“Celebrating the Church of the Brethren’s 300th Anniversary in 2008″
(May 12, 2008) — Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) is planning its 60th Anniversary Celebration to take place at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., on Sept. 26-28. The theme will be, “Faith in Action: BVS Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow.”
The schedule for the celebration begins with dinner on the evening of Friday, Sept. 26, followed with an opening welcome and worship. The evening will be hosted by the current BVS Unit 282.
On Saturday, Sept. 27, events will include a series of insight sessions including “Brethren Service in Europe: The Last and Next 20 Years” led by Kristin Flory, coordinator of Brethren Service Europe; “How Brethren Service Shaped BVS” led by Ken Kreider, historian and author of “A Cup of Cold Water: The Story of Brethren Service”; “Living the Story: 60 Years of BVS” led by Jim Lehman, an author and storyteller and a current leader at BVS orientations; “The Art of Accompaniment and Volunteering: 15 Years in Latin America” led by Tom Benevento, Latin America/Caribbean specialist for the Church of the Brethren’s Global Mission Partnerships; and “Current State of BVS and Future Directions” led by BVS director Dan McFadden.
On the afternoon of Sept. 27, there will be sessions for storytelling and sharing by BVS units from the 1940s-50s, the 1960s-70s, and the 1980s-2000s. Saturday evening’s banquet will feature keynote speaker Jeff Carter, pastor of Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren.
On Sunday morning, Sept. 28, a special worship service will include an address by Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board, and consecration of BVS Unit 282.
Online registration for the BVS 60th Anniversary Celebration will be available in June.
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The Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. To receive Newsline by e-mail go to http://listserver.emountain.net/mailman/listinfo/newsline. Submit news to the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. For more Church of the Brethren news and features, subscribe to “Messenger” magazine; call 800-323-8039 ext. 247.