wfn.org | Newsline for Sept. 3, 2004

[COBNews@aol.com]

Title: Newsline - Church of the Brethren news update
Subject: Church of the Brethren Newsline
Date: Sept. 3, 2004
From: Church of the Brethren News Services
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com


Newsline       Sept. 3, 2004

"Blessed are the peacemakers...." Matthew 5:9a

NEWS
1) African peace church delegates meet for first-ever conference.
2) Disaster relief work put on hold as Florida waits for hurricane.
3) Fund directs grants to Africa, Brethren `growing projects.'
4) Missouri and Arkansas District invited to `Enter Into the Joy.'
5) Southeastern District makes disciples, welcomes fellowship.
6) Southern Plains restructures board, names district minister.
7) Regional conference gathers youth from western states.
8) Brethren bits.

RESOURCES
9) World Mission Offering centers on `Living Letters of Love.'

***********************************************************
1) African peace church delegates meet for first-ever conference.

Delegates of Historic Peace Churches in Africa gathered for a
first-ever conference in Kenya, Aug. 8-13, under the title "Watu Wa
Amani--People of Peace." Among the 100 participants were Quakers
from Kenya, Rwanda, Congo, and Burundi; Mennonites and Brethren in
Christ from Congo, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, and
Zimbabwe; and 22 members of  Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the
Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). The EYN contingent included men
and women, lay and ordained, young adults and church leaders. US
Brethren attended from the General Board, Bethany Theological
Seminary, and Manchester College. Ecumenical guests came from the
National Council of Churches in Kenya, the Association of
Evangelicals in Africa, and the World Council of Churches.

"The identity `peace church' has in the past not been central to
many African churches, so taking on and reinterpreting the
theological language of this historical tradition provokes much
discussion," according to a release from conference organizers
including Donald Miller, former general secretary of the Church of
the Brethren; Scott Holland, associate professor at Bethany; and
Dean Johnson, director of Plowshares at Goshen (Ind.) College. The
struggle to respond with Christian nonviolence came up in report
after report, indicating that a peace church identity is being
forged anew in the midst of Africa's current testing and struggle,
organizers said.

Brethren shared experiences of being a minority in northern
Nigeria, where in some regions Muslims seek to impose Sharia law.
"One of our pastors, who encouraged his congregation to find peace
and not fight, had his church surrounded by Muslims on a Sunday
morning," reported Bitrus Debki. "They set the church building on
fire and shot all the people when they tried to escape, including
the pastor. This is how it is for Christians in Kaduna State."
Matthew Abdullahi Gali spoke from experiences in Kano State, in
which his church was repeatedly burned. Adamu Buba described his
background as a Muslim police officer who became a Christian. When
churches are repeatedly burned, and Christians are attacked, some
members of EYN call for revenge, the Nigerian Brethren said. "I am
not a pacifist. I will not just be passive. I prefer to fight--but
nonviolently!" said EYN leader Toma Ragnjiya.

Brethren in Christ delegates spoke of political violence in
Zimbabwe. "Please pray for us as we work with this situation,"
exclaimed Patson Netha, from the Association of Evangelicals in
Africa. "Churches represent one of the few remaining
non-governmental entities the Zimbabwe government can talk to."

Cathy Mputu, a Mennonite, and Ramadhani Kokosi, a Quaker, talked
about violence in Congo, where churches rely on prayer but also
work at strengthening grassroots peace activities. Mennonite Pascal
Kulungu shared accounts of conflict within the church. Siaka
Traore, a Mennonite from Burkina Faso, and Quakers Phillippe

Nakuwundi from Burundi and Cecile Nyiramana from Rwanda, reported
on their churches' efforts to rebuild relationships after conflict
and war.

"My peace depends on others' peace," said David Niyonzima, a Quaker
from Burundi. "In Africa, people are basically communal.
Restoration requires a whole village, and we who are members of the
Historic Peace Churches must constitute a renewed village."

"Nigerian participants were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the
gathering," said Merv Keeney, the General Board's executive
director of Global Mission Partnerships. "The rich exchange with
other Christians and  churches who are also seeking to be faithful
to Christ's calls to be instruments of peace and reconciliation,
even when confronted with horrific violence, was in the words of
EYN President Filibus Gwama, `powerful and affirming.' Based on the
comments that I heard, I believe that the gathering helped the
Nigerian church to find its voice as a peace church."

