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Date: October 1, 2004
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

Newsline       Oct. 1, 2004

"But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me....'"  Matthew
19:14a

NEWS
1) Disaster Child Care sets record number of centers, states.
2) Funds support Church World Service, programs in Angola, Sudan.
3) Ecumenical committee strengthens American Baptist connections.
4) Northern Plains District considers `Tradition and Change.'
5) Michigan District renews vision.
6) Northern Indiana focuses on `Loving God and Neighbor.'
7) Brethren bits.

UPCOMING EVENTS
8) Christian education events planned for the fall and spring.
9) Young Adult Conference 2005 taking shape.

FEATURE
10) Garden plots provide food, place for community, life lessons.

***********************************************************
1) Disaster Child Care sets record number of centers, states.

Volunteers with Disaster Child Care (DCC), a General Board program,
are serving in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Virginia following a
record number of hurricanes to hit the US in recent weeks. "To my
knowledge, this is the first time Disaster Child Care volunteers
have staffed eight child care centers at one time, in three states,
since the program began in 1980," said coordinator Helen
Stonesifer. "We're setting a record for ourselves, don't know if
that's good or bad."

In Florida, DCC volunteers are staffing four centers. At the
request of FEMA, a new child care project has opened in Gulf Breeze
with volunteers who were serving in Orlando and Kissimmee. The
program has reopened the center in Kissimmee after FEMA reported
that clientele numbers increased dramatically there, and volunteers
will arrive Oct. 3. Two teams of child care volunteers deployed to
Montgomery, Ala., at the request of the American Red Cross have
been reassigned to Pensacola, in Escambia County. The county
sustained some of the greatest damage due to Hurricane Ivan, said
Stonesifer. Another team has been deployed to replace volunteers
who have completed their two-week assignments. Since the first
project opened in Florida Aug. 22, over 63 volunteers have made
contact with approximately 1,140 children.

Four centers are open in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Three teams of
child care volunteers are staffing Disaster Recovery Centers in
Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Claysburgh, Pa. The Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Agency requested that child care be provided
in ten FEMA centers, Stonesifer said. "Although, our network of
volunteers cannot support staffing ten centers, we have committed
to serving in two," she reported. Since then, the program opened a
third center as well.

DCC project managers also spent time at a day care center in
Pensacola, giving advice on how to help children work through
emotions related to disasters. Gloria Cooper and Cheryl Dekker
spoke with the director and 18 staff members at the For Kids Only
Children's Day School. Stonesifer also announced that DCC is
"honored to be hosting Laura Austin, a representative from the
Canadian Disaster Child Care Society." Austin will be serving at
the Gulf Breeze center for two weeks to learn more about setting up
a child care project.

2) Funds support Church World Service, programs in Angola, Sudan.

Grants totaling $68,000 have been made from the General Board's
Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF)
for hurricane and flood relief efforts in the US, the Caribbean,
and Bangladesh, and for programs in Angola and Sudan.

Church World Service (CWS) was the recipient of several EDF grants
related to recent hurricanes and flooding: $20,000 for emergency
aid in the wake of hurricanes in the US, to ship relief supplies
and deploy CWS staff to develop longterm recovery groups; $10,000
for work in the wake of hurricanes in the Caribbean, to provide
material aid for clean up and repairs in Grenada, Jamaica, Cuba,
and the Dominican Republic; $7,000 to help recovery from flooding
in the DR and Haiti; and $8,000 following devastating floods in
Bangladesh, for food assistance, shelter, clothing, and temporary
jobs for more than 22,000 families.

The EDF also supported a shipment to Angola of bicycles for
transportation and sun ovens for cleaner, efficient cooking with a
grant of $13,000. The grant supports the work of the SHAREcircle
organization.

A GFCF grant of $10,000 supports the teaching faculty at St.
Bakhita Primary Girls School in Narus, southern Sudan. "While
providing support for the school is not addressing hunger action in
quite the direct manner of most GFCF projects, one cannot
overestimate the significance of educating girls in a society where
they readily slip into the margins," explained a memo from fund
manager Howard Royer. The memo cited the importance of girls'
education for raising economic productivity, lowering infant and
maternal mortality, improving nutrition, promoting health, and
helping prevent HIV/AIDS.

3) Ecumenical committee strengthens American Baptist connections.

The Committee on Interchurch Relations (CIR)--the ecumenical
committee of Annual Conference and the General Board--met Sept.
17-19 in Elgin, Ill. Jerry Cain, president of Judson College,
attended the meeting for the American Baptist Churches USA.

