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Date: July 16, 2004
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

Newsline       July 16, 2004

"...He asked him, bWhich commandment is the first of all?' " Mark
12:28b

NEWS
1) Annual Conference meets in Charleston, W.Va., shows commitment
to difficult issues.
2) Conference worship services focus on loving God and neighbor.
3) A host of activities keep Conference-goers busy.
4) General Board sets budget parameters, passes resolution on Iraq.
5) Funds aid Sudanese, Hondurans, Church World Service, and provide
flood relief.
6) Brethren bits: Disaster relief, BVS, and much more.

UPCOMING EVENTS
7) Anti-racism team will lead youth peace retreat.

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

1) Annual Conference meets in Charleston, W.Va., shows commitment
to difficult issues.

Annual Conference showed persistence and a commitment to deal with
difficult and divisive issues in its deliberations in Charleston,
W.Va., July 3-7. Through days of meetings, moderator Chris Bowman,
a pastor at Martinsburg (Pa.) Memorial Church of the Brethren,
guided an engaged and lively delegate body through a maze of
issues, motions, and amendments with intelligence and clarity.
Ronald Beachley, executive minister for Western Pennsylvania
District, was chosen as moderator-elect, to lead the 2006
Conference in Des Moines. 

Total attendance of 4,038--including 920 congregational and
district delegates--easily topped last year's gathering of 2,844 in
Boise and came close to the Baltimore registration figure of 5,029
in 2001. It was announced that San Diego, Calif., will be the
Conference site in 2009. Next year's Conference will take place in
Peoria, Ill., July 2-6.

Extensive discussion and an extremely close vote on a substitute
motion revealed deep division in the delegate body over the report
on "Congregational Disagreements with Annual Conference Decisions."
Similar discussion with regard to other business items--
particularly the denominational name, doing church business, and
multi-ethnic church and cross cultural ministries--gave a sense
that the delegate body also was deeply divided over how open to
diversity and differing opinions the church ought to be.

There were indications that Annual Conference leadership may be
moving to invite more open conversations, in pre-Conference
meetings of the Standing Committee of district delegates. The
committee talked about hurts and brokenness in the denomination and
sought ways to hear concerns that do not come through established
channels.

The report from the committee on "Congregational Disagreements with
Annual Conference Decisions" was adopted with an amendment deleting
the committee's suggestion that in extreme cases of disagreement,
district conferences not seat congregations. The Conference also
adopted reports on "The Functions and Qualifications of the Local
Church Moderator," and on "Denominational Name." That committee
reported overwhelming support for the name Church of the Brethren
but called for attention to processes for dealing with
controversial issues in the denomination.

A study committee was elected to answer the queries on "Becoming a
Multi-Ethnic Church" and "The Need for Cross Cultural Ministries,"
which had been joined together as one business item. The Conference
turned down Standing Committee recommendations that the issues be
referred to the districts and Congregational Life Teams, on the
urging of representatives of a multi-ethnic group that gathered in
ad hoc fashion the evening before the business item came to the
floor. The action did include some of the other Standing Committee
recommendations, that cross-cultural ministries become an increased
priority in the denomination and that a progress report be made
each year for five years with reassessment in 2010 by Annual
Conference.

The Conference first elected six members of a seven-member,
ethnically diverse study committee, which also will include an
ex-officio representative of the American Baptist Churches, to
answer the concerns of the two queries. When it was announced in
the final business session on July 7 that no African-Americans were
elected to the committee, delegates reopened the business agenda
and overwhelmingly passed a motion that the study committee choose
an eighth member from the African-American nominees on the original
ballot. Conference officers also heard counsel that the
representative of the American Baptist Churches be
African-American. The elected study committee members are Darla Kay
Bowman Deardorff, Ruben Deoleo, Nadine L. Monn, Neemita Pandya,
Gilbert Romero, and Asha Solanky.

Another five-member study committee was elected to answer a query
on "Doing Church Business," to report in 2005. Committee members
are Joe Detrick, Matt Guynn, Verdena Lee, Dale Posthumus, and David
Shetler.

The General Board's resolution on Iraq was adopted with hardly any
discussion. The resolution called on members and congregations to
be "a constant witness to Christ as a living peace church of today
against all war and the violence of its nature." The resolution
also called on the US administration and Congress to take
responsibility for their involvement in the war.

