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

[Church of the Brethren News Services]

Date:      March 31, 2000
Contact:  Walt Wiltschek
V:  847/742-5100   F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL:   CoBNews@AOL.Com

"Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul."  Proverbs
16:24a

NEWS
 1) The Cross Cultural Ministries Team meets in Dayton to focus on
leadership.
 2) The Church of the Brethren joins a host of religious groups to
speak against gun violence.
 3) ABC's board tackles resources, by-laws, and long-range planning
at its spring meeting.
 4) A massive disaster relief project continues for flooded
southern Africa.
 5) Additional emergency funds go to support Hurricane Floyd
cleanup.
 6) Youth and advisors prepare for two upcoming regional
conferences.
 7) Dedicated OEPA peace academy "host mother" Judy Dotterer dies
March 20. 
 8) Archbishop Desmond Tutu helps Elizabethtown College mark its
centennial.
 9) Brethren bits: devotional booklets, Committee on Interchurch
Relations, BVS, and more.

PERSONNEL
 10) Tim Van Meter is named director of Bethany Seminary's new
Institute for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults

RESOURCES
 11) Bethany student Patrick Bugu of Nigeria is avaiable for summer
congregational visits.

COMING EVENTS
 12) A group of Brethren will explore globalization issues in
Nicaragua in October.
 13) NOAC registrations will be received beginning April 1.

FEATURES
 14) Rosella Wiens Regier takes her Christian education message
around the country.

****************************************************************

 1) "It was Pentecost." That's how one participant described the
3rd Consultation of Ethnic and Urban Churches held March 23-26 at
Mack Memorial Church of the Brethren in Dayton, Ohio.

The event was designed to develop leadership training models to
better serve the needs of ethnic churches and their leaders, but
the spirit of worship and reconciliation formed the lasting memory
for many in attendance. While worship was held several times each
day, a Saturday evening worship service on the message of
forgiveness was an emotional highlight that sparked images of the
Pentecost story in Acts 2. The group also welcomed Raul and Lidia
Gonzalez, pastors of a new Spanish-speaking congregation in
Bethlehem, Pa., being assisted by the First Church of the Brethren
in Harrisburg.

Participants in the gathering included Brethren from Haitian,
Korean, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, African-American and Anglo
congregations. An array of representatives from Brethren and other
agencies led the discussions around leadership development.

Those attending named many of the difficulties in leadership
development for ethnic leaders and looked at models of training,
such as mentoring and current Church of the Brethren programs in
Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The consultation then
produced a number of specific proposals in building a more
effective partnership with existing Brethren training programs.

The group also heard a report from a recently passed General Board
resolution on ethnic representation for leadership positions within
the church. The resolution had its genesis with the Cross Cultural
Ministries Team planning committee, who also planned this
consultation.

Southern Ohio District hosted the event, with its congregations
cooperating to provide meals and hospitality for the conference
participants, who came from various parts of the United States and
Puerto Rico. A fourth consultation will be planned by the Cross
Cultural Ministries Team for 2001 on the theme of alternative
sources of funding and developing new partnerships. The Cross
Cultural Ministries Team includes Belita Mitchell, Imperial Heights
congregation, Los Angeles; Sonja Griffith, First Central, Kansas
City, Kans.; Terry Shumaker, Pleasant Dale, Decatur, Ind.; Gilbert
Romero, Bella Vista, Los Angeles; Orlando Redekopp, First Church
Chicago; Irvin Heishman, First Church Harrisburg, Jimmy Diaz,
Castaner, Puerto Rico; Barbara Date, Winnipeg, Canada and Duane
Grady, Area 2 Congregational Life Team.

 2) The Church of the Brethren is among many bodies to join an
Interfaith Call to End Gun Violence, presented in Washington, D.C.
on March 15. The letter, signed by more than 150 Protestant,
Catholic, and Jewish religious groups and backed US Housing and
Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo, relates staggering
statistics of death and injuries caused by guns and calls for
changes to improve safety.

"The Church of the Brethren has always stood against violence in
all forms," wrote Washington Office interim director Loyce
Borgmann, citing a 1968 General Board statement and 1978 Annual
Conference statement as examples. "Gun violence is an area that has
been addressed by the Church of the Brethren many times - at all
times the church's position has been the same - do whatever we can
and need to do to end gun violence."

