wfn.org | Newsline: Workcamp ministry records another successful season

[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

WORKCAMP MINISTRY RECORDS ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON

(Aug. 28, 2009) Elgin, IL -- The workcamp ministry of the Church of the Bre thren Youth and Young Adult program had another successful season, with 31  workcamps and over 700 participants.

"It is inspiring to see the continued dedication of our youth and support o f our congregations for the workcamp ministry," commented coordinator Jeann e Davies. "Even in the current economic climate, junior and senior high you th and advisors, and young adult workcamp groups, gave a week of their time  to serve others, worship together, meet new people, experience another cul ture, and have fun at a Church of the Brethren workcamp."

This workcamp year included two workcamps co-led by On Earth Peace: one on  the topic of racism in Germantown, Pa.; and an intergenerational workcamp a t the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., focused on the peace wit ness of the Church of the Brethren and its connection to service.

It was the first year for the "We Are Able" workcamp for intellectually dis abled young adult participants, also held at the Brethren Service Center.

Young adult participants traveled to Northern Ireland to learn about "the t roubles" and efforts at peacemaking and reconciliation, as they served at K ilcranny House.

Senior highs served in Mexico, Brooklyn, West Virginia, the Lakota Reservat ion, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, among other locations.

Junior highs served at many places, including the John Kline Homestead in V irginia, learning about Brethren history during the Civil War era. They als o served at Innisfree Village, a residential community for intellectually d isabled adults; at Indianapolis, helping restore houses; and at Washington,  D.C., in soup kitchens and homeless shelters.

The 2009 workcamp theme was "Bound Together, Finely Woven" )2 Cor. 8:12-15) . At each workcamp, participants explored their place in the tapestry of Go d's creation and how the threads of their lives are interwoven with the liv es of others, in both giving and receiving.

Jeanne Davies is coordinator of the Church of the Brethren's workcamp minis try. The assistants coordinators for the 2009 workcamps were Meghan Horne,  Bekah Houff, and Emily Laprade, serving through Brethren Volunteer Service.

Watch www.brethren.org for a photo album from this summer's workcamps. Watc h the workcamp website ( www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/workcamps ) this fall f or information about the 2010 workcamps. Brochures will be mailed to each C hurch of the Brethren congregation.

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