Messenger (1979)

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2011 with funding from

LYRASIS members and Sloan Foundation

http://www.archive.org/details/messenger1979128112thom

3VS Orientation:
A journey of
exploration

mM(^\i^t

A O The View From Below. Robert McAfee Brown calls for a new
technology which sees the events of the world from below — from the
perspective of the outcast, the suspects, the maltreated, the powerless, the
oppressed, the reviled.

4 g Exploring Self and World. Thirty years since its beginning.

Brethren Volunteer Service is still sending persons out to serve. Steve
Simmons takes the reader through a month of intensive orientation,
showing what it is like to prepare for BVS today.

20 Hear the Word, in a Bible study based on Philippians 2:6-1 1, Jimmy
R. Ross says we show that we live under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, not
so much by what we say, but by how well we hear what he has to say.

00 Are You Ready? Mary C. Early suggests we prepare for 1979 by
opening a "spiritual Christmas Club" account.

23 ^ Very Special Jibara. John Forbes pays tribute to don Jose Fran-
cisco, a pillar of the Castafier, Puerto Rico, congregation.

24 ^^^^ What the Profit Motive Is Doing to Us Doctors! Dr.

John Scoltock has reached the conclusion that US doctors and patients
have fallen victims to the profit motive in medicine.

27 Born Again Christians: The Only Kind? Herbert a. Fisher

suggests the many ways Christ confronts his followers.

OQ Your Two Cents Worth. Frances Holsopple Fenner, with tongue in
cheek, reports on a poll taken by Messenger in 1889.

In Touch profiles Jackie Driver of Harrisonburg, Va.; Laird and Sarah Bowman
of Boones Mill, Va.; and Geoff Brumbaugh of Elgin, 111. (2) . . . Outlook reports
on BVS orientation. NCC energy policy. Broadfording withdrawal. Stewardship
seminars. Brethren radio spots. BVS on tv. NCC president. NCC firing. "Baby
beer" controversy. Personnel shifts. Brethren Encyclopedia. Peace academy.
Satellite usage. Brethren college enrollments (start on 4) . . . Underlines (7) . . .
Update (H) . . . Special Report, "International Year of the Child," (10) . . .
Column, "A Partnership Venture," by L. Wayne Fralin (15) . . . Book Review,
"Making Pastoral Ministry Effective," by Sylvus D. Rora and L. Gene Bucher
(28) . . Resources, "Covenant Living," by Shirley J. Heckman (30) . . .
Opinions of Christian Bashore, Elsa Zapata de Groff. Randy E. Newcomer and
.lames F. Mycr (start on .12) . . . Pilgrim's Pen, by Patricia Kennedy Helman (37)
. . Turning Points (38) Editorial (40)

EDITOR

Howard E Royer (on special assignment)

MANAGING EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson (acting editor)

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Ziegler Blake

FEATURES

Stewart M Hoover, Fred W Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E Weaver. Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Dons Walbtidge

PUBLISHER

Joel K Thompson

VOL 128. NO 1

JANUARY 1979

CREDITS: Cover Merv Kcency and Steve Sim-
mons .1 left Fred Swart?; right Geoff Brum-
baugh 4 Jan Mason. 6 Rosie .Staffold. AD.
maga/inc. 8, 15, ,10- .11, 19 Nguyen Van Gia. 12
Religious News Service. 1.1 Gerald Neher. 14
Selgado Junior 15-18 Merv Keeney 19 Steve
Simmons. 2.1 Peggy Miller. 25 art by Kenneth L.
Stanley.

Mh.ssHNGhR is the official publication of the
C^hurch of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug. 20. 1918. under Act of Congress of
Oct 17. 1917. Filing dale. Oct. I, 1978.
MKSsi:NGf-:R IS a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service. Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version.

Subscription rates: $6.00 per year for individual
subscriptions; $4.80 per year for Church Group
Plan; $4.80 per year for gift subscriptions; $.1.15
for school rate (9 months); life subscription.
$80.00 single. $9000 couple. If you move clip old
address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change. Mt.ssi-;NGE-:R is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission. Church of the
Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee
Ave. Elgin. III. 60120. Second-class
postage paid at Elgin. III., Jan 1979. Copyright
1978. Church of the Brethren General Board

j)mn;u sing

1

MAINTAINING A STRICT LINE

I am a 24-year-old Brethren Christian who is
deeply upset by yoitr publishing "gay" articles.
To me. you are attracting sympathy to a cause
that is an abomination to our Lord Jesus Christ.

fjranted. there may be psychiatric or medical
reasons for a person being "gay." but we should
set up some kind of help for these unfortunates,
not promote their deterioration by an article
such as "Gays Belong in the Covenant"
(Opinions, October).

I enjoy many articles in the Mf:sskngfr. but
this kind saddens me. Our church has always
maintained a strict line in the laws of our Ford,
when some other churches have not. I would
hate to ever see this change.

ClNDA S<llt T

['rainc City. Iowa

(H'f hiipe thai reading holh pro and ion
opinions will help Brethren heller underhand a
I (implex issue which we are having to deal with
as a I hurt h. - Ed.)

I FEAR FOR THE CHURCH

II Ihc opinions (September) of Martin Rock
and Mars .lo Bowman represent the thoughts
and Icclings of the majority, then the Church of
the Brethren is in sad shape indeed. If we allow
ourselves to be swayed by gays and their sym-
pathizers then we will be a church compromised
with the world.

I love the church with all my heart. If these
things that are contrary to Christ's teachings
come up at Conference and are passed, then I
fear for the Church of the Brethren.

C. B. Srivt-NS
Roanoke. Va.

WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT GAYS

"You shall not lie uith a male as with a
uoman; it is an abomination" (Lev. IX:22). Mar-
tin Rock (Opinions. September), thai tells us
what (iod has to say about homosexuality. It's a
sin. Brethren, but. praise God. the blood of
-lesus h;is been shed for us and you can be
delivered, through Jesus Christ, of that sin.

Question is, will you invite Him into your life?

TiRRV FlK'K
York. Pa

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER "SINS"?

At first I was angry to read in Mi-ssh\GKR of
homosexuals calling themsehes Christians. Then
I read Galatians 5, which tells us to walk by the
Spirit, not b\ the tlesh (See also Gal. 5: 19, 20-21,
and 2 Cor. 12:20-21, which lists other sins
besides homosexuality).

1 did not see my anger, jealousy and gossiping
as sin until I studied the Scriptures. Whether we
as a church accept homose.xuals means nothing;
whether Christ accepts anyone who sins and is
proud of it is all important.

I do not understand all that the Bible says, but
I do know that whatever it originally meant has
not changed. God's word still stands.

SM \ 1 \ PODRK

.Anderson. Ind.

NOT ENOUGH PREACHING ON SIN

We cannot believe what we have been reading
in Messenger — our church magazine —
especially in the September issue. How can
anyone claim to love the Lord, be committed to
Christ, adhere to the basic beliefs of the Church
of the Brethren and still be "gay" people?

We do not have to go to college to under-
stand very plainly what the Bible says about it.
Homosexuality is listed right along with fornica-
tion and adultery (Rom 1:18-33). Sin is sin. and
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord
(Rom. 6:23). The Bible is God's word. We can-
not pick out just what we want to believe. We
must accept all of it. God loves everyone, but
unless sinners repent and change their way of
living, God will let them go to hell. It is our
choice.

We think the Church of the Brethren has
preached too much peace and love and not
enough about the consequences of sinful liv-
ing—hell. Most people love and want peace.

God will not tolerate us or bless us as a nation
or denomination if we try to change his word or
let worldly or sinful living be part of our guide-
lines for our lives. That is the way we under-
stand God's word and we are not alone, judging
from the sermons we hear on tv, and from talk-
ing with other born again Christians.

Mr. .\nd Mrs. Kenneth Rvvlan
Akron, Ind.

GRATEFUL FOR MARTIN ROCK

I am grateful for Martin Rock's statement on
homosexuality (Opinions, September). I heard
Martin speak at the human sexuality hearing at
Indianapolis during Annual Conference and was
impressed by his courage, sincerity and dedica-
tion. I am grateful, too, for the Brethren' Men-
nonite Council he represents. May it continue to
speak through him, and may we have ears that
hear and hearts that respond.

Albert Herbst
La Verne, Calif.

AN ATTITUDE THAT DESTROYS

Concerning the statement (Opinions,
September) by Pastor John F. Groth of Goshen,
Ind.: For being a born-again Christian, his words
certainly are filled with hate. I believe he had
better read I Corinthians 13 to discover some of
the love that Jesus taught us about. It is Groth's
kind of feelings that can destroy a church. I have
seen it happen in my own district.

Sue Vanderveer
Woodbridge, Va.

NIELS BENDSEN REMEMBERED

Our father, Niels P. Bendsen, died quietly, as
he had lived, on October 10, 1978, after one
week of illness in Wabash Hospital.

At age 91, he was still quick in his movements
and sharp in his thinking. He was interested in
current events and many other things and was
always a staunch Christian.

His favorite magazine was Messenger and he

remarked often about its quality. Once he
observed, "I guess some people don't think
Messenger is very Christian anymore." After
quite a pause, "I guess that's mostly the old peo-
ple."

When we asked if he wasn't glad that he was
not old, he got the point, chuckled and slyly
said, "Yes." We'll miss him.

Olga Bendsen
North Manchester, Ind.

OLD ORDERS'— CAUTIOUS SUPPORT

As one of a few Old German Baptist Brethren
interested in the proposed Brethren En-
cyclopedia, 1 must attempt to correct misinfor-
mation in your October editorial titled "A Sign
of Reconciliation" (in itself misleading). Two
statements are frankly incorrect: "The en-
cyclopedia project, while not initiated by the
governing bodies of the five denominations, has
since gained their approval" and "The other
Brethren groups have all endorsed the project
with official pronouncements or informal
agreements."

The informal agreements as they apply to the
Old German Baptist Brethren are so tenuous for
my part that they should in no way be
represented as an agreement between the frater-
nity of the Old German Baptist Brethren and the
encyclopedia board.

My own misgivings are rekindled from time to
time by other entries in the Messenger in the
vein of "Gays belong in the covenant," signed "A
gay Brethren" (Opinions, October). In the
secular, scientific, and religious literature which
crosses my desk most deal with this subject in an
a-religious or anti-religious manner. The
Messenger, however, presents it as consistent
with the teachings of Jesus Christ and the
apostolic writings which makes such literature
infinitely more dangerous.

Furthermore, the writer (name withheld) has
kept his works secret — unlike the children of the
light. "For it is a shame even to speak of the
things that they do in secret" (Eph. 5:12) — or
even done of them in public in our day! Also, he
has tried to silence such as me by presuming to
lay at my feet the responsibility for his agony,
his pain, his persecution and his guilt. As so
many in this time, he wishes to be saved not
from his sins but in his sins. Might the "gay
Brethren" like to see an entry for their kind in
the proposed encyclopedia?

Please inform your readers that the Old Ger-
man Baptist Brethren have not endorsed the en-
cyclopedia officially nor given it more than the
most cautious support and that for various
reasons we are probably further from a "recon-
ciliation" than we have ever been before.

Marcus Miller
Covington, Ohio

(The October editorial was approved by
leaders of Brethren Encyclopedia, Inc., before il
was published. Further. "Opinions" do not
speak for Messenger or the denomination. In
every case they represent only one person's
opinion, as do letters to the editor. — Ed.)

(pXo](o](§>(o)[ji](§>

Pal Helman

V-Zne year ago we jubilantly crowed in
this column over our having attained our
goal of 30,000 Messenger subscriptions. A
year later we are still just above that mark.
Like Lewis Carroll's Red Queen in
Through the Looking-Glass, it seems to
take all the running we can do, to keep in
the same place. "If you want to get
somewhere else," the queen said, "you must
run at least twice as fast as that."

While we are gaining one congregation
that goes on the "church group plan,"
another one is de-
ciding that to trim
its budget, Mes-
senger has to go.
Since we want to
"get somewhere
else" (35,000 sub-
scriptions, may-
be?), we propose
to run twice as
fast. In 1979 we'll
try twice as hard
to make Messen-
ger quality read-
ing and we'll try
twice as hard to
convince Brethren to receive their denomi-
national magazine. We hope by January
1980, to be "somewhere else."

A new feature begins this month in
Messenger. On page 37 appears Pilgrim's
Pen, a potpourri of collected quotes, per-
sonal observations and bits of wisdom by
Patricia Kennedy Helman. Persons who
have read her book. In League With the
Stones, or heard her address Annual Con-
ference last summer, need no introduction
to this columnist.

The wife of Manchester College's presi-
dent, Blair Helman, Pat is a leader in
spiritual growth retreats and serves as a
Brethren representative to the National
Council of Churches.

Pat's column will appear monthly in
Messenger. It will poke a little gentle fun
at all of us, sooner or later, and make us
stop and think in places we never slowed
down in before.

November 15 was a great day for us. For
four issues, problems in meeting our
deadlines had thrown Messenger far
behind its normal mailing schedule. On
November 15 the December Me.ssenger
rolled off the press— ahead of time. It felt
good to be caught up again. With a full-
time BVSer helping us now, while our
editor is on special assignment we expect to
get Messenger into your mailboxes on
time again.— The Editors

January 1979 messenger 1

in

h

Jackie Driven Affirming life's worth

"Older people are the only group we
discriminate against that we are go-
ing to join. 'Senility' does not exist
anymore; we can find the same
characteristics in children from de-
prived homes. Some of our brightest
people are senior citizens if they have
kept their skills active."

The holder of these firm beliefs is
Dr. Jackie Driver, psychologist and
professor at James Madison Univer-
sity in Harrisonburg, Va., where she
teaches psychology, gerontology,
thanatology, sexuality of the elderly
and is coordinator of college com-
munity services. In addition she is
currently coordinating a counseling
service, entitled "Make Today
Count," for patients and families of
the terminally ill. Her service and
counsel extends to senior citizens'
centers and nursing homes and she
has been researching children's at-
titudes toward death. She has shared
the professional leadership of
workshops and conferences with both
anthropologist Margaret Mead and
one of America's foremost authorities
on death and dying, Elizabeth
Kubler-Ross.

Having earned a Ph.D. in Human
Growth Development from the Uni-
versity of Maryland, Jackie was
drawn into gerontology and
thanatology because of her interest in
women of middle age. "Women are
valued primarily when they are
young, but it's a relief not to be part
of the Pepsi generation. During mid-
dle age, one can turn inward toward
oneself — a fantastic journey, but how
quickly it makes people senile! We do
not educate for leisure time and in-
trospection; our education is to
produce."

Recently the recipient of the out-
standing faculty member award, her
formal service to the church has been

as a member and a consultant to
Shenandoah District Board, con-
ducting workshops for local churches
and crisis counseling.

Her interests range from Jungjan
theory, dream analysis and Yoga, to
flying, hiking, swimming and farm-
ing. She enjoys recalling their
family's project of building their
house together and finds satisfaction
in the fact that all of her children are
in the service professions.

"Death is simply a change of form
in which we move into a new relation
with Christ. The church has a fan-
tastic opportunity to counsel with dy-
ing people and help them see what
good they have done. We have put so
much emphasis on sinning that we
have lost sight of what we have done
that was Christlike. The church
should be affirming our goodness
and gifts, in the elderly as in all
others. The church has so many
resources for serving that we really
miss." — Evelyn M. Frantz

Evelyn M. Frantz is a free-lance writer and
member of the Ridgeway Community Church of the
Brethren. Harrishur^. Pa.

Laird & Sarah Bowman:

Far from the down-on-t he-farm
parochial stereotypes. Laird and
Sarah Ann Bowman are managing a
dairy farm nestled in the hills of
Franklin County, Va., with an
enlightened and conscientious global
perspective.

Sarah Ann Hoover Bowman
entered BVS in July 1972 as the
result of an interest in peace fostered
by her home church, Modesto, Calif.,
and participation in a meaningful
service of communion and reconcilia-
tion at a church youth camp. She was
assigned to a project in the oldest
part of Berlin in which 90 percent of
the inhabitants were elderly war
widows. She helped organize ac-
tivities and services for the women,
many of whom had no families in
Berlin. Then the second year of her
service, Sarah Ann worked with an
ecumenical woman whose task was to
facilitate communications between
Eastern and Western countries.

Laird Bowman, a native Virginian,
was reared on the farm that is now
entrusted to the fifth generation of
Bowmans. "I have fed calves since I
was old enough to crawl to the barn,"
he fondly boasts. Laird also was be-
ing drawn toward BVS through par-
ticipation in church camp, district
youth activities and the unimposing
witness of his conscientious objector
father and minister, J. Willard Bow-
man, when as a high school senior he
received an invitation from Elgin to
fill a project opening in Greece.

In spite of his tender age and lack
of any tutoring in Greek. Laird
successfully helped the local farmers
to improve the quality of milk
production and preservation.

Laird and Sarah Ann were at-
tracted to one another at a BVS con-
ference for European workers and
were subsequently married in 1975.

2 MHSSENGER January 1979

Tie world on their doorstep

In addition to their common ex-
perience abroad, they share many
common goals for helping people at
home gain an awareness of the global
family. Already Laird has sent a
prized Bowmont Farm heifer to the
Greek farming school and has en-
couraged fellow farmers in his church
district to provide 10 more for Heifer
Project International.

The Bowmans have opened their
daily operation to school tour
groups, at no charge, to help create
an awareness of the source and value

of food. Sarah Ann, in addition to
helping with the farm operations, is a
icindergarten teacher. Because of her
overseas experience, she is designated
to relate to the foreign students of
her school.

At the Bethlehem Church, Laird is
assistant Sunday school superinten-
dent as well as a church school
teacher. Sarah Ann directs the
children's choir. Meanwhile, the
Bowmans are averaging three con-
gregational meetings a month as
Virlina District representatives for
BVSand PVS. — F.W.S.

Geoff Brumbaugh: A silent servant of sound

With a twinkle in his eye and a much
wiser smile upon his face, Geoff Brum-
baugh recalls the spark that ignited his
interest in electronics. The memorable
event occurred when he was five years
old and discovered a lamp cord with
bare wires. Fortunately, the shock was
not enough to hurt him, but the ting-
ling sensation kindled his curiosity in
electricity.

By junior high school, Geoff had a
knowledge of circuits and electrons.
As he advanced to senior high level
he was commissioned to help with
the official tape recordings at Annual
Conference; then was employed part-
time by the marketing department of
the General Board to edit and record
cassette tapes for Agenda and the
Guide for Biblical Studies.

Following his graduation from
high school, Geoff chose to enter
Brethren Volunteer Service. To no
one's surprise he was assigned to fill
an opening at Bethany Theological
Seminary, where an audio-visual
studio technician was needed. Taking
his task with eager seriousness, Geoff
rebuilt much of the seminary's audio
equipment to make the system more
versatile and productive in its re-
cording and playback capacity.

Geoff readily acknowledges that he
inherited some of his technical skill
and creativity. His father, Wilbur
Brumbaugh, was a member of the
General Board staff for 15 years as
an editor, artist, musician and
worship consultant. One of the elder
Brumbaugh's most appreciated
talents was his abiUty to assemble in-
spirational worship experiences using
slide transparencies. His help for the
sound tracks was close at hand, and
Geoff s ability was frequently sought.

When Geoff s year of Brethren
Volunteer Service ended he worked
as a repair technician for an Elgin

electronics store until he could earn
enough to invest in sound recording
equipment of his own and set up his
own recording business. Upon his
father's untimely and tragic death in
October 1977, Geoff inherited
valuable photography equipment,
along with a number of unfinished
audio-visual projects his father had
begun. Geoff plans to carry those
projects to completion.

Now, along with two other creative
people, Joyce Miller and Ken Morse,
Geoff is excitedly organizing a
business venture to be know as "Day
Star." With Geoffs experience at the
technical end, combined with the
writing and designing skills of Morse
and Miller, Day Star will offer
workshops in creativity, sound tracks
for slide programs, photography,
graphics, cards, posters, slide
programs and technical design.

A caring, dependable and sincere
friend, Geoff is the silent servant
behind much that Brethren see and
hear. — Barbara P. McFadden

Barbara P. McFadden is a member of the
Highland A venue Church of the Brethren. Elgin. III.

January 1979 messenger 3

BVSers, Navajos share
during orientation unit

The 14 members of the 137th Brethren
Volunteer Service orientation unit put up
fences, made caskets, tended cattle with
two Navajo herders, took instruction in the
Native American art of weaving and lived,
worked and learned in the Navajo culture
for four weeks in October and November.

According to BVS staff, the unit was the
first to spend its entire orientation period
in another cultural setting and, indeed, the
emphasis of the unit was on cross-cultural
experience. "Everyone we've related to dur-
ing the unit is Navajo," explains Jan
Mason, coordinator of volunteer training,
who arranged the unit.

The unit was planned in cooperation
with SHARE which helps sponsor
ministries to Native Americans in Ganado,
Ariz., and Lybrook, N.M. With the help of
personnel in both places, the training unit
was designed to expose the volunteers as
thoroughly as possible to the Navajo
culture. The unit also involved SHARE U
which focuses on sensitizing Brethren to
other US cultures.

After a first week at Lybrook, during
which the group members learned to know
each other, the unit moved to Ganado
where Allen Yashie Hill, director of the
Ganado Alcoholism Program which
SHARE helps fund, was the unit's guest
director. A Navajo himself and an or-
dained Presbyterian minister. Hill and
other resource persons helped the group
examine all facets of Navajo culture — its
history, religion, music, philosophy and
traditions.

The volunteers worked alongside the
Navajos and joined them for noon and
evening meals. (One task, the casket-
building, is part of Ganado's rehabilitation
project for alcoholics.) The Navajos and
volunteers even did some celebrating
together with a Halloween party. "A lot of
things happened between us," Mason
reports. "The groups grew attached to each
other."

A final week at Lybrook was given over
to studying how media affects cultures and
preparing for BVS assignments.
Half the volunteers will be going to other
cultures, including three who will work at
the Ganado project and two who will work
with Navajos at Solid Rock in Utah.

Mason and Joanne Nesler Davis, BVS
director, are enthusiastic about exposing
volunteers to another culture. "1 want

Linda Tucker, a BVSerfrom Warren, III. and a certified teacher, helped Navajos with their
reading sl<iils at the public school in Ganado, Ariz., while her Brethren Volunteer Service
orientation unit was living and working on the reservation there.

volunteers to learn that we do not have all
the answers to other people's concerns and
problems," stresses Davis. "We need to learn
to listen to others."

Mason underscores the importance of
learning to relate, as members of the domi-
nant (white) culture to other cultures.
"They (the volunteers) have learned that
the Native American culture is beautiful,"
she says. "Now they can look and listen
better to other cultures — black, Ap-
palachian, whatever — wherever their BVS
project is."

National Council delays
action on energy policy

The Governing Board of the National
Council of Churches refused to vote on the
merits of a proposed policy statement on
energy, acting instead to issue it for church
study. Meeting during November in New
York, the board asked the committee that
drafted the policy to propose a "concise"
policy statement at the board's May 1979
meeting.

The 43-page document presented to the
board was the product of two years of
work by a committee of the council's Divi-
sion of Church and Society headed by Joel
K. Thompson, executive secretary of the
Church of the Brethren's General Services
Commission. (See the May 1978
Messenger.)

The statement proposed that society
employ only those energy technologies that
foster such ethical goals as preservation of
the biosphere, equitable distribution of
resources, and participatory decision-

making. It advocated "stringent conserva-
tion by the affluent" and a "strong commit-
ment to the development of renewable
energy resources, especially solar energy."
The statement called the risks involved in
the use of plutonium technologies
"unacceptable."

In other action, the Governing Board ap-
proved a resolution commending recent
Middle East peace talks. Largely following
the pattern of a statement passed by the
Church of the Brethren General Board in '
October, the resolution was proposed by
Brethren representative Vernon Miller at
the direction of the General Board.

A significant addition to the Brethren
resolution was an expression of concern
that the continued fighting in Lebanon
hinders hopes for peace.

A boycott of Nestle products was also
endorsed by the Governing Board. The
resolution contends that research has
shown that substituting commercial infant
formula for breast milk in areas of the
world where poverty, illiteracy, impure
water and inadequate sanitation prevail has
resulted in infant malnutrition, illness,
brain damage and death. The resolution
continues that despite this evidence.
Nestle "attempts to shift mothers in
the developing world from breast feed-
ing to the use of the corporation's infant
formula."

Another action taken by the Governing
Board makes NCC the first religious body
in the United States to adopt a comprehen-
sive open-meeting rule. The council's open-
meeting rule provides public access to
almost all official meetings and provides
for several important exceptions.

4 ME.ssENGER January 1979

Maryland's Broadfording
leaves the denomination

In two congregational votes in late August
and early September, the i,784-member
Broadfording Church of the Brethren near
Hagerstown, Md., changed its name to the
Broadfording Bible Brethren Church and
voted to disassociate itself from the Church
of the Brethren.

The action followed a dozen years of
conversations between representatives of
the congregation and its pastor. Bill Freed,
representatives of the Mid-Atlantic District
and, more recently, a reconciliation team
appointed by the Standing Committee of
Annual Conference.

Although Freed and other represen-
tatives of the Broadfording congregation,
the denomination's largest, had expressed
growing unhappiness with the denom-
ination's "liberalism" for a number of
years, the final break occurred over two
matters of polity: the ordination of
ministers and the right of the congregation
to hold its own property. Although
denominational polity has assigned both
responsibilities to the district, the Broad-
fording church had ordained its own
clergy for .several years and had changed its
charter to assure that, should the congrega-
tion dissolve, the property would not revert
to the district.

Attempts at reconciliation between the
congregation and the district were made at
several levels with no success. In explaining
the decision to become an independent
church. Freed wrote in the Broadfording
newsletter, "The time has come to stop ap-
pointing committees and talking and talk-
ing. Let us simply depart in peace."

The Mid-Atlantic District Conference in
October granted the request of the con-
gregation to withdraw from the denomina-
tion and agreed to release the church
property, with its indebtedness of
$600,000, to the Broadfording Bible
Brethren Church with the exception of the
cemetery property. The official statement
cautions that this action shall not be taken
as precedent for any future situations.

In a series of eight recommendations for
resolving the remaining issues, the district
also recognizes the continued existence of
the Broadfording Church of the Brethren.
The district intends to assign a pastor/elder
to give leadership to this group and to sup-
port these members in a continuing
ministry. An elected steering committee is
coordinating plans for this local group.

Bob Neff, general secretary of the
Church of the Brethren, commented on the
loss of this congregation, "We are always
grieved when brothers and sisters separate
... I do believe that representatives of
Standing Committee, the district, and the
reconciliation team have tried to follow the
directives of Scripture. That seems to have
failed in the present. But it is clear that in
God's time, we will all be one."

Leadership development
goal of area seminars

Forty-six Southern Ohio District pastors
and laypersons joined General Board and
seminary staff for a weekend seminar in
October, the second in a series of area
seminars which will eventually touch every
district of the denomination.

The Stewardship Enrichment Seminars,
planned by district stewards commissions
and the General Board's Stewardship
Enlistment Team, focus on the develop-
ment of congregational stewardship lead-
ers who can influence the congregation's
thinking about the total stewardship of its
resources.

To help the participants come to grips
with their own understandings of
good stewardship. Grady Snyder,
dean of Bethany Seminary, dealt with
biblical and theological understand-
ings of Stewardship. SET staffers Don

Brethren, Mennonltes
produce radio series

A seventh series of 90-second radio mes-
sages is nearing completion for release this
month. Named Choice VII. the series of 65
programs is a cooperative production of
the Church of the Brethren, Mennonite
Brethren, General Conference Mennonites,
and the Mennonite churches. The pro-
grams invite listeners to take the Jesus way
to resolve relational problems and to build
Christian community.

The short, fast-paced series speaks
pointedly to urban concerns and social
justice issues, such as prejudice, poverty,
crime and abuse of power. Each Choice
program pulls into focus a true-to-life
situation requiring a moral choice. The
narrator, David Augsburger, then presents
possible alternatives — including a Chris-
tian response — permitting the listener to

Stern and Ron Retry led planning for
back-home application.

Each of 10 congregations was repre-
sented at the seminar by its pastor and
several laypersons who were given oppor-
tunities in small groups to relate the con-
cepts being shared with the goals of their
own congregations. For some participants,
the seminar opened their eyes to their con-
gregation's need to set clear goals. Each
congregational group committed itself to
carrying out two specific goals in its
church during the next two months. These
goals ranged from launching the Con-
gregational Goals Discovery Rlan to in-
itiating group study of Christian financial
planning to starting a unit of study for
youth on stewardship.

The pilot area seminar was held in
Southern Ohio in early spring and met
with such enthusiasm that the district
provided a second opportunity for
churches who had missed the first session.
At least five other districts have seminars
scheduled for 1979 and 1980.

The Stewardship Enlistment Team in-
tends that every district should have oppor-
tunity to schedule a similar seminar in the
future. They hope the experience will be as
positive lor other participants as it was for
the Southern Ohio man who expressed to
Retry that his initial reluctance about
attending had been overcome and that the
seminar had been one of the "high points
of his life."

make the final decision. Listeners are in-
vited to write for a book containing ad-
ditional insights on the themes presented.

Congregations, businesses, or other
groups that sponsor the programs can
place their identification at the end of the
programs to make their services available
to listeners. Pastors and outreach leaders
are urged to consider Choice VII — or one
of the earlier series— as a part of their con-
gregational outreach plan.

'"Choice VII offers congregations an ex-
cellent opportunity to inform their com-
munities that they care about local needs,"
says Diane Umble, project director for
Inter-Mennonite Media Group. Umble
says she also believes weekday radio is an
effective way to invite non-Christians to
consider faith in Christ as a viable resource
for living today.

Persons interested in sponsoring Choice
may write to Mennonite Media Services,
Box 1252, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.

January 1979 messenger 5

BVS television special
taped in Pennsylvania

Brethren Volunteer Service was the subject
of a half-hour television special taped in
York, Pa., in September. Through staff
contacts in York, arrangements were made
for the show to be made at minimal cost to
BVS for showing on the York area cable
television.

The program was hosted by Joanne
Davis, BVS director, and directed by Merv
Keeney, then coordinator of volunteer
recruitment. Camera work and editing
were done by Mike Statler, a member of
the First Church of the Brethren, York.

The show looked at BVS past and pres-
ent by interviewing two volunteers. Eugene
Hartman, a member of the Codorus, Pa.,
church and a social worker for the state of
Pennsylvania, told how his BVS experience
19 years ago not only affected his life at the
time but also affected his direction for the
future. Also interviewed was Wendy Ober-
dick, a current BVSer who is assigned to a
day care program in Hutchinson, Kan.
Oberdick, a member of the Pine Grove
United Methodist Church in York was in-
terviewed at her York home.

In addition to the two interviews, Davis
offered a history of BVS and conducted a
visit to a BVS project. The "sound and
sight" went on-location to First Church of
the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa., where
Davis talked with John Nantz, director of
community services, a program to which
BVSers have been assigned.

The production was aired in the York
area in October. Both Davis and Keeney
express enthusiasm about the project and
Davis notes they have had a request to
show the tape in Hutchinson where Ober-
dick is assigned.

Special Fund to Combat
Racism aids 29 groups

The South-West African People's
Organization (SWAPO) received the
largest single amount of $125,000 from the
Special Fund to Combat Racism in a new
list of allocations approved by the 25-
member executive committee of the World
Council of Churches. SWAPO is recog-
nized by the United Nations and the
Organization of African Unity as represen-
tative of the people of Namibia in their
struggle against South Africa's illegal oc-
cupation of the country.

Young Georgia minister
elected NCC president

A black Baptist minister was elected presi-
dent of the National Council of Churches
during the November meetings of the
Governing Board in New York City.

M. William Howard Jr., 32, of
Princeton, N.J., is the youngest president
in the history of the organization and the
second black. As an executive with the Re-
formed Church of America, he administers
a program of leadership development for
some 3,000 black ministers and lay people
in the 250,000-member denomination.

Since joining the staff of the Reformed

Church in 1972, he has held a variety of
National Council and World Council of
Churches posts and has traveled widely
thoughout the US. Africa, Europe and the
Caribbean. He is considered a specialist in
racial justice.

Howard grew up in Americus, Ga., and
was educated at Morehouse College in
Atlanta and Princeton Theological
Seminary. Prior to accepting his position
with the Reformed Church, he had served
as associate pastor of the First Baptist
Church in Princeton and as campus
minister at Livingston College, part of
Rutgers University.

Howard expressed hope that during his
three-year term as president, the NCC can
establish closer relationships with councils
of churches throughout the world. He also
says that he hopes all those involved with
the council will more diligently study the
Bible, particularly "the scriptural mandate
for one church." In an Associated Press
story released following his election, he was
quoted as saying, "Our ecumenical journey
is a journey which leads to unity but not to
sameness."

As the new president of the NCC, which
comprises 32 denominations and about 40
million members. Howard succeeds
William H. Thompson, chief executive of
the United Presbyterian Church who has
held the position for the past three years.

A total of 29 groups in 12 countries
received grants in this eighth allocation
since the Special Fund was created in 1969
by the World Council's policy-making Cen-
tral Committee. Controversy recently sur-
rounded the grant of $85,000 from this
fund to the Patriotic Front of Zimbabwe.

All those receiving grants have agreed
that the money, which this year totals
$434,500, will be used for humanitarian
purposes as specified in the criteria govern-
ing the allocations made from the fund.

Six organizations received grants for the
first time. These included the Aboriginal
Community Organization Course and the
Kimberley Aboriginal Land Council in
Australia, the Hunters and Trappers
Association in Canada, the Indian Law
Resource Center and the National Con-
ference of Black Lawyers, both in the US.

The Special Fund, to which the Breth-
ren do not contribute, derives its income
solely from designated gifts from churches,
groups and individuals. The recent alloca-
tions bring the total amount disbursed over
the period of eight years beyond $3 million.

Executive's dismissal:
overspending blamed

A high-ranking executive of the National
Council of Churches was dismissed in
November by the council's executive com-
mittee because of two years of deficit
spending in the division he administered.
He is Lucius Walker Jr., a black American
Baptist minister who has headed the coun-
cil's Division of Church and Society since
1973.

In accordance with the NCC personnel
procedures, the executive committee, which
has final authority on personnel matters,
acted at the recommendation of Claire
Randall, general secretary. William P.
Thompson, then Council president, said
the action was taken because "programs
were implemented when funding was not
assured, and this tendency has increased
over a period of time." The division's
deficit for 1977 and 1978 is estimated at
$228,000.

The action was taken at the end of an

6 MtssENGER January 1979

executive session that lasted more than
three hours. According to Thompson, the
action was supported by a wide margin.

Thompson stressed that by this action,
"the council does not retreat from its com-
mitment to justice and human rights" and
expressed appreciation to Walker for
"significant leadership in these fields."

The policy-making committee of the
division, including three Brethren staff
members, met the day before the executive
committee took its action and recommend-
ed that attempts at reconciliation between
Walker and Randall be made.

"Baby beer" withdrawn
in face of opposition

Anheuser-Busch brewery has suspended its
test market promotion of "Chelsea," a low
alcohol soft drink beer (often tagged a
baby beer) because of criticism that it
could turn youths into beer drinkers.

Because of its low alcohol content (one-
half of one percent), Chelsea could be sold
to persons of any age and was stocked in
the test area on grocery shelves alongside
the soft drinks. The amber-colored drink
was packaged to look like the brewery's
premium beer and had a malt-flavored
base with a fruit flavor.

In the Virginia test market, nurses,
educators and clergy were among the most
adamant opponents of the new drink.
Brethren in the Shenandoah Valley were
vocal in their opposition to the beverage.
One congregation placed an ad opposing
Chelsea in the local newspaper. The
Shenandoah District board passed a
resolution in opposition to the product and
urged persons so desiring to boycott near-
by Busch Gardens, an amusement park
operated by Anheuser-Busch, in protest.

Acting in support of the concern ex-
pressed by several Virginia General Board
members during the October Board
meetings. Board media advocate Stewart
Hoover also joined the protest, writing to
Anheuser-Busch to suggest that the com-
pany use more responsible marketing
procedures in the future.

In announcing the suspension of test
marketing of the product, Anheuser-Busch
representatives said the company "believes
strongly that the concept behind the new
soft drink Chelsea is socially responsible
and that it fulfills a real need in the adult
beverage market." They denied the
beverage was intended to condition
youngsters to drink beer.

[U][n](^(t[fllD[fi](t^

HONORING

individuals who have contributed to the people

of Pennsylvania, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Com-
merce named Brethren educator A_. G. Breidenstine of Lancas-
ter one of 50 "Distinguished Pennsylvania.is" . . . . Oswald
H_. Goering , member of the Mount Morris, 111., church, re-
ceived the Julian Smith Award in October, the highest award
in the field of outdoor education. He is chairperson of the
faculty of outdoor teacher education at Northern Illinois
University. . . . Harvey S_. Kline, administrator of the
Brethren Home, New Oxford, Pa. , was one of three Elizabeth-
town College alumni honored at Homecoming. He received the
Educate for Service to Humanity Award. . . . Monroe C. Good,
pastor of the Dundalk church, Baltimore, was one of 11 Bal-
timore-area persons honored by the Swartz Foundation for
service to the community. . . . Janice Bowman , a member of
the Oakton, Va., church, has been named Virginia's Outstand-
ing Young Woman of the Year for 1978.

CELEBRATING ... her years of service to the denomination,
women of the Nokesville, Va. , church in October presented
Anna Mow with a quilt whose squares symbolize important
events in Dr. Mow's life. . . . Medford and Ada Neher were
saluted by the Morning Star church, Pompano Beach, Fla., on
"Medford and Ada Day" in October. He was the congregation's
first pastor and the couple, who have been married 59 years,
continue as staunch members.

PROVIDING LEADERSHIP

for this year's Southeastern

Youth Roundtable will be Andy and Terry Murray of Hunting-
don, Pa., where he is campus minister at Juniata College
and she teaches organ and piano. The April 28-29 event at
Bridgewater College is open to all high school age youth.
For more information contact the Interdistrict Youth Cabi-
net, Box 75, Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA 22812.

CHANGING JOBS ... is Ben F_. Wade, a Bridgewater College
graduate. He had been president of Westmar College, LeMar,
Iowa, until assuming the position of executive assistant to
the president of Bridgewater effective Feb. 1. . . . Ronald
G_. Shafer , member of the Center Hill church, Kittanning,
Pa., has taken a year's leave of absence from the faculty of
Indiana University of Pennsylvania to teach English at Ain
Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, on a Fulbright-Hays Fel-
lowship.

MEETING . . . with UN_ Ambassador Andrew Young and others in
November for the first formal meeting of the executive coun-
cil of the National Peace Academy Campaign was M_. R_. Zigler ,
veteran Brethren peace activist.

REMEMBERED ... is Ernest M. Wampler, 93 , pioneer mission-
ary to China who died Nov. 16 in Bridgewater, Va. He served
in China 1918-22 and 1928-50, mainly in Shansi Province.
His wife, Elizabeth survives. . . . David K. Hanawalt , 68,
of Everett, Pa., died Nov. 23. During his 50 years of min-
istry he had been active in district and camp work. His
wife, Eloise , survives.

January 1979 messenger 7

y[p)(dl@te

AT THE HOMES AND HOSPITALS

The Hospital Castaner board

has voted to discontinue receiving grants for its budget
from the Church of the Brethren General Board for the first
time in the hospital's history. The Puerto Rican adminis-
tration will be seeking increased assistance in the immedi-
ate future through personnel recruited by the Brethren. . .
When Kansas Governor Robert Bennett was in McPherson in Sep-
tember, he paid surprise visits to two nursing homes, in-
cluding The Cedars. After a complete tour by William Hobbs ,
the home's administrator, the governor, in a newspaper in-
terview, had nothing but praise for the Western Plains Dis-
trict's home. ... A groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 19 sig-
naled the start of a new residential/apartment complex at
Atlantic Northeast District's Peter Becker Community .

ON THE CONFERENCE CIRCUIT

A regional camp leaders'

training workshop is planned for March 15-18 at Camp Mack
in Milford, Ind. Sponsored by the Outdoor Ministries Asso-
ciation of the Church of the Brethren, it is for anyone in-
volved in camp leadership. Write Arden Ball, P.O. Box 158,
Milford, IN 46542, for details. . . . The 1979 Holy Spirit
Conference is scheduled Aug. 8-11 at Manchester College . .
. . The Michigan District Holy Spirit "Revival" Retreat is
planned for April 27-28 at Camp Brethren Heights.

IN EMPTY STOMACHS

Meat canned last February by the

Mid-Atlantic District in its joint canning project with the
Southern Pennsylvania District has found its way to the hun-
gry children fed by Aide aux Enf ants in Port-au-Prince , Haiti .
A recent visitor noted the bright yellow labels on the jars
of meat being used to feed more than 500 children daily.

ACROSS THE OCEAN

Members of the Bridgewater , Va.

church hosted 15 youths and two adult leaders from Cuxhaven,
Germany, for three weeks last summer. The group had spent
a year preparing for the trip and now Bridgewater is plan-
ning to send a group of youth on a return visit in 1980.

FOR CHRISTMAS

The Prince of Peace church, Denver,

shared its 1977 Chrismon tree in the form of a Christmas
card for members to use as their 1978 Christmas greeting . .
. . To remind Elginites to buy SERRV itenis for Christmas
gifts, volunteers from the Highland Avenue church stuffed
11,000 maps to the gift shop at the General Offices into
SERRV catalogs to be distributed in Elgin's daily newspaper.

AT MILESTONES

The Williamson Road church , Roanoke ,

Va. , marked its 30th anniversary the weekend of Oct. 28-29
with four special events. . . . First Church, Glendale ,
Calif. , will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a special
morning service Feb. 4. . . . Homecoming activities Oct. 22
marked the 80th anniversary of the Rocky Ford, Colo. , church
.... The Fairvietv^ church, Udell, Iowa, celebrated its
125th anniversary with a weekend of special services Dec. 1-
3. . . .To celebrate its 125th anniversary, Brandt's church,
St. Thomas, Pa., dedicated Nov. 12 a memorial constructed of
stones from the original church building.

8 MESSENGER Januarv 1979

f

i^, ,lfe

)

\

iM,

1

■4

>i^

h-

Major personnel shifts
announced at offices

Personnel additions and shifts have been
making news recently at the General Of-
fices.

James S. Replogle assumed the position
of production manager in December, filling
the vacancy left by
the resignation of R.
Dean Wenrich.
Replogle had man-
aged the print shop
of Berea College in
Kentucky the past
eight years. He has
20 years of printing
experience including
James Replogle his BVS assignment

at New Windsor and work at Manchester
College, of which he is a graduate.

Married to Becky Eller Replogle. he is
the father of two children, Shawn, eight,
and Heather, two.

The creation of the office of personnel
administration in the General Services
Commission, announced at Annual Con-
ference, has necessitated a number of per-
sonnel shifts. Serving in this cluster, head-
ed by Bentley Peters, are Anne Booth,
Hazel Peters, Mervin Keeney, Jan Mason.
Lois Baumgartner and a ministry consul-
tant yet to be employed.

Booth, formerly coordinator of year-
book and office services, has assumed
management responsibility for all group in-
surance programs of the denomination and
for the General Board employee pension
plan while continuing her management
responsibilities with the Church of the
Brethren Pension Plan.

Hazel Peters continues many of her past
responsibilities in the broad area of
denominational personnel and deployment
with particular emphasis on personnel
relations within the General Offices.

Keeney has handled interpretation and
recruitment for Brethren Volunteer Ser-
vice. In the shift to the personnel cluster,
this position has been broadened to include
recruitment for all volunteer and
professional positions related to the
General Board with specific continued
emphasis on BVS.

Mason, who has handled BVS training,
now carries an orientation staff develop-
ment portfolio. She has continued respon-
sibilities for BVS orientation and respon-
sibilities for developing orientation
procedures for Board employees and a

strategy for staff development.

Baumgartner will continue to assist in
the pastoral placement process and will in-
terview persons for hourly positions at the
General Offices.

The ministry consultant will assume the
responsibilities formerly carried by Bentley
Peters for pastoral placement, pastor/
church relationships, continuing edu-
cation and other issues related to
ministry.

In a related development, Galen Heisey,
formerly manager of computer services,
has been named coordinator of the office
of informational services, also lodged in
the General Services Commission. This of-
fice will combine computer operations and
general offices services including publica-
tion of the Church of the Brethren Direc-
tory and Statistical Book. The secretarial
needs of several staff persons and a number
of office services such as telephone service,
and equipment purchasing and
maintenance, will also be handled by
Heisey's office.

Brethren Encyclopedia
editorial board meets

The Brethren Encyclopedia to be published
in 1983 will include at least a brief entry on
each congregation of the five participating
Brethren bodies. That was among the
decisions made by the encyclopedia's
editorial board at its first meeting this fall.

Convened at the Covington, Ohio,
Church of the Brethren, the board met for
two days to begin work on the details of
the project. Participating were Kenneth
Morse and David Eller from the Church of
the Brethren; St. Clair Benshoff and Brad
Weidenhamer for the Brethren Church;
Howard Surbey and Jacob Ness, Dunkard
Brethren; Charles Turner and Robert
Clouse, Fellowship of Grace Brethren
Churches; Fred Benedict, who is president
of the board of directors, and Marcus
Miller, Old German Baptist Brethren;
and Donald Durnbaugh, editor.

The board's major work during this
meeting involved setting policies for the
creation of a manuscript, including es-
tablishing a style guide for the writers.

Between meetings of the editorial board
Burnbaugh, Joyce Cassell, editorial assist-
ant, and researcher Cathy Simmons, a
Brethren Volunteer Service worker, carry
on the daily work of researching and as-
sembling the encyclopedia from their of-
fices at Bethany Seminary.

Congress approves study
of peace academy idea

The US Congress has approved the es-
tablishment of a commission to study
proposals for a National Peace Academy,
an idea first proposed by George
Washington in 1773.

A citizens group called the National
Peace Academy Campaign (N-PAC) has
led efforts to establish a national center for
training and research in non-violent
methods of conflict resolution.

Peace academy supporters tried in 1975
to stimulate interest in it as a Bicentennial
project. When it became evident that the
public wasn't ready to establish such a
group, N-PAC was formed in July 1976 to
lead a two-phase campaign. The first step
would be to establish a commission to
study the proposed academy, the second
phase would be to press for establishment
of the academy.

The peace academy legislation passed by
the 95th Congress provides for a one-year,
nine-member panel to study how conflict
resolution techniques are used to peacefully
resolve school, community, environmental
and international disputes.

The commission will determine whether
to establish a US academy of peace and
conflict resolution to train people to use
these techniques.

Communicators consider
future satellite usage

"We must consider //Vi/ the human needs
that must be met, and then decide on
technology to meet them — and it may be
satellites." So concluded William F. Fore,
head of communications for the National
Council of Churches, in summing up the
recent consultation on Satellite Com-
munications and the Church. The consulta-
tion, sponsored by the NCC, was held at
Columbia University, and attracted nearly
100 religious and secular communications
experts.

Conferees considered a number of
issues involving emerging satellite
technologies, including applications for
broadcasting, regulation, the recent rise in
satellite utilization by independent religious
broadcasters, and the needs of the less-
developed countries for access to satellite
technologies.

