“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2009
1) Annual Conference Information Packet available online, registration begins Feb. 21.
2) Public policy leader on hunger to speak at Annual Conference.
3) Song and Story Fest to be held at Camp Peaceful Pines.
4) Cook-Huffman to lead Ministers’ Association event.
5) Annual Conference bits and pieces.
UPCOMING EVENTS
6) Skilled workers to construct 2009 Nigeria workcamp projects.
7) Bethany Seminary offers Spring Chapel Preaching Series.
8) Bethany holds Presidential Forum in March.
9) Brethren Disaster Ministries takes part in ecumenical ‘blitz build.’
10) Dominican Brethren to hold annual assembly.
11) Young Adult Conference to be held over Memorial Day weekend.
12) ‘We Are Able’ workcamp seeks participants.
13) Armenia-Georgia study tour sponsored by the Brethren and Heifer.
14) Other upcoming events.
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1) Annual Conference Information Packet available online, registration begins Feb. 21.
The Information Packet for the 2009 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren is now available online. The packet offers essential information about the Conference to take place in San Diego, Calif., on June 26-30, including registration fees, travel and housing information, age group events, special presentations, and more.
The packet is available at www.brethren.org/ac (go to http://www.cobannualconference.org/sandiego/223rd_Annual_Conference.pdf to download the packet in pdf format). Those who are unable to access the Internet may obtain an Information Packet on CD for $3 or a paper copy for $5 from the Annual Conference Office. Send requests to dweaver_ac@brethren.org or call 800-688-5186.
Non-delegate registration for the Conference will be available online beginning Feb. 21, at the Conference website. Cost for an adult to pre-register for the full event is $75, or $100 onsite. Discounted fees are available for those attending single days or the weekend, ages 12-21, and current Brethren Volunteer Service workers. Children under 12 register for free. Conference registration can be completed online or by filling out the non-delegate registration form in the Information Packet.
Housing reservations also may be made starting Feb. 21, using the online housing system at www.brethren.org/ac or by submitting the housing request form in the Information Packet. Two hotels are offered for Conference housing this year, the Town and Country Hotel, where the Conference will be held, and the Doubletree Hotel Mission Valley.
Feb. 21 also marks the date when the registration fee for delegates from congregations and districts will increase to $245, from $200. Delegates are requested to submit their registrations and fees before that date.
For more information contact the Annual Conference Office at dweaver_ac@brethren.org or 800-688-5186.
2) Public policy leader on hunger to speak at Annual Conference.
H. Eric Schockman, president of MAZON, a Jewish Response to Hunger, will speak on “Repairing the World: Creating Just and Compassionate Communities” at the Global Ministries Dinner at the 2009 Annual Conference.
Established in 1985 in Los Angeles, MAZON is a national nonprofit organization that allocates donations from the Jewish community to alleviate hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds. The event is scheduled for 5 p.m. on June 29. The dinner will include elements of the Passover Seder, which begins with the declaration, “Let all who are hungry enter and eat.”
Earlier that day, at 12:30 p.m., Schockman will lead a Global Food Crisis Fund insight session looking at how scriptural teachings on hunger apply to today’s world. “Dr. Schockman is well positioned to help us explore the intersection of faith and hunger issues,” said Howard Royer, manager of the Global Food Crisis Fund. “A former Peace Corps worker in Sierra Leone and political science professor at the University of Southern California, Eric is a widely recognized expert on agricultural policy and sustainable development.”
The Church of the Brethren and MAZON work together through the Interfaith Hunger Coordinators Forum. The Global Ministries Dinner is sponsored by the Church of the Brethren’s Global Mission Partnerships.
— Janis Pyle is mission connections coordinator for the Church of the Brethren.
3) Song and Story Fest to be held at Camp Peaceful Pines.
“Sierra Song and Story Fest, Round Again: Even the Stars Are Singing!” will be held July 3-9 at Camp Peaceful Pines in Dardanelle, Calif., in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The fest is an intergenerational camp co-sponsored by On Earth Peace and coordinated by Ken Kline Smeltzer, designed to be an event held prior to or after the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.
