wfn.org | Newsline - Church of the Brethren weekly news update

[Church of the Brethren News Services]

Date:      Oct. 2, 1997
Contact:  Nevin Dulabaum
V:  847/742-5100   F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL:   CoBNews@AOL.Com

Newsline             Oct. 2, 1997           
News
1) The razing of the buildings at Bethany Theological Seminary's former
campus in
	Oak Brook, Ill., is expected to begin as early as next week.
2) Jan Eller begins serving as interim executive for Oregon/Washington
District.
3) The 21st Annual Disaster Relief Auction in Lebanon, Pa., raises $550,000 
	and counting.
4) Nancy Knepper is hired as coordinator of the General Board's District
Ministry.
5) BBT hosts an Employee Benefits Consultation.
6) A "festschrift" in honor of Don Durnbaugh is being held today through
Saturday 
	at Bridgewater (Va.) College.
7) Bethany Theological Seminary announces its search for a professor of 
	Ministry Studies.
8) A new Brethren heritage Sunday school curriculum is being developed.
9) Two new resources are available from the National Council of Churches.
10) Manchester College has its highest fall enrollment since 1992.
11) CPT is planning to send new delegations to the Middle East and Mexico.
12) The World Council of Churches launches its year-long "Peace to the City" 
	Campaign.
13) McPherson College is named "a character building college."
14) An international conference on the architecture of Anabaptist-Mennonite
worship
	 spaces and places is scheduled for Oct. 16-18 in Pennsylvania.
15) The next edition of Newsline will be sent Oct. 16.

Feature
16) The spirit of the annual Disaster Relief Auction in Lebanon, Pa., can be
summed up
	in two words -- pot pies.

1) What has been known as "Bethany" to Brethren and residents of Lombard and
Oak Brook, Ill., for the past three decades soon may have a new
name—"Fountain Square."

The 51-acre property in unincorporated DuPage County, which used to serve as
Bethany Theological Seminary's home, is under contract for purchase by the
Shaw Company of Chicago, Ill. The closing of the contract is contingent on
the property being annexed and rezoned by the village of Lombard.

Nevertheless, the razing of the buildings was scheduled to begin in early
October, so that construction can begin once the sale is finalized. Hearings
related to Bethany's proposed annexation and rezoning were scheduled to begin
in late October or early November.

Once Shaw acquires the property it will begin converting the land into
"Fountain Square"—a mixed-use development consisting of residential, retail,
restaurant, hotel, and commercial uses. Plans also include extensive
landscaping—including large areas of "green space"—and the creation of large
decorative ponds. 

This land served as Bethany's home from 1963 (when the seminary moved from
Chicago's inner city to what was then rural countryside) until mid-1994, when
Bethany relocated to Richmond, Ind.

"The seminary moved, in part, because the rapidly rising cost of maintaining
the aging and extensive physical plant, which was diverting significant
resources from the educational mission of the seminary," said Gene Roop,
Bethany president. "Fulfilling its educational responsibility to the Church
of the Brethren depends on realizing the full market value of the property
through redevelopment." 

Roop added, "The sale will enable Bethany to retire its debt, both the money
loaned by Brethren Benefit Trust and the endowment debt that stretches back
to 1978."

Roop also said Bethany's board is excited about the property's prospects.

"The Bethany Board of Trustees has looked carefully at it, and we all feel
like this can successfully resolve the ongoing responsibility to sell the
land," he said.

2) Jan Eller on Wednesday began serving as interim executive for
Oregon/Washington District, succeeding Ken Neher, who had been fulfilling
those duties even though he began serving as the General Board's director of
Funding in July. Eller had been serving as interim director of Ministry for
the General Board.

District mail should still be sent to 2831 School Street, Wenatchee WA 98801,
but phone calls should now be made to 503 287-8455. Eller's e-mail address is
Jan.Eller.parti@Ecunet.Org.

3) The 21st Annual Brethren Disaster Relief Auction, sponsored by Atlantic
Northeast and Southern Pennsylvania districts, was held Sept. 26–27 at the
Lebanon (Pa.) Area Fairgrounds. 

This event included the auctioning of livestock, quilts, and other goods,
plus the sale of baked goods, produce, and other items, raising $400,000.
About 7,500 people attended. 

Additional funds have also been raised from the sale of a house built in 1996
by Southern Pennsylvania District, from the auction’s annual kick-off dinner,
and from several donations to the auction’s endowment. 

Thus far this year, $552,579 has been raised. And there could be more: A
house constructed over the past year by Atlantic Northeast District in Mount
Joy, Pa., is still for sale.

Most of the money raised from the auction goes to the General Board’s
Emergency Disaster Fund for worldwide disaster response.

