Obituary: Jason L. Whetzel, News Leader, Staunton, Va. (June 14, 2011) – Jason Lynn Whetzel, 21, passed away on June 11 at his home. He was a son of James P. and Chang Sun “Nina” (Myoung) Whetzel of Mount Solon, Va. He graduated from Buffalo Gap High School. A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m., Thursday, June 16, at Emmanuel Church of the Brethren in Mount Solon. Find the full obituary at www.newsleader.com/article/20110614/OBITUARIES/106140309
Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette (June 12, 2011) – Skyridge Church of the Brethren in Kalamazoon, Mich., kicked off a yearlong celebration of its 50-year anniversary at Sunday’s after-worship festivities. There was fire to roast marshmallows and the chance for everyone to make Skyridge history by creating a mural. No brushes were allowed–just bare hands and feet dipped in paint to walk or press palms and fingers across the canvas. The result was a fiery blend of red, orange and yellow prints flowing together in a free form flame configuration of unique artwork. Read more at www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/06/skyridge_church_of_the_brethre.html
“Giving Back, June 12,” PhillyBurbs.com, Levittown, Pa. (June 12, 2011) – Hatfield Church of the Brethren was one of the food pantry locations in Montgomery County, Pa., to receive frozen and refrigerated foo from Clemens Food Group’s Hatfield Quality Meats and CFC Logistics, partnering with Philabundance and the Nutrition Coalition. Find a photo and caption at www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/business/giving-back-june/article_4b8d5bca-8e7a-50ff-b800-f33c5a6bba9b.html
“Seminary grad’s book champions love feast,” Augusta (Va.) Free Press (June 9, 2011) – When Paul Fike Stutzman began writing his master’s thesis, he soon realized he had more material than the 80-120 page project required. After a year of writing, his 237-page thesis was turned in, but Stutzman still had more to write. The result: a 294-page book, “Recovering the Love Feast: Broadening our Eucharistic Celebrations,” published Jan. 1, 2011 by Wipf and Stock. The story is at http://augustafreepress.com/2011/06/09/seminary-grads-book-champions-love-feast
“Pulaski tornado recovery effort gets BP donation,” WSLS Channel 10, Roanoke, Va. (June 8, 2011) – It has been two months since the lives of the people in Pulaski, Va., were turned upside down. But to them, it doesn’t feel like two months. “Not yesterday, but maybe last week,” says Susan Dalrymple. It will be months before her home is back to the way it was on April 7. However one thing the tornadoes brought in that hasn’t changed, are the volunteers. Even in the hot weather, they continue hammering away. “The heat does slow you down a little bit. We take a few more breaks to make sure we drink a lot of water,” said Church of the Brethren volunteer Jim Kropff. Brethren volunteers have been coming to Pulaski three times a week. View a video and read the story at www2.wsls.com/news/2011/jun/08/7/pulaski-tornado-recovery-effort-bp-donation-ar-1094035
“Winfield resident assists with relief after Joplin, Mo., tornado,” Carroll County (Md.) Times (June 6, 2011) – Children’s Disaster Services is highlighted in a sidebar to this article on disaster relief following the tornado in Joplin, Mo. When children do not yet have the language skills or maturity to express their fears with words, they often role-play or draw to express their feelings, said Judy Bezon, associate director of Children’s Disaster Services. In Joplin, Bezon and 20 trained volunteers from various states are giving young victims of the recent tornado playtime. Find the article at www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/winfield-resident-assists-with-relief-after-joplin-mo-tornado/article_2d4fd23e-8ff1-11e0-9c98-001cc4c002e0.html
“John Kline Riders stop in Botetourt Co. to spread gospel,” WDBJ Channel 7, Roanoke, Va. (June 5, 2011) – They’ve spread the gospel on horseback for years. On June 5 the John Kline Riders galloped in to continue their mission at Cloverdale Church of the Brethren in Botetourt County, Va. They’ve traveled hundreds of miles taking a 170 year leap back time, once every year to commemorate Elder John Kline, a Brethren minister during the Civil War. Find a video report and news story at www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-john-kline-riders-stop-in-roanoke-co-to-spread-gospel-20110605,0,6921192.story
Obituary: Bobby G. Dalton, Staunton (Va.) News Leader (June 4, 2011) – Bobby Gene Dalton, 82, died June 3 in Brier Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Ronceverte, W.Va. He was a retired dry wall contractor and a member of Arbor Hill Church of the Brethren. For 60 years, he was the devoted husband of Mabel Lee Griffin Dalton, who died on May 26, 2010. The full obituary is at www.newsleader.com/article/20110604/OBITUARIES/106040333
