Newsline, July 17, 2013

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

July 17, 2013 “If the world hates you, know that it hated me first.... However, I have chosen you out of the world, and you don’t belong to the world” (John 15:18a and 19b, Common English Bible). THE 5th BRETHREN WORLD ASSEMBLY -- Coverage by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford and Frank Ramirez 1) Miami Valley of Ohio welcomes the 5th Brethren World Assembly. 2) Quotable Brethren: The 5th Brethren World Assembly in soundbites. 3) Brethren World Assembly video recordings are available. 4) ‘We are wowed’: Updates from Annual Conference 2013. 5) Brethren bits: Aftermath of Zimmerman trial, NYC news, job openings, personnel notes, S. Ohio special conference, more. Find the complete text of this issue of Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-special-brethren-world-assembly.html . ******************************************** Quote of the week: “A soul which loves God Finds anguish in this world. What it loves outside of Jesus Is beset by terror and distress. Therefore Jesus calls to it ‘Come, in me is joy and peace.’” -- Poetry by Alexander Mack Jr., presented by Karen Garrett during her examination of Brethren poetry at the 5th Brethren World Assembly in Brookville, Ohio, July 11-14. This is an English translation by Samuel Heckman of Mack’s original German, printed in “The Religious Poetry of Alexander Mack, Jr.” (Brethren Publishing House, 1912). The Brethren World Assembly is a gathering of the spiritual descendants of the believers who were led by Alexander Mack Sr. and held their first baptisms in Schwarzenau, Germany, in 1708. The assembly is sponsored by the Brethren Encyclopedia Board. This year it was hosted by the Brethren Heritage Center in Ohio’s Miami Valley, a unique place that boasts at least one congregation from each of the main Brethren bodies in North America. Find a photo album from the assembly linked at www.brethren.org/album .  ******************************************** 1) Miami Valley of Ohio welcomes the 5th Brethren World Assembly. Extending greetings to all those present at the 5th Brethren World Assembly on July 11-14 in Brookville, Ohio, Brethren Heritage Center board secretary Larry E. Heisey noted the unique location of the meeting. All of the seven main Brethren groups in North America descended from the believers brought together by Alexander Mack Sr. in Schwarzenau, Germany, are represented in the Miami Valley area near Dayton, Ohio. “This makes us unique in Brethrendom,” Heisey said. Brethren spirituality was the theme of the assembly, which is held every five years with sponsorship from the Brethren Encyclopedia Board. The 2013 assembly was hosted by the Brethren Heritage Center, a nonprofit organization based in Brookville and started in 2001 to preserve historical and current information on the various Brethren bodies. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/miami-valley-welcomes-brethren-world-assembly.html 2) Quotable Brethren: The 5th Brethren World Assembly in soundbites. “Quotable quotes” from the 5th Brethren World Assembly give a flavor of the three days of presentations, panels, sermons, and more: “Brethren have been spiritual people even if they have been slow to write about spiritual practices.” -- Jeff Bach, director of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College. “What in the world is spirituality, anyway? No other word has been the subject of so much misunderstanding and useless argument.” -- William Kostlevy, director of the Brethren Historical Library and Archives at the Church of the Brethren General Offices. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/quotable-brethren-soundbites.html 3) Brethren World Assembly video recordings are available. Video recordings are available from the 5th Brethren World Assembly. The recordings in DVD format are of the main presentations and worship services, and are made available by the sponsoring body, the Brethren Encyclopedia Board, through the host organization the Brethren Heritage Center in Brookville, Ohio. The taping was done by Brethren videographer David Sollenberger and crew. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-world-assembly-video.html 4) ‘We are wowed’: Updates from Annual Conference 2013. “We are wowed,” said Classroom Central of Charlotte, N.C., in a web post about the school supplies donated during Annual Conference totaling 43,183 items. “The donation from Church of the Brethren will make such an incredible impact in the six districts we serve, providing students in need with essential tools needed to learn! Thanks to our contact person, Chris, and all the members of the church who made this happen.” Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/we-are-wowed-updates-from.html 5) Brethren bits. This week’s “Brethren bits” includes statements from Heeding God’s Call and the National Council of Churches in the aftermath of the Zimmerman trial, National Youth Conference news, job openings, personnel notes, a note about a special district conference coming up in Southern Ohio, and more. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-july-17.html Contributors to this Newsline include Deb Brehm, Lesley Crosson, Charles Culbertson, Terry Grove, Tim Heishman, Philip E. Jenks, Phil King, Frank Ramirez, Callie Surber, Loretta Wolf, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren.

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