Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service -- Feb. 8, 2008 Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, News Director 800-323-8039 ext. 260 -- cobnews@brethren.org
BRETHREN JOIN IN BUTLER CHAPEL CELEBRATION OF
REBUILDING
(Feb. 8, 2008) Elgin, IL -- The weekend of Jan. 18-20 found a Church of the Brethren delegation of about two dozen people in Orangeburg, S.C., for the 10th anniversary of the dedication of the Butler Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.
The church building was largely built by Brethren volunteers working under the direction of Brethren Disaster Ministries--a program of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
Butler Chapel's original building was one of many destroyed by arsonists in the rash of church burnings in 1995-96. With funds from the National Council of Churches as well as other sources, and with the help of 300 volunteers working under the direction of Brethren Disaster Ministries, a new church building was constructed, debt-free.
The three-day celebration was marked by a wonderful mix of AME and Church of the Brethren members. The Sunday morning sermon was the only major address. But there were hundreds of "messages" seen and heard as greetings, hugs, warm embraces, tears of joy, and expressions of love. The whole event was a huge message of common faith and purpose, as two very different yet very alike denominations merged to thank God for what has happened at Butler Chapel.
However, the 10th anniversary event was much more than a focus on an attractive building. The building is simply a tool for all that is taking place in the facility. Butler Chapel AME Church is a relatively small rural (now becoming suburban) congregation. The small congregation is extending its witness in amazing ways. There are five choirs, a praise dance group of children--carefully trained in expressing worship through movement, and other events aimed at promoting dedicated discipleship. The exceptionally fine facility also has become a center for many district events.
One highlight of the event was a celebration choir including as many Brethren who had some gift for singing. The choir spent more than an hour in a music workshop. The celebration also included a stirring "exercise hour," all kinds of recognitions, prizes, gifts, and--above all else--hundreds of expressions of brotherly and sisterly love.
The delegation from the Church of the Brethren included acting general secretary Mary Jo Flory-Steury and General Board members Russell Betz and Terrell Lewis, along with Brethren Disaster Ministries staff and staff volunteers, several of the project directors who guided the building construction--John and Marianna Baker, Stanley Barkdoll, and Earl Dohner, a number of volunteers who were involved in the rebuilding, and other interested Brethren supporters.
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 almost 130,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.
(This report was written by Glenn E. Kinsel, a Brethren Disaster Ministries staff volunteer who helped with volunteer coordination for the building project at Butler Chapel, and with promotion of the anniversary event.)
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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 800-323-8039 ext. 260 cobnews@brethren.org
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