregiving"; an end-of-life  preparations
worksheet; a link to a hospice website providing help in  creating
advance directives in the different US states; worship	resources
and related scriptures; a resource list of books for adults  and
children; and a link to the 1996 Annual Conference  End-of-Life
Decision-Making Statement. ABC helped to form the statement,  which
affirms that "we do not live to ourselves, and we do not die  to
ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die
to  the Lord" (Romans 14:7-8).

Other end-of-life resources produced by ABC  and sold through
Brethren Press are five end-of-life study guides written by  Grady
Snyder, a retired Church of the Brethren seminary professor  (to
order call 800-441-3712). Articles about end-of-life issues also
have  appeared in the Winter 2000 issue of "Caregiving," which was
devoted to the	topic (order from Mary Dulabaum at 800-323-8039 ext.
304).

ABC affirms  the Annual Conference statement that "spiritual growth
can come from facing  suffering and death honestly." The agency
hopes that the resources it  provides will help individuals consider
their own end of life, and that of  their loved ones, from a
biblical and Brethren understanding.

For more  information see www.brethren.org/abc/ or call ABC at
800-323-8039.

The  Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to
continuing  the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living
out its faith in  community. The denomination is based in the
Anabaptist and Pietist faith  traditions and is one of the three
Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its  300th anniversary in
2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United  States and
Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Brazil,  the
Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nigeria.

# # #

For more  information contact:

Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
Director of News  Services Church of the Brethren General Board
1451 Dundee Ave.
Elgin, IL  60120
847-742-5100 ext.  260

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The  Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl
Brumbaugh-Cayford,  director of news services for the Church of the
Brethren General Board.  Newsline stories may be reprinted provided
that Newsline is cited as the  source. To receive Newsline by
e-mail, write cobnews@aol.com or call  800-323-8039 ext. 260.