{"id":15661,"date":"2020-09-26T20:00:07","date_gmt":"2020-09-26T20:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=15661"},"modified":"2020-09-26T20:05:08","modified_gmt":"2020-09-26T20:05:08","slug":"newsline-for-sept-26-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2020\/newsline-for-sept-26-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsline for Sept. 26, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A recording of the Moderator\u2019s Town Hall with Andrew Young<\/strong>, veteran Civil Rights leader and former UN ambassador, is now available at https:\/\/vimeo.com\/462037655<\/a> . \u201cWe are excited to share this resource with you, praying it will continue to bear much fruit for Christ and the Church,\u201d said an announcement from Annual Conference moderator Paul Mundey. \u201cThe Andrew J. Young Foundation has granted us permission to distribute this recording as needed, so feel free to share it with others.\u201d For questions or more information contact cobmoderatorstownhall@gmail.com<\/a> .<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Lord will not forsake his people\u2026for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it\u201d (Psalm 94:14a and 15).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEWS
1) Global Mission and Service Ministries are separated into two departments, Roy Winter receives promotion
2) Marty Barlow appointed to Mission and Ministry Board following John Mueller resignation
3) EYN Pastor\u2019s Manual is translated into Kiswahili for use by Brethren in central Africa
4) Church in Spain requests prayer for outbreak of COVID-19<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5) Brethren bits: \u201c30 Days of Anti-Racism,\u201d NCC statement on Breonna Taylor, recording of Moderator\u2019s Town Hall with Andrew Young, volunteer openings for youth and young adults, news from Church of the Brethren congregations, districts, partner organizations, and more<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Find our landing page of Church of the Brethren COVID-19 related resources and information at www.brethren.org\/covid19<\/a> .<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find Church of the Brethren congregations offering online worship at www.brethren.org\/news\/2020\/church-of-the-brethren-congregations-worship-online.html<\/a> .<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A listing to recognize Brethren who are active in health care is at www.brethren.org\/news\/2020\/brethren-active-in-health-care.html<\/a> . To add a person to this listing, send an email with first name, county, and state to cobnews@brethren.org<\/a> .<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1) Global Mission and Service Ministries are separated into two departments, Roy Winter receives promotion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Church of the Brethren\u2019s Global Mission and Service has been separated into two departments: Global Mission and Service Ministries. The action carried out by general secretary David Steele was announced Sept. 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roy Winter, who had been associate executive director of Global Mission and Service and Brethren Disaster Ministries, will provide oversight for Service Ministries as executive director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following will be shifted under the new area of Service Ministries: Brethren Disaster Ministries, Brethren Volunteer Service, Children\u2019s Disaster Services, the Emergency Disaster Fund, Material Resources, and the Workcamp Ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carol and Norm Waggy are the interim directors of Global Mission while the Church of the Brethren continues to seek applicants to fill the fulltime position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2) Marty Barlow appointed to Mission and Ministry Board following John Mueller resignation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Marty Barlow will fill the unexpired term of John Mueller on the Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board. Mueller has resigned from the board for personal reasons. Barlow was appointed by the Nominating Committee of Standing Committee to serve through Annual Conference 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barlow is a member of Montezuma Church of the Brethren in Dayton, Va., in Shenandoah District where she is district moderator. She is retired from a career as a professional counselor. Her previous service to the denomination has included terms on the board of the former Association of Brethren Caregivers and on the former General Board of the Church of the Brethren–predecessor to the Mission and Ministry Board–including service on the executive committee. She was one of the writers for the Ministry of Reconciliation handbook, contributing a chapter on training for Discipleship and Reconciliation Committees. She is a talented amateur photographer and for some years has produced or contributed to calendars raising money for various Church of the Brethren ministries and the Monica Pence Barlow Endowment for Childhood Literacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more about the Mission and Ministry Board go to www.brethren.org\/mmb<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3) EYN