During the discussion of regulation of
satellites. Federal Communications Com-

missioner Abbot Washburn and Fore dis-
agreed on the need for public service
satellites. The NCC emerging technologies
committee has advocated the provision of
non-profit satellite usages, whereas
Washburn opposes such an idea. The
regulation discussions also extended to the
upcoming UN-mandated World Ad-
ministrative Radio Conference (WARC),
which will determine international satellite
policy for the next 20 years.

James E. Miller, associate district ex-
ecutive of Shenandoah District, and one of
two Brethren representatives to the con-
ference, was particularly interested in
WARC. "The most important implication
of WARC will be the challenge it puts
before the United States to allow the less-
developed countries some space to use for
their own communications needs. Dialogue
is needed east to west and north to south
on these issues," he noted.

Miller and Stewart Hoover, General
Board media consultant who also
represented the Brethren, will be working
on proposals to the General Board regard-
ing Brethren use of satellite technologies.

Enrollment increases at
most Brethren schools

The 1978-79 school year brings increased
enrollments to six of the seven Brethren in-
stitutions of higher learning.

Bridgewater College in Virginia boasts
894 students, up from 829 in 1977-78, with 2 1
percent of the students being Brethren.

Pennsylvania's Elizabethtown College is
down to 1,422 students, a decline of 19
from 1977-78.

Juniata College, Huntingdon. Pa., has a
total enrollment of 1. 141. up 1 1 students
from last year with five percent of the stu-
dent body being Brethren.

The University of La Verne, La Verne,
Calif, shows a total enrollment of 1,166,
up 170 students, with five percent of the
students being Brethren.

Manchester College in Indiana has 52
more students than last year for a total of
1,152. Brethren account for 27 percent of
the students.

McPherson College in Kansas has 15
more students for a total of 484 with about
40 percent being Brethren.

Bethany Theological Seminary, Oak
Brook, 111., has 100 students enrolled in
masters degree programs and 27 in the doc-
tor of ministry program, an increase of 39
over last year.

January 1979 messenger 9

m^mw m\^(Q

International ^ar of the Child

by Darrell Turner

\>1PJ

Children's rights are getting attention and
action from churches in preparation for
observing the United Nations-sponsored
International Year of the Child in 1979.

The observance was formally announced
in 1976 by The United Nations Inter-
national Children's Fund (UNICEF) to
commemorate the 20th anniversary of the
UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
That document calls, among other things,
for "opportunities and facilities" to help
the child develop "physically, mentally,
morally, spiritually and socially ... in con-
ditions of freedom and dignity."

In the United States, the National Coun-
cil of Churches (NCC) has taken the lead
both in coordinating programs of its
member denominations and sponsoring
projects in communities to promote child
welfare. A working group on "the needs
and rights of children" has been organized
within the NCC's Division for Church and
Society to organize this work.

The Rev. Eileen W. Lindner, a United
Presbyterian minister and staff associate
for youth concerns with the NCC, has been
named by President Carter to a 25-member
panel that will promote projects in connec-
tion with the International Year of the
Child.

She and James A. Hamilton, director of
the NCC's Washington office, declared in
an article they co-authored for Christianity
and Crisis magazine last year that "if there
is to be a national policy toward the needs
and rights of children and youth, we
Christians have something to offer.

"The core of the problem being ad-
dressed is not only to be defined in the
terms of economics, politics or sociology.
It has to do with attitudes, emotions, self-
understanding, the meaning of life and
community. 1 he Christian church has
something to say about these things."

The NCC's 27-month Child and Family
Justice Project which Lindner is directing,
is designed to encourage the development
of public policies that support children and
families. It has been given a $250,000 grant
by the Carnegie Corporation of New York
for its work, which is based on ideas ad-
vocated in a report issued in 1977 by the
Carnegie Council on Children.

Titled "All Our Children: The American

Family Under Pressure," the report con-
tended that the central goal of public
policy on the family should be "to give
parents more authority and responsibility
in bringing up their children." Under the
Child and Family Justice Project, NCC
staff will help to organize committees in
200 communities. Each committee will sur-
vey at least 300 people to ascertain the
problems of local children and families,
launch public-education campaigns to il-
lustrate the relationships of the problems
and the public policy and to aid local proj-
ects that address the problems.

International Year of the Child was
given a strong endorsement by the late
Pope Paul VI during a special audience he
held in June for Henry R. Labouisse, the
American executive director of UNICEF,
and John Grun, director of the lYC
Secretariat in New York.

J he Pope noted that the general objec-
tives of the UN observance include "en-
hancing the awareness of the special needs
of children in the part of decision-makers
and the public," and promoting "sustained
activities for the benefit of children."

Commenting on problems children face
in the modern world. Pope Paul said that
"despite technological progress, children
still suffer and die from lack of basic
nourishment, or as victims of violence and
armed conflicts that they do not even un-
derstand.

"Others are victims of emotional neglect.
There are people who poison the minds of
the young by passing on to them preju-
dices and empty ideologies. And today,
children are exploited even to the point of
being used to satisfy the lowest depra\ities
of adults."

Child advocacy projects are being started
in several US denominations to focus on
these and other problems of children which
have not received major attention in public
policy planning.

In a study paper entitled "On Being a
Child," the program agency board of the
United Presbyterian Church has pointed to
what it describes as crises in "the health-
care system which discriminates against the
children of the poor especially, in the
education system whose failure to help all
children learn has led to widespread dis-

10 MESSENGER January 1979

illusionment with schooling, in the justice
system whose critics charge that juveniles
are denied basic rights and are not
rehabilitated and in the religious system
whose traditional attention to children is
being obscured by other preoccupations
while other groups have become concerned
with value education and deliberately ig-
nore the faith dimension."

Franna Diamond, program specialist for
the Children's Defense Fund of Wash-
ington, D.C., says that "children are
the poorest age group in our population;
they constitute an even larger group than
the elderly poor." Federal government
statistics also indicate that 10 million
children in the US have never received any
medical care, half the nation's children
have never seen a dentist and one million
children were physically abused by their
parents in 1975.

In reporting such information to a recent
task force meeting of the United Methodist
Church's Women's Division, Diamond
cautioned, "The temptation will be to
debate the issues rather than doing
something about them. We know what
children need. We don't need a study on
hungry children. We need to do something
about feeding them."

The United Methodist agency is coor-
dinating a variety of programs for Inter-
national Year of the Child, including dis-
tribution of resource materials, spon-
sorship of several regional consultations,
and a human rights seminar focusing on
children, to be held in New York City next
February.

In addition to developing their own
programs, most churches that are involved
in lYC efforts have also expressed interest
in helping to develop a more broad-based

UN Declaration of the Rights Of The Child

X

LU

to affection, love and understanding.

to adequate nutrition and medical care.

to free education.

to full opportunity for play and recreation.

to a name and nationality.

to special care, if handicapped.

to be among the first to receive relief in

times of disaster,
to learn to be a useful member of society

and to develop individual abilities,
to be brought up in a spirit of peace and

universal brotherhood,
to enjoy these rights, regardless of race,

color, sex, religion, national or social origin.

For further information (
Shantilai Bhagat
1451 Dundee Ave
Elgin. IL60120

approach, along the lines of the program-
ming being implemented by the National
Council of Churches.

Mr. Hamilton of the NCCs Washington
Office says that denominational statements
and programs "reflect a piecemeal ap-
proach" to the needs of children. What is
needed now, he feels, is "to develop a more
systematic and comprehensive view of the
needs and rights of children that encom-
passes . . . concerns. . . such as juvenile
justice, youth employment, health and
nutrition."

While serving as a spur to programs
designed to meet the needs of children, the
International Year of the Child may also
lead churches to develop a "theology of
childhood." The Rev. John Pridmore,
Anglican chaplain at King Edward's School
in Surrey, England, has made a tentative
approach to this question in an article in
Third Way, a British evangelical magazine.

o.

'ur theology of childhood," he writes,
"must concentrate on the 'continuous now'
of the young child's life. The norm of that
child's humanity, and of his relationship to
God, is given in the childhood of Jesus, what
he is to be now, not what one day he might
be. A child at any age may be wholly human
and wholly God's. Theologically, this is an
inescapable consequence of our faith in the
incarnation."

Urging the churches to accept children as
whole beings rather than as "developing
adults," Pridmore declares that "the
childhood of Jesus does not allow the
church any understanding of childhood
that measures the child by what, not yet
being an adult, he lacks. Jesus was a child."

International Year of the Child provides
an opportunity for action from all groups
in society, but particularly from churches.
As Alan Pifer, president of the Carnegie
Corporation of New York, says, "Churches
continue to reach deep into the lives of a
large proportion of families and children in
communities across the nation. They
should have a natural interest in playing a
greater role in the development of public
policies that affect family welfare." □

Darrelt Turner is a writer for Religous Ne^'s Service
in New York.

January 1979 messenger 11

The view from below

by Robert McAfee Brown

When I first began teaching theology, my
theme was "theology as an act of grati-
tude," gratitude for our belief that a
gracious God has visited us in our distress
and is continually creating new situations.

Part of our theological response, I
suggested then, was that our theology must
be confessional, emerging from the com-
munity of faith, with a sense of modesty
that recognizes how tentative and preten-
tious our claims really are. I urged that, in
carrying out this task, we listen carefully to
the Bible, the church and the world.

Over the years I have put more and more
emphasis on the listening, not so exclusive-
ly to what our own Protestant heritage has
to say, but to many other voices as well.
Roman Catholics, Jews, revolutionaries
and humanists tell us some important
things about the world in which we live to-
day. These are things we should hear
before we sing our own song.

There are many different songs being
sung in the world today, in many different
keys. They are songs of frustration,
awareness of self, bitterness, hope,
monumental defeats and modest victories.
As we listen to those songs, we are forced
to re-examine how we sing our Christian
song.

There have been many variants, many
different chords, in recent Christian

theology. We do not know exactly how our
future theological harmonies will be
reached. The resolution may be unex-
pected, perhaps even harsh at first hearing
for those who are not prepared. The
resolution, I believe, will be into a key in
which those who have had no voice in the
past will be heard for the first time, where
those who have been silent can now burst
forth into song, where those whose
selfhood has been denied can now affirm
themselves.

The artrculators of this theology in a new
key are described in many ways — the poor,
the "wretched of the earth," the oppressed,
the voiceless, the exploited, the victims.
They are women, blacks, handicapped,
homosexuals, Asians, Latin Americans.
The thing they have in common is that they
have been denied a hearing and they have
been without hope. They now demand a
hearing, and that very demand gives them
hope.

The dominant themes in our past
theology have been fashioned in response
to questions from a generation for whom
belief has become very difficult. But for the
majority of the Christian family today the
questions are being asked not by non-
believers, but by nonpersons. For
them the problem is not "How can
1 believe in God in the world

of modern science?" Rather it is "How can
1 believe in God when my children are
starving and my family is being tortured
and the system under which 1 live doesn't
care whether 1 exist or notT'

We must try to understand why those
who ask these questions — and they are the
majority of the human family — cannot
accept the world as it is, why they must opt
for radical change, why they will fight if
necessary for that change, and why they
cannot understand why those of us who
"have it made" are complacent in the face
of what happens to them.

Small wonder that they seek not only to
understand the world — but to change it, or
that they see theology and most church life
lined up with the status quo and against
them. Small wonder that, when others tell
them to quit complaining and get to work

A

We need to explore the necessity of simpler life-styles that exploit
neither the earth nor our neighbor. We must live more simply, so that
others may simply live. This is not far from Jesus' definition of his
mission: "to preach good news to the poor . . . release to the captives
. . . to set at liberty those who are oppressed."

to improve their situation, they reply, "We
will — as soon as you take your feet off our
necks."

In The Oath, Elie Weisel writes, "When
a Jew says he is suffering, one must believe
him." In our world many people are suffer-
ing, many people are hurting. That is not
only a problem, it is a theological problem
as well as a disturbing human problem.
When these people not only say that they
are hurting but that we are the ones who
are hurting them, that is not only a
theological problem, it is our theological
problem. One of the tasks of theology is to
take account of those cries and reflect on
what we, coming from a different place,
can do in response. For those who are
hurting are our sisters and brothers.

How are we to respond? There are at
least six items that appear on the agenda of
such a theological endeavor as I propose.

1) The starting point is not revelation or
a set of doctrines or a given tradition. It is

-what Bonhoeffer called "the view from
below." After 10 years of working in the
resistance movement against Hitler, he
said, "We have learnt for once to see the
great events of world history from below,
from the perspective of the outcast, the
suspects, the maltreated, the powerless, the
oppressed, the reviled — from the perspec-
tive of those who suffer .... We have to
learn that personal suffering is a more
rewarding principle for exploring the world
in thought and action, than personal good
fortune" {Letters and Papers from Prison).

2) If we were to look at the world "from
below" we would see that the world should
not be the way it is. Any theology for
today's world must have that in the very
marrow of its bones.

3) When we recognize that the world

should not be the way it is, we must ask
ourselves how we were able to look at it for
so long and remain morally insulated from
the need for drastic change. How can it be,
to borrow from Al Carmines, that
Slowly outrage turns to resignation
And comfort makes a truce with in-
dignation.
How have we been able to read the Bible
and our own tradition and yet remain com-
placent or committed only to modest
cosmetic changes around the edges of
structures that deal monstrously with "the
wretched of the earth," with the two-thirds
of the human family that goes to bed
hungry every night? Shouldn't that raise
suspicions about how we have seen and
responded to the world and Scriptures?

4) We must reread our worid and the
Scriptures with what Beatriz Couch, a
feminist liberation theologian from Argen-
tina, calls the "hermeneutic of hope," a new
way of translating our experiences. We
begin to do that by exposing ourselves to
the rereading of others. For example, in
the 1940s I was forced to reread the world
through Jewish eyes, end my pacifism and
enter the military. In the late 1950s and
early '60s the civil-rights movement forced
me to reread the world through the eyes of
blacks. In the mid and late '60s the eyes
were Vietnamese and this now meant of>-
posing the military. In the '70s I began to
see how we look to Third-World nations.

Many of these people have read the
Scriptures, but with "the view from below,"
and I have come to the hard and unsettling
conclusion that their readings is in many

cases more accurate than mine. Why?
Because where they are coming from is
where scripture has come from. Scripture is
written from their point of view. The Bible
was written by oppressed people and for
oppressed people with a promise from God
that the oppression will be overcome.

5) A rereading of the world and scripture
forces a rereading of the entire Christian
heritage, being more sensitive to the strains
that tell us the world must not remain the
way it is. My sisters and brothers in Latin
America, for example, are liberating me to
reread my own theological tradition and
purge it of tendencies to support im-
perialism, racism, classism and sexism.

The God of the Bible has a clear bias
toward the poor. When that God became
incarnate it was as one of the poor, who
was himself "despised and rejected." We
need to remember that the early church
was chiefly made up of the so-called lower
classes, that Augustine was black, that
there were church mothers as well as
d^wc\\ fathers, that there have always been
movements in the church that took "the
view from below" seriously.

As Karl Barth reminds us, "God always
takes his stand unconditionally and
passionately on this side and this side
alone: against the lofty and on behalf of

the lowly, against those who already enjoy
right and privilege and on behalf of those
who are denied it and deprived of it."

6) To keep all of this from becoming a
middle-class theological head trip we need
to listen to Gustavo Gutierrez:

"All the political theologies, the
theologies of hope, of revolution and of
liberation, are not worth one genuine act of
solidarity with exploited social classes.
They are not worth one act of faith, love
and hope committed, in whatever manner,
to an active participation to liberate human
beings from all that dehumanizes them and
prevents them from living according to the
will of God" (Theology of Liberation).

Those "genuine acts of solidarity" are
hard to come by, because they challenge so
much that we would like to preserve intact.
A beginning might be for our churches to
provide a platform, not to speak for the
voiceless, but to see that the voiceless gain
a voice.

A further step might be to realize that
our task is not so much to do things for
other people as it is to discover what con-
cerns we all have in common and how we
can work together. As a black friend told
me recently, "I will trust you more if you
have a stake in getting somebody off your
back than if you are simply trying to get

somebody off my back, because you may
find more interesting things to do and leave
me in the lurch."

We will need to explore the necessity of
simpler life-styles that exploit neither the
earth nor our neighbor. We must live
more simply, so that others may simply
live. We must be willing to explore the
charges from Third-World friends that the
economic and social system that benefits us
is destroying them.

That is a scary notion, but if it is true (as
1 happen to believe it is), then our "genuine
act of solidarity with exploited social
classes" will mean a serious look at ways in
which we can change that system so that it
is no longer exploitative.

That may initially seem a far cry from
theology or the gospel, but it is not so far
from Jesus' own definition of his mission;
"to preach good news to the poor . . .
release to the captives ... to set at liberty
those who are oppressed."

None of that can be done individually. It
must be done in community. We will need
fewer soloists doing theology in a new
key and more people who are willing to
join a chorus. D

Robert McAfee Brown is professor of ecumenics and
world Christianity at Union Seminary in New York.
Reprinted, with permission, from A.D., September
1977.

14 MESSENGER January 1979

(g(o)D[L^[nji][n]

by L. Wayne Fralin

A partnership venture

Goal-setting is a term heard often these
days in the life of the church. What does it
really mean? 1 like to think of it as a
partnership venture as we join together to
determine what creative ministries we
should experience in the name of Christ.
We live in urgent times when the call of the
gospel needs to be heard on many issues
and in many places in our complex world.
As one denomination, we cannot be
everywhere and do everything. In seeking
to be faithful stewards of our resources, it
becomes essential that we establish
priorities for the use of these resources. It
is also essential, from my perspective, that
as we set those goals and priorities that we
be faithful to who we are.

Goal-setting is not new for our
denomination; in the early 1970s concerns
were raised about the processes being used.
The major concerns asked questions about
the respective roles of the districts and the
denomination in implementation; whether
or not the priorities provided the bases for
specific goals of congregations, districts
and the denomination. And whether the
relationships between districts and the
General Board were adequate to achieve
such purposes. The Goals and Budget
Committee of the General Board heard
these concerns and formed a committee to
study the issues. After two years of extend-
ed study and debate the committee,
through the General Board, recommended
a process to better work at unifying our ef-
forts across the total church. These policies
and procedures were adopted by the 1975
Annual Conference and stand as our man-
date for the process in which we are now
engaged.

In brief, the policies call for establishing
priorities for half a decade and outline
procedures for coordinating our efforts
through consultations of persons from the
various units of the church. In other words,
to work toward what the 1975 report
quoted as the primary need, "a singleness
of purpose, sense of corporate identity, set

of common goals, priorities, and objectives
to which budget and staff (Brotherhood,
district, local) are committed."

It is out of this background and Con-
ference action that our current process is
based. We presently stand at the midway
point. It began in January 1978 at New
Windsor with the annual Brotherhood/
district staff consultation to outline the
specific process and time frame for the Goals
and Budget Committee, which began work
in February to finalize that outline and to
draft a statement of goals. This work con-
tinued until such a statement was hammered
out and presented in the General Board
for adoption at its June 1978
meeting. With this accomplished, the ten-
tative statement was ready for distribution
to the denomination for study and input.
From July 1, 1978 through Dec. 31, 1978, a
period of six months, this statement was
debated. A letter from the General
Secretary was sent to each congregation
along with suggested formats for Bible
study and discussion, inviting and en-
couraging their participation. Many con-
gregations and districts took the task
seriously and provided significant feedback.

T.

he above process just ended. Now comes
the task of assimilating the input and mak-
ing the necessary changes in the goals state-
ment to accurately reflect the concerns and
dreams of the church at large. Indeed, it has
been and continues to be a partnership ven-
ture with all units of the church involved.
The process will continue to include all units
as we discuss and decide program priorities
and implementation procedures.
The goals statement will be presented to the
1979 Annual Conference at Seattle where
once again we will work as partners in dis-
cussing, debating and amending it until it
reflects our corporate goals for the first five
years of the 1980s.

If we are to meet the objectives of the
1975 Conference action, it is essential that

broad ownership develop for the goals of
the '80s. The General Board has worked
hard at providing opportunity for everyone
to participate and provide input. In addi-
tion to the consultations and every church
invitation, the Board at its February
meeting in Indianapolis met one evening in
a local church at a district-wide fellowship;
joining with nearly 300 persons represent-
ing 42 congregations in discussing what
concerns the church should deal with in the
next decade. It was a valuable experience.
After the goals statement is adopted in
Seattle, consultations will continue as
specific program priorities are established.

J his is an important process as we work
together to determine our future ministries.
J he decade of the "80s will bring important
changes in our society and world, and the
voice of the church will need to be heard
with clarity if we are to help shape a world
that must become more peaceful, just and
reconciling; and if it is to offer a choice
that is predicated on love and community.
Goals for the '80s is an attempt to coor-
dinate our program and unite our church's
voice in significant ministries that reflect
who we are as a community of faith.

Congregational and individual in-
put is very important. It is my hope and
prayer that all units of the church will take
their share of the responsibilities ser-
iously and will engage in ministries
which reflect our corporate goals and
our common life together. The goals stat-
ment may well be the most important
thing we decide in Seattle. D

H'avne Fralin is Vice-Chairperson of ibe General
Boarti A hank examiner, he is a member of First
Church III the Brethren. Orlando. Fla.

January 1979 messenger 15

Exploring self and world

After 30 years, BVS orientation
still prepares youth for service

by Steve Sunmons

«^ast year Brethren Volunteer Service placS^JB people in 50 service SirdaKSfi^. Unit 136 is a part
t|^ figure and the lives of 23 persons.

T Since 1948, BVS has encouraged participants "to grow in the development of motivations, values,
beliefs and in spiritual resources for life." Thirty years later, orientation unit 136 convened at Reba
Place Fellowship to explore our part in Christian community and discipleship.

To relate all the month's experiences in a short article is like stuffing the Sahara in an hour-glass.
But the month can be divided into exploration of self and world — the journeys inward and outward.
Growth opportunities can also be divided into education gained in lecture/discussion sessions and in
free time as we strove to become a loving community of brothers and sisters.

For a unit focusing on Christian discipleship and community, Reba Place in Evanston, 111., with
Elder Bill Faw as director, was a logical setting choice. RPF is an intentional community, with 300
members in 14 extended family households and dozens of nuclear family apartments.

Behind one of these apartments sits the stately guest home (once very stately, now a little less). It
was here that the 136th unit was ensconced for one month.

Basic living decisions were easily made. The seven males (counting leadership) occupied the main

floor bedrooms, while the 16 females
shared floor space in the loft. With two
bathrooms — one with a shower — early
cooperation and trust became a necessity.
When the morning rush for shower and
sink time began, visions of privacy were
abandoned as one in the shower and a
group at the sink set the precedent. If we
could work this routine out, true communi-
ty was not far behind.

As we first assembled, there was a feeling
of awkwardness and trepidation. But, com-
paring feelings, we all realized we were in
the same boat. Said one, "1 have mixed
feelings about this experience, right now
they're fear and excitement." But we were
ready to grow, in what another termed the
"peaceful atmosphere of Reba Place."

We shared initial feelings while outside a
man on the sidewalk could be seen through
the window juggling oranges — how in-
credible, but appropriate — many of us felt
we too were being juggled, trying to put all
the aspects of our lives together and not let
one slip to the ground.

Discussion over our first meal in small
groups, centered on hopes for the month's
process, and reasons for joining BVS. Back
in the larger groups ideas aired were:

"I don't have a job, it's now or never."

"We are all very excited. We want to
learn what community is and how we affect
other communities."

"We want to be open to the program —
we'll see what goes — we want to be able to
shift emphasis from self to an approach
outward after exploring ourselves, to ex-
plore the world, and find a niche."

"Some have direction; I don't, I'm trying
to find myself."

"1 want to go where the spirit leads me
and learn to tie in ideals of community
within and without the unit community."

An exercise in getting acquainted and
breaking the ice followed. Each of us had
to interview a group member we had never
met before (some of the group were college
friends, even roommates), using a Green
Goddess salad dressing bottle as a
microphone.

We now knew each other as a mixture of
American high school and college grads
(Manchester, Bridgewater, La Verne and
Elizabethtown), and a Swiss couple. That
evening began our first songfest. Singing
was to become a calling card for the group
as there were many guitarists, led by Peter
Haynes and singers with harmonic skills,
led by Steve Broache.

As we launched into familiar songs that
first night, all fears of the unknown dissi-

pated—we were on our way. "Down by the
Riverside," all eight verses, was augmented
with an extra verse of "Gonna lay down
my Neutron bomb" and the evening ended
with "Amazing Grace"— the song and the
feeling.

Immediately, mundane tasks of cooking
and cleaning were handled. Our own "four
basic food groups" were formed and made
responsible for budgets, buying and
preparing the meals. Many of us learned
fundamental cooking (don't put whole cin-
namon sticks in oatmeal; they don't soften)
and how to cook for a clan of 23.

Cementing our feeling of community and
closeness was the session of personal
growth and faith sharing on the fifth day.
It was also the most helpful, yet difficult
session. Before a group we knew, but
maybe not that well, we had to tell all, the
life story. Included was coverage of "What
gives your life meaning? Where do you find
strength and peace? What do you value?
What are your priorities? As Christians,
what was Christ's challenge regarding
worth?" What events have formed

your life journey that make you uniquely
you?"

There came a sense of being naked
before the group, pouring it all out, while
feeling your heart pound.

For some, the session was especially dif-
ficult and troubling. Yet the illumination,
trust and shared joy of purpose that
resulted made the session invaluable. There
were tears and laughter as we shared things
we had never shared with friends we had
had for years.

This event alone is one of the things that
gives BVS orientation the unique intensity
it has (the number of couples alone
formed from BVS is impressive).

1 he stories included deep personal items
that many had not fully reckoned with
themselves. The acceptance they found in
the group was overwhelming for them and
evidence that a group can become a com-
munity, reveling in both differences and
similarities.

Many had drawn pictures, graphs or
charts as illustrations which were hung on
the wall, like banners. Along with the

Singing became a symbol of I he group's unity. The unit entertain in the home of a rights-
fighting paraplegic in Gary, Ind., where the group studied prejudice.

butcher-paper question sheets, they fluttered
like birds over director Bill Faw's head.

After the sharing we gave backrubs (a
community element of all units) and
bounced emotions off each other, like
rubber balls on pavements.

Another constant of BVS is the practice
project which comes during the second
week. BVSers have the option of doing
work similar to the year's work they are
considering or something totally different.
The week can give a feel for attractive
work or change minds. It can raise con-
cerns about volunteering.

Some of these were shared when Stan
Davis of the Chicago YMCA visited the
unit. Patti Moser, having worked in a
hospital wanted to clarify her stand on
abortion. Steve Broach, after working with
delinquent boys wanted to clarify his on
drug abuse. Some asked, "Where does a
volunteer fit in?" We came back with a
better picture of volunteering, and a long-
ing to be in our secure, powerful group.

But practice project helps one deal with
the most traumatic part of BVS, final proj-
ect assignment with BVS director Joanne
Nesler Davis.

The process involves an interview (inter-
views, if necessary) with Joanne and
staff — Jan Mason, orientation coor-

dinator, and Nick Butler, her assistant. A
schedule was established with the most un-
decided of project choice at the beginning
and those of us locked into positions
already, batting clean up.

During this period the books of project
openings became well-thumbed, as last
minute consultations and weighing of
choices became the order of the day. Where
you could fit in, and where you could use
your skills, was a major decision.

In a small turret room of the house the in-
terviews took place. They were formidable,
not because of Joanne, but like the naming
of a beneficiary on the insurance form, they
were final. There was no more chance to
back out, and always the chance that the
agonizing decision could be wrong. Also
with the entire staff present, the interviews
have the air of an evaluation. This process
changes the group atmosphere from carefree
campgoer to student servants arriving at the
month's actual purpose — preparation for
serious service and commitment.

We felt joy for everyone after having
made their decisions and celebrated in our
general eagerness to get started on proj-
ects. The realization that almost two weeks
remained seemed much too long.

That night Joanne Davis presented a few
of her own guidelines for volunteers. "A

Peter Haynes stresses a point while Jackie
Reisinger considers the discussion.

There were frequently days of three,
two-hour discussion I lecture sessions, mak-
ing many feel they were back in school. Top-
ics ranged from the history
of the Church of the
Brethren, meditation and
community to human
sexuality and global
awareness.

volunteer must have the willingness to be
flexible and open to everything. There are
many kinds of Christians who spend their
lives clarifying the covenant."

Later in the week, Stan Davis echoed
some of her concerns. He had the group
list its project expectations: I) to find
challenges, 2) new cultures, 3) potential op-
portunities for personal growth, and 4) in-
dependence.

Stan knocked everyone out of their
middle-class seats and dragged them into
reality.

"You have the luxury of serving a year,
you can enjoy a year and write it off as ego
massage — and then be wounded when
treated hostily.

We were jolted out of any "angel of mer-
cy" roles when Stan made us stare at how
we project ourselves, the way we see
ourselves, and its sharp contrast with the
way others will.

"Now you feel the arrogance of wanting
to help — who gives you that authority to
butt into someone's life?'

A major issue for the unit came to a
head when the Maryknoll Sisters of Des
Plaines presented a day-and-a-half session
on global concerns. We looked at global
division of resources, US and world pover-
ty, unemployment, multi-national cor-
porations, energy, military and the United
Nations in simulation games, quizzes and
discussion.

Uleli and Marianne Schwarzmann had
been appalled at the Americans' lack of
awareness to world concerns and their sub-
sequent apathy. High school and college
students who did not know the term
"apartheid" or the dominating influence in
the world of the US, were lacking in educa-
tion.

Jackie responded to the accusation by
saying she wanted "her own problems
reckoned with before she took on the
world's."

The form we had filled out during the
session had a reflection question of
statements most relating to our thinking.
One response was "The problem of worid
poverty is so enormous and complex I
don't see how my life or my efforts will
really make much difference."

Asked Karen Eckman, "What can I
do? — there are so many wrong things?"

She felt oppressed by those who had
checked positive affirmations on the form:
"The problem of world poverty is my
problem, since the future of my life is tied
to the lives of all other people on earth."
"The problem of world poverty is solvable,
and my responsibility is to do everything

18 MESSENGER January 1979

possible to get people and governments to
practice the solutions." "The problem of
world poverty is so urgent that I can't wait
to know all I need to know before I
take action to combat poverty."

Doug also gently chastized the unit for
its lack of knowledge, and several felt un-
duly criticized.

"We read the newspaper and Farm Jour-
nal at home," said Shirley. "You can't ex-
pect me to know all this."

"I think you must to be sensitive to peo-
ple and where they are in their lives," said
Bonnie. "We all have different back-
grounds (Doug from a family that dis-
cussed world affairs around the dinner
table; Shirley from a farming family that
did not) and ideas of what is important."

"Some people treat their own neighbors
badly. How can we speak about world
neighbors when we can't deal with the ones
here?" said Jackie.

This discussion was exciting and neatly
tied the major themes of the unit, being at
community with yourself and the world.

The Christian challenge had caught up
with us. There is room to grow as an in-
dividual and a global citizen. Global
awareness vs. introspection is not a conflict
but a challenge — one that we ended up giv-
ing each other, vowing to work on through
our volunteer years and our lives.

From a group of 23 semi-strangers we
had become a group, able to share in the
joy of accepting communication, finally
grasping the concept of speaking the "truth
in love" as Bill Faw had taught us.

Talking now with people who have
traveled through the program, there is a
common bond. BVSers share a desire to
improve their world and themselves.

The first day of orientation someone had
said, "We all have something in common,"
and we do. It is our constant growth on the
aforementioned levels.

This is something we share with all
BVSers. Currently there are an average of
five scheduled orientation units a year and
almost 4,000 BVS graduates.

Our orientation was only one of the 139

Work projects are a part of each BVS
unit. Since the major focus of the unit was
learning, the work projects took a back
seat, but were not forgotten. Karen Tyler's
window-woodwork painting (right) was
part of the revamping of an apartment at
Reba Place. At Plow Creek, Reba Place's
farming sister community, unit members
picked apples and tomatoes, canned
cleaned, fixed cars, roofed and painted.

BVS units processed so far. Put in perspec-
tive, it is only one brick in a foundation of
service. Yet units share common goals, dis-
cussion topics, practice projects, the ago-
nizing final decision and "opportunities for
growth."

Our last night together featured a love
feast of fruit and foot-washing. We were
told to bring something to share, nothing
tangible — just a thought, poem or simply
thanks.

Doug said he wanted to remember our
month "as a time when 23 diverse people
came together and danced for a while."

(this dance motif appears on our unit
t-shirts).

At the Church of the Brethren General
Offices in Elgin, 111., BVS has a basement
workroom. Hanging on the wall is a
Robinson Crusoe-esque poster of an exotic
parrot overlooking a coastline. The caption
reads, "Growth is the only evidence of life"
(Newman).

1 have grown; and in a month of living

fully, n

Sieve Simmons, a member of the I36ih BVS Orienfa-
tion Unit, is serving his BVS lerm as an editorial assis-
lanl on the Messenger staff.. A University of La Verne
graduate, his home is in Ventura. CaUf

January 1979 messenger 19

myk

20 MESSENGER January 1979

I

Hear Ihc uiord

Read Philippians 2:6-11 (Good News
Bible)

The passage in Philippians 2:6-11 is rich
and powerful in meaning. It is a fascinating
and unique portrayal of Christ. On the one
hand, Christ's sovereignty, power and
divinity are proclaimed. His authority over
"all beings in heaven, on earth" (10-11) is
established. But on the other hand, in
verses 7 and 8, Paul, in beautiful poetic
language, describes Christ's humility and
lowliness — "gave up all he had" ("emptied
himself — RSV); "took the nature of a ser-
vant"; "became like man"; "walked the
path of obedience ... to his death on a
cross." And then Paul turns around and
says that it was because of all this that
God "highly exalted him and bestowed on
him the name which is above every
name" (9-10 RSV), And "every tongue
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord"
(11 RSV).

The full impact of this passage can be
felt only by examining practically every
word with the utmost attention. However,
there is just one word in verse 8 that I want
to focus on. That word is obedience. It
does no good to talk about the Lordship of
Christ unless we are willing to practice
obedience.

If we are honest, most of us have to ad-
mit that we are more comfortable talking
about Christ in terms other than Lord. It is
great to talk about him as Savior, for who
doesn't want to be saved? We appreciate
him as teacher and guide — all of us can use
his wisdom and insight! All of us desire his
friendship — and surely that has value and
importance! But above all else — before all

else — Christ is Lord! This means we are his
subjects, submissive to his authority,
obedient to his command. And that is
where the rub comes. None of us find it
easy to accept authority or to be obedient.

Perhaps by looking at the word
obedience, we can come to a better un-
derstanding of the implications of Christ's
Lordship for us. The word most often used
for obedience in the Bible brings out the
full meaning of the verb "to hear." For in-
stance. Paul refers to Abraham as having
"believed God" (Rom. 4:3; Gen. 15:6). But
in the words attributed to God himself,
Abraham "obeyed" or heard my voice
(Gen. 22:18; 26:5). Biblically, to receive an
utterance of God in a noncommittal or
merely passive fashion is virtually out of
the question. "To hear" is to be persuaded
and so to obey. The Greek word used by
Paul in verse eight is hupekoos from
hupakouo, "to hear under (as subordinate)
to listen attentively" (Strong's Exhaustive
Concordance of the Bible).

V^hildren exercise what I call "selective
hearing." This was a typical exchange
between my father and me: "Jimmy," he
would say, "I thought I told you not to do
that. Why don't you listen?" "But Daddy,"
I would reply innocently, "I didn't hear
you." And he would respond in exaspera-
tion, "That's the trouble, Jimmy, you don't
listen. You don't want to hear. You're just
plain 'hard-headed!'"

He was partly right. Although it was not
totally intentional — I was not that
sophisticated or courageous — I guess I
concluded that as long as 1 didn't hear, I

didn't have to obey. Almost intuitively —
without the help of Greek words — my
parents recognized the close relationship
between hearing and obeying. For my
father to ask, "Why don't you listenT' was
the same as asking "Why don't you obey?"

We have trouble living under the
Lordship of Christ because we do not
listen. And if we don't listen, how can we
obey? If we don't obey, how can we
proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord?
Christians have the same problem 1 had as
a boy. We define and limit Christ's authori-
ty by selective hearing. He is allowed to be
Lord of that part of our life for which it is
convenient, expedient and profitable. We
refuse to grasp the central meaning of what
Paul is saying in this second chapter of
Philippians. We do not listen and there can
be no obedience unless we hear. It is only
when we hear that obedience is possible,
and then Christ is truly Lord of our life.

Christ does not share his Lordship with
anyone or anything else. He is either Lord
of all our life or he is not Lord at all! It
does no good to hear what he has to say
about one part of our life and then turn a
deaf ear to his demands for another part of
our life.

We do a lot of talking at Annual Con-
ference, district conference, workshops and
retreats. But it's equally important that we
listen. We show that we live under the
Lordship of Jesus Christ, not so much by
what we say, but by how well we listen and
by how well we hear what he has to say.
We can't be obedient to our Lord's call un-
less we are able to hear it. Q

Jimmy R. Ross is pastor of the Codorus congrega-
tion. Loganville. Pa.

/ou limmu R. Ross

January 1979 messenger 21

Are you ready?

Open your spiritual Christmas Club account
now and use the whole year to prepare
yourself for the birth of Christ into our lives.

by Mary C. Early

Christmas is over! The children are back in
school, and life seems quiet after the mad
holiday rush, but the world still won't let
us forget Christmas. Banks are advertising
Christmas Clubs for next year. Stores are
getting rid of Christmas decorations, offer-
ing fantastic savings of 25 to 50 percent off
the pre-season prices. Bills are rolling in,
reminding us that the joy of giving cannot
be achieved without the pain of paying.

All through the month of December the
prevailing question was "Are you ready for
Christmas?" implying, of course, "Have
you cleaned and decorated the house,
baked the holiday cookies and bought and
wrapped all your gifts?" At the dentist's of-
fice one year, I heard a woman ask the
receptionist, "Are you ready for Christ-
mas?" and immediately follow her question
with the suggestion that we cancel Christ-
mas that year. The receptionist's response
sounded almost as hopeless: "Maybe
by next year this time, I'll have it all
together."

Every year we vow that next year we'll
start getting ready sooner, but for some
reason we .never do. We complain that
Christmas is too commercial. Merchants
always seem to be rushing the season. Craft
catalogs feature Christmas kits in their
mid-summer sales. The Sears Christmas
catalog arrives at the end of August. Stores
sell decorations by Hallowe'en, if not
sooner. Why is it then, with all this outside
push, that no one ever seems "ready" for
Christmas? Is it because we're trying to get
ready in the wrong way? Has anyone ac-
tually asked us, "Are you ready to receive
Christ into your heart this ChristmasT'
Most of us have truly forgotten that Christ
is a part of Christ-mas and that preparing
for him should be our prime objective in
"getting ready."

The first step in preparing ourselves

spiritually might be to take the advice of
the banks. They tell us to start Christmas
Club deposits now, at the beginning of the
new year, to avoid the after-Christmas
blues of having too many bills to pay at
one time. Why not begin now to invest
spiritually and follow a schedule of regular
"deposits" throughout the year? Spiritual
assets are at an all-time high during the
holiday season, but by the end of January
life tends to slow down. In many places,
winter is full upon us, life seems humdrum
and we are bored. That special Christmas
feeling is gone, a sign that we used up our
religion at Christmas and have little left to
carry us through the year. Daily prayer
time and devotions are a valuable asset and
if practiced all year will not leave us
spiritually bankrupt when the high times of
Christmas have passed.

M.

Laking spiritual "deposits" all year
long is only one way to begin preparing for
Christmas. One basic activity that seems to
occur during the holiday season is
housecleaning. Everyone knows that a
regular cleaning schedule throughout the
year means a less difficult chore at Christ-
mas time. Do we, however, follow any
schedule of spiritual housecleaning? How
often do we take time to remove the
cobwebs of involvement with self? How
often do we clean the dusty corners of
doubt and try to build a stronger faith in
God? How often do we wash away the
dirt — confess our sins and ask for
forgiveness? How often do we sincerely ex-
amine our inner selves to discover and deal
with our biggest problems and our greatest
fears? Regular spiritual housecleaning is an
important step in preparing ourselves to
receive Christ into our hearts at Christmas.
When the house is cleaned, most persons
have the urge to prepare some special
foods for the Christmas holidays. The

physical side of this habit is, perhaps, a lit-
tle dangerous, because we tend to over-
indulge and gain unwanted pounds.
Spiritually, however, there is no such risk.
As in eating, a regular diet of spiritual food
is the best policy to follow throughout the
year. Reading the Bible and inspirational
works by C.S. Lewis, J.B. Phillips,
Catherine Marshall or Eugenia Price (to
name just a few) should give us food for
thought that can stimulate and increase our
faith.

At Christmas time, special selections
such as Norah Lofts' How Far to
Bethlehem? and Henry van Dyke's The
Other Wiseman can be an excellent means
of helping us get ready for Christmas.

The other major task in prepanng lor
Christmas and the one that is, perhaps, the
source of the most difficulty is that of '
choosing gifts for family and friends. With
the coming of the toy catalog in August,
we get the idea that late summer is not too
soon to think about buying gifts. Children
have no trouble at that time of year telling
us what they want. Certainly, therefore, it
is not too early to think about our gift for
Christ at Christmas. Indeed, even August
may be too late. Whatever time or talent
we may have can grow rusty from
December to December if it has not been
invested wisely all year through. Our gift to
Christ cannot be a mere ornament or
gadget that allows us to go through the
motions of giving without any creative ef-
fort. When we have carefully considered
the matter, we will surely realize that the
only significant gift of any real value is the
gift of ourselves — cleaned of dusty think-
ing, well-fed on a regular diet of spiritual
food, and presented to God in his service
throughout the entire year.

Although the response of the receptionist
in the dentist's office may have sounded
hopeless — "Maybe by this time next year,
I'll have it all together" — the thought
should not be disregarded. Why not take
all year preparing ourselves for the birth of
Christ into our lives each Christmas? We
need to open our spiritual Christmas Club
accounts now so that we will be preparing
for His coming. If we can do that, there
will be no last minute panic, no frantic
question at 1 1 p.m., next December 24:
"Am 1 ready?" D

Mary C. Early is a free-lance writer and a library
assistant in Chester, i'a.

22 MESSENGER January 1979

A very special
Jibaro

by John Forbes

Don Jose Francisco has gone to glory.

Of all the members of the Castaner congregation, don
Jose best exemplified the Brethren spirit of laboring for
the "glory of God and my neighbor's good." Don Jose
had moved to Castaner in 1950 from Juana Diaz (in
south central Puerto Rico) where he had been a civic
leader and a leader in the United Evangelical Church.
Having studied agronomy at the Polytechnic Institute
in San German, he bought Hacienda Asuncion, a large
farm near Castaner, and could have lived the comfort-
able life of an hacendado. But his coming coincided
with the founding of the Castafier Church of the
Brethren, and he was one of the founders.

Near his farm was a small community called Cerrote.
The people there lived isolated from all the towns. No
road led out, there was no school, no health services, no
church. Illiteracy, extreme poverty, poor health and
high mortality were the order of the day. Don Jose
called on the church to help Cerrote.

Today Cerrote children come in school buses to
Castaner, graduate from high school, and can go on to
university. Many, probably most, of the people have
accepted Christ as Savior because they have seen and
Hved what it means to be a Christian.

Don Jose was an enthusiastic member of the church:
moderator, elder, treasurer, Sunday school teacher,
deacon, trustee and twice delegate to Annual Con-
ference. Near the end of his life he was ordained a
minister. He was always interested in Christian social
action. The congregation has gone through many trials
and tribulations, but don Jose never lost his
equilibrium. His quiet faith told him that things would
turn out all right. And they did.

He found time to be a community leader as well.
President of the Castaner Community Committee, he
helped usher in the tremendous progress in Castafier
while making sure that differences in politics and
religion would not enter into community work. To this
day, Castafier maintains its civic spirit at this high level,
and all alike share the struggles, joys and sorrows
of the community. Active also in local cooperatives,
some of which he helped found, don Jose served as a
member of the boards of directors of the Coffee
Growers' Cooperative, Castaner Health Cooperative,
Agricultural and Industrial Cooperative of
Maricao and others. At one board meeting of the fledg-
ling health co-op, he humbly apologized that he

Don Jose Francisco discusses the Puerto Rico church with district
executive Merle Crouse (center) and Wayne Fralin (right).

could not give as much effort as he would like due to his
many commitments.

The people who live in the mountains of Puerto Rico
are called "Jibaros," sometimes respectfully, sometimes
as a put-down. Basically, the term means a rural person,
not much affected by modern ways (much like the
Brethren were). Among its connotations are love of the
land, hospitality, friendliness, sincerity, and identification
with Jibaro culture, music and poetry. Don Jose was
well educated, but held to these values. He spoke English
well, but with a strong Jibaro accent. Whether in Eng-
lish or Spanish, he impressed everyone with his soft-
spoken, well-reasoned, constructive ideas. In him was the
best of the Jibaro, the best of the Brethren.

Don Jose's farm, in the midst of the decUne of Puerto
Rican agriculture, was never very profitable. He had a
few laborers, but tried to help them to grow their own
food on parcels lent to them. On the farm is one
notable hill not planted in coffee. There hundreds of
Brethren, service workers and visitors, have driven in
jeeps and small cars to the very top and looked in awe
at the valley spread below them. There we have
celebrated many services to the glory of God.

The members of the Castafier Church of the
Brethren, together with don Jose's family, have set up a
memorial fund in his name to develop a retreat center
on the church property at Cerrote. His dream was
to develop a camp for church retreats, agricultural
workers and other visitors.

Don Jose leaves his wife Albara and three children to
carry on his work, his dreams and his Christian living.
One daughter, Diana, lives in Chicago with her hus-
band Raul Solivan and their children. Jose Jr. and Lin-
da live in Castafier and are active with their mother
in the Castafier congregation. Jose Jr. (Joe) is tending
the farm and working on energy alternatives such as
solar water heaters. Linda is a teacher in the high
school and a cooperative leader.

God has called don Jose to his side. Maybe there's a
Cerrote in heaven.

^

John Forbes is a former Brethren Service worker at Castaner. who
continues to live in Puerto Rico. He is a member of the Castaner con-
gregation.

January 1979 messenger 23

Look what the
profit motive

is doing
to us
doctors!

My goal is to hasten the
day when physicians
will attempt to define
and carry out routine
health maintenance in a
systematic way, rather
than sit in an office
waiting for someone in
distress to walk through
the door.

by John Scoltock

In 1971 I left a rotating internship at
Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Ore., to
work at the 35-becl Castaner Hospital in
the west-central mountains of Puerto Rico.
The experiences I had there and my subse-
quent experiences in private fee-for-service
practice back in Oregon have convinced me
of the need for a reordering of our
profession's economic relations with those
we serve. In short, I feel that doctors and
patients have fallen victim to the profit
motive in medicine and that the system
must be changed.

To explain how and why I reached that
conclusion, it's necessary to begin with the
influence that my work in Puerto Rico had
on me. I went there because of an ad I
noticed in a medical journal: A small
hospital in a poor area desperately needed
a family practitioner. The pay was only
$400 a month, plus housing, but the oppor-
tunity to practice in an exotic tropical set-
ting was appealing. I talked it over with my

wife and we decided to go.

