“…All will be made alive in Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 15:22b
NEWS
1) Brethren Disaster Response opens fourth Katrina recovery project.
2) Brethren funds give $150,000 for hunger, disaster relief.
3) Brethren bits: Correction, personnel, job openings, more.
PERSONNEL
4) Bach resigns from seminary, appointed director of Young Center.
5) Hall resigns from human resources at the Brethren Service Center.
UPCOMING EVENTS
6) Ministry of Reconciliation schedules spring workshops.
7) Tour takes cross-cultural music group to midwest.
8) Deacon/caregiver ministry training events scheduled for the spring.
RESOURCES
9) Information packet for 300th anniversary devotional is available.
FEATURE
10) Brethren participate in peace rally in Washington, D.C.
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1) Brethren Disaster Response opens fourth Katrina recovery project.
Brethren Disaster Response has announced the opening of a fourth active Hurricane Katrina recovery project as of Feb. 11. This project will be based in Chalmette, La., in St. Bernard Parish. The three other Katrina recovery projects are located in Pearl River, La.; Lucedale, Miss.; and McComb, Miss. Disaster Child Care also is working at a FEMA “Welcome Home Center” in New Orleans.
Hurricane Katrina caused levee failures that inundated homes throughout St. Bernard Parish with six to twenty feet of water for more than two weeks, reported Brethren Disaster Response coordinator Jane Yount. More than 200 parish residents lost their lives, and 100 percent of the homes were officially declared uninhabitable. Nearly 50 percent of the residents were senior citizens.
Brethren Disaster Response is coordinating efforts with the St. Bernard Project, a local all-volunteer organization. The city has taken care of demolishing houses and clearing debris. Volunteers will do major repair work including insulation, drywall, laminate flooring, plumbing, electric repairs, and roofing, to allow residents to get back into their homes.
The St. Bernard Project has obtained seven trailers on loan from FEMA for housing for the Brethren volunteers and project directors; trailers are located in a trailer community of Katrina survivors. Project directors who will open the project are Ken and LouElla Imhoff, with Phil and Joan Taylor assisting. The work crew for the first week will come from Mid-Atlantic District, and include members of the Executive Committee of the General Board.
For more about Brethren Disaster Response go to www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/DisasterResponse.htm.
2) Brethren funds give $150,000 for hunger, disaster relief.
Two Church of the Brethren funds have given a total of $150,000 for hunger relief and disaster response, through five recent grants. The Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) and the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF) are ministries of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
An EDF grant of $60,000 has been made to SHARECircle, a relief and rehabilitation organization working in Angola. The funds will help expand services to a recently received USAID grant for feeding centers at schools in Bie province, and will provide medical supplies, medicine, and school kits to be shipped from the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Medicine and supplies will be provided by Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA), and school kits and Gift of the Heart Kids Kits will be provided by Church World Service (CWS).
An EDF grant of $30,000 has been given to Brethren Disaster Response to open a “Hurricane Katrina Rebuilding Site 4″ in Chalmette, La. This is a new rebuilding site for the Brethren response to the hurricanes that affected the Gulf coast area. The money will pay for travel expenses, leadership training, additional tools and equipment, food and housing, and some building supplies.
An allocation of $25,000 has been made from the GFCF for the Darfur crisis in Sudan. The grant responds to a CWS appeal for Darfur at the outset of 2007. The grant will help build new water points, maintain or repair existing wells and pumps, construct latrines, conduct health and nutrition education, and distribute tools and seeds.
An allocation of $20,000 from the GFCF will work on reforestation, and supply stoves and cisterns in Guatemala. The grant continues support of a community development program in Guatemala. Work projected to take place in 2007 includes construction of rainwater catchment systems, building fuel-efficient cookstoves, operation of a tree nursery, and transportation of organic fertilizer.
An allocation of $15,000 from the GFCF supports the Rural Service Center in Akleshwar, India. This grant continues Church of the Brethren support of the center, and will help the center engage the rural poor with animal husbandry, soil conservation, vocational guidance, water and soil management, social forestry, public health, and multiple cropping. A portion of the amount of the grant–$5,000–will be used for an assessment of the center’s role in a rapidly changing society.
