wfn.org | Newsline: Books signings scheduled for new book about Brethren Service Center

[cobnews <cobnews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, News Director Cheryl Brumbau gh-Cayford, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

BOOK SIGNINGS SCHEDULED FOR NEW VOLUME ABOUT THE BRETHREN SERVICE CENTER

(April 24, 2009) Elgin, IL -- A new book from Brethren Press reviews the hi story and success of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., under  the title, "Beyond our Means, How the Brethren Service Center Dared the Em brace the World." Authors R. Jan and Roma Jo Thompson will hold two book si gning events in Carroll County, Md., to sign copies.

The Brethren Service Center has been responding to those in need around the  world since 1944, and is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year. It cu rrently houses nine nonprofit organizations that work in relief and develop ment, disaster response, fair trade, social justice, and hospitality.

Organizations currently headquartered at the Brethren Service Center includ e the Church of the Brethren's Material Resources program that warehouses a nd ships relief supplies on behalf of Church World Service, Lutheran World  Relief, and a number of other ecumenical partners; IMA World Health, which  has its central offices at the center; SERRV, which provides a retail store  at the center and utilizes warehouse space there; Children's Disaster Serv ices and Brethren Disaster Ministries, two disaster relief programs of the  Church of the Brethren; and the On Earth Peace central office.

The New Windsor Conference Center offers lodging and conference facilities  on the Brethren Service Center campus, including a dining facility that is  open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

"Beyond our Means" traces the history of the campus from its days as a coll ege beginning in 1849 through the present. The Church of the Brethren purch ased 26 acres and four college buildings in 1944 as a relief center to ship  material resources to war-torn Europe. It is a story of partnerships with  many organizations to offer a helping hand both in the US and overseas. The  book is dedicated to the thousands who have volunteered and worked in mini stries and education on the campus and to the millions who have benefited.

The authors will autograph books at the following locations and dates: on A pril 30 from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the SERRV Store at the Brethren Service C enter in New Windsor, Md.; and on May 2 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Mid-Atla ntic District Disaster Auction in Westminster, Md.

Order the book from Brethren Press at 800-441-3712, or buy it at one of the  book signings.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continu ing 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 t raditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated it s 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 Nig eria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cobnews@brethren.org