Presenters will address the theme of “the heavens are telling the glory of God” and “the stars are singing their praise of life and all creation!” in the spirit of Psalm 19:1-3. The line-up of folk musicians, story tellers, and workshop leaders includes Bob Gross, Kathy Guisewite, Rocci Hildum, Jonathan Hunter, Jim Lehman, Gayle Hunter Sheller, Mike Titus, Ryan Harrison, Bill Jolliff, Steve Kinzie, Shawn Kirchner, Peg Lehman, Jan and John Long, Mike Stern, Mary Titus, and Mutual Kumquat. Events will be offered for adults, children, and youth.
A brochure giving information about the schedule, fees, and housing, and online registration are available at the On Earth Peace website, go to www.onearthpeace.org for more. For additional information or questions contact Ken Kline Smeltzer at bksmeltz@comcast.net or 814-466-6491.
4) Cook-Huffman to lead Ministers’ Association event.
“Paradoxes of Congregational Conflict: Pastoral Leadership in Interpersonal Peacemaking” is the title of this year’s pre-Conference continuing education event sponsored by the Church of the Brethren Ministers’ Association. The event takes place June 25-26 in San Diego, Calif.
Celia Cook-Huffman, assistant professor of Peace Studies at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., and associate director of the college’s Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, will lead the event. She holds degrees from Manchester College, the University of Notre Dame where she earned a master’s degree in Peace Studies, and Syracuse University where she earned a doctorate degree. She also has specialized training and education in conflict resolution, nonviolence, gender studies, and mediation.
Cost is $60 for an individual ($90 at the door), or $90 for a couple ($120 at the door). First-time attenders register for $30, and current seminary or academy students register for $20. Onsite child supervision will be available, and a picnic will be held, for an extra fee. Continuing education units will be available.
Register online at www.brethren.org/sustaining or contact Tim Sollenberger Morphew, P.O. Box 52, New Paris, IN 46553. Registrations are due by June 10.
5) Annual Conference bits and pieces.
- The Annual Conference Office, presently operating at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., will relocate to the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., during the week of Sept. 21-25. The new address will be Church of the Brethren Annual Conference Office, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL, 60120. Complete contact information will be available in the 2009 Yearbook. Contact Lerry Fogle, Annual Conference Director, at 800-688-5186.
- Phyllis Tickle, the former and founding religion department editor of “Publishers Weekly” and a leading voice on the significant changes occurring in culture and religion, will be the speaker for the “Messenger” dinner at the 2009 Annual Conference. The dinner is scheduled for Saturday evening, June 27. Tickle recently wrote the book, “The Great Emergence” discussing a shift to a new era for faith and the larger society. Go to www.phyllistickle.com/aboutauthor.html for more information.
6) Skilled workers to construct 2009 Nigeria workcamp projects.
A special call for people with carpentry and construction skills to participate in the 2009 Nigeria Workcamp on Feb. 8-March 8 has been answered. A group of eight people from the United States, including a general contractor and residential builder, has joined Nigerian Christians and workers from Mission 21 at the annual event at the headquarters of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN–the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria).
The workcamp will construct a teacher’s house for EYN’s Comprehensive Secondary School and complete construction of an HIV/AIDS office building that was started in 2008.
Participants from the US include Roger Bruce of Dutchtown Brethren Church in Warsaw Ind., who is a general contractor; Stephen Donaldson of Mexico Church of the Brethren in Peru, Ind., who brings construction experience; Sharon Flaten of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill., a Brethren Volunteer service worker at the Church of the Brethren General Offices; Jim and Alice Graybill of Venice (Fla.) Community Church of the Brethren–he is a retired cabinet maker and carpenter who also has Brethren Disaster Service experience; and Timothy Joseph of Onekama (Mich.) Church of the Brethren, a residential builder.
A former Nigeria missionary and his wife also are among the participants: Ralph Royer, who worked in Nigeria from 1953-55 and 1957-75, and Barbara McFadden of Eel River Community Church of the Brethren in Silver Lake, Ind.
“I look forward to introducing Barbara to some of my life-long friends and co-workers in Nigeria,” said Royer. “Each time I have returned for visits, I am impressed with the new church buildings, but I am especially moved by the enthusiasm with which people share the goodness of salvation through Jesus Christ through EYN.”
