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

[Church of the Brethren News Services]

Date:      June 23, 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." Prov.
16:24a

NEWS
 1) Some changing scenery is in store for New Windsor.
 2) US Korean Brethren take hope from news of peace in their
homeland.
 3) The Fellowship of Brethren Homes holds Forum 2000.
 4) A "Faith Expedition" group is working in Honduras.
 5) Womaen's Caucus theology conference participants offer
reflections.
 6) Brethren bits: Giving, young adults, TV specials, and more.

PERSONNEL
 7) Emergency Response/Service Ministries seeks a Disaster Child
Care coordinator.

RESOURCES
 8) New Source packet includes a wealth of information from BBT and
Brethren Press 

COMING EVENTS
 9) Ministry of Reconciliation offers two post-Conference workshops
with Barbara Date.
10) BMC announces details for its Annual Conference events.

FEATURES
11) A Virginia congregation makes history a ministry.
12 Three Iowa couples simultaneously celebrate 60 years of
marriage.
13) Radical Reformation representatives find commonality.

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

 1) Change is in the air at the Brethren Service Center in New
Windsor, Md. SERRV International has announced plans to move its
gift shop in the lower level of the Old Main building to a smaller
space in its administration building -- still on the New Windsor
campus -- sometime next year.

The center's other store, The Peace Place of On Earth Peace
Assembly, recently announced that it would close effective Sept.
30. OEPA plans to offer an on-loan resourcing program called "The
Peace Basket" instead.

"New Windsor does not fare well for retail space," said Stan
Noffsinger, director of the Brethren Service Center. The small town
is located in a rural area northwest of Baltimore. "It's not where
people from the metropolitan areas are going to shop."

SERRV president Bob Chase said a steady decrease in sales at the
New Windsor store necessitated a move. Overall sales for SERRV are
up 31 percent this year, but sales at the center's 3,500-square
foot gift shop were declining for a 10th straight year. The new
store will be only about half as large as the current one.

He said SERRV has "an extremely strong commitment" to the center,
however, and wants to stay in New Windsor. Conversations about
renewing SERRV's lease with the Brethren Service Center, which
expires next year, are already under way.

"We are very pleased about being here," Chase said. "We just need
to make sure we use our resources in the best way to carry out our
mission. The mission doesn't change, but the way you carry it out
over time does."

That's also true for Noffsinger, who said he hopes to bring in new
partners to fill the vacant spaces. He expects those to be offices,
though, rather than retail outlets. A campus chapel is also a
possibility for some of the space. 

"We would love to have a Church of the Brethren agency or General
Board office expand here, or we'll work to find another appropriate
partner to join this community that serves the world," Noffsinger
said. "This is a vibrant place with a lot to offer. ... This is an
opportunity for new ministry."

 2) News of cooperation between North and South Korea and their
promise to work toward reunification after a summit last week was
received with joy among Korean Brethren in the United States.

Pastor Young Son Min of the Grace Christian congregation in Upper
Darby, Pa., near Philadelphia, said the good news was lifted up in
worship this past Sunday. Grace Christian is one of two active
Korean congregations in the denomination, along with the Central
Evangelical congregation in Los Angeles.

"It's a beginning for peace," Young said. "All Korean people (have
wanted) that kind of meeting for almost 50 years. We pray in our
congregation every week for something beginning."

Young said his congregation has a particular passion for evangelism
in North Korea, and hopes to see those doors opened. The Church of
the Brethren General Board has had mission work in South Korea in
the past and continues to provide aid in North Korea through the
Global Food Crisis Fund, particularly for famine relief.

 3) The Fellowship of Brethren Homes, a ministry of the Association
of Brethren Caregivers, held Forum 2000 at The Brethren Home
Community in New Oxford, Pa., June 16-18. The fourth annual
gathering brought together 53 persons from 13 Brethren retirement
communities, the Southern Pennsylvania District, Mennonite Health
Services, and ABC.

The weekend included networking sessions for executives and
healthcare leaders, chaplains, and development officers. Facility
board members were led by Lee Schmucker, of Schmucker Training &
Consulting, in a two-hour board training session. The program --
called "The Basics: Roles & Responsibilities" -- is part of the
High Performance Board Series, which is co-owned by ABC and
Mennonite Health Services.

Tours of The Brethren Home Community, Messiah Village (Brethren in
Christ) and Menno Haven/Penn Hall (Mennonite) gave forum
participants an inside look at three facilities that recently
formalized an interdenominational collaborative effort under the
banner of "Senior Life Alliance."