“Congregation learns patience as repairs are made to building,” York (Pa.) Daily Record (June 3, 2011) – It’s been weeks since a grain drill crashed through the walls of Codorus Church of the Brethren. Soybeans have since sprouted in the dirt and debris that fill three of the church’s Sunday school classrooms. Some congregation members have offered to harvest the crop later this year, but senior pastor Rick Fischl hopes it doesn’t take that long for things to get back to normal. The damage happened May 13 when Dan Innerst was planting soybeans in a nearby field. The hitch broke on his 1,500-pound grain drill, causing it to roll down an embankment and crash into the church. Go to www.ydr.com/living/ci_18200237
“Waynesboro Area Senior High School graduation activities scheduled,” Record Herald, (June 3, 2011) – Pastor Amy Messler of Waynesboro Church of the Brethren was to deliver the message “Painting My Spirit Rock” at the baccalaureate service for the Class of 2011 at Waynesboro Area Senior High School on June 6. Find the full report at www.therecordherald.com/news/x910428088/Waynesboro-Area-Senior-High-School-graduation-activities-scheduled
“Allison Hill, Harrisburg: Let’s focus more on the positives,” Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa. (June 3, 2011) – Op-ed writer Steve Schwartz, executive director of Brethren Housing Association, writes from the neighborhood of First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa.: “Allison Hill has been in the news again and from what you hear you would think Hummel Street is a war zone. I arrived at work there this past Tuesday to bullet holes in my workplace, police evidence markers on the sidewalk and a large blood stain on the street…. My despair last week turned to hope as I thought about the Allison Hill I see each day. Josiah and Christine live around the corner from where the shooting took place and mentor youth and help families. Pastor Gerald Rhoades at First Church of the Brethren, where my office is located, created a curriculum teaching youth how to resolve conflict without violence….” Read the full reflection at www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2011/06/allison_hill_focus_more_on_the.html
“Harrisburg Community Comes Together to Stop Violence in the City,” WPMT Channel 43, Harrisburg, Pa. (June 2, 2011) – After three days of violence, Harrisburg church and community members come together for a prayer vigil. Dozens of people gathered in front of First Church of the Brethren. The church sits on the 200 block of Hummel Street and is just feet away from the scene of Tuesday’s shooting, where a man was left laying in the street with seven gunshot wounds. “We have to stand and say enough is enough,” said Rev. Belita Mitchell. Find a video report and news story at www.fox43.com/news/dauphin/wpmt-harrisburg-vigil,0,7914059.story
“Community meal to aid injured father of two,” Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, Pa. (June 2, 2011) – Community residents and three local churches including Lancaster Church of the Brethren rallied to aid Jim Sebest, a self-employed contractor who was seriously injured in a swimming accident last year. Lancaster Church of the Brethren, Grandview United Methodist, and St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran came together to host a spaghetti dinner to help pay Sebest’s medical costs, held at the Lancaster congregation. Read more at http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/399686_Community-meal-to-aid-injured-father-of-2.html#ixzz1PNqdHsYM
Obituary: Edith B. Andrews-Feldbusch, Staunton (Va.) News Leader (June 2, 2011) – Edith Baber Andrews-Feldbusch, 91, passed away June 1 at Augusta Health. She retired from W.R. Grace, Baltimore, after 37 years service as an inside sales control supervisor. She was a member of Forest Chapel Church of the Brethren and the League of Women Voters in Waynesboro, Va. She was preceded in death by her husband, Emory Andrews in 1964. The complete obituary is at www.newsleader.com/article/20110603/OBITUARIES/106030310
“Harrisburg’s Allison Hill residents wonder when ‘senseless gun violence’ will stop,” Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa. (June 1, 2011) – Scribbled in colored chalk in front of the First Church of the Brethren are the words “Welcome, love.” And then there are 24 little yellow circles, painted on by police, scattered around the sidewalk and street, marking more than two dozen casings from a shooting that injured a man early Tuesday in the 100 block of Hummel Street. The 24-year-old man was hit seven times, but survived and is at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, police said. The story is at www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/06/harrisburgs_allison_hill_resid.html
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