Newsline, September 13, 2013

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

Sept. 13, 2013 NEWS 1) Brethren respond to Syria crisis, participate in fasting and prayer, prepare $100,000 grant for 2) Workcamp ministry closes out successful 2013 season, announces theme for 2014. 3) Haitian Church of the Brethren holds its first annual conference. 4) Haiti Medical Project grows and develops, with help from individuals, churches, and denomination. NEWS FROM NOAC 5) Round up report from National Older Adult Conference 2013. 6) Feeders? A Deacon Ministry reflection on NOAC 2013. UPCOMING EVENT 7) Brethren Revival Fellowship to gather for 2013 General Meeting. 8) Brethren bits: Remembrance, prayer for Colorado, job opening in CDS, new registration deadline, concern from northeast Nigeria, church anniversary in Kentucky, and much more. Read the full text of this Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-for-sept-13-2013.html ******************************************** Quote of the week: “We have had 170 responses so far. It is not too late for people to contact the President and their senators and reps!” -- Jan Fischer Bachman, web producer for the Church of the Brethren, reporting on the response to an Action Alert on Syria posted by the Office of Public Witness. The alert offers a sample letter for Brethren to help say “no US military action in Syria.” The letter reads, in part, “As a member of the Church of the Brethren and your constituent, I urge you to oppose US military action in Syria and support intensified diplomatic efforts that will produce a negotiated political settlement. Military strikes will do nothing but further destabilize an already volatile situation. The US government itself has recognized that there is no solution to the crisis other than a political one. Instead of pursuing military strikes and arming parties to the conflict, we urge the United States to intensify diplomatic efforts to stop the bloodshed, before Syria is destroyed and the region further destabilized. On top of this, the United States must increase its humanitarian assistance to help the almost 2 million Syrians, of which 1 million are children that have been forced to flee their country as a result of this conflict....” Find the online form at https://secure2.convio.net/cob/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=251 . ******************************************** 1) Brethren respond to Syria crisis, participate in fasting and prayer, prepare $100,000 grant for refugee needs Church of the Brethren leaders, congregations, schools, participants at National Older Adult Conference, and other individual members of the church have been responding to the crisis in Syria in a variety of ways, including participating in fasting and prayer for peace. In the latest from denominational staff, Brethren Disaster Ministries is preparing a grant of $100,000 from the church’s Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) in support of the needs of Syrian refugees, with the numbers of refugees anticipated to increase with the increasing severity of the conflict. The grant will go to ecumenical partner agency ACT Alliance. Also, general secretary Stanley J. Noffsinger has written a letter to President Obama from the office of the general secretary of the Church of the Brethren. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-respond-to-syria.html 2) Workcamp ministry closes out successful 2013 season, announces theme for 2014. The Church of the Brethren workcamp ministry closed out a successful summer season in 2013, holding 23 workcamps at a variety of sites across the nation for Brethren junior and senior high youth and adults. The ministry also has announced a theme and theme scripture for next year’s workcamps, to be held in summer 2014. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/workcamp-ministry-reports.html 3) Haitian Church of the Brethren holds its first annual conference. The first official Annual Conference of Eglise des Freres Haitiens (the Church of the Brethren in Haiti) was held from Aug. 12-14 in Croix des Bouquets, Haiti, at the Brethren Ministry Center campus. Approximately 60 delegates represented more than 20 churches and preaching points. The conference concluded with a special ordination ceremony for six pastors. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/first-annual-conference-of-haitian-church-of-the-brethren.html 4) Haiti Medical Project grows and develops, with help from individuals, churches, and denomination. Nancy Young provided the report below on efforts at McPherson (Kan.) Church of the Brethren to help grow the Haiti Medical Project--but McPherson is just one of the congregations, groups, and individuals across the country who, along with the Church of the Brethren Global Mission and Service department, are helping make the project a success. The endowment fund for the project recently attained the key level of $100,000, and the project also has a new website. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/haiti-medical-project-grows-1.html NEWS FROM NOAC 5) Round up report from National Older Adult Conference 2013. National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) 2013 concluded last Friday, Sept. 6, after a week of world class speakers, concerts, dramas, and shows, envigorating worship, and energizing opportunities for recreation and fellowship. Held at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina, the conference was attended by some 800 people, and organized by the denomination’s Older Adult Ministry and Congregational Life Ministries. Here is a round-up report of the week: Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/noac-2013/round-up-report-from-noac-2013.html 6) Feeders? A Deacon Ministry reflection on NOAC 2013. I just returned from our denomination's National Older Adult (50+) Conference (NOAC), at which the collective wisdom was palpable. This year a new banner, "Sages Through the Ages," was introduced, onto which the name of each year's oldest attendee will be added during the NOAC gathering. What a terrific reminder of the importance of this group's lifelong contributions to the life and spirit of the church! Read this reflection from the Deacon Ministry newsletter at http://support.brethren.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=24001.0 . UPCOMING EVENTS 7) Brethren Revival Fellowship to gather for 2013 General Meeting. The Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF) General Meeting will be held Saturday, Sept. 14, beginning at 10 a.m. at New Fairview Church of the Brethren, located some three miles south of York, Pa. The all-day program will consider “Pressing Toward the Goal: A Positive Witness for Christ.” Among the speakers will be Walter Heisey, Jordan Keller, Ken Leininger, and Craig Alan Myers. A report of Annual Conference and approval of BRF Committee members will occur as well. Read the full release from the BRF at www.brfwitness.org/?p=3105 8) Brethren bits. In this issue: remembering Norman Yeater, praying for those affected by flooding in Colorado, seeking an associate director for Children’s Disaster Services, extending the registration deadline for the intercultural event in Virlina District, sharing a concern from northeast Nigeria, celebrating a church anniversary in Kentucky, and much much more. Read this week’s Brethren bits at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-sept-13.html Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Kim Ebersole, Eddie Edmonds, Kendra Flory, Mary Kay Heatwole, Gimbiya Kettering, Donna Kline, Jeri S. Kornegay, Dale Minnich, Frank Ramirez, Jonathan Shively, Jenna Stacy, Emily Tyler, Jay Wittmeyer, Nancy Young, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. The next regularly scheduled issue of Newsline is planned for Sept. 19.