4) Nancy Knepper has been appointed coordinator of the General Board's
District Ministry, effective Oct. 15. Since 1989 she has served the General
Board as director of Outdoor Ministries. Last year she also became
coordinator of the Board's Ministry Team. Prior to joining the Board, Knepper
served as program administrator at Camp Ithiel in Gotha, Fla. She earned her
undergraduate degree at Juniata (Pa.) College and her Master's at
Shippensburg (Pa.) State College. She has had advanced training in conflict
resolution and mediation, and has worked with evaluation and risk management
with camps and congregations. And, on Sept. 14, she was ordained by New
Covenant Church of the Brethren, Gotha.

5) The 1997 Employee Benefits Consultation for administrators, treasurers and
human resources directors representing employer groups that use Brethren
Benefit Trust's pension and insurance plans began today at the Church of the
Brethren General Offices, Elgin, Ill. This seventh such event in the past
nine years allows attendees to work together and to discuss shared concerns,
such as future directions for medical insurance and new legislation affecting
pension and insurance plans. The 29 participants from 17 agencies will also
discuss a wellness emphasis that grew out of last year's consultation and
hear a pension plan update from BBT staff.

Karen Carrier of Human Solutions Inc., Houston, will serve as keynote
speaker. She specializes in biopsychosocialspiritual -- the philosophy for
wellness of the mind, body and spirit.

The consultation concludes Saturday.

6) The Forum for Religious Studies at Bridgewater (Va.) College is presenting
"To Serve the Present Age: Historians and the Modern Church," a conference
that began today and concludes Saturday. This event, a "festschrift" for
Brethren historian Don Durnbaugh, is featuring presentations and discussions
on Brethren beginnings, American developments and tensions, historiography,
and the personal gifts of Durnbaugh as a historian, scholar, educator and
churchman. Presenters scheduled include Jeff Bach, Fred Bernhard, Dale Brown,
Bob Clous, David Eller, William Koslevy, Frank Littel, Don Miller, Judy Mills
Reimer, Jimmy Ross, Hans Schneider, Dennis Slabaugh, Dale Stoffer, Phillip
Stone, Murray Wagner and possibly John Howard Yoder. 

7) A full-time, tenure-track professor of Ministry Studies is being sought by
Bethany Theological Seminary. Start date is Aug. 1. 

Responsibilities will include teaching graduate courses in one or more
ministry-related disciplines in the shared curriculum of Bethany and the
Earlham School of Religion, and in Bethany's Ministry Formation curriculum.
Other responsibilities will include serving as a student adviser,
participating in community life and being involved in Bethany's Brethren
Academy for Ministerial Leadership.

Qualifications include a doctoral degree or candidacy in an appropriate
field, training, experience and demonstrated teaching effectiveness in two or
more of the following categories -- preaching, Christian nurture, and music.
Candidates must also be committed to Bethany's mission, and must be able to
work collaboratively.

"As a graduate school and academy of the Church of the Brethren, Bethany
seeks to prepare people for Christian ministry and to educate those called as
witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ in the cities and communities of the
world," said Richard Gardner, Academic Dean.

Application deadline is Nov. 18. For more information, contact Gardner's
office at 765 983-1815.

8) For the first time in 20 years, Brethren Press is preparing a new Brethren
heritage curriculum. "Let Our Joys Be Known," designed for people of all
ages, will be released next year. It will explore all aspects of Brethren
heritage -- the people, the places, the beliefs and the actions. This
curriculum will consist of 13 sessions, with units for younger children,
older children, youth and adults.

"Even when history doesn't change, the church needs updated heritage material
periodically to study Brethren ways of the past and to apply them to today,"
said Julie Garber, curriculum editor for Brethren Press. "'Let Our Joys be
Known' acquaints Brethren with many of the famous people and stories in
Brethren life. At the same time, participants will meet lesser known
characters like John Lewis and Julia Gilbert, who help us understand how the
Brethren look at contemporary issues, such as racism, war and women in
ministry, in light of our past. This curriculum gives many new names to
celebrate, people whose actions will inspire all ages to love the church."

Preschool teacher Alice Geiman, a Church of the Brethren member from Port
Republic, Va., has written the unit for young children. Beth
Sollenberger-Morphew of Elgin, Ill., coordinator of the General Board's Area
2 Congregational Life Team, is author of the older children's unit. Frank
Ramirez, pastor of Elkhart (Ind.) Valley Church of the Brethren, wrote the
youth unit, and Richard Gardner, academic dean of Bethany Theological
Seminary, Richmond, Ind., is author of the adult unit.

"Let Our Joys Be Known" will replace the Heritage Learning System, which was
published in 1976.  It will be available at Annual Conference in Orlando, or
by contacting Brethren Press at 800 441-3712.