Pastor\u2019s Manual is translated into Kiswahili for use by Brethren in central Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Chris Elliott<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lewis Ponga Umbe, a member of the Congo church who translated the <\/em>EYN Pastor\u2019s Manual into Kiswahili (left) and pastor Ron Lubungo of Elise des Freres au Congo (the Church of the Brethren in the Democratic Republic of Congo) celebrate the new resource for pastors in the Africa Great Lakes region. Photo courtesy of Chris Elliott<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When the global Brethren event was held last November in Nigeria, leaders from Eglise des Freres au Congo (the Church of the Brethren in the Democratic Republic of Congo or DRC) came across the EYN Pastor\u2019s Manual<\/em>. The gathering was hosted by Ekklesiyar Yan\u2019uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) at EYN headquarters in Kwarhi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EYN Pastor\u2019s Manual<\/em> was in English and therefore not usable by most of the Congo pastors. When Galen Hackman and I visited the DRC in February this year, the pastors showed it to us, asking if we would assist them in translating and printing the book in Kiswahili (Swahili).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lewis Ponga Umbe, a member of the Congo church, translated the manual, typing it into his computer. Over the past several years he has done a good bit of translation work for the Church of the Brethren but it has been difficult to verify its quality or accuracy. Because we now have Kiswahili-speaking Brethren in Uganda, I emailed the translation to pastor Bwambale Sedrack for him to evaluate. He confirmed that it is an excellent translation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sedrack had the translation printed in Kampala, Uganda. The title on the book cover is Kanisa la Wandugu (Church of the Brethren) Katika Nchi za Maziwa Makuu ya Afrika (Great Lakes region of Africa) Mwongozo wa Mchungaji (Pastor\u2019s Manual).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sedrack kept several copies for the pastors in Uganda. Umbe arranged for the remaining copies to be delivered by truck to Congo. A few of these copies will be given to the Brethren in Burundi and Rwanda–Kiswahili is not their primary language, but they are familiar enough with it for the book to be useful. The Church of the Brethren\u2019s Southern Pennsylvania District in the US provided the funds for translation, printing, and shipping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the five years that I have been involved with the Churches of the Brethren in the Great Lakes region of Africa, I have looked for ways to bring the Brethren from these several countries together. Sometimes we have been able to have joint meetings or training sessions that have encouraged fellowship. On two occasions we had representatives from EYN travel with us to share with the Rwandans and Congolese. The Pastor’s Manual<\/em> project was a wonderful collaboration between Nigeria, the DRC, and Uganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Chris Elliott volunteers with the Church of the Brethren Global Mission to work with and promote the emerging Brethren groups in central Africa. He recently retired as pastor of Knobsville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4) Church in Spain requests prayer for outbreak of COVID-19<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Iglesia de los Hermanos \u201cUna Luz en las Naciones\u201d (the Church of the Brethren in Spain, \u201cA Light to the Nations\u201d) is seeking prayer for church members affected by an outbreak of COVID-19 at its congregation in Gijon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially, five COVID-19 cases had been confirmed among church members as of Monday, Sept. 21. On Sept. 25, the Church of the Brethren Global Mission office received word that 33 church members have tested positive and another 12 have symptoms but are awaiting test results. Some church members are hospitalized including the mother of pastor Fausto Carrasco. The congregation has a total of about 70 members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour prayers will come and the family will thank you,\u201d Carrasco wrote to the Brethren in the US in a Facebook post today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5) Brethren bits<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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— In the wake of the grand jury decision in the Breonna Taylor case,<\/strong> an invitation to an anti-racism experience called \u201c30 Days of Anti-Racism\u201d has been issued by the Church of the Brethren Intercultural Ministry. Although the experience was designed for the month of September, the Intercultural Ministry is inviting Brethren to begin this together on Sept. 30. \u201cStart with Day 1 and go from there. Take some moments to journal as you go,\u201d said the invitation. The experience is organized by R-Squared for people who want to do inner, spiritual work to end racism. \u201cEach day we will engage in an activity that helps us to become more anti-racist in the ways we think and act,\u201d said a description from R-Squared. Participants share their progress online with a picture or a reflection using the hashtag #30DaysAntiRacism. \u201cEncourage your friends, members of your congregation, Sunday school class, pastors, and community partners to join this 30 day experience.