wfn.org | CoB Newsline- District auctions, EDF, college news

[Church of the Brethren News Services]

Date:      May 1, 1997
Contact:  Paula Wilding
V:  847/742-5100   F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL:   CoBNews@AOL.Com

Newsline             May 1, 1997  

This is Newsline for the week of May 1. In the news today:  

1) Two Church of the Brethren districts will hold their annual 
       disaster auctions on Saturday. 
2) Two grants were made last week by the Emergency Disaster Fund.
3) A new request for "Gift of the Heart" kits was made this week  
       for people affected by flooding in the United States. 
4) Moderator-elect Jimmy Ross is diagnosed with prostate cancer.
5) Sunday is designated as National Youth Sunday. 
6) McPherson (Kan.) College is named as one of the country's 
       leading "character-building" colleges. 
7) Brethren Press announces two job openingseditor of 
       publications and business manager. 
8) Four Church of the Brethren organizations seek a Brethren 
       Volunteer Service worker to serve as their World Wide Web
       webmeister. 
9) First McPherson (Kan.) Church of the Brethren is searching for 
       a minister of youth and Christian education.  
10) A book on Anabaptist piety and community is published by 
       Bridgewater (Va.) College. 
11) Carole Grove receives Bridgewater College's Thornton Award.
12) Bridgewater College students to present their recitals this 
       weekend. 
13) Oregon/Washington District is now e-mail accessable. 
14) "Unlocking Church Doors: Ten Keys to Positive Change," an 
       Andrew Center event, will be held on Saturday. 
15) A listserver for Brethren/Mennonite Council for Lesbian and 
       Gay Concerns is announced.    

1) Two district disaster response auctions will be held this
weekend. West Marva District will host its third disaster auction
on Saturday at the Barbour County Fairgrounds, near Belington,
W.Va. Special auction items include two picnic benches that fold
into tables. The auction has raised $10,000 over the past two
years and has set a goal of $5,000 for this year. Over 125 people
are expected to attend.  

Mid-Atlantic District's Disaster Response Auction also will be
held Saturday, at the Agricultural Center, Westminster, Md. The
17th annual event will begin at 7 a.m. with breakfast. The
auction will begin at 9 a.m. and will continue throughout the
morning. An inspirational service and youth presentation is
scheduled for noon. Quilts, comforters and special items -- an
autographed Washington Redskins football, four dollhouses, an
antique trunk, an antique yard winder and a watercolor painting
by a local artist -- will be auctioned beginning at 12:15 p.m.
Thirteen quilts will also be auctioned, as will 19 comforters,
nine wall hangings and four baby quilts. Last year the auction
hosted approximately 1,000 people and raised $36,000 for the
Church of the Brethren Emergency Disaster Response Fund.
Mid-Atlantic District's auction has raised nearly $600,000 since
its inception.   

2) Two grants were allocated from the Emergency Disaster Fund
last week. A grant of $15,000 was made in response to flooding in
Midwest and Southern states. This grant will assist faith-based
community organizations being formed in 11 affected states. A
grant of $7,260.70 will assist work still being done in the
aftermath of Hurricane Fran. While $5,260.70 will be used to
close the account, the remaining $2,000 will help Shenandoah
District in its repairs of Shiloh Church of the Brethren, Pratts,
Va.   

3) The Refugee/Disaster Office made a request this week for more
"Gift of the Heart" kits. In response to flooding in various U.S.
regions, clean-up and health kits are needed. Clean-up kits
consist of a bucket filled with sponges, plastic garbage bags, a
wire brush, a scrub brush, rubber gloves and a can of powder
cleanser. Items needed for health kits are a hand towel, a
washcloth, a new bath-size bar of soap, a comb, a toothbrush, a
nail file and six adhesive bandages. Items should be wrapped in a
towel.  

The kits should be sent directly to one of two distribution
centers: Church World Service, c/o the Salvation Army, 4427 13th
Avenue South, Fargo ND 58104; and to Church World Service, c/o
the Salvation Army, 68710 Shingle Creek Parkway, Brooklyn Center,
MN 55403. For more information, contact the Refugee/Disaster
Office at 410 635-8731 or at
CoB.Disaster.and.Refugee.parti@Ecunet.Org.   

4) Jimmy Ross, pastor of Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren and
Annual Conference moderator-elect, has been diagnosed with
prostate cancer. He will undergo surgery May 28. At the Church of
the Brethren Annual Conference in July, Ross is scheduled to be
consecrated for his one-year term as moderator, the
denomination's highest elected position. "Prayers will be
appreciated," said Ross, who is publicly confronting his cancer. 

5) "Embracing a Future With Hope" is the theme of National Youth
Sunday, scheduled for this Sunday. Materials such as a Bible
study and worship resources and ideas are available through the
Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office by calling 800 323-8039 or
writing CoB.Youth.parti@Ecunet.Org.   

6) McPherson (Kan.) College was among 135 colleges identified as 
"character-building colleges" by the John Templeton Foundation
this week. The foundation chooses colleges and universities that
help nurture character-building in its students. While only 135
colleges in 42 states were chosen for the foundation's "1997-98
Honor Roll for Character-Building Colleges," more than 400
colleges applied. McPherson College -- one of six colleges and
university affiliated with the Church of the Brethren -- was the
only institution chosen from Kansas.  

