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

[Church of the Brethren News Services]

Date:      March 18, 1999
Contact:  Nevin Dulabaum
V:  847/742-5100   F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL:   CoBNews@AOL.Com

Newsline                                          March 18, 1999
News

1) Manchester Church of the Brethren breaks ground on its new
     church.
2) Conflict resolution training for staff of Brethren church camps
     will be offered this summer. 
3) A conference for people wanting to be activists against the
     death penalty is planned.
4) ABC launches its Caring Ministries 2000 Web site.
5) The eyeglasses donated at NYC '98 find new life in El Salvador.
6) The April 1999 Source resource packet has been mailed to
     Brethren congregations.
7) Camp Harmony will celebrate its 75th anniversary June 9-13.
8) Some college seniors prepare to take the Graduation Pledge
     Alliance.
9) Regional youth conferences are being held this spring at four
     Brethren colleges.
10) Elizabethtown College's women's basketball team reaches the
     Division III Sweet 16.
11) International Fest '99 at Elizabethtown College will run from
     March 21-27.
12) A director of CWS' Immigration and Refugee Program is being
     sought. 
13) Remembered -- Fran Thomas, Herbert Cooper, Jack VonErh.

Features
14) Brethren Steve Neff had an unusual time last weekend, reports
     the Elkhart Truth.
15) Norman Harsh describes his recent survey about communion and
     feet washing.
16) And then there were 10 -- copies of Newsline that is.

1) Ground has been broken on the new Manchester Church of the
Brethren, North Manchester, Ind. The 49,000-square-foot structure
will sit on a 25-acre site and will include a new sanctuary,
fellowship hall, and two education wings.

It is hoped the $3.5 million one-story structure will be completed
by the second anniversary of the fire that ravaged the church's
former 90-year-old building on Jan. 7,1998.

The congregation gathered at the old site Feb. 28 for a memorial
service. The contents of the cornerstone were examined and then 12
bricks from that structure were carried to the new site for the
groundbreaking ceremony. Ground was broken by members who lined up
along two 60-foot ropes, pulling an antique plow to make a furrow
about 20 feet long.

The razing of the old remains began on March 15. 

2) Conflict Resolution Training for Outdoor Ministries, a program
of On Earth Peace Assembly, will be held at Camp Harmony,
Hooversville, Pa., from May 31 to June 4. This program replaces the
former Conflict Resolution Teams that consisted of training pairs
of young adults in conflict resolution and then sending them to
Church of the Brethren camps. This year, camps will select their
own staff to participate in the training. The staffers will then
return to their respective camps, lead a training session for their
colleagues, and then be available to resolve conflicts and teach
conflict resolution. Application deadline is April 12. Contact
Audrey Osborne at audrey@oepa.org or at 410 635-8706.

3) "Living Our Faith: Organizing the Religious Community Against
the Death Penalty" will be held April 8-11 in San Antonio.
Organized by the Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty
Project, abolitionists from across the country will learn
faith-based activist techniques and strategies. The Church of the
Brethren has long been involved in the abolition movement, most
recently in a 1987 Annual Conference study paper, reports Greg
Laszakovits of the General Board's Brethren Witness office. A
handful of Brethren plan to attend the event. Contact Laszakovits
at glaszakovits_gb@brethren.org or at (800) 323-8039.

4) Information regarding the upcoming Caring Ministries 2000
conference is going online this week on the Association of Brethren
Caregivers Web site. In addition to that new section, Web users
will notice that ABC has redesigned its entire site in conjunction
with its new logo. This can be viewed at
http://www.brethren.org/abc.

5) A poignant, memorable moment at last year's National Youth
Conference was during one worship service when thousands of
participants donated 4,700 old, outdated eyeglasses that would be
cleaned, itemized, and sent to Central America for reuse. A
subsequent collection campaign brought in about 2,000 additional
pairs. Bill Brinker, a physician for an Ohio-based agency that
provides eye care "for the underserved," in February traveled with
a team to El Salvador. There they cared for over 5,600 patients and
performed over 150 operations. More than 4,800 pairs of glasses
were prescribed, many of them from the two Brethren collections.

