wfn.org | Church of the Brethren tackles new mission in Sudan

[COBNews@aol.com]

Date: Oct. 27, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100  F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: _CoBNews@AOL.Com_ (mailto:CoBNews@AOL.Com)

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN TACKLES NEW MISSION IN SUDAN

Oct. 27, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- At meetings in Elgin, Ill., Oct. 15-17 the
Church of the Brethren General Board accepted a proposal for a new Church of the
Brethren mission initiative in Sudan and approved it "as a concept for
implementation and development."

"There is new opportunity to walk with the Sudanese in a healing and
reconciling way, and to work together to rebuild their land," said the proposal  in
part.

The proposal calls for an ambitious 2006 budget in excess of $1 million  with
a projection of quickly fielding 20-plus mission workers. Mission workers
would do a variety of work to help rebuild Sudan following the civil war, such
as health care and education, with direction from indigenous agencies such as
the New Sudan Council of Churches. The board's discussion indicated it is
likely	that church planting will be added to the mission workers' tasks.

The proposal was brought by an ad-hoc group of more than 20 former
denominational staff and mission workers, along with others who attended the  Church of
the Brethrenâs Mission Alive '05 conference this past spring. Two  members of
the group were present to speak to the board: Roger Schrock, a former
executive of the church's World Ministries Commission, and Merlyn Kettering, a
consultant for the church's work with the New Sudan Council of Churches.

The "need is terrific" in Sudan, said Global Mission Partnership executive
director Merv Keeney as he introduced the proposal. He and other
presenters 
couched it as a new mission initiative for the denomination "with initial
mission program in south Sudan." They outlined a vision to expand the  initiative,
tailored for countries emerging from violent conflict, to other such
areas in
Africa.

There is no functioning social organization other  than the church in
southern Sudan, Keeney told the board, and the Church of the  Brethren mission will
be part of a large international effort to rebuild the	country's
infrastructure. Kettering challenged the board to say "yes" to the  proposal, to say "we
want to be involved in the rebuilding of Sudan, and doing  it the way the
Brethren can do it."

Discussion around the board table included the possibility of the new
mission being carried out in cooperation with the councils of churches in Sudan  as
well as with sister Churches of the Brethren in Nigeria and other countries.
Before presentation to the board, the proposal had been reviewed by
leaders of
 the New Sudan Council of Churches, Haruun Ruun and Emmanuel Lowilla.

The Church of the Brethren's more than 25 years of relationship with Sudan
is "an important basis" for the new initiative, Keeney said. Past Brethren
mission programs in Sudan have included a rural health program, the training of
pastors, theological education, Bible translation, food distribution and
relief	efforts, a peace program, and financial support of staff of the
New Sudan
Council of Churches. "The Sudanese are saying, you've walked with us in
difficult times, walk with us now," Keeney said.

Many questions focused on the proposal's "faith mission model" of funding
that differs from the current way the denomination funds mission. The proposal
for Sudan has missionaries raising their own support and salaries along with a
 percentage for administration, seeking direct sponsorship from
congregations.	Those presenting the proposal said the proposing group has people "poised
to  give" to start the mission, as well as people ready to go to Sudan as
mission  workers.

During the discussion, some wondered if the new funding model will damage
fundraising for the denominationâs core ministries. Others were concerned about
the ability of mission workers to sustain a commitment to the people of
Sudan.	As churches are planted there also is a concern about how to
commit to new
congregations under such a structure.

Reservations continued to be expressed throughout discussion of the
proposal. After saying that he still had lots of questions, board member Dale  Minnich
affirmed, "I don't know how we can't do it. Is God asking us to go? I  think
the answer is yes," he said. "But it's a leap of faith."

In approving the proposal in concept the board referred to the 1989 paper  of
the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference on Mission Theology and
Guidelines, and a resolution passed in July calling the Church of the Brethren  to
new opportunities in Sudan following the peace accords. The board also
identified several areas where it still had questions, including the christology  of
the proposal, details of church planting plans, the funding model, the
name  of
the mission, and partnering details. The board and staff will engage in
further dialogue about the mission initiative in Sudan in future meetings.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to
continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith  in
community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith
traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its  300th
anniversary in 2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United
States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Brazil,
the 
Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nigeria.

# # #

For more information contact:

Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
Director of News Services
Church of the  Brethren General Board
1451 Dundee Ave.
Elgin, IL 60120
847-742-5100  ext. 260
_cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org_
(mailto:cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org)

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 director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board.
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