wfn.org | Newsline: Brethren Witness/Washington Office closed, listening process to reshape work of witness, p

[cobnews <cobnews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, Ne ws Director, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN CLOSES WASHINGTON OFFICE, ANNOUNCES LISTENING PROCES S TO RESHAPE WORK OF WITNESS, PEACEBUILDING

(March 20, 2009) Elgin, IL -- The Church of the Brethren has closed its Was hington Office, as of March 19. The decision is part of an overall plan cre ated by executive staff to respond to financial challenges facing the denom ination and the decision of the Mission and Ministry Board to reduce the op erating budget for core ministries by $505,000 this year.

The decision eliminates the position of director of the Brethren Witness/Wa shington Office. Phil Jones has held that position since July 2003 (see sta ff announcement below).

Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission Partnerships, will be s tructuring a listening process to gather broad denominational feedback for  reshaping the way the church carries out the work of witness, peacebuilding , and justice.

Services or functions previously handled by the Washington Office should be  channeled through the Global Mission Partnerships office; call 800-323-803 9.

The upcoming Christian Citizenship Seminar that has been co-sponsored by th e Brethren Witness/Washington Office and the Youth and Young Adult Ministry  will be led by Chris Douglas, director of the Youth and Young Adult Minist ry.

>Staff announcement

The position of director of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office has been  eliminated and the Church of the Brethren's Washington Office has been clo sed as of March 19. The elimination of this position is happening because o f the economic recession and the budget reduction put in place by the denom ination's Mission and Ministry Board at its recent meeting.

Phil Jones' service as director of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office e nded March 19. Each person whose position is eliminated because of the budg et reduction is receiving a three-month severance package of regular salary  and benefits and outplacement services.

Jones has been director of the office since July 21, 2003. His work at the  Brethren Witness/Washington Office built on his involvement in grassroots e fforts for peace and justice, including work against the death penalty and  opposition to the war in Iraq.

During his tenure, the office has done advocacy work based on statements of  Annual Conference, and has helped organize many different events such as t he Christian Citizenship Seminar and annual gatherings of Brethren at the S chool of the Americas (SOA) Watch vigils. By working through national organ izations, congregations, districts, and Annual Conference, Jones has worked  to raise the awareness of many people. He also has offered leadership at N ational Youth Conference, Young Adult Conferences, and other youth gatherin gs as he has met with and challenged youth to examine their faith and live  out the teachings of the church.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continu ing 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 t raditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated it s 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts more than 125,000 members across the  United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nig eria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cobnews@brethren.org