wfn.org | Newsline: Church of the Brethren runner among 2008 Olympians

["COBNews Newsline" <cobnews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service -- July 3, 2008
Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, News Director
800-323-8039 ext. 260 -- cobnews@brethren.org

>CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN RUNNER AMONG 2008

>OLYMPIANS

(July 3, 2008) Elgin, IL -- Most Brethren don't take the verse "Run in
such a way as to get the prize" (1 Cor. 9:24b) quite as literally as
Woodbury (Pa.) Church of the Brethren member Brian Sell.

Brian qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, with a
third-place finish in the US marathon trials last November, and he will
represent the United States at the Games in August. He had led the 2004
qualifying race before fading the last few miles, so going this time
fulfills a dream.

"After that I realized I could do it," says Sell, who turned 30 in April.  "I
really made it a goal to make it in 2008."

He started running as a way to stay in shape for football, but soon
running became the focus. His college career began at Messiah College
in Grantham, Pa., before he transferred to Saint Francis University in
Loretto, where he received a partial scholarship. Now, Sell appears on
the cover of Saint Francis' magazine, part of his newfound celebrity
status.

"We're getting a lot of attention we never got before," says Brian's
mother, Lois Sell, who lives in Woodbury. "A lot of people come up and
congratulate us. We're really happy for Brian."

She said the Woodbury congregation--which includes many other Sell
family members, and where Brian's great-grandfather preached--has
been praying regularly for Brian. And about 100 church members and
friends traveled to New York for the November race. "They announced
that (Brian) had the biggest cheering section there," she says. "We were
most appreciative of that."

Brian currently lives with his wife, Sarah (from Lititz (Pa.) Church of  the
Brethren), and baby daughter in the Detroit area, where he runs with the
Hansons-Brooks Distance Project. When he's finished running, though,
likely in the next year or two, he plans to move back to Woodbury and
the church that has cheered him on in his latest endeavors.

"My Sunday school teachers and everyone have written me letters,"
Brian says. "It's a big source of support."

His parents and wife and daughter will all make the trip to Beijing in
August to do some more cheering. The marathon takes place on Aug. 24,
the last day of the Games.

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 more than 125,000
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 Walt Wiltschek, editor of the Church of the
Brethren "Messenger" magazine, and appears in the July/August issue.)

># # #

>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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