The National Council of Churches has also strongly endorsed the
call and has plans to continue working on the issue. "Because we
are so committed to ending this scourge of violence, the National
Council of Churches has made the issue of gun violence one of its
top priorities and will focus significant educational and advocacy
resources on this matter in the years to come," said Dr. Bob Edgar,
general secretary of the NCC.

 3) The Association of Brethren Caregivers board approved becoming
a co-owner of the High Performance Board Series during its spring
meeting, held March 17-18 in Elgin, Ill. The series, a board
development tool, is co-owned with Mennonite Health Services of
Goshen, Ind., which initially developed the program.

The High Performance Board Series is a resource of the Fellowship
of Brethren Homes and will be available to the respective
memberships of both organizations, agencies within the Church of
the Brethren and Mennonite denominations, and other not-for-profit
organizations. Although several modules of the program are ready,
ABC and Mennonite Health Services representatives will continue
developing the program and will address presentation and 
pricing issues in the future. Members of the Fellowship of Brethren
Homes may be able to schedule training modules for their boards
over the next few months.

This was the first ABC board meeting convened by new chair Marilyn
Lerch Scott. Scott is pastor of the Naperville (Ill.) Church of the
Brethren and served on the ABC board for four years before becoming
chair Jan. 1. Bentley Peters, a management consultant based in
Elgin, Ill., attended the meetings in his new role as chair-elect.

In other business, the ABC board:
*Approved a process for the steering committees of its nine
ministry areas to collectively elect two members to the board. The
ABC by-laws, which were approved by Annual Conference, empower
ministry groups to elect members to the board.

*Approved bestowing caregiver awards to four individuals who will
be recognized during ABC's recognition dinner at Annual Conference.

*Heard reports from each of its nine ministry areas about programs
and plans for insight sessions and support groups at Annual
Conference in Kansas City, Mo.

*Began discussing a process of long-range planning for the
organization. Sessions of long-range planning will be incorporated
into the next several Board meetings.

*Received financial reports for 1999.

 4) Continued flooding and its aftermath in southern Africa have
made a bad situation worse. Church World Service recently increased
its emergency appeal for a second time, to $2.6 million, to address
relief efforts in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar. Flooding
has resulted in hundreds of deaths, widespread destruction that has
left hundreds of thousands homeless, and outbreaks of malaria and
cholera. Mozambique, one of the world's poorest nations, has been
particularly hard hit.

The Church of the Brethren General Board's Emergency
Response/Service Ministries has already responded with a $25,000
grant from the Emergency Disaster Fund, and ER/SM intends to
provide additional support as finances allow. A special appeal for
help went out to Brethren in the past week.

CWS relief is expected to include blanket assistance and
"resettlement kits," which include health kits, mosquito netting,
cooking supplies, and other basic necessities. For more information
on this project, visit www.churchworldservice.org.

 5) Another $20,000 grant from the Emergency Disaster Fund has been
approved for continuing recovery work in response to last fall's
Hurricane Floyd.

The allocation will support the continuation of the two long-term
projects that are operating in Franklin, Va., and Vanceboro, N.C.
The monies will provide meals, lodging, and on-site transportation
for volunteers, along with tools, supplies, and other needs.

A third, short-term ER/SM project is also currently operating in
Haysville/Wichita, Kan.

 6) Youth and advisors in Pennsylvania and Atlantic Northeast will
gather this weekend at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College for Eastern
Regional Youth Conference. Gilbert Romero, pastor of the Bella
Vista Church of the Brethren in Los Angeles will be keynote speaker
with the theme "No Fear -- Know God!" A contemporary Christian band
formed by Romero, the Bittersweet Gospel Band, will also perform at
the conference.

Meanwhile, youth and advisors in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern
regions of the country, encompassing six districts in all, will
hold their Roundtable regional youth conference at Bridgewater
(Va.) College the following weekend, April 8-9. Bridgewater and
Bethany Theological Seminary graduate Shawn Replogle, now pastor of
the South Waterloo (Iowa) Church of the Brethren, will be the main
speaker, with the theme "Looking Back...To Look Ahead."

Several hundred youth typically attend each event.

 7) Judy Dotterer, a former board member and long-time supporter of
On Earth Peace Assembly, passed away suddenly on March 20.
Dotterer, of Woodbine, Md., served as unofficial "host mother" for
dozens of On Earth Peace Assembly peace academies in the late 1980s
and early 1990s. She helped to counsel and mentor hundreds of young
people who came to the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.,
to learn about the teachings of Jesus and the Church of the
Brethren related to peacemaking.