Along with our 6-month-old son, we
arrived in San Juan at dusk. The ad-
ministrator of Castafier Hospital greeted us
and we drove west along the coast. At
Arecibo, we turned south into the humid
darkness of the interior. The dense tropical
vegetation seemed to crowd the road, and
the unfamiliar countryside made me feel
uneasy.

Arriving in Castaner, some of my ap-
prehension was relieved. The hospital,
founded by the Church of the Brethren in
the 1940s was not an impressive structure
by itself, but it seemed large and official-
looking in comparison to the small wooden
shacks we had seen since we turned inland.
We were soon made comfortable in a
three-room house with a corrugated tin
roof.

The next day I met the three physicians
who were to be my colleagues for the next
year and a half. They seemed excited by
the challenges of their work. They talked of
preventive medicine, taking medical care to
the people and the nonmonetary rewards
of rural practice. We quickly hit it off.

Most of our professional time was spent
attempting to identify and solve the major
health needs in our service area of roughly
25,000 people. High unemployment among
an expanding population primarily en-
gaged in agricultural labor was a major
problem, so family planning services were
given high priority. Another problem was
parasites. Ninety percent of the school
children we tested were found to carry
hookworm, Ascaris or other infestations.
We also encouraged the wearing of shoes,
an arduous task in a culture where children
ran naked most of the time until they
started school.

I saw only one or two cases of
kwashiorkor, but chronic malnutrition was
prevalent. The surplus-commodities
program of the US Department of
Agriculture helped to some extent, but
much of the food was wasted because the
people didn't understand how to use it and
had to be taught.

Still another problem was the moun-
tainous terrain and lack of transportation
to the hospital. To make care more

available we set up three clinics in remote
areas of high population density. One doc-
tor, two nurses and a secretary visited each
clinic at least once a week.

Carrying medicines and diagnostic
equipment, I maneuvered a four-wheel-
drive Land Rover over incredibly steep and
muddy mountain roads. I found that this
approach to medical work stimulated
thought processes in me that had previous-
ly been untapped. I became interested not
only in the best methods of closing a
machete wound, but also in the larger
problem of using limited resources so as to
have a maximum impact on the general
health of the community.

The people in the clinic areas showed
their appreciation for our efforts. I received
fresh eggs individually wrapped in
newspaper to prevent cracking on the
journey to the hospital, as well as gifts of
live chickens, avocados, sweet potatoes,
bananas and Castaner Valley coffee. These
simple expressions of gratitude enhanced
my enthusiasm for serving the best interests
of our patients.

A,

t Castafier Hospital, RNs worked as
practitioners in family planning, counsel-
ing, and obstetrics. Most routine deliveries
were performed by nurse-midwives. Nurses
also did routine follow-ups for diabetes
mellitus, hypertension, tuberculosis and
well children. Several nurses had been
trained to suture minor lacerations. These
nurse-practitioners conserved physicians'
time, which could then be used on tasks re-
quiring the doctors' level of expertise.

All that helped me to develop close
doctor-patient relationships. Free of the
economic pressures of rushing 40 or 50
patients a day through my office, I could
spend as much or as little time with each
patient as the situation required. 1 could
even occasionally visit ill persons in their
homes.

One evening at the hospital I met a
retired Church of the Brethren physician
who had come to visit. His name was Dr.
John Blickenstaff. He had been born in the
United States but had practiced mostly in
medical missionary centers abroad, par-
ticularly in India. While describing the
devastating effects of parasitic diseases on
the Indian people, he said to me unex-
pectedly, "I would never practice medicine
in the United States of America."

I thought that was an odd remark, but I
didn't pursue it. My 18-month term at

24 MESSENGER January 1979

Castaner Hospital had just about expired,
and I was looking forward to establisliing a
practice back in Oregon. We were a family
of four now, my wife having given birth to
a girl at the hospital.

We returned to Oregon in chilling
weather. The airliner sliced through
the gloom of winter, and we disembarked
bundled in unaccustomed coats and
sweaters. Then began a search for a place
to practice. I considered an HMO (Health
Maintenance Organization) in Portland,
but we decided against living in a large
city. I finally set up practice here in Mc-
Minnville, a small community in the
Willamette Valley. We made several close
friendships and began to feel at home.

Money was no problem from the begin-
ning. Fee-for-service put cake as well as
bread on the table. I was no longer a low-
salaried doctor but a physician-
entrepreneur. I began to think about
overhead expenses as a percentage of gross
income, about collection percentages,
about proper aging of my accounts
receivable and about retirement plans.

I employed two RNs. Both were bright,
and both were soon bored with taking
temperatures, blood pressures and weights;
pulling down the paper over the examina-
tion tables and sterilizing instruments.
After several years of this, one told me she
wanted to become a pediatric nurse-
practitioner.

T.

he idea appealed to me. I continued
paying her salary and financed the cost of
her tuition and materials for a nine-month
course at the University of Oregon. She
became a competent practitioner and
began caring for nearly all my pediatric
cases from well babies to acutely ill
children. In addition, she spent time with
each of my obstetrical patients prior to
delivery, discussing breast feeding, care of
the new baby and various intricacies of
motherhood.
^ I admired her skill and devotion. For the

IP first time since leaving Puerto Rico, 1 was
working with a nurse as a professional
equal. We charged considerably less than
the prevailing doctors' fees for her services.
In this way we were able to increase access
to a health-care system often closed to the
children of the poor.
_ The barter system also became a means

it of access. In the manner of the Puerto
B Ricans, patients variously gave me meat,
H repairs on my home and legal services in

"Dispensing medical
care on a piecework,
fee-for-service basis
offers strong
economic incentives
for doctors to
provide services
whether needed or
not."

exchange for medical services. I cared for
some persons who were unable to obtain
and pay for medical care in any other way.

During my first few months of practice,
I was amazed at the popularity of injec-
tions. Then I realized what a money-maker
shots were. Many patients entering my
practice were accustomed to getting a
periodic vitamin Bi2 or estrogen shot.
Penicillin, given by injection, seemed to be
a popular method for treating the common
cold.

The practice of medicine also seemed to
require a large volume of laboratory tests.
I guessed the reason when I discovered that
I could charge the patients for the cost of
the tests, plus a fee for collection, plus
another fee for telling them the results. I
found that patients weren't aware of the
markup because they usually were billed
for the total amount without an itemized
accounting.

1 was told by some doctors that medi-
colegal considerations were responsible for
most over-utilization. But 1 had difficulty
accepting that explanation. I quickly
caught on to the numbers game. Some
physicians were "seeing" more than 60
patients a day between 9 a.m. and
5 p.m.

As long as physicians' incomes came
largely from giving injections, ordering
laboratory tests and running a high volume
of patients through an office, I could see
no economic incentive for our profession
to provide effective preventive care or to
address community health needs.

The patients were defenseless. Very few.

if any, could accurately judge the quality or
even the need for the services they re-
ceived. I often wondered if the physicians
involved in these practices realized exactly
what they were doing. It became clearer, as
I became more familiar with them that
their usual rationalization was, "The
patients like this sort of medicine. They ex-
pect it, even demand it." Perhaps the most
damaging aspect of the fee-for-service
system was its subconscious effect on
medical practitioners.

To what degree had my own judgment
been influenced by my desire for profits?
How many times, when the question of
ordering a laboratory test seemed nearly a
50-50 proposition, had profits tipped the
scale? I couldn't be sure, but 1 began to feel
sympathy for doctors caught doing un-
necessary surgery. They were depicted as
villains, the one or two bad apples in the
barrel. Personally, I no longer believed in
the bad apple theory. These physicians, as
well as their patients, were casualities of
the profit system, of fee-for-service prac-
tice, and I shared their guilt.

So I began to explore the possibility of
starting a local Health Maintenance
Organization. This just wasn't economical-
ly feasible. 1 then tried to get the McMinn-
ville area included in an HMO that was be-
ing considered in the city of Salem, but
that plan later collapsed.

After two years in practice, I was elected
president of the county medical society. I
had worked my way up from treasurer and
vice president, and my election as president
was more or less automatic. Medical socie-

January 1979 messenger 25

ty meetings were devoted to the usual pur-
suits; presentation of interesting cases, lec-
tures on various specialized medical
problems, even an occasional wine-tasting
session. But never did the society attempt
to identify or solve health issues faced by
our community. No attempt was made to
attract physicians into areas of the county
where there was a doctor shortage. The
light industries in our community pro-
duced many job-related injuries, yet no in-
vestigation of plant safety conditions was
ever suggested.

With passage of the National Health
Planning and Resources Development Act
of 1974, however, an ad hoc committee was
formed to study the act and challenge it on
constitutional grounds.

J.n May 1976, I learned that the Subcom-
mittee on Health of the House Ways and
Means Committee was holding hearings in
my area. The purpose was to obtain infor-
mation on how the public felt about
national health insurance. 1 decided to pre-
sent my views to the subcommittee for
three reasons: 1) I felt that serious
problems relating to fee-for-service had not
previously been brought out. 2) 1 thought
my experience as a physician engaged in
fee-for-service practice would enhance the
credibility of my testimony. 3) 1 hoped my
testimony would give me a chance to say
what 1 thought and influence the thinking
of politicians. If 1 chose not to be heard,
how could 1 complain if politicians — with-
out adequate suggestions from physicians
— develop a national health insurance
program that would be bad for patients
and doctors?

Of course, I had reservations about giv-
ing such testimony. I knew I was attacking
what to most physicians seemed to be a
vital link in the doctor-patient relationship.
So I discussed my proposed testimony with
my wife and a few nonmedical friends. One
friend, a lawyer, urged me to forget the
whole thing but my wife and others en-
couraged me to proceed.

The hearing was held at Willamette Uni-
versity in Salem. The morning of the hear-
ing was sunny and warm — unusual for ear-
ly spring in Oregon. Inside the hearing
room were about 200 people. Most ap-
peared to be senior citizens, blue-collar
workers and the poor. In the crowd,
however, I recognized three fellow
physicians. I knew then that 1 couldn't es-
cape without some repercussions.

The subcommittee of six was seated in

the front of the room, facing the audience.
I listened to testimony for several hours.
The proceedings droned on with few really
new ideas being presented. But 1 noticed a
certain pattern in the audience response.
Most nodded favorably when the more
comprehensive national health insurance
proposals were backed. Nearly everyone
seemed suspicious of the testimony of most
doctors, hospital administrators and health
insurance people.

When my turn came to testify, I sup-
pressed a feeling of stage fright, got up
before the subcommittee and said what I
felt: "Dispensing medical care on a piece-
work, fee-for-service basis offers strong
economic incentives for physicians to
provide services whether needed or not. I
don't believe this is a conscious conspiracy
of greedy doctors trying to take advantage
of the public. Doctors are, after all, human ■
beings. They respond to economic
pressures as do other human beings. We
must see the system, not the physicians, as
the culprit.

"Another major problem is lack of finan-
cial incentives to provide early and effec-
tive preventive care and to address com-
munity health needs. An ideal alternative
would be a system that financially rewards
a physician for keeping people healthy,
productive and out of doctors' offices and
hospitals. A nationwide network of re-
gional HMOs could serve as the organiza-
tional framework for such a system.

"Increased demand for medical services,
inevitable under any national health
system, could be met in a cost-effective
manner by training more paramedical per-
sonnel. I'm asking you to take the medical
profession in this country out of the sick-
ness business and put us in the health busi-
ness where we belong."

/\,t the conclusion of my testimony, the
audience applauded — the only applause I
had heard all day. As I left the room,
several people requested copies of my tes-
timony. One elderly man shook my hand
and said he had never heard such views ex-
pressed by a member of the medical profes-
sion. I felt slightly embarrassed, although I
enjoyed the audience's apparent enthus-
iasm for my views.

The next day, one of the Salem papers
carried part of my testimony on the front
page. I was happy to see my ideas receive
some recognition, but I dreaded making
rounds at the hospital the next day. I dis-
liked being the center of controversy

and causing disunity in my profession.

There was no immediate response from
the House subcommittee about my testi-
mony. However, three weeks later, there
was a response of another sort. On return-
ing home from a weekend with my family
on the Oregon coast, the phone rang. A
Western Union message summoned me to
a special meeting of the county medical
society. Surprised, I consulted my watch.
The meeting had started 30 minutes earlier.
I arrived in the same blue jeans I had worn
that day at the beach. An angry group of
colleagues demanded and received my
resignation as president of their society.

As I drove back home, my insides felt
frozen. My mind was blank until I became
aware of a repetitious phrase: "Never in
America — Never in America." The entire
sentence formed slowly in my mind: "I
would never practice medicine in the
United States of America." I thought about
Puerto Rico and Dr. Blickenstaff, and I
understood what he had meant.

But I won't flee to Puerto Rico. America
is my country, and McMinnville is the
town where my family and I have our at-
tachments. Here I hope to work toward a
better system of medical practice.

One step has been taken in the right
direction. A statewide HMO is being
formed by the Oregon Physicians' Service,
an independent organization. Though fee-
for-service will be preserved initially, the
organizational framework will eventually
allow movement away from that type of
payment.

Meanwhile, as a compromise. I try to
avoid the pitfalls of fee-for-service practice.
I keep patients' costs down, and I don't see
more patients than I feel I can effectively
treat; it's a rare day when I see more than
35. I'm satisfied with a modest net income,
and I don't figure on increasing it much.

I feel that for rural areas the solution of
the fee-for-service dilemma must be found
at the federal or state level. I hope to con-
tinue speaking to people indi\idually and
in groups, writing members of Congress,
testifying and working with the statewide
HMO. My goal is always the same — to
hasten the day when physicians will find
that their economic interest lies in at-
tempting to define and carry out routine
health maintenance in a systematic way,
rather than sitting in an office waiting for
someone in distress to walk in the
door. D

John Siolfock is a family practitioner in McMinn-
ville. Ore. Copyright ® 1978 by Litton Industries, inc.
Puhlished by Medical Economics Co.. a Litton
Divison. at Oradell, \.J. Reprinted by permission.

26 MKSHNGHR .lanuary 1979

'Born-again' Christians:
The only kind?

by Herbert A. Fisher

The phrase "born-again Christian" is
currently very much in use. While its
fashionability and popularity is enhanced
by President Carter's profession to be one,
it is on the lips of countless radio and
television preachers as well as lay people.

For many who use it, it is meant to be a
synonym for a Christian. For, to them,
there is no other kind. Others might not
push it that far, but they would question
anyone who would not subscribe to the
term. In both instances the phrase "born-
again" sets the users against others who
claim to be Christians.

Sensing this, many are turned off by the
phrase and resent those who confront them
with it. They see its use as a kind of prop-
erty term for a brand of Christianity. This
is unfortunate since the phrase "born-
again" comes from an encounter between
Jesus and Nicodemus described in John 3.
Nicodemus sought Jesus out and congrat-
ulated him; "Rabbi, we know that you are
a teacher come from God; for no one can
do these signs that you do, unless God is
with him." It is at this juncture that Jesus
said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one
is born anew (again), he cannot see the
kingdom of God."

Nicodemus didn't understand this,
thinking Jesus meant physical rebirth, so
Jesus went on to say: "... unless one is
born of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God. ... Do not
marvel that I said to you, 'You must be
born anew.'"

So . . . "born-again" Christians!

Since this was Jesus' encounter with one
person told in a simple and direct manner,
it is easy to see how many have made it ihe
encounter for everyone and the measure of
being "saved." But there are other en-
counters with other persons with the re-
quirements for experiencing salvation ex-
pressed in other ways.

Are 'born-again' Christians the only
kind? Christ confronts us in many
ways to take seriously the claims of
the kingdom and to live our lives
faithfully until death.

The most common way Jesus issued the
claim of discipleship was simply, "Come,
follow me." The Gospels indicate that this
was issued to all of the twelve and openly
issued to many who came to hear him.
(For instance, see Luke 9;57ff ) Those who
responded to his call can rightly be referred
to as "follow-me" Christians.

On another occasion (Mark 10:17fO
Jesus was asked by a man of wealth,
"Good teacher, what must 1 do to inherit
eternal life?" Jesus found that he observed
all the commandments. He then looked at
him with deep love and said, "You lack one
thing; go, sell what you have, and give it to
the poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven; and come, follow me."

The man declined. But from this en-
counter we might well talk about those
who have responded to this call (St. Fran-
cis of Assisi, for instance) as "give-goods;
follow" Christians.

James and John were concerned about
their positions in the coming kingdom
(Mark 10:35fO. They ask Jesus for
assurance that they will have prominent
places — right and left of him no less! To
this Jesus replied: "You do not know what
you are asking. Are you able to drink the
cup that 1 drink, or be baptized with the
baptism with which 1 am baptized?" And
they testily answered, "We are able."

So. those who have been martyrs for the
faith might well be called the "1-am-able"
Christians.

Once four of the disciples asked Jesus to
tell them the signs of the end-time (Mark
13:3fO. He replied, "Take heed that no one
leads you astray." Then he went on talking
about the persecution to them as they
faithfully witness to the kingdom, saying,
"... you will be hated by all for my
name's sake. But he who endures to the
end will be saved."

Here we can appropriately talk about

"faithful-to-death" Christians. (That's what
the word "witness" means.)

There are many others I could cite but let
me refer to one more. It is the familiar
parable of the last judgment (Matt. 25:3 IfO-
Here is the " . . . you did it to one of the least
of these ..." as over against the" . . . you
did it not to one of the least of these" — gave
water, welcomed strangers, gave clothing,
visited sick persons, visited prisoners. So, we
might well refer to those who were blessed
and invited to "inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world" as
the "1-did-it" Christians.

Here it is instructive to remember Jesus'
words in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not every one
who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter
the kingdom of heaven, but he who does
the will of my Father who is in heaven."

But you may say, "All these are but ways
of understanding the meaning of being
Christian." Quite so! They are ways Jesus
used to help persons understand the
claim — and needed response — in order
that they might be related, even united,
with Christ in the kingdom of God. To one
he said, "You must be born anew"; to
another, "Follow me"; to another, "Go sell
— give, follow me"; to another, "Are you
able?" And yet to others, "You did it . . . ."

To me this gives a far wider and deeper
meaning of what it means to be Christian.
No single word or phrase can fully describe
it. No single procedure will accomplish it.
No single formula will produce it. Perhaps
this is why Jesus called most to be
followers — disciples. They were to live with
him. listen to him, watch him at work and
then go out in his name and eventually
carry on for him.

Christ confronts us in many ways to take
seriously the claims of the kingdom and
to live our lives faithfully until death. D

Herherl A. Fisher is paslor of ihe Trinity congrejia-
tion in Massillon. Ohio.

January 1979 messenger 27

Making pastoral ministry effective

The Pastoral Ministry, by James N Mc-
Ciilcheon Abingdon, Nashville 144 pages
Hardback $6 95

The Living Reminder, by Henri J M
Nouwen Seabury, New York 80 pages
Hardback $5 95

Two new books on the pastoral ministry
lift up that vocation as a high and holy
calling from God. Both books are a great
help for any person looking toward the
pastoral ministry and even more help for a
pastor of any age who is having a struggle
of identity crisis. Pastoral relations com-
mittees as well as other lay persons will
find them of benefit in understanding the
role of the pastor.

In The Pastoral Ministry James N. Mc-
Cutcheon, senior minister of a large
Minneapolis congregation, suggests that a
calling from God is essential to effective
and lasting ministry in our world. Sur-
prising is his statement that most ministers
are not convinced of a real calling from
God until after seminary and "three to five
years in active full-time, ordained parish
ministry." If this is the case we may have a
clue to the high drop-out rate of seminary
students and pastors in their first parish.

The foundation to effective pastoral
ministry is a devotional life which connects
with God and Christ in direct reflection
upon one's public ministry. Both Mc-
Cutcheon and Nouwen point to constant
and planned listening to God as the
primary source of effective work in the
parish. Their focus is to first find a work-
ing relationship with God and then bring
to that partnership the concerns of persons.

The Pastoral Ministry gives very helpful
suggestions in the manner and routine of a
professional devotional life. The first is the
understanding that a pastor's professional
devotional life is quite different and
separate from family and personal
devotional life. McCutcheon sees the dis-
couragement and eventual demise of so
many ministers to rest squarely upon the
failure to develop and maintain this
devotional life. He argues that this
must become a renewed concern of
seminary training and reminds us that it is

a pledge of the ordination vows.

Basic guidance gleaned from Mc-
Cutcheon's long years of experience is
given to the fundamental areas of pastoral
ministry. Some of it is geared to a multiple
staff situation which is the exception rather
than the rule among Brethren con-
gregations. Yet the suggestions are very
adaptable. The chapter on public worship
is very basic and is an excellent study and
review for both beginning and the ex-
perienced pastor. The definition of liturgy
as "the work of the people" should be help-
ful to Brethren, connecting the praise of
the sanctuary to the activity in every place
that Christians live and work and play. The
history and value of the lectionary and
church year is well documented. A
workable plan for the development of
public worship is given and will be very
helpful to those willing to work at im-
proving worship services. Brethren in small
churches as well as large, will be much
blessed by giving more attention to the
balance of worship suggested here.

Xastors without seminary training and
our many part-time pastors will find Mc-
Cutcheon's suggestions helpful and easy to
follow. Preparation for preaching is un-
derscored with reference to Fosdick's "one
hour of study for each minute in the
pulpit." Five basic tools in preparation are
given.

Pastoral care is defined and the restric-
tions and limitations are clearly empha-
sized. The pastor is seen as a general prac-
titioner. The essential ingredients of
successful pastoral counseling are given.
One of the problems some will have with
McCutcheon is his suggestion that regular
pastoral calling in homes is a loss of time.
A pastor's time, he contends, should be
available to those in special need. Guidance
is given on how to regulate a time schedule
to do the important counseling, including
the ability to refer the more difficult cases
to community agencies. Quite important is
availability and effectiveness. Two keys to
responsible shut-in care are semiannual
personal calls by the pastor and continuing
care by an active board of deacons which

the pastor supervises. This can be especial-
ly important to small churches with part-
time pastors, yet those are the con-
gregations in which we have used deacons,
or a like group, most infrequently. A work-
ing plan is given for establishing such a
system.

Stewardship and financial planning and
reporting are often neglected by our
churches. Simple instructions are given in
The Pastoral Ministry which can help any
pastor and church to grow in stewardship.
Evangelism is treated in the same chapter
and they make an interesting combination.
Removing "dead wood" from the
membership rolls is often painful for a
church, but it is a necessary starting point
in any program of evangelism. A "Good
Neighbor" program is outlined. Mc-
Cutcheon rejects the idea of a "respectable
pledge" or one's "fair share" in giving. His
main points hit the need of small rural and
town churches.

The team teaching approach is empha-
sized in Christian Education. Brethren will
appreciate that believers baptism is rein-
forced. McCutcheon places the most im-
portance on church membership classes of
at least two years duration under the super-
vision of the pastor with the pastor
directly teaching at least the last six
months of the course. Practical guidance
on common problems of the Sunday
school is given.

Goal setting and administration are de-
signed from the standpoint that the church
is an outpost of the kingdom of heaven.
Every church, small or large, should have a
long-range planning committee. Mc-
Cutcheon's ideas correspond amiably with
the Brethren congregational goals and dis-
covery plan and can be helpful to every
church which takes its ministry seriously.

What exactly is a Christian minister?
McCutcheon says the answer cannot be
found in the New Testament or the early
church. His definition is that the minister is
a representative Christian person. Yet the
minister cannot be stereotyped into a cer-
tain format. Further no minister is equal to
fulfilling a calling alone. Ministerial ability
comes from a power beyond one's own.

The section on relations with neighbor-

28 MESSENGER January 1979

ing ministers is good and timely.
Suggestions for the pastor's family are
good but too hurriedly treated. The con-
cluding quotation from Charles Spurgeon
is worth the price of the book.

Dr. Henri J. M. Nouwen's writing will
be familiar to many readers. His first book
The Wounded Healer is a classic for insight
into the counselor's role. Reaching Out is
another of his popular works.

The idea of Nouwen's that the minister is
"the living reminder" at first was rejected
by this reviewer. However, as I read on 1
got excited about the concept. The minister
is a living reminder of Jesus Christ in heal-
ing, sustaining and guiding the people of
God. It awakened new sermons, new ap-
proaches to visitation, new celebrations of
the love feast and more.

Seeing our relationship to the past we
are better able to live the present and the
future. To be a "reminder of Jesus Christ"
is not to live in the past but in seeing how
God has been in his people in history, we
become empowered to receive him now
and are thus guided into God's life.

Several recent trends in Christian life
and thought are creatively assimilated by
Nouwen. Story telling is proposed as the
means of translating God's word. The Holy
Spirit's gift of discernment can only be
received through prayer and meditation.

These books complement each other.
McCutcheon calls us to the broad task of
ministry and relates know-how tools to
specific tasks. Nouwen picks these ideas up
and puts them into our lives to bear new
fruit in ministry to and for God's people. —
Sylvus D. Flora

Sylvus D. Flora is Executive Director of the West
Marva District of the Church of the Brethren.

Beginning a New Pastorate, by Robert G
Kemper, Abingdon, Nashville. 127 pages
Paperback S3 95

What makes this book provocative reading
for search committees, members of con-
gregations in the process of pastoral
change and pastors is that it is written by a
pastor whose parents moved five times to

serve new congregations during his youth
and who has himself recently moved to
begin a new pastorate. As a pastor who
also has moved recently, 1 found many of
my feelings and hopes and fears about
moving meaningfully expressed and ex-
amined: expectations of a new adventure,
the good news that "family identity is
portable," personal grief, spouse's loss of
job. children's resistance to moving.

The book gives a model of beginning
which enables a pastor and a congregation
to "grow with the passage of time."

The key to a good move is intentionality,
in other words, deciding what you hope to
gain by the move and then designing ways
to accomplish your purpose. Practical
suggestions are given to guide the whole
moving process so that a congregation's
and pastor's best visions can be fulfilled.

A

pastor contemplating a move is prod-
ded to share with a trusted friend and the
family personal motivations for moving.
Search committees and congregations look-
ing for a pastor are counseled to list con-
gregational strengths and weaknesses and to
know intimately the interviewing and
negotiating procedures. Both pastor and
searching congregations are rightly advised
to learn all they can about one another.
And even then, Kemper says (is it with a
smile on his face?), we may know more about
the used car we buythan wemay know about
the new pastor or new congregation.

With the knowledge that a pastor and
congregation are "married" at the installa-
tion service with only a brief dating
relationship, Kemper suggests ways people
and pastor can work at loving and trusting
one another. He calls for the pastor to be
"visible" the first year. "The single most
important thing you will do the first year is
meet the congregation," Kemper says.
Suggestions for meeting the congregation
include: inviting the congregation in small
groups to the parsonage, meeting the
members where they work, visiting people
in their homes, having parties for church
school children and a tea reception for peo-
ple who have belonged to the congregation
for more than 40 years. Kemper also prods

the new pastor to get acquainted with the
new community by visiting the school
superintendent, police chief, city manager,
referral agencies and funeral directors.

There are suggestions for preaching dui-
ing a pastor's first year in a congregation.
Kemper notes the importance of the first
sermon, one which the new "congregation
will make a special effort to hear." He
believes this first sermon could be a very
personal statement about the pastor's faith
and ministry. But then Kemper is quick to
add that "personal sermons are thin until
the congregation really knows and trusts
the person." He suggests that a sermon
series (on basic beliefs of the faith, or on a
Christian life-style, or on the ministry of
Jesus) "is a good corrective to the overly
personal temptations of the first year."

Kemper's suggestions for search com-
mittees and congregations on ways to
welcome a new pastor are heartwarming.
He suggests that search committees work
hard to communicate the terms of the call
as clearly as possible with the congrega-
tion. This serves to unite the congregation
in the call. He encourages members to per-
sonally welcome the new pastor and family.
The parsonage should be cleaned and
provided with food. Kemper also suggests
that pastor and search committee conduct
informal annual reviews. He observes,
rightly 1 believe, that there is an open and
candid relationship between pastor and
search committee that usually continues
throughout the pastorate.

I think this is a good book which should
be in the hands of all pastors. It should be
required reading for all search committees.
If the book has one fault, it is in the area of
under-emphasizing home visitations which
I believe is a high priority in today's imper-
sonal world.

The book doesn't make moving any
easier. Nothing takes away the tears of
leaving or catches completely the excite-
ment of starting again. What this book does
best is to provide a working model for
pastor and congregation which enables
mutual growth so that this time "you may
stay a lifetime." — L. Gene Bucher

A. Gerte Bucher is pastor of Black Rock Church of
the Brethren. BroJhecks. Pa.

January 1979 messenger 29

m^m^mi

COVENANT
LIVING

All who call themselves Christians have
convictions about relationships with God
which influence human relationships.
Throughout the Bible, God calls persons to
faithfulness. When they respond, the cove-
nant with God is again established. Certain
kinds of responsibilities rest with those
thus bound in covenant.

The resources described below are aids
to exploring various dimensions of cove-
nant with God, called Covenant with a big-
C in Promises lo Keep, and ways in which
our human relationships and respon-
sibilities are illumined by our understand-
ings of the big-C Covenant.

All of the resources are available from
The Brethren Press, 1451 Dundee Ave.,
Elgin, IL 60120. Prices noted do not in-
clude postage and handling.

Covenants Old and New

The Liberating Bond: Covenants — Biblical
and Contemporary, Wolfgang Roth,
Rosemary Radford Ruether, $2.95.

The sections of this book are 1)
Covenant — The Biblical Story by Roth, 2)
Covenant — The Impact of a Motif by
Ruether, and 3) a Use Guide by Elizabeth
McWhorter which also makes cross
references to Promises to Keep.

In Part One, Roth traces the growth of
the covenant concept through the ex-
perience of the Hebrew people until it is re-
shaped in an upstairs room in which the
cup of the new covenant is shared.

Ruether, in Part Two, deals with the im-
pact of the motif of covenant on our lives.
Her analysis of marriage as a sign of the
covenant suggests that it might mirror our
understanding of the divine/ human cove-
nant. Other chapters show how the self-un-
derstanding of the American people and
the manner in which Jews and Christians
view each other are shaped by our images
of covenant.

In her description about the extent to
which the church as we know it can be un-

derstood as community-in-covenant, she
discusses the Anabaptist (that which the
Brethren share with other faith groups like
the Mennonites) use of the word "covenant"
in relation to the church. "The essence of the
Anabaptist concept of the church is that of a
voluntary community gathered, through
adult or believers' conversion, into an in-
timate fellowship of shared faith and com-
mitment. There is no place for passive
Christians in this scheme. All who enter the
church do so as a personal decision of faith
with a high level of conscious commitment.
All can then be prepared to be ministers,
evangelists and even martyrs if need be.
Committed Christians of this type are
prepared to dedicate their whole beings to a
transformed life-style involving great and
even ultimate sacrifices" (page 47).

In the Use Guide, learning experiences
are suggested for seven general topics de-
signed to help persons explore the basic
themes and issues of covenant living. The
first experience centers on living as
partners in covenant relationships.
Although it is a self-contained unit, it is
basic to all of the others and should be
used before any of the others. The last of
the seven focuses on the future and cove-
nant relationships and is to help persons
express the implications of covenant
relationships in several areas of human ex-
perience. The other five sets of suggestions
deal with government, minorities, inter-
national relations, Jewish/Christian
relations and the church.

By selecting, combining and expanding
the suggestions to fit particular needs, in-
terests and situations, leaders may plan for
various lengths and settings. Possibilities
include a course of 14-26 short sessions, 6-8
longer sessions of a study/ action series, a

retreat or a seminar. Through the creative
use of this guide, learners can be helped to
see how "our covenant story closes the cir-
cle" and to know ourselves "once again ad-
dressed as the people of the covenant and
invited into a bond that sets us free for
each other."

Promises to Keep

Promises to Keep: A Workbook of Ex-
periences for Covenant Living, Dennis C.
Benson, Marilyn J. Benson, $3.95. In-
cludes a bound-in soundsheet.

Covenants are identified as those formal
or informal arrangements by which life is
organized and relationships accepted.
Entering into covenants is a universal
human experience. Promises to Keep is an
entry into new experiences in community.
It won't force you into thinking about your
covenants. But it will provide ideas.
Promises to Keep can help those who use it
to see the significance of their covenants in
a fresh, new way. It also provides the
possibility of not just seeing them anew but
living them in ways leading to new freedom
and new faithfulness.

The five sections suggest experiences in:

1) identifying covenant relationships,

2) analyzing and evaluating covenants
and covenant relationships,

3) creating new covenants,

4) experimenting in covenant living and

5) reshaping covenants.

A topical index of experiences lists them
in categories of individual, role play, small
group, simulation and action. The sound-
sheet includes sound portraits of persons
that supplement the printed personal ac-
counts of experiences in the lives of Dennis
and Marilyn Benson. Also included in the
book are suggested experiments, excerpts
from a variety of covenants, resources from

30 MESSENGER January 1979

our common life, worksheets and a
suggested way of putting the suggestions
into learning experiences.

A Covenant Game

Values, a game for 3-6 persons, junior
high and older, $5.95.

This game provides an opportunity to
explore what is important to people who
are attempting to live in covenant and why
they hold the views they do. Issues,
problems, conflicts and priorities are dis-
cussed as means of clarifying what values
we actually live by. There are no "right" or
"wrong" answers but opportunities to con-
sider together what is important, signifi-
cant and ultimate. Depending on where the
spinner stops, the person answers a ques-
tion from each of the other players or talks
about the topic turned up for 60 seconds.
Each player, of course, has the option to
pass by placing the card drawn on the bot-
tom of the stack without either answering
questions or making statements.

lA&IES

Caring for the World

Caring for ihe World, J. Edward Carothers,
$4.95.

"This book is intended for group discus-
sion on the meaning of Christian religious
experience, but it then goes forward to
suggest very specifically how the laity and
pastor in the local church can create the
necessary conditions for helping people into
a genuine Christian religious experience on
a profound level" (page ii).

The author's conviction is that the un-
easiness in our lives is traced to our limita-
tion of life to self-realization. The Christian
faith, he asserts, has "the capacity to hold
on to the Living Lord whose voice was a
summons to save the world from the wrong
things people can do to each other and to
the world. The moral teachings of the New
Testament do not by any stretch of the im-
agination endorse private obedience to
one's conscience" (page 42-43).

!

^fe^ji

' ^u, .

J •'•'^'»»ilr<l<„r,„|„.rs

1

"What we need is to explore personally
that vouched-for experience of many
millions that God is experienced in the
struggle of a human soul determined to
find out what \sjusi. merciful and of good
faith. Jesus put these values above all
others, for these are at the heart of love for
neighbors near and far" (page i).

He validates his claim that Christians are
called to care for the world, to save it, by
reporting the experiences of persons who
worked together in a group struggling with
the issues of the church and economic life.
Another chapter reports the answers given
by people to the question: "Have you felt
closer to God as a result of engaging in
some act related to justice, mercy and good
faith?"

The last half of the book tells how per-
sons in congregations can have similar ex-
periences of deepened religious faith. A se-
quence of meetings is described which
develops involvement. The necessity for
planned reflection on action is stressed.
Suggestions are included for 12 devotional
experiences around such titles as: "Caring
for the World," "When the Worid Is Just
Too Big," "When Trying Seems Futile"
and "When the Vision of God Is
Dimmed." Under each title are included
statements to focus thought, statements to
enlarge thought, a devotional scripture, a
meditation, prayers beyond words, witness
from the heart and a prayer of dedication.

In the chapter on resources for a con-
tinuing study/action reflection group in a
congregation, setting up a resource file us-
ing readily available periodicals is de-
scribed.—Shirley Heckman

Shiriev J. Heckman is consultant for educational
clevelttpment in the Parish Ministries Commission.

Store your copies of MESSENGER in
this handy holder. It can be placed
on a desk or shelf for easy reference.
Holds a two-year supply. Brown vinyl.
$2.95 plus $1.25 postage and
handling.

The Brethren Press,

1451 Dundee Ave.,
Elgin, 111.60120

SUBSCRIBER
SERVICE

Please include a Mes-
senger address label
to insure prompt
service whenever you
write us about your
subscription.
For change of ad
dress: If you're mov
ing, please let v.
know four weeks be
fore changing youi
address. Place mag
azine address labe
here, print your nev\
address below.
you have a question
about your subscrip
tion, place your mag
azine address labe
here and clip this
form to your letter

'\^/-— I

ATTACH
LABEL
HERE

L— /--X S

Mail to: Messenger, Church of the Brethren,
General Board, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin,
III. 60120

name

(please print)

address

city

state

zip code

January 1979 messenger 31

On self-made images, impressions of Cuba,

Christian Bashure

Letting go of our
self-made image

(It is ditficult to identify all the tributaries
contributing to our thoughtstreams, but in
this response I can identify two. The one
farther upstream is Brother Ralph
Detrick's letter in the September
Messenger. The other is from Lloyd John
Ogilvie's The Cup of Wonder.)

The words depersonalize and
dehumanize have become current in our
culture and our generation. What do we
mean by these words? Webster's New Inter-
national Dictionary defines them thus:

Depersonalize to deprive of personali-
ty; to render impersonal.

Dehumanize to divest of human
qualities; to divorce from sympathy with
humanity and human interests.

While the words are not interchangeable,
they are closely related. It seems to be com-
monly assumed that depersonalization is
the result of adverse circumstances, that is,
a matter of environment, especially social
environment. Social rejection, it is be-
lieved, causes the depersonalization of the
outcast. Is this a tenable assumption?

God tells us in his word that he has
made us in his image. Many Christians to-
day apparently take this to mean that we
are entitled to the respect of others. Are
we'.' It is true that God himself treats us as
very important persons, but not because we
deserve it. We are not "entitled" to respect.

We are created in the image of God. but
this is only half the story. We mar this im-
age by trying to create our own self-image.
We are extremely image-conscious. The
public relations business is booming.

Mutilated currency can be redeemed if
the remaining portion is sufficient to
guard against the fraudulent use of the
missing parts. But, the "image" must be
genuine.

Our egocentric self-image is not our true

To hold in respect and fellowship those in
the church with whom we agree or disagree
is a characteristic of the Church of the
Brethren. It is to the continuation of this
value, and to an open and probing forum,
that "Opinions" are invited from readers.

personality. Jesus did not build a fence
around his "dignity." When he was
shamefully abused he did not lose his iden-
tity. He never defended a false importance,
as we do. "When he was reviled, he did not
revile in return; when he suffered, he did
not threaten; but he trusted to him who
judges justly" (I Peter 2:23). He rested his
case with God the final Judge, who says,
"Vengeance is mine; I will repay" (Rom.
12:19). God has not yet taken vengeance,
but he did vindicate Jesus by raising him
from the dead.

We can be redeemed only by surrendering
our self-made image to God and allowing
him to destroy it. We must be crucified with
Christ. Crucifixion hurts horribly, but it is
the only way to resurrection. So long as we
cling to our fake importance, we have no
right to call ourselves Christians. D

Chrntian Bushorr i\ a Ircc-lancf wriicr /roni (jcl-
n \hiir\i. Ohm.

ELsa Zapata de Graff

Impressions from
a visit to Cuba

An eight-day visit to Cuba has been an eye-
opener for me. I visited that country as a
member of a group of Puerto Rican health
professionals sponsored by the Association
of Public Health of Puerto Rico. As a
Christian, I returned home to Castanet
with much to reflect upon.

Cuba is definitely a communist country,
but the Cubans have worked hard and
have accomplished much in health, educa-
tion, housing and agriculture. They have a
very progressive health program through
preventive medicine, such as im-
munizations, maternal care and child care.
In psychiatry they have developed many
methods to rehabilitate the mentally ill and
treat them as human beings.

As a nurse working at Castaner Hospital
and interested in public health, what I was
really impressed by was how well Cubans
have involved their communities in par-
ticipating in the health system. They ac-
complish this through a community of each
block. This group keeps a census of the
children and is responsible for their im-
munizations. And the federation of women
has the responsibility for follow-up and
checking that the women have proper pre-

natal care. I also observed that they are not
doing anything about control of the use of
cigarettes and alcohol (beer). These can
cause a health problem for them in the
future.

I could point out here many of the
different things Cubans have done to build
up their nation, but i feel that many of us
will say, "But we are doing that also and
maybe better." That is not really what
worries me. What really concerns me is the
atheism taught in schools, and as they have
the children in school from two years on
up. they have a good opportunity to mold
their minds. The church, as such, failed in
Cuba. Now only a miracle from God and
the Holy Spirit can lead them back to
Christianity. We must pray that it shall be
done.

We are composed of spiritual and
physical bodies and unless we nurture both
we are not whole and happy. You can see
that reflected on the faces of the Cuban
people, who. being Latins, are naturally
spontaneous and joyous. But in Cuba, even
if they are supposedly getting everything
they need, they look melancholic. But what
we Christians did not do, the communists
are doing: "For I was hungry and you
gave me food ..." (Matt. 25:35).

We failed Christ in Cuba. Now only the
Holy Spirit can revive Cuba's faith and
love for God.

As an American citizen, I feel that our
government did the most foolish thing that
any government could do. The blocking of
Cuba gave the Cubans a solidarity as a na-
tion that never could have been possible
otherwise. Now they are helping the Third
World, acting as ambassadors for com-
munism against Christianity.

What can we do, beginning with our
nation? Regardless of our many welfare
programs, there are yet many that go to
bed hungry and suffer humiliation asking
for what they deserve. Businessmen are the
ruling class in the US and the Free World.
What are they waiting for— to have a
general world revolution and have com-
munism take over? The greediness of
humanity is our downfall.

Let us meditate on these words of Christ:
"As you did it to one of the least of these
m\ brethren. \ou did it to me" (Matt.
25:40). D

El.sa Zapaia dv Groff is a nwniher of the Casiaiier
(P. R ) nm^rcgaiion.

32 MESstNGER Januarv 1979

baptism, homosexuality

Randy E. Newcomer

Great finally
to be alive

It was a balmy Sunday afternoon in
September. Several cows plodded through
the field across the creek from where I
stood. While busily grazing they kept a
wary eye on the crowd of people on the op-
posite bank.

Everyone had just finished a stirring
chorus of "Shall We Gather at the River?"
Everyone but me, that is. I was lost. I was
off on an excursion in my mind, trying to
imagine just how all this had come about.

Pastor Bowman entered the creek and
waded to a deep spot which the farmer had
pointed out in the center. The first boy
went forward and the rite began. Ha! Rite
indeed! 1 chuckled in my mind. The
religious fervor that had led me to that mo-
ment was weeks past. Oh, I had faith it
would return — such is this roller coaster
ride of life. But now the second boy
entered the water for baptism, and there
was no such fire in my heart.

I could hear the cows, the birds and the
creek. The creek's soothing rippling of
water seemed to put me in a trance. My
consciousness left me to flow with the
water.

The third boy splashed loudly as he
emerged from the water and half-awakened
me to the situation. "Well, so I get a little
wet," I thought. "And even though it
doesn't mean anything today, I can
remember it tomorrow when the fire is
rekindled."

I descended the rough steps one by one,
each a sharp jolt to my senses. My bare
feet entered the water and every muscle in
my body protested the unexpected cold-
ness. Still in a daze, my concentration
focused through a tunnel toward my objec-
tive in the center of the creek. There Pastor
Bowman stood, a warm smile on his lips,
his arms outstretched. Mechanically, 1
moved toward him, hearing only the move-
ment of my legs in the water. My feet
moved uncertainly in the mud and pebbles
beneath them.

"Right about here's the deepest part," he
quietly directed me as I reached him. He
steadied me and asked, "Can you get down
on your knees?"

Clumsily, requiring help, I managed to

slip down onto my knees. My body re-
newed its protest as the water rose past my
waist. When my knees hit bottom, the
water shot up to my chest and all of the air
in my lungs escaped me. Reality crashed
down upon me and it took everything I
had to keep from jumping from the cold
water. I gasped in panic for air. Never had
I been so affected. My lungs heaved, but
seemed unable to be satisfied.

"I'll give you time to catch your breath,"
Pastor Bowman assured me, as he
splashed water across my back with a
cupped hand.

I nodded that I was ready, although my
only concern was to finish and get out of
the water. Pastor Bowman was beginning
the rite, but all 1 could hear was the water
flowing by me and my gasping for breath.

"Are you ready?" he quietly asked and 1
nodded again.

"In the name of the Father ..."

My face met cold water. My head sub-
merged and just as quickly left the water.
My panic doubled and my sharp gasp for
air as I emerged sounded like the squeal of
a pig. My lungs ached. My face stung.

"People have been baptizing this way
in this creek for over 200 years,"
Pastor Bowman quietly told me, trying in
vain to comfort me. I thought for sure I
would drown. My gasps for air became
shorter, like those of a child crying. I don't
know whether or not I was actually crying
as well. Something inside me was fighting
this submission. I clenched my teeth and
nodded.

"... and of the Son ..."

Down and then up again with even
worse results. In pain 1 nodded desperately
to Pastor Bowman.

"... and of the Holy Ghost."

Down, deep under the surface I went
and then emerged slowly. There was no
gasping for breath as my head left the
water, no more panic. I felt more at peace
with God than I had ever felt before. A
warmth flowed through me. I could feel it
glowing in my heart, lighting up my face. I
could see the tips of Pastor Bowman's
fingers down over my forehead. He was
praying, but I couldn't hear him. I felt and
saw the water dripping from my hair and
heard it meet the creek with a splish,
splash. I could see far across the mirrored
surface of water that extended from my
chin. Through strands of my wet hair I
could see a boy sitting high on the bank

CLASSIFIED ADS

TRAVEL— Air conditioned bus tours to 1979
Annual Conference in Seattle. After Con-
ference return home via Canadian Rockies
or go on to Alaska. Write to Dr. J. Kenneth
Krieder, R.D. #3, Box 660, Ellzabethtown, PA
17022.

TRAVEL-Juniata College Tours. 1979:
ALASKA-lldays (June 22-July 2) before
Seattle Annual Conference, and 14 days im-
mediately after (July 8-July 21). Inclucies In-
land Water Passage Cruise. Two-day mini
tour Seattle-Victoria-Vancouver possible
before 11 -day tour and after 14-day tour,
1980: Oberammergau Passion Ray, follow-
ing Pittsburgh! Annual Conference, 14 days.
Includes Bavaria, The Alps, Rhine Cruise,
Berlin and Prague. June 29 departure.
Harold B. Brumbaugh, host conductor. Infor-
mation: Weimer-Oller Travel, 405 Penn
Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652. Tel. (814)
643-1468.

TRAVEL— A tour of Bible lands: Greece,
Israel and Jordan, 16 glorious days, leaving
New York June 14, 1979, returning in time
for Annual Conference. Basic tour cost from
New York $1,348, with options for some rich
additional excursions. Tour directed by
Edward K. Ziegler, Bible teacher and ex-
perienced tour leader. Discount for early
reservations. Write Ziegler, 11740 Creagers-
town Rd., Woodsboro, MD 21798, or phone
(301) 845-8620.

WANTED— District of Michigan has two half-
time positions. Minister of Nurture and
Camp Manager, open Mar, 1, 1979 Will con-
sider couple, retirees or one person for both
positions. Send inquiries or applications by
Jan. 31 to Board Chairman, Marie
Willoughby, R. 1, Copemish, Ml 49625.