\u201d Download the resource from www.r2hub.org\/library\/30-days-of-anti-racism<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— In a \u201cStatement on Grand Jury Findings in Killing of Breonna Taylor\u201d the National Council of Churches (NCC)<\/strong> cited Deuteronomy 16:19, \u201cYou must not distort justice,\u201d<\/em> to condemn the outcome of the investigation into the police shooting of Breonna Taylor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMore than six months later, it appears that justice delayed was also justice denied,\u201d the statement said, in part. The NCC \u201cfinds the outcome of the investigation into Ms. Taylor\u2019s death, which holds no one directly accountable, unconscionable and unjust. We grieve for her family and loved ones who have borne the burden of fighting for justice for her. We call on all people of faith and conscience to continue the fight for justice and to end systemic racism so that this kind of tragedy never happens again\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is not lost on us that Sept. 23, 2020, was 65 years to the date when the white men who killed Emmett Till were found not guilty by an all white jury\u2026. The handling of this case has been a gross miscarriage of justice from the execution of the warrant to the police actions on the scene, and the prosecutorial review and processing of the violation of Ms. Taylor\u2019s civil rights and the circumstances of her death. We call for a full independent investigation of the facts. We demand a pattern and practice investigation of the Louisville Metro Police Department. We call on the US Department of Justice to immediately intensify its investigation and include a review to determine the extent to which Ms. Taylor\u2019s civil rights were violated. Furthermore, we are dismayed that Det. Hankison, charged with actions that could have resulted in the death of a person, was granted bond of only $15,000 while protestors, exercising their First Amendment rights, have been arrested in Louisville and elsewhere are given bonds of up to $1,000,000\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find the full statement at https:\/\/nationalcouncilofchurches.us\/statement-on-grand-jury-findings-in-killing-of-breonna-taylor<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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— A recording of the Moderator\u2019s Town Hall with Andrew Young<\/strong>, veteran Civil Rights leader and former UN ambassador, is now available at https:\/\/vimeo.com\/462037655<\/a> . \u201cWe are excited to share this resource with you, praying it will continue to bear much fruit for Christ and the Church,\u201d said an announcement from Annual Conference moderator Paul Mundey. \u201cThe Andrew J. Young Foundation has granted us permission to distribute this recording as needed, so feel free to share it with others.\u201d For questions or more information contact cobmoderatorstownhall@gmail.com<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Volunteer openings have been announced by the Church of the Brethren\u2019s Youth and Young Adult Ministry:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

High school juniors and seniors are sought to serve on the National Youth Cabinet<\/strong>, with nominations due by Oct. 19. Nominations are made via a Google form and\/or a PDF form at www.brethren.org\/yya<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coordinators are sought for National Youth Conference (NYC) 2022<\/strong>. NYC coordinators are typically young adults who serve as fulltime volunteers through Brethren Volunteer Service, working at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. Room, board, health insurance, and a small stipend are among the benefits offered. Coordinator applications are accepted through Oct. 31. Application forms are online at https:\/\/forms.gle\/i4uvEzmyjRzJUT8v9<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Shoulder to Shoulder has celebrated a decade<\/strong> as an organized interfaith coalition dedicated to addressing anti-Muslim discrimination and violence in the United States. The Church of the Brethren is a member organization of Shoulder to Shoulder, and Nathan Hosler sits on the steering committee as director of the denomination\u2019s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy. General secretary David Steele has signed a statement of reaffirmation and recommitment to the work of Shoulder to Shoulder. More information is at www.ShoulderToShoulderCampaign.org<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— A new nonviolence training course offered by Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)<\/strong> as an online three-hour webinar is recommended by the Church of the Brethren\u2019s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy. \u201cTake to the Streets: Protests and Police Intervention in the US and Canadian Context\u201d is part of CPT\u2019s series of trainings on \u201cBasics of Nonviolent Tactics for Social Change and De-escalation.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Church of the Brethren members who are interested<\/strong> in joining a training group may send their names and contact information to nhosler@brethren.org<\/a> . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

