{"id":4615,"date":"2018-05-04T18:21:24","date_gmt":"2018-05-04T18:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.brethren.org\/news\/?p=4615"},"modified":"2018-09-26T18:29:41","modified_gmt":"2018-09-26T18:29:41","slug":"brethren-bits-for-may-4-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2018\/brethren-bits-for-may-4-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Brethren bits for May 4, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Church of the Brethren Newsline
\nMay\u00a04,\u00a02018<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Elgin Heritage Commission Mayor’s Award for Preservation for 2018 was awarded to the Church of the Brethren General Offices on May 1, at a ceremony led by Mayor David Kaptain at the historic old Elgin High School gymnasium. Receiving the award on behalf of the Church of the Brethren were general secretary David Steele, Brethren Press publisher Wendy McFadden, Global Mission and Service executive director Jay Wittmeyer, treasurer Brian Bultman, Office of Ministry director Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, and Nancy Miner, office manager for the General Secretary’s Office, with retired staff member Howard Royer and News Services director Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford present to document the moment with this photograph.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0Bethany Theological Seminary seeks a director of student development<\/strong>\u00a0with an immediate start date. The director of student development will have primary responsibility to design, implement, and review a student development plan and a retention plan as well as programs and initiatives that nurture current students into highly engaged alumni. Eligible applicants will hold the minimum of a bachelor\u2019s degree, with a master\u2019s degree preferred, and a master of divinity highly encouraged; a master\u2019s degree in a non-theological field with applicable experience is acceptable. Qualified applicants will be personable and able to be self-directed, manage a complex workload with attention to details, offer support to colleagues, and have the ability to connect with current students as they become alumni. Multi-tasking skills are needed to manage the current student development needs. For a job description, go to\u00a0www.bethanyseminary.edu
\n\/about\/employment<\/a>\u00a0. Application review has begun and will continue until an appointment is made. To apply, send a letter of interest, resume, and contact information for three references by email to\u00a0recruitment@bethanyseminary.edu<\/a>or by mail to: Attn: Lori Current, Bethany Theological Seminary, 615 National Road West, Richmond, IN 47374. Bethany Seminary\u2019s policy prohibits discrimination in employment opportunities or practices with regard to race, gender, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, or religion.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0The Outdoor Ministries Association of the Church of the Brethren (OMA) has openings for two contract positions<\/strong>: a communications coordinator and a social media and website specialist. OMA connects, enlivens, and supports the dynamic ministry of Church of the Brethren camps. OMA is a 501(c)(3) organization and is run by a volunteer board of directors. Each of these positions will work closely with the OMA board. These positions are available separately or may be bundled for the right candidate.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0communications coordinator<\/strong>\u00a0will be responsible for checking the OMA general email address weekly, responding to general inquiries, and forwarding emails to appropriate parties for follow-up; maintaining contact information for camps, members, and other associated parties, and creating and maintaining a contact database; helping the board track and complete assigned tasks following each meeting; creating and mailing a semi-annual newsletter, including related tasks; facilitating an annual membership mailing and additional mailings.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0social media and website specialist<\/strong>\u00a0will be responsible for collaboratively redesigning and maintaining the OMA website, incorporating feedback from the board; creating and posting weekly Facebook posts, or making arrangements for board members to create and post weekly; managing the OMA Facebook presence including monitoring of comment; connecting OMA to appropriate audiences through additional social media; connecting Church of the Brethren camps to OMA via Facebook and websites; posting each issue of the newsletter on the OMA website.<\/p>\n