For more about the Emergency Disaster Fund go to www.brethren.org/genbd/ersm/EDF.htm. For more about the Global Food Crisis Fund go to www.brethren.org/genbd/global_mission/gfcf.htm.
3) Brethren bits: Correction, personnel, job openings, more.
- Correction: The name of Nelda Rhoades Clarke, a Church of the Brethren representative to the National Council of Churches, was given incorrectly in the Newsline of Dec. 6, 2006. The editor regrets this mistake.
- Two Global Mission Partnerships/Brethren Volunteer Service workers departed Jan. 21 to begin two-year assignments in Brazil: Athena Gibble and Katie O’Donnell. They fill newly-created positions on the Brazil mission team of the Church of the Brethren General Board. The team will help congregations reach out in service to surrounding communities, and increase the visibility and identity of the church in the process. Gibble is from York, Pa., a graduate of Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and social work. Her home congregation is Codorus Church of the Brethren in Loganville, Pa. O’Donnell is from Marmora, N.J., and has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and elementary/secondary education, also from Juniata College. Her home congregation is Green Tree Church of the Brethren in Oaks, Pa.
- The General Board has welcomed two new interns. Jordan Blevins of Westminster, Md., began a legislative internship at the Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the General Board on Jan. 1. Jesse Reid, a senior at Manchester College, began an internship on Jan. 31 with the News Services office in Elgin, Ill.
- Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) seeks a marketing and promotions assistant to fill an interim fulltime hourly position based in Elgin, Ill. Responsibilities include establishing and maintaining a congregational representative network and assisting with creation and implementation of other promotional and marketing initiatives, possibly including development of a denominational database; working to secure BBT representatives in congregations; producing a monthly communication to the representatives; producing materials for BBT-related promotional and department-based assignments in conjunction with the communications department and colleagues; coordinating regional meetings with the representatives; occasional travel to conduct network functions; working to establish and maintain a denominational contact list; providing logistics assistance with other BBT marketing and promotions initiatives. Qualifications include at least an undergraduate degree preferably in communications, English, marketing, or a related field; experience/expertise in customer service, database management, and/or writing; membership in the Church of the Brethren and active participation in a Church of the Brethren congregation. Salary is competitive with Church Benefits Association agencies of comparable size and scope of services. Send a letter of interest, a resume with salary range expectations, and contact information for three references to Susan Brandenbusch, 1505 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120; or to sbrandenbusch_bbt@brethren.org.
- Bridgewater (Va.) Retirement Community seeks a fulltime director of Pastoral Care. The principle responsibility for this position is to provide pastoral care for residents of the Bridgewater Retirement Community, and to supplement, not replace, the residents’ own pastors and church homes. A master of divinity or theologically-related degree, Clinical Pastoral Education training and five years or more in a pastoral ministry or equivalent experience, ordination (or licensing) to ministry, and good standing with the Church of the Brethren is required. The position is available May 1. Applications will be accepted through March 7. Send a resume to Paul Hoyt, President, Bridgewater Retirement Community, 302 N. Second St., Bridgewater, VA 22812; 540-828-2666.
- A position is open in Brethren Press for a customer service resourcing specialist. The position is located in Elgin, Ill., and requires a high school diploma, previous customer service experience, basic understanding of church environment and/or needs, intermediate understanding of accounting, and computer experience. The successful candidate should possess excellent verbal and written communication skills. If you are interested in applying for this position please notify Karin Krog at 847-742-5100 ext. 258 by the close of the business day Feb. 2.
- “A couple of things are different about the 2007 Nigeria workcamp,” according to David Whitten, Nigeria mission coordinator for the Global Mission Partnerships office of the Church of the Brethren General Board. Whitten is leading the workcamp that began Jan. 12, and runs through Feb. 11. “There’s added meaning to the act itself of helping with building projects for the Nigerian church after several EYN churches were burned down a year ago in religious tensions,” he said. The workcamp is based at the headquarters of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN-the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) near Mubi. “This year’s contingent is smaller, because Swiss and German participants were not able to take part,” Whitten added. The group is doing construction projects at the EYN Comprehensive Secondary School, and cleaning and painting projects for the staff mission house located near Kulp Bible College. Joining about a dozen Nigerians are US participants Larry and Donna Elliott of Mt. Morris (Ill.) Church of the Brethren, Robert Elliott of Sumner, Iowa, and Alden and Susanne Chrysler of Estes Park, Colo. Also participating are Whitten’s daughter Darcy of Bar Harbor, Maine; his son Samuel of Mt. Solon, Va., and their friend Brittany Loflin of Grottoes, Va. Amy Waldron, a Brethren Volunteer Service and Global Mission Partnerships worker from Lima, Ohio, is participating as part of her orientation to Nigeria before teaching at the Comprehensive Secondary School.
