Minute for Mission, May 31, 2013

"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 12 May 31, 2013   Carol Smith in Nigeria Zakariya Musa, secretary of the "New Light" publication of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN—the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), recently interviewed Church of the Brethren mission worker Carol Smith. "When I first looked out of the airplane window over Kano back in 1972, I felt like I was opening a story book about lands where I had never been, but had only seen pictures. When I arrived in 2011, I landed in Abuja, a city that did not even exist 40 years earlier, and I was surprised to see wealth that I had never before seen in Nigeria. Both there and in Kwarhi I found Nigerian people who were as friendly as always..." Read the full interview. Print and distribute the June 2013 missions prayer guide. Job opening The Church of the Brethren is seeking an individual to fill a full-time salaried position of manager, Office of Global Mission and Service (GMS). This position reports directly to the executive director of GMS, Jay Wittmeyer, and is responsible for administrative processes assigned by the executive director for areas including GMS, Brethren Volunteer Service and Global Food Crisis. Get the full position description and application information. The Church of the Brethren Annual Conference will take place June 29-July 3 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-mail mission@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 the Office of Public Witness 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. 362; 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

Deacon Update, May 30, 2013

DEACON UPDATE

Problems viewing this e-mail? View as Web page (use CTRL+ for larger print)

View older issues

Connect to deacon website

Special Edition: Pre-Conference workshops

As we move toward Annual Conference, remember to register for the pre-conference workshops (Saturday, June 29), designed for deacons and other caregivers. To attend in person, register online (and pay by credit card), or print the paper form (PDF) and mail it in with your check. CEUs are available through the Brethren Academy.

Not going to Conference this year? We are also pleased to announce that these sessions will be offered via live webcast! Please note that the times listed below are eastern time. Registration is not required, but viewing the live sessions is limited to the first 95 online participants. There is no registration fee to view the live webcast; however, a donation to cover program and webcasting costs would be greatly appreciated.

CEUs will be available for those participating in the live sessions; instructions will be provided at the end of each session. CEUs are not offered for viewing the recorded sessions after the fact.

Listen and Play: Ministry with Children in Times of Stress

9:00am - 12:00pm

To a child, a disaster may not be limited to a flood or tornado, but may take a more personal form: the loss of a grandparent, parents divorcing, starting at a new school. Although children are playing and seem oblivious to the distress around them, they are deeply impacted and need a special kind of attention to help them process these experiences. Leaders from Children’s Disaster Services and the deacon ministry will show how, through play, children can gain an understanding of what is happening at a level they can understand. Participants will learn how play and a listening ear can help children process their experiences. We will share, too, about the possibilities for your deacon ministry in caring for the children and youth of your congregation in all aspects of their lives, not just in times of crisis.

Conflict Transformation

1:30 - 4:30pm

Many conflicts can be transformed simply by being present and encouraging active forbearance. In fact, some highly conflicted situations benefit more from a ministry of presence than from problem-solving or mediation—at least initially. As deacons, how can we cultivate mature Christian behavior—to help our sisters and brothers respond faithfully to conflicts that aren’t ready to be resolved? How do we allow space for venting without becoming a gossip-fest? Based on training provided to the Annual Conference Ministers of Reconciliation Team, this workshop will explore how to enter into high-anxiety, escalated conflict situations. Designed for deacons and others who already have a good understanding of conflict transformation, prior training or experience.