As a recipient of a kidney and pancreas transplant herself,
Dotterer was also an organ donation activist. She was an active
member of the Union Bridge (Md.) Church of the Brethren, where a
memorial service was held on March 26.

 8) Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a major figure in South Africa’s
struggle against apartheid, delivered a stirring speech of
forgiveness and reconciliation to highlight Elizabethtown (Pa.)
College's year-long centennial celebration.

Tutu spoke on March 17 to a full house of about 3,000 people in
Thompson Gymnasium following spiritual numbers from the
Elizabethtown College Concert Choir and introductory remarks from
President Theodore Long. With a mix of somber history, lively
stories, and humor, Tutu quickly captivated the audience.

"South Africa has provided a paradigm for dealing with the
aftermath of conflict," Tutu said, describing the fall of apartheid
and the first open elections in the country. "Who would have
thought this South Africa could be a beacon of hope? . . . The
disaster did not overtake us; the bloodbath did not overwhelm us.
Instead the world watched with amazement as it saw a miracle unfold
before its very eyes."

At one point, Tutu laughingly encouraged the entire audience of
"shy and reserved Americans" to join in frenzied applause and
celebration for the success achieved by all those who helped topple
apartheid. He finished his talk with a final plea to continue that
work, outlining his dreams of a world with "more compassion,
caring, laughter, and sharing."

"I have no one except you, and you, and you to realize my dream,"
he said, pointing to spots in the crowd. "Will you help me,
please?"

 9) Brethren bits: Other brief news notes from around the
denomination and elsewhere
 *The Ephrata (Pa.) Church of the Brethren developed its own Lenten
devotional booklet this year, with dozens of church members
contributing devotionals to cover each day from Ash Wednesday to
Easter Sunday, plus original artwork throughout.

 *The Committee on Interchurch Relations has had a busy spring. It
requested the General Board to ask Annual Conference to join the
World Council of Churches' Decade to Overcome Violence, which the
board has done, and CiR is sponsoring two events at Annual
Conference: an ecumenical luncheon and an insight session, both
featuring National Council of Churches general secretary Robert
Edgar.

 *Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 238, an older adult unit, begins
orientation on Tuesday at the Brethren Service Center in New
Windsor, Md., with seven members. 

 *Earth Day 2000 festivities will occur all across the country
April 22, marking Earth Day's 30th anniversary. A major celebration
will be held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where actor
Leonardo DiCaprio will host the titanic "EarthFair 2000" event for
environmental awareness and education.

 *SERRV representative Sheila Buttner Law on March 21 hosted about
20 SERRV wholesale and consignment customers from the Chicago area
at the General Offices in Elgin, Ill. SERRV's spring catalog is
also now available.

 *On Earth Peace Assembly will hold a junior high peace retreat at
the Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren this weekend, part of a
continuing series. OEPA program coordinator Barb Leininger Dickason
will lead the retreat, with the theme "Peace-ing it Together with
Our Friends."

 *Spaces remain in the following summer workcamps, according to the
Youth/Young Adult Office (number of open spaces in parentheses):
Dominican Republic Young Adult (9); Harrisburg, Pa.
Intergenerational (5); Orlando Sr. High (2); Puerto Rico Sr. High
(2); St. Croix Sr. High 1 (5); Americus, Ga. Sr. High (10); Jamaica
Sr. High 1 (10); St. Croix Sr. High 2 (8); Jamaica Sr. High 2 (1);
Tijuana Sr. High (11); Wichita Sr. High (7); Denver Sr. High (4);
Washington, D.C. Sr. High (10); Gould Farm Sr. High (1). Call 800
323 8039 for details.

 *The Church of the Brethren Association of Christian Educators
spring retreat/25th anniversary celebration scheduled for this past
weekend was cancelled due to schedule conflicts causing low
registration. It may be rescheduled at a future date.

 *More than 1,000 religious communicators are meeting in Chicago
for the 2000 Religious Communication Congress this week, including
about 10 representatives from Brethren agencies. The event is held
just once a decade. An opening celebration included music, dancing
flowers, and a keynote address by Rev. Jesse Jackson.

 10) Bethany Theological Seminary has announced the appointment of
Tim Van Meter as the first director of the new Institute for
Ministry With Youth and Young Adults, beginning Aug. 1. As a member
of Bethany's teaching faculty, he will develop and administer the
overall program of the Institute, which will feature educational
opportunities at both the graduate and Brethren Academy level.