WANTED — Houseparents; oversee home for
adult girls. Light duties: four room apt,, first
floor. Reply First Church of the Brethren, 219
Hummel Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104.

WANTED— Young persons for truck drivers,
21 years or over, good dnving record
necessary; Brethren preferred, but not re-
quired; would also do warehouse work, load-
ing and unloading. Contact Eleanor Rowe,
Director of Administrative Services, Breth-
ren Service Center, Box 188, New Windsor,
MD 21776, telephone (301) 635-6464.

FOR RENT— Retire in adult Brethren center
rentals. New deluxe 1,000 sq. ft. 2-bedroom
units. Spa and craft shop available. Near
Brethren church, shopping centers, San
Diego beaches, airport. Beautiful year-round
climate. Contact owner: Forrest Groff, 975
East Washington Ave., El Cajon, CA 92020.
(714) 447-6934.

FOR SALE— Thought-provoking book of
poetry, prose, short stories from life. Also
collection of stimulating, challenging callsto
worship. By Ivan J, Fausnight, minister for
30 years. Sister Anna says of this book, "It is
lovely, unique, and inspiring." "Down to
earth and up too." $2.95 plus 55$ postage.
Hardback $6.95 plus $1.00 postage. Box S,
Danville, OH 43014.

FOR SALE— "The 25th Anniversary Cook-
book" published by The Brethren Home
Auxiliary, New Oxford, Pa., at $8.75 plus
$1,25 for postage and handling. Loose-leaf
book; over 1,000 tried and tested recipes.
Order from The Brethren Home, c/o Milton
E, Raup, Box 128, New Oxford, PA 17350,

CHRIST IS GATHERING a community and
leading it himself, as in the days of the early
church, "Publishers of Truth," 1 S 147 Third
St., Lombard, IL 60148.

January 1979 messenger 33

ahead of me. It seemed a long time, a
peaceful eternity, that I sat there in the
water watching that boy.

The rest of the scene, after Pastor Bow-
man and I emerged from the creek, is a
blur of outstretched hands, kisses and
love. How great it was finally to be
alive! D

Randv £. Newcomer is a member of the Ephrata
(Pa.) fongregarion.

James F. Myer

A forgivable sin,
and a curable one

In recent years the Church of the Brethren
has spoken out clearly on several promi-
nent social and moral issues. Such matters
as racism, the Vietnam War and the arms
build-up have brought forth many
Brotherhood statements. Annual Con-
ference decisions and letters clearly stating

that the church calls those matters "sin."
Since homosexuality is growing into
prominence to what may become the
"moral contest of the century," and since
the Bible clearly addresses the issue in un-
derstandable terms, should not the church
speak out just as clearly on this matter?

A homosexual is a man or woman who
engages in sexual relations with another
member of the same sex. The word
"homosexual" may be used primarily to
refer to men, and the word "lesbian" may
be used to refer to women. They use a
variety of ways to bring about sexual
stimulation including oral and anal
methods. Such pursuits often lead to a life-
style almost beyond what one can imagine,
and a more specific and elaborate descrip-
tion of this activity would not be proper to
print in a general publication.

God's design from the beginning of crea-
tion is seen in the pattern of male and
female. "Therefore a man (male) leaves his
father (male) and his mother (female) and

cleaves to his wife (female), and they
become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). God made
us sexual beings for primarily two reasons;
the propagation of the race and the pleas-
ure of intimacy. It's only in a heterosexual
(male-female) relationship that both of
these functions can exist. A physical union
between male and female is God's exclusive
means of reproduction.

What we see in the world. In spite of the
fact that God clearly created us male and
female for unique functions and clearly
blessed this union in holy marriage, many
are questioning if this is the only way that
sexual expression and fulfillment is right.
During the last decade, some argue, there
has been a tremendous increase in
homosexuality. Currently it is estimated
that there are from 10 to 20 million prac-
ticing homosexuals in our country. What
was once a secret thing (seldom mentioned
and then only whispered about) has
become an apparent epidemic, sweeping
the land. Homosexuals are coming out of

A New "SICIN"of tIie TImcs

This new sign, designed by Joyce
Miller, utilizes earth tone colors
(brown, yellow and white). The
cross is central, symbolizing the
world-wide ministry of the Church
of the Brethren.

Easy to read, the sign is made of
porcelain enamel fused on heavy
gauge steel and will not fade, crack,
peel or rust.

24"x30" Church of the Brethren
sign as pictured:

Single (wording on one side)

$34.50

Double (wording on both sides)

$39.50

8"x24" directional sign

Attaches to larger sign with S hooks
(not provided). Two lines of imprint-

ing available to meet your specific
needs such as name of your con-
gregation, and/or mileage, and/or
an arrow. Brown lettering on white
background.

PRINCE OF PEACE
1 Mile ►

Single (wording on one side)

$10.75

Double (wording on both sides)

$18.95

Double sign price includes cost of
extra stencil needed for imprinting
on reverse side.

Directional information cannot be
printed on 24" x30" sign. Allow 4-6
weeks for delivery. F.O.B. factory
Chicago.

The Brethren Press

1451 Dundee Ave.

Elgin, III. 60120

34 MESSENGER .lanuarv 1979

their closets in large numbers, and at times
they attract more attention than unemploy-
ment or racial discrimination.

The homosexual community is de-
scribed as "gay." The rest of us are con-
sidered "non-gay." What a tragic mis-
representation. Since "gay" suggests one
who is jolly or happy, it is implied that a
perverted life-style is really more satisfying.
T-shirts such as "Gay is Good" or "Two,
Four, Six, Eight! Gay is just as good as
straight!" convey the message. Parades in
major cities help to celebrate what is
known as "National Gay Pride Week" with
thousands trying to promote homosexual
life-styles and rights.

There are thousands of gay bars, along
with homosexual movie theaters, hotels,
resorts, bookstores and beaches. It is
reported that there are more than 1,800 gay
organizations, several dozen professional
groups such as the Gay Airline Pilots
Association, Gay Nurses Alliances and 14
denominational gay caucuses including the
Brethren/ Mennonite Council for Gay Con-
cerns with headquarters in Washington,
D.C. Troy Perry, founder of the homosex-
ual Metropolitan Community Church,
now claims 1 10 congregations and some
67,000 members. 1 he well-publicized ac-
tivities of Anita Bryant opposing avowed
homosexuals teaching in public schools
and the outspoken pronouncements of
some of the leaders of last year's
government-sponsored National Women's
Conference in Houston favoring lesbianism
serve to point out the tremendous attention
this whole matter of homosexuality is get-
ting in the world.

What we hear in the church. Several ma-
jor studies and debates on this subject have
ensued in recent months in various de-
nominations (see Messenger June 1978,
page 22, and September 1977, page 6). The
most heated aspect of the debate has cen-
tered around homosexuals occupying
positions of leadership in the church, es-
pecially being ordained ministers. The
Church of the Brethren has its own study
underway (titled Human Sexuality) which
is headed for a final decision at Annual
Conference in 1979.

We hear many voices in the church mak-
ing a strong plea for compassion and
acceptance for homosexuals. Some
homosexuals are pleading for love, respect,
understanding and openness. They have
asked, "Why doesn't the Church of the

am
onsid.eri*n.gV::tol]jege

AND YOU CAN HELP WITH THE RIGHT CHOICE.

For many reasons highly qualified students do not fully investigate educational
alternatives before deciding on a college. They often overlook a Christian liberal
arts college because of misconceptions. Their decisions may be based on
rumor ... an alumnus . . . something they heard from another student . . . almost
anything. Some of these influences may be reliable — others may not be.

If you want to really help someone you know who is nearing college age, put
his/her name (or yours) on the coupon below and we'll send complete program
information and a catalog by return mail. As a fully accredited Christian liberal
arts college, FVIessiah offers educational alternatives that many public or private
schools don't have. In addition, Messiah offers a solid Christian foundation

MESSIAH COLLEGE

A Christian

Uberal Arts College

Attn: Ron Long, Grantham, Pennsylvania 17027

Tell me more about the educational alternatives available at Messiah
College.

Name

Address

City, State, Zip

Parent Pastor

Friend

Student

Year of Grad.

Messiah College admits students without regard to race, color, sex, handicap, or
ethnic origin.

I i

January 1979 messenger 35

I Strongs

EXHAUSTIVE
GQHCORDANCE
OF
THE
DIDLE

For over 80 years Strong's
Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
has served as THE standard reference
for Bible students. The only original
and complete Strong's Concordance, it
lists every word in the Bible and every
passage in which it occurs. Anyone
who is sure of just one word of the
passage he or she seeks can find that
passage in the Concordance. Also
contains a Hebrew dictionary and a
Greek dictionary of the New
Testament. Deluxe edition, $29.95;
regular edition, $16.95

'THERE IS NO OTHER. ' '
— The Christian Advocate

dbir>9doh

at your local bookstore

36 MKSsi-NGi^R January 1979

Brethren take the whole Bible and live it
instead of choosing certain passages to be
used against gay people?" Some are now
openly pleading for dialogue.

I believe the church should have compas-
sion toward all people, but compassion and
acceptance are two different things and do
not always go together. For example: The
Church should have compassion toward a
rapist, but not be accepting toward the act
of rape. Jesus wept with compassion over
Jerusalem but openly denounced its
residents for their sins. It is right for the
church to be sensitive and kind toward
homosexuals as individuals whom Christ
can help, and died to save, but it is wrong
for the church to become so soft and
accepting about their problem as to leave
the impression that no problem exists. The
church should give witness to the compas-
sion and holiness of Christ.

k3ome evangelical homosexual leaders
are saying that homosexuals are born that
way and therefore their life-style is natural.
The fact is that male and female hormone
levels have been checked in gay and non-
gay people with no indication of homosex-
uality being hereditary. It's more true that
homosexuals are made that way by their
parents (environment) rather than by their
birth (heredity). A child who does not
grow up under the proper impressions of a
loving male-female relationship will be un-
der some influence to become a pervert.
For example: Suppose a little boy is help-
ing his father repair the lawn mower and
accidently drops a wrench. His father in a
fit of rage screams at him to go in the
house and help the women, as he apparent-
ly was never cut out for a man's work!
Such a statement can damage proper
development. One counselor who talked
with over 300 homosexuals said he had not
found one who had a strong loving
relationship with his father.

Here is where the church should be
crystal clear in teaching the sacredness of
the marriage bond. Instead of implying
that the sexist language in the Bible and as
used in the church is outdated and evil,
we should be upholding the beauty of the
intimate relationship between a man and
woman in marriage where the qualities of
love and submission are mutually ex-
pressed. The more we destroy the biblical
male-female relationships, the more perver-
sion we will likely see in the oncoming
generations. Some people won't use
"Father" in their prayers anymore because
they aren't sure if God is a "he." Perhaps

we should try and change the sex of the
Devil too!

Almost universally, homosexuals are
heavy readers of pornography. This causes
fantasizing which visualizes a pleasurable
experience. The church should teach the
evils of pornography, the damage done
through watching much of what is on 1

television and in the movie theater, the |
lustful suggestions that come by the I

modern dance and immodest dress, and i
give instruction on how youth should
engage in wholesome dating practices. That
is why Deuteronomy 22:5 still ap-
plies today: God wants the sexes dis-
tinguished, j

What we read in the Bible. One famous j
sexologist said to a group of high j

schoolers, pointing his finger toward
heaven, "There is no one up there telling
you what is right and wrong." In contrast
to such thinking, we believe that the Bible
is God's word in the areas of our conduct
as Christians and should be obeyed. We
are cautious about displaying a "know-it-"
all" attitude or an arrogant spirit when us-
ing the Bible, yet its most intelligent use
would suggest that we should abide
by its plainest sense and apparent mean-
ings.

Whenever we turn away from God it
often includes the misuse of the sex drive.
That's why words like harlotry, whoredom
and adultery are used with both a physical
and a spiritual meaning in the Bible. In too
many instances we see our morality guid-
ing our theology rather than our beliefs
controlling our actions. While the Bible
says a great deal about improper sexual
relationships between male and female
such as fornication, adultery and incest, it
also speaks with some frequencv about
homosexuality. I will refer to only a
few:

The destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah in Genesis 19 is so closely
linked with homosexuality that today the
term "sodomy" has but one meaning.
When these perverted men would not be
satisfied sexually even by Lot's offer of his
two virgin daughters, his exclamation was
"I beg you. my brothers, do not act so
wickedly" (Gen. 19:7). Here is the answer
to the question. "Should homosexuality be
called sin?" For most Bible readers, the
destruction of these cities is about the
clearest evidence of God's displeasure with
human conduct in all of history.

In Leviticus 18:22 and 20: 13 a further
word is given. These scriptures some
would pass off as being "only Old Testa-
ment." While ceremonial and purifica-

I

tion laws were given to Israel only,
God's moral laws (while given to Israel)
still apply, as revealed by several New
Testament passages condemning homosex-
uality. God's standards of morality
have not changed. In Isaiah 3:12 the
phrase "women rule over them" may mean
"men who act like women." Remember
this was part of God's displeasure with
Israel which led to its scattering and
bondage.

In Romans 1:26. 27 it is so clear that
homosexuals (male and female) leave the
natural use of the opposite sex and practice
a perversion with their own sex. Homosex-
uality is not natural and right. It is un-
natural and sin! In 1 Corinthians 6:9
homosexuals are included in a list of
sinners who shall not inherit the kingdom
of God (also, see 1 Tim. 1:10). Although
the Bible condemns the homosexual prac-
tice it does not condemn the homo-
sexual desire. The act, not the bent, is the
sin. A person who has such leanings may
not be responsible for some of the com-
plex patterns of early experience that
helped to shape those desires — but we are
responsible for choosing to act out those
desires.

T.

he apostle Paul in describing the last
days, says people shall be "without natural
affection" (2 Tim. 3:3, KJV). Jesus also
said as it was in the days of Lot, so shall
it also be in the coming of the Son
of Man. As we witness the upsurge of
homosexual interest and activity, it is
another sign that Jesus is coming
soon.

The church should call homosexuality
sin because it is clearly forbidden in the
Bible, because it cannot fulfill one of the
major functions of sex (that of reproduc-
tion) and because it does not lead to a
wholesome and upbuilding activity in the
community of faith.

With equal volume the church should
offer redemption to homosexuals. They
should not be treated as untouchables!
Homosexuality is a forgivable sin; it is a
curable sin (See IVlarch 1978 IVIessenger,
page 30, for the testimony of a trans-
formed homosexual). "And such were
some of you. But you were washed, you
were sanctified, you were justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and by the Spirit of our God"
(I Cor. 6:1 1). These redeemed people
were happy, but not gay! D

Jame.\ F. Myer uf Liiifz. Pa., is a member of the
Church of I he Brethren General Bvard.

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over ihe highways, on the byways, through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• Pristine and white — clean and bright . . . that's January with its promises of begin-
ning again. As a child I loved the first days of school after the holidays, with all my gleam-
ing white tablets and my shiny crayons, each of them still pointed and all in one piece . . .
and while I soon created chaos out of order, those first days of newness were sheer bliss.
Now I know the new year as a gift ... a beginning again in the life of faith, a savoring of
inner resolutions . . . more time with the Scriptures . . . more meditative prayer . . .
another start on a spiritual journal . . . more individual outreach. "Thanks, Gracious God,
for new beginnings ... for clean pages to write on . . . but especially thanks for your
patience with a procrastinating back-slider."

• Watching and listening to the irrepressible Margaret Mead on child-bearing and
rearing. "Having a child," she says, "is a necessary attachment to the future." She adds that
the only credit parents can take for themselves is the credit of not ruining their children.
Surely parenthood that involves the religious intuitions of love and hope can go a step
beyond that.

• Jean Young, wife of UN Ambassador Andrew Young, and a Brethren college
graduate, has been appointed chairwoman of the International Year of the Child, 1979.
One of their brochures states, "There are millions of reasons for supporting the lYC and
most of them are children under ten years of age." Barbara Ward refers to these children
ominously as "an endangered species."

• STOP SIGNS ... on a bulletin board beside a country church: "Just to live is holy."
That's a provocative enough statement to keep an adult Sunday school class busy for a
couple of sessions.

• After a bout of sleeplessness one night, I recalled Nels Ferre's words to Sister Anna
when she commiserated with him about his insomnia . . . "Oh, I really don't mind ... 1 just
enjoy using that time to praise the Lord!"

• Heard a Church of God theologian at Women's Camp speak briefly on the simple
life. She said, "God doesn't care if you drive a Cadillac or a Volkswagen Rabbit. He does
care whether or not you care."

• The nuns of St. Joseph of Capuchin Order set an example of involvement in both
the inner and outer witness. Owning 10 shares of Rockwell International Corporation
stock, they appeared at a stockholders' meeting . . . they not only appeared . . . they urged
the company to plan for conversion to non-military production. The holy are always at
home in high places!

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Ruby Rhoades — Prayers
by Michael Quoist; Amidst the Revolution by Emilio Castro. Paul W. Keller — The Encap-
sulated Man by Joseph Royce; Autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi.

• Elizabeth O'Connor on the subject of gifts . . . "The more full of promise a life is the
more apt it is to evoke uncomfortable responses in others." Note to myself: I vow never to
be uncomfortable when facing another's life that is full of promise! . . . For our gifts are
from God and we blaspheme the Spirit when we negate them in ourselves or others.

• From Another Pilgrim's Pen: "Christ is the Eternal Humanity in the life of the
Infinite." — George Gordon

See you on the journey — pkh

Brethren writer Patricia Kennedy Helman is a member of the Manchester congregation. North Manchester. Ind.
She is a Brethren representative to the National Council of Churches and is a leader for spiritual growth retreats.

January 1979 messenger 37

'^mmm(§ pmM,'.

135th BVS
Orientation Unit
Post-30

l*hyllis Pllaum ot Bradcnion.
Rii.. to Bridgcwalcr Home.
Bndgcwalcr. Va.

Mabel Schrock of (joshcn,
Ind,. lo Brethren Service
(enter. New Windsor. Md.

136th BVS
Training Unit

( Iraining completed Sept. 29,
i97«)

(iail Be.sore of Shippensburg.
Pa., lo Area Youth Ministries.
Indianapolis. Ind.

Stephen Broachc of Port
Republic. Va.. to l.end-A-
Hand. Walker. Ky,

Fdwm Cable of Syracuse,
Ind . to Brethren Service
Center. New Windsor, Md,

Karen Eckman of l.ilit/. Pa.,
lo Kriendship Day Care Center,
Hutchinson. Kan,

Beverly Ciucwa of

Barrmgton, N.J.. lo Pinecresl
Nursmg Home. Ml, Morris. III.

Peter Haynes of Bridgewater.
Va,, to Brethren member of the
Peace Caravan. Fvanston, III.

Tara Kindy of Middlebury,
Ind., to Pleasant View harm.
Bristol. N.H.

Bonnie Kline of Manassas.
Va.. to Pleasant View Farm,
Brislol, N.H

Sandra Mason ot Palmyra.
Pa., lo Hospital Castaiicr.
Puerto Rico.

Patti Moser of Souderton.
Pa.. to Kuhn Memorial
Hospital. Vicksburg. Miss.

Jacqueline Reisinger ol
Manheim. Pa., to Friendship
Day Care Center. Hutchinson.
Kan.

Cheryl Ritchey of New
Enterprise. Pa., to Woodford
Home, Decatur. Ill,

Shirley Rummell of Paris.
Ohio to Lend-A-Hand, Walker.
Ky,

I'eli Schwar/mann of

Swil/erland, lo National
Moratorium on Prison Con-
struction. Washmgton. DC.

Marianne Schwar/mann of
Switzerland lo Washington
Peace Center. Washington,
DC.

Cathy Simmons of Char-
lottesville. Va.. to research
assistant. Brethren En-

cyclopedia project, Bethany
Theological Seminary, Oak
Brook. 111.

Steve Simmons of Ventura,
Calif,, to Communications
Team. Messengi^r staff. Church
of the Brethren General Offices.
Elgin, Ml.

Mark Steury of Goshen,
Ind., to Reformations

Gemeinde, Berlin. West Ger-
many.

Karen Tyler of Tucson, An?,,
to Camp Mack. Milford, Ind.

Douglas Wiebe of Nappanee.
Ind.. lo Mennonile member to
Peace Caravan, Evanston, III.

Pastoral
Placements

Isaac Haldeo. student, other
denominalion. to Bethany. Mis-
souri, part-time

Charles F, Baldwin. .Ir., to
Navarre. Western Plains, part-
time

Richard Burkhart. student,
lo Auburn. Northern Indiana,
interim, part-time

Earl F, Cater, trom Jones
Chapel. Virlina. to Baugo.
Northern Indiana

led Caudill. trom PIca.sant
Valley. Northern Plains, lo Plea-
sant Hill. Icnn,. Southeastern

Ivan Fausnight. from Olivet.
Southern Ohio, to Eagle Creek.
Northern Ohio, interim

J Michael Fike. Irom Fair-
view-Mt Clinton, Shenandoah,
to Chimney Run-Valley Bethel.
Shenandoah

Ivan I., and Doroiha Winger
Fry. from secular, lo Defiance.
Northern Ohio

Fllmer Q. (ileim, Irom secu-
lar, to York, Madison, South-
ern Pennsylvania. team
ministry

.1 Richard Ciotlshall. from
(ircencastlc. Southern Penn-
sylvania, to Pine Glen. Middle
Pennsylvania

Dave Hendricks, from Beth-
any Seminary. to Worth-
inglon. Northern Plains

Mars .lean net te Hoo\er lo
(iniversilv of Wyoming. I ara-
mie. Wyoming. campus

minister

Kermit I Jones, from
secular. lo County I. inc.
Western Pennsylvania

Emery B Kintner. from
secular, to Pleasant Chapel,
Northern Indiana

(iordon Klopfenstein. from
secular. lo Cedar Creek.
Northern Indiana. interim,
part -lime

Andrew laslo, from Dan-
ville, First. Virlina, lo Mark-
leysburg. Western Pennsylvania

Calvin Fee Lawyer, from
Eden. N.C., Virlina, to Wa-
bash, South Central Indiana

Harmon Remmel Mcnker, to
Donnell's Creek. Southern
Ohio

Wedding
Anniversaries

Mr and Mrs, O. Clark Ans-
pach. Lima, Ohio, 66

Mr. and Mrs. Lov Bachman.
Defiance. Ohio, 64 '

Mr. and Mrs, Rodger Ber-
key. Johnstown. Pa., 50

Mr and Mrs. Everett Bond.
Kansas City, Kan.. 50

Mr and Mrs. Harold Boone.
Olympia. Wash,, 50

Mr and Mrs. Ed Boorigie.
Independence. Kan,. 50

Mr, and Mrs. Orlif Bow-
man. Modesto. Calif,, 50

Mr. and Mrs. Wilion Brad-
ford. Oaks. Pa.. 54

Mr, and Mrs, George Brans-
corn. Roanoke. Va., 58

Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Carney,
Nickcrson, Kan.. 56

Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Case.
Seattle, Wash.. 50

Mr. and Mrs. Earl Cline,
Port Republic. Va.. 50

Mr. and Mrs. Saylor Cub-
bage. Washington. DC, 50

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rora,
Trotwood, Ohio, 50

Mr, and Mrs. Ethel Fodge.
New Paris. Ind,, 60

Mr, and Mrs. John Frank.
Whiltier. Calif.. 50

Mr, and Mrs. J. Harvey Geb-
hardt. Oaks, Pa., 54

Mr. and Mrs. Arlie Glick,
Dayton, Va.. 50

Mr. and Mrs, Walter Gor-
don. Ft. Myers. Fla,. 65

Mr, and Mrs. Clarence Har-
dy. Glendora, CaliL, 50

Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Hardy.
Defiance. Ohio, 50

Mr, and Mrs. Herald Hen-
dricks, Brooklyn. Mich,, 60

Mr, and Mrs. Howard Herr.
Trotwood, Ohio. 50

Mr. and Mrs. Graybill Her-
shey. Manheim. Pa , 60

Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Hoffer,
Johnstown. Pa.. 50

Mr and Mrs. Chalmer Hoff-
man. St. Petersburg. Fla., 50

Mr. and Mrs. C. Fred Hol-
derman. Goshen, Ind., 66

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Kel-
ler, Girard. III., 55

Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Kin-
dell. Englewood. Ohio. 50

Mr. and Mrs Harly Lavcv.
West Milton. Ohio, 50'

Mr. and Mrs. .lohn Lewis.
Roanoke. La., 50

Mr. and Mrs, Ralph l.osh-
baugh. Westphalia. Kan,, 59

Mr, and Mrs. Robert
McConnell. Cabool. Mo., 60

Mr. and Mrs, Samuel R
Merkey. Abilene. Kan,. 55

Mr. and Mrs George Mish-
ler. New Pans. Ind . 50

Mr. and Mrs. Forbes Norris,
Winter Park. Fla., 55

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Os-
born. Defiance, Ohio. 50

Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Pobsl..
Wenatchee, Wash.. 50

Mr. and Mrs Faye Racop.
Flat Rock. Ill . 50

Mr. and Mrs Orville Risley.
Nickerson. Kan.. 50

Mr. and Mrs, Vcrn Rusher.
Denver, Colo,. 50

Mr. and Mrs. Hoy Shank,
Washington, DC. 65

Mr, and Mrs. Willie Shirey.
Port Republic. Va., 50

Mr and Mrs. Dan Snider.
Nappanee. Ind . 50

Mr, and Mrs. Clement Snow-
den. Lilil/, Pa.. 50

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Slutne-
beam. Ollumwa, Iowa. 50

Mr and Mrs, Chester War-
ren, Denver. Colo . 50

Deaths

Aukerman, lr\in E.. 88. Green-
ville. Ohio. Oct, 7, 1978

Barnharl. IMdean Holland. 68,
Roanoke. Va.. Sept. 22, 1978

Ba>les%, Bessie, Santa Ana,
Calif. Apr. 4. 1978

Blickenstaff. Haltie. 89. Lima.
Ohio, Aug. 19. 1978

Bomberger, Clyde, 83, t.£ba-

non. Pa.. Dec. 23, 1977
Boh man. Golda. 80, Quinter,

Kan.. Aug. 30. 1978
Brown. Harlow, 88. McPher-

son, Kan.. Aug. 12. 1978
Brower. Cindy. 19, Troy. Ohio,

Sept. 22, 1978
Burden. Russell. Lakeview.

Ohio, Apr. 13, 1978
Burns, Ernest P., 68. Saxlon.

Pa.. June 30. 1978
C hapman. Emory, 98, Wind-

ber. Pa.. Aug. 17, 1978
( lopper, G Atlee. 59, Hagers-

town, Md.. Sept. 13. 1978
(ook. Ruth M., 83. Kansas

City. Mo., Sept. 9. 1978
( rowe. Roy. 80, La Verne,

Cahf , Aug, 25. 1978
( upp. Cilen, 73, Empire, Calif,,

July 15. 1978
( urincr. Iris, 71. Gettysburg,

Ohio. July 27. 1978
Edwards, Inez. 89. Slaniev.

Wis,, Aug. 29, 1978
Fshelman. Sherman. 87.

Wavnesboro. Pa.. Oct. 10,

1 978
hSans. Arthur, 88. Windber,

Pa , Sept. 16, 1978
Fuhrman. Mary l.andes. 83,

Col lege vi lie. Pa.. Mav I.

1978
Furslenau. Mablc. 73. Seattle,

Wash., Aug. I, 1978
(iaba. (iertrude, 89. Kansas

City. Mo.. Apr. 18. 1978
(.indcr. Roger Jay. 16. Mount

Joy. Pa.. Sept. 26. 1978
(>lasa, David A.. 23. La Verne.

Calif. Aug. 21. 1978
(.oodling. Wesley W . 82.

Cocoiamus. Pa, .lulv 31.

1978
Mana«al(, J, Ross, 91, la

Verne. Calif. July 27, 1978
Hawhakcr. Daniei M.. 84.

lancasler. Pa.. Sepl 15.

1978
Hernle*. Margaret, 46. Mon-

roeville. Pa., July II, 1978
Herr, Ivan G., 92. Navarre,

Kan., Oct. 8. 1978
Hollis. Oscar E., 83. Modesto.

Calif. Sepl. 22. 1978
Hummer. Ilovd Jr.. 55, Eli/a-

belhlown. Pa.. July 5. 1978
karns, Rov. 80. Greenville.

Ohio. July 9. 1978
Kales, Marv. 89. Marion. Ohio.

Sepl, 7. 1978
Kn(>ll. Edna E,. 81, Milton.

Wis., Sept. 9. 1978
Krall. Clarence, 79. Cerro Gor-
do. 111,. Sept, 12. 1978
l.andRra^e. Ruth C. 89. South

Bend. Ind,. Oct, 21. 197K
l.arrick. Edith Irene. 79. Cer-
ro (iordo. III.. Sept. 28. 1978
I.ealherman, I lovd. 83, Boons-

boro. Md., Sept. I. 1978
Leal Herman. Lucy .lane, 80.

Boonsboro. Md.. Aug, 27.

1978
Leiter. Ruth N.. 79. Hagers-

lown. Md., Oct. 5, 1978
Neubergcr, Ruth. 57. Orlando.

Fla.. July 30. 1978
Park. Robert. 69, Credersville.

Ohio. May 6. 1978
Pfoul/. Donald. 73. Baltimore.

Md,. Sept. 2, 1978
Pluninier. Harry. 77, Waynes-
boro, Va . Sepl, i. 1978

Pollock. Florence Marie. 75.

Adei, Iowa, June 15. 1978
Ramer. Edward. 73. Goshen.

Ind.. Sepl. 18. 1978
Reed. Benllev. 70. Roanoke.

Va.. Sept. 12, 1978
Reed, Charles Dean. 37. Can-
do. N.D.. Aug. 21. 1978
Reiman, C.E.. 86. Berlin. Pa..

Sept. 29. 1978
Reinhuld. Menno, 67, Eliza-
belhlown. Pa.. Sept. 22. 1978
Reynolds, Dave. 83. Ankeny.
lowa. May 28. 1978

Roberts. Lela L., 72, Spring-
Held. Ohio, Sept. 9. 1978

Rogers. Raymond E., 24, Wa-
terloo. Iowa. June 25. 1978

Roller. Michael. 14. Philadel-
phia. Ohio. Aug. 18. 1978

Rudisill, George. 71. Troy.
Ohio. Aug. 19, 1978

Saufle). Charles I., 57, Leba-
non. Pa.. July 27. 1978

Sausman. Jessie I., 61. Bunker-
town, Pa.. Aug. I. 1978

Schlenkcr, Alice. 84. La Verne.
Calif. June .30. 1978

Schrader, Ella Ruth, 70. Del-
phi. Ind.. Dec. 13. 1977

Scrogum, Edilh. 82, Boons-
boro. Md.. Aug. 24. 1978

Shank. Emorv M.. 78. Na-
varre, Kan. Apr. 19. 1978

Shell>. Bertha Mae. 91, Mo-
desto. Calif. Sept. 24. 1978

Shepherd, Frank. 57. Cumber-
land. Md.. July 27. 1978

Shull. Bertha, IX North Man-
chester. Ind.. Oct. 2, 1978

Spriial. Charles 1.., 63. Blue
Springs. Mo.. Aug. 14. 1978

Slauffer. Amy R.. 99, McPher-
son, Kan,. Aug. 6. 1978

Slomm, Ralph, 82. Ashlev.
Ind.. Sept. 10. 1978

Thomas, Leo. 75. Rockford,
III.. Aug. 14. 197S

\analta. Dave. 80 Gettysburg.
Ohio, Aug. II, 1978

Varner. Edilh. 98. Windber.
Pa., Sept. 6. 1978

Walter, Rachel. 80, Clavsburg,
Pa., Aug. 25, 1978

\\ca\er. Bertha, 91. Hagers-
lown, Md., Sept. IS. 1978

Meaner, Lydia. 80. Johnstown.
Pa.. Aug. 25. 1978

\\chrl>. Pearl A.. 95. Miamis-
hurg. Ohio, Sept. 2. 1978

\\eld>. Chloc Miller. 92. Nap-
panee. Ind.. Aug. 23. 1978

\Nenger. Ada. 92. North Man-
chester, Ind.. Aug. 28. 1978

Witkcrson. George. 77. Smiths-
burg. Md.. Aug, 9. 1978

Wjlhams, Florene V,. 90.
Boonsboro, Md.. Aug. 25,
1978

\Ningerl. ,1 Robert, 77. Quincv,
Pa . Sept. 14. 1978

\\ingerl, Margucrile. 68. Shads
Gro\c. Pa,. Aug. 19. 1978

Wotgcmuth, Minnie. 68. EUza-
bethtown. Pa.. Aug. 21. 1978

Woollen, Wilma D.. 69, Cerro-
Gordo. III,. Sept. 10. 1978

Worthing. Dorlhv S.. 76. Sax-
ton. Pa.. July 24. 1978

WvsonR. Jav. 71. Nappanee.
ind,. Aug, 1. 1978

^eagle>. Fred. 41. Clcona, Pa..
No\ 9. 1977

Zimmerman. Irvin E.. 61, Trot-
wood, Ohio. Aug. 10. 1978

38 MtssENGER January 1979

!:^°'""<',

"o Co.,

Your two cents worth:

Gospel Messenger
readers counsel
the editor in 1889

Og-ie

^nty.

^ill

er

OU22t

by Frances Holsopple Fenner

"We want the help of your advice and
counsel," a number of Brethren were
asked in a Nov. 1, 1889 circular. "We
desire to make the Gospel Messenger for
1890 worthy of the patronage it is receiving
from the church."

Under Editor H. B. Brumbaugh, Office
Editor D. L. Miller made this appeal at a
time the church was considering the adop-
tion of the Gospel Messenger as an official
organ of the denomination. It was a critical
year of transition in policy and manage-
ment for the weekly journal that Elder
Miller served as editor from 1891 to the
end of his days in 1921.

Returned addressed envelopes, franked
with a green embossed two-cent stamp,
flowed in from Maryland to California,
from Georgia to Nebraska, two-thirds from
outside Illinois. How many Brethren re-
ceived this circular is not recorded, but the
January 7, 1890 issue took action on the
suggestions, starting with an article on
page 3 addressing the question of "Sisters
Asking Blessing at Table."

Excerpts from the comments and con-
cerns found in a bundle of some 44 letters
remaining in the Brethren Historical
Library and Archives make telling points
nearly 90 years later. What would a similar
appeal generate in 1979?

Representative quotations of our
forefathers' "two cents worth" follow.

Concerning doctrinaire controversies:

— "Too conservative . . . ."

— "Cut down and out much sentimental
matters . . . ."

— "(Report) no church troubles, either as
begun or settled . . . ."

—"Some of the Brethren criticize each
others articles too much to be edifying . . . .

— "(Let) nothing be published that will
in any way reflect on plain dressing ....
(from Pennsylvania)."

— "(They) hash and rehash until we all
know their piece by heart."

— "1 should not have said anything, but
the stamped envelope brought me under
obligation to write . . . our business is to
keep the law and the gospel separate ..."

— "I read this week's Messenger . . .
there is no gospel in it . . . ."

— "1 make no criticism. If the Messenger
leads the Brotherhood astray, I don't have
to follow . . . ."

The question of advertising was upper-
most in the minds of a number of re-
spondents, urging deletion of "advertising,"
"secular matter," and "obituaries of non-
members."

— "I regret advertisements of quack
medicine, secret nostrums and lying asser-
tions of 'cancer cures' so-called . . . ."

— "The Faith Cure matter — success in
healing without claiming supernatural
power — can you give me his address?"

The survey did elicit some thoughtful
and positive suggestions concerning for-
mat, calling for a title page, an "index" or
table of contents, a detatchable cover or
wrapper to carry the advertising, an index
at the close of each volume and a page for
young members:

— "Have a frontispiece embodying
(church) position in greater detail . . . ."

— "More church news . . . less lifeless es-
saying . . . ."

— "A queries department: queries short
and to the point, ditto answers."

— "More variety . . . ."

— "A greater amount of brevities ..."

— "Reports brief . . . boil down . . . ."

— "Same news — fewer words."

Finances concerned some:

— "Too much begging for money."

— "I regret that the circulation is not
double ..."

— "Better compensation to regular con-
tributors . . . (this Nebraska correspondent
suggests $2 per day's effort)."

"It had better remain an individual
enterprise — let well enough alone . . . ."

Some readers were content to voice per-
sonal philosophies:

-"If we can't have such as we would
like we must take the next best thing
(Maryland)."

— "There is now and then an article in it
that 1 do not approve, but see no way to
prevent that . . . (Pennsylvania)."

— "My observations have been more
upon the improvements you have been
making than upon those needs . . . (Ohio)."

— "How to continue it with its present
power for good is my greatest concern . . .
(Ohio)."

"I would warn you to cease from any
responsibility in running a paper so
thoroughly sectarian as the Gospel
Messenger (build the cause of Christ and
not a party ... get out of such surround-
ings . . . Pennsylvania)."

"The general character of the reading
matter might be improved, but it is doubt-
ful whether it would be better adapted to
the mental and spiritual simplicity of the
great mass of your readers."

And finally a few words of comfort ap-
propriate for any place and time:

— "Nothing is perfect in this world . . .
(Virginia)."

— "Can't please all (California)." D

Frances Holsopple Fenner of Albany. N. Y.. trains
and supervises vocational couruelors for the stale of
hJev.- York.

January 1979 messenger 39

How many miles to Jonestown?

It always happens after an atrocity such as the
Jonestown cult suicides of this past November.
We reel and draw back from the sheer horror of it
all. The number of lives snuffed out shocks our
sensibilities. The tragic manner in which the vic-
tims met their death is revealed and we recoil
again, trying to shut out from our minds the im-
ages of real persons in such awful death throes.
Gradually the story is pieced out of the situation
behind the deed itself — the fanatical, demented
leader, the sorry living conditions, the tortures
and punishment. We strain to conceive of human
beings accepting such treatment or even of such
an ogre perpetrating it.

Many of us probably have spent considerable
time in the last several weeks analyzing and
rationalizing the Jonestown affair — as we did the
Charles Manson case and other such bizarre
goings-on in past years. And where do we come
out: That Jonestown was a bunch of religious
freaks who went off the deep end? That Jim
Jones was a Manson-type maniac, leading a pack
of zombies mesmerized by his anti-system rant-
ings? That Jonestown was what happens when
left-wingers get carried away with their own
blatherings about socialism, inter-racial harmony
and communal living?

Columnist Meg Greenfield concludes that the
aberrational behavior witnessed at Jonestown is a
parody or caricature of our own behavior. For
her, Jonestown merely exhibits in stark relief "the
dark impulses that lurk in every private psyche,
the impulses whose control and channeling into
constructive human acts is the very definition of
civilization."

This compels me to ask the question: How
close have 1 been to Jonestown in my own life?
Particularly, when I have experienced deep
frustrations and felt the desire to follow some
charismatic leader, to know the comfort and
security of total obedience and self-repression,
and, yes, felt the promptings to endorse violence
that in my darker moments seems the practical
way to put things right.

How close have you been?

It would be interesting to know the personal

histories of those who died at Jonestown. Par-
ticularly, to know how many of them once had
been church members like you and me here in the
United States, but turned away and drifted into
the Peoples Temple because of insensitive treat-
ment by their congregations.

I wonder how many members of Jim Jones'
Peoples Temple might never have joined it, if in
their churches they had found a nurturing, sup-
portive community that provided old-fashioned
warmth, understanding and love, if not more
sophisticated counseling and welfare services. I
shudder at all the letters 1 receive from Brethren
readers that call for drumming out of the church
everyone who varies from their own narrow
religious views or life-style. How many people do
we help send to Jonestown?

And I wonder how many of us, when we get a
little turned off at the church, find ourselves at-
tracted to some person or movement, perhaps
someone we have seen and heard on tv, who
though they probably would never go to the ex-
tremes of Jim Jones or Jonestown, still may tear
churches and families apart or — at least — warp
the lives of those whose dissidence they thrive on.

A

few "rules of thumb" seem useful after these
wonderings: Watch out for "Christians" who go
around ferreting out "sinners" and hounding and
pressuring them from the church (Wasn't the
church founded for sinners?). Beware of any
movement that calls more attention to itself than
to living the gospel. Distrust leaders who
perpetuate their own names, whose business is to
attack everything around them, but never to sub-
ject themselves to accountability. Be leery of
pastors who have it in for their denomination,
who wonder if they should not go independent.
Run from those who announce that "God told me
to do this and that." And if you catch yourself
saying, "This isn't we judging; this is God's holy
word," you had better go back and pore over the
Scriptures a little more.

How many miles is it to Jonestown? How
close have we ever been? — k.t.

40 MESSENGER Januarv 1979

PART OF MY

BUSINESS

IS INVESTMENTS

ONE OF MY
BEST INVESTMENTS
IS IN PEOPLE

The Church of the Brethren General Board in-
vests in people. Your gift through the General
Board helps to share the love of Christ through
Christian nurture, the SHARE ministries,
worldwide ministries, hunger ministries,
evangelism, church extension,
congregational support.

That's why I'm glad to serve as a member of the

Church of the Brethren General Board. It invests

in people who can get the job done.

WILL YOU INVEST IN PEOPLE TOO?

Dale W. Detwiler, President

New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co.

New Enterprise, Pennsylvania

Tell me more about how I

can invest in people

through the Church of

the Brethren General Board.

I am interested in:

e

Gifts Returning Income For Life

Gifts of Property

Gifts of Life Insurance

Gifts as a Memorial

Gifts Through My Will

Gifts/Investments in Church Extension

Name

Street

City/State/Zip

Please clip and mail to: Church of the Brethren General Board/Office of Stewardship Enlistment
Elgin, Illinois 60120/Telephone: (312) 742-5100

wwlth
messenger

VSrowwUh
messenger

^rowwUh
messenger

row with
er

Who says

families

are

dying?

wwUh
messenger

VSrowwUh
messenger

VSrowwUh
messenger

row with

messe

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
FEBRUARY 1979

Who says

families

are

^ ^t dying?

mM(^\[^^.

^ Q Brethren Young Adults: A Sense of Timing. Brethren

students and young adults met at New Windsor, Md., over Thanksgiving
to look at "Brethren" issues and at each other's faith, attitudes and con-
cerns. Special Report by Steve Simmons.

4 2 Jesus a Feminist? Michael Scrogin, in a study of scriptural passages
from the Gospels dealing with women, shows how far ahead of his times
Jesus really was.

^ 4 Who Says Families Are Dying? La Von Rupei says families

aren't dying, but they are hurting. She outlines the church's responsibility
for families in a new age.

^ Q Fallen, fallen, Babylon the Great. Writer Paul Grout and

photographer Glenn Mitchell score the popular shopping malls as "new
temples" inviting their congregations to worship "things."

O O Getting Beyond Barriers. Back from a seminar in the German

Democratic Republic, Nelda Rhoades is struck by the common concerns
that Brethren and East German Christians share. She reports on these
and the challenges that the East Germans throw out to us in the USA.

24 '^ Y°" '^O' '" ^'J® You! Leland Wilson looks at the phenomenon of
everybody settling differences in court. When the tendency is to pursue all
relationships legally, an old Brethren principle suddenly makes more
sense than ever.

27 The Bible: God's Good Gift. Harper S. Will suggests guidelines
for appreciating the good gift God has shared with us in the Holy Scrip-
tures.

In Touch profiles Pat Hykes, Ankeny, Iowa; Henry B. Cox, Troutville, Va.;
Sheila Russell, Manila, Mich.; and Connie Allen, Sedalia, Ind. (2) . . . Outlook
reports on Seattle Conference. SHARE II letter. Disarmament. SERRV. Zimmer-
man trial. FTC ad rules. Shareholder resolutions. Vietnam vet aid. World Peace
Tax Fund. Shroud of Turin (start on 4) . . . Underlines (7) . . . Update (8) . . .
Column, "Getting Beyond Barriers," by Nelda Rhoades (23) . . . Resources, "Bi-
ble Study," by Shirley J. Heckman (28) . . . Film Review, "Good and Evil Battle
in Animated TLOTR," by Dave Pomeroy (30) . . . Opinions of Geraldine Crill
Filer, Cindy Filer, McKinley Coffman, Francis Hendricks Jr. and Don Hoover
(start on 32) . . . Turning Points (37) . . . People & Parish, stories from
Reading, Pa.; New Paris, Ohio; and La Verne, Calif. (38) . . . Editorial (40)

EDITOR

Howard E Royer (on special assignment)

MANAGING EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson (acting editor)

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Ziegler Blake

FEATURES

Stewart M Hoover. Fred W. Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E Weaver, Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Dons Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K, Thompson

VOL 128. NO 2

FEBRUARY 1979

CREDITS: Cover H. Armstrong Roberts. I. 18-
22 Glenn Mitchell. 3 right Kurt H. Schindler. 5
John C. Goodwin, United Methodist Global
Ministries. 10-11 Steve Simmons; II lower right
Ed Cable. 13 Three Lions. 14. 28-29 Nguyen Van
Gia. 24 Kenneth L. Stanley. 30 Saul Zaent/
Production Co.

Messenger is the official publication of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug. 20, 1918, under Act of Congress of
Oct. 17, 1917. Filing date, Oct. I, 1978.
Messenger is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service. Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version.

Subscription rates; $6.00 per year for individual
subscriptions; $4.80 per year for Church Group
Plan; $4.80 per year for gift subscriptions; $3.15
for school rate (9 months); life subscription.
$80.00 single, $90.00 couple. If you move clip old

■ address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change. Me.ssenger is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission, Church of the
Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee
Ave., Elgin, III. 60120, Second-class
postage paid at Elgin, 111., Feb. 1979. Copyright
1978. Church of the Brethren General Board.

CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR ROUND

1 don't write letters to the editor as often as I
should — in protest, sharing correct information,
but especially saying thanks. But "Christmas in
Context" and the December editorial demand a
thank you.

I've said for many years that we celebrate
Christmas too much. We really should celebrate
Easter more than Christmas. Easter should be
more important to Christians than Christmas be-
cause of its true meaning. We should celebrate St.
Nick's Day on the proper day and not mix it with
Christmas Day — there is a very big difference.

I would like to have an Easter worship service
in August, or every month, because we should
celebrate Easter (or Christmas) all year and not
just one day out of the year. (We do celebrate
Easter at communion time.) I would like to see a
nativity scene in the home year-round, possibly
with a cross emanating from the manger, with
Christ on the cross.

Keep those thought-provoking articles and
editorials coming.

Martin R. Rock
Washington, DC.

WAIT, THERE'S MORE TO COME

Just a few lines to tell you how much I en-
joyed the November Messenger. I enjoyed ever>-
article this time and thought this Messenger was
the top of all 1 read. Keep up the good work,
God is not finished with the Church of the
Brethren.

Irene Bollinger
Myerstown, Pa.

SIGNS OF THE END TIMES

I used to get the Messenger when it was the
Gospel Messenger. I cancelled a few years ago
when I became more and more disappointed
with its contents. More than just the name
"Gospel" has been left out. It has become more
worldly. Some articles that have appeared in the
Messenger have no place in a Christian
magazine. Brethren should be so well grounded
in scriptural truth that they should not have to
waste time debating such questions as abortion,
homosexuality and ERA. God's word is very
clear on all of them, but some people seem to
want to rewrite the Bible to fit their own ideas.