The forum concluded by worshiping with the Faith Community of the
Brethren Home, a congregation on the campus of the forum host. The
location of Forum 2001 will be decided in the near future.

 4) A Church of the Brethren Faith Expedition departed for Honduras
last week to assist in on-going reconstruction following 1998's
Hurricane Mitch. The group of 15 Brethren from eight districts was
scheduled to work in the community of Las Lajas, along the southern
coast of the Central American country, near the site of last
summer's work team efforts.

While in Honduras, the team is visiting communities that have
benefited from Global Food Crisis Fund grants for goats and pigs,
and will make a stop at the Mayan ruins at Copan. Leading the
delegation is Brethren Witness director David Radcliff, with work
coordination handled by Jim Dodd of Midland, Va.

The group is being hosted in Honduras by Christian Commission for
Development, a Brethren partner agency whose director, Noemi de
Espinoza, will attend this summer's Annual Conference in Kansas
City.

 5) Participants in last month's Church of the Brethren Womaen's
Caucus theology conference said community-building and interaction,
solitude and introspection were all part of their experience.

The conference, with the theme "The Politics of Sin: Who Decides
What is Right and Wrong?," was attended by 23 women and two men in
Dayton, Ohio. Dr. Melanie Morrison, an author and an adjunct
faculty member of Chicago Theological Seminary, provided
leadership.

"Questioning definitions of sin led us to reflect on the bias of
power of those who shape the dominant Christian tradition,"
according to the reflections of five participants from the Oakland
Church of the Brethren in Gettysburg, Ohio.

Other activities of the weekend included small-group study, looking
at the language of hymns and at scripture passages, writing, free
time, and recreation. 

"(We) came with our diversity of life experiences and found our
common ground," the Oakland group wrote. "Through laughing, crying,
and singing together, and through telling our stories, we
discovered we still hope for a just world and believe the
`...ancient love rolls on.' "
 

 6) Brethren bits: Other brief news notes from around the
denomination and elsewhere.
 *Religion News Service reported an increase of $11.6 billion in
personal gifts in 1999 with $190 billion in overall giving; $143.7
billion of that was given by individuals to charity, up 7.2 percent
from 1998. Religious groups represented about 43 percent of all
contributions, for $81.78 billion. Statistics come from the AAFRC
Trust for Philanthropy annual report.

 *The 2001 Young Adult Conference will be held May 26-28, featuring
the topic of spirituality with Paul Grout of the Genesis (Vt.)
Church of the Brethren as leader. Location is to be announced.

 *All was well at Camp Colorado in Sedalia this week following last
week's wildfire scare. The fires stopped about 10 miles from the
camp, and, aided by cool and damp weather, firefighters expected to
have the blaze totally contained this week. Disaster Child Care
volunteers who were helping to provide support at a shelter in
Conifer were released Sunday.

 *Judy E. Williams of Churchville, Va., has been named executive
director of development in the Bridgewater (Va.) College of
Institutional Advancement effective July 1. Williams has served the
college as executive director of college relations since 1997.
Ellen K. Layman, who has been serving as director of public
information, will become director of media and church relations and
serve as liaison between the college and the Church of the
Brethren.

 *"Peter Jennings Reporting: The Search for Jesus" will air Monday
(June 26) from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time on ABC stations. The program
follows Jennings through the Holy Land, retracing the steps of
Jesus, trying to determine what can actually be known about his
birth, childhood, life, and death. ABC News said it is part of a
commitment to cover issues of spirituality and religion more
comprehensively, stating "Religion does not receive the attention
it deserves on the networks."

 7) Emergency Response/Service Ministries of the Church of the
Brethren General Board is seeking a Disaster Child Care
coordinator. This full-time position is based at the Brethren
Service Center, New Windsor, Md.

Areas of responsibility include: Oversight and administration of
activities related to the operation of Disaster Child Care program
including recruitment, training, certification, activation,
supervision, and evaluation of Disaster Child Care volunteers;
planning and conducting training events; oversight and
administration of funds designated for the operation of Disaster
Child Care; and collaboration with American Red Cross, Disaster
Services and Disaster Mental Health Services, and Federal Emergency
Management Agency.

A bachelor's degree in education, psychology, and/or human
development is required along with proven experience in adult
education and training; early childhood education; and disaster
education and training, especially the psycho/social aspects of
disaster. For a detailed description of position responsibilities
and qualifications, call 800 323-8039 ext. 259 or e-mail
eholderread_gb@brethren.org.