— Janis Pyle is mission connections coordinator for the Church of the Brethren.
7) Bethany Seminary offers Spring Chapel Preaching Series.
Senior seminary students, area pastors and activists, and other guests will offer a diversity of theological thought at this Spring’s chapel services at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind. Bethany holds chapel services on Wednesdays, and joins with Earlham School of Religion for joint chapel services on Fridays.
Melanie May, John Price Crozer Professor of Theology and Dean of the Faculty at Colgate Rochester Divinity School in New York, will be at Bethany Seminary on Feb. 11-13 to participate in worship and the Bethany and ESR Thursday Peace Forum, and speak in selected classes. She will present research from her recent book, “Jerusalem Testament: Heads of Churches in Palestine Speak, 1988-2008.” May is a former adjunct faculty member at Bethany.
Carol Wise, executive director of the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests (BMC) and an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren, will give the message at the Friday Joint Chapel on Feb. 20. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and is a member of the Common Spirit house church.
David Shumate, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, will speak for worship on March 4. His theme will be this year’s Conference theme, “The old has gone! The new has come! All this is from God!” Shumate is district executive minister for the Church of the Brethren’s Virlina District and a Bethany graduate.
Three ministers from White Oak Church of the Brethren in Manheim, Pa.–Ron Copenhaver, Jim Myer, and Dave Wenger–will lead worship on March 25. The White Oak congregation, which has than 600 members, calls ministers from within its membership and practices bi-vocational, unsalaried ministry. Myer is a former moderator of Annual Conference.
Bob Hunter, a local activist and Church of the Brethren member, will bring the message at a Joint Chapel on April 3. He serves in Richmond as the Diversity and Justice Specialist for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, an evangelical campus mission serving more than 32,000 students and faculty on more than 550 college and university campuses nationwide.
Other speakers will include Bethany students presenting their senior sermons–Chuck Bell of New Castle, Ind., Holly Hathaway of Connorsville, Ind., Travis Poling of Richmond, Ind., and Dava Hensley of Roanoke, Va.; Tracy Knechel Sturgis, pastor of Mack Memorial Church of the Brethren in Dayton, Ohio.
Wednesday and Friday chapel times are 11:20 a.m. Visit www.bethanyseminary.edu/lists/lt.php?id=MkkLVFoGBEkFDUhVUFAB for a complete list of spring semester chapel services.
— Marcia Shetler is director of public relations for Bethany Theological Seminary.
8) Bethany Seminary holds Presidential Forum in March.
Bethany Theological Seminary will host a Presidential Forum titled “Weaving Wisdom’s Tent: The Arts of Peace” on March 29-30 at the seminary campus in Richmond, Ind. The forum will focus on spirituality, art, and peacemaking, and will include plenary sessions, workshops, small group reflection, presentation of student papers, and a concert by the Manchester College A Capella Choir.
Plenary presenters will be author and poet Marge Piercy, conflict resolution scholar and practitioner John Paul Lederach, and artist Douglas Kinsey. In a session on “Examining Peace and the Lack of It Through Poetry,” Piercy will read poems that deal with peace and war, personal attitudes, and spiritual disciplines. She is the author of 17 novels and is a teacher, lecturer, and performer. In a plenary on “The Poetics of Building Peace,” Lederach will present ideas on the art, soul, and poetics of peace building. He is professor of International Peacebuilding with the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Kinsey will lead an exploration of the representation of justice in the visual arts in a session on “Art About Justice.” He is professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame in the department of Art and Art History.
The Manchester College A Capella Choir will perform Sunday evening. Manchester College was the first school in the US to offer a degree in Peace Studies, and much of the repertoire performed by the choir will carry this theme. Debra Lynn, associate professor of Music, is the director. James Hersch will be the featured guest artist.