CPT got its start as an initiative of the historic peace churches including the Church of the Brethren, which continues to have representation on the CPT board. \u201cThis training is highly interactive for the participant,\u201d said an announcement. \u201cWe will share our knowledge, tips, and tactics and then lead the group through exercises to create strategies to be carried into the streets as we work together towards justice.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Topics will include de-escalation skills and helps for discerning if it is appropriate to attempt to de-escalate different situations; tips on preparing for various protest scenarios that may arise and common organizing structures; tips for interacting with police, military, and counter-protesters, as well as preparing for arrests; and how to take care of oneself during and after events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information about arranging for a group training, contact Julie Brown, CPT Outreach Coordinator, at outreach@cpt.org<\/a> or go to https:\/\/cpt.org\/participate\/trainings<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— \u201cHow to Become a Climate-Resilient Church\u201d <\/strong>is the topic of an online webinar on Sept. 29 at 6-7 p.m. (Eastern time) offered by Creation Justice Ministries and recommended by the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy. \u201cYou\u2019ll learn practical steps for how your church can become a certified climate resilience hub, provide much-needed support for the \u2018new normal\u2019 in your community, and hear from existing climate resilience hubs,\u201d said an announcement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speakers include Staccato Powell, a bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Western District; Vernon Walker of Communities Responding to Extreme Weather; Liz Steinhauser of St. Stephen\u2019s Episcopal Church, Resilience Hub in Boston; and Avery Davis Lamb of Duke Divinity and the Nicholas School of the Environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Register at https:\/\/us02web.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/tZEkfuyqpzovGNCaDaCTPRZ6WLBxrV_D8ZCT<\/a> . This event is part of Communities Responding to Extreme Weather\u2019s 3rd Annual Climate Prep Week, a series of events hosted by various organizations dedicated to learning, service, and actions that better prepare communities for extreme weather events. For more events see www.climatecrew.org\/prep_week<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— A series of unique podcasts focusing \u201cOn Speaking Truth to Power\u201d <\/strong>have been produced as episodes of \u201cMessenger<\/em> Radio\u201d at www.brethren.org\/messenger\/uncategorized\/messenger-radio<\/a> . Each includes a reading of the upcoming Sunday\u2019s lectionary scriptures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany thanks to Anna Lisa Gross and all of those who are contributing,\u201d said a recent Facebook post on behalf of the denominational magazine Messenger<\/em>. The most recent episode features interviews with Audri Svay and Dana Cassell, who share personal insights into the division that is occurring in parts of the Church of the Brethren and continue an ongoing conversation about what it means to be a person of power or a powerless person in the church community and whether we are ever just one or the other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also new from \u201cMessenger<\/em> Radio\u201d is publisher Wendy McFadden reading her column from the August issue, \u201cIn the Name of Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— On Earth Peace is engaging youth groups by offering up to $500 in grant funding<\/strong> toward a youth-initiated project for peace and justice, said an announcement. \u201cIf granted the funding, we will provide youth with support throughout their project and training in the form of three webinars geared to your specific justice area.\u201d The application provides more description and some examples of projects at https:\/\/forms.gle\/WMkMRMr3tUfmvY2B8<\/a> . For questions contact peaceretreats@onearthpeace.org .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— \u201cTwo of our \u2018mother\u2019 congregations will celebrate 175 years during 2020,\u201d <\/strong>announced Virlina District. Peters Creek Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va., celebrates the anniversary on Sept. 27, and Topeco Church of the Brethren in Floyd County, Va., celebrates on Oct. 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— First Church of the Brethren in Harrisonburg, Va., <\/strong>has been approved by the city council as a location for temporary shelter for the homeless in the city, reports WHSV. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe City of Harrisonburg is considering action to help the homeless. Open Doors has not had a facility to give temporary shelter to the homeless during the pandemic, but city council will consider allowing the low-barrier shelter to use the First Church of the Brethren through the end of the year as a temporary option for those without a home,\u201d said the report. \u201cWe can get some people off the street overnight and give them a safe place to go with socially distancing in mind,\u201d explained city spokesperson Michael Parks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

