Title: Love offering yields $20,000 for Church of the Brethren in Nigeria Aug. 3, 2006 Church of the Brethren News Service Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, News Director 800-323-8039 ext. 260 -- cobnews@brethren.org
LOVE OFFERING YIELDS $20,000 TO REBUILD AND HEAL BRETHREN CONGREGATIONS IN NIGERIA
Aug. 3, 2006 (Elgin, IL) -- The sum of $20,000 has been sent to Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) as a "love offering" from the Church of the Brethren in the US following the destruction of several EYN churches in interreligious violence.
On Feb. 18 five EYN churches were among many Christian churches in the city of Maiduguri that were burned down or damaged during riots over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Several EYN members were seriously injured in the rioting.
EYN general secretary Y.Y. Balami sent a reply acknowledging the gift "with thanks your love for us," his letter said. "This singular act has again reminded us that we are together, that what affects EYN also affects the Church of the Brethren. Kindly extend our appreciation and greetings to the churches and individuals who assisted financially and those who prayed for EYN."
The $20,000 (about 2.6 million Nigerian Naira) will aid the affected congregations and support continuing EYN efforts toward peace and reconciliation.
The love offering was initiated by the Church of the Brethren General Board at its March 2006 meeting. The church at large has been invited to join in the offering and the response has been significant. Donations toward the love offering continue to be received.
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 800-323-8039 ext. 260 cobnews@brethren.org
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