A variety of workshops will address subjects such as “Peace in Our Fragmented Lives and Culture: Approaching the Bible and its Interpretation as a Source of Shalom” led by Dawn Ottoni Wilhelm, Bethany’s associate professor of Preaching and Worship, and Steven Schweitzer, associate professor of Old Testament at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Goshen, Ind.; and “Doing Conflict Well: Reflection, Practice, Art,” led by Celia Cook-Huffman, director of the Baker Peace Conflict Transformation Center at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., and Bob Gross, executive director of On Earth Peace.
The forum is made possible through gifts to special funds and endowments, including the John C. and Elizabeth E. Baker Peace Endowment, the Nancy Rosenberger Faus Music Education and Performance Endowment, the Founders Lecture Endowment, the Ora Huston Peace Lecture Endowment, and the Stephen I. Katonah Endowment for Faith and the Arts.
The event is limited to 150 participants. The registration fee is $70, or $30 for students. After March 1 the fee will increase to $80, or $40 for students. A continuing education credit of .7 is available. Participants make their own lodging arrangements. Go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/lists/lt.php?id=MkkFUFYBCUkFCkhVUFAB for online registration.
— Marcia Shetler is director of public relations for Bethany Theological Seminary.
9) Brethren Disaster Ministries takes part in ecumenical ‘blitz build.’
Brethren Disaster Ministries is taking part in an ecumenical “blitz build” in New Orleans on April 20-May 16. The project is in partnership with Church World Service (CWS) and nine other denominations, to build and repair a minimum of 12 homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in the Little Woods neighborhood of New Orleans.
A grant of $25,000 from the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund has been given to the project. The money will help purchase building materials, tools, and supplies, and will help provide volunteer housing, meals, and additional travel expenses.
In addition, Brethren Disaster Ministries staff reported that the program has taken a lead in the project by helping to lay the groundwork for the event. “Brethren Disaster Ministries has taken one of the lead roles by committing additional staff and volunteer time to prepare homes prior to the blitz and taking on additional responsibilities and management during the blitz,” reported associate director Zach Wolgemuth in the grant request for the project.
More than three years after Hurricane Katrina hit the northern Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, “public awareness has diminished leaving thousands of residents frustrated and unable to return to their homes as countless agencies have terminated their recovery efforts,” said the grant request.
“Yet amidst this humbling reality, the work of the faith community’s response in the greater New Orleans area demonstrates the effectiveness of even small efforts as single homes are repaired, prompting others to do the same,” the request continued. “That is why Brethren Disaster Ministries has joined with CWS and nine of its member denominations and partners in rebuilding a single neighborhood: Little Woods, in eastern New Orleans.”
Little Woods was selected because of its diversity, lack of prior attention, the size of its homes (1,200-1,400 square feet), its ability to host volunteer teams, and the potential for the ecumenical community to make a large impact. Throughout this effort, each denominational partner has been asked to contribute financially to the project and provide at least 15 volunteers a week. Volunteer teams will work weekly from April 20 through May 16 in order to repair a minimum of 12 homes in the community.
In other news from Brethren Disaster Ministries, two other rebuilding projects continue, in Johnson County, Ind., following flooding last spring, and in Chalmette, La., continuing recovery from Hurricane Katrina. A project in Rushford, Minn., is about to be closed. “The final house is almost complete!” reported Jane Yount, Brethren Disaster Ministries coordinator.
10) Dominican Brethren to hold annual assembly.
La Iglesia de los Hermanos en la Republica Dominicana (Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic) will hold its 18th annual Assembly in Santo Domingo on Feb. 20-22. Moderator José Juan Méndez, pastor of the Fondo Negro congregation, will lead the Assembly assisted by moderator-elect Felix Antonio Arias Mateo, pastor of the Maranatha congregation in San Juan de la Maguana.
The Dominican Brethren anticipate welcoming representatives from the Church of the Brethren congregations in Haiti as well as two delegates representing the Puerto Rican Brethren. Jay Wittmeyer, newly appointed executive director for Global Mission Partnerships, also will attend.
Two new church fellowships are scheduled to be received into the Assembly this year, both located in Santo Domingo.
The weekend will include morning Bible studies led by Nancy Heishman, director of the Theological Program in the DR, who will be assisted by several theological students. Preaching and worship alternating between the Spanish and Creole languages and styles will be a highlight of this diverse, vibrant church gathering.