It was the first meeting of the CIR with an American Baptist
observer consultant, according to Stan Noffsinger, general
secretary and ex-officio member of the committee. Earlier this
year, committee member Belita Mitchell attended the equivalent
American Baptist group, the Committee on Christian Unity. "Both of
these committees can benefit from the fraternal relationship," said
Noffsinger.

An effort to strengthen relationship with the American Baptists has
been in process for several months, and continues a 30-year
"associated relationship" between the two denominations. Brethren
and Baptist staff leaders held a day-long meeting in February this
year and plan to meet again in February 2005.

CIR is working with American Baptist leaders to identify an
American Baptist member to serve on the Multi-Ethnic/Cross Cultural
Study Committee, as mandated by Annual Conference this summer.
"That contact has been made and we're awaiting their response,"
Noffsinger said.

The committee also received reports from representatives to other
Brethren bodies; held conference calls with representatives to the
National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches;
reviewed ecumenical events at Annual Conference 2004 and planned
for 2005; and determined that its ecumenical citation for 2005 will
award a youth or young adult active in ecumenical peace work.

Michael Hostetter of Roanoke, Va., serves as chair. Also on the
committee are Steve Brady, Lebanon, Ohio; Jim Eikenberry, Calif.;
Brandy Fix, Wabash, Ind.; Robert Johansen, Granger, Ind.; and
Belita Mitchell, Harrisburg, Pa.

4) Northern Plains District considers `Tradition and Change.'

"Tradition and Change" was the theme as Northern Plains District
met Aug. 6-8 for its conference at the University of Northern Iowa
in Cedar Falls. Registered for the weekend were 211 people.
Moderator Beth Cage led the conference in "worshipful work"
business sessions that included time for congregations to share a
tradition or change from the past year.

Delegates approved a 2005 budget totaling $116,799, received a
report from the District Conference Site Committee, approved dates
and location for 2005 and 2006, and approved a change in the
constitution and by laws. Delegates also called new leaders:
moderator-elect Diane Mason; Nominating Committee members Lyle
Neher and Darius Elder; Board of Administration members Janice
Ackart, Merlin Grady, Sheila Selix, Alice Draper, Betty Kingery,
and Ida Van Westen; board youth representative Sam Button-Harrison;
and Program Planning Committee member Carol Leland. Guests who gave
reports included Jim Hardenbrook, Annual Conference moderator, and
Lowell Flory, director of Institutional Advancement at Bethany
Theological Seminary. General Board members Roy Unruh and Jeff
Neuman-Lee gave a video presentation.

Worship on Friday evening was experienced with multiple preachers,
women and men sitting separately, and traditional hymns. Greg
Jones, Cara McCallister, and John Elder shared the preaching.
Saturday evening brought a dramatic tour through the Bible by
Mennonite duo Ted and Lee. On Sunday morning there was a blending
of traditional and new hymns, preaching by moderator Beth Cage, and
installation of new district leadership. Tim Peter, pastor of
Prairie City (Iowa) Church of the Brethren, received the gavel as
the incoming moderator. Offerings totaled $2,736.57.

Conference goers also heard about projects and ideas in the "Free
Money...Strings Attached" fundraising approach initiated in 2003.
Milestones in Ministry were presented to ordained ministers Richard
Burger, Vernon Merkey, Lucinda Douglas, Marjorie Smalley, Marlene
Neher, and Clara Glover.

Other highlights of the weekend were a Witness Commission blood
drive with the American Red Cross, in which donors gave 46 units of
blood. An auction organized by the Nurture Commission contributed
$3,029.75 to Heifer International. The youth contributed money from
an evening Ice Cream Social for a total of $3,168.65 to help stop
hunger around the world.

5) Michigan District renews vision.

"Renewing Our Vision: Of God and His Word, of His Church, of Our
Mission" was the theme for the Michigan District conference Aug.
12-15 in Hastings, Mich. Bill Raymor served as moderator and Gary
Copenhaver as moderator-elect.

Each of three worship services was based on an aspect of the theme,
with James Myer, of the Brethren Revival Fellowship, as preacher.
A Love Feast opened the conference, led by Anita Smith Buckwalter.
Youth were worship leaders for the Saturday evening service.