Messenger has many articles on the
ecumenical movement, and seems to endorse it.
The movement is a danger signal, showing how
near we are to the end times. Revelation tells of
the super church which will he controlled by
Satan.

After churches behind the Iron Curtain were
admitted to it, the Worid Council of Churches
turned wholly to woridly political questions and
renounced all religous motivation and activity.
The WCC has become an instrument of
Moscow, financed by a naive West. 1 give credit
to William Malgo of "Midnight Call" for some
of the statements 1 used from his article.
"Shadows of Armageddon."

Mrs. Ernf.st Bi bb
.Astona. III.

WHERE rs THE OLD BRETHREN WAY?

After being members of the church for over 60
years we do not believe that the Church of the
Brethren is a Church of the Brethren any more.
It is drifting away from the teachings we were
taught as Brethren.

To give you an example, I was in a hospital
twice this summer and there wasn't a soul who
called on me, except for a minister of another
faith (who called every day) and a priest who
came in several times and had prayer. Now is
that the old Brethren way?

My grandfather was a Brethren minister and
built a church in northern Indiana. Our family
all have been members down through the years,
but to be honest I have lost faith in our church.

Lawrence Welborn
Largo, Fla.

CONFERENCE IS NECESSARY

May I respond to Chauncey Shamberger's
anxiety over the frequency of Conferences
(Opinions, Nov.)?

During my high school years his name (among
others) appeared on the program for the "union
meetings'" shared quarterly by the Naperville,
Batavia, Elgin and Chicago congregations. To-
day the office he filled then would likely be
called "youth director" or something similar.
Four union meetings per year meant one special
"conference" Sunday for each of the four con-
gregations. Naperville and Batavia combined in
a Sunday school picnic on each Fourth of July.
In my view, inter-congregational contacts make
a vital contribution toward membership identity.

Recently a business paper discussed the im-
pact of the "electronic" church. It means "follow
tv and radio evangelists and Bible programs"
and rather boldly implied "gain that much more
time out and away in commercialized action
spots."

To me our Conferences mean "people are
hungry for dynamic contacts in the spiritual
area."

Conference discussions on vital spiritual life
themes are a major response to a spiritually
hungry society.

Community-wide crusades answer this hunger.
I am eager that Conferences may continue and
increase in vital spiritual directions.

Galen E. Barkdoll
Constantine, Mich.

TV FOR THE BIRDS

I agree with Stewart Hoover (December) that
changes in television programing are needed.

Violence is one item that needs change, as well
as the advertising of children's toys, candy and
sugared cereals. But the area which I feel is most
crucial at this point is the degeneracy of content
in so many of the programs being aired by
television. I abhor turning on a tv set during
"prime time" and seeing scenes of people making
love, or hearing on talk shows how they support
homosexuality.

Where is the practice of our affirmation "One
nation under God," or "In God we trust"? If we

were truly practicing the doctrines set down in the
Bi ble we would see the foolishness and error of our
ways, get on our knees and ask for God's
forgiveness. Our deviant ways are no justification
for his love toward us, but our striving to live by
Christian standards comes closer to pleasing him,
and this should be our goal.

If it was my life-style to practice corruption and
immorality, I would find it so easy to feel sup-
ported by all of the degenerative programs being
aired by the media. But this is not the case, and so I
choose the road lesser traveled — the road of
Christianity — non-corruptive and of decent
morality for me and those closely associated with
me.

It is harder, sometimes, to persevere in the
Christian life, when there is so much to distract
and lead one astray from the way of Christ. But the
feeling of life is so fulfilling and satisfying, that its
benefits far outweigh the thought of trying to do,
be and live what I see on tv. Until tv is more dis-
criminating in the programs being shown, televi-
sion, to me, is primarily "for the birds."

Glen R. Daughtry
Kansas City, Kan.

SINCE YOU ASKED. . .

I can answer the questions in your December
editorial:

According to the parable of the Good
Samaritan, a neighbor is one who is nigh (near)
another in need and administers that sustenance in
emergency. Since when are Africans and Asians
neighbors in ihat sense?

Christ's brethren who are hungry are those who,
because of persecution, are unable to earn a liv-
ing. David said he never saw a righteous man
begging bread. Many of the crowd went after
Christ for his physical food, rather than for his
spiritual food.

Since when are agricultural missions or relief
missions leaching or baptizing in C/irii(.' Atheistic
Russians do the same thing.

We are not, per se, prejudiced against
minorities. We are prejudiced against the sins and
stupidities of minorities.

Christ would write in the dust and tell the homo-
sexual to sin no more.

Christ is concerned about any liberalism con-
cerning divorce, remarriage, homosexuality,
drugs and abortion. Sorcery and murders are the
last two.

Have the Brethren really made a stand on
divorce's tendency to produce legalized adultery?

ERA is unfair. Women already have superior
rights at home. What you really mean is SRA —
the Superior Rights Amendment.

You are myopic. Most business corporations
are now interested in the socio-economic im-
plications of their being in a community.

Peace is elusive as long as people are lustful and
covetous. Pay Uncle Sam's full tax and get an
enabling law allowing one to designate one's full
tax toward Uncle Sam's United Nations assess-
ment.

Myron C. Horst
York, Pa.

T

Lown councils worry about the breaking-
up of the downtown store area and try to
reverse the trend toward outlying shop-
ping malls by providing fountains, walk-
ways and piped-in music. Churches worry
about the break-up of the family and in-
itiate family-nurturing programs to stem
the tide. The February Messenger looks at
both these latterday phenomena.

What do shopping malls do to people?
Do they bring people together or separate
them? Are they replacing older insti-
tutions— the church,
the school — as the
center of the com-
munity? At the same
time, do they dehu-
manize people, turn-
ing them into mind-
less worshipers of
"things?"

Paul Grout and
Glenn Mitchell, with
pen and camera,
have put together
a thought-provok-
ing commentary on
shopping malls which deals with those
questions.

Continuing on the theme of "What's
happening to people?" La Von Rupel asks,
"Who says families are dyingT' In her arti-
cle, which is based on a presentation she
made at the 1978 Pacific Southwest district
meeting, she will both disturb and reassure
you. If you hope to read that the old-time
family pattern is making a comeback,
forget it. Families may not be dying, but
they are definitely changing.

This February column is being written
on January 2. Already the planning board
is filling up as we look down the calendar
and select material for Messenger for
1979. March will feature Anna Warstler,
Baltimore First Church and Taiwan. The
next month will be our Easter issue. In it
we will introduce a new feature — a weekly
prayer calendar. The May Messenger will
be a special issue on "the human face of
justice." June will be heavy with Annual
Conference material, including a personali-
ty feature on the moderator, Warren Groff.
Special observances to be worked in are
the 400th anniversary of the birth of Alex-
ander Mack and the 75th anniversary of
Bethany Seminary.

We hope you will enjoy reading
Messenger throughout this year and will
share with us your reactions and your
suggestions for new stories and features in
the magazine. — The Editors

February 1979 messenger 1

ini^C^

Pat Hykes: Artist by chance

Pat Hykes of Ankeny, Iowa, has sold
over 500 paintings and drawings, has
had her paintings distributed inter-
nationally, has collected a number of
art show ribbons, is a charter
member of the Ankeny Artists in Ac-
tion group, is co-owner of an art
studio and she shares the instruction
of a year-round art class for youth
and adults.

What makes her achievements so
remarkable is the relatively short
time in which Pat has become an es-
tablished Midwest artist. Although
she always enjoyed dabbling in
various types of hand crafts during
college and years in elementary
teaching, she did not actually develop
her interest in art until the fall of
1972 — and even then it sort of
happened by chance.

Pat's husband, Dave, who was
pastor of the Ankeny Church of the
Brethren at the time, called on a cou-
ple who had just moved to their
block. The new neighbor, it turned
out, was an artist and she was plan-
ning to begin art classes in her home.
At Dave's encouragement, Pat en-
rolled in what was to be the first of
three 10- week instructional sessions
over a year-and-a-half period.

Pat's first efforts confirmed that
she had some natural talent. Her first
oil painting that sold was a picture of
a covered bridge (November 1972)
and from that date on, her work has
been in demand. In addition to
receiving acclaim at frequent art
shows, Pat keeps a backlog of com-
missions.

Christmas time is the busiest for
requested paintings. Pat works with
charcoal, pastels, watercolor or oils
and the themes vary, including floral
bouquets, still life, animals, portraits,
scenery and a favorite: farm
buildings. Scenes on barndoors are
the most unique paintings.

Last fall a Japanese family bought

2 MESSENGER February 1979

two scenes of Iowa farmland to take
home as realistic remembrances, and
an Australian exchange student
purchased a farm scene to send home
to her parents. This is especially
satisfying, to have others appreciate
her works.

Now in the third year of operation.

the P.J. Art Studio and Gallery run
by Pat and an artist friend, Joyce
Stuart, is the site of much industrious
and productive activity.

Pat's new career as an artist is very
demanding and yet she has not let it
interfere with her relationship to her
family. Her husband and their two
children. Randy, 12, and Brenda, 10,
are supportive and very proud of her
when her work is honored or finds a
buyer. And Pat herself is still in a
"honeymoon stage" with the canvas,
fascinated that something she so
much enjoys doing can also be her
profession. — F. W.S.

Henry B. Cox: A global

"One of the concerns I have is that
the people of our churches are so
heavily involved in local matters
they don't really know much about
what the larger church is doing. I
came back from Annual Conference
with the reinforced conviction that
more emphasis needs to be placed on
what the Church of the Brethren is
doing in world ministries." Those
are the words of Henry B. Cox, a
lay speaker in the Troutville
(Va.) Church of the Brethren and
a member of the Virlina District
Board, whose vocational and
religious background has given
him an appreciation for global
community.

Born in Philadelphia, the son of a
Methodist minister. Cox began his
exposure to differing points of view
and culture by earning his under-
graduate degree from a Quaker
college. A major in German,
augmented by study at the Univer-
sity of Heidelberg and a master's
degree from the University of Penn-
sylvania, prepared him for a vocation
in government service. Beginning in
1941 as an FBI agent, his assignment
was internal security guarding against
German espionage.

"But in 1946," he recalls, "1 moved
over to the State Department since I
was clearly not cut out by nature to
be a criminal investigator and I
wanted to use more of my education
in German." For the next 20 years he
was involved in relationships between
the US and Germany.

Following an early retirement from
the State Department, Cox was
called to be assistant executi\e direc-
tor of the Chicago Council on
Foreign Relations, the oldest
organization of its type in the United
States. Concentrating upon educating
citizens in foreign affairs. Cox
scheduled former State Department
contacts, journalists and local

Mstian

Sheila Russell & Connie Allen: Sisters again

academic persons as speakers and
forum participants.

"The average American is relatively
ignorant about foreign policy," Cox
states. As a result of his intensive ef-
forts in both Washington and Chicago
to promote German-American under-
standing, he was awarded the Order of
Merit First Class of the Federal
Republic of Germany in 1 97 1 .

In 1974 Henry Cox was elected ad-
ministrator of a population control
program in underdeveloped countries,
directed by Johns Hopkins Univer-
sity. After helping to organi/x this long
range effort he retired to Troutville,
the parental home of his wife, Doris,
whose father, E. C. Woodie, was a
former pastor of the Troutville con-
gregation.

Through Henry's involvements, he
and Doris have traveled extensively,
lived in several countries and have
worshiped and served in churches of
various communions. They have
brought to the Troutville congregation
a new and stimulating awareness of the
human family. — F.W.S.

An ad in Messenger in August 1961
defined the need for foster homes for
three young sisters. Sheila, Karen and
Diane Mason. Brethren families re-
sponded quickly but the sisters had to
be separated. Sheila, age 7, adopted by
Reta and James Russell, went to live
on a farm in Michigan. Karen, 6,
became the adopted daughter of Alvin
and Myrtle Kintner, who changed her
name to Connie. Kintner was a
Brethren minister in Ohio. Diane, the
oldest sister, possibly was adopted by a
family somewhere in the West.

Seventeen years after that tearful
parting, two of the sisters were
phenominally reunited last March
through a mutual acquaintance who
was struck by the resemblance of the
two women.

Roger Hart, a young builder from
Indiana, met Don Willoughby, pastor
of Sheila's church, the Marilla Church
of the Brethren, at Camp Brethren
Heights and agreed to come to
Michigan and help the Willoughbys
build a new house. While attending the
Marilla church. Hart recognized a
woman he thought was Connie
Kintner, with whom he had developed
a close friendship from the time Con-
nie accompanied her family to
Marion, Ind., where Alvin Kintner
was interviewed for a new pastorate.
The Kintners were overnight guests of
the Harts and later served in the
Marion church.

Roger inquired of Sheila whether
she had a sister named Connie. "It
really threw me," Sheila says. She did
not know at the time that Karen's
name had been changed.

"But we thought it was worth a
try," recalls Sheila. Her parents wrote
a letter to the Kintners, who now live
in Ohio.

"A month later," Connie continues
the reunion story, "I called my
parents to wish them happy birthday
and learned about the letter." As a

result of a subsequent exchange of
correspondence the two sisters were
first reunited by phone on February
6, 1978, and then by an exchange of
visits in March and May.

Connie is married to Michael Allen
and lives in Sedalia, Ind. Sheila has
returned to her home with the
Russells after an unhappy marriage
ended in divorce. Both women have
children.

"We are so much alike, it's funny,"
says Sheila. "We picked up the same
habits even though we have not lived
together." In reflecting on their

Sheila Russell and Connie Allen

preschool days Connie says it is
strange what they remember. While
they recall practically nothing about
their real parents, there are faces and
experiences of those former days they
are having fun reconstructing.

But they could be happier, for it
has been 18 years now since they saw
Diane. They believe in miracles — and
maybe some day . . . . — Kurt H.

SCHINDLER

Kun H. Sehindler is Planning Direclor for
Manistee Count v, Manistee. Mich.

February 1979 messenger 3

Uoyd OgHvie

Exciting business, site
anticipated in Seattle

Brethren attending Annual Conference this
year in Seattle will find themselves in one
of the country's most fascinating cities,
situated in the midst of great natural beau-
ty. Thus, when Matt Meyer, Annual Con-
ference manager, says "Annual Conference
this year is going to be interesting, exciting
and different," he is referring both to the
important items on the agenda and to the
conference location.

Under the theme, "Partakers of the
Promise," the Church of the Brethren An-
nual Conference will meet July 3-8 in Seat-
tle Center. Moderator Warren F. Groff will
guide the six days of business and in-
spirational activities. President of Bethany
Theological Semi-
nary, the moderator
is a member of the
York Center church,
Lombard, 111., and
will present the
keynote speech at
Tuesday evening's
opening session.

Other speakers for
the general sessions
include Dr. Lloyd
Ogilvie, pastor of
First Presbyterian
Church, Hollywood,
Calif., and featured
speaker at the Min-
isters' Association
meetings preceding
Conference, Wednes-
day evening; Dr.
Virginia Ramey
Mollenkott, a
professor of English,
author, and con-
tributor to many
Christian publica-
tions, Friday eve-
ning; Dr. Robert W.
Neff, general secre-
tary, Saturday eve-
ning; Dr. T. Wayne
Rieman, former
chairperson of the re-
ligion and philoso-
phy department at
Manchester College, Sunday morning.

Thursday evening's general session will
feature a multi-media, dramatic presenta-
tion, "The Journey of the Sisters Among
the Brethren," prepared by Pam Brubaker

4 MESSENGER February 1979

\ ir^tma Mollenkott

Dr. Robert W. Neff

T. tVayne Rieman

Lowe of Springfield, Ohio, originally for
the 1978 Women's Gathering.

Worship-planning for the evening
sessions is under the direction of Robert
W. Knechel Jr., a member of the Annual
Conference Central Committee. Working
with him in planning the worship are the
worship leaders (Dena Pence Frantz,
Steven Gregory, Robert Mock, and Jane
Shepard) and persons involved in music
leadership. Coordinating music will be Lois
Schopp of Wenatchee, Wash. Steve Engle
of La Verne, Calif., will direct the choir.

In a change from the recent practice of
having a number of Bible study options,
this year's schedule offers one corporate
Bible study each morning, each led by a
different person. The opening morning's
study will center on Ephesians 1. Thursday
morning, Chalmer Faw will lead study of
Ephesians 2; Vivian Ziegler will examine
Ephesians 3 on Friday; Albert Sauls.
Ephesians 4 on Saturday; and Theresa
Eshbach, Ephesians 5 and 6 on Sunday.

Three dozen Insights Sessions are
planned for Wednesday, Thursday and Fri-
day evenings following the general sessions.
Tuesday evening will be devoted to
hearings on major business items and
Saturday evening will be a fellowship time.

The Seattle Center, where the Con-
ference will meet, was the site of the 1962
World's Fair. In addition to the many
delights of the city of Seattle, the Center
itself draws many visitors with its Space
Needle, science fair, amusement park and
other attractions.

Although Conference meets this year
over the busy Independence Day holiday,
Meyer assures Brethren that plenty of
space at the Center has been set aside for
the Conference. The main meetings will be
convened in the Coliseum, a building with
seating for 15,000. Food service is ten-
tatively planned in the same building. The
Coliseum and other Center facilities are
readily accessible to the disabled.

Meal events. Insights Sessions, early eve-
ning presentations and concerts will be
held in the Northwest Rooms next to the
Coliseum across a patio. .Also close to the
Coliseum is Center House, where adven-
turous Conference-goers can explore inter-
national menus in a variety of foreign
restaurants.

Pre-conference meetings will convene in
several locations. The General Board,
Standing Committee and the Committee
on Health and Welfare will meet in the
downtown Washington Plaza Hotel. The
Ministers' Association will be at the Hotel

Hilton and the Womaen's Caucus will
gather at Seattle Center.

Brethren will get a taste of the future as
they take Seattle's quick and quiet mono-
rail to and from their hotel lodgings. Ac-
cording to Meyer, few of the 1,200 hotel
rooms are within walking distance of Seat-
tle Center but many are within walking dis-
tance of the monorail. The train covers the
one and a quarter mile between mid-city
and Seattle Center in two minutes and will
run at the convenience of the Conference.
Persons may also choose to travel to the
center by bus or car.

For Brethren preferring university hous-
ing, 1,100 dormitory rooms will be
available at Pacific University. Although
the university is too far from the Center for
walking, bus transportation is readily
available to the Conference site. More de-
tailed information on housing was
scheduled to be mailed in January.

To provide ample time for delegates to
study the Conference business, the mailing
of the Conference Booklet is scheduled
earlier than usual this year.

Items of business referred by the 1978
Annual Conference in Indianapolis are:

• Biblical inspiration and authority. A
five-person committee appointed by the
General Board at the direction of the 1977
Annual Conference will present its report.
Working on this task have been Dale
Brown, Wanda Button, Joan Deeter, Rick
Gardner and Harold Martin.

• Human sexuality issues from a Chris-
tian perspective. The committee elected by
the General Board (Grady Snyder. Chuck
Boyer, Bob Faus. Ruthann Knechel
Johansen and Jeanette Tolle) is expected to
report on its study, recommended in the
1977 "marriage and divorce" paper.

• Nuclear power plants. A recommenda-
tion addressing this concern will be
brought to Conference from the February
meeting of the General Board.

Modernjnr Warren F. Groff

• Annual Conference elections. A com-
mittee studying this issue will report to the
General Board in February with a
recommendation to be sent on to Con-
ference.

New queries received recently by the
Central Committee include the following:

• Support systems for those called to set-
apart ministries. Submitted by the
Southern Michigan Pastoral Support
Group through Michigan District Con-
ference.

• Declining church membership. Sub-
mitted by the Missouri District.

Other new items of business include the
following:

The Space Needle spars above
Seattle Center, site of 1979
Annual Conference. Most
events will be in the coliseum,
the structure in the lower right
corner. The monorail, just to
the left of the Space Needle,
will whisk Brethren to down-
town lodgings.

• Tithing and stewardship: new challenge
goal. In response to a directive of the 1978
Annual Conference, the General Board will
propose a new giving goal for the
denomination.

9 Amendment of Church of the Brethren
Pension Plan. The Pension Board
recommended three amendments to the
plan during its October meeting.

On-location coordinator for the 1979
Conference is Jeffrey F. Keuss of Seattle.
Assisting him is a district planning com-
mittee composed of Ed Lyons, Andrew
Holdereed, Keith White, Kenneth
Shamberger, Derald Oxley, Frank Kelsey,
Jane Shepard, Mary Lambert and Joyce
Mays.

Creator of the

J 979 Conference

symbol is Jeanine

M. Powers of Oak

Brook, III. She

says the hands

represent God's

action reaching

out to humanity,

an action culminating in the gift of Jesus

Christ, represented by the bread. The bread

symbolizes Jesus' body broken for our

redemption. God's promise of a heavenly

kingdom is made real through Christ's

death and resurrection and we partake of

the fruits of this kingdom as we grow in

Christian community.

AACB plans exhibit,
quilting, museum tour

Both quilting and the Art for Hunger ex-
hibit will return at the 1979 Annual Con-
ference in Seattle, courtesy of the Associa-
tion for the Arts in the Church of the
Brethren (AACB). Also, after the very
successful tour of the Indianapolis Art
Museum last year, the AACB will again
sponsor a tour of the host city's art
museum, located on the grounds of the
Seattle Center.

The association again invites churches to
contribute quilt blocks for this year's crea-
tion. The contact person for quilt block
contributions is Mary Ann Hylton, c/o
First Church of the Brethren, 3850 West-
gate PI., San Diego, CA 92105. Blocks
should be eight inches square, plus a
quarter-inch seam allowance on all sides.
Any workable fabric suitable for quilting
may be used. The design may be em-
broidered, appliqued or pieced (no liquid
embroidery, please!). The church name
may be included in the design.

Quilt blocks should be mailed to Mary
Ann Hylton no later than June 15, or
delivered to the quilting area at Conference
by Tuesday afternoon, July 3. Proceeds
realized through auctioning of the con-
ference quilts will go to SHARE and
AACB.

This year's Art for Hunger exhibit will
feature paintings, prints, sculpture,
banners, ceramics, weavings, photographs
and other arts and crafts. Artists are asked
to specify which, if any, of their entries are
for sale. If sold, half the proceeds will go to
Heifer Project and half to the artist.

AACB is requiring this year that all en-

tries be original in design and con-
struction— no kits, patterns or copies, and
all works must be framed or otherwise
made suitable for display. Artists will be
limited to five entries each and the entry
fee is $3. For further information and
registration, contact Pat Helman, 1400
East St., North Manchester, IN 46962.
June 1 is the deadline for registration.

Entries may be shipped before Con-
ference to the Olympic View Church of the
Brethren, 941 1 Fifth Ave., N.E., Seattle,
WA 981 15. Packages should be marked
Art Exhibit-Annual Conference. Entries
may also be brought to the Art for Hunger
exhibit by noon Tuesday. No entries will
be accepted after that time. All entries will
be displayed atnhe discretion of AACB
and must meet the criteria established for
the overall design of the AACB exhibit.
AACB encourages artists to deal with the
conference theme although this is not re-
quired.

Another AACB event at Conference will
be the annual AACB luncheon, scheduled
for Thursday noon instead of the usual
Wednesday.

The Association for the Arts will again
sponsor quilting at Annual Conference.

February 1979 messenger 5

National disarmament
convocation draws 700

Among the more than 700 persons
gathered at New York City's interdenom-
inational Riverside Church in December
for Riverside's Convocation to Reverse the
Arms Race were about 20 Brethren
representatives, hoping with others to learn
new ways to participate in the disarma-
ment struggle.

Riverside Church has established its own
disarmament program and the congrega-
tion has undertaken disarmament as a
priority for this year. In explaining the
church's entrance into the field of dis-
armament. Pastor William Sloane Coffm
Jr., says, "Somewhere in this country there
should be a major effort to make peace the
business of the establishment."

The two-day convocation presented by
Riverside's disarmament program in
December was jammed with well-known
speakers on the subject of disarmament
and the nuclear arms race. Of particular
concern to this gathering was the
relationship between increasing military
spending and declining spending for
programs of education, health and other
kinds of social welfare.

Monday's speakers addressed the history
of the arms race, its relationship to labor
and unemployment, the current status of
the arms race and arms sales and other
issues. Persons whose peacemaking efforts
have been limited to religious circles were
excited by the presentation of Dick
Greenwood, special assistant to William
Winpisinger, the peacemaking president of
the International Machinists Union.
Greenwood described the labor activism
for conversion from arms production to
production of consumer goods.

Many speakers Monday and Tuesday
detailed the extent of the arms race,
perhaps best underscored by noting that
the US alone has the capacity to kill every
person in the world 12 times, with its
nuclear arsenal alone.

A dramatic public liturgy in the River-
side sanctuary Monday evening high-
lighted the religious dimension of
peacemaking through the use of puppets,
dramatic readings and inspiring speeches
from Coffin and Representative Ronald V.
Dellums, a California congressman who
has been outspoken on issues of peace and
disarmament.

Although less time was given to plotting
strategy than some participants would have

Alluding to the Jonestown mass suicide,
Dr. William Sloane Co/fin Jr., asked the
Convocation to Reverse the Arms Race,
"Who should refuse to drink from the vats
of the Pentagon if not those who feast on
the body and blood of Christ^"

liked, several groups who have already
undertaken disarmament strategies were
asked to give presentations.

Howard Royer, advocate for the General
Board's salvation and justice emphasis,
outlined the Church of the Brethren's
program. Approximately 10 of the
Brethren attending the conference were
from districts where a nuclear arms plant is
in operation. Royer explained these per-
sons plan to work with other groups to
bring pressure to bear on the corporations
involved in their area to begin conversion
from nuclear weapons production to
production of consumer goods.

Representing the Church of the Brethren
at the convocation in this role were Wayne
Crist and Dean Farringer from Western
Plains District where Rockwell Inter-
national maintains a plant at Rocky Flats,
Colo.; Lawrence Kienberger and Herbert
Thomas from Missouri District where Ben-
dix has a plant in Kansas City; Mary
Miller and Margaret Zinn from Florida-
Puerto Rico where General Electric has a
plant at St. Petersburg; Velma Shearer and
John Waite represented Southern Ohio
where Monsanto's Miamisburg plant will
be challenged: and Herbert Beskar of
Southeastern District where Union Carbide
has a plant at Oak Ridge, Tenn. Working
on a slightly different task, the closing of
military bases in Illinois, are David Frantz
and Ron Martin-Adkins of the Illinois-
Wiiiconsin District.

Volunteers, money help
Kentucky flood victims

The Church of the Brethren has responded
to severe flooding in Kentucky caused
by heavy rains in mid-December. The
flooding was the worst ever to hit Frank-
fort, the state capital. More than 16,000
people were evacuated from their homes in
the affected 17-county area.

To help supply the immediate needs of
the victims, $5,000 was allocated from the
Brethren Emergency Disaster Fund within
a week of the flooding and volunteers from
nearby Ohio and Indiana districts were
quickly on the scene helping with mud-out
and other clean-up efforts.

In Frankfort, the Red Cross asked
Church of the Brethren personnel to ap-
point an on-site coordinator to pull
together the relief efforts of all volunteer
agencies working in the city. Jan Thomp-
son, disaster network coordinator, reported
that Ernie Imhoff of Southern Ohio's
Camp Woodland Altars, had agreed to get
the coordination efforts underway.

Thompson reported that in addition to
working in Frankfort. Brethren volunteers
were also working in the town of Ver-
sailles in nearby Rockford County.

In response to a different kind of human
need, the Church of the Brethren arranged
for 300 Church World Service blankets to
be lent to the Community for Creative
Nonviolence. This Washington, D.C., com-
munity has attempted to find overnight
shelter for 200-500 homeless, destitute peo-
ple in the capital city who were spending
cold December nights in the streets. To
meet the need for blankets, the community
turned to the Church of the Brethren
Washington Office for assistance.

BVS unit's letter spurs
look at bank policies

A letter from the 136th Brethren Volunteer
Service unit in September has prompted
the General Board to re-examine the loan
policies of its principal banker. Continental
Illinois of Chicago.

In a letter addressed to Bob Neff. general
secretary, and signed by all but one of the
unit's 23 participants, serious questions
were raised about Continental's policies in
relationship to the Republic of South
Africa. The BVSers contended that
although the bank has stopped extending
new loans to the South African govern-

6 MESSKNGER February 1979

ment, "it refuses to disclose whether it still
renews established loans and has not prom-
ised to bar further loans."

The letter also pointed out that the bank
continues to make loans to South Africa's
private industrial sector, loans un-
derwritten by the government. Thus the
writers theorize the bank stands to lose
millions of dollars if the white regime is
replaced by less sympathetic black rule
who may choose not to repay the
loans.

In response to the unit's letter, which
also suggests a number of possible courses
of action for the General Board, including
complete withdrawal of funds from Con-
tinental, the treasurer and general secretary
have written to the proper officers of the
bank sharing this concern and requesting
further dialog with the bank executives
about their loan policies to the Republic of
South Africa.

An initial response from the bank has re-
quested additional time to respond to the
concerns of that letter and a time for de-
nominational and bank officers to meet for
dialog has been arranged for early this year.

Federal grant helps NCC
aid jailed Vietnam vets

A $500,000 US government grant has been
awarded to the Division of Church and So-
ciety of the National Council of Churches
for a program to aid imprisoned Vietnam
veterans. The yearlong, nationwide Incar-
cerated Veterans Project will be conducted
with funds from the US Department of
Labor.

Most of the money will be channeled to
veterans' self-help groups working in pri-
sons, following visits to at least 30 such
groups by the project's two executives.

The primary purpose of the project is to
improve veterans' chances of employment
on their release from prison. The self-help
groups will provide such services as
assistance in obtaining upgraded dis-
charges and veterans' benefits, skill train-
ing and referrals to professionals who help
with drug or alcohol problems or stress dis-
orders. The project is being conducted
through self-help groups because the
veterans are frequently only able or willing
to be helped by their peers.

Vietnam veterans make up about a
quarter of the prison population and about
half of them are black, according to 1977
Department of Labor statistics, figures
NCC officials believe are higher now.

[!^lii](^^[rl[nl(t^

RECEIVING

Brethren Dean Kahler , one of nine Kent State

University students wounded in the May 4, 1970, shootings on
the Ohio campus, received the largest part of a cash settle-
ment in the final chapter of the legal battle between vic-
tims of the shootings and the state of Ohio. In addition
to total cash settlement of $675,000, the conclusion of the
trial included a statement on behalf of the defendants — Gov.
James A. Rhodes, National Guard officers and enlisted men —
expressing regret but denying liability for the shootings.
Kahler, now 28, was shot and paralyzed below the waist.

CHANGING JOBS

J. Henry Long has been appointed asso-

ciate dean for continuing education with the rank of asso-
ciate professor of sociology at Elizabethtown College ef-
fective Nov. 30. . . . 01 in J. Mason has resigned his po-
sition as administrator of the Lebanon Vdlley Brethren Home,
Palmyra, Pa.

ELECTED . . . Four Brethren have been elected to leadership
positions in the Pennsylvania Council of Churches: Harold
Bomberger , delegate to the Pennsylvania Conference in Inter-
church Cooperation; Albert E_. Richwine , chairperson of the
Business and Finance Committee; Earl H_. Kurtz , member of the
same conmittee, and Joseph M_. Mason , member of the Committee
on Planning. . . . Chuck Boyer , General Board peace consult-
ant, has been re-elected chairperson of the board of the
National Interreligious Service Board for Conscientious Ob-
jectors (NISBCO) , headquartered in Washington, D.C.

SPEAKING ... Goshen College's Staley Lecturer in January
this year was Vernard Eller , General Board member and pro-
fessor of religion at University of La Verne. Eller pre-
sented four major chapel addresses and two evening lectures
during the week-long lecture sei^ies.

HONORED ... The Sebring, Fla. , church announced it as a
New Year's Eve party but the event at the church Dec. 31 was
actually a surprise celebration for John Middlekauff honor-
ing his 42 years of pastoral ministry and expressing appre-
ciation to him and his wife, Hilda, for their ten years of
service to the Sebring church. He is retiring from the
pastorate.

RECORDING ... A recording on Bridgewater College's Cole
Hall organ has been made by John G. Barr , associate pro-
fessor of organ and piano. It may be ordered for $5 plus $1
postage from the college. Box 120, Bridgewater, VA 22812.

TRAVELING . . . Hosting a delegation of Pennsylvania agri-
cultural and agribusiness leaders on an 18-day goodwill
people-to-people mission through the People's Republic of
China this month is Enos B. Heisey , formerly active in dis-
trict work in Pennsylvania, now living in New York.

REMEMBERED ... Ralph W. Schlosser, 92, of Lancaster, Pa.,
died Dec. 14. He was a former Elizabethtown College presi-
dent and professor, moderator, and General Board member.

February 1979 messenger 7

[U][p)(^@te

FOR CONFERENCEGOERS

A transcontinental bike trip is in

the planning stages for the months following Annual Confer-
ence. Sponsored by Atlantic Northeast District's Camp Swa-
tara, the trip will begin in Ocean City, Wash. , and end in
Ocean City, N.J. Planners hope the 3,000-inile trip will be
completed between July 9 and Aug. 31. For further infor-
mation, contact Camp Swatara, Rt. 1, Bethel, PA 19507 (717-
933-8510) or Don Remnant, R.D. 2, Box 263, Mount Joy, PA
17552. . . . University of La Verne alumni and Brethren
traveling south from Conference are especially invited to
the university's Summer Weaken d College July 13 and 14. A
program of short seminars conducted by La Verne faculty, it
will also provide opportunities to visit nearby places of
interest. Write the Office of Church Relations, University
of La Verne, La Verne, CA 91750, for further information.

FOR TV WATCHERS ... A special discussion guide for use
with the 14-hour television series "Roots : The Next Genera-
tions" is available free to readers of ^4ESSENGER. Send a
self-addressed, stamped business envelope to Bea Rothen-
buecher. National Council of Churches, 475 Riverside Dr.,
Room 858, New York, NY 10027, and request your free "Film
Feedback" on Roots. The drama will be aired Feb. 18-25.

IN THE BEGINNING

The Southern Pennsylvania District

Conference has granted fellowship status to the Oriental
Fellowship, the only Church of the Brethren in Snyder County
. . . . Two fellowships in the Shenandoah District have been
granted congregational status: Pine Grove, north of Lin-
ville, Va. , and Trinity , south of Luray, Va. . . . After the
Northern Ohio District Board disorganized the First Church
of the Brethren in Cleveland, it decided to attempt to build
a new, interracial congregation using the buildings of First
Church. Called the Cleveland Heights Fellowship, it had its
first worship service Nov. 21 and has had volunteer pastoral
service for two months from Bob and Myrna Gemmer. The new
fellowship is seeking a pastor.

FOR FLORIDA VISITORS . . . Brethren visiting in Florida in
March are invited to the annual fish fry at the Brethren
Palms Estates March 10. A bazaar, fish fry, golf tourna-
ment, and celebration event are planned. Contact Lester
Kesselring, P.O. Box 2026, Sebring, FL 33870, for informa-
tion.

AT THE FINISH LINE ... One ministry of the Tucson , Ariz.,
church has come to a happy conclusion. The program which
church members initiated about a decade ago to serve child-
ren not allowed to enter the public schools because of phy-
sical or emotional handicaps ended this year when the stu-
dents were incorporated into the public schools' special
education program. Members are now seeking a new ministry.

AT A MILESTONE

Three Virlina District congregations

celebrated the payment of their mortgages with special ser-
vices in November: Lynchburg on Nov. 12; Hopewell on Nov.
19; and Summerdean on Nov. 26.

8 MESSENGER February 1979

Shareholder resolutions
aimed at three firms

The Church of the Brethren General Board
has joined other religious groups in spon-
soring two shareholder resolutions aimed
at the Union Carbide Corporation, one ad-
dressed to American Home Products, and
one to Sears, Roebuck and Co.

One resolution asks Union Carbide to
disclose basic information about the part
the corporation plays in the production of
nuclear weapons components at its Oak
Ridge. Tenn., facility. The second resolu-
tion calls for Union Carbide to withdraw
from its South African operations because
of the institutionalized racism and mount-
ing repression in that nation.

In a letter to the chairman of the board
of directors of Union Carbide, Bob Neff,
general secretary of the Church of the
Brethren, writes, "As religious investors we
are especially mindful of the role which
many corporations play in the arms race.
Rather than enhance security, weapons
development and production, especially in
the nuclear field, is to us a contradiction of
the biblical hope for peace and justice."

In explaining the Board's decision to co-
sponsor the resolution calling for with-
drawal of Union Carbide from South
Africa, Neff writes, "We are deeply con-
cerned about the presence and practice of
Union Carbide in South Africa which
tends to legitimatize and bolster the forces
of apartheid."

Acting for the first time on the problem
of sales and distribution of infant formula
in the Third World, where its incorrect use
often proves dangerous, even fatal, the
Church of the Brethren General Board and
Pension Board are co-filing a shareholder
resolution with American Home Products.

The resolution requests that an "infant
formula review committee" be established
by the corporation's board of directors to
evaluate the corporation's performance and
involvement in the baby formula market
and make appropriate recommendations.

In co-filing a resolution requesting Sears
to establish a policy against advertising on
television programs which include "ex-
cessive and gratuitous violence," the Pen-
sion Board returns to a problem on which
it has acted previously. Joel K. Thompson,
executive of the Pension Board, notes that
the denomination has had a long-standing
interest in the problem of violence on
television coupled with attention to the
responsibility of corporations who sponsor

television programs.

The General Board owns 1,500 shares of
Union Carbide stoctc and 3,160 shares in
American Home Products. The Pension
Board is the owner of 6,500 shares in
American Home Products and 5,400 shares
in Sears. Other members of the Interfaith
Center for Corporate Responsibility are
primary filers of the Union Carbide and
American Home Products resolutions and
the Presbyterian Church, US. is primary
filer in the Sears action.

Proposed FTC ad rules
supported by Brethren

The Federal Trade Commission staff has
recently recommended three rules con-
cerning television advertising to children
which the FTC is considering. The
recommendations are that all television
advertising directed to children under four
be prohibited; that advertising of highly-
sugared foods to children under 12 be
prohibited; and that corrective advertising
be required to balance claims of advertised
sugared products allowed under the rule.

Stewart M. Hoover, General Board
media advocate, has filed comments with
the FTC in support of these recommen-
dations. "These rules," he notes, "are really
reasonable remedies, as we see it. They
recognize the special needs and develop-
mental progression of children. We must,
as a society, be prepared to take special ac-
count of the needs of our children, not just
their desires."

Pointing out Church of the Brethren ac-
tivity in Television Awareness Training.
Hoover says that whenever he leads T-A-T
workshops, the matter of children's adver-
tising is of great concern. He notes that
parents and teachers are given one set of
instructions ("These children are precious,
they are the future. Cherish them, nurture
them, care for them") whereas advertisers
are given contrary instructions about
children ("These are consumers, socialize
them to be efficient consumers").

It is unrealistic, he says, to expect
parents to keep their children "one step
ahead" of the latest sales pitch, especially
when many children must watch hours of '
television with no supervision.

In related activity, the denomination's
Pension Board, which holds 7,000 shares of
Pillsbury Company stock, has already ap-
proached that corporation asking it to
voluntarily adopt the proposed FTC rules
as corporate policy.

■L

Jean Zimmerman

Brethren woman tried
in Rocky Flats witness

In late May, Jean Warstler Zimmerman, a
Brethren homemaker from North Man-
chester, Ind., and eight other church people
stepped onto the railroad tracks leading
into the Rocky Flats, Colo., nuclear
weapons plant. They were carrying state-
ments of seven denominations, including
the Church of the Brethren, against war
and nuclear weapons, to be posted on the
gates of the plant as
part of a service of
prayer and religious
opposition to the
manufacture of
nuclear weapons.

Zimmerman ex-
plains her participa-
tion in this peace wit-
ness by saying, "I feel my children's lives
are in danger both because weapons are
being produced there and because of radi-
ation leaks." Joining in peace witnesses at
the Rocky Flats installation was a first for
Zimmerman who says she has always been
a "silent protester" but had never before
joined in a public witness.

The group witnessing to peace that
Wednesday in late May was arrested. In
November, Zimmerman was one of 10
demonstrators who was tried and found
guilty of criminal trespassing for a larger
group of 65 persons arrested during
various peace witnesses and demon-
strations last spring and summer.
Persons have been blocking the railroad
tracks leading into the nuclear weapons
plant since late April and a number have
been arrested.

Zimmerman became involved in the
peace witness while she and her husband,
Gary, and their two daughters were living
in the Boulder area while Gary was study-
ing at the University of Colorado. They
have since returned to their North Man-
chester home.

The 10 standing trial in November had
planned a defense based on Colorado's
"choice of evils" law. In essence, the law
states that if there is an imminent public
danger, an individual is justified in break-
ing the law if breaking the law causes less
danger than the harm the person is trying
to prevent.

As part of their case, the defense
planned the presentation of expert testi-
mony in the field of nuclear radiation to
show the dangers of the Rocky Flats plant.

Witnesses were fiown in from London,
Atlanta and California. Local health ex-
perts also testified.

The judge, however, would not allow the
jury to hear the expert witnesses and, after
hearing three days of their testimony, he
refused to allow the choice of evils defense.
According to Zimmerman, he interpreted
the testimony as showing the Rocky Flats
plant to be a potential rather than an im-
minent danger.

Before the verdict in the 1 1 -day trial was
announced. Zimmerman says the 10 defen-
dants and their supporters "celebrated our
victory" to symbolize their belief that, re-
gardless of the verdict, they had succeeded
in calling attention to the increasing prob-
lems of nuclear weapons production.

Letter campaign backs
World Peace Tax Fund

The National Council for a World Peace
Tax Fund has launched a mass campaign
of citizens writing government officials to
urge enactment of a legal alternative for
taxpayers morally opposed to war. The
campaign, which continues through April
15. is designed to show support for the
World Peace Tax Fund bill. This legisla-
tion would provide that the portion of the
federal taxes of people morally opposed to
war which normally goes for military
spending would be used instead for peace-
related projects.

The World Peace Tax Fund bill will be
reintroduced in the 96th Congress. Sup-
porters are hopeful that the number of
sponsors will significantly increase from
the 28 in the House and three in the Sen-
ate in the 95th Congress. They encourage
people to write their representative and
senators urging co-sponsorship of the leg-
islation.

Campaign organizers point out that in-
terest in the issue of war taxes has been
growing. It was given a high priority by the
New Call to Peacemaking national confer-
ence in October, an historic gathering
called to unite Brethren, Mennonites and
Quakers in peace witness. Numerous legal
challenges of the government's collection of
taxes for military purposes from people
morally opposed to war have been raised in
recent years. The courts have generally
held that this is an issue for Congress to re-
solve. Support from church, peace, en-
vironmental, student and other groups has
increased since the bill was first intro-
duced in 1972 by 10 House members.

February 1979 messenger 9

sioxtefel m$)@s^.

Brethren young adults: A sense of

by Steve Simmons

"You are a representative group for the
Church of the Brethren," said Jerry
Greiner, Ehzabethtown College chaplain.
"With tremendous motivation and capa-
bility, your interests are diversified, yet you
feel the need to find compatible people
with similar backgrounds," he continued.
"You feel the need to be together, the im-
portance of dialogue."

And feel it they did; Greiner's opening
message well expressed the sentiments of
1 10 Brethren young adults and students
who spent their Thanksgiving holiday at
the second annual conference for their age
group, looking at "Brethren" issues and
each other's faith, attitudes and concerns.

Held in the serene atmosphere of the
Brethren Service Center in New Windsor,
Md., under the blanket theme "A Time So
Urgent," the conference explored the peace
movement, disarmament, hunger, national
concerns, Third-World concerns, energy,
criminal justice and community.

Five seminars were given on Friday and
Saturday, with conferencegoers choosing
their "top two." Organizers arranged it so
that these two were the ones participants
were assigned to attend. The topics (taken
to, like ducks to water) were chosen by the
steering committee with representatives in
the three prime situations. Brethren on
Brethren campuses. Brethren on university
campuses and Brethren in the working
forces.

"The concern of the steering committee
was for exploration of Christian life-style,"
said -John Cassell, director of student serv-
ices at Bethany Theological Seminary.
"What does it mean to walk the Christian
way? There is currently a ground swell
around peace issues and a new interest in
religion."

"It is good to discuss majcH' issues with
others similarly interested," said Shari
Miller, a junior communications major at
Indiana's Goshen College. "1 don't have
opportunities for interaction and informa-
tion with other Brethren students on this
scale."

David Miller, a junior physics and
religion major ("Think of the possibili-
ties"), the sole representative of .luniata
College, Huntingdon, Pa., agreed, but with
reservations. "The peace and disarmament
sessions 1 have attended haven't given prac-

tical advice — but I'm more aware of peace
issues. I have learned some things I can do
and confronting new viewpoints and meet-
ing new people is always a kick."

This kick was a prime motivation for
attendance. Many wanted to renew friend-
ships from August's National Youth Con-
ference and last year's Student/ Young
Adult Conference at Bethany Seminary.
Yet deeper, was the need to reach out, as
Cassel put it, "To have occasion to come
together and be aware of the variety of
student/campus/work relationships there
are, and share commonality, identity.

On Brethren campuses rapidly becom-
ing more secular and on other campuses,
the search for identity becomes a drive. At
Ehzabethtown, Brethren students are try-
ing to get a Brethren identity group organ-
ized; the conference served them as a
catalyst. "I wanted this chance to meet you,"
said Dale Ziegler, one of the organizers. "I
want to know the Brethren response to issues
and get an idea of what we can do."

McPherson College, McPherson, Kan.,
with approximately 500 students naturally
enjoys the highest percentage of Brethren.
Nancy Bailey was in the same boat with
David Miller, the only representative of
McPherson. "I think we Brethren tend to
be cliquish, but we have an identity at Mc-
Pherson, which I think is understanding
what the church stands for and appreciat-
ing our Brethren heritage."

Yet even in a highly Brethren at-

mosphere, said Bailey, "Brethren students
are struggling with morals." Cassel con-
curs, "The church makes special demands
on a person's life-style." Peer pressure and
fear of labels can make Brethren students
question their beliefs. Said David Miller.
"One of the great things of this conference
is to see others of the same mind, with the
same successes and problems, going
through the same kind of questioning. It
helps to see others unsure about theology
and life-style, but you have to remember,
they're not idiots."

No one remembered more than seminar
leaders, speakers and planners who urged
participants on to action, awareness, lead-
ership and commitment. Said Cassel,
"Many times in religious clubs, you get the
misfits who don't fit in anywhere else. This
group isn't like that. I see great promise in
this group and the church investment is
prudent."

Conference participants were impressive
in their knowledge of seminar topics (They
were though, ideally Brethren) and their
commitment to them. They agree that on
their campuses they are in the fore of
change. As one put it, "We are more con-
cerned with social issues than the T Love
Jesus, Jesus Loves me" self-serving
theology."

Chuck Boyer, Church of the Brethren
peace consultant (recently returned from
the German Democratic Republic, where
he and a delegation were in\ ited to meet

Jeff Glass and Frank Ramirez appear in "A Time So Urgent," the story of Alexander
Mack's religious struggles, presented by the "Bethany Players," under Ramirez' direction.

10 ME.SSENGER February 1979

iming

with German Protestants to share church
and peace concerns), stated, "It's harder to
be a Christian in the US than in the GDR,
There, life is ordered. We have to make de-
cisions; for us, life is more complex."