- Online registration begins Feb. 1 for the Church of the Brethren’s first-ever National Junior High Conference. Participation is limited to the first 800 registrants because of limited seating available. Cost is $99 per person for each junior high youth and for their advisors, before April 14. After April 15 cost will be $125. Presenters include Tony Campolo, Mennonite comedians Ted and Lee, and Christian musician Ken Medema. The conference will be held at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College from June 15-17. For more information or to register go to www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/NatJrHighConf.htm.
- The application deadline is approaching for the Summer 2007 Youth Peace Travel Team. Feb. 4 is the deadline to apply. The first Youth Peace Travel Team was formed for the summer of 1991 as a cooperative effort of a number of General Board programs, according to an announcement from the Brethren Witness/Washington Office. This year’s team will be sponsored by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office along with Brethren Volunteer Service, the Outdoor Ministries Association, the Youth and Young Adult Ministries, and On Earth Peace. Four youth or young adults between the ages of 18-22 will be selected. A stipend is available to team members. Go to www.brethren.org/genbd/WitnessWashOffice.html and click on “Youth Peace Travel Team” to download the application.
- The Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the General Board is working on a Church of the Brethren Civil Rights Project. The goal of this new project is to collect interviews and stories from Church of the Brethren members who participated in the Civil Rights Movement, to put into publication for the 300th anniversary of the Church of the Brethren in 2008. The Brethren Witness/Washington Office already has sent 40 questionnaires to various participants. If you have a story to share about your participation in the Civil Rights Movement and have not yet received a questionnaire, please contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at 800-785-3246 or washington_office_gb@brethren.org.
- The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership is offering several courses this winter and early spring. Among them are “Now the Silence, Now the Songs: The Body of Christ at Worship,” an online course March 11-May 6, taught by Lee-Lani Wright (registration deadline Feb. 16, go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/pdf%20files/WorshipCourse2007.pdf); and “Church of the Brethren Polity and Practice,” on March 16-19 at Bakersfield (Calif.) Church of the Brethren, taught by Warren Eshbach, Spanish translation provided (registration deadline Feb. 16, go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/pdf%20files/CoBPolity.pdf). Courses offered through the academy are open to Training in Ministry and Education for Shared Ministry students, pastors, and lay people. For more information contact the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, 765-983-1824, academy@bethanyseminary.edu.
- The 96th anniversary of Live Oak Church of the Brethren was noted in a feature article in the “Appeal-Democrat” newspaper of Marysville-Yuba City, Calif. The article titled, “Brethren a Blessing for Live Oak” added that the church has been “a cornerstone in the community.” To find the article online go to www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/2007/01/23/features/focus/focus1.txt.
- Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren brought more than 75 people to the march and rally against the Iraq war in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 27. The “Patriot-News” of Harrisburg, Pa., covered the trip by the Elizabethtown group (“Midstaters at rally straddle ‘a fine line’” at www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/116995201396040.xml&coll=1). John Weigel and his two daughters were among those from the congregation to participate in the rally, and were among several Brethren were interviewed by the paper.
- On Jan. 20, members and friends of Dranesville Church of the Brethren in Herndon, Va., rode with the “Grate Patrol” to distribute food and water to the homeless in Washington D.C., according to the “Great Falls Connection” newspaper. The church group has been participating in this activity on the third Saturday of every other month for many years, the paper said. Volunteers make soup, assemble bag lunches, donate warm clothing, and distribute the items. For more information, contact the church at 703-430-7872 or dcoboffice@aol.com.
