Newsline, October 4, 2013

Newsline The Church of the Brethren e-mail news service

Oct. 4, 2013   "What good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it?" (James 2:14b, CEB).   1) Children have disaster consequences too: CDS serves in Colorado following floods.   2) Nigerian Brethren die in more violent attacks on communities, churches.   3) Webinar series to give information about Brethren ministries for young people.   4) New resources include calendar to learn Philippians, Domestic Violence Awareness, Children’s Sabbaths, more.   5) Curriculum helps youth develop beliefs on peace, conscientious objection.   6) Workcamps schedule is announced for 2014.   7) US church leaders renew emphasis on immigration.   8) Bethany’s ‘Explore Your Call’ 2014 to be held in Colorado prior to NYC.   9) Brethren bits: Remembering Duane Ramsey, BDM honors Helen Kinsel, job openings at the WCC and Camp Swatara, difficult court decision for Haitians in the DR, and much more.     Read the full text of this issue of Newsline in one document at www.brethren.org/news/2013/newsline-for-oct-4-2013.html ******************************************    1) Children have disaster consequences too: CDS serves in Colorado following floods. The following report on the work of Children’s Disaster Services (CDS) in Longmont, Colo., following the extreme flooding in the state, was provided by the American Red Cross. A team of CDS volunteers has been serving at the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) in Longmont. The team will finish up tomorrow and travel home on Sunday, reports Roy Winter, associate executive director of Brethren Disaster Ministries. “Disaster relief services are not just for grown-ups. The American Red Cross is continually aware that one of its biggest challenges is providing services for the most fragile and dependent members of an impacted community. That means looking out for the children....” Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/children-have-disaster-consequences-too.html   2) Nigerian Brethren die in more violent attacks on communities, churches. Leaders of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) have reported recent violent attacks that have taken lives of church members and destroyed many homes and some churches in northeastern Nigeria. The Global Mission and Service office requests prayer for people who have lost loved ones, those who have lost their homes and churches, and for EYN and its leaders. Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service, is sending a grant of $10,000 to the EYN fund that aids church members affected by the ongoing violence, and is requesting donations to the EYN Compassion Fund. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/nigerian-brethren-die-in-violent-attacks.html   3) Webinar series to give information about Brethren ministries for young people. New “non-event” resources from the Youth and Young Adult Ministry this year are a series of webinars by denominational staff whose ministries relate to youth and young adults. These staff have teamed up to provide informational and educational webinars geared toward those who work with Church of the Brethren youth and young adults as advisors, pastors, or parents. The first introductory webinar is this Tuesday, Oct. 9. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/webinar-series-on-youth-ministries.html 4) New resources include calendar to learn Philippians, Domestic Violence Awareness, Children’s Sabbaths, more. The month of October offers congregations the opportunity to participate in two national observances promoting the welfare of families and children: Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Children’s Sabbaths Celebration. A calendar for learning the book of Philippians by heart also begins in October, offered by the Annual Conference moderator as a focus for Bible study in preparation for the 2014 annual meeting. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/new-online-resources.html 5) Curriculum helps youth develop beliefs on peace, conscientious objection. Call of Conscience, a Church of the Brethren web-based curriculum, is available to download fromwww.brethren.org/CO . Written by Julie Garber, this resource is designed to help youth develop their beliefs about peace and conscientious objection to war. The curriculum focuses on developing a personal peace position based on biblical teaching and the traditions of the church. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/resource-helps-youth-develop-beliefs-on-peace.html 6) Workcamps schedule is announced for 2014. The schedule for the 2014 summer workcamps offered by the Church of the Brethren is now available online atwww.brethren.org/workcamps/schedule . Workcamps will be offered for junior high youth, BRF senior high youth, young adults, and an intergenerational group. Because senior high youth will be attending National Youth Conference in July 2014, a full slate of workcamps for senior high youth will be offered again in 2015. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/workcamps-schedule-is-announced.html 7) US church leaders renew emphasis on immigration. Christian leaders representing the breadth of Christian churches and denominations in the US have renewed their emphasis on the issue of immigration. Immigration was the main topic at the annual meeting of Christian Churches Together earlier this year, and the CCT steering committee has announced that the urgency of the matter--particularly in light of congressional delays on immigration reform--will keep it in front of the organization’s annual meeting through 2015. Read the full story at www.brethren.org/news/2013/us-church-leaders-renew-emphasis-on-immigration.html 8) Bethany’s ‘Explore Your Call’ 2014 to be held in Colorado prior to NYC. Rising high school juniors and seniors are invited to Colorado State University next summer for Explore Your Call on July 15-19. Sponsored by the Institute for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults at Bethany Theological Seminary, this event is held the week prior to National Youth Conference (NYC), also at Colorado State. Interested youth will be able to attend both events, and will connect with their youth groups as they arrive for NYC. Read the Bethany release at www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/EYC14 9) Brethren bits. In this issue: Remembering Duane Ramsey, Brethren Disaster Ministries honors longterm volunteer Helen Kinsel, job openings at the World Council of Churches and at Camp Swatara, a difficult court decision for Haitians in the Dominican Republic, and much more. Read the full Brethren bits at www.brethren.org/news/2013/brethren-bits-for-oct-4.html Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Linetta Ballew, Jan Fischer Bachman, Kim Ebersole, Mary Kay Heatwole, Jeri S. Kornegay, Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, Becky Ullom Naugle, Walt Wiltschek, Jane Yount, 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. 11.

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