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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

VITAL PASTOR PROGRAM SPONSORS THREE `IMMERSION	RETREATS'

May 2, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- Three groups of Church of the  Brethren
pastors are currently experiencing `immersion retreats' through  the
Vital Pastor program of the Brethren Academy for  Ministerial
Leadership. The academy is a joint program of Bethany  Theological
Seminary, a Church of the Brethren seminary with a main  campus
located in Richmond, Ind., and the Church of the Brethren  General
Board. 

The Vital Pastor experience is a self-selected group  of pastors who
determine their own study focus for a two-year venture.  The
experience begins with an immersion retreat that takes the form  of
travel, including international travel. 

One group left April 17 to  visit early Brethren sites in Germany
and Switzerland. The group included  Eddie Edmonds of Moler Avenue
Church of the Brethren in Martinsburg, W.Va.,  Daniel Johnson of
Brownsville (Md.) Church of the Brethren, John Weyant  of
Dranesville Church of the Brethren in Herndon, Va., and Mark
Godfrey of  Nokesville (Va.) Church of the Brethren. Over the next
two years this group  will study the question, "What was the
original Brethren vision of the church	and Christian life, and how
can it guide us to be uniquely Brethren in the	21st century and
beyond?"

A second group of pastors from Southern Ohio  District will leave
soon for England and France. The group includes Todd  Hammond of
Brookville (Ohio) Church of the Brethren, James Brunk of  Bradford
(Ohio) Church of the Brethren, James Chronister of Trotwood  (Ohio)
Church of the Brethren, and Ken Oren of Good Shepherd Church of  the
Brethren in Tipp City, Ohio. Their study question is, "How  does
contemplative worship inform traditional churches attempting to
reach  a postmodern world?" Jerramy Bowen of West Milton (Ohio)
Church of the  Brethren will join the group following the travel
experience.

Mark  Bowyer of Pleasant View Church of the Brethren in Elida, Ohio,
Wes and Sue  Richards of Lima (Ohio) Church of the Brethren, Martin
Moyer of Sugar Creek,  West Church of the Brethren in Lima, and
Richard Yeager-Stiver of Marion  (Ohio) Church of the Brethren--all
in the Northern Ohio District--left for  the Dominican Republic on
April 19. This group will focus on "What can we, as  pastors, do to
help identify, nurture, and release leadership gifts within  the
congregation?"

These groups will meet regularly over two years to  study their
chosen questions. All the groups that began in a given year  will
gather in a final retreat to teach each other what they have
learned.  Most expenses of the program are covered by a grant from
the Lilly Foundation  Inc.

Similar groups are forming now to start in early 2006. Church  of
the Brethren pastors interested in the program may call the
Brethren  Academy at 800-287-8822 ext. 1810 or e-mail Glenn and
Linda Timmons at  pastoralexcellence@bethanyseminary.edu.

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
that Newsline is cited as the  source. To receive Newsline by
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