- The National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) is calling for submissions for its first ever eco-justice sermon writing award. The award is a celebration of God’s creation in the proclaimed gospel, and is open to clergy, lay leaders, and other religious leaders. Entries can focus on a variety of environmental issues such as sustainability, global warming, wilderness, and water. “Christians have the moral responsibility to protect all of God’s creation for current and future generations,” said Cassandra Carmichael, eco-justice program director for the NCC. “This sermon award will help highlight the good work going on in churches across the nation as well as provide sermon starters for worship leaders.” Sermon submissions should be no longer than 1,500 words. Deadline is March 1. Send submissions to info@nccecojustice.org. More information is at www.nccecojustice.org/sermoncontest.htm and http://www.councilofchurches.org/.
- Southern Sudan was the destination for a Jan. 7-25 delegation sponsored by the New Community Project, a Brethren-related organization, and hosted by the New Sudan Council of Churches (NSCC). Led by Florence Bayoa of the NSCC and by David Radcliff of the New Community Project, the delegation of eight people visited communities and environmental projects, met with United Nations personnel and church leaders, toured nature preserves, and delivered school kits put together by the older elementary children at Annual Conference. “The delegation found that although some progress has been made in the two years since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed by the northern government and southern rebels, many challenges remain,” Radcliff said. “Among these are conflict between returning refugees and those who remained behind during the war, lack of basics such as clean water, serviceable roads, malaria protection, health services, education, adult literacy programs, and vocational training.” The New Community Project is committing grants totaling $16,000 for girls’ education, adult literacy, reforestation, bicycles, and women’s development in Sudan, Radcliff reported. It also will facilitate placement of several volunteers to help launch a preschool in the community of Maridi. For more go to http://www.newcommunityproject.org/.
4) Bach resigns from seminary, appointed director of Young Center.
Jeffrey A. Bach, associate professor of Brethren studies at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., has accepted an appointment beginning Aug. 1 as director of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. In addition to his administrative appointment, Bach will hold the rank of associate professor of religious studies.
The Young Center, located on the campus of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, engages in research and teaching as well as sponsoring conferences related to the study of Anabaptist and Pietist groups primarily in the North American context. It is named for Galen S. Young and Jesse M. Young.
Bach graduated from Bethany Seminary in 1983 and served for seven years as pastor of Prairie City (Iowa) Church of the Brethren prior to his graduate study at Duke University. He holds a doctorate in religion from Duke, a master of divinity degree from Bethany, and a bachelor’s degree in German and elementary education from McPherson (Kan.) College.
Along with his teaching position at the seminary, he has provided educational seminars in districts and congregations throughout the denomination, directed the peace studies program, and served as acting dean. Bach also is an authority on the Ephrata Cloister and his book, “Voices of the Turtledoves: The Sacred World of Ephrata” (Penn State Press, 2003) has won several awards including the inaugural Dale Brown Book Award from the Young Center. He has published numerous articles and reviews for “Brethren Life and Thought” and other journals. Currently he chairs the 300th Anniversary Committee of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.
5) Hall resigns from human resources at the Brethren Service Center.
Effective March 3, Ellen Hall will retire from the human resources department of the Church of the Brethren General Board, located at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Currently she serves as coordinator of human resources.
Hall accepted the position of human resources secretary at the Brethren Service Center in Oct. 1996. She came to the center after 30 years of federal service as a logistics manager. As coordinator, she has worked with General Board employees and on matters related to insurance, human resources policies, and benefits.
Hall announced that her retirement recognizes more time required for family relationships. She may continue to help out with the work of human resources at the center as needed.
6) Ministry of Reconciliation schedules spring workshops.
The Ministry of Reconciliation (MoR) has announced its workshop schedule for spring 2007. “This spring, there is something for everyone,” said Annie Clark, MoR coordinator and staff member for On Earth Peace. “We have offerings for those who are looking for an introduction to reconciliation and conflict transformation skills and those who are seasoned practitioners.”
A Matthew 18 workshop at Glendora (Calif.) Church of the Brethren is planned for Saturday, Feb. 24. All Church of the Brethren members in the Los Angeles area and neighboring communities are invited to attend.
Two workshops for Shalom Teams are scheduled: a Midwestern Regional Matthew 18 Training for Trainers at Camp Mack in Milford, Ind., on March 9-10; and a basic Shalom Team Workshop at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor (Md.) on April 18.