Director of Denominational Deacon Ministry
dkline@brethren.org
847-429-4306

Church of the Brethren | 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, Illinois 60120

Forward to a friend | Unsubscribe | Edit profile | Change e-mail address

Newsline, May 30, 2013

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

Quote of the week “The contemporary Pharisees have made it quite clear that the poor are poor only because they will not work, that no one need live in a ghetto if he is willing to move out of it, and that all this talk about helping segments of our society on the basis of human need is just so much socialistic nonsense. To them it comes as something of a shock to hear Jesus insist that the rewards of God’s kingdom are not to be distributed on the basis of a man’s merit but rather on the basis of God’s grace.... The amazing thing about God’s grace is that it forgets about merits and emphasizes instead the spendthrift nature of divine love.” -- Kenneth I. Morse writing in the June 20, 1968, issue of “Messenger” magazine. Morse’s hymn “Move in Our Midst” provides the theme for the 2013 Annual Conference. Read the full June 20, 1968, editorial atwww.brethren.org/news/2013/of-math-and-grace-remembering-ken-morse.html . This June, “Messenger” features a retrospective of Morse’s life and ministry by former editor Howard Royer. For a “Messenger” subscription including access to the digital edition, contact Diane Stroyeck at 800-323-8039 ext. 327 ormessengersubscriptions@brethren.org . Annual cost is $17.50 for individuals, $14.50 for members of a church club, $14.50 for gift subscriptions, or $1.25 per month for a student subscription. May 30, 2013 "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14a). NEWS 1) Children’s Disaster Services works in Moore, Brethren grant supports CWS relief effort. 2) Bethany Seminary celebrates its 108th commencement. 3) Forum of church retirement communities is held in Pennsylvania. 4) New investment options, SRI screening lists approved by BBT board. 5) Brethren Disaster Ministries trains project leaders for 2013. 6) Spiritual directors gather for annual retreat. PERSONNEL 7) Bethany Seminary fills new position in Reconciliation Studies. 8) Mueller to serve as executive of Atlantic Southeast District. UPCOMING EVENTS 9) New features for Brethren Pension Plan explained in webinars for church workers. 10) BRF plans 40th annual Brethren Bible Institute for July. 11) Registration remains open for Fifth Brethren World Assembly in July. ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS 12) Annual Conference worship and business sessions to be webcast. 13) Ministry of Reconciliation Team to serve again at 2013 Conference. 14) L. Gregory Jones to speak for Ministers’ Association event. 15) BVS announces its Partners in Service Award for 2013. 16) La Verne sanctuary choir tour culminates in Annual Conference concert. 17) Annual Conference bits and pieces: June 29-July 3 in Charlotte, N.C. RESOURCES 18) Creation theme is the focus of Gather ’Round’s summer quarter. 19) ‘Brethren Life and Thought’ announces special issue on Alexander Mack Jr. 20) Brethren bits: Remembering Jim Renz and D. Eugene Lichty, reporting on SeBAH-CoB and MSS, apply for the Young Adult Steering Committee, preliminary results from Shenandoah District’s disaster auction, ecumenical call to prayer for Christians in the Middle East, and more. Read the full text of this Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-for-may-30-2013.html ******************************************** Tuesday, June 4, is the last date for online registration for the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. Go towww.brethren.org/ac . After June 4, registration fees go up for those who wait to register onsite in Charlotte, N.C. The Conference takes place June 29-July 3. June 4 also is the last day to register children for age-group activities at the advance rate, the last date to purchase meal tickets in advance, and to reserve hotel rooms in the Conference block. Register now at www.brethren.org/ac . For questions contact the Conference Office at 800-323-8039, ext. 364, 365, or 366. ******************************************** 1) Children’s Disaster Services works in Moore, Brethren grant supports CWS relief effort. Volunteers from Children’s Disaster Services, a program within Brethren Disaster Ministries, are at work in Moore, Okla., helping care for children and families affected by the tornado that devastated the town on May 20. As of Wednesday morning, the volunteers have provided care for 95 children. In related news, Brethren Disaster Ministries staff have directed a $4,000 grant from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund to support the Church World Service relief effort in Oklahoma. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/childrens-disaster-services-at-work-in-moore.html 2) Bethany Seminary celebrates its 108th commencement. On May 11, members of Bethany Theological Seminary’s class of 2013 graduated in front of family and friends in Nicarry Chapel on the seminary campus in Richmond, Ind. Ten graduates received their diplomas from Ruthann Knechel Johansen, president, and Lynn Myers, board chair; three were recognized in absentia. Nelson Kraybill, president emeritus of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, gave the address. For more go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/postcommence13 3) Forum of church retirement communities is held in Pennsylvania. The annual Forum of the Fellowship of Brethren Homes was held April 10-12 at the Village at Morrisons Cove, Martinsburg, Pa. The forum is an opportunity for representatives from Church of the Brethren-related retirement communities and agencies to gather with others in long-term care services to learn about current trends, share best practices, and strengthen their connection with the church. For more go towww.brethren.org/news/2013/forum-of-church-retirement-communities.html 4) New investment options, SRI screening lists approved by BBT board. Brethren Foundation clients will soon have access to three new investment options, one of several actions taken by the Board of Directors of Brethren Benefit Trust. The board also adopted two lists of companies that are prohibited from its actively managed funds--one containing publicly traded US companies that earn 10 percent or more from Department of Defense contracts, and another containing the top 25 publicly traded Department of Defense contractors. This year, oil and gas companies Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and Valero Energy appear on the list. For more go to www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/news/three-new-investment-options-and-sri-screening-lists-approved-bbts-april-board-meeting 5) Brethren Disaster Ministries trains project leaders for 2013. On April 23, I traveled to Prattsville, N.Y., to undergo training to become a Disaster Project Leader. Disaster Project Leaders are wonderful men and women called to lead and guide volunteers who come out to Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding sites for a week. I was very excited to learn all that happened behind the scenes to keep the project sites running. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-disaster-ministries-trains-project-leaders.html 6) Spiritual directors gather for annual retreat. Twenty-two spiritual directors and leadership recently gathered at Shepherd's Spring Outdoor Ministry Center in Sharpsburg, Md., for an annual retreat. From May 13-15 the spiritual directors spent time in keynote sessions with Roberta Bondi, professor emeritus for Church History at the Candler School of Theology. For more go towww.brethren.org/news/2013/spiritual-directors-hold-annual-retreat.html PERSONNEL 7) Bethany Seminary fills new position in Reconciliation Studies. Deborah Roberts has been named half-time assistant professor of Reconciliation Studies at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., to begin July 1. This new position was created to help implement intentional course work in conflict transformation within the seminary’s curriculum. Students will be able to take courses in conflict transformation to earn a ministry focus within the master of divinity degree or an emphasis within both the master of divinity and master of arts degrees. For more go towww.bethanyseminary.edu/news/reconciliationfaculty 8) Mueller to serve as executive of Atlantic Southeast District. John M. Mueller has accepted the call to serve as district executive minister of Atlantic Southeast District in a half-time position beginning July 1. Most recently he has served as co-pastor of Jacksonville (Fla.) Church of the Brethren with his wife Mary, and previously was a regional director for Brethren Disaster Ministries. For more go towww.brethren.org/news/2013/mueller-to-serve-as-de-for-atlantic-southeast.html UPCOMING EVENTS 9) New features for Brethren Pension Plan explained in webinars for church workers. Enhancements are in store for Brethren Pension Plan users--and members are invited to attend webinars in June to learn about new tools and features they will be able to access starting July 1. Brethren Benefit Trust is providing the online tutorials on June 12, 18, and 20. To register for a webinar, contact Loyce Swartz Borgmann at 800-746-1505 ext. 364 or lborgmann@cobbt.org . For more go towww.brethren.org/news/2013/online-training-on-new-features-for-brethren-pension-plan.html 10) BRF plans 40th annual Brethren Bible Institute for July. The 40th annual Brethren Bible Institute sponsored by the Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF) is planned forJuly 22-26 at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College. At least 11 courses are scheduled, and continuing education units will be available for ordained ministers. BRF offers the annual Brethren Bible Institute as a one-week school intended to provide systematic instruction in the Bible for any person 16 years of age or older. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/brf-plans-40th-annual-bible-institute.html 11) Registration remains open for Fifth Brethren World Assembly in July. The Fifth Brethren World Assembly for constituents and friends of the Brethren bodies descended from the movement established by Alexander Mack in Germany in the early 1700s will be July 11-14 at the Brethren Heritage Center in Brookville, near Dayton, Ohio. Online registration remains open through July 7. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/fifth-brethren-world-assembly.html ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS 12) Annual Conference worship and business sessions to be webcast. “Join us in Charlotte...over the Web!” says an invitation from the Conference Office. For church members who cannot attend the 2013 Annual Conference in person, arrangements are being made for significant portions to be webcast again this year. The links to webcasts will be found at atwww.brethren.org/AC2013 during and after the Annual Conference takes place from June 29-July 3. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/annual-conference-webcasts.html 13) Ministry of Reconciliation Team to serve again at 2013 Conference. The Annual Conference officers have invited the Ministry of Reconciliation (MoR) of On Earth Peace to resume its role of presence at the 2013 Annual Conference. The diverse group of trained volunteers will be present and attentive, ready to respond where confusion, conflict, or negative emotions are causing a problem in the gathered body. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/mor-team-to-serve-at-2013-annual-conference.html 14) L. Gregory Jones to speak for Ministers’ Association event. The Church of the Brethren Ministers’ Association Pre-Conference Continuing Education Event in Charlotte, N.C., on June 28-29 will feature L. Gregory Jones, a widely recognized scholar and church leader on such topics as forgiveness and reconciliation, Christian vocation, leadership, and strengthening the church and its ministry. He is senior strategist for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity and professor of theology at Divinity School of Duke University. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/l-gregory-jones-at-ministers-association.html 15) BVS announces its Partners in Service Award for 2013. Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) is presenting its 2013 Partners in Service Award to its network of healing communities during the 2013 Annual Conference. The award typically recognizes an individual, project, or congregation that has demonstrated exceptional commitment in partnering with BVS to share God’s love through acts of service. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/bvs-announces-partners-in-service-award.html 16) La Verne sanctuary choir tour culminates in Annual Conference concert. The La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren Sanctuary Choir embarks on a “Crossin’ America Tour” this summer, culminating with a concert on the opening evening of Annual Conference in Charlotte, N.C. Director Niké St. Clair will lead a collection of sacred choral compositions and arrangements by Shawn Kirchner, the church’s instrumental music coordinator and Swan Family Composer in Residence for the Los Angeles Master Chorale. For more go towww.brethren.org/news/2013/la-verne-sanctuary-choir-tour.html 17) Annual Conference bits and pieces: June 29-July 3 in Charlotte, N.C. Bits and pieces of news about the upcoming Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, including an invitation to a special Church of the Brethren reception, registering for the BBT Fitness Challenge as a 3,000 Miles for Peace event, Advanced Deacon Workshops held pre-Conference and webcast, a 35th anniversary celebration of Global Women’s Project, among others. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/annual-conference-bits-and-pieces.html RESOURCES 18) Creation theme is the focus of Gather ’Round’s summer quarter. Creation is the theme of the summer 2013 quarter of the Gather ’Round curriculum. The biblical texts are drawn from passages in Genesis, Psalms, Ruth, and Matthew. Gather ’Round is a Bible-based curriculum co-published by Brethren Press and MennoMedia, committed to nurturing children, youth, and their families in becoming followers of Jesus: people who know and love God, interpret God's word, belong to God's gathered community, and share God's good news. For more go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/creation-is-gather-round-theme-for-summer.html 19) ‘Brethren Life and Thought’ announces special issue on Alexander Mack Jr. The Brethren Journal Association announces publication of “The Life and Influence of Alexander Mack Jr.: Pietist and Anabaptist Intersections in Pennsylvania” featuring most of the papers presented at the Young Center Conference on Alexander Mack Jr. in 2012. In related news, Bethany Seminary trustees approved revised Articles of Organization for the Brethren Journal Association. On July 1 at Annual Conference in Charlotte, N.C., members will have opportunity to discuss the articles and add their affirmation. Read the revised articles in advance at www.bethanyseminary.edu/blt . For more go towww.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-life-and-thought-publication-alexander-mack-jr.html 20) Brethren bits. This edition of Brethren bits remembers Jim Renz and D. Eugene Lichty, reports on SeBAH-CoB and Ministry Summer Service, calls for applications for the Young Adult Steering Committee, shares preliminary results from Shenandoah District’s disaster auction, forwards an ecumenical  call to prayer for Christians in the Middle East, and much more. Go to www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-may-30.html Contributors to this Newsline include Chris Douglas, Mary Jo Flory-Steury, Leslie Frye, Julie Hostetter, Philip E. Jenks, Donna Kline, Jon Kobel, Jeri S. Kornegay, Dan McFadden, Becky Ullom Naugle, Debbie Noffsinger, Janet Ober, Bonita Rogers, Roy Winter, Zach Wolgemuth, Jane Yount, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. Look for the next regularly scheduled issue on June 12.

