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

[COBNews@aol.com]

Date: March 30, 2001
Contact: Walt Wiltschek
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

 1) "Messenger" kicks off its 150th birthday celebration.
 2) Dominican Brethren celebrate present, plan for future at
Assembly.
 3) Vision and mission highlight ABC spring board meetings.
 4) Bethany board holds spring meeting, readies for capital
campaign.
 5) Annual Conference revises weekend registration fee structure.
 6) Northeastern youth gather for Regional Youth Conference.
 7) ABC workcamp participants repair buildings, build
relationships.
 8) Brethren Witness office joins several sign-on letters to White
House.

 1) Messenger, the denominational magazine of the Church of the
Brethren, officially kicks off the celebration of its 150th
birthday in April. It was in April 1851 that Henry Kurtz founded
Messenger's ancestor, The Gospel Visiter, in Ohio. It later became
The Gospel Messenger, and eventually simply Messenger.

The April 2001 issue features a major feature article by Brethren
historian/publisher James Lehman, tracing the magazine's rich
history by looking at the people who have sat in the editor's
chair. It examines how each one helped to shape the magazine, and
through it to shape the church.

Current editor Fletcher Farrar says its important to look at the
journey that brought Messenger to where it is today.

"Celebrating history honors the cloud of witnesses that got us
here," Farrar says. "Remembering their courage gives us courage. We
are rooted and grounded, so there is nothing to fear."

Numerous activities are planned to observe the anniversary. This
summer's Annual Conference in Baltimore will include a 150th
anniversary dinner with keynote speaker Walter Wink, a special
exhibit, and a time of recognition during Conference business. A
"party pack" will be available to help congregations and districts
celebrate through the year.

In addition, Messenger is launching an effort to increase the
number of subscribers by 5,000 in the next five years. It is
inviting people to send gifts to support this effort as well as
other projects, such as microfilming old issues of The Gospel
Visiter.

Messenger anniversary pages will soon be added to the
www.brethren.org website at www.brethren.org/genbd/messengr/.

 3) "Building ourselves up in the growth of our Lord, Jesus
Christ." This was the theme of the 10th annual National Assembly of
the Dominican Republic Church of the Brethren, held near San Juan
de la Maguana Feb. 23-25. It included worship, celebration,
decisions for the church's present life, and planning for its
future.

The Assembly opened with a lively service that included
participation by various congregations and an opening sermon by
moderator David Reyes, featuring the meeting's theme as found in
Luke 2:52.

Business sessions followed, with 57 delegates and many
international visitors attending. Global Mission Partnerships
mission co-coordinator Jerry Crouse served as a representative to
the Dominican Assembly for the General Board. Topics discussed and
approved by the delegate body included construction model changes,
recommendations by the National Board following the October 2000
Leadership Summit, and a report on the Conference properties.

Significant discussion centered around one of the National Board
recommendations--the decision to become financially self-supporting
within a period of 15 years starting next year--before it was
approved. The National Board says it considers this an important
step in the process of maturing as the Dominican Church of the
Brethren. This decision will allow for the Dominican Brethren to
establish themselves as a national church as the Nigerian Brethren
have done.

Other actions taken included the implementation of annual
evaluations of congregations, organizing an official church board
in each congregation, a National Board subsidy for qualifying
churches to help them with their local budgets, a decision to have
each congregation buy its own Sunday School materials, and a call
to revise the mutuality aspect for construction projects. 

The Ebenezer project (Bonao), pastored by Wilson Nova, and the
Sabana Torsa preaching point, pastored by Manolo Lamul, were
received as fellowships (25 baptized members or more). Based on the
number of baptized members reported by each congregation, there are
465 members in the Dominican Church of the Brethren.

Saturday evening worship featured a variety of participants, with
visiting Haitian pastor Ernesto Mesirien singing in Creole,
Castaner (Puerto Rico) pastor Jimmy Diaz preaching on coming
together in the body of Christ, and a mixed group of US, Dominican,
and Puerto Rican Brethren singing in both English and Spanish.

After the last remaining business was discussed Sunday morning,
Crouse gave the closing sermon. Pastor Eduardo Montero of the
Proyecto Peniel congregation was installed as the 2001 moderator,
and Felix Arias of San Juan de la Maguana as moderator-elect.