The conference adopted a District Board gross budget for 2005 of
$91,608 (net $77,548), representing an increase from last year's
budget with new line items for ministry training and development.
The Camp Budget approved for 2005 was $78,580. After much
discussion the query, "The Process of Licensing or Ordaining," was
returned to Beaverton (Mich.) Church of the Brethren. Delegates
voted to shift from the Discipleship and Reconciliation Committee
to the Shalom Team, with appointees to be affirmed by the district
conference. District commissions and committees gave reports and
the conference also heard from denominational agencies.

Those elected to leadership were Mary Gault, moderator-elect; Roya
Stern, conference writing clerk; Lori Waas, Central Committee;
Christina Campbell, Discipleship and Reconciliation Committee;
Cindy Tarte, Nominating Committee; Jan Thomas, Nurture Commission;
Winnie Toledo, Ministry Commission; Bob Phillips, Stewards
Commission; Bob Schnepp, Witness Commission; Frances Townsend,
District Board secretary; Nancy Hammond-Chaffin, affirmed as Camp
Board representative. Raymor and General Board member Dan McRoberts
were recognized for their service on the District Board.

6) Northern Indiana focuses on `Loving God and Neighbor.'

Northern Indiana District Conference was held Sept. 17-18 at Camp
Alexander Mack, Milford, Ind., with Dan Snider serving as
moderator. The theme, "Loving God and Neighbor with all your Heart,
Soul, Mind and Strength," utilized the 2004 Annual Conference
banner designed and made by Rosanna McFadden, a member of the
district.

A total of 250 people were present for the Friday evening worship
service led by Dan Petry, moderator-elect. Annual Conference
moderator Jim Hardenbrook was the speaker. An offering of $1,215
was received for the Ministry Scholarship Fund.

Delegates approved a 2005 budget totaling $175,000; approved a
constitution and by law change to include a new Assessment and
Coaching Team; and approved a revised policy related to church
moderators. Dan Petry was installed as moderator for 2004-2005 and
will serve the next district conference to be held at Beacon
Heights Church of the Brethren, Fort Wayne, Ind., Sept. 16-17.
Other leaders elected were Mike Kauffman, moderator-elect; Jim
Davis, Standing Committee delegate; Delia Waits, Program and
Arrangements Committee; Phyllis Davis and Dan Snider, District
Board; Joe Long and Charles Morris, Personnel Committee.

The District Board presented the "Volunteer of the Year" award to
John and Beth Sternberg for their service as Disaster Response
coordinators for over 20 years. Executive minister Herman Kauffman
was recognized for ten years of district service.

7) Brethren bits.

*In a correction to the Sept. 17 story on the National Older Adult
Conference, the potter for the opening worship service was Joyce
Parker, not Joyce Person as reported.

*Lyle C. Albright, 84, died July 16 in McPherson, Kan. He was
executive of Northern Plains District for 10 years and pastored
churches in Missouri, Texas, Iowa, and Kansas. He was an ecumenical
leader in Kansas, helping found Churches United for Peacemaking,
serving on the Holocaust Committee for the Kansas Region of the
National Conference of Christians and Jews, and helping plan the
"North American Assisi: A Multi-Religious Meeting" in Wichita in
1988. He was a graduate of Bethany Theological Seminary and
McPherson (Kan.) College, and was a missionary in Nigeria for a
year in the mid-1940s.

*Caleb Hoffer Frantz, 89, who served in several capacities in
Puerto Rico, died Sept. 1. He was a graduate of Manchester College,
North Manchester, Ind., and attended Bethany Biblical Seminary
before working at Castaner Hospital in Puerto Rico through Civilian
Public Service. He went on to teach public school in Puerto Rico,
then became project director and hospital administrator at Castaner
from 1960-64. He was a member of Little Swatara Church of the
Brethren, Bethel, Pa.

*Former India missionary, teacher, and registered nurse Betty
Rogers Blickenstaff, 90, died Sept. 13 at Brethren Hillcrest Homes
in La Verne, Calif. She and her late husband Leonard Blickenstaff
were mission workers in India 1940-70. She served at the Brethren
hospital in Bulsar, the Dahanu Mission Hospital, the Woodstock
School, and the Rural Service Center at Anklesvar. According to her
staff citation from the General Board, Blickenstaff "played a
significant role in working with village women in the fields of
nutrition and child and mother care." Blickenstaff also worked as
a nurse and medical records librarian at Hillcrest. She was a
graduate of Manchester College, North Manchester, Ind., and a
member of La Verne Church of the Brethren.