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

Debbie Roberts Takes Position at Bethany Seminary

Debbie Roberts, a member of the Ellisforde congregation, is taking a half-time teaching position at Bethany Seminary. Congratulations, Debbie!

From the Bethany website:

Reconciliation Studies Faculty Named

Dr. Deborah Roberts has been named half-time assistant professor of reconciliation studies at Bethany Seminary, to begin July 1, 2013. This new position at Bethany was created to help implement intentional coursework in conflict transformation within the Seminary’s curriculum. Helping students develop acumen and skills in this area from a theological perspective is a goal named in the Seminary’s five-year strategic plan and the current Reimagining Ministries campaign. As part of Bethany’s revised curriculum, students will also be able to take courses in conflict transformation to earn a ministry focus within the MDiv degree or an emphasis within both the MDiv and MA degrees.

Roberts holds a BA from Berea College, an MA from Bethany Theological Seminary, and a PhD in women's studies in religion from Claremont Graduate University. Her dissertation research was "A Critical Appraisal of Conflict Resolution Theory and Methodology." As an adjunct faculty member at the University of La Verne, she taught in the areas of conflict transformation, mediation, women’s studies, and intercultural studies and has also held a one-year appointment as assistant professor of religious ethics at Berea College. Roberts has spoken widely in academic and religious settings on mediation, conflict transformation, and peacemaking from various perspectives and has done community consulting and advocacy work. Within the Church of the Brethren, she has pastored two congregations and currently serves as an area minister for the Pacific Northwest District.

Ruthann Johansen, president, said of the appointment, “I am pleased that Debbie Roberts will help launch more focused attention on conflict transformation in Bethany's curriculum in this new position. She brings an educational background in theology, her understanding of theories and methodologies of conflict analysis and transformation, and significant practical experience in working with congregations as well as cross-cultural groups.”