In other business, a 3.1 percent cash salary increase for pastors
was approved, the delegates received a "Ministries and Mission"
report from the five Conference agencies, and two new fellowships
were welcomed: Koinonia Fellowship in Charlottesville, Va., and
Sunrise Church in Harrisonburg, Va.

In elections for denominational offices, Joan Lawrence Daggett was
elected to the Annual Conference Council; Joanna Wave Willoughby to
the Program and Arrangements Committee; James O. Eikenberry to the
Committee on Interchurch Relations; Herman Kauffman to the Pastoral
Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee; Diane Harden to the
Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) board; David B. Eller as
trustee for Bethany Theological Seminary; John A. Braun to the
Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) board; Michael Benner as at-large
member of the General Board; and Robbie Miller to the On Earth
Peace board. 

The Conference also affirmed appointments to the boards of
Conference agencies: for ABC, Eddie H. Edmonds, John Katonah, and
John Wenger; for Bethany, Jerry A. Davis, John D. Miller Jr., and
Charles Boyer, who was elected by the alumni; for the General
Board, district appointees Ken Wenger, Mid-Atlantic, Dale Minnich,
Western Plains, and Susan Kinsel Fitze, Southern Ohio; and for On
Earth Peace, David Jehnsen and Bev Weaver.

For more detailed information about Annual Conference 2004 in
Charleston, W.Va., see the Annual Conference pages at
www.brethren.org.

2) Conference worship services focus on loving God and neighbor.

Daily worship services focused on the Annual Conference theme of
"Loving God and Neighbor" and provided a strong foundation on which
to build numerous days of worshipful work.

Moderator Chris Bowman's sermon on Saturday evening set the tone
for the week. He encouraged Brethren to "turn our efforts and our
energies back to the basics--loving God and loving neighbor, living
lives for the glory of God and our neighbor's good. That is
something worth our passion, something worth our protection,
something worth our lives in the body of Christ."

On Sunday morning, Dena Pence Frantz, professor of Theological
Studies at Bethany Theological Seminary, asked a question from
scripture, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?" (Luke
24:5b) She said, "The living God is known among us as we live our
everyday lives in fullness and delight in God's presence and in
active love for others."

Worship on Monday evening was well-seasoned with laughter, soulful
music, drama, and heartfelt reflection on the question, "Who is my
neighbor?" James Washington, pastor of Faith Center Fellowship,
Whitehouse, Texas, spoke on "Living Lovingly Together." He
underscored the importance of loving all of our neighbors, equal to
all humanity, as opposed to only loving those with whom
relationship is easy.

Worship pulled Brethren together on Tuesday evening around the love
feast. Tim Button-Harrison, pastor of Ivester Church of the
Brethren in Grundy Center, Iowa, posed the question of how Brethren
are doing with loving one another beyond the local congregation,
symbolized by sharing love feast together. He challenged his
listeners, saying, "Like never before, today we are called to go
extraordinary distances, to overcome great divides, to practice
Jesus' command that we love one another."

In a fitting conclusion to Conference, the closing worship
Wednesday morning sent participants out to continue the work of
Jesus. Preacher Andrew Murray, Juniata College professor and
Brethren musical legend, reminded listeners that "the Kingdom is
not destination, it is a journey." Murray said, "There is no way to
the Kingdom; the Kingdom is the way." He then asked listeners, as
the denominational tag-line says, to "Continue the work of
Jesus...peacefully, simply, together."

For many Conference-goers, the music in worship was a spiritual
experience. From the "souped up" Bluegrass version of "Brethren We
Have Met to Worship," to the heartfelt solos of Larry Brumfield, to
the a capella group The Guys, music bathed the gathered body in a
sense of God's presence.

3) A host of activities keep Conference-goers busy.

A fourth of July rally following the visit of President Bush to
Charleston, an exhibit of boots related to the Iraq war, as well as
the usual host of insight sessions, meal events, Bible and
theological studies, support groups, and age-group activities, all
kept Conference-goers busy in Charleston this year.

Marching behind a banner proclaiming, "Church of the Brethren: A
Living Peace Church," hundreds of Conference attendees participated
in a rally to protest the policies of President Bush, who spoke in
Charleston earlier in the day on July 4.

