wfn.org | Samples of new Gather =E2=80=99Round curriculum posted online

[COBNews@aol.com]

Date: Jan. 5, 2006
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100  F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: _CoBNews@AOL.Com_ (mailto:CoBNews@AOL.Com)

SAMPLES OF NEW CHRISTIAN EDUCATION CURRICULUM, GATHER âROUND, ARE POSTED
ONLINE

Jan. 5, 2006 (Elgin, IL) --  Free sample sessions of teacher and  student
materials from Gather 'Round: Hearing and Sharing God's Good News are  now posted
at _www.gatherround.org_ (http://www.gatherround.org) .  Gather 'Round is a
curriculum for children, youth, and parents in the Church of  the Brethren,
Mennonite Church Canada, and Mennonite Church USA.

The website also includes a price list, Bible outlines, and other basic
information. Customers without internet access may call 800-245-7894 for
assistance. Sample kits will be available for purchase in February, and
congregational use will begin in the fall.

In addition to quarterly teacher and student books, Gather 'Round will	offer
quarterly classroom packs that include such items as teaching pictures and
posters. One resource, for example, is a memory verse poster with photographs
of  children depicting American Sign Language words to represent the memory
text,  Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

A key emphasis is strengthening the connection between home and church.
One 
way Gather 'Round works at this is through the quarterly "Talkabout," an item
to  use at the family dinner table. Talkabout will help families extend the
Sunday	school experience through short scripture readings, prayers, and ideas
for  service and learning.

A major training event will be held Feb. 10-12, 2006, at Gilmary Retreat
Center near Pittsburgh, Pa. Each Church of the Brethren district and Mennonite
area conference has been invited to send representatives. Those trained in
February will facilitate training in their own regions.

Gather 'Round offers materials for seven levels: "Preschool," ages 3-4
with 
tips for 2s; "Primary," grades K-2; "Middler," grades 3-5; "Junior Youth,"
grades 6-8; "Youth," grades 9-12; "Multiage," grades K-6 with tips for older
students; "Parent/Caregiver," designed for adult classes or individual study.

Gather 'Round is a joint project of Brethren Press and Mennonite
Publishing 
Network. It follows Jubilee: God's Good News, used in Mennonite and Brethren
congregations since 1994.

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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The  Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford,
 director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board.
Newsline  stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is cited as the source.
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