*Peter Rudolf, a former missionary in Nigeria with Mission 21,
passed away Sept. 9 after a short but severe sickness. Mission 21,
formerly Basel Mission, is a partner with Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a
Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and the
General Board's Global Mission Partnerships. Mission 21 reported
that Rudolf fell sick after returning from a five-week assignment
at the Mobile Bible School in Kakuma, Kenya, a camp of 70,000
Sudanese refugees. He had recently retired. Rudolf is survived by
his wife Regula and children Matthias, David, and Susanne. "We ask
you to pray for the family," wrote Albrecht Hieber, head of
international relations for the mission. "Mission 21 and all the
friends are very sad and shocked about this sudden death, which
means a big loss to all of us."

*The Mission and Ministries Planning Council met Sept. 12-13 at the
Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., to continue its work
of receiving and reviewing ideas for new ministries and missions
for the denomination. The council heard a proposal for a "New Life
Initiative" brought by David Young, updates on General Board
mission work, and plans for the Mission Alive 2005 conference. The
group also worked on an action item to go to the General Board's
October meeting related to church planting and mission in Haiti.
The council is a committee of the General Board including wider
church representation. General secretary Stan Noffsinger and
executive director of Global Mission Partnerships Merv Keeney
represent board staff; chair Donna Shumate and Doug Diamond
represent the board; moderator Jim Hardenbrook and moderator-elect
Ron Beachley represent Annual Conference; Don Booz of Mid-Atlantic
and Steven Abe of West Marva represent districts.

*Jeff Carter, pastor of Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren, is
representing the denomination at the US Conference of the World
Council of Churches (WCC) Oct. 5-6 in Atlanta, Ga. "The Power and
Promise of Peace" is the theme for the meeting, focused on the
Decade to Overcome Violence. Speakers include WCC general secretary
Samuel Kobia, former US ambassador to the United Nations Andrew
Young, and WCC North America president Bernice Powell Jackson. The
aim of the event is to "expose and inspire" the US churches' peace
witness. The meeting will close with a "Blessed Are the
Peacemakers" award to individuals and organizations "responsible
for creative and courageous peace and justice efforts in their
communities," a WCC release said. For more information see
www.wcc-usa.org.

*Two Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) members were attacked and
beaten by Israeli settlers Sept. 29, according to a release from
CPT. Kim Lamberty, of Washington D.C., and Christopher Brown, of
San Francisco, Calif., were accompanying Palestinian children
walking to school in the Southern Hebron District of the West Bank.
The children escaped uninjured. Lamberty and Brown were taken by
ambulance to hospital. Lamberty has been released. Brown sustained
broken ribs, one of which punctured his lung, and has undergone
surgery. CPT, an initiative of Mennonite and Brethren congregations
and Friends meetings, is present in the area of the attack at the
request of Palestinian villagers who are suffering repeated
harassment from Israeli settlers while Israeli authorities have
failed to intervene, the release said. For more visit www.cpt.org.

8) Christian education events planned for the fall and spring.

Four training events for those doing Christian education in the
Church of the Brethren have been planned for the fall and spring.
The events are sponsored by districts and the General Board's
Congregational Life Ministries.

"From Good to Great Teaching!" will be offered Oct. 9, 8:30
a.m.-2:30 p.m., for teachers of adults. The day will be hosted by
Middlebury (Ind.) Church of the Brethren and sponsored by Northern
Indiana District. A plenary session will be led by former district
executive Ron Finney and five workshops will be offered. For more
information call 574-773-3149.

"Called to Teach!" will be for teachers of all age groups on Nov.
13, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., sponsored by West Marva District and the
Congregational Life Team (CLT) for Area 3. Hosted by Sunnyside
Church of the Brethren, New Creek, W.Va., the event will offer a
plenary session with CLT coordinator Julie Hostetter and 11
workshops led by Christian educators from Shenandoah, Middle
Pennsylvania, and West Marva Districts. Call 800-244-5896.

"Christian Education for Today" will be held March 5, 2005, 8:30
a.m.-12:30 p.m., for teachers of children and youth. Sponsored by
South/Central Indiana district and CLT Area 2, the event will be
hosted by Manchester Church of the Brethren, North Manchester,
Ind., and will include a celebration of Christian education
ministry and 11 workshops. Call 800-505-1596.