A workshop on Appreciative Inquiry for church leaders, practitioners, and Shalom Team members will be held April 19 at the Brethren Service Center. In this workshop, leaders learn skills needed to guide congregations through change by utilizing the positive assets of the congregation.
A Ministry with Difficult Behaviors workshop on April 21 is sponsored by Atlantic Northeast District for pastors and congregational and district leaders, to be held at Myersville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren.
A 30-hour Christian Conciliation and Mediation workshop is offered on May 4, 5, 11, and 12 at Crest Manor Church of the Brethren in South Bend, Ind.
The season wraps up with a pre-Annual Conference workshop on Saturday, June 30, at the Annual Conference venue in Cleveland, Ohio, on Exploring Consensus Decision-Making.
Registration is required for all workshops. For more information, including details about content, cost, and schedules, go to www.brethren.org/oepa/programs/mor/upcoming-events/index.html or contact coordinator Annie Clark at aclark_oepa@brethren.org or 260-982-8595.
7) Tour takes cross-cultural music group to midwest.
A music tour sponsored by the Cross Cultural Ministries of the Church of the Brethren is giving worship concerts in several venues in Ohio and Indiana. Concerts are free and open to the public. Freewill offerings will be received.
In the tour Jan. 31-Feb. 4, a cross-cultural music group of Brethren musicians will present worship concerts and share testimonies, Bible study, and music that emphasize God’s desire for the church to reflect racial and ethnic diversity.
The tour kicked off Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. at Elm Street Church of the Brethren in Lima, Ohio. It continues Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Wesleyan Community Center in Dayton, Ohio; Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. at the Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio; Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. at Dupont (Ohio) Church of the Brethren; Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. at Osceola (Ind.) Church of the Brethren; and a closing performance Feb. 4 at 10 a.m. at Eel River Community Church of the Brethren in Silver Lake, Ind., where the group will help lead Sunday morning worship.
Participants are Gilbert Romero, pastor of Bella Vista Church of the Brethren in Los Angeles; Joseph Craddock, a community minister at Germantown Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia; Larry Brumfield, a licensed minister from Westminster (Md.) Church of the Brethren; Ron Free, a musician from Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren; and Duane Grady, of the General Board’s Congregational Life Teams.
The tour is part of an ongoing series of similar events happening across the Church of the Brethren to promote racial and ethnic diversity. Contact Duane Grady, Congregational Life Team, 3124 E. 5th St., Anderson, IN 46012; 800-505-1596; dgrady_gb@brethren.org.
8) Deacon/caregiver ministry training events scheduled for the spring.
The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) will hold three Deacon/Caregiver Ministry Training events this spring, with each event exploring the theme “Healing Balm.” These day-long training sessions will help church caregivers learn about what it means to be a church deacon or caregiver, and how to extend the healing balm of Jesus to those in need.
The Deacon/Caregiving Ministry Training events will be held on March 10 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren, with a registration deadline of March 2; on April 21 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Brethren Hillcrest Homes in La Verne, Calif., registration deadline April 6; and on June 9 from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Cedars in McPherson, Kan., registration deadline May 25.
Bernie Fuska’s keynote presentation for the Bridgewater event will explore the theme, “Portrait of a Christ-like Heart.” Fuska is pastor of Timberville (Va.) Church of the Brethren and has served on the General Board and Standing Committee. He is a resource person for Conflict Transformation for Shenandoah District and a member of the Ministry of Reconciliation Practitioners network.
At Hillcrest and the Cedars, Wallace Landes will give the keynote address titled “Anoint Us, Lord.” Landes is pastor of Palmyra (Pa.) Chruch of the Brethren and chair of the ABC Board. He is an adjunct member of the Religious Studies faculty at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College.
Each event will include Bible study, keynote presentation, workshops, and worship. Workshops will address practical issues that regularly confront deacons in their ministry. A $15 registration fee includes the cost of lunch for attendees who register by the appropriate deadline. Registration materials will be mailed to Church of the Brethren congregations and district offices, and are available at http://www.brethren-caregivers.org/. Please contact the ABC office at 800-323-8039 with questions.