The meeting ended with denominational discussions on what new work
or focus may proceed from the conference. A letter was drafted to
share with other Christian churches to enlarge the process of
peacemaking in Africa.


2) Disaster relief work put on hold as Florida waits for hurricane.

The General Board's Emergency Response program has put work in
Florida on hold until after Hurricane Frances, which is expected to
make landfall in Florida this weekend. Three teams of Disaster
Child Care volunteers have been evacuated. Frances has been
downgraded from a category 4 to a category 3 storm, but is twice as
large as the hurricane that hit central Florida just three weeks
ago and "remains a powerful and dangerous storm," reported disaster
response coordinator Jane Yount.

Disaster Child Care was just one aspect of the work that Brethren
had been doing in Florida following Hurricane Charley. The Brethren
Service Center in New Windsor, Md., had sent shipments of relief
materials and Emergency Response had begun work on establishing a
rebuilding project. The program also issued pleas for contributions
of Gift of the Heart Health Kits and Emergency Cleanup Buckets, and
began searching for a vehicle to help with the rebuilding project.

"We have been asked by the Florida Interfaith Networking in
Disaster to set up a rebuilding project in Charlotte county, Port
Charlotte and Punta Gorda," reported Emergency Response director
Roy Winter. "Church World Service staff have also suggested we try
to address some of the needs in the Orlando area, like Kissimmee,
where pockets of damaged homes are not getting much attention."

Three teams of Disaster Child Care volunteers working in Orlando,
Wauchula, and Kissimmee have been evacuated to the St. Petersburg
area. A team working in Englewood, close to St. Petersburg, will
stay in place. Child care centers will be reopened when it is safe
to do so. The evacuated volunteers are being hosted in the homes of
Phil Lersch and Emergency Response volunteers Glenn and Helen
Kinsel. "The ER staff will be tracking the path of the storm and
will move the volunteers again, if necessary," reported Helen
Stonesifer of Disaster Child Care. "Hurricane Charley has had a
tremendous emotional effect on everyone in Florida, especially the
children,"she said. "At this time, it looks as though this will be
a longterm project. Your continued support and prayers for all the
victims and volunteers in Florida are greatly appreciated."

Distributions of relief materials from the Brethren Service Center
to the Orlando area included shipments of health kits, cleanup
kits, baby kits, school kits, and bales of blankets. On Sept. 1
Church World Service issued an "urgent request" for more health
kits and clean up buckets because of continuing needs related to
Hurricane Charley, and possible needs related to Frances. For more
information about how to fill, pack, and ship kits and buckets, see
www.churchworldservice.org.

Emergency Response added its own request for a truck or
12-passenger van to use for the rebuilding project in Florida. "A
gift or longterm loan of a vehicle would be greatly appreciated,"
said Winter. "We need a very reliable, later model truck or van
with less than 75,000 miles. We would also consider purchasing the
right vehicle." Contact Winter at 800-451-4407 ext. 7 or e-mail
rwinter_gb@brethren.org.


3) Fund directs grants to Africa, Brethren `growing projects.'

In two grants totaling $50,000, the General Board's Global Food
Crisis Fund (GFCF) is supporting a Church World Service campaign to
address the root causes of hunger and poverty in Africa, and is
making money available to assist Church of the Brethren
congregations in launching "growing projects" with the Foods
Resource Bank.

An allocation of $40,000 has been given to a four-year campaign of
Church World Service to address root causes of hunger and poverty
affecting children, people living with HIV/AIDS, and displaced
people in several regions of Africa. The Brethren funds will
contribute to components of the campaign dealing with hunger and
poverty alleviation, water for life, and help for people living
with HIV/AIDS. The campaign is focusing on areas of Angola, Sudan,
Tanzania, and the Mano River region.

Ten grants of $1,000 each will be available for Brethren
congregations or groups wanting to start growing projects with the
Foods Resource Bank. Growing projects engage a congregation or
group in a hands-on approach to hunger, as group members grow and
sell produce and donate proceeds to the development of food
security abroad. The Foods Resource Bank doubles the value of the
gift through foundation and government sources. For more
information contact GFCF manager Howard Royer at 800-323-8039 ext.
264 or e-mail hroyer_gb@brethren.org, or visit
www.brethren.org/genbd/global-mission/gfcf.htm.