— Nancy Heishman is director of the Church of the Brethren’s Theological Program in the DR.
11) Young Adult Conference to be held over Memorial Day weekend.
The annual Church of the Brethren Young Adult Conference will be held on May 23-25 at Camp Swatara in Bethel, Pa., on the theme, “The Journey of Discipleship” (1 Peter 3:8-15). The event is sponsored by the denomination’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry for young adults ages 18-35.
The conference will revolve around questions of discipleship, such as, “What does it mean in today’s culture to be a disciple of Jesus? What does it mean in terms of our daily decisions and lifestyle?” Activities will include worship with sermons by Greg Laszakovits, Dana Cassell, and Katie O’Donnell, as well as workshops, music, campfires, a coffeehouse, and recreation.
Cost is $90 prior to April 15, $100 from April 16-22, and $110 on May 23. Those registering before April 15 may request that a letter be sent to their congregations asking for a $50 scholarship. Online registration is now available at www.brethren.org/yac09 or contact Bekah Houff in the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office at rhouff_gb@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 281.
12) ‘We Are Able’ workcamp seeks participants.
The Church of the Brethren is offering a workcamp for intellectually disabled youth and young adults (ages 16-23) and volunteer service partners of the same age, from July 6-10 in New Windsor, Md. The “We Are Able” workcamp will enable intellectually disabled youth and young adults to serve as volunteers in a supportive environment designed to overcome their challenges and honor their gifts.
The workcamp will be coordinated by Jeanne Davies, coordinator of the Workcamp Ministry, and directed by Julie Foster, a postsecondary transition educator and coordinator for the Harrisonburg (Va.) City Public Schools in the Shenandoah Valley Regional Special Education Program. Foster works with intellectually disabled young adults in a post secondary education program emphasizing employment readiness and community living skills.
To apply as a youth or young adult service partner, or as a participant with I.D., go to the registration page at www.brethrenworkcamps.org and download the informational letter and application. Return the application to the Workcamp Office, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
— Jeanne Davies coordinates the Church of the Brethren’s Workcamp ministry.
13) Armenia-Georgia study tour sponsored by the Brethren and Heifer.
A study tour to Armenia and Georgia jointly sponsored by the Church of the Brethren and Heifer International takes place Sept. 17-Oct. 1. Tour hosts are Jan West Schrock, a senior advisor for Heifer International and a former director of Brethren Volunteer Service, and Kathleen Campanella, director of Partner and Public Relations at the Brethren Service Center.
“Our trip is an exciting opportunity to experience Heifer’s approach to development,” Schrock said. “We’ll explore and learn the diverse history and traditions of both Georgia and Armenia, visit the genocide museum in Armenia, learn about and worship in an Orthodox Armenian church, and witness the outreach work of the Church of the Brethren in the past and currently.”
The tour will begin Sept. 17 with arrival at Tbilisi International Airport in Georgia, continuing with several days in Georgia visiting Heifer projects in the Caucasus mountain region of Kazbegi and the Black Sea area. The tour will then spend several days in Armenia, beginning Sept. 22, visiting a cross-border cooperation project, a “Peace to Our Homes” project, family farms, and a village rehabilitation project, among others. The tour will include cultural sites such as the Noravanq Monastery in Armenia. Departure on Oct. 1 will be from Armenia.
A number of Heifer staff from Armenia and Georgia will join the tour including Anahit Ghazanchyan, Heifer Armenia Country Director; and George Murvanidze, Heifer Georgia Country Director.
The Heifer program in the South Caucasus region began in 1999. Since then, it has been implementing over 34 projects assisting more than 5,000 families in Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan to build their own family farms. The organization places various types of animals such as cows, goats, sheep, beehives, rabbits, chickens, fish, turkeys, buffalos, and bull calves, along with Californian worms, potato seeds, alfalfa seeds, wheat seeds, and fruit tree seedlings.
