wfn.org | Church of the Brethren Districts report hurricane collections

[COBNews@aol.com]

Date:  Sept. 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
Sept. 29, 2005
 
Church of the Brethren Districts begin reporting collection totals for	
hurricane relief
 
Sept. 29, 2005 (Elgin, IL) --  Church of the Brethren districts have  begun 
reporting special collections for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. In	what 
must represent just a fraction of the donations that have been received 
across 
the denomination over the last month, Southeastern and Virlina Districts  
combined have contributed more than $100,000. 
 
In addition, one of the largest annual fundraisers for Church of the  
Brethren disaster work--the Brethren Disaster Auction in Lebanon,
Pa.--brought  in 
more than $500,000 in one weekend for disaster relief including Hurricane  
Katrina efforts.
 
As of Sept. 26 congregations and members in Virlina District have given  more

than $52,000 to a special offering for Hurricane Katrina relief, collected  
on Sunday Sept. 18. The District Office is still receiving donations to that 

offering. 
 
Southeastern District collected a love offering on Sept. 25 totaling almost  
$35,891, with some churches still sending in offerings. Churches in the 
district  also are purchasing items of need for a small community in
Mississippi 
near  Cedar Creek Church of the Brethren in Citronelle, Ala. 
 
On Sept. 23-24, more than 10,000 people attended the 29th annual Brethren  
Disaster Auction, an event co-sponsored by Atlantic Northeast and Southern  
Pennsylvania Districts. Auction items have brought in more than $575,000, and
 
organizers expect the total received by year's end to be over $600,000, said 

auction co-founder Jay M. Witman. On Saturday, 450 volunteers assembled
30,000	
Gift of the Heart Health Kits in just two hours and 25 minutes. In addition
to  
the money and kits collected, a "blitz build" allowed a modular home to be  
completely constructed in three days. The home will go to an Ohio family as 
part  of the rebuilding work that Brethren Disaster Response is doing around 
Glencoe,  Ohio, following flooding from Hurricane Ivan.
 
"It was eye-staggering," Witman said of the health kits assembly line.	
"There was not a dry eye." The auction was put on hold at noon on Saturday
for a  
prayer service and hymn sing, he said, as he spoke of the event as the
"Lord's  
work." Witman hopes to "pull out all the stops" at next year's auction, the 
30th  annual. "I never would have thought 29 years ago we would have had in 
excess of  $10 million to give away to disaster victims. God worked," he
said.
 
For more stories of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts by Church of the  
Brethren congregations, districts, colleges, and other organizations, see 
_www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/HurricanePosting.htm_ 
(http://www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/HurricanePosting.htm) .
 
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. 
Newsline  stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is cited as the
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