He opened the floor up for "dialogue"
on these decisions. Scott Land, from Mur-
ray State University. Ky., asked about ex-
plaining pacifism to non-pacifists. Boyer
shot back with the question — "How do
vow answer? I don't see how you can do
more than explain your own beliefs in a
sincere way." Ricky Davis, of Bridgewater
College, told of a friend who was against
the war in Vietnam but said he would fight
if called by the nation. "A person has to
decide where his primary allegiance is,"
said Boyer. "We in the United States are a
diverse group of people; we must also find
it in our hearts to forgive war fighters."

M. R. Zigler, headquartered at the Serv-
ice Center, took time out to address the
group. "You as the future leaders can slow
down or speed up the church," declared
Zigler, convenor of the On Earth Peace
Assembly. "Anything you want. You have
the dedication, all you need to do is wit-
ness," he said.

Zigler was an obvious favorite. His
crack, "I attended the first Brethren Stu-
dent Christian Movement Conference —
you look the same," drew wild applause.

Zigler prodded the group to "learn nug-
gets of truth about the church and be in-
terested. Make the Church of the Brethren
better known, respected and loved, for the
betterment of mankind; you're at the brink
of leadership. Time," he said, "is a terrible
thing." Zigler received a standing ovation
as he shuffled back to his office.

So the theme was brought home, again
and again — time. This is not only an
urgent time of life, youth ready to take the
world by the horns, but an urgent time for
the world. In his session on nuclear arms.
Dale Aukerman (General Board member,
and part of the Sojourners Christian Com-
munity) told horror after horror. "One
pound of plutonium distributed through-
out the world will kill every man, woman
and child. By 1990 we will have 450 tons."

"You can get fired up and pass on con-
cern," pressed Aukerman. "I hope you are
more than kids together looking at issues;
you are adults, taking over."

Noted Cassel, "Those with Brethren
spirituality need an identity and the

Above: Lamar Gibble. Church of the Breth-
ren International Affairs Consultant, con-
ducts his seminar on nuclear disarmament.
Right: Tim Button of Manchester College,
leads singing for an evening worship service.
Below: Terry Coats and Dale Ziegler joke
with M. R. Zigler following his address.

church's identity needs to be nurtured. The
church began the conference to develop
leadership."

The participants of the conference were
certainly the cream of the young Brethren
crop. And whether the purpose of the con-
ference will be lived out will take a certain
amount of well-used time.

In the meantime, the conference gave
each participant a sense of church sup-
port, peer support and maybe support
translated from Alexander Mack in the

conference theme song (number 428 in The
Brethren Hymnal):
Oh, how is the time so urgent which God

gives us only once;
And how is the world so empty, which

by man is loved too much.
That we all, with dull neglecting, in it

walk as if in dreaming
Thinking little of the span of God's vast

eternity. D

BVSer Sieve Sininions is an editorial assistant on the
ME.SStVGER staff.

February 1979 messenger 11

0)W2 ^Sl U O.

Jc^u^ a fcminUlP

Read Matthew: 19:2-11

The contemporary theologian Leonard
Swidler says of Jesus that he "vigorously
promoted the dignity and equality of women
in a very male-dominated society. He was in
modern terms a feminist and a very radical
one."

Perhaps you are suspicious when you first
hear that claim — Jesus, a "feminist." Isn't
this just one more attempt to make Jesus fit a
current fad, to press him into some modern
mold and make him say what we want to
hear? No, in this case it is not. To look at
Jesus' dealings with women against the
background of his culture is to discover how
radical, how liberating this gospel message
was — and still can be.

First look with me at the things Jesus does
not do, for we can learn much by seeing what
ideas Jesus does not share with the world
around him. Not once in the gospel records
does Jesus echo the claims of male
supremacy that dominated the culture of his
time. Never does he say or do anything to ac-
quiesce in the notion that women are secon-
dary creatures. Never does he give himself
over to any of the small, commonplace,
seemingly harmless quips that were part of
his day and are part of ours. Jesus lives out of
a different vision, seeing women and men
both as whole persons equal before God and
in relationship to one another.

If you would gain some idea how truly new
and deeply revolutionary all this was, it may
help to have some idea of the way the rest of
Jesus' world viewed women. The morning
prayer that every Jewish male prayed from
childhood on, the prayer Jesus must have
learned as he grew up was this: "Blessed be
Thou, O Lord our God, for not having made
me a Gentile, a woman or a fool."

And there were the teachings of the
rabbis which said that women were not to be
taught the Torah, the sacred laws of Moses.
Indeed thev were not even to be allowed to

handle or touch the scrolls on which they
were written. Rabbi Jose, a rough contem-
porary of Jesus, taught that women should
not ever be spoken to: "He who speaks much
with a woman draws down misfortune on
himself, neglects the words of the law and in
the end inherits hell."

All of these restrictions, and many more,
Jesus clearly knew and completely rejected,
completely refused to accept as God's will for
men and women. From these ideas which
Jesus rejects, the commandments which
Jesus doesn't keep, you can begin to see how
dramatically Jesus differed from the teach-
ings of his day concerning women.

Now look with me at some of the
remarkable things Jesus does.

Jesus puts aside the laws regarding
teaching women the Torah, and accepts into
his circle of friends and disciples a number of
women — Mary, Martha, Mary Magdalene,
Joanna and Susanna, to name only a few.
And these are not merely peripheral figures
kept on to do the menial work. These women
share in the teaching and healing. It is even
written that they help with the finances of the
group.

On several occasions Jesus offers help and
comfort to women who are outcasts in the
community. You recall the story of the
woman caught in adultery — the man is ap-
parently let off but they bring the woman to
Jesus, hoping he will agree that they should
stone her. But he forgives her instead, and
sends the hate-filled crowd away.

Jesus sits at noonday and talks with the
woman at the well — that poor confused
creature who had married and been divorced
by five husbands, and who was now living,
unmarried, with a sixth man. The woman is
an outcast. She is beyond accepting. Yet it is
to this woman that Jesus offers the living
water of salvation. And it is she who first
publicly proclaims Jesus as the Messiah.

Or think of the prostitute who seeks Jesus
out in the house of Simon, the Pharisee. She
makes her way into the room where the men
are eating, and there anoints Jesus' feet with
her tears and her love. While the others at the
table look on the woman with disgust and
embarrassment, Jesus welcomes her gift,
claiming that her love is evidence that God
has forgiven all her sins.

Or think if you will of those two suburban
housekeepers, Mary and Martha. Not
prostitutes, not adulteresses, not confused in
marriage — ^just normal working women do-
ing the household chores. When Jesus and
his disciples stop for lunch, Martha rushes
about with the work in the kitchen. Mary,
however, sits down at the Master's feet — just
like the rest of the disciples — and shares in
the table talk and teaching. And when
Martha tells Jesus that he should send Mary
back into the kitchen, Jesus politely dis-
agrees, saying that Mary is welcome in the
spot that she has chosen. This scene with
Mary and Martha is perhaps as instructive
and interesting as any of the scenes involving
Jesus and women. It points up equality with
the dignity that is Jesus" whole style and vi-
sion. Notice that when Jesus upholds Mary's
choice, he does not do so by putting Martha
down. He does not say that Martha's desire
to get the kitchen work done, and her normal
desire to get some help doing it, is inap-
propriate. He simply makes it clear that the
kitchen is not the boundary to a woman's
life — no matter what the other rabbis may
say — and that Mary has every right to sit
among his disciples. In Jesus' estimate,
women, like me, can be equal without being
and behaving identically.
^ The list could go on and on. It is the
women among the disciples who stick with
Jesus to the end, who stay with him at the
cross after Judas has denied him, Peter
betrayed him and the rest of the men have
fled. It is the women — Mary and Martha
and Mary Magdalene — to whom Christ first

n^n h^ld all the cards

V

re"'

12 MESSENGER February 1979

appears on Easter morning.

If you were not convinced before that
Leonard Swidler was not fudging when he
called Jesus a feminist, perhaps you are now.
Here's one last passage that warrants atten-
tion, a much abused and very much misinter-
preted passage about marriage and divorce.
Most often when this passage is quoted, it is
used (or rather, abused) to say that divorce is
always wrong, with the result that divorced
persons feel guilt and shame. This was hardly
the intent of Christ's teaching here.

To understand what Jesus is speaking to
here, you need to know what the laws were in
his day. As you might guess, men held all the
cards. A man could divorce his wife for
anything — even burning his supper! All he
needed to do was to take out a pen, write out
a bill of divorce and hand it to her. That was
it . The marriage was over. There would be no
alimony. The woman, if she were luckv.

might get her dowry back, but not one cent
more. She would have to return to her
father's house or go to live with one of her
sons, if he would take her in. If she had no
place to go she would have to support herself
the best way she could. Women could not
divorce their husbands for any reason.

Now listen to the passage:

Some Pharisees come to Jesus and try to
trap him by saying: "Does our law allow a
man to divorce his wife for any and every
reason?"

Jesus, seeing the trap and knowing that
the answer to the question is yes, shifts the
whole level of discussion away from a
justification of a sexist divorce policy to talk
instead about the sanctity of marriage and
the equality God intended in the
relationship.

God made humanity "male and female,"
each se.x with the same divine imprint, digni-

"Chrisl wilh Mary and Marsha." by Conslanim Hansen

ty and worth. This was his command:

"For this reason a man shall leave his
father and his mother and the two shall
become one." Together they were to be a
mutual whole, each equally a part of the
other.

"What therefore God has joined together
let no man put asunder," Jesus declared.
Those joined shared the same rights, the
same God-given humanity which was not to
be usurped by the male alone.

Then Jesus adds the real shocker to his
audience: "I say to you whoever divorces his
wife, except for adultery, and marries
another — that man is guilty of adultery."
Please see that this is aimed specifically at
men, at those who could have divorces at
whim. Jesus says that a man who follows this
perfectly legal but utterly unjust course is
guilty of adultery. This teaching is aimed less
at divorce than it is at an oppressive sexist
system of justice, a system which gave wives
no rights a husband was bound to respect.

The radical nature of this teaching on
equality in marriage becomes clear when you
read in the last verse the disciples'
flabbergasted response to it. "If this is to be
the way between a man and his wife, it is
better not to marry." Even the disciples were
not ready for the radical equality Jesus
taught.

Now back to the basic question:

Has the church been obedient to the
teachings of our Lord on this most impor-
tant issue — the role and freedom of women?
No. For 20 centuries we have been unswerv-
ingly disobedient, even saying at many
points that our disobedience was in keeping
with God's word. But we cannot have it both
ways. Either Christ is Lord and his teachings
are our guide, or they are not.

We have a revolution before us in the form
of the women's movement. It is high time —
indeed it is past time, 20 centuries past — that
we welcome it. D

Muhat't Sirtif^in i\ pastor of I he Lniversily Baplisl and
Breihren Church. Slale Colli'Hi'. Pa.

a^l Scroq

February 1979 messenger 13

The condition which gave substance to

the nuclear family and made for its

cohesion — its glue — is no longer present."

Who says families are dying?

by La Von Rupel

A child I know made a remark which
showed uncanny wisdom for his five years.
When 1 shared my amazement with him, he
replied, "Oh, 1 know everything. Only
sometimes 1 have to be reminded." There is
an ancient proverb that says all knowledge
is locked within each of us, waiting to be
"reminded" into consciousness. Each of us
grew up in a family of one form or another
and although there may have been hard
times, there were good times, too. Think
back on those early memories, the
childhood years. Was it a treat to have a
favorite aunt or uncle come to visit? Were
there meaningful family traditions around
Christmas, birthdays or holidays? 1 recall
with great delight a treat in my childhood;
My parents charged all our groceries at the
corner store a half mile down our country

14 MESSENGER February 1979

road, it was depression days and when my
carpenter father would finally get paid for
a house he had built he, in turn, would pay
up our bill with Fred, the local grocer.
Fred, in gratitude, would send home a sack
of candy for the kids. The candy was
almost always those dime-size peppermints
and it was one of the rare times our family
had candy. To this day, eating peppermints
fills me with nostalgia.

It is rumored that families are dying. "Is
the Family Dead?" asks the cover article in
a recent denominational journal. Social
forecasters have been sounding the death
knell for several decades and are assuring
us in 1978 that, indeed, the family is no
longer a viable institution and marriage is
obsolete. They sound very convincing when
they tell us that only 16 percent of the
United States' 56 million families are con-
ventionally nuclear (that is, the traditional

type) families with breadwinning fathers,
homemaking mothers and resident
children. That leaves 84 percent to other
arrangements which are often so noisy that
the resulting clamor is easily taken for a
death rattle. There are two and a half
million one-parent families. During the
past decade, families headed by women
with children have grown almost 10 times
as fast as two-parent families, now ex-
ceeding 15 percent. According to the
calculations of one imminent sociologist, if
the present rate of increase in divorce and
single households continues to accelerate as
it did for the past 10 years, by mid-1990
not one nuclear American family will be
left. The number of divorces has reached
the million mark annually in the US.
About three-fourths of all divorces in-
volved couples with young children — little
ones who are subjected to great emotional

upheavals at a time in their Hves when they
are least able to cope with them. Forty per-
cent of all children born in the 1970s will
spend part of their growing up years in a
one-parent home. Add to that the ap-
palling figures of child abuse, wife abuse,
husband abuse and the fact that one-fourth
of all US homicides each year take place
within the family unit. One million
runaways per year, high suicide rates, ram-
pant alcohol and drug abuse seem to
predict doom for the family.

Consider also that nearly one-third of
the adult population in this country is
single with increasing numbers of those
singles deciding not to marry and in-
creasing numbers of couples who do marry
choosing not to have children.

Is the rumor true? Are families dying?
No. The trouble we take to arrange
ourselves in some semblance or other of
families is one of the most imperishable
habits of the human race. The human fami-
ly is an amazingly old, tough and durable
institution. It has survived for over two
million years since the earliest parents that
lived in caves cared for their children until
they were old enough to care for
themselves. In all of human history we
have not found an effective substitute for
socializing the child. Despots have known
that to undermine the family was to
destroy a society — for there is where the
rules and codes, the traditions and all the
structures that support society are learned
and passed on from generation to genera-
tion. In the struggle between continuity
and change, it is usually continuity that
wins.

Jesus, in Matthew 10, as he compares
family ties to the demands of the gospel,
reminds us that no earthly power exceeds
that of the family. By our very nature we
long for relatedness, for rootedness, for
belonging. Every human being who has
ever drawn breath has been part of at least
one family. Families breed us, name us,
succor us, embarrass us, annoy us, send us
away and lure us back. Families collapse
but families reconstitute, they shatter but
they heal. Most divorced persons will find
new mates, their disenchantment being not
with marriage, but with a particular
partner. Families are a given.

In one form or another families will sur-
vive because our need for them is so in-

tense it approaches the genetic. It is the
destiny of flesh and blood to be familial.
Family imagery pervades our language as
we talk about Mother Earth, Fatherland,
sisterhood and brotherhood. We refer to
our church as a family. Even the Mafia
refers to itself as a family and in-
situtionalized drug addicts and mental
patients arrange themselves — even if no
one does it for them — into families. A re-
cent survey by the Life Insurance Institute
found that "a happy family" was the most
important goal of 87 percent of Americans
over 29 years of age. Even as we break
away from the family of our birth, its
memory prompts us to fashion new
families. If we lack a conventional family,
we confer the status and importance of
relatives on the people at the office, at
school or church or wherever else we may
find them.

No, the family is not dead. But it is
changing its size and shape, its form and
purpose. And families are hurting.

His

jstorically, family definitions, forms
and functions have undergone many
changes. The family of the Bible was an
intergenerational family and typically in-
cluded four generations. It included, as
well as the elders, parents and children, the
entire household of "manservant, maidser-
vant, sojourner in the gate, the Levite, the
fatherless and the widow" (Ex. 20:10 —
Deut. 14:20).

My grandparents had 13 children. As
was common, only eight of those
children survived to adulthood. Many
hands were needed on the farm to en-
sure economic survival and someone to
look after my grandparents in old age.
Social security and pension plans have
taken over that function, just as schools
have taken over the educational function
that historically was done in the home and
most of the products they made are now
produced commercially.

I also expect to live almost twice as long
as my grandparents, which means that in-
stead of the 17 years of married life that
was an average 200 years ago, I can count
on living at least 40 years with the man I
have already been married to almost 25
years. And while my grandmother's adult
life was consumed in childbearing — 20

years of her 45 — most women today have
completed bearing their typically two chil-
dren in six years of a much longer life
span — over half of them work outside the
home. It is only in the last couple of gen-
erations that men have had the option of
choosing their own jobs — their own voca-
tions and that these vocations have often
removed them from ongoing presence in
the family scene. Role changes for women,
role changes for men are inevitable in light
of these changed conditions.

My grandfather died when Papa was
nine years old. My mother's family raised a
cousin who had lost both parents. The
average child in their day had lost one par-
ent by age 14 and historically most chil-
dren had been apprenticed out or joined
the labor force in some way by the time
they were 14. Death rates in the past were
almost as high as divorce rates are today.
Even while the divorce rate has risen in the
last few years, more children today are liv-
ing with at least one parent than ever
before.

My children, like everyone's, are matur-
ing physically and sexually five years
earlier — girls' menstruation used to begin
at age 17 on the average: now it's 12 — but
most of our children are dependents and
members of the household for five years
longer than formerly. All these changes
vastly alter the make-up and complexion of
family life and they have taken place large-
ly during the past 200 years — primarily as
a result of industrialization, growing afflu-
ence, better medical care and birth control
options. These conditions have caused us
to redefine families as nuclear units —
father, mother and dependent children.
For all the romance that surrounds the
nuclear family, they hurt too.

The nuclear family will stay around. It
remains the ideal for most Americans.
Many of the extreme and permissive ex-
perimental family forms which were gener-
ated in the 1960s have already exhausted
themselves. But some of the alternative
forms persist and will continue to co-exist
along with and beside the nuclear family.

The principal condition which gave sub-
stance to the earlier family and made for its
cohesion — its glue — is no longer present.
Families of the past have been built on eco-
nomic foundations; economic survival was
uppermost. Now, if the family breaks up or

February 1979 messenger 15

is not formed, the deprivations the in-
dividual suffers are mainly psychological
not economic. Psychological and
emotional ties, although intangible, can be
as powerful as more tangible reasons for
family and, if all goes well, they are.

This, I feel, is good news. If the basis of
family ("family" in its broadest meanings)
grows out of the stirrings within to seek
out others to fulfill their psychological and
emotional yearnings, then I see the church
at a unique and crucial and exciting place.
The church alone has been the institution
which through the centuries has related to
persons of all ages and circumstances. The
church alone has been the institution which
concerned itself with the emotional and
love needs of persons. If the church takes
seriously the teachings of Jesus in the New
Testament and his gospel of love, then the
church has it in its power to nourish the
hungers of the heart and family will
survive — in old as well as new forms.

Keep in mind that the family, whatever
its form — traditional, reconstituted, couple
only or singles in various arrangements — is
a very complicated system, more complex
than any space vehicle. Compare it to a
mobile with each of its members hanging in
a delicate balance while the process of in-
ternal growth changes and the winds of ex-
ternal events cause continual shifting of the
various members in relation to each other
and the unit as a whole. If additionally, as
is often the case, persons feel lonely and
isolated, alienated and cut off from them-
selves, from others, from God, it is more
difficult to maintain that delicate balance.

Ihe

I he three Rs of nurturing families are
realistic expectations, relatedness and root-
edness. These three ingredients of nurtur-
ing are equally important regardless of our
family form, whether we are single, aged,
in long-term or recent relationships, re-
gardless of who is doing the nurturing or
who is receiving it.

Bruno Bettelheim, a frequent commen-
tator on the social scene, claims that
American families suffer most from the dis-
crepancy between present reality and ex-
pectations of what they ought to be. He
says that as the function and purpose of
family has changed, our views of it have
not. That leaves us operating out of old
ground rules when the game has changed
and as we appK the unrealistic expecta-

tions of the past, we are convinced that
something is wrong with the family.

This leads to continuous disappointment
and saps the strength of the family and its
members. He suggests that when we come
to accept companionship and intimacy as
satisfactory justification for the modern
family, it will be viewed as meeting its pur-
poses and that will, in fact, cement it.

In all groupings the disappointment and
hostility which grows out of frustrated and
unrealistic expectations between persons
follows a predictable sequence. Once the

a nursing home; when teenagers plan to go
to the beach with friends while Mom and
Dad expect room cleaning and lawn mow-
ing, you know there's trouble ahead.

Being realistic about expectations is an
important component of nurturing. It
builds trust and confidence and self-
respect. It is a way of valuing each other.

Relatedness is often considered optional.
It isn't. We are related. The question is not
(/but how. This is illustrated so beautifully
in the little movie called The Toymaker:
Two hand puppets are playing alone. They

"Families are changing shape and size, defini-
tion and function. As opposed to historic eco-
nomic ties, families are now bonded by affec-
non. Many families are hurting and large num-
bers of singles are searching for meaningful
ways to meet their affectional needs. Our
church programing must focus on under gird-
ing existing affectional ties and provide op-
portunities for persons to form new ties."

discord begins, the participants develop the
belief that they are right and the other is
wrong or that they are good, the other is
bad. Tension snowballs. They cease to
listen to each other with any degree of un-
derstanding, they unwittingly distort their
perceptions of one another, perceptions are
filtered through a screen of stereotypes
("women never know what they want,"
"men have no feelings," "kids are always
lazy"). The antagonist's words and
behavior are shaped to fit a preconceived
view while contrary evidence is ignored or
distorted, and conciliatory gestures may be
perceived as deceitful tricks. Clarity about
expectations can avoid this sequence.
Clarity about expectations builds trust. I
need to know what I can count on from
you, and you need to know what is realistic
to expect from me. When wife expects that
husband will help with the children and he
expects that child care is woman's work;
when husband expects that vacations are
for relaxing at home and wife has planned
a family trip; when an aging parent expects
to live with his children but finds himself in

soon discover each other, which is a lot
more fun, but as they play they notice that
one is decorated with spots and the other
has stripes. They decide they can't play
together anymore because they are differ-
ent and the blocks they are using to build a
house with, they now use to build fences to
keep each other away. Curious and lonely
now, they spy on each other; mistrust final-
ly results in an outbreak of hostilities. Both
spots and stripes get hurt and as they lie
alone tending to their bruises, they look
within themselves and discover the hand
that gives them life. Tracing the hand to
the Source that empowers it and them,
they find the Toymaker, their creator.
Their joy is momentarily dampened when
they see each other again, but upon realiz-
ing their common source, their common
creator, they affirm that they are, indeed, a
part of each other and they embrace, com-
pleting the circle and the How of love. That
to me is a modern parable with the same
message Paul gave to the Corinthians when
he said each of us is a part of the one body
of Christ. If one part suffers, all parts suf-

16 mi;ssi:ngf.r February 1979

fer with it, if one part is honored, all are
glad.

We are related. We are connected. God
made lis to need each other. God made us
as carriers of his love. Like spots and
stripes we often find the course of our
power and our relatedness in the midst of
pain and struggle.

I love the story that Dr. Elizabeth
Kubler-Ross tells about a man she was
visiting in a nursing home. Each time she
left he begged her to pray for his death.
One day he met her at the door as she
came in and asked, "Have you been pray-
ing for my death?" While she was still
deliberating whether she should tell him
she had not, he continued, "I hope you
have not, because I've found a lady here I
want to marry." Relatedness gives mean-
ing to life.

Relatedness requires communication.
Good communication is absolutely essen-
tial for the survival of the community and
the family. It is important to be able to talk
about feelings — all kinds of feelings, angry
feelings, fearful feelings, rejected feelings,
caring and loving feelings, sexual feelings,
celebrative feelings, all feelings. At our
house we try to handle feelings as they oc-
cur, but sometimes tensions build up and
we have found it helpful to have a struc-
ture: Anyone at our house can call for a
family rap session. It requires setting aside
a block of time and the ground rules are: I )
each person has a turn to be heard with-
out interruption, 2) complaints must be
stated in terms of one's own feelings and
not as accusations (sharing feelings tends
to create understanding; accusations cre-
ate argument), 3) feelings must not be
judged (i.e.. We're not allowed to .say, "You
shouldn't feel that way"), and 4) we must
try to share positive perceptions as well as
negative ones. That last one is almost im-
possible to do if we're filled with rage and
anger, but after the anger is expressed, lis-
tened to, respected, there is a freedom and
a joy in expressing love.

Confiict is a given if people are in rela-
tionship and if true feelings are expressed,
if persons are growing, it is a mistake to
equate cohesiveness with comfort. One of
the tasks of the church, it seems to me. in
nurturing families is to help them learn to
express feelings responsibly and manage
conflict creatively. These are teachable,
learnable skills and ought to be part of our
Christian education.

Already, programing in the church
helps us build on affectional ties that
already exist, stabilizing and reinforcing
them — parenting education, marriage en-
richment, family enrichment and family
camps. And church program helps provide
relational opportunities for youth, for
singles, for aging persons. We could do
much more to provide support for persons
who are in crisis, support groups for per-
sons in special circumstances— young
mothers, single parents, divorced persons,
menopausal women, persons in vocational
crises.

Traditions, rituals and celebrations
develop naturally as a part of honoring the
shared life. Their importance is not only in
the value of each activity but that they
recur, they can be anticipated. They reflect
the cycle of seasons and the rhythm of life.
Our family has grown a tradition around
our common love of music. Every concert
calls for a visit to a Dairy Queen after-
ward. Alternative family arrangements are
notable tradition-keepers with feasts and
celebrations woven through the fabric of
their life. What is more fun than a gather-
ing of the Brethren family, such as Annual
Conference or district meetings chances
to affirm our heritage. Rituals and tradi-
tions transmit values, give identity, estab-
lish rootedness.

A,

Lt the Modesto (California) Church of
the Brethren we are into some special fami-
ly ministries with the intent to provide
rooting for children and families where
theirs is tenuous at best. Under the um-
brella of Therapeutic Homes, we have six
children, ranging in age from 4-12. who
live together with teaching parents in a
home we call Ivy House. They have come
from the court, because their families could
no longer live in the usual community
structures- home, school, neighborhood.
Our church families provide moral sup-
port and a variety of services to the staff
and the children.

At the present time we supervise, in
addition to the six at Ivy House, six chil-
dren in Church of the Brethren foster
homes and two who are placed in other
Christian homes. Another arm of this
ministry provides parent education and
counseling to community families of chil-
dren in trouble. These outreach ministries
have made a difference in people's lives.

They have indeed grown and changed as a
result of our love. We. too. have grown
from theirs and we've learned a lot about
loving. They have reminded us that change
takes place in small steps, big break-
throughs being the result of many and re-
peated trials and errors. They have re-
minded us that now is the creative moment
in any exchange— right here, right now.
They have reminded us of the importance
of roots.

Are families dying? No. But they are
changing shape and size, definition and
function. As opposed to historic economic
ties, families now are bonded by affection.
Many families are hurting and large num-
bers of singles are searching for meaning-
ful ways to meet their affectional needs.
Our church programing must focus on un-
dergirding existing affectional ties and pro-
vide opportunities for persons to form
new ties.

Nurturing means being realistic about
our expectations, means affirming our re-
latedness through better communication,
means finding identity in roots and ritual.

Nurturing means not judging others, for
I know that when I feel judged I cannot
hear — it closes my ears. "Judgment is
mine, saith the Lord."

Nurturing means removing labels and
stereotypes and relating to persons; minis-
tering to hurts.

Nurturing means accepting my limita-
tions when I feel incapable of nurturing—
for even Jesus had his wilderness experi-
ence.

Nurturing means experiencing the am-
biguities of life, alienation as well as com-
munion, despair as well as hope, death in
the midst of life, brokenness as well as
health.

What is family?

Family is a quality of feeling.

Family is a place, a shelter in our com-
petitive world for individuals to express
their most intimate selves and share un-
conditional affection.

Family is sharing a common heritage.

Family is developing personhood from
birth through death, with all its growing
pains, in the context of caring.

Family is my group of persons, near or
far. related by birth or baptism who love
me. whom 1 love. [H

Lm iftn Rupel is a paycholo^isl. itninselor. nunher
anil an at live church wiirker in the Moiieslii (Cahl)
ctm^rc^atiiin.

February 1979 messenger 17

Fallen,
fallen . . .
Babylon
the great

text by Paul Grout
photos by Glenn Mitchell

The town was small, 5,000 people — "if you
caught everyone at home," as the boy's
grandpa used to say. There was one small
industry, a hardware and clothing store
combined, a grocery and Fran's
Restaurant. There was a park and on the
outskirts of the town were enough fields
and woods to make it a perfect place to
grow up.

When the boy's father was a child the
town centered around the church. It was
more than a religious institution, it was the
center of social life, it was where people
met together, it was where the boy's father
met and courted his mother.

In the boy's childhood the center of the
town's life moved from the sacred to the
secular institution. The new center was the
school. The town came together around the
school's activities, public meetings were
held there, it was where the boy met and
courted his wife. The school replaced the
church even though it was a new kind of
salvation offered. The world would be
made a Utopia through an educated socie-
ty. The dream by the magnitude of its im-
pudence was destined for a short life. There
would need to be a new center.

Now the boy has children and they live
in the midst of the new center. Only it is
not just the center of the town, for it joins
all towns. It lies on the acres of fields and
woods that at one time separated towns.
The center is a hub, an octopus whose ten-
tacles reach out to grasp the towns. It too
is an institution that dispenses a kind of
salvation. It is the new meeting place,
within which no one really meets or rarely
even talks. The congregation comes to
gape, to gape at things hoped for but not
yet had, to gape at the goods, and at each
other under the roof of the mall, the shop-
ping center.

All shopping malls are essentially the
same; same goods, same stores. Some malls
are the biggest in an area, a state, or por-
tion of the country. In terms of quality of
goods, the largest offer little more than in-
creased obsession. Yet size does play an
important role when considering the
motives of the clientele. Shopping has
become a pastime, almost an avocation.
The mall has replaced the public park, just
as a place to stroll. Shopping at the mall is
not an activity of necessity so much as a
form of recreation. It is the one "place" all
have in common.

The structure crept over what used to be

18 ME,SSENGER February 1979

three farms. The night sky glows from the
malls light. Darkness is a thing of the past,
the light spreads over the town and the
children no longer see the stars.

Within the bowels of the center power
plants hum, furnaces and coolers maintain
a perfect climate. Television monitors
patrol the most conjested areas. Mall
police watch and wait and talk into black
boxes. Water pours over reinforced con-
crete waterfalls around plastic trees. Foun-
tains dance from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. In-
offensive music from a thousand speakers
fills every square inch of space; music
programed to induce consumption.

There are no windows to the outside, for
the outside has been stripped. Store win-
dows introduce the new creation. The light
illuminates store fronts, displays, foun-
tains, signs, products. Display windows im-
prison countless mannequins bound in
doubleknit pant suits, sport coats, evening
attire, slips, bras and casual wear. Plastic
arms hold up glistening beads, plastic
fingers sport golden rings, plastic necks
choke with diamond necklaces. Painted
faced whore mannequins stand empty,
emotionless, frozen in "the latest thing."

Gift shops, bookstores, candle shops,
shoe stores, dress shops, men's stores, kid-

die shops and restaurants, all selling. Sell-
ing scented candles, vinyl shoes, pantsuits,
faded jeans, baby that-a-way, G. I. Joe,
bionic men and women. Ken and Barbie,
tasteless hamburgers and a million other
neo-necessity items designed to comple-
ment the American dream and turn
humanity into breathing mannequins.

The shopping mall as the new temple in-
vites its congregation to worship things.
The mall is the throbbing heart of Babylon;
for "Where your treasure is, there your
heart is also." The school as a center of
salvation through education, separated
people from God. The mall separates peo-
ple both from God and each other. The
mall is both the symbol of our separation
and the perpetuator of it; the very heart of
Babylon.

Babylon has put its trust in that which
destroys life. Its end is imminent, sealed
through its illusionary desires, fallen under
the judgment of God. (See Rev. 18:2, 4,
10-16.)

"Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
Come out of her. my people, that you may
not participate in her sins and that you
may not receive of her plagues. Woe, Woe,

February 1979 messenger 19

Store windows intr^
Plastic arms hold up gli
sport golden rings, plasi
Painted faced whore md^
in "the latest thing."

-:€ the new creation . . .
ing beads, plastic fingers
ecks choke with diamonds,
quins stand empty ■ - • frozen

the great city, Babylon, the strong city!
For in one hour your judgment has come.
And the merchants of the earth weep and
mourn over her because no one buys their
cargoes anymore, cargoes of gold, silver
and precious stones, pearls and fine
linens, purple, silk and scarlet, and every
kind of citron wood and every article of
ivory and every article made from costly
wood, bronze, iron, marble, cinnamon,
spice, incense, perfume, frankincense,
wine, olive oil, fine flour and wheat, cat-
tle and sheep, horses and chariots and
slaves and human lives. And the fruit you
long for has gone from you, and all

things that were luxurious and splendid
have passed away from you and men will
no longer find them. The merchants of
these things, who became rich from her,
will stand at a distance because of the
fear of her torment, weeping and mourn-
ing, saying. Woe, Woe the great city, she
who was clothed in fine linen, purple
and scarlet, adorned with gold and
precious stones and pearls; for in one
hour such great wealth has been laid
waste."

The children of the boy watch the center
collapse before their eyes, crumbling under
the weight of its lie. It has promised fulfill-

ment but delivered death. The children
turn from this fallen center, from this tem-
poral center of empty dreams, false
promises and separation to the center that
remains eternal. They seek the center that
binds the universe and finds Christ alive in
the body. It is the body of Christ, the
Church, that will bind their lives within a
world that deteriorates around them. And
the children of the boy cry out to the
centers of darkness: "Come out of here,
come out of here, mv people." D

Paul Grout is pastor of the Sugar Ridge congrega-
tion. Custer. Mich. Glen Mitchell serves in a team
pastorate in the Pleasant View congregation. Burkitts-
ville. Md.

j'(5 ^ (§ I c w I oiMi- '^

22 MESSENGER February 1979

(goDliJKnfDOl]

by Nelda Rhoades

Getting beyond barriers

Last fall 12 people, representing the
Church of the Brethren, embarked on a
seminar with Christians in the German
Democratic Republic. For 10 days, (from
October 30 to November 10) we traveled
and visited with a wide variety of people.
We talked with church leaders and laity,
with socialist and anti-socialist, with
pacifist and military personnel. We shared
our history, our faith, ourselves and in turn
we received much from those we met.

This opportunity for a group of
Americans to travel in the German
Democratic Republic, staying with
families, and dialoging on critical issues
arose out of earlier contacts between the
Brethren and Gossner Mission in the
GDR. Growing out of mutual concerns for
service and peace, a seminar on these issues
was made possible.

As we dialogued, it was striking how
similar the issues are with which we deal.
The people, faced with consumerism,
struggle to find time for their families.
They are frightened by the possibility of
war and don't know how to relate to the
state.

Some of the issues of church and state
are the same for us, but others are
different. Whereas we historically come
from a situation that emphasizes separa-
tion of church and state, in Germany the
institutions enjoy very close ties. The state
has traditionally collected a tax for the
churches and religion has been taught in
the public schools. Today this has changed.
Religion is not taught in school and the
church must collect the tax as best it can.
In an earlier time it was assumed that all
were members of the church and would
help to support its work.

In the Christians" efforts to deal with the
state in the GDR, the struggle often is
whether to work within the political system
or outside. Some Christians see no way of
working with the present government.
Though there is no visible opposition to

the government, many see the need for
total separation from the state. When a
state does not endorse the Christian faith,
the Christian can have nothing to do with
that state.

For others, they see a need to work
within the system. Here, as in other coun-
tries in Europe, there is a Christian
political party, the Christian Democratic
Union. Christians who have chosen to
work as a part of this believe they can
have some influence on the workings of
the state. One person with whom we spoke
summarized the church and state
relationship this way, "Earlier the state
thought the church would die away and the
church hoped the government would not
last. Today both must realize the other is
here to stay and, therefore, find ways to
work together."

A.

L.S we discussed mutual concerns, the
issue of peace came up repeatedly. While
we do not presently have military conscrip-
tion in the United States, we have struggled
with this in the past and may do so again.
Persons in the GDR currently face
this issue. Among others, students
in the state universities must serve
for five months in the military follow-
ing their second school year. Though
not presently engaged in war, they con-
tinue to face military service with little
alternative.

A further issue for these people is the
recently introduced military training in
public schools. In the ninth and tenth grades,
students receive eight hours of training plus
an optional several-week intensive. Those
accepting this training understand it as a
bringing together and universalizing of
something already happening in most
schools. Many others have raised their
voices in opposition, decrying such training
in school. While we in the USA are not fac-
ing such an issue directly, we are

reminded of the military career counseling
that is spreading in our own schools. What
are we doing in relation to this? How can
we together work to oppose the growth of
military training around the world?

Pastors and teachers of confirmation
classes shared with us that they attempted
to emphasi/e the need for peace. They
listened excitedly as we explained our ef-
forts to teach peace through workshops,
national staffing for peace and Brethren
Volunteer Service. They challenged us
further as they pressed for what is really
happening in local congregations to teach
people to live out their peace witness.

One of the areas to which they spoke
loudest is the need for disarmament. They
shared their deep fear of what another war
would mean. They have known the
devastation of war in their own land and
know that Americans have never felt this
because the wars have been fought in other
lands.

Our visit has helped to bring hope to all.
As we begin to know one another as per-
sons rather than "them," we become in-
volved. Some of the children were afraid to
meet the imperialist Americans, just as
many Americans would be afraid to meet
communists. As we can get beyond these
barriers, we begin to know persons who
love and hurt, who have dreams and hopes
just as we do. They want to work with their
brothers and sisters around the world to
find peace and happiness for all. Let us
search together for ways to peace, for ways
to know one another as sisters and
brothers, not enemies. □

NeliJa Rhoades is pastor of the Bethel ctm^re^ation.
Milford. Iml.

February 1979 messenger 23

When the tendency is to look at each other
with suspicion and distrust — to pursue
our relationships legally — an old Brethren
principle concerning lawsuits rings true.

by Leland Wilson

Twenty-five-year-old Tom Hansen filed
suit in the Boulder, Colo., District Court.
The target of his legal action: Mother and
Father. The United Press International
reported that Tom "thinks his parents
failed to rear him properly." He sued for
$350,000 damage.

Horrendous thought! What parent of us
can escape if we must stand as a defendant
before the court, charged with parental
malpractice? Of course, the next logical ex-

24 MEsstNGKR Februiirv 1979

tension legally is {or parental rights- the
right of pareqts to go to court and collect
thousands of dollars because their child
malpracticed in being a "rearee." Horren-
dous thought! It is a world apart from the
vision of the Apostle;

"Children, obey your parents in the
Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father
and mother" (this is the first commandment
with a promise), 'that it may be well with
you and that you may live long on the
earth.' Fathers, do not provoke your
children to anger, but bring them up in
the discipline and instruction of the

If you

Lord" (Eph. 6:1-4).

A Seattle family sued the city's school
system because their son was allowed to
graduate, although he was "unable to read
with sufficient comprehension to obtain
employment or to adequately cope with the
demands of our society." It is one of
several suits now in litigation across the
country in which there are charges of
teacher malpractice.

Horrendous thought! Suppose every
teacher became legally liable for every stu-
dent that did not learn. The testing in thai
process, passes to the other hand. Then,
the teacher sent by God is no longer evi-
dent from "signs" that are done (John 3:2),
but may be manifest, rather, as the one
who can gain acquittal from the jury.

A young man in New Jersey discovered
that his girlfriend was pregnant. He offered
to marry the woman. She refused, and with
regard to the pregnancy, chose to have an
abortion. The young lover went to court to
obtain a court injunction to prevent the
operation, saying it would violate his rights
as a father. His suit was too late to save the
pregnancy, but not too late to add to the
legal explosion in this nation and the
extent to which people will appeal
to law.

Horrendous thought! Pre-marital sex
now adds to its complexity the threat of
lawsuit. Will lovers now check clauses in
malpractice policies early in the evening?
The threat of law lies as a time bomb,
ready to explode affection.

Here from life are these three stories of
going to court. They are unusual only in
that they are occupying new territory. They
join the host of issues that have been sub-
jects of lawsuits regularly. The fact is that
our society has developed a "suing" men-
tality. In resolving problems, our first
recourse seems to be law. In trying to avoid
what we do not want, one of our most po-
tent threats comes from between the teeth,
"If you do, I'll sue you." In deciding a
course of action, we are more concerned
with the potential legal implications than
with morality. We are often deterred in
good work because of our fear that if we
helped, if we made our place open tor the
play of children, if we provided transporta-
tion for a person, if we push the wheel

do, m sue you!

chair of the disabled, we leave ourselves
vulnerable to being sued. In short, we have
developed an insatiable legal appetite, that
in feeding, we are not satisfied, but are left
nervously hungrier.

In these United States, in the past 15
years, the number of lawyers has increased
from 296,000 to 462,000. Law .school
enrollments have more than doubled in the
same period, from 54,000 to 126,000.
Another way of seeing the increase in law
is to know that in 1900, there was about
one lawyer for every 1,100 Americans.
Even that is a higher ratio than exists in
almost any other nation of the world to-
day. Twenty-five years ago, the ratio was
one lawyer to each 700 persons. Last year,
it was one to 530. Examining that even
closer, approximately one out of every 125
adult males in the United States is now a
lawver.

A,

idded to a mushrooming population of
attorneys are serious problems in the func-
tioning of courts, in unequal justice
associated with wealth and cleverness in
representation and the lack of professional
ethics among lawyers — the headline
criminals in government in the last decade
were almost all attorneys. Our lawmakers,
for the most part, are lawyers, and while they
may be reasonably honest men and women
on the whole, as honest as the rest of us, con-
cerned about our rights as citizens, we have
reason to question the protection that sur-
rounds those who practice law — whether it
is in our best interests, or whether it is really
self-serving. The failure to establish a
national no-fault automobile insurance
program and the failure to establish an ade-
quate system to handle medical malpractice,
are two of the clearest examples of legislators
adding to the "suing" mentality which
afflicts our society.

Why this legal blight upon our nation?
Analysts have been helpful in offering in-
sight. J. Anthony Kline, legal affairs
secretary to California's Governor Jerry
Brown, says, "Over-reliance on the courts
is ... a consequence of the contentiousness
that characterizes the United States'
heterogeneous and individualistic society.
In many other societies, law and right are

entirely different concepts, not just two
sides of the same coin.

"This creates a strong cultural preference
for the private and informal settlement of
disputes outside the legal system. The goal
of this kind of dispute settlement is the
most rapid possible restoration of normal
relations between the disputants. As a
result, the central concern is to discover
what is proper and decent, and not so
much what is legal" (Los Angeles Times.
Feb. 12, 1978.).

The problem — contentiousness. The
solution — he gives hints of it being outside
the legal system, and a search for what is
right, rather than what is legal.

Roger Cramton, Dean of the Cornell
Law School, sees in our affluence and a
utilitarian "do your own thing," a tendency
"to look at people with suspicion and dis-
trust," and to pursue relationships legally.
"We all know, instinctively," he says, "that
a society that looks at each other with
suspicion and always pushes rights to the
limits is a nasty and unpleasant society"
(Los Angeles Times. Dec. 25, 1977).
Related to this is a society gone wild on
training its people to be assertive and
aggressive. One law professor says that you
simply cannot educate college students to
be aggressive and assert their side of the
issue, and then cut it off there — they will
push to the limit. The problem — suspicion,
distrust, aggressiveness, assertiveness,
pushing rights to the limits. The solution —
a willingness to forego certain rights in the
interests of relationships.

w,

'hy this legal blight upon our nation?
Ultimately, it has to do with our faith, our
belief structure. Aric Press, a writer for
Newsday, has observed that going to court
is the way when "there is no religious
leader to intervene, no accepted communi-
ty standard to invoke, no neighborhood
ethic that would decide .... Other
societies have looked to the Word or the
Truth for guidance. But today's American
answers, our formal Truths come from the
Law. And as they are spun out, whether
from whole cloth or the musty garb of
precedent, many, in and out of the system,
have begun to question how well we are be-

ing served and what costs are involved in
buying a bottle of litigation every time a
feverish rash breaks out on one part of the
body politic or mother" (Los Angeles
Times. Dec. 25, 1977). The problem:
looking to secular law rather than the
Word; abandoning truth as it may be
found in Him who is "the way, the truth
and the life." The solution: giving God
dominion over human affairs.

"If you do, I'll sue you!" To that expres-
sion of contemporary ethos, there is a
counter word. It is a word that needs to be
spoken because it is a word of hope to the
world, and to each of us. It is a word that
should be spoken by Brethren. It is a part
of the Church of the Brethren heritage, but
for a half-century it has been hidden. We
have been silent on the matter of our
relationship to law. The times call upon us
to break our silence. The times call upon us
to reveal that which has been hidden. The
times call upon us to reclaim our heritage.
The civil rights movement helped us to
rediscover "Obedience to God and Civil
Disobedience" as an act of Christian dis-
cipleship. (See the Annual Conference
Statement of 1969.) The radical peace
movement during the Vietnam War made
more bold our peace witness. The ecology
crisis has encouraged us to dust off the
neglected "simple life" teaching. The crisis
of suing each other calls upon us to look
again to the matter of going to court as
related to our New Testament doctrine.

The Brethren and goirtg to law. What is
that Brethren perspective and heritage with
regard to law? There are at least two issues.
One is going to law. And the second is
practicing law.

The matter of going to law was an early
and persistent issue before the Annual
Meeting, In 1810, for example, the Meeting
minutes indicated. "Concerning brethren
who use the law for collecting debts, was
considered, that it is unbecoming for
brethren to do so, that it cannot be per-
mitted, and if they should do such a dis-
allowed thing, they are left over to the
counsel of the church."

Still, there were recognized some cir-
cumstances in which there might be
recourse to law. The question was asked in
1849, "Whether a brother, who considers

February 1979 messenger 25

himself by any public improvement, such
as a turnpike or a railroad passing through
his land, can, without a violation of the
gospel, make use of the provision of the
law, which government enacted for the
recovery of damages in such cases?" The
answer was, "Considered, as the matter has
been fully stated that it would not be a
violation of the gospel to make use of the
provisions of the law in such cases." That
was a rare admission, and not charac-
teristic of the usual counsel given on law. It
provoked still further questions, but did,
more than any other action of Annual
Meeting, open the possibility of going to
law. By 1891, the Annual Meeting made it
clear that there were no circumstances in
which a member could individually decide
to go to court: "No member is allowed to
go to the law without first consulting and
obtaining the consent of the church."

The most recent statement of the church
on the issue came in 1920. The statement is
a summary of our belief and understand-
ing. There is first a search of scripture
about going to law, with a primary passage
being I Corinthians 6:1-8. Here, Paul said
that it was a shame for one member to be
suing another member. Was there not a
wise person there who could resolve the
matter? "To have lawsuits at all with one
another is defeat for you. Why not rather
suffer wrong? Why not rather be
defrauded?"