The action also involved the West Virginia Patriots for Peace and
the Sierra Club. The group assembled at the US Courthouse in
Charleston, where a "wall" was stretched across the steps bearing
the names of more than 800 US military personnel who have been
killed in Iraq since the invasion.

Among the many protesters were 18-month-old Michael Bidgood Enders-
-with his dad, Greg--and Dale Brown, who has led and participated
in many peace demonstrations over the decades. The action was
coordinated by the General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington
Office.

An exhibit of combat boots bearing the names and home states of the
US military killed in Iraq was set up outside the Charleston Civic
Center on July 6-7, including an overnight candlelight vigil. The
10,000 plus Iraqi civilian casualties were also symbolically
represented.

Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board, was
visibly moved as he addressed a press conference at the display.
Noting the action just taken by Annual Conference to adopt a
General Board resolution on Iraq calling the church to
accountability, he called upon the church to be ready to embrace
all who will be victims of this war: Iraqis, returned military
personnel, families of the lost and wounded.

The American Friends Service Committee traveling display received
sponsorship by the General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington
Office, On Earth Peace, Christian Peacemaker Teams, and West
Virginia Patriots for Peace.

Enthusiasm for prayer and praise, study and discussion, also
abounded in Charleston. An urban prayer walk blessed the streets of
the city; the Brethren Revival Fellowship held its prayer and
fasting session; Bible studies and theological studies were
offered; and the many insight sessions gave opportunities to learn
about current issues for the church and its members. Young adults
were even escorted from the Civic Center at midnight one evening,
having been discovered in the prayer room still praising God when
the building was supposed to have been closed for the night.

Conference attendees also took advantage of service opportunities
at the meeting. Some 2,500 Gift of the Heart kits and Clinic Boxes
were brought to the Conference and collected by the General Board's
Emergency Response/Service Ministries program. Brethren also
donated 164 pints of blood in the annual blood drive. Three quilts
and three wall hangings raised $20,400 in the 30th annual quilt
auction sponsored by Association for the Arts in the Church of the
Brethren.

The annual Brethren Benefit Trust Fitness Challenge 5K saw a record
turnout with around 160 participants, as opposed to the usual 90.
For the first time, the largest group registered were women walkers
age 40-59. First place runners were Courtland Howard and Deb Morris
Crouse. First place walkers were Bev Anspaugh and Don Shankster.

4) General Board sets budget parameters, passes resolution on Iraq.

At its pre-Annual Conference meeting the General Board set budget
parameters for 2005 that necessitate a budget reduction, and asked
for a proposed resolution on Iraq to be rewritten and brought back
later in the Conference week. The Iraq resolution was then passed
by the board in a later meeting, and passed by the delegate body on
Tuesday July 6. The board also affirmed a document describing a new
Property Stewardship Committee and dedicated its Conference exhibit
with prayer.

The board set a 2005 budget parameter of $5,426,000, which
represents a $199,000 budget reduction for next year. "The Planning
Team recommended a budget that included a much greater financial
challenge," said Stan Noffsinger, general secretary, "but the board
chose a more moderate plan to spread out the deficit over a number
of years." The board also reviewed its policies on endowment,
quasi-endowment, and investment income. "The board endorsed a
philosophy that will help those resources provide support to the
ongoing ministries of the General Board well into the future,"
Noffsinger said.

A resolution on Iraq brought by Brethren Witness/Washington Office
director Phil Jones was sent back for revision with help from a
small group of board members. The board set a special meeting on
July 5 to consider the rewritten resolution, when it adopted the
paper as a General Board resolution and passed it on to the Annual
Conference delegates for their consideration.

A document describing a Stewardship of Property Committee was
accepted by the board. The committee will offer recommendations
regarding use of board properties in Elgin, Ill., and New Windsor,
Md. The document calls for nominations of committee members to be
submitted to the Office of the General Secretary by August 30.
Membership of the committee will be announced at the board's
October meeting. The committee is expected to report preliminary
findings in Oct. 2005 and bring a recommendation in March 2006.

In addition, the board heard reports on an information systems
audit, a cross cultural consultation in Puerto Rico, the new Gather
'Round curriculum, a polity manual update, and citations to staff
and retiring board members.