Heifer Armenia’s statement of purpose includes improvement of the socio-economic situation of vulnerable groups through development of rural communities, finding solutions for economic and ecological problems, spiritual renewal, and strengthening peace in the region. Priority issues are rural development, regional cooperation, community empowerment, knowledge management, youth development, financial viability, partnership, and networking. The program employs 12 full time and 10 project staff in Armenia, and has 149 community leaders and 1,200 youth leaders involved. In ongoing Georgian projects, Heifer partners with three national organizations and five community representatives in the “Peace to Our Homes” regional cooperation project.
The deadline to apply for the study tour is May 15. Cost is $3,500 per person for double occupancy, single occupancy is on request with additional charges. A deposit of $1,000 is due with the application, and is refundable up to 60 days before departure. Participants may request continuing education units.
A 40-page booklet in pdf format is available with the itinerary, a review of the work of Heifer in the Caucasus region, background on Armenia and Georgia, biographies of staff, and more. For trip information contact Jan Schrock at Jan.Schrock@Heifer.org or 207-878-6846.
14) Other upcoming events.
- A retreat for Church of the Brethren women entitled “Treasure in Earthen Vessels: A Women’s Celebration of Body, Mind, and Spirit” will be held May 1-3 at Leaven Retreat Center in Lyons, Mich. The weekend is sponsored by the Church of the Brethren’s Wellness Ministry, designed for women who seek to develop balance, a sense of wellbeing, and fullness of spirit. This small-group experience will be led by Deanna Brown and Anita Smith Buckwalter. The registration deadline is March 30. For a brochure, more information, or to register, contact Mary Lou Garrison, director of the Wellness Ministry, at mgarrison_abc@brethren.org or 800-323-8039.
- A workshop and worship event, “Reach Out and Welcome In,” is sponsored by the Church of the Brethren’s Congregational Life Ministry on April 25 from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Olympia, Lacey (Wash.) Community Church of the Brethren. Cost is $25 per person or $100 for church groups. Leaders are Rose Madrid-Swetman, church planter and district superintendent in a Seattle-area Vineyard Fellowship; Howard Ullery, pastor at Olympia Lacey, who will lead a workshop on visual arts in worship; Steven Gregory, executive minister for Oregon-Washington District and Congregational Life Team staff member, who will share about effective evangelism “Brethren style”; and Jeff Glass and Carol Mason, also from the Congregational Life Team staff. For more information contact Jeff Glass at 888-826-4951 or Betty Radke at 509-662-3681.
- Bethany Theological Seminary is setting March 6 as a Campus Visit Day. Prospective students are invited to tour the campus in Richmond, Ind., meet Bethany president Ruthann Knechel Johansen, chat and dine with faculty and students, and attend a class. Go to www.bethanyseminary.edu/visit to register.
- Registration for National Junior High Conference began Jan. 15 and already 466 people are registered. The conference is at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., on June 19-21. Registration is limited to 1,300 people. Early registrants will receive air-conditioned housing. Go to www.brethren.org/jrhiconf to register. Request brochures from Rebekah Houff in the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office at rhouff_gb@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 281.
- National Youth Sunday is scheduled for May 3. Congregations are encouraged to celebrate youth by inviting high schoolers to participate in leading worship on that Sunday. The theme is “Standing on Holy Ground” (Exodus 3:5). Go to http://www.brethren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=grow_youth_ministry_resources for worship resources including a challenge letter, Bible studies, a prayer calendar, children’s stories, scripture jams, a bulletin insert, and a skit.
- The Annual Forum of the Fellowship of Brethren Homes takes place Feb. 26-27 at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. The forum gathers leaders from the Brethren retirement communities along with staff of Caring Ministries and Brethren Benefit Trust. The event includes a tour of Pinecrest Community in Mount Morris, Ill. For more information contact Kathy Reid at kreid_abc@brethren.org or 800-323-8039.
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Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Lerry Fogle, Mary Lou Garrison, Bekah Houff, Elizabeth Keller, Jon Kobel, Ken Kline Smeltzer, Dana Weaver, Walt Wiltschek, Roy Winter, and Jane Yount contributed to this report. Newsline appears every other Wednesday, with other special issues sent as needed. The next regularly scheduled issue is set for Feb. 25. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. For more Brethren news and features, subscribe to “Messenger” magazine, call 800-323-8039 ext. 247.