Newsline, March 21, 2013

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

Quote of the week: "We cannot cleanse ourselves. However, as we kneel to wash one another's feet, we extend God's cleansing grace to one another. In our giving and receiving, God's cleansing love is made manifest." -- From the Love Feast service in "For All Who Minister," a worship manual for the Church of the Brethren (1993, Brethren Press). The Church of the Brethren celebrates Love Feast each Maundy Thursday in remembrance of the last supper that Jesus ate with his disciples. The act of feetwashing is a traditional part of the service. Photo by Phil Grout. March 21, 2013 "Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet" (John 13:5a). NEWS 1) New Brethren Academy program receives funding from Wieand trust. 2) Estate gift funds new educational opportunities at Bethany Seminary. 3) More Brethren agencies express support for resolution on drones. 4) On Earth Peace board and staff participate in anti-racism training. 5) Brethren Disaster Ministries names advisory group, seeks input to survey. 6) BVS Unit 300 completes orientation. 7) ‘Something must change’: Harrisburg, Pa., pastor reports on efforts against gun violence. UPCOMING EVENTS 8) Bus trips from several states will help participants get to NOAC. FEATURE 9) Prayers for peacemakers: Ten year anniversary of war in Iraq. 10) Brethren bits: Remembering James Forbus and Herbert Michael, a music video from Bittersweet, Child Abuse Prevention Month, workcamp in South Sudan, fracking, and more. Find the full text of this Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-for-march-21-2013.html ******************************************** 1) New Brethren Academy program receives funding from Wieand trust. A gift from the David J. and Mary Elizabeth Wieand Trust is helping to start a new “Sustaining Ministerial Excellence: Advanced Seminar” at the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership. “It is a real joy to bring to you something that will undergird the life-long training of our ministers,” said associate general secretary Mary Jo Flory-Steury as she requested board approval for use of $150,000 from the total gift received by the Church of the Brethren. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/wieand-family-gift-funds-new-educational-programs.html 2) Estate gift funds new educational opportunities at Bethany Seminary. Bethany Theological Seminary announces that two new educational initiatives will be supported by a major gift from the estate of Mary Elizabeth Wertz Wieand. This gift comes through the David J. and Mary Elizabeth Wieand Trust, established by members of a family whose roots go back to the very founding of the seminary. “This generous gift came right at a time when we were evaluating how we would put some new curricular plans into effect,” said Ruthann Knechel Johansen, president. Read the Bethany release at www.brethren.org/news/2013/wieand-family-gift-funds-new-educational-programs.html 3) More Brethren agencies express support for resolution on drones. Brethren Benefit Trust and On Earth Peace, which are both Annual Conference agencies, have affirmed the Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board’s “Resolution against Drone Warfare.” The resolution was adopted at the board’s spring meeting and will be on the Annual Conference agenda in early July. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-agencies-affirm-drones-resolution.html 4) On Earth Peace board and staff participate in anti-racism training. During their spring 2013 meeting, the On Earth Peace board of directors and staff participated in an anti-racism training--the agency’s next step in a commitment to address issues of racism within and outside of the organization.The training was conducted by Crossroads Antiracism Organization and Training. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/on-earth-peace-board-meets.html 5) Brethren Disaster Ministries names advisory group, seeks input to survey. More than 700 people already have responded to a new online survey about the work of Brethren Disaster Ministries. “We want your feedback!” said an announcement of the survey from Brethren Disaster Ministries and Children’s Disaster Services. Take the survey at www.brethren.org/BDMsurvey . Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-disaster-ministries-survey.html 6) BVS Unit 300 completes orientation. The 300th unit of Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) completed winter orientation from Jan. 27-Feb. 15 in Gotha, Fla. The new volunteers, their home towns or home congregations, and project placements are listed below. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/bvs-unit-300-begins-service.html 7) ‘Something must change’: Harrisburg, Pa., pastor reports on efforts against gun violence. The Harrisburg (Pa.) Chapter of Heeding God’s Call continues to operate on the premise that “Something Must Change.” Heeding God’s Call is a faith-based movement to prevent gun violence. The organization got its start at a meeting of the Historic Peace Churches in Philadelphia, Pa. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/something-must-change.html 8) Bus trips from several states will help participants get to NOAC. People in several states will have the opportunity to ride a bus to National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) this year. Round-trip bus transportation to NOAC from Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, as well as Western Plains District, has been confirmed. In other NOAC news, lodging reservations open April 1 at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. NOAC is planned for Sept. 2-6 at Lake Junaluska, N.C., on the theme “Healing Springs Forth” (Isaiah 58:14). Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/bus-trips-to-noac.html 9) Prayers for peacemakers: Ten year anniversary of war in Iraq. Ten years after the US invasion of Iraq, Christian Peacemaker Teams, together with uncounted Iraqi families, laments the carnage that continues to echo from that moment. Reports sent before, during, and after the invasion brought rare, non-embedded perspectives that helped earn CPT a reputation for reliable, independent reporting, broad partnering, and bold action. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/cpt-laments-10-years-of-war-in-iraq.html 10) Brethren bits. Remembering James Forbus and Herbert Michael, ecumenical organizations welcome the new pope, a music video from Bittersweet, Child Abuse Prevention Month, invitation to a workcamp in South Sudan, fracking, and more. Read the full Brethren bits at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-march-21.html Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Tim Button-Harrison, Scott Duffey, Anna Emrick, Mary Kay Heatwole, Kendra Johnson, Genna Welsh Kasun, Jeri S. Kornegay, David W. Miller, Amy Mountain, Adam Pracht, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. Look for the next regularly scheduled issue on April 3.