 3) The Association of Brethren Caregivers board continued planning
for the organization's future at its spring meeting, held March
16-17 in Elgin, Ill. The board approved a vision and planning
process for the organization, formed a committee to guide the
process, and established a timeline for its implementation.

"The board is addressing the long-range future of the organization
and is moving away from the transitional planning it began in 1998,
when ABC was recognized as a denominational agency by Annual
Conference," says Steve Mason, executive director of ABC.

The Vision and Planning Committee will develop a vision statement,
mission statement, and strategic focus for the board to consider.
The committee may present these three items to the board as early
as its September 2001 meetings. Once these elements are
established, ABC staff will become involved in creating a strategic
plan for the organization.

In other business, the board approved the 2001 operating budget,
which projects a $145,790 deficit. The deficit is due to three
items: a decrease of $60,000 in revenue due to completion of
support from Behold! campaign, which ended in 2000; ABC's hosting
of Caring Ministries Assembly, the smaller and more expensive of
its two biennial conferences, in 2001; and the
slower-than-projected growth of congregational support since 1998.
Reserves will be used to cover the deficit, according to Mason.

The board also accepted Ron McAdams' resignation and recognized his
term of service to ABC. McAdams resigned from the board because he
was elected to the Annual Conference Standing Committee by the
Southern Ohio District.

Representatives from ABC's staff and nine ministry areas gave
updates including:
*Registration brochures and posters for the third biennial Caring
Ministries Assembly were mailed to congregations and individuals in
March, and resource packets for "Celebrating Families," the theme
of this year's Health Promotion Sunday emphasis, will be mailed to
each congregation at the end of March.

*The Health Education and Research Ministry group reported that it
awarded five loans to Church of the Brethren members or individuals
working at Church of the Brethren agencies who are pursuing careers
in the health professions. Although funding was available to
support up to 25 students in 2000, only five qualified. The group
reported its plans to more actively promote its Loans and
Scholarship Program through denominational communication vehicles.

*This year marks the 10th anniversary of the introduction of
"Lafiya: A Whole Person Health Ministry" to Church of the Brethren
congregations. Staff reported that the Lafiya program is expanding
from solely a congregationally based program to a philosophy of
incorporating issues of health and wholeness into church lives and
everyday life for church members.

 4) Under the theme of "appreciation," the Bethany Theological
Seminary board met March 23-25 for its semi-annual gathering in
Richmond, Ind. Chair Guy Wampler encouraged the Board to model
Philippians 4:8, "... whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever
is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things." Wampler expressed
appreciation on behalf of the board for the strong leadership of
seminary faculty and staff.

The board heard several reports shared by teaching and
administrative faculty, including Nadine Pence Frantz on her
experience as instructor for the Brethren Academy's current online
class; Lowell Flory on planned giving; Joanna Schofield about
online registration and course scheduling; and Steve Spyker on
information technology.

In other business, the board:
*Approved a budget of approximately $1.8 million for 2001/2002;

*Sent recommendations to the Brethren Journal Association for
clarifying their relationship to the seminary;

*Received a progress report on development of the seminary's
distributed education program for the graduate school, and new
initiatives in the academy programs;

*Received an update on Bethany's capital campaign "Inspired by the
Spirit--Educating for Ministry" and noted that the public launching
will take place at Annual Conference on Sunday evening, July 1;

*Was invited to participate in a celebration of the completion of
the lower level of the Bethany Center on March 31;

*Expressed appreciation to Marlene Halbritter, Duncansville, Pa.,
and James Weaver, Shannon, Ill., for their service to the board;

*And elected the following officers: John Gingrich, Claremont,
Calif., chair; Anne Reid, Roanoke, VA, vice chair; Ed Poling,
Hagerstown, Md., secretary; Carl Bowman, Bridgewater, Va., chair of
Academic and Student Affairs Committee; Mark Baeverstad, Fort
Wayne, Ind., chair of Finance and Business Affairs Committee; and
Janice Ruhl, Manheim, Pa., chair of Institutional Advancement
Committee.

 5) The Annual Conference Program and Arrangements Committee has
revised the registration fee structure as it was announced in the
information packet for Saturday and Sunday attendance at this
year's Annual Conference in Baltimore, June 30-July 4. 