Qualified candidates are invited to send a resume and letter of
application and to ask three references to send letters of
recommendation to: Elsie Holderread, Office of Human Resources,
Church of the Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL
60120. All application materials are due by Aug. 16.

 8) The July/August Source packet sent to congregations this week
includes two news releases from Brethren Benefit Trust,
highlighting strong investment returns in the 1990s and the
organization's recent structural shift. BBT also includes an
invitation to its reception on socially responsive investing at
Annual Conference and information about investing in the Walden/BBT
Social Index Funds.

A number of Brethren Press resources are highlighted: LabOra
Worship 3.0 -- custom worship planning software that will be
introduced at an insight session at Annual Conference; Bible Quest
-- a Bible story curriculum; and Jubilee curriculum materials,
including a new teacher training video entitled "Jubilee: Nurturing
Faith." Other resource information includes worship materials
focusing on the suffering in Iraq from the Office of Brethren
Witness and the 2000 Source Book from New Life Ministries.

Other enclosures include the 2000 Program and Budget report
"Ministry by the Numbers. Ministry More than Numbers" by the
General Board, an announcement of an internship opening at Brethren
Historical Library and Archives, a brochure providing an overview
of On Earth Peace Assembly Inc., information about loan
applications through the Brethren Employees Credit Union, and an
invitation to contribute to a book in progress, "Two or Three with
Jesus: Stories of Discipleship According to Matthew 18."

 9) On Earth Peace Assembly's Ministry of Reconciliation program
has announced two workshops for reconcilers immediately after next
month's Annual Conference. Dr. Barbara Date will serve as leader
for the workshops, which will be held at Camp Mount Hermon -- just
west of Kansas City in Tonganoxie, Kan.

The first workshop, "Using the Personality Styles Inventory," is
July 19-20. The second workshop, "Group Facilitation: Approaches
and Skills," is July 20-22. Both workshops together cost $100;
separately they are $40 and $75, respectively. Room and board at
Camp Mount Hermon is $11 per day.

Date is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and serves as senior
advisor/mentor for Under a Northern Sky, an organization of
indigenous peoples in Canada. In the mid- to late-1980s, she was
coordinator of the Ministry of Reconciliation program for the
Church of the Brethren.

For more information contact Bob Gross, MoR Coordinator, at 219
982-7751 or bgross@igc.org. To register for these workshops,
contact Ministry of Reconciliation Workshops, On Earth Peace, at
410 635-8704 or e-mail kristen@oepa.org.

 10) The Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns
has announced details for its events at next month's Annual
Conference in Kansas City. Chuck Boyer, pastor of the La Verne
Church of the Brethren and former Conference moderator, will be
speaking at the BMC luncheon on Tuesday, July 18. His presentation
is titled: "All God's Children Got a Place." The program will also
include music by Lee Krahenbuhl, and advance ticket purchase is
recommended.

BMC will also hold brief worship services at noon on Sunday,
Monday, and Tuesday of the Conference week. These services are held
outside the main entrance (east side) of the convention center.
Sunday's worship leader will be Zandra Wagoner, Monday's leader
will be Cliff Kindy, and Tuesday's leader will be Aaron King.

 11) In a part of the country known for Civil War battlefields, a
Church of the Brethren congregation is working hard to create a
place known for another side of history. The Linville Creek Church
of the Brethren, located in the heart of Virginia's Shenandoah
Valley in the town of Broadway, is building on its reputation as
the home of 19th century church leader John Kline. In fact, history
and heritage have become a major focus.

"That's a ministry of this congregation," pastor Paul Roth said.
"People do interpretation, take guests around. We see this as part
of our mission for the denomination in telling the story."

Roth said area sights include two historical rooms inside the
church, one of them a special Kline Room; a nearby cemetery where
Kline and his wife, Anna, are buried along with other church
leaders, including M.R. Zigler; the "Tunker House," used as an
early meeting house by Linville Creek; and the site where Kline was
shot and killed while returning from one of his many trips. Kline's
house is also nearby but is privately owned and offers no tours.

People have been coming to give their regards to Broadway. Four
groups came in a nine-day period in mid-June, and a tour group from
Schwarzenau, Germany, came through in the spring. Roth said others,
including some Old German Baptist Brethren, will just show up
unannounced. The church keeps a ledger of all those who visit, and
Roth said groups of all kinds are welcome by calling 540 896-5001.