9) Information packet for 300th anniversary devotional is available.
A packet of information for congregations wishing to make prepublication orders of “Fresh from the Word,” a daily devotional book for the 300th anniversary of the Brethren movement, is now available from Brethren Press.
The packet has been mailed to the church board chair of each Church of the Brethren congregation. It includes information about the devotional book, an order form with discounts for prepublication orders, a sampler of the devotions, an idea sheet, camera ready advertisements for a church newsletter or bulletin insert, an announcement script, and a poster.
The devotional book celebrates the Brethren anniversary with 366 devotions, one for each day of the anniversary year 2008. The more than 100 writers are drawn from all six of the Brethren groups, including the Church of the Brethren, the Brethren Church, and several others–and from some of the countries beyond the US where Brethren are following Christ today. Devotions are “perpetually dated,” and are not linked to the day of the week, so that the book can be reused in years to come. The volume is in hardcover, with a ribbon bookmark, and includes indexes of the writers and scriptures, and a family tree of the Brethren movement.
Congregations may order at a discount before the devotional goes to press this summer. Order by March 15 to receive a discount off the list price of $20. No payment is due until the books are received. Prepublication orders at this special discount are nonreturnable. Discounts are: 25 percent off single copies ($15 each); or 40 percent off orders of 10 or more ($12 each). After March 15, orders of 10 or more copies will still receive a discount of 25 percent.
For a copy of the packet, to place an order, or for more information, contact Brethren Press at 800-441-3712.
10) Brethren participate in peace rally in Washington, D.C.
By Emily O’Donnell
It was a historic day on Saturday, Jan. 27, as the largest number of protesters since the beginning of the Iraq war gathered in the nation’s capitol to voice opposition to the troop surge and demand the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.
Crowd estimates ranged from 200,000 to 300,000 as people from all areas of life, both young and old, united in a march to pressure Congress and the Bush administration to end the war in Iraq. The march in Washington, D.C., was organized by United for Peace and Justice, and began with a rally on the National Mall at 11 a.m. The rally included high-profile speakers such as actresses Susan Sarandon and Jane Fonda, actors Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, Jesse Jackson, congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), congresswomen Maxine Walters (D-CA). Also speaking was Bob Watada, father of Lieutenant Watada, the first military officer to refuse deployment to Iraq and currently facing court-martial. Fonda spoke to a cheering crowd announcing that “silence is no longer an option.”
More than 200 members of the Church of the Brethren gathered to participate in the march, at the invitation of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office and On Earth Peace. Around 120 Brethren members gathered at 10 a.m. at Washington City Church of the Brethren, home of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office. They were later joined by more Brethren at the National Mall.
Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren brought more than 75 people to the event. Three Brethren colleges also sent large student delegations: Bridgewater (Va.) College, Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., and Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa. Other Brethren participants traveled from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Illinois to attend the march.
At Washington City Church of the Brethren, a short prayer vigil was held and participants reaffirmed their commitment to the Iraq Resolution made in 2006 by the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference calling for the withdrawal of troops (for the text of the resolution go to www.brethren.org/ac/ac_statements/2006IraqWarResolution.pdf). Following the prayer vigil, the Brethren marched together carry signs stating “Church of the Brethren: A Living Peace Church,” “A Matter of Conscience, A Conviction of Faith,” and many other signs with scriptures and words promoting peace.
Following the rally at the National Mall, the Brethren group also marched with thousands of others around the Capitol building. One seven-year-old girl chanted, “What do we want?” The marchers shouted, “Peace.” The little girl continued, “When do we want it?” The crowd roared, “Now!”
“For once I felt like I was in a majority,” said Church of the Brethren member and Bridgewater alumni Rebekah Houff. “Knowing that the majority of the country is against the President’s decision to send more troops to Iraq and seeing over 200,000 people come to D.C. to oppose the war was an overwhelming experience!”
The Church of the Brethren’s participation in the march was one of the greatest examples of putting our faith into action. Our commitment to peace and our opposition to all war is a pillar of our denomination, and on Jan. 27 this commitment was reaffirmed. We truly are a living peace church, and as disciples of Jesus we must continue to call for the end to the Iraq War.
–Emily O’Donnell is a legislative associate with the Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board.