wfn.org | Newsline: Brethren leader at White House meeting on Israel and Palestine

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

>Church of the Brethren Newsline

Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, Director of News Services

>cobnews@brethren.org or (cell) 224-735-9692

BRETHREN LEADER AT WHITE HOUSE MEETING ON ISRAEL AND PALESTINE

July 2, 2010 (Pittsburgh, PA) -- Church of the Brethren general secretary S tan 
Noffsinger yesterday attended a meeting at the White House with a group  of 
church leaders who were invited to discuss Israel and Palestine with De nis 
McDonough, National Security Council Chief of Staff to President Obama.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) helped organize the meeting and Noffs 
inger was specifically asked to take part as a head of communion by CMEP ex 
ecutive director Warren Clark.

"This meeting is most timely as Israeli officials are scheduled next week t o 
meet with the President," Noffsinger commented. The meeting was expected  to 
allow the church leaders an opportunity to hear about progress the US ad 
ministration is making in moving parties toward an agreement to end conflic t 
in the area, including a freeze on new Israeli construction in east Jerus alem 
and the West Bank, Noffsinger said.

Noffsinger was to speak the same day at meetings of Church of the Brethren  
district representatives in Pittsburgh, Pa. However, after consulting with  
denominational officers, it was decided the White House meeting "was an imp 
ortant opportunity for the voice of the Church of the Brethren to be heard, " 
Noffsinger said.

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. It is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and  is 
one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated its 300th annive rsary 
in 2008. It counts about 125,000 members across the US and Puerto Ric o, and 
has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, the DR, Brazil, Haiti,  and India.

># # #

>CONTACT:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

>Director of News Services

>Church of the Brethren

>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120

>800-323-8039 ext. 260

>cell: 224-735-9692

>cobnews@brethren.org