wfn.org | Plans for Brethren older adult conference

[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) 
 
PLANS FOR OLDER ADULT CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN ARE  ANNOUNCED
 
Jan. 5, 2006 (Elgin, IL) -- The next National Older Adult Conference (NOAC)  
for the Church of the Brethren is planned for Sept. 4-8, 2006, at Lake 
Junaluska  (N.C.) Assembly. Sponsored by the Older Adult Ministry of the
Association 
of  Brethren Caregivers (ABC), the conference will provide more than 1,100 
adults	age 50 and older with a time to be nurtured, inspired, and connected
in  
community.
 
The theme--"Walking in the Light"--"encourages people of faith to respond  to

the insecurities of the world and our own physical realities with the  
assurance of God's love and to be beacons of God's light," said ABC. "The
theme  
seeks to remind and inspire older adults that they can and do make a powerful
 
and positive difference when they walk daily in the conviction that God's
light  
in the world is what will make for true and meaningful security in the	
world."
 
Keynote presenters will include Roland Martinson, professor of Children  
Youth and Family Ministry and past professor of pastoral theology and
ministry  at 
Luther Seminary of St. Paul, Minn.; Ken Haugk, founder and executive director

 of Stephen Ministries of St. Louis, Mo., and author of "Journeying through  
Grief" and "Don't Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart: How to Relate to Those Who Are
 
Suffering"; Myron Augsburger, retired pastor and instructor for Eastern  
Mennonite Seminary of Harrisonburg, Va., who also has served as president of 

Eastern Mennonite University and Seminary and as moderator of the General  
Assembly of the Mennonite Church USA; Richard Gentzler, director of the
Center	on 
Aging and Older Adult Ministires for the General Board of Discipleship of the
 
United Methodist Church.
 
Church of the Brethren members will bring worship messages. Sandy  Bosserman,

executive minister of Missouri/Arkansas District, will preach at the  opening

worship celebration. During the closing worship celebration, Mary Cline  
Detrick, pastor of Daleville (Va.) Church of the Brethren, will address the  
conference.  
 
Bible study each morning will be led by Dena Pence Frantz, professor of  
Theological Studies at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind. Evening
 
entertainment will feature Shawn Kirchner and Ryan Harrison, who have been  
performing as a vocal/piano duo since 2000 and performed together at the
Church	of 
the Brethren Christmas Eve Service on CBS-television in 2004; and Christian  
comedians Ted and Lee (Ted Swartz and Lee Eshleman), who have provided their 

unique understandings of the scriptures at many Brethren events including the
 
2000 NOAC, National Youth Conference, and Annual Conference.
 
For more information contact the Association of Brethren Caregivers at	
800-323-8039 or _abc@brethren.org_ (mailto:abc@brethren.org) .
 
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) 
 
*****************************************************************
The  Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford,

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