9) Two new resources dealing with child exploitation and with Christians
traveling abroad for short mission projects are now available from the
National Council of Churches.

"Caution: Children at Work" is a six-page study/action guide that explores
the necessity of work for some children worldwide under the age of 15, the
harmful consequences of such work, and responses by people of faith to this
issue.

"Recent U.S. media attention spotlights widespread child labor abuses, their
roots in a 'global economy,' and the difficulty of easy solutions," the guide
reads. According to Carol Fouke, News Director of the NCC, this resource
"examines the tangled roots and hard facts of child labor, and describes
people and organizations working for the rights of working children,
including working children themselves." There is substantial information
about how to make a difference for working children, and additional resources
for further study.

This guide is the latest in the "Facts have Faces" series produced by the
Global Education office of Church World Service. The guide is available for
30 cents per copy (four for one dollar) from Church World Service (the NCC's
humanitarian response ministry), P.O. Box 968, Elkhart IN 46515-0968.

"People, Places and Partnerships: A workbook for Your Mission Trip Abroad" is
a reflection guide for U.S. Christians traveling on short-term mission
assignments or on church-sponsored travel study seminars. The 45-page
workbook guides travelers in reflecting on their pending trip, gives tips on
cultural sensitivity and gift giving, and includes ideas on what to pack, how
to stay healthy, ways to tell your story, ideas for how to stay connected to
your host community, and resources for additional study.

The workbook was produced by Church World Service and Witness Working Group
on Mission to the U.S. and Canada. Copies are available for $1 plus postage
by writing to Faye Wine, Room 626, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115.

10) According to figures released in mid-September, Manchester College, North
Manchester, Ind., has its highest total fall enrollment since 1992. Total
enrollment is 1,083 students, up from 1,054 in 1996. Twenty-four states and
25 countries are represented by the current student body.

"We're pleased with the steady growth in enrollment we've seen over the past
four years, and we expect it to continue," said Dave McFadden, vice president
for Enrollment and Planning. "It's one sign that students and their parents
experience the affordability and academic quality of Manchester College."

11) Two delegations of peacemakers, one to the Middle East and one to
Chiapas, Mexico, are being organized by Christian Peacemaker Teams.

According to CPT, Palestinians in the West Bank are facing a tremendous
increase in house demolitions by Israeli authorities, which is leaving
thousands of people homeless. In response to this, CPT Rebuilders Against
Bulldozers (CPT-RAB) teams have been invited by local supporters to meet with
and document the cases of families who are dealing with house demolitions in
the greater Hebron area.

"Team members will engage in a public witness to highlight this problem; when
arrangements can be made, they will help rebuild homes," states a CPT
release. 

Before going to Hebron, the CPT delegation will attend a conference in
Jerusalem hosted by Sabeel, a Jerusalem-based Christian group that is working
to increase support for Palestinian churches. The conference will also
include a tour of local sights. 

The Chiapas delegation "is important during a time when Mexican officials are
obstructing investigations into human rights violations," states the release.
Several CPT delegations have been blocked from investigating alleged human
rights abuses. Moreover, violence in Northern Chiapas is reportedly
increasing as paramilitary groups become more organized. CPT delegation
members will learn about the conflict in Chiapas and will meet with villagers
facing ongoing violence and harassment from soldiers.

Cost to join the Chiapas delegation is $1,000; $2,000 to go to the Middle
East. For more information, write to cpt@igc.org or call 312 455-1199.

CPT is an initiative among Church of the Brethren and Mennonite congregations
and Friends meetings that supports violence reduction efforts around the
world.

12) A focus on seven cities worldwide that aims to strengthen existing work
for peace being done by churches and other organizations was officially
launched in early September by Konrad Raiser, World Council of Churches
general secretary.

The "Peace to the City" campaign is part of the WCC's Program to Overcome
Violence, which Raiser calls "one of the most ambitious undertakings of the
WCC." Donald Miller, former General Secretary of the Church of the Brethren
General Board, was instrumental in the creation of this WCC ministry.

In his speech at the official Peace to the City launching celebration, held
in Johannesburg, Raiser issued a call to churches of the world not to
sanction the use of violence. "Churches that sanction the use of violence
render a counter witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ," he said. He added
that if churches refused to give religious legitimation to policies that
support the use of violence, it would strengthen the will and courage of
people to resist the culture of violence.

As part of the Peace to the City campaign, a series of team visits will focus
attention on the seven selected cities. They are Belfast, Northern Ireland;
Boston; Columbo, Sri Lanka; Durban, South Africa; Kingston, Jamaica; Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil; and Suva, Fiji. People from other cities are also encouraged
to participate in the campaign, which can be done by logging onto the
campaign's web site at www.wcc-coe.org/pov.