A newly constituted GFCF Grants Review Panel approved the two
grants. The panel members are retired General Board staff member
Shantilal Bhagat, former Dominican Republic mission coordinator
Becky Baile Crouse, and retired Nigeria missionary Ralph Royer.


4) Missouri and Arkansas District invited to `Enter Into the Joy.'

Delegates from Missouri and Arkansas District met July 23-25 at
Southwest Baptist University at Bolivar, Mo. A total of 117 were
registered for the conference, representing all but one
congregation in the district. Guests from ten agencies of the
Church of the Brethren and ecumenical partners also attended.
Moderator Cindy Sanders led the conference.

A fountain and a banner portraying the theme words, "Enter Into the
Joy," provided the backdrop as people from each congregation
brought vessels of water forward to add to a fountain. Included in
the mix was water from San Juan, P.R., collected by Steve Crouse
during a recent denominational senior high workcamp.

Annual Conference moderator Jim Hardenbrook preached for the
conference, and he and his wife Pam sang in the choir, reported
district minister Sandy Bosserman. "It is good when you can enjoy
the preaching from the likes of Hardenbrook, Youth and Young Adult
Ministries director Chris Douglas, and general secretary Stan
Noffsinger, to say nothing of the crooning of `The Guys' quartet,
in any given weekend," Bosserman said. The male quartet of high
schoolers from Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin, Ill.,
performed at Annual Conference this year.

In addition to hearing from congregations and the district board,
delegates called to leadership moderator-elect Don Brooks and board
members Don Lucore, Jane Davis, Ida Mae Campbell, and Tim Rohrer.
Delegates also appointed a task force to determine the longterm
future of the district's Historical Archives, and discussed
continuing education credits for ministers. The budget for 2005 was
balanced with a pair of offerings and the silent auction of a quilt
that brought $9,556. Bosserman called the district to "celebrate
the much that we have learned to do with little in our
congregations and our district life."

In another offering received during the conference, an "Ark" for
Heifer International--which celebrates its 60th anniversary this
year--was filled by a couple celebrating 60 years of ordained
ministry. "Heifer International representative Cleo Kottwitz
reported during his presentation to the district conference that he
had hopes that Brethren in Missouri-Arkansas would someday fill an
Ark," said Bosserman. "The Ark Project is the largest single gift
that Heifer sponsors, at $5,000. Thanks to Ethmer and Kathryn
Erisman, brother Kottwitz had his hopes realized on the spot."
Ethmer Erisman said that the couple "filled the ark" in recognition
of their membership in the district, in New Beginnings Church of
the Brethren, Warrensburg, Mo., and in memory of Mineral Creek
church, Leeton, Mo., where they served for 24 years.

The conference closed as the gavel was passed to moderator Gene
Sappington, who announced a theme for 2005 built around preparing
in this life for life eternal with God. "Gene, who works for the
Social Security Administration, suggested we strive this year to be
the `Soul Security Administration,'" Bosserman said.


5) Southeastern District makes disciples, welcomes fellowship.

July 30-Aug. 1 Southeastern District Conference met at Mars Hill
(N.C.) College on the theme, "Go and Make Disciples of All
Nations." Tim Coulthard served as moderator for the meeting at
which 34 churches were represented by 107 delegates and over 200
registered participants.

The conference unanimously approved a new fellowship called HIS
Way, or Jesucristo, El Camino, along with the purchase of a house
that will serve as a parsonage and a location for the church. A
budget of $141,401 was approved for the coming year. Jim Hoffman,
Peak Creak Church of the Brethren, Sparta, N.C., was chosen as
moderator elect and Harold Rose, Cumberland Church of the Brethren,
Clintwood, Va., will serve as moderator for the 2004-05 year. A
quilt auction raised about $4,000 for disaster relief and the
churches of the district also collected 200 Gift of the Heart
school kits.

"The overall mood of the conference was good," reported Stan
Noffsinger and Carol Yeazell, who were there to represent the
General Board. "A sense of unity is present and there is much
excitement over the planting of the new congregation in
Hendersonville."

