wfn.org | Newsline: Church of the Brethren statements respond to Afghanistan troop build-up

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

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

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN OFFERS SELECTION OF CHURCH STATEMENTS IN RESPONSE TO  TROOP BUILD UP IN AFGHANISTAN

(Dec. 18, 2009) Elgin, IL -- In response to the troop build-up in Afghanist an, recently announced by President Obama, a new web page at www.brethren.o rg offers a collection of pertinent anti-war statements from the Church of  the Brethren Annual Conference.

The page may provide a resource for pastors and congregations and others se eking a response to the sending of thousands of additional US troops to con tinue the current military conflict in Afghanistan.

The Church of the Brethren has consistently declared war to be sinful, over  the course of the denomination's existence. The Brethren movement began mo re than 300 years ago--founded by Alexander Mack Sr. and the group of the f irst eight Brethren baptized in 1708 in the village of Schwarzenau, Germany --as a Christian community emphasizing the peace witness of the Gospel of J esus Christ, based on the New Testament scriptures.

Find the selections from Annual Conference statements at www.brethren.org/s ite/DocServer/09-12-18AC_statements_re_Afghanistan_document.pdf?docID=616 1 (pdf document).

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 some 125,000 members across the Unit ed States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria,  Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

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>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