Newsline is produced by the news services of the Church of the Brethren. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. Newsline appears every other week, with special issues as needed. Stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Forward Newsline to a friend    Subscribe to Newsline  Unsubscribe   Change your e-mail address Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120

Putting a Face On Our District

We had a special guest on Sunday, February 24. Colleen Michael came up from Wenatchee to be with us. She is the District Executive of our Pacific Northwest District of the Church of the Brethren.

She started at Whitestone...

Then rode down to Ellisforde with Pastor Jim.

She talked to both congregations about "the district," its various ministries, and the joys and challenges we share as two of the 17 Brethren churches serving Christ in this part of the world.

She stayed for a light lunch and Council Meeting at Ellisforde, leading that congregation in beginning to process a recent Ministry Survey.

We were grateful that Colleen was able to come and put a face on the district. Too often "the district" is just a vague concept that we don't think about very often and feel very little connection to. The reality is that the district is people like us, in churches like ours, doing their best, like us, to continue the work of Jesus.

On Saturday, March 9, Pastor Jim and Pat Liley crossed over the pass to Lacey for a District Board Meeting. So what is a "district board?"

Well, it's people. Take a look. These are the faces of the District Board.

Old and young, from different backgrounds, with different opinions and ideas, but united by a common conviction: that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit to be his Body, and called to work together to serve the world Christ died for.

In other words, like us. To paraphrase Pogo, "We have met the District, and it is us."

So here's a challenge: let's stop referring to "the District," and begin saying instead, "our District."

Living Stream Church of the Brethren Is Streaming

You may be curious about the Living Stream Church of the Brethren, the first online church in our denomination. Here, for your convenience, is a video of the March 10 service and congregational business meeting. Just click and watch for an introduction to Audrey DeCoursey, the Living Stream pastor, and a sample of what's happening in their worship.

For the live experience join them every Sunday evening at 5 PM Pacific Time. Just go to their website at http://www.livingstreamcob.org/ and follow the links. There is a permanent link to the website in the right margin of this blog.

We're proud that Living Stream is a part of our Pacific Northwest District of the Church of the Brethren, being based in Portland. And we're excited to learn from Audrey that she would love to come north to visit Whitestone and Ellisforde, and to do a Living Stream worship service from here. Watch for the announcement!

