Church of the Brethren Newsline
March 18, 2009
Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., is offering an Internet webcast on March 28 of a presentation by New Testament professor Dan Ulrich titled “A Jewish Tentmaker Preaches Peace.”
The event is being held in recognition of Ulrich’s recent promotion to professor of New Testament Studies at the seminary. In his presentation, Ulrich will explore key passages from the book of Romans. Enten Eller, the seminary’s director of Electronic Communication, said he hopes to invite “everyone from Sunday school classes to leaders in the Church of the Brethren to consider participating.”
The presentation will be given on Saturday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. (eastern time) at Bethany’s Nicarry Chapel. The public is invited to attend the event, or to participate by viewing the live Internet webcast.
Go to http://esr-bts.na3.acrobat.com/bethanymeeting to log in to the webcast. At the log-in page, select “Enter as a guest” and enter name and location, including city and state. Then click “Enter room” and the webcast should display in the computer’s browser window. Participants may log in anytime before the presentation starts. For technical assistance, contact Eller at Enten@bethanyseminary.edu or 765-983-1831.
The Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Contact cobnews@brethren.org to receive Newsline by e-mail or to submit news to the editor. For more Church of the Brethren news and features, subscribe to “Messenger” magazine; call 800-323-8039 ext. 247.
Brethren in the News
“A story of hope for the Swords: Couple is back together at Brethren Village,” Lancaster (Pa.) New Era (March 16, 2009). Gene and Barbara Swords are back together in their Brethren Village apartment, after a year of living apart. Gene Swords spent months recovering in the hospital, then rehabbing at Brethren Village’s health-care center, after a stroke. The Swords, now 80, met as opera-loving teenagers at a church camp, ended up at Elizabethtown College, and both retired from long careers with the Lampeter-Strasburg School District. For many years, they performed with the Lancaster Opera Co. http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/235133
“ACRS Monday Morning Story-Telling Breakfast,” Eastern Mennonite University (March 15, 2009). The Anabaptist Center at Eastern Mennonite University has started a new “story-telling” series that includes the Church of the Brethren. Yesterday’s presentation, on March 16, featured Earle Fike sharing his life story. Fike has dedicated his life to the ministry of the Church of the Brethren. A colleague unequivocally calls him “the dean of Brethren pastors.” http://www.emu.edu/events/detail.php3?id=12919
Obituary: Garnetta R. Miller, News Leader, Staunton, Va. (March 10, 2009). Garnetta Jean Reamer Miller, 85, of Weyers Cave, Va., died on March 9 at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. She was a member of Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren and Dorcas Circle of the Church. Her husband of 63 year, Loren J. Miller, survives her. http://www.newsleader.com/article/
20090310/OBITUARIES/90310057
“Woman, 110, known for sharp mind and humor,” Dayton (Ohio) Daily News (March 9, 2009). Sylvia Utz celebrated her 110th birthday on March 9 at the Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio. She told the newspaper that her earliest memory is of members of her church, Pitsburg Church of the Brethren in Arcanum, Ohio, picnicking on the present-day grounds of the Brethren Retirement Community with orphans and senior citizens. She figures she was 6 or 7. The newspaper reported that only 1 in 5 million people lives to age 110. http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/
oh/story/news/local/2009/03/09/ddn030909centenarianinside.html
“Fuentes volunteers at The Palms of Sebring,” News Sun, Sebring, Fla. (March 8, 2009). Emily Fuentes of Erie, Colo., has recently undertaken a Brethren Volunteer Service assignment with The Palms of Sebring, a Church of the Brethren retirement community. Before joining BVS, Fuentes studied astrophysics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She has also been very involved in her church serving on the Worship Team, Pastoral Search Committee, and as custodian. http://www.newssun.com/business/0308-Emily-Fuentes
“Arrangements Made for Meyersdale Teens,” WeAreCentralPA.com (March 7,2009). Meyersdale (Pa.) Church of the Brethren is holding funerals for two of the three Somerset County, Pa., teens killed in a car crash last Thursday. A funeral service for Austin Johnson was to be held at the church today, Monday, March 9, at 10 a.m.; a funeral service for Lee Gnagey will be at the church at 3 p.m. tomorrow. http://wearecentralpa.com/content/
fulltext/news/?cid=73541
Also see “Police: Teens Were Racing Another Car Prior to Fatal Crash,” WJACTV.com (March 7, 2009) http://www.wjactv.com/news/18871657/detail.html
Also see “Funeral Plans Set for Three Meyersdale Teens,” WJACTV.com (March 9, 2009) http://www.wjactv.com/news/18888974/detail.html
Obituary: Betty Jane Kauffman, The Review, East Liverpool, Ohio (March 7, 2009). Betty Jane Kauffman, 84, died at home on March 3. She was active in Zion Hill Church of the Brethren in Columbiana, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her husband, Adin R. Kauffman, whom she married in 1949. She was a graduate of the Hanna Mullins School of Nursing and worked as a registered nurse. http://www.reviewonline.com/page/
content.detail/id/511380.html?nav=5009
“Two Garrett churches hit by burglars,” Cumberland (Md.) Times-News (March 6, 2009). Oak Park Church of the Brethren in Oakland, Md., was one of two churches to be hit by thieves during the week. The Garrett County Sheriff’s Office said the two victim churches were ransacked with damages resulting to interior doors, door frames, and jambs. http://www.times-news.com/local/local_story_065225105.html
“In and Around Greene,” Greene County Record, Stanardsville, Va. (March 6, 2009). The Food Pantry in Greene County received 42 donations of food and/or dollars during the February Souper Bowl of Caring food drive. Gifts in memory of Delbert Frey and a Church of the Brethren “Domestic Hunger Matching Grant” helped surpass the goal. http://www.greene-news.com/gcn/lifestyles/announcements/
article/in_around_greene38/36902/
“Thurmont’s Christian congregations observe Lent season together,” Business Gazette, Gaithersburg, Md. (March 5, 2009). The lights were on and the doors were open at Thurmont (Md.) Church of the Brethren on a cold Monday evening, as the first installment of the Thurmont Ministerium’s rotating Lent service got under way. The messages coming from the dual pulpits–one for Linda Lambert, pastor of the Church of the Brethren, and one for worship leader Steve Lowe–were clear. “May it be a season of sorrow and remorse,” Lowe said in his invocation. http://www.gazette.net/stories/03052009/
thurnew173355_32473.shtml
Obituary: Eula Lavon “Babe” Wylie, Morning Sun, Pittsburg, Kan. (March 4, 2009). Eula Lavon “Babe” Wylie, 81, of Pittsburg, Kan., went to be with the Lord on March 1 at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Mo. She was a member of Osage Church of the Brethren in McCune, Kan. In 1947, she married Edwin Marriott “Mennie” Wylie; he preceded her in death in 2005. She had worked as a key punch operator for McNally Manufacturing for 22 years. http://www.morningsun.net/obituaries/
x1362395764/Eula-Lavon-Babe-Wylie
Obituary: Linda Goolsby Downs, News Leader, Staunton, Va. (March 4, 2009). Linda Goolsby Downs, 54, passed away on March 3. She was a member of Stone Church of the Brethren in Buena Vista, Va. A lifelong educator, she taught in Page, Rockbridge, Culpepper, and Madison Counties before joining the Buena Vista School System in 1984, where she taught sixth grade and was a library media specialist. She is survived by her husband of 30 years, D. Earl Downs. http://www.newsleader.com/article/20090304/
NEWS01/90304024/1002/news01