The Brethren drew for understanding
from the teaching of Jesus. He said that, if
sued by an adversary for a debt, it would
be far better to compromise and agree
before the matter is in court. Jesus, in the
Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:25, 26)
takes the radical position of advocating
that his followers do more than the law re-
quires, "If any one would sue you and take
your coat, let him have your cloak as well;
and if any one forces you to go one mile,
go with him two miles" (Matt. 5:40-41).
How strange and paradoxical sounds the
gospel in today's world. And how full of
hope!

The Brethren looked, also, to the exam-
ple of Christ and the apostles. When
arrested, Jesus submitted, trusting himself
into the care of God. When tried, he was
meek toward human powers, believing that
they could have no power at all against
him unless it were given, them by God
(John 19:10, II).

The Apostle Paul, once apprehended by
the law, did not hesitate to invoke the law
for his protection and did appeal a court
decision. But this is quite a different matter

from initiating a suit of law.

So the Brethren summarized in 1920:

"A legal process, when properly con-
ducted, is a search for truth, and an instru-
ment of justice. If used in the fear of God
and in absolute sincerity, it can be used to
straighten out the paths of justice, to set
truth in a clear light, and to lighten the
burdens of men.

"The law is not to be used merely in
seeking honor and self-aggrandizement,
nor merely for personal enrichment, nor to
pervert justice or to cover up truth. It is
not the righteous use, but the selfish and
corrupt abuse and the fraudulent practice
of law, to defraud men and to tyrannize
over them that have brought the use and
the practice of law into disrepute among
Christian people. These perversions of law
and justice are what Christ and the apostles
condemn.

"Another principle that is to be
safeguarded, is not to use force and
violence to compel men to do things
against their wills, and so to stir up anger
and resentment; instead of, through the
Christian spirit of meekness and moral sua-
sion and the conviction of the Holy Spirit,
winning men to do them, or leading them
lovingly to repent of wrongdoing instead of
penalizing them vindictively."

A.

LS to the use of law, the church held it
proper to consult attorneys for legal
documents and procedures. The church
said that there are doubtless circumstances
where it is permissible to bring suit against
others, but never against someone in the
church (unless it be a "friendly suit" of
common consent). In all cases, the advice
and counsel of the church should first be
secured.

The Brethren and the practice of law.
What of being an attorney — of the
professional practice of going to law?
Historically, there have been few lawyers
within the ranks of our membership. The
attitude of the Brethren and the dearth of
Brethren attorneys were issues discussed
and given a bit of consideration at the time
of the establishment of the School of Law
at the University of La Verne.

In 1876, right after the Annual Meeting
considered the question of celebrating the
US Centennial and gave a flat and terse
"no," they considered the question, "Is it
right, according to the gospel, for a brother
to plead the laws of the land, and act as an
attorneyT' The answer: "The brethren have
always considered it not according to the

gospel for a brother to practice law and act
as an attorney, and we can make no change
in this respect."

By 1920. the Brethren had a slightly
different light on the matter, saying,
"The practice of law, in harmony with
the principles above set forth, and within
such limitations, if conscientiously fol-
lowed, is not considered to be contrary to
the teachings and spirit of the gospel.

"Those who would enter upon it, if they
are true to Christ, will have large and rare
opportunities to become peacemakers (by
settling all disputes, as far as possible, out-
side of court), to vindicate truth, justice
and reverence, to show mercy, to help the
defenseless and the oppressed and to
become teachers of civic righteousness."

For no other profession has the church
given such as expression of caution and
concern.

Transcending the legal. "If you do, I'll
sue you." Counter to this corrosive men-
tality, we have a welcome word to speak.
Clearly, the scripture advises against the
use of law to gain advantage. Both Jesus
and Paul emphasize our determining our
own course of action — we are not to be
limited by what the law requires. The New
Testament counsels us to avoid getting in-
tertwined with the workings of the law. So
far as it depends upon us, we are to settle
outside of court. In those instances that
might be exceptions, wherein there might
be a suit, the church has said that our in-
dividual judgments need to be informed by
the Christian fellowship. We are to seek the
guidance of the church before going to
court. In our day. it would be stunning and
revolutionary to have a member appear
before the church council to ask the
witness of the Spirit on the matter of going
to court. Such a process would deepen the
sense of community and fellowship; it
would take justice beyond legalism.

There is yet another word of good news.
It is time to stop cowering in fear of legal
liability. It is time to stop using that as an
excuse to avoid acting on behalf of the
needy, the neighbor, the community. This
is not an argument against liability
insurance — reasonable protection should
be taken — but so. also, should certain
risks, especially when taken on behalf of
the other person.

"And if anybody wants to drag \ ou into
court and take away your shirt, let him
have your undershirt" (Matt. 5:40 [Cotton-
patch Version]). D

Leiand H'ilson is pastor of the La Verne (Calif.) con-
\irt'^ati(tn.

26 MESSBNGER February 1979

THE BIBLE:

God's good gift

by Harper S. Will

One of my delightful assignments when I
was first licensed to preach was to walk
over the hills to a neighbor's home, and
read the Bible to an aging elder in his mid-
eighties who was losing his sight. Over and
over I recall him saying, "I love the Bible,"
and always his insistance was for me to
read more. Often he would say before I
left, "Read Psalm 139." It was one of his
favorite scriptures.

Most of us would place the Bible high on
our list of God's good gifts to his children.
It is the written word of God whose pages
illuminate our understanding of God, that
we all so desperately need in our journey
through this earthly pilgrimage of tempta-
tion and often tragedy. Only good can
come to the one whose mind is filled with
its insights, and obeys its precepts; then the
Bible truly becomes a lamp unto our path,
and a light to our feet.

It is most unfortunate that we have so
woefully misused the Scriptures, and that
often in our day we have allowed the Bible
to become an instrument of contention and
division among us. Let us differ in inter-
pretation of some scripture, and we begin
to suspect one another, start closing doors
to each other, and begin saying. "He
doesn't believe the Bible," or "They don't
believe the Bible." Alexander Pope, years
ago made the observation, "There has
never been an evil, but someone has at-
tached a text to it, and proclaimed it a
truth." It is heartbreaking to find people
using the Bible to block the progress of
truth. In a day when judges, educators and
politicians are moving forward in seeking
justice for blacks, it is nothing short of
blasphemy for ministers and Bible teachers
to be using scriptures to support segrega-
tion, to keep the blacks out of our
churches, and to keep them in their sup-
posed place. This has led, in our day, to the
church in many places being the most

segregated group in our society.

Each of us who ventures into the pages
of the Bible needs some guidelines if our
exploration is to be rewarding. It is a pop-
ular notion that the Bible is a very simple
book, and that it calls for no special train-
ing to comprehend it. The exact opposite is
the case — the Bible is a difficult book; in
fact, it is 66 books, written by many
different authors, in different places, over a
span of more than 1,000 years. It is made
up of almost every type of literature:
poetry, drama, biography, letters,
proverbs, historical narrative, apocalypse
and parable. You would expect to find
radically different ideas from place to place
in this varied writing, and you do.

Vv'pen the Bible to Leviticus 24:18-20,
and you find these severe words, "When a
man causes a disfigurement in his
neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to
him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye.
tooth for tooth; as he has disfigured a man.
he shall be disfigured." Open it again at
Matthew 18:21-22. and you find these
gracious words. "Then Peter came up and
said to him. 'Lord, how often shall my
brother sin against me. and I forgive him?
As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him.
'I do not say to you seven times, but seven-
ty times .seven.'" You see, it is not enough
to say, "The Bible says . . . ." It says, "Let
not a witch live among you." The popular
notion that the Bible is a simple book has
landed us into a dismal biblical illiteracy.

On the other hand, it is just as true that
the Bible is one book, as it is 66 books.
There is a golden thread that runs from
Genesis to Revelation. Sometimes it is
obscure, sometimes it is clear. But the
theme is one: God creating; people rebell-
ing; God in Christ redeeming. We like to
sing about it: "I love to tell the story of un-
seen things above, I love to tell the story,
lor some have never heard the message of

salvation from God's own holy word."
There are no conflicts in the Bible, when
properly understood; every part as in a vast
orchestra contributes to the whole.

We should forever remember that the Bi-
ble is not God. There has been a movement
the past 200 years which has attempted to deify
the Bible. Some have given it the sarne at-
tributes we assign to God: perfection, in-
fallibility. Bibliolatry can be an unfortunate
sin. Vividly. I remember a man in Chicago,
drawing a New Testament from his pocket,
and saying t o me, " I never go out of my home
without this in my pocket. It keeps me from
every danger." I replied to him, "Am I un-
derstanding you to say that your Testament
is your god — it keeps you from every
dangerT' The Bible contains the word of
God, but beyond the printed page stands the
li ving, eternal Word of God — t he eternal
Christ. The Gospel of John begins with, "In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. And
the Word became fiesh. and dwelt among
us." The Bible is to be used, not to be
worshiped.

In many circles there is a distrust of the
great scholars of the Scriptures. But the
fact is, as much as we need trained and
skilled doctors to care for our physical
needs, we need trained and skilled teachers
to help us discover the choice treasures
contained in the Scriptures. My counsel to
every would-be Christian become ac-
quainted with the truly great ijcholars the
Moffatts, the Goodspeeds, the Barclays
ones who have spent their lives learning the
languages in which the original Scriptures
were written, who have wrestled with the
deep spiritual mysteries of the Bible for
decades, and who have written commen-
taries and helps to a.ssist the study of all
who hunger and thirst after God's truth. A
disciple of Jesus is a learner, and the only
cure lor shallowness in church circles will
be through a new commitment to study.

God has provided a guide and teacher

February 1979 mkssenger 27

for each of us in the person of the Holy
Spirit. When Jesus was taking leave of his
disciples, he promised them to ask the
Father to give them a counselor, who
would teach them, and guide them into all
truth. This promise in all of its fullness was
fulfilled at Pentecost for those first dis-
ciples. This may be the experience of each
of us who loves Christ — to have the Holy
Spirit, our teacher and guide. Without the
Holy Spirit at work within our lives, we
will never know the deeper mysteries of the
Christian faith. The early church question,
"Have you received the Holy Spirit?'
would be well for us to ask ourselves. At
the same time, we need to remember that
the Holy Spirit was never intended as a
substitute for study and personal effort.

To find the truth of the Scriptures we
need a master key. Fortunately, we have
that key. It is Jesus, our Lord! Everything
should be viewed through the eyes of Jesus.
Every teacher, every minister, should
measure every word, every happening, in
the Old Testament and the New, by the
mind of Christ. The climax of the Bible
revelation is in the person and teachings of
Jesus. Everything points to him, and finds
its fulfillment in him. The Apostle Paul set
a high level for all of us — "I was deter-
mined to know nothing among you, save
Jesus Christ and him crucified."

The choice memory of my mother is seeing
her sitting on a rocker in our Virginia living
room with an open Bible in her hands.
Sometimes she would fall asleep poring
over its pages, and it would be lying open on
her lap. It was about the only thingshe read.
Our church elder. J.M. Kagey, on the first
Sunday of a new year told the congregation
we were not making enough use of the Bible,
and he offered a Bible to the one who would
read the most chapters during the year. A
report was kept each Sunday, and though
Elder Kagey passed away before the year
ended, in the settlement of his estate a Bible
was purchased. It was given to my mother
who had read the Bible through during the
year, and was nearly halfway through a se-
cond reading.

Love the Bible; study its message: obey
its precepts; and life will be as described in
the first Psalm: " , . his delight is the law
of the Lord, and on his law he meditates
day and night. He is like a tree planted by
streams of water, that yields its fruit in its
season, and its leaf does not wither. In all
that he does, he prospers." D

Harper S. Hill /.v a relireil poslor livinii in ,\orlh
Maiiilu'Mcr, Itul He is a ftirijwr General Board
luvniher and Annual Ccnterenee inoilerator.

28 MKSSi.NGiiR February 1979

m%@mmi

What materials should we use for our

youth class? What are good Bible study
resources for senior highs? One reason why
these questions are asked is that the Foun-
dation Series provides materials only
through grade 8.

For Youth

Two series have been recommended for use
with youth. (All of the materials listed are
quarterly with 13 sessions and are available
from The Brethren Press, 1451 Dundee
Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. Be sure to list the
series as well as the particular unit you
order.)

New Ventures in Bible Study (inter-
preting the word) which has only one book
($1.45) for both leader and learners and is
intended to teach a particular method of
Bible study as well as exposure to major
concepts, events and ideas of the Bible in
the three-year program. Available for 1978-
79 are:

Fall— Piiilippians/ Mark

Winter — Exodus/ Psalms

New Ventures

IN BIBLE STUDY
WINTER 1978-1979

S^vvVi^

ifoulh

COOPERATIVE UNIFORM SERES

They include different styles of teaching
and some differences in content.

Bible Studies: Youth. This uses the same
scripture as A Guide for Biblical Studies. It
is part of the Cooperative Uniform Series
which also includes a quarterly for those
beyond high school called Bible Studies:
Young Adult. Pupils" books for both age
groups are 80c. The teacher material which
has helps for both age levels as well as
suggestions for teaching adults is called
Bible Studies: Leader ($1).
Titles for this year are:
Fall — Disciplined Christian Li\ing and

Jesus and the Ten Commandments
Winter— Basic Christian Beliefs
Spring— Paul's Corinthian Letters
Summer— The Kingdom and the Early
Prophets.

Spring — Matthew (written b\ Brethren
editor Rick Gardner) '

Summer — Amos Isaiah 1-39.

Living the Word. Leader's Guide (S2.25)
includes methods and process as well as
background.

Student's Resource ($1.50) is a folio with
an assortment of material — booklets, how-
to-do-it articles, reprints, maps, graphs,
pictures, questionnaires and chails.

Topics for 1978-79 are:

Fall — Exploring Values and Beliefs

Winter — Beyond Ourselves

Spring — Concerning Death and
Resurrection

Summer — The Religious Life.

For Senior High

The following materials are also
recommended for use with senior highs.

For Late Teens

The Bible to Life Series. This series lets the

P*tjie Bible and Love

I^JP ' ^ LEADERS GUIDE

^^^^^^^S^^m!5^ ' A**S^M

•^ ^i^^^^^^^^^^^^H^^*^

Bible speak to the needs and interests of
late teens. It is intended to help students to;

1) know and be able to explain events in
the Bible — who the people were and what
God was doing,

2) be able to tell how that information
from the Bible helps them deal with their
questions and decisions.

3) develop skill in using the Bible to help
them manage their lives in a satisfying way.

There is the Leader's Guide ($1.45) for
each session. The Bible passages, the life
issue and the objective are stated. Specific
helps are given for preparing to lead the
session. Alternate ways of teaching/learn-
ing are provided.

Student's Book ($1) gives a variety of
materials to involve youth in the class
process: dramatic material, role play,
poetry, letters, photo essays, exposition,
discussion and others.

Currently available are:

The Bible and Love

The Bible and Crises

The Bible and Life's Major Decisions

The Bible and God

The Bible and Living in the World

The Bible and Family

The Bible and the Body

The Bible and Salvation.

For Adults

and Youth

Our Living Bible Series. Designed for use
with adults but useful for many youth
groups, 12 units take a group through a
study of the entire Bible. The Bible is the
basic resource. Materials are guides for the

study of the Bible itself.

Written in non-technical language, they
emphasize the spiritual values of the Bible,
and focus on the Bible as God speaking to
the children of God today through its
pages as surely as God spoke through its
pages to the first century Christian church
and to the Hebrews before that.

The Teacher's Book ($1.30) has two sets
of lesson plans, each presented in step-by-
step fashion. The first of the teaching plans
is the lecture method of presentation. The
second set suggests a variety of teaching/
learning ideas and methods. Some teach-
ers use a combination of the two session
plans. The Student's Book sells for 95c.

Sets of 6-8 cassettes in each unit in a tray
for easy storage are provided for the visual-
ly handicapped. Labels are printed in
Braille. Units for which these are available
are noted below with an asterisk (*). Each
set of cassettes is $15.

It is suggested that the units be studied

in the order listed. They are held together
by a recurring emphasis on the covenant,
the spiritual values found in the Bible and
what they mean to today's Christian.

Channels of His Spirit (Acts)

Creation and Liberation (Genesis, Ex-
odus 15)

A Distinct People (Exodus 16, I Samuel
9)

The Lord and His Anointed (2 Samuel
10, 2 Kings 14)

God's Unwilling People

* People of the Law

♦Greetings to All God's People (Letters
of Paul)

♦Believe the Good News (Mark)

♦The Faith in a New Age.

For Junior/Senior Highs

Youth Bible Series. This series is designed
for use with classes with both junior and
senior high youth in them. Major focus is
on the content of the scripture. The Lead-
er's Guide ($1.25) interprets the selected
biblical material, paraphrases it, considers
its modern implications and includes
suggestions for class procedures. Student's
Book ($1) is a visual activity book planned
so students can write in it, cut it, paste it or
draw in it.

The following are now available:

The Gifts of the Spirit

Paul's Corinthian Correspondence

Faith for Dangerous Times: The Book of

Revelation
The Heart of the Bible: Central Themes

and Teachings
Messages for Troubled Christians:
Revelation and the Short Letters
A Crowd of Witnesses: Personalities

From the Bible
The Word Is God: The Gospel and

Letters of John
The Making of God's People: History

and Law in the Bible
The Rhythm of Renewal: The Bible in

the Life of Devotion
Promises to Keep: God Meets Man in

the Bible
With a Mighty Hand: Old Testament
History and Prophecy— Part I, Part II
each with 13 sessions
Jesus: God's Man for Others — Part 1,
Part II each with 13 sessions.
—Shirley J. Heckman

Shirley J. Heikman is Parish Ministries lansuliani
Itir et/ucaiional Jevehipmeni.

February 1979 me.ssenger 29

Good and evil battle in 'animated

by Dave Pomeroy

THE LORD OF THE RINGS, a Fantasy Films
Presentation: released by United Artists Pro-
duced by Saul Zaentz. Directed by Ralph
Bakshi, Screenplay by Chris Conkling and
Peter S Beagle, based on the novels by J R
R Tolkien

The good news is that Ralph Bakshi's
film version of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord
of the Rings (TLOTR) is better than our
fearful anticipation had predicted. It is still
not Tolkien — the sweeping historicity, rich
mythopoeic imagery and deep philo-
sophical complexity are but hinted at — yet.
any film would have these limitations over
against the fullness of Tolkien's literary ex-
ploration of Middle Earth's Third Age.
Given a decision to commit TLOTR to
film. Bakshi has succeeded remarkably
well.

Bakshi has made two decisions which are
essential to the film's success: first, getting
Peter S. Beagle as principal screenwriter —
a person who has delved deeply and ap-
preciatively into TLOTR and who has
written about it previously; and second,
ending the film halfway through the three-
volume epic. This decision is right, though
potentially unsatisfying to the audience,
since we will have to wait about another
two years for the conclusion. The film ends
with the successful battle at Helm's Deep in
Rohan, and with Frodo. Sam and Gollum
about to enter Mordor on their quest to
destroy the One Ring.

Bakshi has stated that the film was made
for Tolkien fans and not for a mass audi-
ence (although the need to recoup its
$8,000,000 budget might belie that claim),
so that a plot synopsis seems almost unne-
cessary. In a brief prologue the essential
events of the preliminary book. The Hoh-
hii. are depicted — how hobbit Bilbo
Baggins fmds and wrests by guile the One
Ring, created by the Dark Lord Sauron to
give him total dominance o\er Middle
Earth, from the pitiable Smeagol (Gollum).
Then, at Bilbo's farewell birthday party the
Ring is entrusted to his nephew Frodo by

the Grey Wizard Gandalf Following the
great Council of Elrond (the elf) Frodo is
appointed to throw it into the fire from
which it was created. He is to be accom-
panied by Gandalf; three hobbits: faithful
Sam Gamgee. Merry and Pippin; Aragorn.
heir of Isildur. and Boromir of Gondor for
men; Legolas for the elves; and Gimli for
the dwarves. These nine are pursued by the
nine fearful ringwraiths. or Nazgul. once
great kings who have come under the
power of Sauron and now wander the
world searching for the Ring.

Scriptwriter Peter S. Beagle, in his in-
troduction to The Tolkien Reader, has
written. "The Lord of the Rings is the tale
of Frodo's journey through a long night-
mare of greed and terrible energy, of his
education in both fear and true beauty, and
of his final loss of the world he seeks to

save. ... As he tells Sam Gamgee. the only
friend who followed him all the long way
to the fire, 'It must often be so . . . when
things are in danger: someone has to give
them up, lose them, so that others may
keep them.'" Resonances with the biblical
"whoever lose their lives for my sake will
find it" are obvious.

Tolkien's world of elves and magical
powers can veer toward the whimsical,
stemming as it does from what Tolkien
calls "the realm of faerie." Yet, it is an
essentially believable world, based on a
holistic world view and a consistent tele-
ology. Bakshi's animation conveys both the
whimsey and the believability. His tech-
nique of hand-rendering animation cells
from live-action photographs (the entire
film was shot in live action before it was
animated) makes for fascinatingly

Bilbo Baggins as he
appears before the
Great Council at
Rivendell in Ralph
Bakshi's film version
of J.R.R. Tolkien's
Lord of the Rings.
Baggins. a chief
protagonist in the
prologue, is part of a
large cast in the epic
animated tale of the
search to destroy the
all-powerful One

Ring. The film takes
in half of the trilogy
with the concluding
film due in two years.

30 ME.ssENGER February 1979

rLOTR

realistic animation. Unlike his previous
film Heavy Traffic, where animation was
overlaid onto live action, TLOTR is wholly
animated — a fact which makes the realism
of the battle scenes and other fast action
remarkable.

On the other hand, those who have read
and loved TLOTR will undoubtedly have
trouble with the pictorialization of some of
their favorite characters (personally, I had
the most trouble with GoUum and the Ent,
Treebeard, both of whom looked like es-
capees from a Disney nightmare). And the
English-accented voices — especially the
cockney accents of Frodo and Sam — may
be off-putting to an American audience
(though Tolkien, after all, was British). But
by and large Bakshi and Beagle have en-
tered Tolkien's world, picturing it and tell-
ing its story in a way that opens it up to us,
rather than overlaying yet another concep-
tual interpretation, as so often happens
when a book is turned into a film.

The main problem is that the full sweep
of Middle Earth can only be suggested
here: the importance of music and ballads,
which convey so much folklore, barely sug-
gested in a Frodo song and the elves dirge
to Mithrandir (their name for GandalO: the
beauty of the elven language, spoken only
in greeting between Aragorn and Legolas;
and most importantly the complex am-
biguity of good and evil, seen here but
briefly in the elven lady Galadriel's deci-
sion to aid Frodo though it will mean an
end to the Kingdom of Elves as they now
know it, and in the tortured dialogue Gol-
lum holds between his two selves as he
struggles between his affection for Frodo
and his all-consuming desire for the Ring.

As in any epic conflict between good and
evil there are bloody battles and frighten-
ing encounters (especially with the Nazgul)
which account for the film's PG rating. On
the basis of this first half of The Lord of
the Rings on film, anticipation toward the
conclusion should be joyful rather than
fearful. □

Dave Pumeroy is a film reviewer for the communi-
cation commission of the National Council of
Churches.

[pQUffQinnig jp)(t[n]

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the hyv.ays. through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• February has arrived and with it the mid-winter gloom that all too often enfolds us.
The holiday highs are definitely over and the seed catalogs have not started arriving yet. On
these gray days, when children start off to school in the dark and it's easy to give in to
depression, 1 recall Teilhard Chardin's glowing words, "Joy is the only infallible sign of the
presence of God." February is lifted, at least momentarily, out of the blizzard blues as the
language of love is heard in the land. ... So a brief nod of recognition toward St. Valen-
tine, the first marriage counselor. The good saint gained his fame helping young lovers and
married couples in a state of duress. ... Be sure to hug someone and indulge in some love
language on February 14 ... on second thought, hug several someones . . . but hug
judiciously, lest you need St. Valentine!

• Recently I traveled to Copenhagen — according to church and society watchers, the
most secular city in the Western world — less than one percent of the population attend
church regularly. Yet three of our five Danish guides wore crosses. . . . My curiosity over-
came me and 1 commented on them . . . one guide said a delegation of Jews from Israel
had presented the cross to her . . . and the other two said, of course, all Christians wear the
cross.

• A church in Fort Wayne, Ind., has gone bananas. A giant banana-split over 100 feet
long was served up to several hundred Sunday school children. Now that's a mixture of the
sacred and the secular ... a gooey mixture that is! Which reminds me of the CBS news-
caster interviewing people on the street immediately prior to the election of Pope John Paul
II. The question he posed was "What would you like to do if you were the pope?" A 14-
year-old girl answered cheekily, "I'd cover the communion wafers with chocolate." So
much for confections and Christianity.

• STOP SIGNS: On a bulletin board of a Presbyterian church in a large city .... "We
are saved by Christ's dying . . . not by our doing."

• Whenever I get lazy about my life in the faith, my teacher. Baron Von Hugel reminds
me, "Live all you can ... as complete and full a life as you can find ... do as much as you
can for others. Read, work, enjoy . . . love and help as many souls as you can ... do all
this, yes, but remember, be alone, be remote, be away from the world, be desolate. Then
you will be near God."

• A theologian and an astronomer found themselves in conversation on a plane. Said the
astronomer to the theologian, "I've reduced my theology to its simplest terms: 'You shall
love your brother as yourself.'" The theologian replied, "I've reduced my astronomy to its
simplest terms: 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star.'"

• It amazes me that the world lives on the edge of holocaust daily . . . that a nuclear war
could wipe out the human race and with it the culture bank built up in millions of years
and agonizing evolution . . . and yet many people, including many Christians, think of the
peace witness as a social oddity. We are grateful for the recent witness of a young mother,
Jean Zimmerman, at Rocky Flats, Colo., and for all the peace witnesses who continually
flow from our denomination.

• The church was having one afternoon session a week for grade schoolers on character
education. My daughter woke up unhappily one morning. ... I tried to cheer her up by
reminding her that she got to go to the church after school for character education . . .
upon which she burst into tears and said, "But I don't want to be a character!"

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Phyllis Carter: Testament of
Devotion, by Thomas Kelly: Creation Continues, by Fritz Kunkel. Paul Robinson: A
Preface to Christian Theology, by John A. Mackay: The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich
Bonhoeffer; The Dilemma of Modern Mart, by Samuel H. Miller.

• From another Pilgrim's Pen: "All the world is secretly maddened by the mystery of
love, and continually seeks its solution everywhere but where it is to be found." — Coventry
Pat mo re

See you on the journey. — P.K.H.

Brt'f/tirn nriwr Patriiia Kennedy Hetnian is a ntentt^er of the Manehesier congregation, North Manchester. Imt
She c, a Brethren re/ne\etitati\e to the National Council of Churches and a leader for spiritual growth retreat\.

February 1979 messenger 31

On selling indulgences, sharing faith, offering;

Geraldine Crill Eller

Trade indulgence
for commitment

Indeed, women have come a long way. and
not only along tobacco road, so that they
can make cigarette companies rich, but
thev are free to make commitments of their
time, their talents and their income to
worthy causes.

It is too bad that some times in the heat
and e-xcitement of the embattled species,
they go a long way backward too. Back,
say. at least 470 years — when "the think-
ing man" (without a filter) became indig-
nant with the abuses that had crept into the
administration of the church and the
decline in the morals of the clergy.

Oct. 7<\. 1517, which anniversary we just
celebrated as Reformation Sunday, was the
day a young priest nailed this thesis to the
church door because he was outraged at
the way the religionists were "selling in-
dulgences." No pope or prince of the
church was about to speak out about a
committed Christian to stop "indulging
himself." They just demanded that they pay
a tax to the church for the right of con-
tinuing the "indulgences."

.luly 26-30, 1978, 300 women went a long
way, baby! Back to the early 1500s. No
one was asked to curb their luxuries and
put all that money to work for the Third
World projects. No, they just sold the idea
of putting a little tax on our luxuries, and
so once again we are "selling indulgences"
in the name of a Christ who preached total
commitment. (See Messenger, October
1978, "Celebrating Diversity.")

1 open my dictionary to look up the
definition of "luxury":"A free indulgence of
costly food, dress; a mode of life
characterized by material abundance."

If we Brethren have not been indulging
ourselves in luxuries, how can we account

To hold in respect and fellowship those in
the church with whom we agree or disagree
is a characteristic of the Church of the
Brethren. It is to the continuation of this
value, and to an open and probing forum,
that "Opinions" are invited from readers.

for the great proliferation of "garage
sales"? We've indulged ourselves so often
we have to try to get rid of our many lux-
uries in order to have room for the new
ones we intend to buy.

If we women are meeting for our rights
let's at least stay in the 20th century instead
of going back to the 1 6th for our pattern.
Instead of "selling indulgences" let's sell
commitment and give our luxury money to
the Third World. Until we do we are not
even reformed. D

Geralc/ine Crill Eller is a member of the Wenatchee
(Wash.) Breihren-Bapiist United congregation.

Cindy Eller

Sharing our faith
through love

From our very beginnings, we Brethren
have taken our place in larger society as a
small, somewhat exclusive, religious sect. A
quick glimpse at Brethren genealogies is
sufficient to convince anyone that we are
an extremely inbred group. While we still
have an abnormally high sense of com-
munity, in recent years, a new emphasis
has been placed on- evangelism. Brethren
have always been called to "spread the
good word," but tbe accepted method of
fulfilling this mission has undergone a
change. "Spreading the good word" is now
translated as "acquiring new members."

New members from outside the
traditional Brethren mainstream can add
great vitality to the church. As Brethren we
offer a unique way of living and thinking
that we have a duty to share with our non-
Brethren friends. But tht Church of the
Brethren is not for everybody. Although
we may be- excited with what the church
has meant in our lives, and rightly so, that
d'oesn't imply tinat Brethrenism is the pan-
acea for the ills of the modern world. It
does not follow logically that the values
and beliefs that hold us together will be
beneficial to everybody as a simple result
of our common humanity. The overriding
message of the New Testament is uncon-
ditional love — which entails loving people
not only in spite of what they are, but
because of what they are. Jesus felt enor-
mous compassion for humanity, but that

general caring was expressed through com-
passion for th€ individual, with attention to
the complex web of needs and abilities that
compose each person.

As Brethren, I feel we are called to share
in the faith of others, no matter how
divergent their beliefs may be from our
own. If the Church of the Brethren can
serve their needs in some small way, we
should by no means exclude them. Quite
the contrary, we should make ourselves as
open and available as possible. If their life-
style is not suited to the Church of the
Brethren, evangelism comes in the form of
caring concern, and an effort to meet their
needs on an interpersonal level. Christian
evangelism is not an attempt to win con-
verts to the Church of the Brethren —
rather it is an attempt to truly love our
neighbors' with an ear to their needs, not
our own.n

Cindy Eller is a junior at the University of La Verne
and a member of the Pasadena (Calif.) congregation.

McKinley Coffman

Hypocrisy just
a flimsy excuse

Back in the 1960s someone revived an old
saying that "God is dead." This string was
played upon quite frequently for a while. It
was my experience to hold a considerable
number of evangelistic meetings for one or
two weeks at a call. Upon confronting peo-
ple to accept Christ as Savior, an out-
standing flimsy excuse used to be, "There
are too many hypocrites in the church."
My stock answer was, "Well, there is
always room in the church for one more."
Not having heard this remark for some
years it seemed to me that it had died a
natural death. To my surprise a few weeks
ago it came in the same old fashion. The
nauseating excuse still has its head above
water.

Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount and
at other times had much to say about
hypocrites. The old definition for hypocrite
is "an actor." One who puts on. One who
feigns or pretends to be something other
than what one really is. So one can be very
hypocritical whether one is a member of
the church or a member of the unconveiled
sinful world.

32 MESSENGER February 1979

XGUses, capturing wholeness, beginning BVS

To me, the "real," the "super hypocrites"
are the persons of the world in a sense
"playing god" — those who think they are
their own masters both of body and the
never dying soul. They walk in their own
strength. They ignore the teachings of the
New Testament. They decry the help of the
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Super hypocrites never put their eye on
the giants of the kingdom. They do not
measure themselves by the stalwart and
real persons of honesty and integrity. With
(as Jesus'puts it) a beam or a saw log in
their own eye they are able to detect some
individual in the church or have heard by
word of mouth the mistake of an in-
dividual. So they daily grind on the faults
of persons who perhaps did fall below their
best: but who worship regularly that they
might be included in the household of God
and find renewal as they pray, "Forgive us
our debts."

The beam of the super hypocrite is most

likely that of a very unkind spirit. A life
that is filled with animosity, hostility or a
genuine lack of love for some neighbor. So
such persons of the world "playing God"
feign to be much better than the persons
they see in the church. It occurs to me
there is an old saying, "That we see in
others that which is most like our
ownselves." Like seeks or begets like.

In my recent experience with the man
who used the flimsy excuse, I happened to
call on his neighbor. The neighbor really
knew the man inside and out, having lived
by him for a generation of time. This
neighbor, without any bitterness, revealed
what were my own impressions of the real
emptiness of this super Pickwickian
hypocrite. My own measure was that he
was a big bag of hot air. He was filled with
air like a big bass drum. Beating his own
drum, he made a lot of noise.

I would imagine that if he prayed, his
prayer would be similar to that which the

Pharisee prayed in the temple: "Lord, I
thank thee that I am not like that poor
church member. For myself I am not in
need of the Christ, the church or its
fellowship and friendship. I live to myself
and am quite strong and able to lift myself
by my own bootstraps. I know no one else
can do that. I thank thee, God, that I am
on par with you. I can save my own soul
without the help of your Son who died on
the cross."

To such persons, Jesus says, "Get that
tremendous hunk out of your own eye and
then you can see clearly to get the tiny
splinter out of the church member's eye."
Ah! What a discovery. To their amaze-
ment, they discover that they have wearied
and bothered themselves with specks and
splinters and have missed the meaningful
things in life. Hypocrites usually concern
themselves with the shortcomings of
others: while the saints are usually ap-
prehensive of their own faults. Jesus might

The church of tomorrow, if it is to grow and endure,
must have a membership grounded in the Scriptures.

The QUESTERS BIBLE SERIES

is designed to meet that need. ^G BREIDENSTINE

Queers

Provides a comprehensive survey of the Bible, including the Old Testament, and the

Apocrypha.
Is authored by retired Brethren educator A. G. Breidenstine, in consultation with

Brethren teachers of the Bible.
Includes eight 12-week semester units of spiral bound outlines, reading suggestions,

study helps, and self-examination.
Calls for intensive study of the Bible itself as well as important works about the

Bible.
Envisions class sessions of 1 Vi to 2 hours per week as well as reading assignments

for individuals prior to class sessions.
Draws on the best insights of contemporary biblical scholarship, yet without

burdening students with unnecessary detail and theory.
Encourages students to relate the biblical message to their own lives, through sen-
sitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

AG BREIDENSTINE

Questers
)le Series

$3.95 each plus postage and handling
Old Testament, Semester I
Old Testament, Semester II
Old Testament, Semester III
Old Testament, Semester IV

New Testament, Semester I
New Testament, Semester II
New Testament, Semester III
New Testament, Semester IV

Order from The Brethren Press, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, III. 60120

OldTesi.antwni ^

February 1979 messenger 33

Quality. We
sew it
into
everything.

Choir Robes: Only fine
quality and easy-care
fabrics in attractive colors
are selected Styles are
kept up-to-date.
Robe Accessories: A wide
variety of collars, stoles
and rabats will complement
new robes and give a
refreshing look to present
robes

Brum

by Churchman, Anthropologist
Desmond Bittinger
A new, non-media view of the African
in his own earlier Africa. He is part of a
self-respecting, confident, reverent
community. When the white man ar-
ri vesthe African becomes recepti veto
"The Brethren Way." Black and White
build together the foundations which
have produced the most rapidly grow-
ing edge of today's Church of the
Brethren.

The book is narrative, as most of
Brother Desmond's writings and
preachings are. Some say of it: "It is
hard to lay it down." "The rhythm of
the drums is in it." "It is picture and
poetry."

Many individuals and each church
li brary should have this story of part of
our Brethren heritage. Hardback.

$8.95

Order from "The Brethren Press,"

1451 Dundee Avenue,
Elgin, 111.60120

34 MESSENGER February 1979

well have said, "You hypocrite, if you are
such a master of self, get in the church and
set a real example of correct and honest
living."

In 61 years in the ministry of the Church
of the Brethren I cannot recall a single in-
stance where one of these super hypocrites
(and by the way some do become con-
verted), after accepting Jesus Christ as
Savior ever again referred to their old say-
ing, "There are too many hypocrites in the
church." When you once get on the inside
things look very different. It actually is
different. The whole atmosphere has
changed. You breathe a cleaner air because
Christ has changed the whole realm of liv-
ing and life. Old things have passed away.
Behold! All things have become new, A
miracle has happened. A super hypocrite
has experienced new birth and is now
numbered with the saints of God. E]

McKinley Coffman is interim, pan-lime paslor of the
Beaver Dam congregation. Union Bridge, Md.

Francis Hendricks Jr.

A name capturing
our wholeness

Resolved: Thai the membership of the
Church of the Brethren begin friendly,
open and sincere dialog about the positive
and negative consequences of amending its
denominational name.

Obviously the preceeding suggestion is
just that, a suggestion. It is a personal in-
vitation that as a church body we begin
dialoging about our denominational name.
Certainly this is not an emotion-free issue
by any stretch of our imagination. But it is
time to begin hearing our stance as a
denomination.

The reasons I have for raising this issue
now are twofold: First, I have recently
been in two ecumenical situations where it
seemed to me that the name. Church of the
Brethren, became the object of unnecessary
and undeserved mockery and jeers.
Secondly, women in ministry in the Church
of the Brethren, a more and more com-
monly accepted practice, ought not need to
have to continually explain that, "Yes,
women are accepted in ministry within the
Church of the Brethren."

In order to understand why these two

reasons surfaced, you need to know that I
serve as a co-pastor with my wife in rural
Iowa. Recently, we attended the National
Council of Churches Clergy Couples Con-
sultation, a four-day conference for clergy
couples, held in Mason, Ohio. There were
over 100 clergy couples, including six
couples from the Church of the Brethren,
from 12 different denominations. During
our four days at the conference it became
apparent to me after a number of joking,
but pointed, remarks that some non-
Brethren clergy couples were both amused
and somewhat surprised to learn that the
Church of the Brethren ordained women,
had done so for many years, and was sup-
portive of women and couples in ministry.
And the fact that our denomination has
given good support, financially and
spiritually, to clergy couples in ministry
was another surprise. Why the surprise?
Because of the word "Brethren."

In the second situation I was talking
with some lay people about women in
ministry and specifically about our shared
ministry as co-pastors. Again, these were
non-Brethren folks, but they said. "We
always imagined the Church of the
Brethren was entirely dependent upon the
men of the church for leadership because
of your name." The word "Brethren"
seemed to note to some non-Brethren
something other than the inclusiveness for
brothers and sisters we've experienced.

I have to admit that initially, in both of
the above cases. I was a bit amused that
the Church of the Brethren has been un-
derstood by some on-lookers as a kind of
celibate group of men, or if not that, at
least a group of male chauvinists who
never permit their sisters to speak up.

Upon reflection it does seem that as a
denomination we might profit from further
examination of our heritage in rela-
tionship to our name. In 1836 when the
name. Fraternity of German Baptists, was
officially provided by Conference action, I
doubt that people anticipated that by 1871
the name would be modified to the Ger-
man Baptist Brethren. Furthermore, I
doubt that those folks would have guessed
that by 1908. after much dialog. Annual
Conference would again change the name
to the Church of the Brethren. Arguing
that the name no longer accurately iden-
tified the membership, the name was
changed, dropping the word, "German."

iM)t£TALK
WITHJeSUS

Selections

for Lent

and Easter

Table Talk with Jesus

Kenneth L. Mauldin. Foreword by Dr. Karl A.
Menninger. Ten Lenten/Easter messages based on the
Gospel of Luke explore the spiritual awakenings of those
who broke bread with Jesus. $3.75, paper

Arc You the Christ?

And Other Questions Asked About Jesus

R. Benjamin Garrison. Faith-building answers to
questions asked about Jesus by nearly everyone at one
time or another. $3.50, paper

The Sanctuary for Lent, 1979

Robert H. Schuller. A dynamic minister, writer, and
TV personality ("Hour of Power") helps you examine
your beliefs about God, Jesus, and love; problems and
miracles; and more. $20 per 100

The Transforming Cross

Charles and Marjorie Casebier McCoy. Thoughtful
meditations based on Jesus' seven words from the Cross.
$2.95, paper

Those He Came to Save

Roy C. Putnam. Sermons which enthusiastically
proclaim the Good News which Jesus brings to the
bound, bruised, and brokenhearted. $4.95

Putting Your Life on the Line

Maurice A. Petty. Messages which present Christian
discipleship as it is lived, sacrificially and victoriously.
$2.95, paper

A New Happiness

Christ's Pattern for Living in Today's World

Gavin Reid. A study guide is included in this search
through the Beatitudes for keys to deep and lasting
happiness. $2.25, paper

Celebrate: Lent

Dennis C. Benson. A cassette tape containing
creative worship ideas for corporate (congregational) and
individual worship use in preparation for Easter. $7.95,
with printed guide

The Carpenter:

A Play for the Easter Season

Martin K. Doudna. An Easter play with a difference.
The actors in this drama struggle with the reasons Jesus
was crucified. Suitable for family use and church
presentation. 65(1:, paper

Easter Eggs for Everyone

Evelyn Coskey; drawings by Giorgetta Bell and
many photographs. How to make delightful egg
treats — mobiles, tie-dyed eggs, decorated Easter eggs, etc.
Fun for all ages. $8.95

The Easter Story for Children

Ralph W. Sockman; illustrated by Gordon Laite. A
clear, reliable explanation of Jesus' life for children. Ages
7-10. $4.95.

Humbug Rabbit

Written and illustrated by Loma Balian. A Junior
Literary Guild Selection. A rabbit father ardently denies
that he is the Easter bunny, but his rabbit children
disagree. Ages 3-7. $7.95

' %^%^H H^^^%^l I

at your local bookstore

February 1979 mes.scnger 35

CUSSIFIED ADS

FOR SALE— Thought-provoking book of
poetry, prose, short stories from life. Also
collection of stimulating, challenging calls to
worship. By Ivan J. Fausnight, minister for
30 years. Sister Anna says of this book, "It is
lovely, unique and inspiring." Paperback,
"Dow(n to earth and up too." $2.95 plus 55il:
postage. Hardback $6.95 plus $1.00
postage. Box S, Danville, OH 43014.

WANTED— Couple to serve as managers of
Camp Pine Lake, Eldora, Iowa. Prefer retired
couple. Responsibilities include mainte-
nance; bookkeeping; purchasing; hiring,
supervising cooks; leasing to non-Brethren
groups. Camp open full-time in summer,
weekends in spring, fall. Two-bedroom
house, utilities, and phone provided. Salary
begins at $3,000. Contact Jim Albright, R.R.
1, South English, lA 52335. (319) 667-5480.

WANTED — Food service director. 385 bed
nursing/retirement. Facility in south central
Pa. seeking mature individual to manage
food service dept. Qualified individuals in-
vited to contact Business Manager, Breth-
ren Village, P.O. Box 5093, Lancaster, PA
17601.

TRAVEL— Around the world 5-week tour op-
tional return via Afghanistan and Soviet
Union July-August 1979. British Isles 15-day
tour including England, Scotland, Wales,
Southern Ireland and Europe, July 17, 1979.
Scandinavian 15-day tour including Den-
mark, Sweden, Norway, and important sites
in Holland and Germany, August 7, 1979
Alpine countries and Oberammergau Pas
sion Play mid-July 1980. Inquire immediate
ly for Passion Play reservations. Write foi
brochure: Rev. Richard C. Wenger, 805 Stan
ford Ave., Johnstown, PA 15905. (814) 255
3657 collect.

TRAVEL-Juniata College Tours. 1979:
ALASKA-11 days (June 22-July 2) before
Seattle Annual Conference, and 14 days im-
mediately after (July 8-July 21). Includes In-
land Water Passage Cruise. Two-day mini-
tour Seattle-Victoria-Vancouver possible
before 11 day tour and after 14-day tour.
1980: Oberammergau Passion Play, follow-
ing Pittsburgh Annual Conference, 14 days.
Includes Bavaria, The Alps, Rhine Cruise,
Berlin and Prague. June 30 departure.
Harold B. Brumbaugh, host conductor. Infor-
mation: Weimer-Oller Travel, 405 Penn
Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652. (814) 643-
1468.

TRAVEL— Air-conditioned bus tours to 1979
Annual Conference in Seattle. After Con-
ference return home via Canadian Rockies
or go on to Alaska. Write Dr. J. Kenneth
Kreider, R.D. #3, Box 660, Elizabethtown, PA
17022.

TRAVEL— Bndgewater College President's
Tour to Alaska leaving Seattle after Annual
Conference. Includes Inside Passage cruise.
14 days July 8-21. Contact Dr. Wayne F.
Geisert, Bridgewater College, Bndgewater,
VA 22812. (703)828-2501.

36 MESSENGER February 1979

I submit that it is a cruel irony that our
church, a church where brotherhood and
sisterhood receive so much emphasis in our
sermonizing rhetoric, a church consistently
in the forefront for the welfare of people, a
church which in actuality depends on its
-sisters to provide so much leaderstjip at all
church levels but especially on the local
and district levels, should be unnecessarily
misrepresented in the eye of the beholder
because of our denominational title.

We are a body rich in heritage, steeped
in the New Testament traditions. Due to
the inevitable change occuring through the
passage of time the words "Brotherhood"
and "Brethren" are no longer inclusive
enough to capture the wholeness and
holiness which certainly was intended by
our new covenant. Perhaps we could more
appropriately call ourselves the Church of
the New Covenant, or the Church of
Brothers and Sisters or even recycle
Dunkard in some way.

Regardless, I submit this letter as an in-
vitation for us as disciples to share in what
could become a highly creative, highly
hilarious yet potentially painful dialogue.
Let us dialogue with Matthew 12:48-50
before us: "But he replied to the man who
told him, 'Who is my mother, and who are
my brothers?' And stretching out his hand
toward his disciples, he said 'Here are my
mother and my brothers! For whoever
does the will of my Father in heaven is my
brother and sister and mother.'" D

Francis Hendricks Jr. ami his wife. Jean, are co-
paMors a! ihe Sheldon Iowa Church of the Brethren.

Don Hoover

BVS— finished
or just begun?

Only a brief 10 years ago I had just fin-
ished my BVS training experience at New
Windsor, Md., and was awaiting my pass-
port so I could go to serve overseas. Even
then 1 was beginning to learn a fruit of the
spirit — patience, for I spent the next four
months at the Brethren Service Center
folding clothes and lifting boxes of
medicine.

My service in Nigeria taught me this
even more. Many missionary folks there
say jokingly that the motto of Nigeria

should be "Hurry up and wait."

I was destined to go to Waka Schools in
Nigeria long before 1 ever entered Brethren
Volunteer Service. In fact, I believe that
God had this planned for me two years
before when I first heard about Waka
Schools. At that time my reaction was.
"Yucch! Who would ever want to go
there?" Many times in my life the very
place which 1 would not want to go and
serve is the very place God sends me. O
Lord, not my will but your will.

