Junior High Conference Exceeds Seed Grant in ‘Reverse Offering’

Church of the Brethren Newsline
Sept. 16, 2009

Junior high youth who took part in this year’s National Junior High Conference have exceeded the seed money they were given for a “reverse offering” that has been collected since the June event.

In an update on the collection Becky Ullom, director of the Church of the Brethren’s youth and young adult ministry, called the effort a “fantastic response from the junior high youth.”

The worship planning team at the National Junior High Conference “wanted to have an offering experience that didn’t put additional financial strain on families sending their youth to the conference,” Ullom said. “Because the conference was focused on the theme of transformation, we decided a to try a reverse offering to benefit the ministries of the Church of the Brethren.”

Each youth who attended the conference received $10, made possible through a $4,000 grant from the Church of the Brethren’s Core Ministries Fund and the church’s office of Stewardship and Donor Development.

“We encouraged the youth to consider how they might ‘transform’ the money into more,” Ullom said. “If the youth were unsure of how to transform the money or didn’t want to participate for some other reason, they could offer the money back immediately.”

Staff returned from the conference with about $800 given during the event. Since then, many more donations have been received from junior high youth and youth groups, for a total of $6,277. Yet more donations are expected through the fall, Ullom said.

“I just wanted to share this great news with you,” she wrote in her e-mail about the program. “What an example these youth and their advisors, families, and congregations are providing!”

Go to http://www.brethren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=grow_youth_ministry  for more about the Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Church of the Brethren. Go to http://www.brethren.org/site/PhotoAlbumUser?AlbumID=8789&view=UserAlbum  for a photo album from the National Junior High Conference.

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

“Area woman serves in Maine home-school mission,” Public Opinion, Chambersburg, Pa. (Sept. 12, 2009). Amanda Akers recently undertook a Brethren Volunteer Service assignment with Maine Area Home School Project in Lewiston, Maine. The school project provides a Christian education to Brethren families and others in an atmosphere of biblical values. Akers is a member of Welsh Run Church of the Brethren in Mercersburg, Pa. http://www.publicopiniononline.com/living/ci_13321307

Obituary: Larry L. Rader, Palladium-Item, Richmond, Ind. (Sept. 12, 2009). Larry L. Rader, 63, of Eaton, Ohio, died on Sept. 10. He attended Eaton Church of the Brethren. He had worked for Nettle Creek Corp. in Richmond, Ind., for 24 years and retired in 2007 after 17 years at Total Fire Group Inc. in Dayton, Ohio. He is survived by his wife, Laura C. (Watson) Rader. http://www.pal-item.com/article/20090912/
NEWS04/909120316

“Nonprofit group SERRV continues mission of fighting poverty worldwide,” Carroll County Times, Westminster, Md. (Sept. 10, 2009). At the back of SERRV’s gift shop at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., hangs a bright orange sign with the organization’s mission statement: “Eradicate poverty wherever it resides.” On Sept. 11, the organization which was started by the Church of the Brethren celebrated its 60th year of trying to achieve that goal with a celebration held at the Brethren Service Center. http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/
2009/09/10/news/local_news/1_serrv.txt

Obituary: Marvin Dale Fulton, Mansfield (Ohio) News Journal (Sept. 10, 2009). Marvin Dale Fulton, 88, passed away on Sept. 9 in Hospice House in Ashland, Ohio. A life member of Owl Creek Church of the Brethren in Bellville, Ohio, he was a former deacon, treasurer, and served on the church board. He retired from Westinghouse after working nearly 40 years. He is survived by his wife, Lois (Arnold) Fulton. http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/
20090910/OBITUARIES/909100302

“Charity’s chief out: He writes of putting ‘personal well-being’ above agency,” Sunday News, Lancaster, Pa. (Sept. 6, 2009). The head of COBYS Family Services has resigned, saying that he put his “personal well-being above that of the organization.” Phil Hershey, who has resigned as administrator at COBYS, wrote in the organization’s fall newsletter that he was resigning because, “For a period of time, I have approved transactions that did not coincide with our accounting policies and made decisions that had an adverse effect on the financial performance of the organization.” Whit Buckwalter, president of COBYS board of directors, wrote that the board had asked for Hershey’s resignation. The board has named Mark Cunningham as acting administrator. COBYS or Church of the Brethren Youth Services was founded in 1980 and provides foster care, adoption, counseling, and family educational services. It is affiliated with Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren. http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/241878

Obituary: Roy J. McRoberts, Palladium-Item, Richmond, Ind. (Sept. 3, 2009). Roy “Bud” J. McRoberts, 79, passed away suddenly on Sept. 1 at Reid Hospital in Richmond, Ind. He was a longtime member of Prices Creek Church of the Brethren in West Manchester, Ohio, where he was a deacon for 38 years. He retired from the Alcoa Company in Richmond after 38 years of employment. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Vera I. McRoberts, who passed away in 2002. He is survived by his second wife, Geneva Lee McRoberts. http://www.pal-item.com/article/20090903/NEWS04/909030314

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