See www.whsv.com\/2020\/09\/22\/harrisonburg-to-consider-using-local-church-as-homeless-shelter<\/a> and www.whsv.com\/2020\/09\/23\/harrisonburg-approves-local-church-as-temporary-homeless-shelter<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Eight congregations in Virlina District have responded to the challenge<\/strong> from the Northern Area Women’s Fellowship to assemble 300 Individual Kits of Comfort for Children’s Disaster Services. \u201cThese kits provide children affected by trauma and disaster with small tokens of normalcy for play in the midst of chaos,\u201d reported the district newsletter. \u201cWe currently have a count of over 300 kits, plus cash contributions to help with shipping and to be used for additional supplies\u2026. This is a needed project, especially during the pandemic when volunteers cannot travel to the disaster sites.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Shenandoah District volunteers loaded a total of 1,904 items of relief goods<\/strong> onto a truck for transport to the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., for the Church of the Brethren\u2019s Material Resources program to process, warehouse, and ship on behalf of Church World Service (CWS) and other ministries. \u201cSince the Shenandoah District has been designated an official depot for Church World Service, there has been an uptick in donations from churches across the state,\u201d said an announcement in a district newsletter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

District disaster ministry coordinator Jerry Ruff broke the donations down into the following categories: 50 clean up buckets, 54 boxes of quilts (donated by Lutheran and Presbyterian congregations), 200 health kits, and 1,300 school kits. The load also included the 300 disaster childcare kits donated by Virlina District to Children\u2019s Disaster Ministries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— \u201cNational college rankings are more than just aggregates of data. They serve as a tool <\/strong>to help college bound students select the best fit school to continue their educational journeys,\u201d said a release from Bridgewater (Va.) College, which announced that the college received two distinctions in the U.S. News and World Report \u201c2021 Best Colleges\u201d list. The list analyzed data on 17 measures of academic quality for 1,452 bachelor\u2019s degree-granting institutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bridgewater was listed as a top National Liberal Arts College and as a Top Performer on Social Mobility for national liberal arts colleges. This year\u2019s rankings are based on data from the 2019-2020 academic year, and they factored in information on graduation and retention rates, social mobility, graduation rate performance, undergraduate academics reputation, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources per student, average alumni giving rate and graduate indebtedness, the release said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a Top Performer on Social Mobility among national liberal arts colleges, Bridgewater College was recognized for its commitment to admitting and graduating a significant number of students who have been awarded Pell grants to further their educations. Thirty seven percent of the college\u2019s first year students in the 2019-2020 academic year were Pell eligible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— The new season of the Dunker Punks Podcast has begun.<\/strong> \u201cAs we kick off a new season of the podcast in episode #102, \u2018The Ups and Downs of Being a Tour Guide,\u2019 Christa Craighead tells us some stories from her world and the impact guides and teachers make in our lives,\u201d said an announcement. Listen for her reflections, a new theme song, and more by going to bit.ly\/DPP_Episode102<\/a> . In episode 103, \u2018Defining ‘Apocalypse,\u2019 Alex McBride explores the true meaning of \u201capocalypse\u201d and the possibilities it might bring. Go to bit.ly\/DPP_Episode103<\/a> or subscribe at bit.ly\/DPP_iTunes<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— The September episode of Brethren Voices<\/em>, <\/strong>a community access television show that is a project of Portland (Ore.) Peace Church of the Brethren, features Mark Charles on the topic \u201cWe the People.\u201d Charles, who has spoken at the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, is an independent candidate for president and a member of the Dine or Navajo nation. He was first interviewed by Brethren Voices in July 2018 at the Conference held in Cincinnati, Ohio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This episode was filmed prior to the major onset of the pandemic, when Brethren Voices<\/em> host Brent Carlson met up with Charles at one of his campaign appearances, said an announcement from producer Ed Groff. \u201cDuring the past 25 years, his [Charles\u2019s] concerns about the disturbing history of this nation has led him on a journey as an activist, public speaker, consultant, and co-author of the book Unsettling Truths<\/em>\u2026. In this program, Mark Charles takes us down the path to new understanding, that we never learned in school.