At a reorganization meeting during the Conference, members of the
General Board selected Donna Shumate as chair, Glenn Mitchell as
vice chair, and David Sollenberger, Doug Price, J.D. Glick, and
Jeff Neuman-Lee as executive committee members.

5) Funds aid Sudanese, Hondurans, Church World Service, and provide
flood relief.

Grants from the General Board's Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and
Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) have been given to aid victims of
civil war in Sudan, economic development in Honduras, and the
Church World Service Disaster Response and Recovery Liaison
Program, and to provide disaster relief following flooding in
Washington State and the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

An EDF allocation of $60,000 supports a Church World Service (CWS)
appeal for the violence-ravaged Darfur region of Western Sudan. The
funds will assist in providing food, medicine, water and
sanitation, agriculture materials, and counseling to approximately
500,000 persons over the next 18 months.

The sum of $22,000 from the EDF undergirds the work of the Disaster
Response and Recovery Liaison Program of CWS, as it continues to
facilitate faith-based responses to disasters.

The Washington state Faith-Based Disaster Recovery Network received
an EDF grant of $7,500 for its work in the wake of extensive damage
caused by flooding and storms in 15 counties. Church of the
Brethren Oregon/Washington District Disaster Response and other
volunteers have been helping with the rebuilding of homes. The
funds will provide financial support for the recovery to continue.

In the Dominican Republic and Haiti, an EDF allocation of $4,000
supports a CWS appeal for flood relief. The funds will be used to
ship medical supplies, Gift of the Heart Kits, and blankets from
the Brethren Service Center to the island nations. Additional
appeals for long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts are expected.
Another EDF grant of $7,000 will go to the Prince of Peace Church
of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic, where church
construction over an unforeseen sink hole has caused considerable
damage and rendered a section of the building unsafe for use. The
funds will assist in repair and reconstruction before additional
damage occurs.

An allocation of $15,000 has been made from the GFCF to support
economic development work of the Christian Commission for
Development (CCD) in Honduras. The funds will support an effort to
establish an agency for the promotion of micro-loan development
countrywide, with the goal of raising the economic well-being of
families primarily in subsistence areas.

6) Brethren bits: Disaster relief, BVS, and much more.

*Church of the Brethren disaster coordinators visited sites in
central Pennsylvania after an F3 tornado tore apart homes and
brought down trees and power lines the afternoon of July 14,
according to Emergency Response staff Helen Stonesifer.
Campbelltown, in Lebanon County, received the worst storm damage
with 24 injuries reported and up to 50 houses damaged. A number of
homes in South Londonderry Township, in the Country Squire Estates,
were leveled and others were ripped open. Jean Myers, Disaster
Child Care Region III coordinator, and Tom Cope, Atlantic Northeast
District disaster coordinator, visited sites July 15 to offer child
care and clean up assistance. The Emergency Response office
reported that 60 Brethren volunteers from the surrounding area were
out doing clean up today July 16, and are planning on returning
daily for the next several days.

*The summer Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) orientation unit 260
will run from July 25 through Aug. 13, with 25 volunteers planning
to attend. The orientation will be held at the Brethren Service
Center in New Windsor, Md. The BVS office reminds anyone who might
be interested that the unit will host a potluck at Union Bridge
(Md.) Church of the Brethren on Saturday, July 31, beginning at 6
p.m., for any past BVS volunteers, Civilian Public Service workers,
sea-going cowboys, and anyone who feels connected to BVS.

*At its Annual Conference luncheon, the Committee on Interchurch
Relations gave an Ecumenical Citation to Kira Marriner, a member of
Live Oak (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, for her work in
peacemaking.

*The Association of Brethren Caregivers gave its first "Open Roof"
award at Annual Conference. The award was presented to Lansing
(Mich.) Church of the Brethren for its progress in accessibility to
those with disabilities.