eBrethren Stewardship Newsletter, May 22, 2013

eBrethren
Sharing inspirational stories of Brethren Stewards in action. Problems viewing this e-mail? View as a web page.
Subscribe Ι Forward Ι Photos Ι Calendar Ι Stewardship Ι Planned Giving Ι eBrethren Archives Ι
May 22, 2013   It's almost here! Click here. CONTENTS The Brethren effect  Early AC registration Of math and grace Christy Crouse and new friends made at Christian Citizenship Seminar this year. Fond memories of church potlucks at Antioch Church of the Brethren.  Sharing a cacao pod in the  Dominican Republic. Photos courtesy of Christy Crouse  The Brethren effectThis reflection by Christy Crouse is in honor of all the Brethren students who celebrate graduation this spring. Congratulations! May your next steps be ever guided by Jesus, and may you never lose your “Brethren effect.” Regardless of where I’ve called home throughout my life, the Church of the Brethren has had an influential presence. When I was very young, my parents intentionally located our family in communities that fostered Brethren ideals. Now, as a young adult heading off to college, I realize how much those communities influenced who I have become. We lived in Rocky Mount, Va., until I was four, and I have few memories of that place apart from Antioch Church of the Brethren. I think of church-wide potluck dinners, swinging with my best friend Beatrice, and visiting church members’ houses to fellowship and watch Veggie Tales. Rocky Mount was where I learned the joy that comes with generosity, and that togetherness is paramount. My parents became missionaries in the Dominican Republic when I was five. I didn’t speak a word of Spanish, and the children at school treated me like an outsider—but the church was different. The people there were the most hospitable I had ever encountered, sharing what little they had with our family whenever possible. The simplicity of the Dominican people was profound, and taught me that a life focused on people, not possessions, is the will of God. After four years in the DR, we moved to Missouri and found a home at Warrensburg Church of the Brethren. There I was taught by the examples of my congregation, and encouraged to be an advocate for peace. The Warrensburg church taught me the value of peacefully resolving conflict, and there I developed a passion for maintaining God’s creation. I graduated from high school last week, and will be attending Truman State University in the fall. My new home is located in the rural town of Kirksville, Mo., and is over 100 miles away from the nearest Brethren church. But I am confident that what I have learned from my Church of the Brethren family over the past 18 years will not leave me. I believe that the lessons I’ve learned will continue to influence my decisions. And I know that I can use the principles I’ve been taught to preach another way of living in my new community—a way of peace, simplicity, and togetherness. It’s not too late to attend Young Adult Conference onMay 25! Visit www.brethren.org/yac to register. Support the youth and young adult ministries of the Church of the Brethren at www.brethren.org/give . Back to top If you can't make it to Charlotte this year, participate in Annual Conference via webcast. Check out the live streaming atwww.brethren.org/webcasts . Photo by Regina Holmes    Early registration is ending! Early registration for Annual Conference ends June 4. Be sure to visit www.brethren.org/ac before then to register, sign up for age group activities, and purchase meal tickets and choir packets.  After you pack your bags for Conference, consider packing an extra backpack full of school supplies to donate to Classroom Central as part of our Witness to the Host City this year.  And don't forget to prepare your heart for the Day of Spiritual Renewal on Sunday, June 30, with speakers Philip Yancey and Mark Yaconelli.  Visit www.brethren.org/ac for more information about all this and more, or e-mailannualconference@brethren.org with any questions.  See you in Charlotte, June 29-July 3!  Ken Morse during his tenure at Messengermagazine from 1950 through 1978.  Photo courtesy of Messenger magazine The cover of a special edition ofMessenger magazine that celebrated Ken Morse's 28 years as editor. Ken Morse may be best known for his musical compositions, including the Brethren favorite, "Move in our Midst." Photo by Matt DeBall  Of math and graceBy Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford We know Ken Morse as the author of “Move in Our Midst,” the hymn that provides the theme for Annual Conference this year. But Morse also was a poet, author of worship resources, writer of Sunday school curriculum, and editor and associate editor ofMessenger magazine for 28 years. During the turbulent 1960s, Morse wrote an editorial responding to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., lifting up King as a prophetic dreamer. Letters poured in of two kinds: either shocking expressions of racism, bigotry, and hatred, or very supportive of King’s work and thankful for Morse’s editorial. So on June 20, 1968, Morse wrote a follow-up editorial expressing his conviction of the Gospel call to care for the poor. It was titled, “A Little Careless about Mathematics.” The following is an excerpt: "Jesus said the strangest things. His words were just about as unconventional as the things he did. Either he was impractical—apparently lacking in sound business judgment—or his standards were of a different order from those that prevailed in his time—and in ours also. Or maybe he was just a little careless about mathematics. "The most puzzling of all his parables is the one in which Jesus propounded some odd ideas about wages and hours of working. A householder went out early one morning to round up workers for his vineyard. The rate of pay was about 20 cents. But he needed additional help and therefore he hired others as the day went on. At the end of the day, each worker received his 20 cents, the eleventh hour employee as well as the early risers. Naturally the fellows who put in longer hours were unhappy; but the householder insisted that he had kept his bargain. If he wanted to treat the last as well as the first, what was that to them? "Jesus insist(s) that the rewards of God’s kingdom are not to be distributed on the basis of a man’s merit but rather on the basis of God’s grace. According to Jesus, God is the kind of employer who cares little about arithmetic but cares tremendously about people—no matter what time they arrive. "The amazing thing about God’s grace is that it forgets about merits and emphasizes instead the spendthrift nature of divine love. God is not a stern accountant keeping books of every man’s indebtedness but a loving Father who is concerned about individuals of every shape and size, of every custom and color, of every race and nation. [This] is the good news of the gospel of the grace of God—a grace so marvelous that it puts Jesus on the side of the poor, a love so forgiving that it cannot tolerate war-making, and a gospel so universal that it binds man to man (all races included) as well as man to God." Click here to read Ken Morse's editorial in full atwww.brethren.org/news .   Forward to a friend Back to top  www.brethren.org/messenger "We Brethren are 'bound together and finely woven' not by our family connections or the church camp we attended or the color of our skin or the flavor of our politics. We are bound together by the hand of God, woven together by the love of Jesus, and we are effective together through the power of the Spirit." --Annual Conference moderator Bob Krouse in the May edition of Messenger magazine. Do you have a story about how you or your congregation practice stewardship? E-mail it to mgarcia@brethren.org ! eBrethren: stories of Brethren stewards, is produced every other week by the Church of the Brethren's donor communications team. Send feedback to mgarcia@brethren.org or call 847-742-5100 ext. 361. Thanks for reading!  Watch for our next issue on June 5, 2013!

