wfn.org | Newsline: Nigerian Brethren provide updates following outbreaks of violence

[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

NIGERIAN BRETHREN PROVIDE UPDATES FOLLOWING OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE

(Aug. 6, 2009) Elgin, IL -- Members of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN--t he Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) have sent some updated information fo llowing the violence that affected churches in the city of Maiduguri, in no rtheastern Nigeria. The outbreak of violence in late July affected the city  of Maiduguri and other areas of northeastern Nigeria following clashes bet ween a militant Islamist group and security forces.

EYN members in Maiduguri report that the EYN Maiduguri (No. 1) Church congr egation resumed worship on Sunday, Aug. 2, with an outdoor worship service  following the bombing and destruction of the church building on July 27.

The EYN Maiduguri Church was one of two EYN churches affected by the violen ce, in which the EYN Jajeri Church was also damaged and several EYN members  were injured or killed. EYN members have reported that at least 13 Christi an churches in the city were affected.

The reports from Nigerian Brethren also added more tragic news, that the to tal number of deaths across northeastern Nigeria may have risen to 1,000 or  more, including "the military personnel, the police, Christians, and the s ect members." Also, the number of Christian pastors killed in Maiduguri has  risen to three, according to the reports. None of the pastors who have die d were Brethren, although the assistant pastor of the EYN Jajeri Church was  injured.

The three pastors who were reportedly killed included Pastor Sabo of COCIN  (Church of Christ in Nigeria) Railway Church; the pastor of a National Evan gelical Mission who was reported to be severely injured in the violence and  died after having been taken to a medical clinic; and Pastor George Orji o f Goodnews Church Maiduguri, reported to have been killed after having been  abducted along with other Christians.

An EYN church leader who is a former chairperson of the Christian Associati on of Nigeria, Borno State Branch, sent information about peacemaking effor ts by church leaders there in recent years. He has been among those calling  on the government to help establish a forum where Muslim and Christian cle rics could meet, and to sanction those whose preaching incites violence, he  said. These kinds of efforts to foster peaceful interreligious relationshi ps have taken place in areas especially "where EYN has played a significant  role," he wrote.

Go to http://www.brethren.org/site/PhotoAlbumUser?AlbumID=8871&view=Use rAlbum for a photo album of the destruction to EYN Maiduguri Church.

Go to http://www.brethren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=go_places_serve_ni geria for more information about the Church of the Brethren work with EYN i n Nigeria.

Go to https://secure2.convio.net/cob/site/Donation2?df_id=2240&2240.donat ion=form1 for ways to help support the Nigerian church.

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 some 125,000 members across the Unit ed States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria,  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