Date: March 6, 2006 Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103 E-MAIL: _CoBNews@AOL.Com_ (mailto:CoBNews@AOL.Com)
CHURCH PLANTING CONFERENCE HELD BY THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN WILL ASK, †WHAT COMES FIRST?â€
March 6, 2006 (Elgin, IL) -- "In church planting, what comes first?" asks an announcement of a church planting conference sponsored by the New Church Development Committee of the Church of the Brethren General Board, offered through a cooperative effort with the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership.
"Which priorities take precedence? What skills are required? Just like the childhood game scissors, paper, rock, the answer is contextual and dynamic. Answers are never easy, and the calling to plant takes substantial courage,
great persistence, and effective teamwork."
From May 20-23, church leaders will gather at Bethany Theological Seminary
in Richmond, Ind., on the theme, "Scissors, Paper, Rock." The conference will "develop tools, explore textures, and share testimonies" in church planting. Guidance for the conference will come from Michael Cox, an American Baptist pastor and experienced church planter; Kathy Royer, a spiritual director; David Shumate, district executive minister for Virlina District, and a church planting catalyst; Chris Bunch, founding pastor of The Jar in Muncie, Ind.; and General Board staff and Bethany faculty.
The event will include worship, workshops, keynote addresses, and small group conversations. It begins Saturday at 2 p.m. and concludes Tuesday at 12 noon.
"You are invited to join us!" said the announcement. Registration is available at _www.bethanyseminary.edu_ (http://www.bethanyseminary.edu) . For more information contact _planting@bethanyseminary.edu_ (mailto:planting@bethanyseminary.edu) or 765-983-1807.
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.
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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. Newsline stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is cited as the source. To receive Newsline by e-mail, write _cobnews@aol.com_ (mailto:cobnews@aol.com) or call 800-323-8039 ext. 260.