Newsline, October 11, 2013

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

Quote of the week: “In the midst of a crisis when we don’t really know what to do, we thought, ‘Let’s read the Bible and hear what God has to say.’” -- Bread for the World president David Beckmann, quoted in the “Washington Post.” He was one of the Christians who read scripture on a street corner across from the US Capitol during a “Faithful Filibuster” that beganWednesday. The effort is to remind Congress “that the government shutdown is hurting poor and vulnerable people,” the report said. It is organized by the Circle of Protection, a coalition that planned to read more than 2,000 Bible verses that pertain to poverty and other relevant subjects. Brethren staff in the Office of Public Witness took part in a telephone call with Washington religious leaders to plan how to supplement the Faithful Filibuster. Find the news report at www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/faithful-filibuster-christian-leaders-read-scripture-exhort-congress-to-care/2013/10/09/6bc05018-3123-11e3-ad00-ec4c6b31cbed_story.html . This photo of the Faithful Filibuster is  by Bryan Hanger, an intern in the Office of Public Witness. Oct. 11, 2013   "Happy...are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice" (Luke 11:28b). 1) Registration fees for Annual Conference 2014 include new family friendly discount. 2) Enroll in dental, vision, and other insurance products in November through BBT. 3) ‘Pioneering’ is the subject of a three-webinar series. 4) Haitch to present Professorial Lecture at Bethany Seminary. 5) Entries sought for Bethany Peace Essay Contest. 6) Lerch concludes her work with TRIM and the Brethren Academy. 7) McElwee returns to Manchester University to guide fundraising. 8) Humanitarian curbs on deadly weapons boost new UN treaty, sharpen old debates. 9) Brethren bits: Personnel and job opening, deadline for NYC youth worker, ENGAGE at Bethany, WCC virtual conference for “youth,” church anniversaries, Juniata’s celebration of new president Troha, lots of college and university news, more. Read the full text of this Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-for-oct-11-2013.html     ******************************************** 1) Registration fees for Annual Conference 2014 include new family friendly discount. “Given this is budget preparation time for many congregations, we’ve had calls and e-mails asking about the registration fees for Annual Conference next year,” said a note from the Conference Office, which highlights a new “family friendly” change made by the Program and Arrangements Committee. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/registration-fees-for-annual-conference.html 2) Enroll in dental, vision, and other insurance products in November through BBT. Employees of Church of the Brethren-affiliated organizations who work 20 hours or more may enroll in certain insurance plans through Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT). Open enrollment for Dental, Vision, Supplemental Life (for current Basic Life members who are eligible to add up to $10,000 of additional coverage), and Short-Term Disability insurance through Brethren Insurance Services happens Nov. 1-30. Read the release from BBT at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org/news/enroll-dental-vision-and-other-insurance-products-november 3) ‘Pioneering’ is the subject of a three-webinar series. Congregational Life Ministries is offering three new webinars on the topic of church pioneering. The webcast presenters are leaders from the Anabaptist Network in the United Kingdom, an organization that models dynamic ministry strategies and creative processes for new church development. The three webinars are hosted by the Church of the Brethren and organized together with Urban Expression, Bristol Baptist, and BMS World Mission. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/pioneering-is-the-subject-of-webinars.html 4) Haitch to present Professorial Lecture at Bethany Seminary. On Saturday, Oct. 26, Russell Haitch will present a professorial lecture at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., commemorating his promotion to full professor of practical theology. Free and open to the public, the lecture will begin at 7:15 p m  (Eastern time) and will be webcast. Read the Bethany release at www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/haitch 5) Entries sought for Bethany Peace Essay Contest. Bethany Theological Seminary is encouraging seminary and graduate school, college, and high school students to think creatively about peacemaking and to share those thoughts for the greater good. The Bethany Peace Essay Contest is being reinstated this coming January as part of the peace studies program at the seminary. Read the Bethany release at www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/contest 6) Lerch concludes her work with TRIM and the Brethren Academy. Marilyn Lerch, coordinator of the Training In Ministry (TRIM) program of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, will conclude her half-time position on Dec. 31 as a result of staff reconfiguration at the academy. She will continue as half-time pastor of Bedford (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/lerch-concludes-work-with-trim.html 7) McElwee returns to Manchester University to guide fundraising. A 1978 Manchester peace studies and religion alumnus with broad and deep experience in the university’s mission soon will become vice president for university advancement. Timothy McElwee will re-join the President’s Cabinet on Nov. 11, Manchester University president Jo Young Switzer announced. Read the Manchester release at www.manchester.edu/oca/advancement/McElweeReturns.htm 8) Humanitarian curbs on deadly weapons boost new UN treaty, sharpen old debates. World leaders at the United Nations (UN) at the end of September backed two steps in relation to the Arms Trade Treaty, promoted by churches, to make people safer through new laws to control deadly weapons. The biggest event came as the United States, the world largest exporter of arms, signed the new Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) during a high-level phase of the UN General Assembly, Sept. 24-26. Read the WCC release at www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/humanitarian-curbs-on-deadly-weapons-boost-new-un-treaty-sharpen-old-debates 9) Brethren bits. In this issue: Personnel changes at BBT and Gather ’Round, job opening at the Brethren Service Center, deadline for NYC youth worker applications, invitation to ENGAGE at Bethany, a WCC virtual conference for “youth,” church anniversaries, Juniata’s celebration of new president Jim Troha, lots of college and university news, and more. Read the full Brethren bits at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-oct-11.html Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Deborah Brehm, Stan Dueck, Jon Kobel, Donna March, Wendy McFadden, Nicole Pressel, David Radcliff, Donna Talarico, John Wall, 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 Oct. 18.

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