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Date: May 26, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN	NEWSLINE
May 26, 2005

THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS GRADUATE IN DOMINICAN  REPUBLIC

May 26, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- (Note: The editor apologizes for  the
tardiness of this report.)

On Nov. 24, 2004, the Church of the  Brethren in the Dominican
Republic celebrated a second graduating class of  students in its
Theological Program. The Los Toros church hosted the  ceremony. 

"This class was a special one," reported Guillermo  Encarnacion,
director of the program. The 22 students who graduated	were
Cristian Aquino, Felix Antonio Arias, Gloria Elena Beltre,  Mariano
Cespedes, Maria Altagracia Cespedes, Wander Antonio  Cespedes,
Bienvenida Cuevas, Odalis Encarnacion, Benito Encarnacion,  Miladys
Figuereo, Mary Luz Mejia, Josefa Marmolejos, Wilson Nova,  Martha
Esther Ogando, Maria Mercedes Perez, Alba Nurys Perez, Angel  L.
Ramirez, Alba I. Rodriguez, David Antonio Reyes, Leonida Vicente
Reyes,	Ariel de Jesus Rosario, and Viriato Feliz Rubio.

The curriculum of the  Theological Program is designed for five
years, with emphasis on Old and New  Testaments, pastoral care and
counseling, preaching the Gospel, church  history, Anabaptist and
Pietist roots, stewardship, church structure, liturgy  and worship,
ministry with women, and doctrine, rites, and practices of  the
Church of the Brethren.

"To implement this curriculum we have been  blessed by the
collaboration of many excellent teachers and professors in  the
Dominican Republic and from the United States," reported
Encarnacion.  He expressed thanks to Allen H. Hansell, former
director of Ministry for the  Church of the Brethren General Board;
Miqueas Ramirez of the Mennonite  Church; Carlos Garcia, professor
of the Evangelical University; Bethany	Theological Seminary
professor Daniel Ulrich; Daniel I. de Oleo; Ruben de  Oleo; Rebecca
and Jerry Crouse; Irvin and Nancy Heishman; Verel  Montauban;
Cristina Vda. Bobea;  Carol and Roger Steffy; and Elias  De'Oleo,
who serves as the national tutor of the program.  Forty-eight
students continue in theological training at various stages in	the
program.

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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