Minute for Mission

"that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” —2 Corinthians 5:19-20
Problems viewing this page? Need larger print? View as Web page
Minute for Mission  Issue 9 March 15, 2013   The Growth of the Church of the Brethren in Spain Jovita, 94, accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior a few years ago and, though wheelchair-bound, requested she be taken to all services at Una Luz En Las Tinieblas, a local church led by Dominican-born Brethren pastor Pablo Terrero. The loud singing, drums, dramas, heart-felt preaching, and strong sense of welcoming community presented a very different interpretation of Christianity than she had experienced growing up in northern Spain. Four months before her death last October, she requested to be emerged in believer's baptism. She died an Anabaptist. The Church of the Brethren seeks, is attentive to, and engages in opportunities to develop new holistic global mission partnerships to grow the body of Christ. It is doing so in Spain with leadership from Fausto Carrasco, pastor of Nuevo Amanecer Church of the Brethren in Atlantic Northeast District. Fausto has done a tremendous job to deepen the relationship between the US and the Brethren in Spain, including organizing a visit for Tim Harvey when he was serving as moderator of Annual Conference. Fausto also initiated the formal process to have the church in Spain recognized as Church of the Brethren. The proposal, having been prayerfully, openly, and cooperatively considered at various levels of the denomination, wasapproved by the Mission and Ministry Board early this week. It will be sent to the Annual Conference delegate body in Charlotte. The process of formal recognition for the community in Spain has taken years to work its way through the bureaucratic layers of the church, but that is all right. No one enters a marriage or an adoption lightly. The process requires broad ownership and a broad commitment. The testimony of Jovita, a true Anabaptist, reminds us of the importance of having a witness in Spain. Praise God! On February 6, L'Eglise des Freres Haitiens (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) became a legally recognized entity. With this legal status, the church in Haiti can function as a denomination, and can ordain ministers and perform official ceremonies. This new legal status has broad implications for the Haiti Medical Project as well. Global Mission and Service will host a workcamp in South Sudan on April 19-28. Work will include digging foundations and clearing brush in preparation for the building of a Brethren Ministry Center. Another possible project will be construction work at a school in Lohila village. Cost of the workcamp is $2,500 per person, which includes roundtrip airfare, visa fees, overseas travel insurance, and all in-country expenses (lodging, food, and transportation). Visit www.brethren.org/partners/workcamp for more information. Meet Carol Mason, Coordinator for the Global Mission Advocate Network Purpose: Carol is helping the Global Missions Office find one person in every congregation and one person in every district who has a passion for Church of the Brethren missions. Carol will occasionally contact advocates to offer support and brainstorm how to better promote Church of the Brethren missions. Quick facts: Carol served in India with her late husband, Ralph, in 1975, and prepared to go to Sudan in 1982. They served together in Garkida, Nigeria, beginning in 1983 and opened the EYN Technical School in 1991. Carol directed the school until Ralph’s death in Nigeria in 1994. "No matter how many churches [Ralph and I] visited doing itineration work, there were many who never heard about the work!" writes Carol. "We sent quarterly letters home to a huge mailing list, but still many congregations never heard the news. "These days the news is easily spread through the web, but it still takes an advocate in each congregation to read the updates and share the Minute for Mission and other resources. Otherwise, the local church member still may not know what is going on in mission, especially if they don't own a computer. "I want to thank each advocate who has already volunteered. I challenge each of you to keep thinking about how to widen your circle of influence. Tell one more person than you did last week about some aspect of mission work that inspires you, and keep on widening that circle until you see 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 resounding throughout your congregation. Some of us are able to go and serve, but all of us are able to be ambassadors for Christ by supporting those who serve. "This idea of having somebody in each congregation who speaks up for the global mission work and keeps it active before the congregation—this is what I love about a network of mission advocates." Contact Carol with questions, for resources, or if you have a story to share about the mission work your congregation supports: 360-736-7311 or 360-807-8615 misnetco23@gmail.com Carol Mason, c/o Lacey Community Church, 4501 19th Avenue SE, Lacey, WA 98503-7072 Equipment Appeal Honduras Chet Thomas, executive director of Proyecto Aldea Global (PAG) in Honduras, has sent an appeal for the donation oftwo hay binder units in fairly good condition to help power a ferry boat (see photos above). The ferry functions near a large hydroelectric dam called El Cajon, or “the box,” in an area where several PAG programs work. Two decades ago an access road between two rivers was cut off by the dam, greatly increasing the length and hardship of the trip between peoples’ homes and markets in northern Honduras. The connection of this area to the north is very important economically and politically, but the dam is too wide and deep to support a bridge. Volunteers built the first ferry in 2000, "Miss Pamela," using out-of-date steel propane tanks, steel girders, etc. In order to move the 40- by 60-foot boat, a power unit was installed using motorized hay binders. The hydraulic component drive capacity and the pilot cab were connected to the paddle wheels of the ferry. The system has worked for 12 years, moving people, vehicles, heavy equipment, and cattle across a three-mile stretch of water 11 hours a day, 7 days a week. PAG supervises maintenance and operations for quality control and security reasons. The original hay binder units are now in need of replacement. Thomas states, "Almost any hay binder can be adapted by us for use on the ferry." Once donated, PAG staff will prepare units for shipment to Honduras. Contact Chet Thomas with information or questions by email or at 305-433-2947. Print and distribute the April 2013 missions prayer guide. The Church of the Brethren Annual Conference will take place June 29-July 3, 2013, in Charlotte, N.C. The Global Ministries dinner (scroll down) will take place in Charlotte on Monday, July 1, beginning at 5 p.m. If you are an advocate and would like one complimentary ticket to the Global Ministries dinner, e-mailmission@brethren.org. Other Global Mission and Service events at the Conference include several Insight Sessions: Monday, July 1 9 p.m. A Voice for Peace in a Time of Violence, a session on the church and violence in Nigeria Called to Serve: Brethren Disaster Ministries . . . Past, Present, and Future Tuesday, July 2 12:30 p.m. The Inside Story on North Korea Building Bridges from Volunteers to Disciples Tuesday, July 2 9 p.m. Deeply Rooted In a Life of Service Community Gardens: The “Going to the Garden” Initiative of Peace Witness Ministries and the Global Food Crisis Fund From Disaster to Development, a session on the church in Haiti We hope to see you in Charlotte!
"Minute for Mission" is published by Global Mission and Service, Church of the Brethren, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 363;www.brethren.org/partners © Church of the Brethren Church of the Brethren is a non-profit religious and educational organization recognized by the Federal and State governments. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. Share this message with a friend Unsubscribe or change the messages you receive Contact us or change your e-mail address