"Five Loaves and Two Fish--Jesus Multiplies Our Gifts for Christian
Education," an event focused on the "Hospitable Teaching and
Learning" approach, will be hosted by Carlisle (Pa.) Church of the
Brethren May 21, 2005, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. It is sponsored by the
districts and CLT of Area 1. Leadership will be provided by Cheryl
Magrini who serves a United Methodist congregation in Illinois and
teaches at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary. Call 888-411-4275.

9) Young Adult Conference 2005 taking shape.

The Young Adult Steering Committee met Sept. 24-26 in Elgin, Ill.,
to plan for next year's Young Adult Conference. Camp Woodland
Alters, in Peebles, Ohio, will be the site for the conference on
Memorial Day weekend May 27-29. The theme, based on Hebrews 10:24,
is "Provoking love and good deeds."

"Inspired by the energy and spirit of worship at National Young
Adult Conference, worship will be a larger part of YAC this year,"
reported steering committee member Robert Etzweiler. "It will be
the thrust of the weekend as sessions have been in the past. We're
in the process of lining up worship leaders and speakers and will
be able to let you know who they are soon. We hope to see you
there!" More information will be posted at www.brethren.org on the
Youth/Young Adults web page under "Young Adult Conference."

10) Garden plots provide food, place for community, life lessons.

Garden plots on land owned by the General Board, located behind the
General Offices in Elgin, Ill., produce food for the community,
Brethren staff, and volunteers. They also provide an opportunity
for gardeners to work together with friends and family. "It's fun,"
said Mary Beliveau, a Brethren Volunteer Service worker and
assistant archivist for the board. "It's a lot of hard work but
it's good to be together."

On a sunny afternoon in early fall, the area was a neighborhood
gathering place as small groups of people chatted or waved to each
other on their way to and from garden plots, and children rode
four-wheelers and bicycles around the property. The land is a
resource for the community, with individuals and groups renting the
122 plots for the low cost of $20 a season in a program that has
been in place for at least 25 years. Most of the gardeners are
repeat customers, said Maryse Manelli, the board's receptionist who
is responsible for renting the plots. "A lot are renewed year after
year," she said. "When people come in wanting plots, I have to put
them on a waiting list."

Beliveau and three friends who work for the board--Beth Rhodes,
co-coordinator of youth and young adult workcamps; Becky Ullom,
director of Identity and Relations; and LeAnn Wine, director of
Financial Operations--gardened a 40-by-40-foot plot together. This
summer their crop included corn, sunflowers, green beans, peas,
squash, tomatoes, and herbs. The harvest of beans was so plentiful
the friends gave away bags of the fresh vegetable.

The plot worked by the Kingery family--Heather and Dennis, who
directs the Church of the Brethren Credit Union, and sons Ethan and
Jonas--also raised more than they could eat. The boys age four and
two picked tomatoes and squash while their parents worried about
weeds and cultivated the broccoli.

As all gardeners must, those who work the plots experience loss and
disappointment along with the possibility of bumper crops. Produce
regularly disappeared overnight. Pumpkins were especially hard to
bring to harvest because they are popular with those who raid the
plots, said gardeners.

James Miller, who worked nine plots with fellow gardener Dave
Covington, said he planted extra for just that reason. He knows he
shares his harvest with many people, those he invited to share it,
and those he didn't. On the day he was interviewed at his plot he
had brought along a friend, Everett Woods, who was hungry for some
collard greens. Woods, who attends Living Gospel Church of God in
Christ that meets at the General Offices, left with greens,
jalapenos, cucumbers, and green peppers covering the floorboards of
his car.

Among those using plots this year was the Elgin YWCA's Teen REACH
and Southeast Asian Youth programs, which are attempting to create
a community garden for youth and children on two plots provided
free of charge by the board. The idea was for children at Elgin's
Garfield Elementary School, a partner in the project, to work the
garden, donate the produce and help serve the food at an Elgin soup
kitchen, said Ann de Cruz, YWCA community service director. It
seemed a perfect opportunity for children who are "usually on the
receiving end" to give and see the fruit of their labors, she said.

The garden was a lesson in the "real world," however. When the
weather turned hot, the children just didn't show up. "We lost the
garden," de Cruz said. She is still convinced the basic idea for
the program is a good one. "I want to do it one more time. The
other thing that we must have is beyond-grade-school human beings
who can follow through, or people who can volunteer." For more
information about the YWCA project call 847-742-7930 or e-mail
anndecruz153@hotmail.com.

*****************************************************************
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news
services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on the
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