Qualifications: candidates who are a good fit for one or both positions will demonstrate respect for OMA and willingness to help fulfill the organization\u2019s mission; excellent writing and communication skills; ability to proactively communicate and ask questions; ability to work well as part of a team and alone; good time management; high degree of organization and attention to detail; ability to be tech savvy and proficient with MS Office suite, Google suite, and Internet browsers; willingness to give, receive, and act on honest feedback; emotional maturity, poise, stability, warmth, kindness, and a sense of fun. Social media and website specialist will demonstrate passion and \u201cpizzazz\u201d for effective social media communications and strategy; professional experience with website design tools. Preference may be given to individuals who are members of the Church of the Brethren and\/or who demonstrate a commitment to the work of Jesus. OMA seeks candidates throughout the US who are comfortable and adept at working remotely. Each position is available as a contract position for a 6-month trial period beginning mid-June or early July, or once a suitable candidate is found thereafter, for approximately 5-10 hours per month. Upon a positive 6-month review, there may be opportunity for a contract extension. Starting rate for each position is $150 per quarter (three months). Any travel required by the position and pre-approved by the board will be reimbursed. Apply by sending an email to\u00a0brethrenOMA@gmail.com<\/a>\u00a0by end of day May 18, with the following format: subject line: position for which you are applying, followed by first and last name, city, and state; within the body of the email include a brief personal statement, including: why you are interested in working with the Outdoor Ministries of the Church of the Brethren; how your skills, interests, and experience intersect with the responsibilities of and qualifications for this role; your work location; when you would be available to begin work; anything else you want OMA to know about you. Attach a current resume in PDF format. These positions are open until filled. Applications will be reviewed and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis after May 23. Email\u00a0brethrenOMA@gmail.com<\/a>\u00a0with any questions.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) seeks a full-time administrative director<\/strong>\u00a0to empower and guide the work of CPT in fulfilling its mission. The administrative director works closely with CPT\u2019s program director in a collaborative, consensus-based, team model. Primary responsibilities include overall financial and administrative oversight, strategic planning and culture formation, and board and staff development, with some international travel to meetings and\/or project sites each year. Candidates should demonstrate wisdom and imagination; skilled leadership of group and organizational processes and capacity building; commitment to grow in the journey of undoing oppressions; and ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a dispersed team across continents. Nonprofit management experience and a focus on grassroots social change organizations is preferred. This is a 40 hours per week, 3-year appointment. Compensation is $24,000 per year. Benefits include 100 percent employer-paid health, dental, and vision coverage; 4 weeks of annual vacation. Location: Chicago, Ill., strongly preferred. Start date is Oct. 1. To apply, submit electronically, in English, the following to\u00a0hiring@cpt.org<\/a>: A cover letter stating motivation and reasons for interest in this position, a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 or CV, a list of three references with e-mail and daytime telephone numbers. Application review begins May 15. Find the full position description at\u00a0https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/13ght1zsiSwntAPV0EcryvxYOCuPndh-0\/view<\/a>. CPT is an international, faith-based, non-profit organization that builds partnerships to transform violence and oppression. CPT seeks individuals who are capable, responsible, and rooted in faith and spirituality to work for peace as members of teams trained in the disciplines of nonviolence. CPT is committed to building an organization that reflects the rich diversity of the human family in ability, age, class, ethnicity, gender identity, language, national origin, race and sexual orientation. All members of CPT receive a subsistence stipend currently capped at $2,000 per month for staff. For more about CPT see\u00a0www.cpt.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Global Mission executive Jay Wittmeyer (seated third from left) at GUST graduation ceremony in India.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

—\u00a0<\/span>Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of the Church of the Brethren Global Mission and Service,<\/strong>\u00a0recently visited with the Church of North India (CNI), and spoke at the commencement ceremony for Gujarat United School of Theology (GUST), of which the Church of the Brethren is a founding member. He also spent time visiting with CNI families and communities. CNI began in 1970 as a merger of several denominations, including the First District Church of the Brethren in India, which has remained independent of CNI. The Church of the Brethren in the US relates to both CNI and the First District Church of the Brethren in India.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"—\u00a0Miami (Fla.) Haitian Church of the Brethren is planning a \u201cMarch for Equality\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0for immigrants. The march is for \u201csupport for every human being who may be affected by TPS and DACA.