Newsline Special: Church of the Brethren Tornado Response

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

May 21, 2013 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Children’s Disaster Services readies team to go to Oklahoma; Brethren urged to support the work of child care volunteers through donations to the EDF Children's Disaster Services (CDS), a department within Brethren Disaster Ministries, is preparing to send members of its Critical Response Team to care for children and families affected by the powerful tornado that struck Moore, Okla., yesterday afternoon causing 24 confirmed deaths including at least 7 elementary school children. The American Red Cross has confirmed the need for CDS volunteers to care for children in their Family Assistance Centers. CDS is mobilizing two teams to be at work in Oklahoma by tomorrow, including four Critical Response Childcare volunteers, several regional caregivers, and a project manager. The Critical Response Team has additional training to help children and families cope with extreme trauma and loss of loved ones. Established in 1980, Children’s Disaster Services works cooperatively with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide care for children and families following disasters, through the work of trained and certified volunteers who set up child care centers in shelters and disaster assistance centers. Specially trained to respond to traumatized children, the volunteers provide a calm, safe, and reassuring presence in the midst of the chaos created by disasters. Donations to the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) of the Church of the Brethren will support the response by Children’s Disaster Services. Go to www.brethren.org/edf or send a check to the Emergency Disaster Fund, Church of the Brethren General Offices, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. Ecumenical relief effort begins through CWS Church World Service (CWS) has announced that it will respond to the extensive damage caused by the tornadoes in the Oklahoma City and Moore, Okla. area, including provision of emergency supplies as needed. Brethren Disaster Ministries is one of the agencies that participates in and supports the ecumenical disaster relief work of CWS. More will be known in coming days about the details of the CWS response. “We have worked extensively in communities struck by tornadoes in the region," said Donna Derr, the agency's chief of emergencies. "Our job is to provide immediate assistance with CWS Kits, and focus on helping the most vulnerable, who typically have the hardest time recovering in the long term." Information about how to assemble a CWS Kit is at www.cwsglobal.org/kits . These kits provide immediate relief supplies to people affected by disasters, and are warehoused and shipped from the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. How to help Donate online at www.brethren.org/edf or send a check to the Emergency Disaster Fund, Church of the Brethren General Offices, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. Donations to the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) will help support the response by Children’s Disaster Services and by CWS. Brethren Disaster Ministries reminds church members of the importance of donating responsibly. Cash donations are best. The Oklahoma VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) is asking Americans to “do the following things to make our collaborative effort as effective as possible for our neighbors in need: At this time, please ask your organizations to make financial donations only until other types of donations are requested.  We all KNOW not heeding this request can lead to the second disaster after the disaster. Please instruct all volunteers associated with your organization … to NOT self-deploy. Best practices include a collaborative response, so people are directed WHEN NEEDED and WHERE NEEDED so their help and skills are most needed and will be most effective.” Go to www.nvoad.org/donateresponsibly for more information about responsible and helpful donations following disasters . Another National VOAD website directly relates to the tornadoes:www.nvoad.org/tornadoes . Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Roy Winter, Jane Yount, Zach Wolgemuth, CWS communications staff, and Newsline editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, who serves as director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. Look for the next regularly scheduled Newsline on May 30. Contact the editor at cobnews@brethren.org.