General secretary Noffsinger attended along with General Board
chair Donna Shumate. In a question-and-answer session he spoke of
the need for disciples and Christians to look at the simple ways in
which they can contribute to the work of congregations, districts,
and denomination. He challenged every person present to give two
cents a day--the equivalent, he said, of one Starbuck's speciality
drink--and contribute that money to the church. These gifts would
go a long way to meet the current needs of the church as it seeks
to share the good news, and would overcome many budget needs, he
told the conference.

John Thomas, representing the board's funding program, and Yeazell,
Congregational Life Team member, also shared brief reports. Yeazell
led two insight sessions on a paper on Leadership Team Structure,
a model that some of those attending have begun to use.


6) Southern Plains restructures board, names district minister.

Southern Plains District Conference was held July 29-31 at Molsbee
Chapel in Nocona, Texas. "We were excited to have Jim Hardenbrook
come as our guest speaker," reported new district executive Joan
Lowry. "Our theme was HEY JUDE! key verse 21, `Keep yourselves in
the love of God. Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
unto eternal life.'" Hardenbrook is the 2005 Annual Conference
moderator.

Business sessions were filled with new things happening in the
district, reported Lowry, who was named as district minister by the
conference. The conference restructured the district board,
returning to a two-meeting format of a district conference meeting
and a winter meeting, and combined the nurture and witness
commissions into one commission. The conference decided that each
commission will have four members and that the district board will
serve on all business except when a special meeting is called, when
the executive board will serve.

In other business, a new line item was added to the budget for New
Church Development with funds from the sale of property from Thomas
(Okla.) Church of the Brethren. It was reported that a new church
start in Enid, Okla., is doing well. The pastors of the Enid church
plant, Carol and Nina Coulter, requested that it be recognized as
a fellowship. Waka (Texas) Church of the Brethren requested that
the church be closed.

The district's camp, Spring Lake Retreat and Camp Center in Rocky,
Okla., reported new developments as well, this year adding coolers
to all the cabins. The Burger family reunion and the Waka
congregation built a handicapped accessible restroom near the
dining hall.

The conference also received reports from several agencies of the
extended church. The next Southern Plains District Conference will
be held Aug. 11-13, 2005, at Big Creek Church of the Brethren in
Cushing, Okla.


7) Regional conference gathers youth from western states.

The hills of foggy San Francisco provided the setting for the 2004
Western Regional Youth Conference (WRYC), held Aug. 4-8 for youth
in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

About 110 people met on the University of San Francisco campus for
the event, held only once every four years. Dena Gilbert,
coordinator of youth and young adult ministries for Pacific
Southwest District and chair of the WRYC planning committee, said
she was pleased with the turnout. The region includes about 50
congregations spread over a large geographical area, making
region-wide events a challenge.

The theme for this WRYC was "Living in God's Hands Together,"
focusing on John 8:12. Moderator-elect Jim Hardenbrook of Idaho was
among guest speakers for the twice-daily worship times, done "in
the round" in a beautifully decorated chapel. Each youth group was
asked to bring a symbol of light to help form the worship center.

General Board Youth/Young Adult Ministries director Chris Douglas,
David Radcliff of New Community Project, and pastors Thomas Dowdy,
Debbie Eisenbise, Deanna Brown, and Susan Boyer also spoke during
the week. Members of the WRYC youth planning committee led the
opening service. Additional creative elements entered worship via
the Jubilee Troupe, who used drama and interpretive movement to
illustrate themes, and Joseph Helfrich of Ohio, who led music.

Numerous workshop options, service projects around San Francisco,
sightseeing, sports tournaments and other recreation,
community-group discussions, and evening activities such as swing
dancing, a photo scavenger hunt, and an open mic night filled out
the schedule.

"It's been incredible," said Zac Morgan of Claremont, Calif., a
member of the youth planning committee. "It's almost hard to put in
words all I've learned this week, spiritually and about myself. It
came out to be even more than I had expected."


8) Brethren bits.