In a letter to Chris Douglas, coordinator of Youth/Young Adult
Ministries for the Church of the Brethren General Board, Brinker
said he'd welcome Brethren eye care physicians or general helpers
on his next trip, which is scheduled for February. Cost will be
about $900. "If you collect any more glasses please remember us
because we never have enough," Brinker added. Contact Douglas at
cdouglas_gb@brethren.org or at 800 323-8039.

6) The April 1999 Source resource packet has been mailed to each
Brethren congregation. This month's materials include --

* a flier on the Church of the Brethren General Offices open house
     this summer for all Brethren headed to Annual Conference.
* an order form for the 1999 Church of the Brethren yearbook and
     1998 statistical report.
* a flier on a year-long emphasis on racism and race awareness by
     the General Board's Brethren Witness office.
* a brochure for this year's Great Lakes Song and Story Fest.
* resources for this year's Family Week theme, "Strengthening
     Families for a New Century."
* a registration form for this summer's Caring Ministries 2000
     conference.
* the 1999 Brethren Volunteer Service project book.
* a flier on video resources from EcuFilm.

7) Camp Harmony of Hooversville, Pa., will celebrate its 75th
anniversary June 9-13. June 9 will be used as a work day to prepare
the camp. June 10 will be used to honor the men's and women's
fellowships of Western Plains District. An old fashioned dinner in
the lodge, the camp's last original building, will be held that
evening. June 11 will be used to honor youth. Singing, worship,
dining, and the construction of an outdoor chapel are scheduled for
June 12, as is an old fashioned revival service. June 13 will
include worship, lunch, and a sweethearts reunion for couples who
met and later wed at the camp. The festivities will conclude with
a closing convocation and friendship circle.

The camp asks participants to bring a stone at least the size of a
brick for the new chapel. Greetings from people who have related to
the camp but cannot attend the celebration are encouraged. Contact
Doloris Griffith at dolorisagriffith@compuserve.com or at 800
769-6559.

8) As college seniors across the nation contemplate life after
graduation, for some the hunt for a job will mean searching for
companies or organizations that are environmentally sensitive,
don't discriminate, and create a friendly work atmosphere. These
are students who support the Graduation Pledge Alliance, a
nationwide effort that has been based at Manchester College, North
Manchester, Ind., since 1996.

This voluntary pledge states: "I pledge to explore and take into
account the social and environmental consequences of any job I
consider or any organization for which I work." 

About 60 percent of Manchester's graduates have taken the pledge
since 1988, wearing green ribbons during commencement as a show of
support. Manchester College supporters also receive a wallet-size
card and a certificate. Other colleges and universities or
departments or groups of students from these institutions that have
expressed support for the pledge include Barry University, Bethany
Theological Seminary, Denison University, Earlham College, Georgia
College, Georgia College and State University, Goshen College,
Humboldt State University, Indiana University Purdue
University-Fort Wayne, Luther College, Madonna University,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Olivet College, University
of Kansas, University of Maryland, University College, University
of Notre Dame, University of Oregon, Whitman College, and
Willamette College.

9) Regional conferences for Church of the Brethren youth are being
held this spring at four Church of the Brethren colleges. Each will
be unique, though all will attempt to provide Spirit-filled
weekends while showcasing their respective institutions.

Bridgewater College -- Roundtable '99, "To Walk Humbly with God,"
will feature Melvin Williams, part-time pastor at Pleasant Dale
Church of the Brethren and staff with the Bedford County
Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. This annual event is scheduled
for April 16-17.

Juniata College -- "Spirit Lead The Way!" was the theme of the
Eastern Regional Youth Conference, March 6-7, in Huntingdon, Pa.
Leadership included Ted & Lee, the Mennonite comedy duo, and
Brethren musician Joe Helfrich of Bradford, Ohio. Many workshops
were also led by Brethren leaders. Sunday morning worship featured
two youth speech contest winners. Location of this annual event
alternates with Elizabethtown (Pa.) College.

Manchester College -- David Radcliff, director of Brethren Witness
for the Church of the Brethren General Board, will serve as
Regional Youth Conference leader April 23-25, in North Manchester,
Ind. Workshops will include topics on Brethren Heritage,
Conscientious Objection, How to be a Cool Christian, Brethren
Differences, and Generational Differences. Other highlights will
include Sunday morning worship presented by RYC attendees and
Manchester College students, the college's Improv Group, and
college Peace Week Activities. 

