wfn.org | Newsline: Blevins to lead ecumenical peace program for Church of the Brethren and NCC

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

>Church of the Brethren Newsline

Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, Director of News Services

>cobnews@brethren.org or (cell) 224-735-9692

BLEVINS TO LEAD ECUMENICAL PEACE PROGRAM FOR NCC AND CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

July 2, 2010 (Pittsburgh, PA) -- In a joint appointment announced yesterday  by 
the Church of the Brethren and the National Council of Churches of Chri st in 
the USA (NCC), Jordan Blevins began July 1 as the Church of the Breth ren’s 
staff for witness in a position also seconded to the NCC to serve a s an 
advocacy officer in Washington, D.C.

Blevins will lead an ecumenical peacemaking program on behalf of the two or 
ganizations. He is a member of Westminster (Md.) Church of the Brethren.

Previously, he was associate director of the NCC’s Eco-Justice Program, a nd 
coordinator of Poverty Initiatives and Washington internships with the N 
ational Council of Churches since Sept. 2007.

Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the NCC, praised the appointment. "I t 
models a new form of support for the work of the NCC," he said. "The Unit ed 
Church of Christ already has a similar agreement with the Council that u 
ndergirds our ministry in racial justice and human rights, and we hope that  
other churches will follow suit. Second, this gives us staff coverage in t he 
area of peacemaking, which has always been a crucial part of the Council ’s 
agenda. And, third, I am absolutely delighted to welcome Jordan Blevin s, who 
has been a fine colleague in the field of eco-justice, into this new  position. 
He is the right person for this new portfolio."

Blevin’s responsibilities for the Church of the Brethren will include nur 
turing the denomination’s witness to society and government from a unique ly 
Anabaptist-Pietist Brethren perspective, with a pacifist emphasis on pea ce and 
justice. He will represent the NCC member churches in advocacy for p eace and 
provide leadership in educational initiatives with the member chur ches and 
wider society.

Prior to joining the NCC, Blevins was a legislative intern at the Brethren  
Witness/Washington Office beginning in Jan. 2007, where he participated in  a 
Faith Expedition to Vietnam and did follow up reporting and helped create  a 
Brethren Water and Sanitation project in that area through the Global Fo od 
Crisis Fund.

Additionally, he was manager of Cokesbury Bookstore in Washington, as well  as 
a grassroots fundraiser for Grassroots Campaigns, Inc.

He holds a bachelor of arts degree in Philosophy and Religion and a bachelo r 
of science degree in Business Administration from Bridgewater (Va.) Colle ge 
and recently graduated from American University and Wesley Theological S 
eminary with a master of arts degree in International Peace and Conflict Re 
solution, and a master of theological studies, respectively. He is pursuing  a 
doctorate of ministry in Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue at Wesley  
Theological Seminary.

He serves on the Board of Directors of On Earth Peace, a Church of the Bret 
hren peace education and advocacy agency, and on the Church of the Brethren ’s 
Young Adult Steering Committee. He also serves on the New Fire Task Fo rce, a 
young adult ecumenical movement.

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. It is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and  is 
one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated its 300th annive rsary 
in 2008. It counts about 125,000 members across the US and Puerto Ric o, and 
has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, the DR, Brazil, Haiti,  and India.

># # #

>CONTACT:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

>Director of News Services

>Church of the Brethren

>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120

>800-323-8039 ext. 260

>cell: 224-735-9692

>cobnews@brethren.org