*The National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) sponsored by the
Association of Brethren Caregivers will take place next week at
Lake Junaluska Assembly in North Carolina. More than 1,100 Brethren
are expected to attend the five-day event, from Sept. 6-10. See
www.brethren.org for daily reports, complete with photos. Special
NOAC events this year include a hymn festival led by Brethren
Benefit Trust president Wil Nolan; the return of ventriloquist
Steve Engle and his friend Hildy; a closing ceremony using fabric
brought from the Watu Wa Amani conference of the African Historic
Peace Churches; and the Brethren premier of "Listen to the
Sunrise," a hymn adapted from a poem by the late Ken Morse. A hike
on the Appalachian Trail will be a new offering this year, along
with a bus trip and shopping in a town on the Cherokee reservation.
Newsline will feature a full report from NOAC in the next issue.

*Haruun Ruun, executive secretary of the New Sudan Council of
Churches, will give a presentation at the Brethren Service Center,
New Windsor, Md. on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. He will talk about the new
challenges that will be brought by the final signing of a peace
agreement in the south of Sudan and will share news of a New Sudan
Council program that will lead in developing civic leadership for
the region. The event is coordinated by the Brethren Service Center
and the General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office. No
registration is required. Contact Kathleen Campanella at
410-635-8747 or e-mail kcampanella_gb@brethren.org.

*In its Action Alert of Aug. 27, the General Board's Brethren
Witness/Washington Office called attention to legislative issues
and the Sudan Day of Conscience Aug. 25, and called for prayer for
the safety of public witnesses in New York during the Republican
National Convention. The office "is not promoting or sponsoring the
protests," the alert stated. The two legislative pieces highlighted
were a campaign supporting debt cancellation for impoverished
countries, and the "sunset provision" allowing the federal assault
weapon ban to expire Sept. 13 unless Congress or the administration
choose to act. Brethren were asked to contact their representatives
to support the ban, part of the Violent Crime Control and Law
Enforcement Act.

*To mark the Aug. 25 Sudan: Day of Conscience, staff of the General
Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office joined a group of 300
from the Washington, D.C., Save Darfur Coalition in front of the
Sudan Embassy. General Board staff in Elgin, Ill., observed the day
with a chapel service led by mission connections coordinator Janis
Pyle. Annual Conference moderator Jim Hardenbrook, in Elgin for
meetings that day, reported that his congregation in Nampa, Idaho,
raised $5,500 for the children of Sudan through a Vacation Bible
School project. Sudan: Day of Conscience was organized by the Save
Darfur Coalition of the National Council of Churches and 70 other
groups, to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

*Help "dig through the roof" (Mark 2:3-5) this October. The
Association of Brethren Caregivers is encouraging congregations to
celebrate the month as Disabilities Awareness Month. Resources from
the Church and Persons with Disabilities Network are available at
www.brethren.org/abc/, including worship resources, Sunday school
lessons, materials for children, ideas for raising congregational
awareness, an accessibility checklist, information about ABC's Open
Roof Award, funding suggestions, and resources for adapting rituals
for those with special needs. The network also has started a list
serve for those interested in disability ministries to communicate
with one another. Contact Jacki Hartley at 800-323-8039 or e-mail
jhartley_abc@brethren.org.

*A cross cultural/peace studies trip offered by Bethany Theological
Seminary in cooperation with the Global Mission Partnerships Office
of the General Board, is being opened to other interested persons.
The 17-day trip, to take place Jan. 5-22, will enable participants
to engage Muslim-Christian dynamics in Nigeria that have both fed
violence and facilitated reconciliation. The trip also will offer
an introduction to Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of
the Brethren in Nigeria) including visits to historic mission
sites.  Estimated cost is $2,200. Contact Scott Holland at
800-287-8822 or e-mail hollasc@bethanyseminary.edu, or contact
Global Mission Partnerships at 800-323-8039 ext.230 or e-mail
mission_gb@brethren.org, by Oct. 1.

*The Customer Service Department of Brethren Press is extending its
hours of operation. Now customers can call the Customer Service
line (800-441-3712) 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Central time, Monday through
Friday. "We want to provide the best service we can, and this will
allow those in the east to call after work if they need to," said
Jewel McNary, director of Marketing and Sales. "The west coast
churches have said they have to remember to call before lunch if
they want to talk to someone, so this will be helpful." The
Customer Service line, which at one time was closed from 12-12:30
p.m., now is available through the lunch hour as well. Orders also
can be placed at www.brethrenpress.com and can be faxed to
800-667-8188.