*The Association for the Arts in the Church of the Brethren (AACB)
is beginning a project to record the history of AACB quilts and
quilting, as part of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of
the Church of the Brethren in 2008. The group, which this year
celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Annual Conference quilt
auction, will collect photographs and interesting articles about
Conference quilts made between 1973 and 2006. The group seeks facts
about the quilts such as the purchaser(s), families or churches who
have owned the quilts, places where the quilts have been displayed,
and interesting anecdotes connected to the quilts. The group also
would like to hear from quilters at Annual Conference who can give
information about the number of years they have worked on quilts
there, and from those who first learned to quilt at Annual
Conference who may be willing to share their stories. "What has
this experience of quilting at Annual Conference meant to you?"
asked AACB coordinator Joyce Parker in a release about the project.
"The AACB is grateful for the heritage of quilting at Annual
Conference--creating and finishing pieced quilts." Send stories and
information to AACB Coordinator Joyce Parker, 1293 Laurel Dr., W.
Salem, OH 44387, 419-945-2327, e-mail djparker@bright.net. People
who want to be involved in the history project are invited to
contact Parker as well.

*John Waggoner, the mutual fund columnist for "USA Today" and a
member of Dranesville Church of the Brethren, Herndon, Va., joined
a panel discussion at an Annual Conference insight session on
personal investing. The session was presented by Brethren Benefit
Trust and attended by about 50 Conference-goers. Other panelists
were Gail Habecker, investment professional with PMG Advisors; Don
Fecher, director of the Brethren Pension Plan; and convener Will
Thomas, BBT's director of Socially Responsible Investing. The
discussion focused on "Now what should I do? Investment challenges
with your personal finances." A videotape of the session, complete
with an overview on equities by Waggoner, an overview on bond
markets by Habecker, and a discussion of how investment assets
should be allocated along with questions and answers, will be
available on DVD or VHS in mid-September. Contact Lauryn Estes at
BBT, 847-622-3374, to reserve a copy.

*Jonathan P. Emmons, who served as organist for Annual Conference
this year, has received a partial scholarship to attend the Organ
Academy International Summer School at Mount Royal College
Conservatory in Calgary, Canada. The Bridgewater (Va.) College
senior music major is one of 18 young organists from around the
world to be accepted into the program, which will run from July 26
to Aug. 3. Under the direction of Simon Preston, former organist
and choirmaster at Christ Church in Oxford, England, and London's
Westminster Abbey, the program offers intensive, short-term organ 
instruction in both small group and individual sessions taught by
a distinguished faculty. Emmons is the son of Timothy and Alice
Emmons of Rocky Mount, Va.

*Blood donors at Annual Conference in Charleston learned about a
new "Church of the Brethren Walk-In Campaign" to enlarge the ranks
of those registered with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
Wendy Jeansonne, of San Carlos, Calif., shared information about
the program with Conference-goers. According to Jeansonne, bone
marrow donations may help treat 70 different types of blood
diseases and disorders, and those who register with the NMDP could
be called for a donation as far into the future as 40 years. Some
30,000 people a year seek unrelated donors for a life-saving match,
she said. Those interested in having tissue typing done may make an
appointment at the nearest NMDP donor center and mention the
Brethren campaign, which will cover fees. Donors must be healthy
and between the ages of 18 and 60. The campaign ends on Aug. 31.
For more information about the campaign, contact Joanne Malone,
Virginia Blood Services, 800-989-4438 ext. 4162. For more
information about the NMDP call 800-MARROW-2 or see www.marrow.org.

*The Ecumenical Stewardship Center has announced a 2004 Leadership
Seminar in St. Pete Beach, Fla., on the theme "Faith and Money:
Breaking the Silence," Nov. 30-Dec. 3. This annual event draws
clergy, denominational staff, educators, organizational leaders,
and entrepreneurs with a passion for faithful stewardship ministry.
Presenters will be Nelson Kraybill, president of the Associated
Mennonite Biblical Seminary; Rosemary Williams, director of Women's
Perspective; Steven Tomlinson, dramatist; and Greg Rickel, event
chaplain. Cost is $395. An early bird savings of $40 off the
registration cost is available through Oct. 4. A special group
discount of $80 savings is offered for 20 or more registrants. For
more information, see www.stewardshipresources.org, email
stewardshipcenter@ameritech.net, or call 800-835-5671.