Other plans are also in the works. Roth serves on the board of a
group seeking to develop a Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage
Center that would provide an "alternative story" to the Civil War.
A site has not yet been chosen, but several historical items have
already been donated.

A book on the area during the Civil War, "The Olive Branch," was
reprinted by Linville Creek in 1997 for the John Kline bicentennial
celebration, when 2,000 people joined in festivities. Referred to
in the spring 2000 edition of "A Guide for Biblical Studies" from
Brethren Press, the book is still available ($12 plus $3.50 postage
and handling) by calling the church, e-mailing
proth@bridgewater.edu, or writing 3968 E. Springbrook Rd.,
Broadway, VA 22815-2838.

 12) Sixty years of marriage and a lifetime of friendship were
celebrated recently by three couples in Iowa -- all members of the
Panther Creek Church of the Brethren in Adel. Friends since their
childhood at Panther Creek, Leonard and Mable Snyder, Dale and Ruth
Wicks, and Verle and Eva York stayed in the area to farm after
their marriages in 1940 and have continually supported each other
and their families.

Wed within eight days of each other (May 29, 31, and June 5,
respectively), the three couples celebrated their 60th
anniversaries with a triple open house at the church on June 11.
They had not planned to have a reception because they had a joint
reception on their 50th anniversaries, Eva commented. However, the
couples' children decided that a public celebration was in order
and organized the event.

Not knowing a reception announcement in the newspaper would create
a stir, Eva gave information about the open house to The Des Moines
Register. After she relayed the details, the newspaper employee saw
a unique story in the occasion and asked to set up an interview.

On May 29 the Register printed the story, entitled "180 years of
marriage: 3 couples celebrate loyalty," and posted it on the
newspaper's website. The next day the couples received a call from
CBS requesting interviews.

They were scheduled to air live on The Early Show Friday, June 2,
but were bumped to the following week because of a breaking story.
Eventually their story was canceled due to more scheduling
conflicts, but later in the week, by invitation and expense of CBS,
the friends gathered to spend dinner together at the restaurant
Christopher's in Des Moines. 

Even though the story did not air, Eva said the word certainly got
around. "We received cards, letters, and calls from our friends and
relatives in 17 states," she said. "The news spread like wildfire."

After farming and raising children together for more than 45 years
within a mile of each other, the Snyders, Wicks, and Yorks continue
to live in the Adel area and attend church every Sunday. "The
church and community have been the center of our lives," Eva said.
"I give the church a lot of credit for our long marriage."

 13) Two Church of the Brethren members revisited the
denomination's "radical" roots at this year's sixth Consultation on
the First and Radical Reformation, with the theme "New Life in
Christ." Held in Strasbourg, France -- a hotbed of radical dissent
in the reformation era and later home to some Radical Pietists --
the conference brought together members of many groups.

Bethany Theological Seminary professor Jeff Bach and former
professor Don Durnbaugh received invitations from the event's
organizers to "bring a Brethren presence," Bach said. Here, Bach
shares some of his reflections from the experience:

"The theme continued theological work from the previous
consultation (held in Geneva, Switzerland) on the doctrine of
justification, its implication for good works, discipleship and
sanctification, as well as ecclesiology. This consultation came on
the heels of an historic agreement between Catholic and Lutheran
theologians, which worked toward new understandings of
justification by faith and Roman Catholic understandings of grace.

"Various participants gave presentations on their tradition's
theological perspectives on justification and sanctification.
Participants also divided into mixed working groups to formulate
responses and questions for further clarification to each
presentation. A final working document was drafted summarizing some
of the emerging points of commonality and expressing a desire to
discuss further at a future consultation, probably to be held in
Prague.

"Among the points of commonality was an agreement that
`justification becomes a reality through the faithfulness of Jesus
Christ, which includes his life and actions, in light of his death
and resurrection.' Furthermore, `life in Christ involves costly
grace,' along with `the challenge to faithful discipleship.' "

Durnbaugh was among those who served on the drafting committee for
the final document. Among the 25 attending were four Mennonites,
two from the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and
representatives from the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church,
Seventh Day Adventists, the United Methodists, the United Church of
Christ, Lutherans, Reformed Church, and churches of the 15th
century Czech Reformation.

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. Newsline stories may be reprinted
provided that Newsline is cited as the source and the publication
date is included. Kendra Flory and Jeff Bach contributed to this
report.

To receive Newsline by e-mail or fax, call 1-800-323-8039, ext.
263, or write CoBNews@AOL.Com. Newsline is available at
www.brethren.org and is archived with an index at
http://www.wfn.org.