Representatives from the seven cities also spoke at the ceremony. 

13) The Sept. 5 Newsline included a story about Brethren-affiliated
Manchester College, North Manchester, Ind., being one of 135 schools from 42
states named to the John Templeton Foundation's 1997-1998 Honor Roll for
Character-Building Colleges. The story also stated that on Sept. 24, these
colleges and universities would be recognized during an official ceremony
from the Cannon House Office Building of the U.S. House of Representatives in
Washington, D.C.

McPherson (Kan.) College, also a Brethren-affiliated college, on Sept. 24
sent a release stating that it, too, was included on that list. Steve
Gustafson, McPherson College provost and dean of faculty, attended the
ceremony along with Roberta Strickler, a McPherson graduate and member of the
college's Board of Trustees, and Washington, D.C. resident. 

14) An international conference on the architecture of Anabaptist-Mennonite
worship spaces and places is scheduled for Oct. 16-18 at Bethaus Meetinghouse
Church, Harleysville, Pa.

The conference's goal is to understand Anabaptist-Mennonite places of worship
on three continents, "especially those built or adapted after long periods of
hidden or home meetings and those built by immigrant communities using their
own skills and designs," according to the conference's informational
brochure.

Though the conference is Mennonite in focus, at least one Church of the
Brethren member will serve as a panelist. Graydon Snyder, professor of New
Testament and Church History at Chicago Theological Seminary, will
participate in the concluding session under the theme, "What then is the
Anabaptist-Mennonite architecture of worship and meeting?" Other themes
include "Western Europe and across the Atlantic to Pennsylvania"; "Western
Europe and east to Poland, Austro-Hungary and Russia"; "The sources of
building styles: Pennsylvania and beyond"; "West of the Mississippi, and
south of the Rio Grande"; "Discerning Mennonite meeting/worship form and
content"; and "Viewing the meetinghouses of Bucks and Montgomery Counties."
Several workshops are offered under each theme.

Papers produced at the event "will provide a new body of writing for use by
scholars and laypeople within and beyond the Anabaptist-Mennonite community
for the preservation and interpretation of existing historic buildings, as
well as a guide for current and future buildings."

Cost is $75. For more information, write mennhist@pond.com or call 215
256-3020.

15) The next edition of Newsline will be sent Oct. 16.

16) You only need to attend the annual Disaster Relief Auction in Lebanon,
Pa. once to realize that what motivates the buying and selling of livestock,
quilts, food, produce and other items is not always for the items purchased
or sold, although it certainly must be for some of the buyers and sellers.
But for many others, the spirit of the annual rite of autumn is to purchase
something to raise money for a worthy cause that helps thousands of people in
need worldwide each year -- the Church of the Brethren General Board's
Emergency Disaster Fund.

One does not need to look hard to see this spirit at work. Occasionally a
just-purchased head of livestock will be returned for resale, with the first
purchaser in effect, donating the purchase price to the Emergency Disaster
Fund after playing the energizing and stimulating game of bidding against
others for an item at an auction. The same occasionally happens for quilts.
And sometimes auctioneers start auctioning off items that seem to have no
business being included in the auction -- certainly no one will buy them,
will they? They did?!

At this year's event, which was held last weekend at the Lebanon Area
Fairgrounds, this auction spirit was best summed up by the most unlikely of
summarizers -- pot pies.

An unidentified woman attending the auction with some friends had stood in a
food line for herself and for those in her party. After a long wait, the
woman's trek to the front of the line finally concluded, and her food of
choice -- pot pies -- was finally handed to her on a tray.

As she took those pot pies, for which the anticipation of eating some of that
food now lying on the tray before her must have grown exponentially as she
waited for her turn in line, Dave Buckwalter, a local auctioneer who was
auctioning on stage at the time, saw those pies passing by on their way to be
devoured. In front of everyone, he asked if he could have a little for
himself.

The woman looked at him and quipped back, "You wouldn't have asked that if
you knew how long I stood in line for these pies."

"If you stood in line that long," Buckwalter reasoned, "then they must be
worth something." 

And without hesitation, he began auctioning off the tray of pot pies. That's
right, pot pies. Well, that couldn't take too long, could it?

With a room full of Brethren attending an event with the theme "Brethren
gathering for a purpose -- to honor and glorify God," it took longer than one
might expect. Two hundred and eighty dollars later, the woman's place back in
the food line was ensured!

This message can be heard by calling 410 635-8738. To receive Newsline by
e-mail or fax, call 800 323-8039, ext. 263, or write CoBNews@AOL.Com.

Newsline is archived with an index at www.cob-net.org/news.htm and at
www.wfn.org.