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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

BRETHREN WITNESS/WASHINGTON OFFICE ENCOURAGES  YOUTH TO START
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR FILES

April 13, 2005 (Elgin, IL)  --	Resources related to conscientious
objection are available from the  Church of the Brethren General
Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office,  including the
maintenance of personal conscientious objector files. The  office
maintains individual files for youth and young adult men and  women
who choose to document their conscientious objection to war  and
violence.

The office has received over 40 conscientious objector	files in
recent months. Such files are the only means for  conscientious
objectors to register their beliefs against war, as the  Selective
Service System does not keep records of conscientious objectors  and
does not acknowledge statements of conscientious objection when
young  men register at age 18. In the event of a military draft,
having such a file  in place from an early age may help a young man
or woman prove a  long-standing faith basis for his or her
convictions.

Forms and  instructions for the files are included in a Church/Youth
Conscientious  Objector Packet available from the office. Over the
past 18 months more than  2,500 of the packets have been
distributed. Call 800-785-3246 or download the	packet from the
Conscientious Objection link at www.brethren.org (search  words:
Witness/Washington Office). Congregations and youth groups  are
encouraged to use the packet in youth group discussions  and
congregational forums.

Brethren may request office staff to lead  congregational or
district conscientious objection workshops. Office staff  have
presented workshops in seven districts and another district event
is  planned for Columbus, Ohio, in May. Other regional retreats are
scheduled for  the Spring, and workshops at district conferences are
scheduled for the Fall.  Office director Phil Jones also is a board
member of the Center on Conscience  and War (CCW--formerly NISBCO),
and can assist in making available materials,  resources, and staff
leadership from that organization.

Other upcoming	events on conscientious objection include the
Christian Citizenship Seminar  for Church of the Brethren youth,
which will provide an opportunity for youth  to make their voice
heard in Washington, D.C,; and an insight session and  the
"Un-Luncheon" at this year's Annual Conference. The "Un-Luncheon"
will  feature CCW program director Bill Galvin.

The office also is organizing a  pool of district support people and
legal counselors to be available to  conscientious objectors in the
event of a draft. To participate in the  program, call the office at
800-785-3246 or visit www.brethren.org (search	words:
Witness/Washington Office).

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
cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org

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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
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