*Eleven youth from Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort
Wayne, Ind., formed the nucleus of a June 18-28 learning tour to
Honduras coordinated by the New Community Project, a
Brethren-related nonprofit organization. The group, along with
pastor Melissa Bennett, youth advisor Shawn Sollenberger,
construction guide Jim Dodd of Midland, Va., and New Community
Project director David Radcliff, refurbished a badly deteriorated
health clinic in the community of San Juan Bosco. The group also
visited with teachers, nurses, and a women's group; attended a
soccer match in a neighboring village; and ended the trip with a
visit to the Copan Ruins.

*A call for true inspirational stories of peacemaking has been
issued by Linda Williams, a member of First Church of the Brethren,
San Diego, Calif., and co-author of "Chicken Soup for the Peace
Lover's Soul." Chicken Soup for the Soul Ent. Inc. is considering 
publishing a two-book set in order to "get twice the number of
dynamite stories of peace, harmony, compassion, and forgiveness out
to the general public," Williams said. Among those who already have
submitted stories are Nobel Peace Prize laureates Desmond Tutu and
Oscar Arias. Those interested in the project may submit stories,
poems, songs, quotes, or cartoons; help select stories; and give
input on cover art and title. Guidelines for submissions and sample
stories are at http://chickensoup.peacestories.info/. Authors of
stories chosen for inclusion in the book will receive $200 and have
a 50 word bio published in the book. E-mail story submissions to
Submissions@PeaceLoversSoul.com. To help select stories, contact
Williams at Submissions@PeaceLoversSoul.com. To help select cover
art and title, go to www.chickensoup.com, click on "Join Our Test
Center" under "Share with Us," and submit name and e-mail address.

*Brethren interested in organizing a Brethren in Business
association are invited to attend a meeting to be held in
conjunction with the Mennonite Economic Development Associates
(MEDA) "Business as a Calling" 2004 convention in Pittsburgh, Pa.,
Nov. 4-7. The theme of the meeting will be "Risky Business." Cost
to Brethren will be $295. Movement to launch the fledgling
association has been stimulated by the former organization of
Brethren in business, the Brethren Business Network, and is being
given leadership by John Braun, a pastor and an associate with Good
News Associates in Seattle, Wash. An informal meeting with those
interested in the new association was held at Annual Conference. To
contact Braun call 206-368-2654 or 206-920-5671. For more
information about MEDA visit www.businessasacalling.org or call
800-665-7026, or to register online visit www.meda.org.

7) Anti-racism team will lead youth peace retreat.

The weekend of Sept. 24-26, On Earth Peace will host a Senior High
Youth Peace Retreat at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor,
Md. "Red and Yellow, Black and White: Learning about Racism," will
help youth develop skills to identify and dismantle the sin of
racism in their lives. The weekend will include time for worship,
discussions, and recreation. All high-school aged youth are invited
to attend.

The Church of the Brethren Anti Racism Team members will provide
leadership for the weekend. The team has been trained and called by
the denomination for this ministry, and has previously led training
events for the General Board and district conferences. "While it's
critical for everyone to be a part of this kind of training, it is
especially important for youth," said Torin Eikler, a member of the
team. "They seem to see the struggles and pain that institutional
racism causes within the church, in their schools, and in the world
more easily, as they look at things with a fresh set of eyes." The
team also will lead the On Earth Peace board, meeting in New
Windsor at the same time, in an all-day training.

"This retreat is a great way for youth and their advisors to engage
in the same questions that were raised this summer about our church
fulfilling the scriptures, like in Galatians 3:28," said Kim
Stuckey, coordinator of Peacemaker Formation. The retreat will
begin 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, and end at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept.
26. Cost is $50 including housing and meals. To register or for
information about scholarships contact Kim Stuckey at On Earth
Peace, 410-635-8706 or e-mail kstuckey_oepa@brethren.org. More
information and a complete schedule are available on the "Upcoming
Events" page of the On Earth Peace website
www.brethren.org/oepa/events.html.

*******************************************************
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news
services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on the
first, third, and fifth Friday of each month, with other
editions as needed. Newsline stories may be reprinted provided that
Newsline is cited as the source. Members of the 2004 Annual
Conference news team, a ministry of the General Board, contributed
to this report: Kathleen Campanella, Jill Kline, Frank Ramirez,
Frances Townsend, Sarah Leatherman Young, and Becky Ullom. Mary Kay
Heatwole and Kim Stuckey also contributed.

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