Newsline, June 13, 2013

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

June 13, 2013 Quote of the week “I want to tell you this is the best thing here. My two grand boys spent the night under the bed and then spent two hours here. It was the first time they got to play or see toys since the school went down. You did a good thing.” -- A grandfather thanking Children’s Disaster Services volunteers who have been caring for children and families affected by the tornado that hit Moore, Okla., on May 20. CDS volunteers have worked in cooperation with the American Red Cross in Moore continuously since May 25. More than 300 children have received care. Above, one of the pictures drawn by children in Moore, shared by CDS volunteer Bob Roach. The child's description of the picture: "This tornado people is sad. This tornado people is crying and crying." "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God" (Romans 8:14). NEWS 1) CDS volunteers continue to care for children affected by Oklahoma tornados. 2) Brethren Disaster Ministries to start Sandy recovery project in New Jersey. 3) Young adult event takes place at Camp Pine Lake. 4) World Council of Churches celebrates signing of Arms Trade Treaty. UPCOMING EVENTS 5) NYC 2014 logo and registration opening date are announced. 6) Brethren Academy updates its list of upcoming courses. 7) Progressive Brethren Gathering to be held in Indiana. FEATURES 8) Moderator Bob Krouse sets the tone for Annual Conference 2013. 9) Evidence of God working: A revival of faith at McPherson College. 10) UN representative reports ‘troubling’ global meeting on human trafficking. 11) Brethren bits: Corrections, remembering Doris Hollinger, job openings, personnel notes, summer worship resources from Gather ’Round, Brethren Voices interviews BVS director, more. Read the complete text of this Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-for-june-13-2013.html ******************************************** A note to Newsline readers: Church of the Brethren staff learned this morning that www.cobannualconference.org--an old website mostly out of use--had been infected with a malicious script (virus) that could have affected visitors' computers. The infection has been removed and the site is now safe. It appears that other, non-Brethren websites also were targeted and staff are investigating the source of the attack. If you accessed the Annual Conference statement page or documents between June 10-12, please update your anti-virus program and scan your computer. If you do not have anti-virus protection (which is NOT advisable) there are free options including free.avg.com and www.avira.com . Please note that the rest of the Annual Conference website hosted on www.brethren.org was not affected. Furthermore, the old cobannualconference.org website will be taken out of service shortly and all materials will be moved to the much more secure sitewww.brethren.org/ac . If you have questions or concerns please contact cobweb@brethren.org . ******************************************** 1) CDS volunteers continue to care for children affected by Oklahoma tornados. “Please keep the people of Oklahoma in your prayers,” asks Roy Winter, executive director of Brethren Disaster Ministries. Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) has had volunteers serving in Moore, Okla., since May 25. As of June 4, 325 children had received care. Trained and certified volunteers from CDS, a program within Brethren Disaster Ministries, work cooperatively with FEMA and the American Red Cross to set up child care centers in shelters and disaster assistance centers. The full story is at www.brethren.org/news/2013/cds-volunteers-continue-work-in-oklahoma.html 2) Brethren Disaster Ministries to start Sandy recovery project in New Jersey. In an exciting new partnership to help recovery in communities displaced by Super Storm Sandy, Brethren Disaster Ministries is collaborating with a trusted local non-profit in a project aimed at increasing the supply of safe and affordable rental housing in New Jersey. This unique project will allow Brethren Disaster Ministries to reach out to a population that is often underserved following disasters, yet whose recovery is crucial to the overall recovery and health of the community. The full story is at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-disaster-ministries-to-open-nj-project-site.html 3) Young adult event takes place at Camp Pine Lake. More than 40 young adults from across the country gathered at Camp Pine Lake in Eldora, Iowa, for the Church of the Brethren’s annual Young Adult Conference (or YAC for short). YAC took place over Memorial Day weekend from May 25-27. The young adults had a great time filled with laughter, conversation, coffee, and four square, despite what was otherwise a very rainy and cool weekend in Iowa. The full story is at www.brethren.org/news/2013/young-adult-event-in-iowa.html 4) World Council of Churches celebrates signing of Arms Trade Treaty. “Sign early and save lives!” said the World Council of Churches (WCC) celebratory news release on the signing of the world’s first Arms Trade Treaty. Nearly 70 governments signed the world’s first Arms Trade Treaty at the United Nations on the day it opened for signatures, June 3. Churches in dozens of countries urged them to do so in order to keep up the momentum from successful negotiations until the new treaty takes effect. Signatories included states that export arms and states where imported arms fuel violence. Read the full WCC release at www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/sign-early-and-save-lives-1 UPCOMING EVENTS 5) NYC 2014 logo and registration opening date are announced. A new logo for National Youth Conference (NYC) 2014, the once every four years Church of the Brethren conference for youth who have completed grade 9 through the first year of college, has been released by the Youth and Young Adult Ministry office. The logo designed by Debbie Noffsinger illustrates the NYC theme from Ephesians 4:1-7, “Called by Christ, Blessed for the Journey Together.” Also announced is the opening date of online registration for NYC: Jan. 3, 2014, at 7 p.m. (central time). The full story is at www.brethren.org/news/2013/nyc-2014-logo-and-opening-registration-date.html 6) Brethren Academy updates its list of upcoming courses. The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership has updated its upcoming course listing, which includes independent study units connected with the Ministers’ Association event in late June in advance of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, and the Fifth Brethren World Assembly in mid-July. The full story is at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-academy-course-update.html 7) Progressive Brethren Gathering to be held in Indiana. Registration is open for the 2013 Progressive Brethren Gathering on the theme, “Holy Longing: This Is My Body.” This sixth annual gathering of progressive Brethren will be held Nov. 15-17 at Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind. The full story is at www.brethren.org/news/2013/progressive-brethren-gathering.html FEATURES 8) Moderator Bob Krouse sets the tone for Annual Conference 2013. "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). “The Church of the Brethren Annual Conference exists to unite, strengthen and equip the Church of the Brethren to follow Jesus.” We find great joy in gathering together. Ironically, the power of our unity can magnify our feelings of vulnerability and frustration. These feelings are not conflicts that can be resolved; they also don’t justify reacting to others unkindly, nor with threats, attacks, or accusations. They are a call to respond respectfully when we are feeling most uncomfortable. The full story is at www.brethren.org/news/2013/moderator-bob-krouse-sets-the.html 9) Evidence of God working: A revival of faith at McPherson College. Reviving traditions as old as reading scripture and sharing communion. Discovering God through such unusual ways as “The Simpsons” and taking a pie to the face. God is active at McPherson (Kan.) College in ways both expected and “strange and mysterious.” The full story is at www.brethren.org/news/2013/evidence-of-god-working-at-mcpherson-college.html 10) UN representative reports ‘troubling’ global meeting on human trafficking. After attending the United Nations General Assembly meeting on the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, Church of the Brethren UN representative Doris Abdullah wrote the following report and personal responses to the issue. The full story is at www.brethren.org/news/2013/un-representative-reports-on-trafficking-meeting.html 11) Brethren bits. This issue includes two corrections, a remembrance of Doris Hollinger, several job openings, personnel notes, link to summer worship resources from Gather ’Round, information about a Brethren Voices interview of BVS director Dan McFadden, and more. Read the Brethren bits at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-june-13.html Contributors to this Newsline include Deborah Brehm, Audrey deCoursey, Ed Groff, Jess Hoffert, Phil Jenks, Laura King, Shawn Kirchner, Fran Massie, Wendy McFadden, Bob Roach, Roy Winter, Carol Wise, 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 27.

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