McPherson College -- Kindling, a Brethren folk group, will provide
musical and session leadership April 23-25 at this Kansas college's
Regional Youth Conference. Tentative theme is "With eyes of faith."

10) The Elizabethtown (Pa.) College women's basketball team has
advanced to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16. It will face New York
University on March 12 at the University of Scranton. With a win,
the Blue Jays would face either Scranton or William Smith College
on March 13. If they are victorious twice this weekend, they will
advance to the Final Four on March 19-20. (See Feb. 5 Newsline,
items #3 and #27)

11) International Fest '99 will be held at Elizabethtown (Pa.)
College March 21-27, a celebration that will focus on cultures,
music, sports, and food from around the world. The highlight will
be the March 26 performance by Latin Fiesta, which is composed of
five instrumentalists, a vocalist, and a dancer. Contact Kurt
Barnada at 717 361-1255.

12) A director of Church World Service's Immigration and Refugee
Program is being sought. Application deadline is April 2. Contact
Laura Williams at 212 870-2088.

13) Fran Thomas, 81, a life-long advocate for peace and justice,
was remembered in a March 13 memorial service at Manchester
College, North Manchester, Ind., which was attended by about 40
people, including Corretta Scott King.

A 1939 graduation from Manchester, Thomas had grown interested in
interracial and international peace and justice issues as an
assistant to Andrew Cordier. In 1941, she and her husband, Cecil,
a Quaker, headed south to work at a small black school in Marion,
Ala. There, Thomas encouraged a number of students to attend
college, including Jean Childs Young, the late wife of Andrew
Young, and Corretta Scott King. Upon her husband's death in 1969,
Thomas earned two additional degrees and then spent two decades
during the school year on the Racial and Ethnic Studies staff at
Michigan State University; her summers were spent at the Martin
Luther King Jr. Peace Center in Atlanta.

Herbert Cooper, 87, a retired Brethren pastor, died in late January
in Frederick, Md. Cooper, who served 10 congregations during his
lifetime of ministry, also wrote "The Centuries of Brothersvalley,
Church of the Brethren," "The Church of the Singing Hills," and
"The Church in the Valley." For 11 years he served as chair of the
Church of the Brethren General Historical Society Committee.

Jack VonEhr, 77, died on March 13. Jack and his wife, Nell, both
graduated from Manchester College, where Jack taught business from
1947 to 1952. He helped develop Boulder Hill, the largest
unincorporated community in Illinois, and helped design and build
Boulder Hill Neighborhood Church of the Brethren, of which he as a
member.

14) Last weekend was unforgettable for Steve Neff. This story,
gleaned from The Elkhart Truth with permission, explains -- 

When the Northwood High School Girls Basketball team won the
Indiana Class 3A State Championship last Saturday evening, it
marked the climax of a 22-year coaching career for Steve Neff.
Neff, a member of the Union Center Church of the Brethren and a
Manchester College graduate, has served as girls basketball coach
at Northwood for 22 years, compiling one of the best coaching
records in the state.

At a Sunday afternoon community pep rally, Nappanee mayor Larry
Thompson presented Neff the keys to the city and read a
proclamation declaring it Coach Steve Neff Day. Earlier Sunday
morning, after a long trip home from Indianapolis, Steve was with
his family at Union Center's 9:00 a.m. worship.

In an interesting sidelight, the charter bus that was to take the
team to Indianapolis for the championship game failed to show up.
Neff loaded the team in a school bus and drove the team to
Indianapolis. A high school biology teacher, Neff quipped, "I still
have my license for summer biology, so I had to drive the bus
today." It must have been an exciting ride as Neff reported, "We
made record time from Nappanee to Indy. We did it in under three
hours in that bus. And no speeding tickets." One of the players
remarked, "Our driver, well ... he got us there. But that's coach
for you, stepping up when you need him to."

(With the championship, Northwood's season has been extended two
games. This weekend they will return to Indy to meet the champions
from the state's three other divisions in a Tournament of
Champions. The Truth didn't report if Neff would again drive the
bus.)