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

Mission to Guatemala

This month, for the first time that I can remember, both of our congregations are supporting the same mission.

Janine Simon, daughter of John and Connie Verbeck, and her son Elias, who will turn 14 this month, are going to be a part of the High Pointe Church Guatemala Mission and Service Team. Their home church, High Pointe Community Church in Puyallup, is partnering with Orphan Outreach on a trip to Guatemala from July 5 to 13.

They will travel to the town of Cerro de Oro where they will be working with children and helping to build a house. Janine writes:

"As a team we are going to teach a leadership program in the public school which points to Jesus as the best leadership example. This program was taught for the first time last year to the high school and middle school students. The program was so successful that our church was invited back this year and was asked to include an elementary program as well. We also will get to assist a construction crew in building a house for a family in the village, and visit all of the families we have built homes for in the past bringing them a medicine cabinet in a box."

You, too, can make a donation to support Janine and Elias on their trip. Checks can be made out to High Pointe Church, and for tax deduction purposes should not have the trip member's name on the check. Donations can be sent to:

Ruth Ann Van Steen

11803 101st Ave. Ct. E Suite 103

Puyallup, WA 98373

To learn more about Orphan Outreach and their work click HERE.

Facts About Guatemala

• Population: 12,728,111 (July 2007) • Birth Rate: 29.09 births/1,000 population • Death Rate: 5.27 deaths/1,000 population • Infant Mortality Rate total: 29.77 deaths/1,000 live births • Population below poverty line: 56.2% (2004) • Est. # people living with HIV/AIDS: 61,000; 0.9% adult (15-49) prevalence rate (2005) • Unemployment rate: 3.2% (2005) • Literacy Rate (age 15 + can read & write): 69.1% total population • Estimated 370,000 children (0-17) orphaned (2005) • Type of Government: Representative democracy • Language(s): Spanish (60%); Amerindianlanguages (40%) • Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, and indigenous Mayan beliefs • Guatemala is located in Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Caribbean Sea between Honduras and Belize. • UNICEF estimates that there are more than 370,000 orphans in Guatemala and at least 5,000 children live on the streets of the capital, abandoned by mothers who are too poor to keep them. • Only 24 percent of the population attends Secondary school (1996-2005). • Only 58 percent of municipalities have a secondary school. • Five out of 10 students who enter primary school in urban areas complete primary school, as opposed to only two out of 10 in rural areas. • Some 67 percent of indigenous children suffer from chronic malnutrition. • 27 percent of all children under 5 are underweight. • The distribution of income remains highly unequal with about 56% of the population below the poverty line. • The indigenous population, the Maya, make up about half of the population. Mayan languages are spoken alongside Spanish, the official tongue. Many Guatemalans are of mixed Amerindian-Hispanic origin. • Guatemalans live in one of the most inequitable societies in the region. Poverty is particularly widespread in the countryside and among indigenous communities. Illiteracy, infant mortality and malnutrition are among the highest in the region, life expectancy is among the lowest and, in common with many of its neighbors, the country is plagued by organized crime and violent street gangs.