\u201d Charles stated, \u201cDo you want to live in a nation where \u2018We the People\u2019 means all of the people? We are a diverse people where change can happen.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find this and other episodes of Brethren Voices on www.youtube.com<\/a> , search for the Brethren Voices channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— The National Council of Churches has announced its 2020 Christian Unity Gathering<\/strong> on the topic \u201cBreathing New Life Into Our Nation: Repentance, Re-Formation, Reparation.\u201d Registration is now open for the online event to be offered Oct. 12-13. The theme scripture is from Ezekiel 37:3-6, \u201cYahweh said to me, \u2018Mortal, can these bones live?\u2019 I answered, \u2018O Lord God, you know.\u2019 Then God said to me, \u2018Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord\u2026.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Said the announcement: \u201cAs racial injustices plague the country, the novel coronavirus pandemic rages nearly unchecked, and an economic crisis plunges millions into poverty, we find ourselves at a point from which we can fall into an abyss of further division, destitution, and despair, or from which we can move back from the brink, by faith, to a place of justice, restored hope and healing. In the midst of these simultaneous crises, and as we celebrate NCC\u2019s 70 years of public witness in the fight for justice, we invite you to join us as we explore what churches must do to turn back the tide of chaos and embrace Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.\u2019s vision of the Beloved Community.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speakers include Chanequa Walker-Barnes, professor of Practical Theology at Mercer University and author of I Bring the Voices of My People: A Womanist Vision for Racial Reconciliation<\/em>; Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, director of the School for Conversion, associate minister at St. John\u2019s Missionary Baptist Church in Durham, N.C., and author of Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion<\/em>; and Otis Moss, III, senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Ill.; among others. Go to https:\/\/nationalcouncilofchurches.us\/cug<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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— The Center on Conscience and War (CCW) is celebrating its 80th anniversary on Oct. 3. <\/strong>The center is a longterm partner organization of the Church of the Brethren, with offices in Washington, D.C. Formerly known as NISBCO, the center got its start as a collaboration of the historic peace churches (Church of the Brethren, Mennonites, and Quakers). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The celebration will be a virtual, online event starting at 5 p.m. (Eastern time), \u201clifting the voices of COs [conscientious objectors] past and present, as well as taking a look back at CCW\u2019s influence over the last 80 years,\u201d said an announcement. \u201cOur board member, Chris Lombardi, will also be launching her new book, I Ain\u2019t Marching Anymore<\/em>, which chronicles war resistance in the US throughout our country\u2019s history.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Details on how to join via Zoom video conference or telephone will be announced soon. Go to www.centeronconscience.org<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Dr. J. Elizabeth Struble,<\/strong> a medical doctor and a Church of the Brethren member from North Manchester, Ind., has been elected to the position of president-elect of the Indiana State Medical Association. Find out more about the association, Indiana\u2019s largest physician organization, at www.ismanet.org<\/a> . Struble\u2019s leadership in the Church of the Brethren has included service as a National Youth Conference (NYC) coordinator when she worked with the Youth and Young Adult ministry through Brethren Volunteer Service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Newsline is the email news service of the Church of the Brethren. Contributors to this issue of Newsline include Shamek Cardona, Fausto Carrasco, Jacob Crouse, Chris Elliott, Ed Groff, Nathan Hosler, Nancy Miner, Becky Ullom Naugle, LaDonna Nkosi, Patrick Starkey, Carol and Norm Waggy, Walt Wiltschek, Carol Yeazell, and editor 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. Please send news tips and submissions to cobnews@brethren.org<\/a> . Find the Newsline archive at www.brethren.org\/news . Sign up for Newsline and other Church of the Brethren email newsletters or make subscription changes at www.brethren.org\/intouch<\/a> . All submissions are subject to editing. Inclusion in Newsline does not necessarily convey endorsement by the Church of the Brethren.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Find more Church of the Brethren news:<\/p>\n\n\n