Annual Conference 2005 - Friday Features Page

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PEORIA SECTION OF ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN DISTRICT
With Annual Conference in Peoria, Ill., this year, several thousand Brethren from across the country and around the world will be traveling to the “Peoria Section” of the Church of the Brethren’s Illinois and Wisconsin District.

Nearby churches in the “Peoria Section” are, of course, Peoria Church of the Brethren, located at 4714 N. Sheridan Rd.; the Astoria and Woodland congregations in Astoria, Ill.; the Canton (Ill.) Church of the Brethren; the Oak Grove congregation in Lowpoint, Ill.; and Panther Creek Church of the Brethren near Roanoke, Ill.

The Peoria congregation was organized in 1945 and had an average worship attendance of 84 in 2004. Dana McNeil is the pastor. Members have been heavily involved in preparations for Annual Conference, providing help with some onsite organizing, and plan to host some children’s activities and usher for the Sunday morning worship service, among other involvements.

Congregation members also have facilitated service projects for the children’s groups at Annual Conference to benefit Garfield Elementary School in southern Peoria. The congregation has an ongoing relationship with the school, where congregation members go to read to children and to do service projects.

Standing Committee member Richard Kyerematen reviews the new history of Bethany Seminary during a presentation by Bethany president Eugene Roop.
Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

A PREVIEW OF THE BRETHREN PRESS BOOKSTORE
The Brethren Press bookstore at Annual Conference will sell four new publications from the press, and publications related to Bethany Theological Seminary's centennial, among many other books, music, CDs and videos, children's resources, Annual Conference theme items, and other resources. Several authors will sign their books.

"Another Way of Believing: A Brethren Theology" by Dale W. Brown ($18.95) heads the offerings of new Brethren books. Brown is a professor emeritus of Bethany Theological Seminary and a noted Anabaptist church historian and theologian. The book provides a thought-provoking study of the ways Brethren "do theology" by their everyday living. Brown will sign his new book and his classic "Biblical Pacifism" at 12:45-1:45 p.m. on Monday, July 4. He will be the main speaker at the Brethren Press Breakfast the same day.

"Kum Ba Yah: The Story of Brethren Camping" by Linda Logan ($9.95) tells the vision, the history, and the ministries of Brethren camping since outdoor ministries began some 80 years ago. The Outdoor Ministries Association collaborated in providing this history.

Two new Covenant Bible Studies will be available: "Romans: Church at the Crossroads" by Virginia Wiles ($6.59) and "Side by Side: Interpreting Dual Stories in the Bible" by Frank Ramirez ($6.95). (A third new edition in the Covenant series is scheduled to come out this fall: "Voices in the Book of Job" by Robert W. Neff.) Ramirez will sign the Covenant study and his 2004 book "The Meanest Man in Patrick County" at 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 3.

The four publications related to Bethany Seminary are "The Bethany Seminary Centennial History" ($19.95), "Hope Deferred: Heart-Healing Reflections on Reproductive Loss" by Bethany professor Dena Pence Frantz ($18), "The Something Else Lady" by Earle Fike Jr. about the life of Anna Mow ($12.95), and "Bethany Daze" anecdotes of life at the seminary by Fred Swartz ($7.95). Frantz, Fike, and Swartz will sign their books at 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 5.

Other book signings will be held by:

Tom Mullen, religion professor emeritus at Earlham School of Religion and the speaker at the Association of Brethren Caregivers dinner on Saturday, July 2, will sign his books including "Laughing Out Loud and Other Religious Experiences" ($10) and "Where Two or Three Are Gathered Someone Spills the Milk" ($10) at 12:45-1:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 3.

Brian McClaren, speaker at the Congregational Life Ministries dinner and other events (see story below), will sign his books including "A New Kind of Christian" ($21.95) and "Generous Orthodoxy" ($19.99) at 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 5.

The new Brethren Press books may be ordered by calling 800-441-3712 at any time. Other publishers' books to be sold at the Conference bookstore will be available for order from Brethren Press until the end of July, or while supplies last. A shipping and handling fee will be added to each order.

Members of the 2005 Annual Conference news team, a ministry of the General Board, contributed to this report: Regina Roberts, Jesse Reid, Hannah Edwards, and Sarah Kovacs, photographers; Kathleen Campanella, Karen Garrett, Jill Kline, Frank Ramirez, Frances Townsend, Sarah Leatherman Young, and Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, writers; Amy Heckert, technical support; Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford and Becky Ullom, editors.