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Date: April 13, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN	NEWSLINE
April 13, 2005

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN ANNIVERSARY GROUP PLANS	YOUTH HERITAGE
TRAVEL TEAMS

April 13, 2005 (Elgin, IL) --  The  Church of the Brethren Annual
Conference Anniversary Committee met March  13-15 in Elgin, Ill.
Named at Annual Conference 2000, this committee is  developing
events, activities, and resources to help congregations,  districts,
and the denomination as a whole celebrate the 300th anniversary  of
the Church of the Brethren in 2008.

Engaging children and youth in	the anniversary celebration was a
key agenda item at the meeting. The  committee met with Chris
Douglas, General Board director of Youth and Young  Adult Ministry,
who has agreed to work with the committee in planning for  the
training and equipping of Youth Heritage Travel Teams. These teams
of  two youth from each district will visit congregations during the
anniversary  year to interpret Brethren heritage and how it can
shape the church today and  into the future.

The committee also met with Wendy McFadden and Nancy  Klemm from
Brethren Press to receive updates on publishing projects related  to
the anniversary. "Meanest Man in Patrick County," a book by  Frank
Ramirez, was released at Annual Conference last summer. The  second
book in the anniversary series, "Another Way of Believing," by	Dale
Brown on Brethren theology, should be released at Annual  Conference
this summer. A sourcebook by Steve Longenecker on the  Brethren
between the world wars is being edited and indexed. In	addition,
Brethren Press is beginning work on a devotional book to be  used
during the anniversary year.

Updates on current and potential  projects fleshed out the agenda:
a kick-off celebration in Germantown, Pa.,  in Sept. 2007; a
celebration in Schwarzenau, Germany, Aug. 3, 2008; a  curriculum
resource for the anniversary year; plans for Annual  Conference
2008; a commemorative calendar; anniversary-related courses at	the
Brethren colleges; a tour guide for Brethren historical  sites;
submission of music, drama, and worship resources; and a  study
guide on the anniversary theme.

For more information on  anniversary plans, including the submission
of original musical compositions,  drama resources, and worship
resources, visit  www.churchofthebrethrenanniversary.org. Committee
members are Jeff Bach  (chair), Don Durnbaugh, Dean Garrett, Rhonda
Pittman Gingrich (recorder),  Leslie Lake, Lorele Yager, and Lerry
Fogle (ex-officio).

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.
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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
cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org

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The  Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl
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