Free Webinar on "Just Peace"

Peace Witness Ministries staff organize webinar on ‘just peace’

Church of the Brethren Newsline
March 7, 2013

As part of his work as joint staff with the National Council of Churches (NCC), Nathan Hosler has organized a webinar on March 19 at 12 noon on the “Ecumenical Call to Just Peace.” Hosler is director of Peace Witness Ministries for the Church of the Brethren, working out of Washington, D.C.

For the latest Brethren news go to themain Newsline page

This webinar will feature presenters from four distinct streams of church life: Orthodox, African-American, mainline Protestant, and Historic Peace Churches. These theologians and peacemakers will reflect on their church tradition’s understanding and practice of just peace.

The “Ecumenical Call to Just Peace” came out of the World Council of Churches’ Decade to Overcome Violence. This fall delegates from the members communions of the WCC will consider the “Ecumenical Call to Just Peace” document at an assembly in Korea.

The four panelists are:

Scott Holland, professor of Theology and Culture and director of Peace Studies at the Church of the Brethren’s Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind. He was on the international drafting committee of the WCC’s “Ecumenical Call to Just Peace” and its companion study volume. He is co-editor of the Seeking Cultures of Peace series of books in which members of the Historic Peace Churches engage the call and challenges of the WCC Decade to Overcome Violence.

Jennifer S. Leath, who holds a bachelor of arts degree in Social Studies and African-American Studies from Harvard University and a master of divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York. She is a doctoral candidate in Religious Studies with an emphasis in Religious Ethics, and African-American Studies at Yale University. She is licensed to preach at Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Philadelphia. She is a program associate for Roundtable on the Sexual Politics of Black Churches at Columbia University, and serves as co-moderator of the Joint Consultative Group between the WCC and Pentecostal Churches and is a member of ECHOS, the WCC youth commission.

Ellen Ott Marshall, associate professor of Christian Ethics and Conflict Transformation at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. She is on the faculty for the Ethics and Society doctoral program in Emory’s Graduate Division of Religion, where she is co-convener for the initiative in Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding. Her books include “Choosing Peace through Daily Practices,” “Though the Fig Tree Does Not Blossom: Toward a Responsible Theology of Christian Hope,” and “Christians in the Public Square: Faith that Transforms Politics.” She was lead writer for “God’s Renewed Creation,” a pastoral letter and foundation document from the Methodist bishops.

Alexander Patico, who served in the Peace Corps, then worked for 30-plus years in the field of international education and training. Since 2008 he has served as N. American secretary of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship, and is a member of the board of Churches for Middle East Peace, a co-founder of the National Iranian-American Council, and past member of the board of the National Religious Coalition against Torture, Christian Peace Witness, and the US Committee for the Decade to Overcome Violence. Locally, he is active with Yes, We Can!: Middle East Peace, an interfaith group promoting peace for Israel and Palestine; the Same Boat, formed to address Islamophobia; and Maryland United for Peace and Justice.

To take part in the webinar, contact Hosler at nhosler@brethren.org or visithttp://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1845/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=7320 to register and learn more.

Go to www.brethren.org/Newsline to subscribe to the Church of the Brethren Newsline free e-mail news service and receive church news every other week.

Sharing Brings Joy: One Great Hour of Sharing on March 17

“And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance,
so that by always having enough of everything,
you may share abundantly in every good work”
(2 Corinthians 9:8).

The theme for the 2013 One Great Hour of Sharing offering continues to be Sharing Brings Joy, and this year the focus is bringing joy to God. When you participate in this offering, you are helping to empower projects all over the world, like bringing medical aid to Haiti, clean water to Nigeria, disaster relief to the US, and food to the hungry in 32 countries. This all happens because of volunteers and donors like you, who give and serve through the many ministries of Global Mission and Service, Brethren Disaster Ministries, Brethren Volunteer Service, workcamps, the Global Food Crisis Fund, and many others. Sharing brings joy to us, to others, and to God, so please continue to generously support your Church of the Brethren ministries through One Great Hour of Sharing.

Both Ellisforde and Whitestone will participate in One Great Hour of Sharing.

Envelopes will be available for you to use on March 17.