For those attending any worship service only, there will be no
registration fee or badge checking for entrance to worship
services--a policy consistent with Conferences in prior years.

For those attending a full day of Conference either Saturday or
Sunday only, a daily registration fee will apply: $18 for adults,
$5 for ages 12-21, free for those under 12. Other registration
fees, which are relied upon to cover most Conference expenses,
remain as previously announced. For additional details and
background, visit www.brethren.org/ac/Baltimore/weekendfees.htm.

 6) Eastern Regional Youth Conference was held March 9-11 at
Juniata College (Huntingdon, Pa.), with 250 youth and advisors
representing the Atlantic Northeast, Middle Pennsylvania, Southern
Pennsylvania, and Western Pennsylvania districts. 
 
Paul Grout of Putney, Vt., moderator-elect of Annual Conference,
served as keynote leader. His spiritual insights were among many
components that contributed to worship services based on the
national youth theme from I Timothy 4:12, "But be an example." His
topics included "A New Way of Seeing," "Unshackled," and "Beyond
Belief."

The weekend also included a choice of 14 workshops, a concert, a
movie, and a T-shirt exchange. Juniata hosted the event free of
charge to the group.

Middle Pennsylvania district executive minister Randy Yoder called
the conference "a significant event to provide support for youth,
for them to establish and grow friendships with other youth in the
Church of the Brethren, and to deepen their faith in God and
develop their leadership gifts for the church's life and ministry."

David Steele and Linda McCauliff served as co-coordinators. Other
members of the ERYC Steering Committee included: Christy Dowdy,
co-pastor of the Huntingdon Stone Church of the Brethren; David
Truitt, associate pastor of Woodbury; and David Witkovsky, chaplain
at Juniata. Youth representatives included Joel Banaszak and Leah
Yingling from Middle Pennsylvania; Adam Shaffer from Western
Pennsylvania; and Juniata College students Anne-michele Yoder and
Lee Saylor.  

 7) Sixteen people representing nine Church of the Brethren
congregations in six districts participated in the third
Association of Brethren Caregivers older adult workcamp to Puerto
Rico Feb. 1-12.

The group divided into several teams for work projects. A team of
six repainted the exterior of the church building of the Yahuecas
congregation. Several others made repairs on the building which
houses the offices of the Theological Institute of the Church of
the Brethren of Puerto Rico, which trains persons for pastoral
leadership. Another team at the Castaner church repaired a fence
damaged by a hurricane several years ago and constructed 150 feet
of new fence. Still another team working at Castaner repaired
lighting fixtures, replaced defective wiring, and updated
electrical circuits.

In an article in the Chiques Church of the Brethren (Manheim, Pa.)
newsletter, participant Bonnie Sadd says "Never have we paid so
much, to work so hard, to receive so many blessings."

In addition to work projects, the group worshipped with two
congregations on Sunday mornings and had fellowship times with
members of two additional congregations during their time on the
island. Visits in several homes of church members added to the
experience of becoming acquainted with the members of Iglesia de
los Hermanos, as the Church of the Brethren is known in Spanish.
There was also time for a visit to El Yunque, a tropical rain
forest; to Old San Juan; and to the beach.

Plans are being made for a similar workcamp in Puerto Rico from
Jan. 28-Feb. 7, 2002. Interested persons may contact Bruce and Mary
Sue Rosenberger at 937-547-0384 or e-mail bruceandmarysue@yahoo.com
for more information.

 
 8) The General Board has joined several advocacy efforts in recent
weeks through its Brethren Witness office.

Brethren Witness director David Radcliff has signed on to three
letters to President George W. Bush and other national leaders. The
first, from the Interfaith Committee for Nuclear Disarmament,
opposes the proposed national missile defense plan, saying those
signing are worried about sparking a new arms race and are "deeply
concerned about the haste to make a commitment to deploy unproven
technology for national missile defense."

A second ecumenical letter calls for good-faith dialogue with North
Korea. It urges the president "to take concrete steps toward peace
on the Korean peninsula." The third letter also seeks peace,
calling for an end to economic sanctions against Iraq. It states
that, "We believe that a meaningful new approach toward Iraq must
surely begin with an earnest expression of remorse and regret for
the suffering caused by the current sanctions policy."