\u201d The march takes place on Friday, May 18, starting at 10 a.m. at the church at 520 NW 103rd Street in Miami. The end point is 8801 NW 7th Avenue. In an online post about the march, the church explained: \u201cHaitian Church of the Brethren would like to ask you to show support for every being who may be affected by TPS and DACA. As you may know the president and his administration has promised to deport between 2 to 3 million undocumented immigrants and has already repealed the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) policy. This has and will affect more than 3 million families in the US and because of that we are organizing a march against these unfair policies. We as human beings and believers in Jesus Christ will stand for our brothers and sisters, our children and friends. We will march for the them, pray with them until something is done to fix this problem in our country. We are asking you to march with us Friday, May 18.\u201d Find more at\u00a0www.haitianchurchofthebrethren.org\/events\/march-for-tps<\/a>.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0A photo of the performers of \u201cIt Might as Well Be Spring\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0at Fruitland (Idaho) Church of the Brethren appears in the Argus Observer at\u00a0www.argusobserver.com\/valley_life\/celebration-includes-musical\/article_8caccb02-4e2a-11e8-b1f3-93932fb4c9ed.html<\/a>. The church hosted a large gathering for the \u201cFruitland Over 80\u2019s Celebration\u201d on April 28. \u201cThe community event is co-sponsored by the Methodist Women and the women of the Brethren Church, for individuals age 80 and over,\u201d the paper reported. \u201cIt included a skit\/sing-along, followed by a light lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

—\u00a0The 12th Annual E. J. Smith River Float<\/strong>\u00a0will be held on Saturday, May 19, starting at 9 a.m. at Germantown Brick Church of the Brethren in Virlina District. Participants will carpool and organize to float together from the Grassy Hill and Blue Bend section of the Blackwater River, exiting at the Corn property for a picnic. This is a fundraiser for Relay for Life. For more information, contact Ronnie Hale at 540-334-2077 or Steven McBride at 540-420-6141.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0Pinecrest Community is celebrating its 125th anniversary<\/strong>\u00a0this summer. To spark the celebration, a \u201cWish List\u201d has been created to detail specific program and equipment needs that donors can underwrite. With a third of its residents relying on charitable giving and Medicare to cover the cost of care, the retirement community in Mt. Morris, Ill., identifies more than 50 needed items that are outside the ongoing budget, most in the range of from $50 to $500.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0Virlina District holds its annual Ministry and Mission<\/strong>\u00a0event this Saturday, May 5. Church members from around the district will worship, learn, and fellowship together, hosted at Collinsville Church of the Brethren. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.\u00a0 Worship will begin at 9 a.m. Lunch will be provided by the Women’s Fellowship of the Collinsville congregation. Cost is $8 per person. The event will include workshops and an Annual Conference briefing with moderator Samuel Sarpiya. Workshops offer continuing education credit for ministers, and are offered on the topics \u201cEffectively Board\u201d led by Scott Douglas of Brethren Benefit Trust; \u201cBridging the Divide: Skills in Conflict Transformation when Emotions are Involved\u201d led by Samuel Sarpiya, in his role with the Center for Nonviolence and Conflict Transformation in Rockford, Ill.; \u201cEscaping Purgatory: Choosing ‘WHY 2.0’ to Overcome Existential Threats to Church and Camp\u201d led by Barry LeNoir of Camp Bethel.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0The Mid-Atlantic District Disaster Response Auction<\/strong>\u00a0is receiving media attention from the “Carroll County Times” of Maryland. This is the 38th annual disaster auction sponsored by the district, to be held Saturday, May 5, at the Carroll County Agricultural Center starting at 9 a.m. \u201cThis regional event has raised more than $1.8 million since 1981 for disaster relief efforts,\u201d the newspaper reported. The auction features handmade quilts, comforters, handmade crafts, art, flowers, houseplants, garden seedlings, trees, shrubs, glassware, furniture, tools, small appliances, collectibles, and more. The tool auction starts at 9 a.m., followed by general items and special items auctions. The quilt auction is scheduled for noon with about 80 items up for bid, \u201cfrom smallish wall hangings to baby quilts to comforters to a dozen huge quilts larger than 80-by-100 inches,\u201d said the news report. The report online features a photo of a quilt donated by John and Jeanne Laudermilch with appliqued daffodils done by Dorothy John Pilson and the quilting done by the women of Pipe Creek Church of the Brethren. Go to\u00a0www.carrollcountytimes.com\/news\/local\/cc-disaster-response-preview-20180503-story.html<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0The