15) For many years Norman Harsh wondered about Brethren communion
and feet washing services. Are they all the same? If not, how are
they different? In 1997, the retired Church of the Brethren pastor
decided to answer these and related questions by sending out a
survey. Here's Harsh's description of his post-survey report,
titled "Not so Trivial Devotions" --

In 1997 I developed a 41-question query about Love Feast and
communion practices in the Church of the Brethren. I've long
suspected that there is considerable variation in the way Brethren
"do" communion, often assuming that everyone else does it that way,
too. I also suspected that Brethren "rites" are widely regarded as
our most significant corporate activities, while at the same time
many of the associated minutiae may seem trivial to some. My
curiosity prompted me to check signals with a few "authorities" who
helped refine the questionnaire. As responses came back, I became
aware that at least three important questions had gone unasked.

The 268 recipients of the instrument were not selected at random.
They were primarily pastors and a few deacons of personal
acquaintance in 20 districts who I felt likely to give their time
if I supplied a stamped, self-addressed return envelope; 175
responded. The summary report includes unattributed quotations from
140 of the respondents. I did not screen the quotations for
"correctness" or other value judgements, feeling that readers
should be trusted with what may be useful for them.

My questionnaire was developed not knowing about the Deacon's
Manual For Caring Ministries (released in 1998 by Association of
Brethren Caregivers), which I now would regard as a primary source
for Love Feast planners. Since it affirms our variety of practices,
my report may be perceived as a useful supplement to add questions
and ideas. It consists of a statistical report of the responses
that reflect memories as well as current preferences, and a "meat
and potatoes" compilation of the meanings attached to our "trivial"
actions. Here reside the fresh metaphors and ideas that enrich our
"standard" practices --

*Why did only six respondents prefer "The Lord's Supper" as the
     name for a rite that most refer to as "Love Feast and
     communion"? After all, "The Lord's Supper" was Alexander
     Mack's preference. Did his heirs think it necessary to avoid
     the language of dominant Christian bodies for whom "Lord's
     Supper" signified practices absent the common meal and
     feetwashing soon held dear by Brethren?
*Is "footwashing/feetwashing" a sexist term, since women generally
     put both feet in the basin when their feet are washed, while
     men do it one foot at a time?
* Does anyone care that "only the best is good enough for God" when
     it comes to silver versus plastic communion cups or walnut
     versus pine wood for the cupholder blocks?
* Does anyone appreciate the ingenuity (mechanical and social) of
     Brethren who solve practical problems about marking/pricking
     the communion bread or arranging seating so that families can
     be together? 
*How many would be "bent out of shape" if they went to communion
     only to discover that the beverage in the communion cup was a
     cola or the main supper dish was lasagna? All these and many
     more variations could be your lot in some places.

Humor may not be a common staple at Love Feasts, but that has not
kept humorous and embarrassing things from happening at unexpected
moments. More often, stories are heart-warmers that linger long in
the memory of those who were there, especially of missionaries in
Nigeria and India.

Some respondents couched their reports in the form of arguments
about certain practices, such as the participation of children or
the church should adopt a uniform name.  Hence, one might expect
some lively debates as pastors and deacons decide their
preferences; and, whatever your "side," you may find support in
this report as you step back and ask the "Why?" questions that may
be lost in "doing things the same old way."

A free copy of "Not So Trivial Devotions" will be mailed to all who
request one by May 1. Write Harsh at normharsh@juno.com or at P.O.
Box 157, Lorida, FL 33857.

16) Last week's Newsline was more than some readers could wish for
-- 10 times in fact, as a computer glitch allowed 10 copies to be
sent out to those whose e-mail addresses begin with an A through K.
People with addresses starting with L through Z only received two
copies.

The glitch finally was traced to AOL's inability to broadcast an
e-mail to an unlimited number of recipients. The A-K Newsline list
had grown a little two large, which meant AOL started cutting off
characters at the end of the list. Five full addresses were
eliminated and one was sliced in half. It was this cut address that
caused the problem, as AOL sat still, waiting to receive those few
remaining characters. This gave me the impression that my computer
had locked up, which prompted me to reboot and try try try try try
try try try try again. 

The two lists have now been split into three, which should prevent
the multiple sends from happening again. nld

Newsline is produced by Nevin Dulabaum, manager of the Church of
the Brethren General Board's News Services. Newsline stories may be
reprinted provided that Newsline is cited as the source and the
publication date is included.

To receive Newsline by e-mail or fax, call 800 323-8039, ext. 263,
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