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Date: August 29, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: _CoBNews@AOL.Com_ (mailto:CoBNews@AOL.Com) 
 

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN NEWSLINE
August 29, 2005
 
CARING MINISTRIES ASSEMBLY EXPLORES `PEACE BEYOND OUR FEARS'
 
August 29, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- More than 200 Church of the Brethren  
caregivers focused on "Peace Beyond Our Fears" at the Caring Ministries
Assembly  Aug. 
11-13 at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren. The theme was explored  
through speakers, preachers, and workshops. 
 
"Conference attendees thanked us for this event because of the spirit of  
healing and peace that they experienced," said Kathy Reid, executive director
 
for the Association of Brethren Caregivers, the Church of the Brethren agency
 
that sponsors the conference biennially.
 
In the opening worship service, a visual prelude showing images of fear  
while organist John Barr performed Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings."
Worship  
leader Del Keeney led a confession of fears that incorporated readings and  
responses based on Psalm 23:1-6. Robert Wicks, professor of pastoral care at 

Baltimore's Loyola College, gave the message focused on the need for
caregivers  
to have perspective about the problems and difficulties facing them and the  
people for whom they care. Perspective comes from "the source of all of this,
 
God, scripture, prayer life," and without these things caregivers lose	
perspective, he said.
 
Wicks carried the theme into a morning plenary session about the three	
pieces of spiritual life, which he named as presence to others, presence to 
self, 
and presence to God. "One of the greatest things (caregivers) can offer  
others is the circle of grace formed by love and freedom," he said. "We offer
 this 
space to others where they can rest their burdens, their questions, their  
anger, their doubts, their anxieties."
 
Jayne Seminare Docherty, of the STAR Center at Eastern Mennonite  University,

provided a plenary presentation on the dynamics that individuals and  groups 
experience as a result of trauma and being victimized. She described how  
trauma victims experience physical and emotional cycles such as physical  
reactions to trauma, feelings of loss, grief, anger, helplessness, and a need
 for 
justice. She explained how individuals and groups must experience these 
stages 
as part of a journey toward healing. People of faith can be harmed if  they 
focus too quickly on God's reassurance to "be not afraid," without 
acknowledging 
what really happened and working through these stages, Docherty  said. 
 
Louise Baldwin Rieman, co-pastor of Northview Church of the Brethren in  
Indianapolis, preached on the Acts 27 story of Paul's journey as a prisoner
to  
Rome to appeal his case before the emperor. When Paul's ship met with
terrible  
storms followed by days of dormant seas, he broke bread and encouraged the  
passengers and sailors to eat and keep up their courage. "It's truly easier
to  
have courage when you have a mission, a purpose, a passion," Rieman said. She
 
wondered who will have Paul-like courage to go to "our Rome" to protest the 
Iraq  war, speak out for the victims of an unjust health-care system, and
work 
for  tolerance for those who are different.
 
Stephen Reid, academic dean and professor of Old Testament Studies at  
Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., explored fear and courage 
through 
Isaiah 41:8-16 and 43:1-7 in morning Bible studies. He described how  these 
words of affirmation and encouragement from God, written in 700-500 B.C.,  
continue as words of encouragement to the present church to appreciate its
roots  
but also embrace the living God who calls us to change and welcome others.
 
The assembly's closing worship featured a sermon from Andrew Murray,  founder

and director of Juniata College's Institute for Peace and Conflict  Studies. 
Murray preached a message of peace despite fear, a message he believes	
Brethren don't hear enough from church leaders or the pulpit. 
 
More than 20 workshops covered a range of topics, led by several  
denominational agencies. Topics included peacemaking, older adult ministry, 
healthy 
communication, dealing with conflict, mental health, and healthy  lifestyles.

Tracks were offered for deacons and chaplains. Each day, attendees  entered
into a 
period of silence and could rest, walk the grounds, meditate, or  do Tai Chi.

Massage and spiritual direction were offered as well.
 
Photographs from the event can be viewed at _www.brethren-caregivers.org_ 
(http://www.brethren-caregivers.org) .
 
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_ 
(mailto:cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org) 
 
*****************************************************************
The  Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford,

 director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Mary

 Dulabaum contributed to this report. Newsline stories may be reprinted 
provided  that Newsline is cited as the source. To receive Newsline by
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write _cobnews@aol.com_ (mailto:cobnews@aol.com)  or call 800-323-8039 ext. 
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