*Lebanon Valley Brethren Home in Palmyra, Pa., announced the First
Annual Cathy Snell Memorial Golf Tournament on Sept. 10, beginning
at 1 p.m. at Lebanon Valley Golf Club in Myerstown, Pa. The
tournament is a "best ball scramble format" intended to provide an
opportunity for both seasoned golfers and occasional "duffers." A
dinner will follow the tournament. The event is a fundraiser for
the home's Good Samaritan Fund, to help cover the care of those who
can no longer afford to fully pay for their own care. Cost is $65.
Contact Robert Price at 717-838-5406 ext. 310 or e-mail
rprice@lvbh.org.

*A Sept. 9 convocation at Bridgewater (Va.) College will feature
Amaya Brecher and Veronica Portillo of MTV's "Hawaii and Road
Rules: Semester at Sea" in an interactive presentation on eating
disorders and self esteem. The program is one of the Harold Row
Endowed Lecture series. Other September convocations will feature
David C. Taylor, producer of "Reagan: A Legacy Remembered" and
"JFK: A President Revealed," speaking on "Investigating Past
Presidents" Sept. 16; and Mary Lightfine, of Doctors Without
Borders, speaking on "Nurses Without Boundaries" Sept. 23, in an
Anna Beahm Mow Lecture series. The college also invites the public
to campus worship with chaplain Robbie Miller 9:30 a.m. Sept. 7 at
the Carter Center, on the topic "In God We Trust?"; and to a Fall
Spiritual Focus Sept. 28 with David Radcliff, director of the New
Community Project, a nonprofit organization related to the Church
of the Brethren.

*A study guide has been prepared to accompany an Oct. 24 TV
documentary on hunger. The National Council of Churches is
producing the four-page guide for viewers of "Hunger No More: Faces
Behind the Facts," a program of the NCC for the ABC-TV "Vision and
Values" series. The documentary will feature denominational
experts, humanitarian leaders, government and civic officials,
scholars, and "on-the-ground" participants including Senators
George McGovern and Elizabeth Dole, UN hunger expert Joan Holmes,
and Columbia University ethicist Jeffrey Sachs. The study guide
will accompany VHS and DVD copies of the documentary. Call
800-999-3534.

*An International Day of Prayer for Peace on Tuesday Sept. 21 is
sponsored by the World Council of Churches (WCC) as part of the
Decade to Overcome Violence. A WCC release said that churches
representing over 550 million Christians worldwide have been
invited to participate. The initiative links to the International
Day of Peace declared by the United Nations, a worldwide effort for
a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence. WCC general secretary
Samuel Kobia encouraged congregations to hold 24-hour observances
or vigils, and to include prayers for peace in worship on the
Sundays before or after Sept. 21. Resources are available at
www.overcomingviolence.org/peace2004.


9) World Mission Offering centers on bLiving Letters of Love.'

"Now is the time to think creatively about how to use the 2004
World Mission Offering emphasis materials," said Carol Bowman,
General Board stewardship development counselor and Congregational
Life Team member. The suggested date for the annual offering is
Oct. 10. A packet of offering-related materials on the theme,
"Living Letters of Love," has been mailed to Church of the Brethren
congregations.

The offering materials keep Brethren focused on the scriptural
foundation of the mission offering emphasis, said Bowman. The theme
comes from 2 Corinthians 3:3: "...written not with ink but with the
Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of
human hearts."

The packet includes ideas for activities to prepare for the
offering. Also enclosed are samples of five prayer cards featuring
mission workers in Nigeria, Sudan, the Dominican Republic, Brazil,
and Vietnam; a bulletin insert and brochure on Brethren mission
workers abroad; offering envelopes; and interpretation resources in
a four-page guide with ideas to help pastors develop
mission-centered worship services and to aid church school teachers
in incorporating mission into curricula. The interpretation
resources are available in Spanish. A video, "Dear Friends: Living
Letters from our Mission Workers," is also available in DVD or VHS
format.

************************************************************
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. Sandy Bosserman, Samuel Bowman, Connie
Burkholder, Kathleen Campanella, A. Joan Lowry, Janis Pyle, Walt
Wiltschek, and organizers of Watu Wa Amani contributed to this
report.

Newsline is a free service to those requesting a subscription. To
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For additional news and features, subscribe to the Church of the
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