latest Dunker Punks Podcast<\/strong>\u00a0features Kiana Simonson, a youth and young adult assistant for On Earth Peace, bringing together three other interns to discuss their roles at the agency. \u201cListen as the four share their thoughts on finding common ground across a variety of issues including gender, racial, and LGBT justice,\u201d said an announcement. The Dunker Punks Podcast is an audio show created by more than a dozen Church of the Brethren young adults across the country. Listen at\u00a0http:\/\/bit.ly\/DPP_Episode56<\/a>\u00a0or subscribe at\u00a0http:\/\/bit.ly\/DPP_iTunes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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A roof is put on the Makobola church in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo courtesy of Lubungo Ron.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

—\u00a0Bridgewater (Va.) College has broken ground<\/strong>\u00a0for a \u201cmulti-million dollar transformation of Bridgewater College\u2019s Alexander Mack Memorial Library into a state-of-the-art learning commons,\u201d said a release from the college. The groundbreaking was celebrated May 4. \u201cThe John Kenny Forrer Learning Commons will serve as an active learning space and focal point for engaged learning for Bridgewater\u2019s academic community,\u201d the release said. \u201cThe facility will house the library\u2019s collections and serve as a learning hub with a multimedia production lab, individual student study areas, peer coaching and tutoring, research support, an abundance of plug-and-play electronic outlets, group meeting spaces, on-site IT support, the Writing Center and Career Services. Thanks to record fundraising, the Forrer Learning Commons will be the first project in Bridgewater\u2019s history to be fully funded through charitable donations. The new facility was made possible through a number of donors, including Bridgewater College alumna Bonnie Rhodes and her husband, John, who made a lead gift in honor of Mrs. Rhodes\u2019 father, John Kenny Forrer. Other significant donors include John and Carrie Morgridge, who made a gift to name the Morgridge Center for Collaborative Learning. The facility will also include the Smith Family Learning Commons Caf\u00e9, the Robert H. and Mary Susan King Portico and the Beverly Perdue Art Gallery. Additionally, a gift to the Forrer Learning Commons project will be matched by The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation, which has issued a two-to-one $250,000 challenge grant.\u201d The college plans to open the building in 2019.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0Bridgewater (Va.) College has honored three alumni<\/strong>\u00a0for their achievements and humanitarian service, including\u00a0Church of the Brethren member Steve Hollinger<\/strong>\u00a0of Haymarket, Va., class of 1970, who received the West-Whitelow Humanitarian Award. Also receiving awards were Bruce W. Bowen of Richmond, Va., class of 1972, who received the Distinguished Alumnus Award; and James J. Mahoney III of Morgantown, W.Va. class of 2003, who received the Young Alumnus Award. Hollinger has been widely active in the Church of the Brethren and his community, serving in a variety of capacities and giving freely of the skills he gained through more than 40 years\u2019 experience in construction, management, and training. He retired in 2016 from his private consulting practice. As a youth, growing up in Stuarts Draft, Va., he was a member and president of the Shenandoah District Youth Cabinet. After receiving his degree in biology from Bridgewater, Hollinger taught biology and earth sciences in the Prince William County Schools and earned an M.A. from Virginia Tech in 1976. His subsequent career in construction included design, supervision, risk management, and safety consultation, as well as hands-on construction work for a number of firms, including his own Construction Options Inc., in Haymarket, Va. Since 1976 he has been a member of Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren, where he has led various community outreach construction and service projects and spearheaded a $2.5 million renovation and addition project for his church, donating more than 3,600 hours of his time and expertise. He has been involved with Church of the Brethren national projects since 1976, including Brethren Disaster Ministries and the National Deacon Cabinet. He is a charter member and past president and treasurer of the Brethren Housing Corp. and volunteered in Brethren Volunteer Service in 2005. He supports the Shepherd\u2019s Spring Outdoor Ministries Center in Sharpsburg, Md., having served on the Program Development Team at its inception. At Bridgewater, Hollinger served on the Parents Advisory Committee from 1997-2000, the final year as chair, and was a trustee from 2007-2016, serving at one point as chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0The National Council of the Churches (NCC) has issued a statement<\/strong>\u00a0on the progress toward peace on the Korean Peninsula. The NCC \u201cjoins with the National Council of Churches of Korea and the World Council of Churches in giving thanks for the wonderful reports