Van Meter is currently the director of research for the Youth
Theological Initiative at Candler School of Theology in Atlanta,
Ga., and has served in a variety of capacities with YTI since 1996.
He has worked with youth and young adults in both congregational
and parachurch contexts, including area leadership for Young Life
Ministries in Indiana.

Van Meter, a member of the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in
Atlanta, holds an undergraduate degree from Tennessee Technological
University and received his master of divinity degree from Emory
University, Candler School of Theology, in 1996. He is completing
a doctorate in religious education in the Graduate Division of
Religion at Emory. His dissertation evaluates a model developed for
teaching ecology and theology with youth and young adults.

 11) Nigerian church leader Patrick Bugu, who is midway through his
coursework at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., is
available to speak at congregations this summer, from May 15 to
Aug. 15 (except during Annual Conference travel July 14-20).

Bugu, an ordained minister, is willing to share about the joys and
struggles of the Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria, the Church of the
Brethren's major sister church in Nigeria. The sharing can take
place in worship, Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, special
events, or other times. Congregations should provide meals and
lodging.

Contact the General Board's Global Mission Partnerships office or
Bethany Theological Seminary, who are jointly funding the
theological training for Nigerian students and will also cover
transportation this summer, to request a visit. The General Board
contact is Mary Munson, 800 323-8039, x230 or e-mail
mission_gb@brethren.org; Bethany's contact is Marcia Shetler, 800
287-8822 x1823 or e-mail BethanySem@aol.com. Requests, with a first
choice and alternate dates, should be received by April 30.

 12) A delegation of Brethren will travel to Nicaragua Oct. 17-30
to learn about the effects of economic globalization on the
nation's most vulnerable people, its communities, and its land. 
Participants will examine the dynamics of transnational
corporations, the World Bank, and other entities operating under
the current economic model and becoming involved in poor nations
such as Nicaragua.

Following three days of meetings in the capital of Managua,
participants will spend the remaining time in the remote village of
Mulukuku, working with inhabitants on sustainable development
projects.

The cost, including airfare, is estimated to be approximately
$1,300. Registration deadline is July 15. For an application or
more information, contact Sue Wagner Fields, working with the
General Board's Brethren Witness office on globalization issues
this year, at 195 Focht Dr., Bernville, PA 19506; or phone 610
488-6604, or e-mail swfields@att.net.

 13) Registrations can be received beginning April 1 for the fifth
National Older Adult Conference, which will be held Sept. 11-15 at
Lake Junaluska, N.C. Past attendees, congregations, district
offices, and Brethren retirement facilities received copies of the
conference registration brochure in March.

The Association of Brethren Caregivers, sponsor of the conference,
learned this week that some areas experienced a delay in receiving
their copies of the registration brochures. To get a copy, contact
your church, district office or ABC (847 742-5100, ext. 300).

 14) While cyclists take on the Tour de France or Tour de Trump,
Rosella Wiens Regier is experiencing a Tour de Brethren this year.
Regier, a Mennonite from Newton, Kan., was asked by Brethren Press
to lead a series of Christian education workshops based around the
Jubilee Sunday school curriculum. She had just retired from working
with Jubilee last January, and so she agreed to do it.

"It was just a God-send for me," said Regier, catching a break
between workshops in Waynesboro, Pa., and Manassas, Va. "I knew I
would miss the people and contacts and material and message. I
said, 'Yes, I'd love to do it.' "

She's jumped into it with both feet. Regier gave her first
workshops last August in Indiana, and she has more scheduled
through this summer, about three dozen in all. A simple letter
offering the workshops to all the denomination's district
executives filled her calendar quickly. Some have had very specific
goals for the sessions, while others ask her to design something.
Even through the hectic schedule and battling a scratchy throat,
she's enjoyed it all.

"Everyone seems to be very generous and open, which is amazing
because they don't really know me," Regier said of the Brethren,
especially praising the leg work of Congregational Life Team
members and district Christian education staff. "My spirits haven't
flagged at all. I'm always energized by the people, and somehow
there's always grace for the next thing. Each one is unique. It's
marvelous."

While using Jubilee curriculum as a model in her talks, Regier said
she emphasizes that the principles she's teaching can be used with
any curriculum. What's most important, she says, is a consistent
message. "Whatever you use, make sure the theology matches your
denominational bent," she says. "Make sure you're teaching what's
being preached in your church."

Newsline is produced by Walt Wiltschek, manager of news services
for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on the first, third
and fifth Friday of each month. Duane Grady contributed to this
report. 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 1-800-323-8039, ext.
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