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Date: May 2, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN	NEWSLINE
May 2, 2005

SEMINARY BOARD APPROVES ADVANCEMENT FOR FACULTY,  CANDIDATES FOR
GRADUATION

May 2, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- The Bethany	Theological Seminary Board
of Trustees gathered for its semiannual meeting  April 1-3. Bethany
is a Church of the Brethren seminary with a main campus  located in
Richmond, Ind. The board approved tenure and advancement for  three
faculty members, approved 13 candidates for graduation	pending
fulfillment of their academic requirements, and received  reports
from its committees including a report that gifts for  Bethany's
financial campaign Inspired by the Spirit--Educating for  Ministry
now exceed $13.6 million. The Board approved a 2005-06 fiscal  year
budget of just over $2.1 million.

Advancement was approved for  faculty members Scott Holland, for
tenure in Peace and Cross-Cultural  Studies; Tara Hornbacker, for
tenure and advancement to associate professor  of Ministry
Formation; and Dawn Ottoni Wilhelm, for tenure and advancement	to
associate professor of Preaching and Worship.

The Academic Affairs  Committee discussed ways to increase the
number of fulltime graduate  students, learned that the Advanced
Foundations for Church Leadership program  of the Brethren Academy
for Ministerial Leadership has enrolled a new cohort  group of ten
people, and has received several proposals for the Vital  Pastor
Program. The committee also heard a report on plans for  an
Exploring Your Call Event for high school youth, administered by
the  Institute for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults, which will
take place  Aug. 4-7.

The Institutional Advancement Committee reported that  the
seminary's centennial celebration is continuing with the  "Hebrews
12:28--Brimming with Worship" music and arts in worship  conference
April 8-10; events at Annual Conference in Peoria, Ill.,  this
summer; and Homecoming Weekend Sept. 30-Oct. 2. Members of  the
Institutional Advancement staff reported beginning work on a
"graphic  standards" project, including possible logo and
publication development and  implementation. 

The Student and Business Affairs Committee reported that  additional
office space has been created in the seminary building's  lower
level for Brethren Academy personnel.

In other business,  vice-chair Ray Donadio reported on the visit of
several board members to  Bologna, Italy, for a meeting of
representatives of the seminary and Church  of the Brethren-related
colleges to discuss the international components of  their
educational programs.

The board welcomed new member Elaine  Gibbel of Lititz, Pa., and
expressed appreciation to Ed Poling of Hagerstown,  Md., and Ron
Sink of Blue Ridge, Va., who are completing their terms of  service.
The board's new officers are chair Anne Reid of Roanoke,  Va.;
vice-chair Ray Donadio of Greenville, Ohio; secretary Ted Flory  of
Bridgewater, Va.; Academic Affairs Committee chair Ron Wyrick  of
Harrisonburg, Va.; Institutional Advancement Committee chair  Connie
Rutt of Quarryville, Pa.; and Student and Business  Affairs
Committee chair Jim Dodson of Lexington, Ky. 

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
Brumbaugh-Cayford,  director of news services for the Church of the
Brethren General Board.  Newsline stories may be reprinted provided
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