emanating from the meeting between the leaders of the two Koreas indicating the armistice that ended the war in 1953 may finally be replaced by a peace treaty,\u201d the statement says. \u201cFor decades, we have prayed and worked for peace alongside all of our sisters and brothers from Korea. We continue to be in prayer for the possibility of a successful meeting in the coming weeks between the leaders of the United States and North Korea. May God continue to guide our leaders along the path to peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A leadership training class for Brethren Disaster Ministries celebrates the completion of a house with a House Blessing. The home in Nichols, S.C., is for Miss Joyce and Miss Ann, according to a Facebook post from the Church of the Brethren disaster rebuilding project.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

—\u00a0Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) executive director Mae Elise Cannon<\/strong>\u00a0attended the Palestine National Council convention this week, including a speech by Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas. \u201cCMEP welcomes the commitment of the PLO to peace negotiations, but condemns the inflammatory and anti-Semitic rhetoric used during the speech,\u201d said a communication from the organization, of which the Church of the Brethren is a participating denomination. President Abbas \u201cpresented his future policy to the first regular session of the Palestine National Council (PNC) since 1996, calling for new negotiations leading to a two-state solution,\u201d CMEP\u2019s release said. \u201cHis recommitment to the peace process comes after remarks made earlier in January in which he threatened to withdraw from the Oslo Accords and suspend PLO recognition of Israel. However, the conciliatory tone brought to the conversation regarding the twostate solution was severely undermined by antiSemitic rhetoric peppered throughout the speech. Churches for Middle East Peace welcomes President Abbas\u2019s renewed commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state existing alongside Israel and his calls for nonviolent popular resistance to Israel’s occupation. CMEP condemns the antiSemitic and inflammatory remarks and affirms that support for a Palestinian state does not require downplaying historical Jewish suffering or denying their connection to the land.\u201d<\/p>\n

—\u00a0A series of hearings is continuing at sites around the country,<\/strong>\u00a0held by the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. These hearings are on the future of the military draft, draft registration, and compulsory service including compulsory military or national service for women, health care workers, and people with language, IT, or STEM skills. Upcoming hearings are announced for Boston, Mass., on Wednesday, May 9, at 5:45 – 7:45 p.m. at Sargent Hall, Suffolk University Law School, 120 Tremont St.; in Nashua, N.H., on Thursday, May 10 at 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Nashua City Hall (3rd Floor Auditorium), 229 Main St.; and in Jacksonville, Fla., on May 17 at 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at University of North Florida Herbert Center, Room 1027, 12000 Alumni Dr. Peace church members are encouraged to attend and express support for alternative, non-military service in place of a military draft. Written comments are being received by the commission by email to\u00a0info@inspire2serve.gov<\/a>\u00a0with \u201cDocket No. 05-2018-01A\u201d in the subject line of the e-mail message, or use this online form:\u00a0http:\/\/www.inspire2serve.gov\/content\/share-your-thoughts<\/a>. The deadline to submit written comments has been extended through Sept. 30.<\/p>\n

—\u00a0Centenarian Galen L. Miller<\/strong>\u00a0has been\u00a0celebrated by his congregation at Sunnyslope Brethren\/United Church of Christ in Wenatchee, Wash. He reached the 100 year mark on Jan. 7. He was born in Weiser, Idaho, on Jan. 7, 1918.<\/p>\n

Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/Newsline<\/a>\u00a0to subscribe to the Church of the Brethren Newsline free e-mail news service and receive church news every week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this issue: Job openings, Global Mission executive visits with CNI, Miami Haitian Church of the Brethren plans \u201cMarch for Equality\u201d for immigrants, Pinecrest Community celebrating 125 years, Virlina District holds Ministry and Mission event, Mid-Atlantic District Disaster Response Auction is Saturday, Bridgewater College breaks ground for \u201clearning commons,\u201d NCC welcomes progress toward peace on the Korean Peninsula, and more news by, for, and about Brethren.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4619,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[],"class_list":["post-4615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4615"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4663,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4615\/revisions\/4663"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4615"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=4615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}