"One of the primary goals of education is the development of
moral character -- those habits of heart, mind and spirit that
help students know, love and do what is good," said John
Templeton Jr., president of the John Templeton Foundation. "[The
foundation] applauds McPherson College for its programs that
emphasize character-building, and we look forward to
collaborating with McPherson College as we strive to increase
recognition for its outstanding character-building activities."
The Honor Roll is published biennially. Copies, which will be
available in September, may be requested at that time by calling
800 245-1285.   

7) Open searches for two Brethren Press positions were announced
this morning by the Church of the Brethren General Board. The
positions are editor of publications and business manager. These
positions are newly created for the Board's new design, which is
scheduled to be implemented in mid-July.   

The editor of publications will be responsible for planning and
editing Messenger, the monthly denominational magazine for
members, and will develop and edit other publishing projects that
may emerge within Brethren Press editorial team.  

The business manager will be responsible of Brethren Press
finances, including long-range planning and financial analysis.
This person will oversee computer systems, inventory management,
warehouse management and distribution, and magazine
subscriptions.  

For more information, contact Elsie Holderread at 800 323-8039 or
EHolderread.parti@Ecunet.org.   

8) A Brethren Volunteer Service worker is being sought to serve
as webmeister of WWW.Brethren.Org, a Church of the Brethren
denominational web site that is being established by Bethany
Theological Seminary, Brethren Benefit Trust, Brethren Employees
Credit Union and the General Board. This person will work at the
Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., in the
General Boards Office of News and Information Services, which is
coordinating WWW.Brethren.Org.   

Web experience is not required, although computer skills are.
Practical experience with QuarkExpress, Photoshop and PageMill is
a plus.  

Brethren Volunteer Service, a Church of the Brethren ministry for
nearly 50 years, provides people with the opportunity of sharing
Gods love through service. Typically, BVS assignments focus on
advocating justice, working for peace, providing basic human
needs or maintaining the integrity of creation. The BVS
experience, which includes three weeks of orientation, lasts for
one or more years for U.S.-based assignments and two or more
years for international projects.  

Individuals interested in serving in this newly created BVS
project should immediately contact Dan McFadden, BVS director, at
800 323-8039 or BVS.parti@Ecunet.Org.   

9) First McPherson (Kan.) Church of the Brethren is searching for
a minister of youth and Christian education. Applications should
be received by May 16. For more information, contact Rich Hanley,
Western Plains District executive, at 316 241-4240 or LaMonte
Rothrock, chairwoman of the search committee, at 316 327-7111.  

10) Bridgewater (Va.) Colleges Forum for Religious Studies
recently published The Dilemma of Anabaptist Piety: Strengthening
or Straining the Bonds of Community? The book includes 15 papers
that were presented at The Holy Spirit and the Gathered Community
conference that was co-sponsored by Bridgewater and Eastern
Mennonite University and Seminary in September 1995. For more
information, contact Ellen Layman, director of Public
Information, at 540 828-5486 or ELayman@Bridgewater.Edu.   

11) Carole Grove, associate professor of Education at Bridgewater
College and member of Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren,
Bridgewater, recently received the college's Martha B. Thornton
Faculty Recognition Award. Grove, a Bridgewater faculty member
since 1990, received the award April 4.  

In presenting the award, Lee Yoder, dean for Academic Affairs,
noted that Grove finds her inspiration in teaching educational
psychology, reading and special education, and in supervising
practicums and student teachers. He also noted the impact she has
made on the lives of her students.  

The award, which is accompanied by $1,000, is presented annually
to a faculty member who exhibits talent and dedication to
teaching, and who provides caring concern for students well
beyond the role as a teacher.   

12) Several recitals are scheduled this weekend for Bridgewater
College students, including those of Gayle Long and Christine
Myers. Long is a member of Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren,
Bridgewater; Christine is a member of Eastwood Church of the
Brethren, Akron, Ohio.  

Myers, a senior music major from Atwater, Ohio, will play the
piano solo; in a duet with John Barr, professor of organ and
piano and member of Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren; and
with the Bridgewater College Stage Band. She will also sing three
numbers as a member of an octet.  

Long, a junior soprano from Williamsport, Md., will perform
several solo pieces, two arias, and several duets with other
recitalists.     

13) Oregon/Washington District may now be reached online at
Neher@Nwinternet.Com.   

14) The Andrew Center is hosting Unlocking Church Doors: Ten Keys
to Positive Change at Harrisonburg (Va.) Mennonite Church this
Saturday. Paul Mundey, pastor of Frederick (Md.) Church of the
Brethren and former director of The Andrew Center, will be the
conference keynote speaker. For more information, contact The
Andrew Center at 800 774-3360 or at CoB.Evang.parti@Ecunet.Org.  

15) A listserver for Brethren/Mennonite Council for Lesbian and
Gay Concerns was established last week. For information, write to
BMCouncil@AOL.Com or visit BMC's home page at
http://www.webcom.com/bmc/bmclist.html.   

Newsline is archived with an index at
http://www.tgx.com/cob/news.htm and at www.wfn.org.  

This message can be heard by calling 410 635-8738. To receive
Newsline by e-mail or fax, call 800 323-8039, ext. 257, or write
CoBNews@AOL.Com.