When I was 12 years old, 1 first heard
about Brethren Volunteer Service from a
cousin who was serving with the BVS
Migrant ministry in Modesto, Calif. Right
then, I felt that this was God's will for me,
that some day, and somehow I would have
the joy of serving. The idea fit well with the
teachings which I had heard from my home
and the pulpit during all those formati\e
years.

National Youth Conference in 1962
enabled me to renew my covenant with
God to serve. I was deeply moved to know
that over a thousand others committed
themselves to this future. What a beautiful
inspiration — others with a similar commit-
ment. I was different, but not alone. "If a
hundred committed persons could change
the world" just think what a thousand
could do! Many since then have served;
some took six years or more to fulfill their
commitment, and maybe some still hope
some day to honor that pledge. But how
will they do it?

What is the future of BVS for today, and
tomorrow? BVS can be today and
tomorrow but only if we renew our
teaching and encouraging toward this goal.
BVS will never be finished nor will it be
diminished if we want it to continue and
are willing to teach our youth and our
oldsters about the value of service.

Don't be tied to the things of this world.
Christian brothers and sisters, how can we
ever be the salt of the world, if we aren't
willing to risk being challenged in where we
are now?

I rejoice that 1 was able to enter BVS for
the second time when I got married. My
wife, Jane, was on project as director at
Camp Harmony in Western Pennsylvania
District, a project which we then shared for
a second year, it reminded me of the
sacrifice of giving up what the world has to

offer so that we might be about the work
to which we are called. We found many op-
portunities to share our faith in Western
Pennsylvania and a warmth, love, and
acceptance which was overwhelming. Also,
I am thankful that we have been able to
share and promote BVS in three different
districts.

I am convinced that people are attracted
to the call of BVS by individual contacts of
persons who are convinced that Christ calls
us to serve. Are you so persuaded? If so.

then why not actively persuade others to
give a year or two in service to assume our
share in promoting a service attitude
toward the world, then BVS will ex-
perience growth which we never thought
possible. A faithful group of Christians
who are truly committed to the way of the
cross and to dying to self so that others
might know new life will be a powerful
witness to who we are.

Some of our friends claim that we are
promoting an unrealistic attitude toward

life. I suppose that the call to humility and
selflessness will always be accused of being
the "un" real world. But we like to think
that we who are committed to service are
truly living in the real world of "saltiness"
and that the other world of superficiality is
the false. We encourage persons to join us
in making the second 30 years of BVS even
more faithful than the first. Then we can
truly say that we have only just begun. D

Dot! Hoover is co-pastor of the Ephrala (Pa.) (on-
i^rei^ation.

"^mm^^ p(mMi

Licensing/
Ordination

Mark Ste\en Bendes. or-
dained Sept. 17, 1978. New Ha-
ven. Michigan District

Edwin G. Bontrager ordina-
tion from Mennonite officially
recognized by Pacific South-
west District Nov. II, 1978

Craig R. Brown received into
the Church of the Brethren
from the Brethren Church by
Northern Ohio District Board
action. Sept. 2,1. 1978

Tony E. Fellers, licensed Oct.
31, 1978, Hawthorne. South-
eastern District

Jack Denis Hare, licensed
Sept. 24. 1978. Cajon Valley.
Pacific Southwest

Gordon Lee Klopfenstein, li-
censed Oct. 8. 1978, Beacon
Heights, Northern Indiana

John Harold McFarland. or-
dained Oct. 15. 1978, Syracuse.
Northern Indiana

Ross D. Martin ordination
from the National Fellowship
of Brethren Churches recog-
nized April 29, 1978 by the Pa-
cific Southwest District

Marvin Phillips. licensed
April 6, 1978, Columbia Fur-
nace Woodstock. Shenandoah

Pastoral
Placements

Wenger P. Ammon, from re-
tirement, to Osceola, Northern
Indiana, interim, part-time

Fred Cline. from other de-
nomination, to Mill Creek.
.Southeastern, interim and then
full-time

Mary Lou Hall to Fairview.
Middle Pa., interim, part-time

Robert E Houff, from Roa-
noke. Summerdean, Virlina to
Waynesboro. Shenandoah

Albert L. Sauls, from We-
natchee Valley. Oregon Wash-
ington, to Ephrata, Atlantic
N.E. (August)

Timothy Shirt, from secular,
to Buena Vista, Shenandoah,
youth minister

George W, Slagle, from Ce-
dar Grove, Southeastern, to
Harthorne, Tennessee. South-
eastern

Herman B. Turner, from
Newport, Shenandoah. to
Front Royal. Shenandoah

Edgar Wright, student, to
Maple Grove, Northern Ohio,
part-time associate pastor

Mervyn A. Wunderlich Jr.,
from Waynesboro. Southern
Pennsylvania, to Pleasant Hill.
Southern Ohio

Arthur .S. Zeigler, student, to
York. Madison, Southern
Pennsylvania, team ministry

Wedding
Anniversaries

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas D. Ar-
nold. Jefferson. Md.. 59

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bailey.
Sabetha. Kan.. 65

Mr. and Mrs. Penn Copen-
haver. York Pa., 50

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob E.
Culler, Cabool. Mo., 64

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Dear-
dorff. Waldo. Kan., bi'

Mr. and Mrs. Norman Flora,
Sebring. Fla.. 66

Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Metzger.
Decatur. Ill . 59

Mr. and Mrs. George Neff,
New Pans. Ind.. 50

Mr. and Mrs. Norman Pat-
rick. Hummelslown, Pa., 50

Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Porter-
field. Sebring. Fla., 65

Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Van-
landeghem. Norristown, Pa., 50

Mr. and Mrs. James Wade,
Detroit, Mich.. 64

Mr. and Mrs. Evan Watkins.
Welda. Kan., 60 "

Mr. and Mrs. Ortha Wea-
ver. Windbcr. Pa.. 55

Mr. and Mrs, Warren Wea-
ver. Windbcr. Pa.. 55

Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Web-
er. Dallas Center. Iowa, 69

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Whit-
mer. Sebring. Fla.. 69

Mr. and Mrs. Inman Whit-
mer. North Liberty. Ind.. 50

Mr. and Mrs. M. D.
Whilmer. North Liberty. Ind,,
60

Mr, and Mrs. t,awrence G.
Wilkerson. Sr.. Roanoke, Va.,
50

Mr. and Mrs. John Wis, Dal-
las Center. Iowa. 58

Mr. and Mrs. Rav F. Wolfe.
Brea. Calif. 61

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Wolge-
muth. Leola. Pa.. 50

Mr. and Mrs. Berkley Wood,
Roanoke, Va . 50

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Wor-
lev. Hanover. Pa,, 62

Deaths

Aukerman, Irvin. 88, Green-
ville. Ohio, Oct. 7, 1978

Baker, Edward, 61, Hunting-
don, Pa.. Sept. 9, 1978

Baughman. James Sr.. 84,
Manchester. Md.. Apr. 20.
1978

Bendsen, Niels. 91. North Man-
chester. Ind.. Oct. 10. 1978

Berneau, Theo. 68. Grand
Junction. Colo.. Aug. 2.^.
1978

Be\ingtun, Margaret, 40, Co-
lumbiana. Ohio. Sept. 16,
1978

Blickenstaff, Earl. 59, Smiths-
burg. Md . Oct 14, 1978

BoHers, Elizabeth, 81. Litit?,
Pa.. Sept, 6. 1978

Kbaueh, Irvin H,. 78, West-
minster. Md.. Sept. II, 1978

Emerson, Gloria, 59, Jones-
boro. Tenn.. Sept. 25, 1978

Englc, Orpha D., 81, West
Manchester. Ohio, Oct. 12.
1978

French. Jovce, 27, Rural Val-
ley. Pa.. Sept. I, 1978

Fulmer, Elizabeth, 85. Lancas-
ter. Pa,. Aug. 20. 1978

Glasgow. John B., 92. Bell-
wood. Pa., Oct. 28, 1978

CJeason, Marie, 6,\ Dayton.
Ohio. Oct II. 1978

Hanawall. David K,, 68. Ever-
ett, Pa.. Nov, 2.\ 1978

Heilzman, James, 52. Dayton.
Ohio. May 17. 1978

Hershbcrger, H Kenneth. 66.
Hollidavsburg. Pa,, Oct, 1 I.
1978

Helrick, Raymond. 69, Hun-
tingdon. Pa.. Sept. 9. 1978

Hetrick, Wade. 52, Cumber-
land. Md.. Oct, 14, 1978

Hjghharger, Fay. 77, Mount
Morris, III., Oct. 24. 1978

Hormcl, Katie, 97. Kokomo.
Ind.. Oct. 28. 1978

Huffman. Lola. 75. Roanoke.
Va.. Oct. 9. 1978

Jennings. Naomi V., 82. Boons-
boro. Md.. Oct. 27, 1978

Kimmcl, Howard M., 92. She-
locla. Pa , Oct 19. 1978

Kinse>. Herman H., 69, Ligo
nier. Township, Pa., July 23
1978

Landes. Mabel. 82. Harieys
ville. Pa.. Sept. 23. 1978

Lee. Thomas. 77. Eldorado
Ohio. Oct. 7, 1978

lent/. Kenneth A . 59, Thomp
bontown. Pa.. March 8, 1978

Long, Henry, 77. Myerstown
Pa.. Sept. 1 1. 1978

l.ucabaugh, Michael. 25, Glen
Rock. Pa.. Oct 8. 1978

McClung. Raymond. 65. Port-
land. Ind.. Aug. 17. 1978

McCJonigle. Marion. 61. Nick-
erson. Kan.. Sept. 13, 1978

McCiuire. Linda, 76. Roanoke.
Va.. Sept. 21. 1978

Markey. Roger E.. 68. York,
Pa.. Sept. 6, 1978

Mel/, Harry I.. 95, Worthing-
ton. Minn.. Sept. 6. 1978

Mc>er, Harry I... 66. Cleona.
Pa.. Aug. 17. 1978

Miller. Ella F.. 77. Nokesville,
Va.. Aug. 28, 1978

Miller. Eulalia, 85, Port
Republic. Va.. Aug. 29, 1978

Miller, John, 69, Lima, Ohio.
May 6. 1978

Mohler. Estelle Baile. 61. War-
rensburg. Mo.. Oct. 18, 1978

Monei maker, John. 87. Bridge-
water. Va.. June 29. 1978

Morris, Evelyn Corbett. 43.
Mount Morris. III.. Aug. 29.
1978

Mier. William R.. 64. Myers-
town. Pa.. Oct. 30. 1978

Pemberlon, Arlene. 37. States-
ville. N.C. Sept, 17, 1978

Peterson. Willis. 92, Weiser.
Ida.. Sept. 12. 1978

Pollard. Ralph L. 72. La
Verne. Calif., July 19. 1978

Rec\es, William E.. 78. Albia.
Iowa. Oct 21, 1978

Roberls. Ethel. 84. Nappanee,
Ind.. Oct. 22, 1978

Smith, Anna O.. 91, Neffsville,
Pa,. Apr, 13. 1978

Stauffer. Maria G., 76. Man-
heim. Pa., Sept. 23, 1978

Swenson, Willard, 61, Lincolp,
Neb.. Sept. .30. 1978

Syler. Clay. 85, North Man-
chester, ind,. Oct. 29. 1978

Thompson. Ruth. 78. Bridge-
water. Va.. Oct. 8. 1978

Vance, Ira J. 54. Elkins. W.
Va,. July 26. 1978

Wampler. Ernest M,. 93,
Bridgewaler, Va., Nov. 16,
1978

Weikel, E. Gertrude, 98. Mont
Clare. Pa., Jan. 29, 1978

Weimcr, Daniel, 81, Lewis-
burg, Ohio. Aug. 25. 1978

Williams, Frank J.. 83. Port
Providence. Pa.. Jan. 17,
1978

February 1979 messenger 37

p(^@p\\@(kp(Q\mh

Reading: A congregation plans a
weekend retreat to find Utopia

Most persons have some fantasy of what the ideal commonwealth
would be like. For some it is a community in which all share
equally. For others it may be an environment in which there is
freedom to do as one pleases with one's wealth, time and energy.

First Church of the Brethren, Reading, Pa., planned an all-
church retreat to examine individual values about freedom and to
attempt the "perfect" get-away-from-it-all weekend. Forty-six
adults and teenagers and eight children participated in the experi-
ment to find Utopia for three days.

The reality that community, no matter how perfect it is,
automatically imposes restrictions on individual freedom met the
retreat attenders immediately upon their arrival in the camp set-
ting. A forthright listing of tasks deemed neccessary to ac-
comodate the group's physical survival during the weekend (i.e.,
meal preparation and cleanup) was posted, with the suggestion
that each person select a total of three work credits to be con-
tributed to the group effort. A chart delineated the tasks and the
proportionate credits assigned each task.

Further specification enumerated how many persons were
needed for each task, for example, four persons to prepare Satur-
day lunch (one credit each), two to serve it (one credit) and four
persons to clean up (two credits each).

If a person's ideal concept of participation in the community
was as much work-free or leisure time as possible, it was permissi-
ble to wait until the final clean-up time on Sunday afternoon when
eight persons were needed for a task worth three credits.

Individual choices and values were further tested via an after-

La Verne: Annual youth project
promotes international sharing

Gaining new understandings in ecumenical-international
relationships is one of the goals of the La Verne Church of the
Brethren youth. And the 22-member group is actively achieving
this goal. For the past two years, during spring vacation, the
youth, adult and college-age advisors, pastor l.eland Wilson,
parents and interested church members have traveled to Baja
California to participate in a work project at La Casa de la Nifia
Salvatierra, a girls' orphanage in Tecate, Mexico.

Operated by Roman Catholic madres and under the direction
of a board headed by Tijuana businessman Juan Gonzales, the
orphanage is the home for .^2 orphaned, abandoned or neglected
girls who range in age from 5 to II. Knowledge of the orphanage
was obtained by Leiand Wilson, who contacted a Pasadena-based
organization. Aid to Baja California (ABC).

The La Verne CBYF groups have participated in work/service
projects for eight years during the spring school break. They have
served the Lybrook Navajo Indian Mission, a Baptist church in
Sinaloa. Mexico, a Mennonite church on a Hopi Indian reserva-
tion in Arizona, a Baptist church in El Sauzal, Baja California,
Camp La Verne and the orphanage in Tecate, Mexico.

A friendly association with the orphanage has developed
through the efforts of the 1977 and 1978 work projects. In the
spring of 1977 the group went to Tecate and scraped and painted
walls and helped with electrical and cement work. Not only did the
group work hard, but they engaged in play, ate meals, sang and

noon exercise in stewardship in which persons were issued "work-
ing capital," in the form of play money, with which they could
"buy" what each wanted most to do. With $100 each person could
choose from a wide range of activities, from pillow-fighting (five
minutes, $20) to back-rubbing and scratching (three minutes, $30)
or loud rock music (30 minutes, $60). The most popular activity
was a jeep ride, made more enticing by a tour guide with a running
commentary of a trip through a corn field.

Another aspect of the weekend was to search for the Utopian
group experience. Compatible groupings were selected on the basis
of affinity for a particular maxim. The agreed upon maxim then
served as the beginning point for the group's identity and
camaraderie. The groups worked at two tasks: to act out in
charade fashion before the total retreat body two favorite fantasies
of their group's members, and to provide an "ideal" segment for
the Sunday morning worship service.

A debriefing was held after each section of the retreat program,
focusing upon values learned and gaining an understanding of
what the ideal community would be. One definite learning was
that freedom within a group means that individual freedom is
limited, or at least redirected away from self-center and toward the
happiness of the group.

It was a "different" retreat and one which afforded fun time as
well as being a significant educational experience. — Jidith M.
Shuler

Judith Shuler is a member of the Reading (Pa. ) Church.

worshiped with the orphanage community. A special friendship
developed even though there were differences in language and
religious beliefs.

During the ensuing year, the girls from the orphanage tra\eled
to La Verne to visit their friends and the church community.
Church members hosted the visitors in their homes. The girls
attended the Los Angeles County Fair and presented an e\ening of
entertainment, consisting of dancing and singing in Mexican
costumes, for the congregation of the La Verne church.

Several months later, the fellowship commission of the church
sponsored a trip to Tecate to visit the orphanage and a group from
the church made the trip. At Christmas the congregation con-
tributed money to purchase clothing for the girls.

During the spring of 1978 the youth returned to Tecate to con-
tinue the work project, for there was more scraping and painting
to be done. To help earn money for their expenses the youth group
served a Mexican dinner following a Sunday worship service.

Food for the group and the orphanage communit\ to use for
the week was donated by the congregation. The missions and ser\-
ice commission of the church assisted the project by proxiding
funds for materials and insurance. Persons skilled in carpentry,
plumbing, electrical work and cooking for a large group accom-
panied the \outh. donating their time and ser\ices.

Last March many large cans of fruit, vegetables and peanut
butter. man\ pieces of luggage, duffle bags, sleeping bags, paint

38 MESSENGER Februarv 1979

International understanding and love were created during two
years of sharing between La Verne youth and Mexican orphans.
One service youths rendered: scraping and repainting walls.

equipment and 32 people were loaded into three cars, a camper
and a van.

After a two-and-a-half-hour trip, the group arrived in Tijuana
where they were first given several hours to shop, then later re-
united for a fine meal, complete with Mexican atmosphere in-

cluding an indoor garden and serenading mariachi band. The next
stop was Tecate, a quaint border town located between Tijuana
and Mexicali.

The next five days were filled with activities such as attending
a Catholic mass at a small chapel, visiting a nuns" retreat, scrap-
ing paint from the orphanage walls, celebrating several birthdays
Mexican-style with pinatas, more scraping of paint, battling a 24-
hour virus, painting the walls of the orphanage, eating tortillas and
eggs chorizos and participating in a talent show including talent
from both the youth groups and the girls.

On the last day, a service was held in the orphanage chapel.
The youth group presented quilts and a cross to the orphanage.
Each girl was given a water color set and a pad of drawing paper.
To the madres the youth presented Brethren Service cups and La
Verne Bicentennial medallions.

As the caravan packed up the vehicles, its members were weary
but felt a sense of pride for the job that was done. Personal growth
had taken place. One high school senior remarked, "We learned
more about ourselves and we know our friends better." As the two
groups said adios. Mexican and American tears of thankfulness,
joy and friendship combined to create a pool of international un-
derstanding and love. — Mary Ann Harvey.

\turt Ann Harvev is a member of llie L.a Verne Church umt u itmrnaii\in slinlenl
01 [he i'ni\er\it\ nf l.a I'erne.

New Paris: Congregation hindered
by snow but gathered in spirit

Many congregations will recall the disruptive and difficult conditions
of the Midwest blizzards of 1978. Areas of Ohio and Indiana in par-
ticular were crippled to a standstill, and many church services in
January and February were cancelled.

Members of the Cedar Grove congregation near New Paris, Ohio,
awakened on the morning of January 26 to discover a storm of record
proportions. Sixty-nine-mile-an-hour winds were howling, there
were 1 2 inches of fresh snow on top of an equal depth deposited
previously, and the wind chill index was registering 65 degrees below
zero. The radio news reports were telling of stranded travelers and
appealing for homes where those rescued by snowmobiles could be
taken for refuge.

Church services the following Sunday were cancelled, not only for
Cedar Grove but throughout the entire area. For many persons in
rural areas the lack of Sunday morning congregational fellowship
adds a special disappointment. In addition to missing the communal
study and praise, members are deprived of the inspirational sharing
and group identification that the gathered church affords. Recogniz-
ing and appreciating the sense of community within the Cedar Grove
congregation. Pastor J. Oliver Dearing made a special effort to rein-
force this spirit in a critical time. With the help of neighboring
farmers who were plowing out lanes to get their milk distributed.
Pastor Dearing was able to make his way through 1 2-foot drifts on
Monday morning to mail a special message to Cedar Grove families.
Using the Brethren bulletin cover for that Sunday, Pastor Dearing
mimeographed the following:

"Dear Members and Friends of Cedar Grove Church: Greetings

in the Blessed Name of Jesus our Savior.

"At the parsonage this morning we want to extend to you our
thanks for all the concern you have had for us during this real winter
storm. For our study and devotions Sunday morning we read from
Job 38:22-30, also Job 37:5-10, then the Sunday school lesson. I
notice that in the quarterly the writer begins the discussion with the
words. 'The Sky Speaks,' using Psalm 19: 1-6. Well, the sky spoke the
past few days. We were glad for the phone calls which kept us in
touch with what people were doing.

"Someone has said, 'The church is YOU, wherever you are." 1
believe this is true. While we did not meet at the church for formal
worship on Sunday, the church was lending its arm of care and sup-
port in many ways throughout these days. Homes were open for
those who needed warmth. Hard-working crews were busy clearing
out drives and roadways. Snowmobiles fairly flew across the snow-
drifts to deliver groceries and other supplies to people who could not
get out. No doubt there are many deeds of kinaness and love which
we will never hear about."

Then the pastor listed forthcoming events for the church and per-
sons of the congregation who were ill and hospitalized. The message
was signed by both Pastor and Mrs. Dearing.

Writes Cedar Grove member Carolyn Mock,"l know there must
have been a hundred Cedar Grove members and friends in tune with
the Dea rings at that very hour, and although we were not meeting un-
der the church roof on Love Road we were meeting in spirit under the
roofs and warmth of our homes. And together we were all thanking
God that we were safe and well." — F.W.S.

February 1979 messenger 39

A new name to set us sin^g

"For the first time I can ever recall, my church's
name (has become) a source of embarrassment
and the object of mild jokes," reports a Church of
the Brethren ordained minister, who, with her
husband, is involved in team ministry in a small
rural church.

Church of the Brethren? Where are the sisters?
"Almost always they ask, 'Are there only men in
the Church of the Brethren?'" a BVSer writes
from Germany.

Like a Dunker whose suit of clothes, having
served him well for years, is nevertheless becom-
ing too tight and threadbare, we are slowly
becoming aware that the name of our denomina-
tion has about worn out. It was comfortable for
a long time and we wore it proudly, but now
it is becoming too tight and threadbare. It is
getting a bit embarrassing to be wearing it out
in public.

We have made a lot of changes, large and
small, in recent years. Some took a lot of goading
and others (such as the ordination of women),
were effortless and seemed ahead of the times.
Now it is time to change our denomination's name
to a new one which recognizes the fact that the
"brethren" are complemented by the other half of
the family — the sisters.

I don't expect my suggestion to be heard with
universal approval: "But," you may say, "we have
always ... ." No, not always. In fact, in living
memory we became the Church of the Brethren.
Let's have our history lesson for today:

In 1906, at the Springfield, 111., Annual Meet-
ing of the German Baptist Brethren, the Grand
Valley congregation in Colorado petitioned for a
name change, "... as the word 'German' is no
longer applicable to us, . . . is misleading and in
many places (is) detrimental to our church work."
Not surprisingly, shocked elders railed against
the very suggestion. "Absolutely impossible,"
huffed one. "The fact is the great majority want to
(continue to) be called that (German Baptist
Brethren)," argued another. (His argument was
squelched when it was pointed out that a Gospel
Messenger poll had shown only 413 out of 3,318
responses favored the old name!)

The real issue was the word "German." The
church in 1906 was no longer German-speaking
and the name was a drawback to church growth
here in the United States as well as in the fledg-
ling mission fields abroad.

After some debate and a close vote, a com-
mittee was formed to bring a report in 1908. D. L.
Miller (Gospel Messenger editor), W. R. Deeter
and I. N. H. Beahm (father of Anna Mow) came

up with three suggestions: The Brethren, The
Christian Brethren and The Dunker Brethren. At
the 1908 meeting in Des Moines (coincidentally
the 200th anniversary of the denomination) debate
ensued. Of course, no sisters' voices were heard, as
was customary in that time.

It was Brother I. B. Trout who suggested that,
instead of any of the three names from the com-
mittee, the name "Church of the Brethren" be
adopted. After S. Z. Sharpe gave a strong argu-
ment for Trout's suggestion, the committee
reported its wiUingness to accept the change
(although Beahm still thought the name "Dunker"
had merit).

Considerable debate still followed, but when
the vote was put, the result was 289 for the new
name and 103 against. "The motion is carried,"
announced Moderator H. C. Early. "The name is
adopted. I think you will feel like singing. ..."

Up through that 1908 decision the church felt
a continuity with the past, for from the beginning
in Schwarzenau the word "Brethren" had been in
use. Part of the reason for the 1908 name,
"Church of the Brethren," being adopted so easily
was that it retained the word "Brethren." Some 70
years later it is that very word which is becoming
more and more awkward and objectionable. If we
could gracefully change in 1908 when a part of
our name became awkward to carry, can we not
change again today?

I offer no suggestions for the new name. In
fact I must confess I love the old name and were
change not obviously a timely necessity I could
happily go on being "Brethren" into the future. I
would insist that the new name suggest what is
most characteristic of our church. But what is
most needed is that any new name include the
sisters, who, while wholeheartedly serving God
and the church, have for 271 years silently borne
the stigma of being excluded by the very name of
that church.

W

re have seen the sisters struggle and gain their
rights to measures of equality with the "breth-
ren"— the Sarah Majors who demanded to be
preachers, the Julia Gilberts who insisted on the
right to break bread. We have seen the sisters
become college professors. General Board
members, commission chairpersons.

So, isn't it about time to bring the name of the
denomination up to date? Let us choose a new,
characteristic, inclusive name and then, with
Brother Early in 1908, I think that once more we
"will feel like singing." — k.t.

40 MESSENGER February 1979

1979 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

July 3-8, Seattle, Washington

Every twelve years Annual Conference is held in the
great Northwest. The Coliseum, located in Seattle
Center, will be the main meeting building, accommo-
dating worship services, business meetings, exhibit and
sales areas, and the five Bi ble Study sessions (one each
day).

Programs are being planned for child care, children's
activities. Junior High, Senior High, Post High and
Singles groups. About thirty-six Insight Sessions will
also be held.

You can help by volunteering for one of the positions
listed below. Also use the forms below for registering
children, and securing Program Booklets. (Registration
forms for other age groups have been sent to local con-
gregations in the Information Packets.)

Annual Conference Manager

VOLUNTEER HELPERS

I am volunteering my help with confer-
ence tasks I have marked below. I have
numbered them in order of preference. I
plan to arrive at Conference on July

. Registration (type badges, collect fees,
sort cards)

. Ushers (business and general sessions)

. Child care services

. Children's activities (age 6-11)

. Messengers (Standing Committee and
conference business sessions)

- Tellers (Standing Committee and con-
ference business sessions)

. Information desk

- Ticket sales

. Mail distribution

Please circle
approximate age:

16-22
40-50

22-30
50-60

30-40
60-70

.Zip.

City Stat

Additional volunteers may indicate on a
separate sheet their interest in serving.

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES

For school age children, 6-1 1 years
Please enroll my child (children) for the
following days at Annual Conference:

-Wednesday
_ Thursday

Friday
Saturday

Parent: _
St /RFD
City

-Zip.

Children

Grade
completed

Fee S4 per day per child Forenoon and after-
noon sessions Total fee to be paid when child
attends first session. Only children prereg-
istered will be accepted Six-year-olds must
have completed first grade Preregistration
deadline: June 1

PROGRAM BOOKLET

Please send

. copies at $3.00 each

of the 1978 Annual Conference Booklet.
(Available early in May.)

Name

St /RFD
City

Amount remitted $ .

Zip.

(Delegates sending the delegate authorization
form and registration fee will automatically
receive one program booklet without further
cost)

For lodging information contact your
pastor or write:

Annual Conference Manager
1451 Dundee Avenue
Elgin, Illinois 60120

^^L.m\ /

Persons. Human need. Opportunity. Dignity.
Justice. Self-determination. Empowerment.
IHope. Self-respect.

The words of Jesus: 'The spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he has anointed me to
preach good news to the poor."

God calls us as members of Christ's living
body to bring good news to the poor. This is

the reason for SHARE. Your gift will help
spread the good news.

■■ ^ 1^^ ■> ^ ^ 1

I Here is my gift for
I SHARE ministries:

I Name _

I St./RFD

I City

I State

I Congregation

I District

messenger

;hurch of the brethren

.<

MARCH 1979

i£<n^iw%isi^imDit^

A part of me is left
in every place
that I have loved . .

t**

t^*^

V

m(fiMnt.

i O T^3'wan and the American Reality. J Martin Bailey reports on

the struggle of the church in Taiwan as it faces oppression from the
Mainlander regime in a time of American withdrawal.

^ 3 Handling Energy Transition in the Brethren Tradition.

Richard Keeler points out the Brethren's responsibility as stewards of
creation to put their traditions to work as the world faces transition to
new, advanced energy sources.

4 fi Stretch Out Your Hand, in a Bible Study which takes off on

Christ's healing the man with the withered hand. Ton van den Doel shows
how Jesus can empower persons to do great things ... if they are willing
to accept him.

i 3 ^^""3 Warstler: A Ministry of Teaching. Anna Warstier has

spent a lifetime teaching others. In her local community, across the
Brotherhood, with the national staff and on the India mission field, Anna
has helped many persons to realize their potential in service to the church.
Story by Mildred Hess Grimley.

22 Beyond Crisis to Promise. First Church Baltimore has moved
from a program of maintenance to mission, from survival to visioning
about the future, from death to new life. Story by Thomas Wilson.

26 Why We Were There. James E. Tomlonson explains why Brethren
volunteers move in to help when disaster strikes a neighbor.

38 ''^ Search of Our Roots. The search for Brethren roots presents us
with the vision of a loving, caring community, fully committed to the ex-
ample of Christ. Story by William G. Willoughby.

In Touch profiles Robert C. Johansen, Princeton Junction, N.J.: Wayne C.
Buckle. Arlington, Va.; and Hilda I. Gibbel, Harrisburg, Pa. (2) . . . Outlook
reports on Draft registration. Foundation Series. Peace Institute. On Earth Peace.
Annual Conference Nominating Committee. Mision Mutua. Macedonian Mis-
sion. South Africa leader. SHARE I grants. SHARE II. Nuclear weapons. Life-
style Task Force. 1978 giving. Wall/ Wallis presentation (start on 4) . . .
Underlines (7) . . . Update (8) . . . Book Review, "Straightening Out Our At-
titudes Toward Homosexuals," by Duane L. Ramsey (28) . , , Resources, "Human
Sexuality," by Ralph L. Detrick (30) , . . Pilgrim's Pen (31) . . . Opinions of Dave
Jackson, Joe Van Dyke. Chauncey H. Shamberger (start on 32) . . . Turning
Points (37) . . . Editorial, "Avoiding Moral Rigor Mortis" (40)

EDITOR

Howard E Royer (on special assignment)

MANAGING EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson (acting editor)

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Ziegler Blake

FEATURES

Stewart M Hoover, Fred W, Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E Weaver, Stiirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Dons Walbndge

PUBLISHER

Joel K Thompson

VOL 128, NO 3

MARCH 1979

C'RFDIIS: Cover. 18 John B. Gnmlcv, 2 Del
Ankers. .1 left Fred W. Swan/, 4. .18 Kermon
Thomasson, 5 Karen Haynes, 9. 24 lower left. 30-
.11 Nguven Van Ciia, 10-1! J, Martin Bailcv. 1.1-
14 art h\ Kenneth 1,, Slanlev. 17 Three Lions. 20
top 1 Und Hon,

MhsstACiFR is the official publication of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug. 20. 1918. under Act of Congress of
Oct. 17. 1917, Filing date. Oct, 1. 1978.
MhssKNGKR is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News SeiA'ice
and Ecumenical Press Service, Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version.

Subscription rates: Sfi.OO per year for individual
subscriptions: $4, 80 per year for Church Group
Plan: S4,80 per year for gift subscriptions; $.1.15
for school rate (9 months); life subscription.
S80,00 single. $90.00 couple. If you move clip old
address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for addres.s
change, Mhss^\Cit-:K is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission. Church of the
Brethren General Board. 1451 Dundee
Ave. Elgin. Ill, 60120, Second-class
postage paid at Elgin. 111,. Mar, 1979, Copyright
1979. Church of the Brethren General Board,

S'su.uu sing

■

COMPROMISING WITH THE WORLD

I am passing the December Messenger on to a
friend to enjoy. I copied "A letter." by Patricia
Helman. to send to some friends in my Christmas
mail and I also readit to thejunior high children in
my Sunday school class.

But I must answer one of the questions in the
editorial: "Does he write sorrowfully in the dust
while we gather jagged stones to shower on the
homosexuals who plead for our understanding ,
and acceptanceT'

You are probably referring to the time when the
woman taken in adultery (John 7:53 — 8:1 1) was ,
brought to Christ. What did he say? "Go. and do
not sin again." He didn't say that it was all right,
just keep it up. We must not affirm that homosex-
uality is God's will. We can love homosexual per-
sons but not their sin. We can show them by the
word of God (New Testament as well as Old), that
their act is against God's laws, but by admitting
their sin and turning away from it and turning to
Christ, they can live happy, fruitful lives. Many
have done this, and have come out victorious.
Praise the Lord!

San Francisco has been called "little .Sodom and
Gomorrah." and some of the people there are
proud of it. One of the leaders there made that
statement that he was glad that everyone could feel
welcome there. What has happened in the last
several years there? They have made headlines in
several newspapers in the last month or two. They
are known for the evil that exists in their city.
Their homosexual supervisor was killed along
with their mayor. The new mayor said he would
appoint another homo in his place. Don't they see
the "handwriting on the wall"? One of these days
God IS going to say. "That's it!"

The Brethren are compromising with the
world. They are getting farther and farther from
the teachings of the Bible. They are losing many
members to independent churches that are still
preaching against the evils that are so rampant
in the world.

Mrs, John Miller
Lima. Ohio

(You are right about the incident to which I
alluded in my "writing in the dust" reference. And '
you are right, that Christ said. "Go. and do not sin
again." However. / should like to point out that he
also said. "Neither do I condemn you. " ,4lso. the
most important point of that biblical story arid the
point I had hoped to make is that Christ is always
grieved at hypocrites who go around condemning
others and never seeing their own wickedness.
.4 nd I am sure God is grieved at the murdering of
innocent persons in San Francisco. That city, no
doubt, has its share of .4 merican urban seaminess,
but good abounds there too — San Francisco was
the first American city to pass a declaration
against the Vietnam H'ar, and have you heard '
about "Proposition l"? — Ed.)

A PURE AND SIMPLE GOSPEL

1 was very favorably impressed with the January
editorial "How Many Miles to Jonestown?"

I do believe if we in the established Christian
churches today would express and display more ■

love and understanding of people, as you state,
and proclaim the pure and simple gospel of
■salvation in all of its power and simplicity, wc
could win more people to Christ. lo be followers
of him. and not of a man or group of people.

I have read your last paragraph on a few
"rules of thumb" a number of times, trusting
!hal these thoughts will help me to keep my
presentation of the gospel all to the honor and
glory of God and for my neighbor's good,
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank
you for these helpful words.

Jkssk K. Hofkman
Collegevillc. Pa.

VOICING DIFFERENT VIEWS

In more than 50 years of reading the publica-
tion of my church this is the first time I have
taken the time to write and thank you for an
issue of Mksskngkr.

The January Messknghr is one of the finest
issues published. Each reader should be pleased
with a paper that attempts to voice the different
views on issues confronting individuals and the
church. In a day when there is on radio and tv
the offering of "easy grace or faith." the article
by Herbert Fisher is provocative. There were so
many good inspirational and informative articles
that it is difficult to point at only one. Therefore.
I shall only say. "Thank you" for a good paper,
and keep the subjects of concern before us.

Jacoh C. WtNK
Ephrata. Pa.

HEALTH CARE AS A HUMAN RIGHT

Congratulations to MKSsHNGfiK for carrying
the article (January) by Dr. John Scoltock ad-
vocating a more humane medical system.

1 agree that health care (or the lack of It), as
organised in our country, seems to operate more
for profit than for people. It is the poor who suf-
fer most. I am one of the fortunate ones who can
afford (thus far) to pay for health insurance and
additional doctor bills. But. recent government
statistics show that 26 million people in the US
cannot afford any kind of medical insurance.
Twice that number have very limited access to
health services. To a degree, we are all victims as
well as accomplices in this failure to make
democracy work in the matter of health care.

Dr. Scoltock does right. I believe, in placing
the chief blame not on the doctors alone but on
the system itself. The US and South Africa are
the only remaining industrialized nations in the
world without some kind of national health plan
for their citizens. I think it is time to change this.

Various forms of health care legislation are
now under consideration in our country. The
most progressive of these, in my opinion, is the
bill introduced by Rep. Ronald Dellums (D-
Calif. ). It is similar to the present Canadian
national health plan. It calls for universal health
care paid for by a progressive tax on incomes,
which would not place an unfair burden on the
poor. The bill places emphasis on community
control of local medical programs and proposes
salaries for all medical workers, including doc-

tors, instead of fees for each service performed.

Dr. Scoltock's article makes me more deter-
mined to work for that day when health
maintenance will be handled as a human right for
all rather than as a luxury available to the few who
can afford it.

Benton Rhoades
Alexandria. Va.

FASTING THREE-FOLD BLESSING

Nearly every day I receive heart -disturbing news
about the hunger situation in our world.

For some timethis has been hauntingme. I have
decided I must become involved in some way
toward bnnging relief to the starving people. 1
have given some money now and then toward the
problem, but I am needing to do more.

I have resolved to fast on Monday each week
1 will send an amount of money regularly as a
result of the fasting. This. I am gratified lo
know, will bring a three-fold blessing: first, some
money will be given each week to the starving;
secondly, my body will realize an internal clean-
sing, provided 1 drink eight glasses, or more, of
water each day; thirdly, an opportunity will be
extended my body to lose some unwanted and
unneeded pounds.

Anyone care to join me?

Mae Brigiitbii r
North Manchester. Ind.

INTO A FIVE-SIDED RAT HOLE

Question: "What is the shape of a rat hole?"
Answer: The most costly rat hole in human
history has five sides. Each year Congress is
asked to vote for and we taxpayers are required
to pay more thousands of millions of dollars so
that we can be .safe. Each year that we pour
more thousands of millions of dollars down that
five-sided hole, we feel more insecure.
Question: "When will this folly stopT
1 he answer is with you and me.

E. Paul Weaver
Nappanee. Ind.

A SADAT AMONG US?

Is there a "Sadat" among us?

We applaud President Sadat for believing
there can be a more peaceful relationship
between Egypt and Israel. He is working to
change a situation that is centuries old.

About one century ago the first schisms came
into the church founded by Alexander Mack
and others. The bases for the splits have become
indistinct. Yet we go on as though the status can
be none other than permanent.

There are all shades of Brethrenism among the
Brethren from Old Order German Baptist
Brethren to Fellowship of Grace Brethren
Churches.

It would be a stronger church if we could be
one instead of five. We are working together on
an encyclopedia. Can we do more?

Is there a "Sadat" among us? If so will we
negotiate with him?

Chaiincey Shamberger
Fruitland. Idaho

Xf you want to see editors groan and gnash
their teeth, watch them when they catch a
"typo" (typing error) with neon lights flash-
ing round it after the magazine is printed.
Messenger's editors try to take them in
stride, and laugh even when it hurts.

The acting editor was unamused at his
goof in February on page I that added
100 years to Alexander
Mack's age. But we all
got a chuckle when, in a
caption on page 5, we
found that where we
thought we had said that
"The Space Needle soars
above Seattle Center,"
the line now read "The
Space Needle spars above
Seattle Center." There
may be more to see in
Seattle than we thought!

Speaking of Seattle, if
you have a brief public announcement con-
cerning Annual Conference that you would
like to run in Messenger, send it in and
we will use it somewhere in the magazine
(not on page I after this). We cannot accept
any announcements after March 31,
since that is our deadline for material for
June.

Messenger will be carrying articles about
personalities and issues prominent at Con-
ference between now and June. Plans for our
pressroom in Seattle are developing. Con-
tacts are being made with local tv, radio and
newspaper media. There are news releases to
plan for and of course the popular Con-
ference newssheet. Steve Simmons of our
team will be editor of that journal. From
now until we head west in July, C-Team will
be busy putting the final touches on what is
always our busiest week of the year. Drop by
the press table on the Conference floor and
say hello. The Editors.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE BULLETINS

Stop by Nampa, Idaho, on way to Seattle.
Hospitality provided June 30-July 2. Coffee
House marked '.;. mi. off Interstate 80 at Exit
38. Lodging or camper/trailer facilities
available Sunday morning church at 11. In-
quire Nampa Church of the Brethren, 323
11th Ave,, S,, Nampa, ID 83651. Tel. (208)
466-3321

Stop by Wenatchee, Wash., on way to Seattle.
Sunnyslope congregation offering overnight
lodging or trailer/camper facilities. Church
providing parking, kitchen, bathing facilities.
3 hrs from Seattle, Extra inducement: free
cherry picking! Inquire: Sunnyslope Church
of the Brethren, 3330 School St., Wenatchee,
WA 98801 Tel- (509) 663-5745,

March 1979 messenger 1

int^^

Robert C. Johansen: Searching for peace

Nurtured in a Brethren family on a
northern Illinois farm and educated
at Manchester College, Robert C.
Johansen, now chief executive of a
non-profit organization engaged in
transnational education and
research, says those influences of
church and family were "definitive"
in shaping his thoughts and view-
points.

President of the Institute for
World Order in New York City, Bob
says, "I take seriously the Christian
values that all people are brothers
and sisters and should treat each
other with compassion." But early in
his life, he noticed that "One of the
ways we are least successful in
treating people as brothers and sisters
is in foreign policy."

Perhaps it was partly because his
father was a Danish immigrant that
Bob developed a heightened sense of
the importance of foreign affairs.
Bob decided in college to make a
career in foreign affairs. He
graduated from Manchester in 1962,
when the civil rights movement was
in its heyday. It influenced him
profoundly.

"I became convinced of the value
of citizen public action," he says. "It's
the only approach that has much
promise — I'm skeptical of the major
military powers themselves leading
the way to peace."

After earning a doctorate in inter-
national relations at Columbia Uni-
versity, Bob returned to teach at
Manchester. Later he taught at
Princeton University. He joined the
Institute for World Order in 1976
and assumed the position of presi-
dent in 1978.

The Institute seeks a just and
peaceful world order and attempts to
influence world affairs by making
policy recommendations to the
United Nations and to individual
governments. Under Johansen's

2 MESSENGER March 1979

leadership a large part of the In-
stitute's work is also devoted to
educating the public to take action
for peace.

Bob's goal of a just and peaceful
global society is a large order and he
sometimes feels overwhelmed. "But,"
he says, "being raised on a farm, 1

^lr5

learned at a very young age that
nothing was accomplished by turning
my back on a difficult problem." And
he believes that his goals are impor-
tant. "What are you going to do with
your life anyway'?" he asks. "1 want
to give my life to working for those
goals, even if I don't see results every
day."

Bob and his wife, Ruthann
Knechel Johansen, live in New Jersey
with their two children and work
hard at maintaining a solid family life
despite the hectic schedule of a
commuter.

When he does feel discouraged.
Bob says, "I think back and I'm
walking across the fields of northern
Illinois — and I know who I am. 1 feel
a real sense of strength from my
roots" — Brethren roots which steady
him in his search for world peace.
— H.Z.B.

Wayne Buckle: A matte i«

It's one thing to believe strongly in
the Christian ideal of justice for all
people. It's quite another to live out
that belief in Christian witness.
Wayne Buckle, in his strong and
steady way, manages to do both.

The list of activities in which
Wayne invests his time is impressive.
A charter member of the Arlington.
Va., Church of the Brethren, he has
provided a wide range of church
leadership. He and his wife, Wilma,
volunteered in 1945 as co-directors of
the New Windsor Service Center.
Wayne has served as moderator of
the former Eastern Virginia District,
moderator of the Arlington con-
gregation and member of the Annual
Conference Study Committee on the
Status of Women. He has been
employed for the past 15 years by the
American Federation of Government
Employees, of which he is now Chief
Accountant. Last August he was
chosen by the AFGE to be one of
eight persons on a panel interviewing
President Carter on the Civil Service
Reform Act. A self-acclaimed
"political liberal," Wayne is active in
both regional and local politics. He
has been an outspoken worker in
Virginia's political campaigns. His in-
volvement in the Washington, D.C.,
Virginia United Way led to two years
as the senior vice-president of the
National Capitol Area United Way.
The list goes on.

But it is not so much what Wayne
Buckle does that is impressive as how
and why he does it. As we talked one
morning in his office, a few points
kept reappearing in the discussion.
Justice is extremely important to
Wayne. His interest is in ordinary
people who deserve a "just return for
their labor and their abilities as a
matter of right, not charity." Acting
out his Christian faith in support of
justice is equally important. "Faith
must dictate activity; you've got to be

faith

busy!" Wayne is busy on behalf of
justice, be it for low-level workers,
women or segregated racial groups in
Washington, D.C.

The concern for individuals carries
over to Wayne's concern for the
world. As he sees it, taking care of
our own social problems is necessary
if the US is to have a positive in-
fluence upon international peace.
Neither needs at home nor needs
worldwide should be overlooked in
favor of the other. As Christians and
as Brethren we must be sensitive to
the communities, large and small, of
which we are a part.

Such Christian witness is not easy.
1 asked Wayne how he deals with the
frustration that must go along with
his active commitment. Smiling, he
answered without hesitation. "Any-

one who has vision is frustrated. You
have to develop patience; changes do
come. You hope that what you do
will contribute to those changes. You
have faith that it will. It's a matter of
faith." — Jan Martin

Jan Martin A a graduate student wttrkin^ part-tttne
in the Chunk of the Brethren Washinf^ton Office.

Hilda I. Gibbel: Joy in serving

" If you have a sincere desire to serve,
doors open somehow." This is the way
Hilda Gibbel of Harrisburg, Pa., a
humble, unassuming woman, ac-
counts for the long list of notable
achievements and opportunities that
have filled her 65 years.

Named one of America's outstand-
ing elementary teachers in 1973,
Hilda has spent 39 years as a public
school educator in the Harrisburg
area, in addition to her regular
schoolroom, she tutored children
whose circumstances prevented them
from attending school, and shared
teaching responsibility for classes for
illiterate adults. This latter experience
she calls "the most exciting thing 1
ever did in education. I could tell a
lot of stories about how appreciative
these persons were as we taught them
how to read."

But excitement and adventure are
familiar characteristics of Hilda
Gibbel's career. In 1944 she took a
leave from the Harrisburg schools to
teach third and fourth grade in
Seldovia, Alaska. "Ever since I read
Call of the Wild 1 had a dream of go-
ing north," she explains. "It was a
tremendous experience. I was there
with another teacher who was from
Oklahoma. In addition to teaching,
we did a lot of hiking, had a Girl
Scout troop and organized a Sunday
school."

Cyrus and Mary Brown Gibbel
had a family of 1 1 children. Hilda
was the tenth. But Hilda cannot
remember a time when there were
only members of her family in the
house. "My parents were always out-
going. We always had boarders,
usually persons who needed some
sort of assistance."

Seven of the Gibbel children are
still living, and there is a very evident
dedication to each other as well as to
the church. "We had family worship
every morning at home," says Hilda,

"and that has united our family."

Now retired from school teaching,
Hilda is no less involved in serving
people. She holds the distinction of
being the first woman moderator of a
congregation (Harrisburg, First) in
Atlantic Northeast District.

In the larger community, Hilda is
president of the Cumberland County
Chapter of the Retired Public School
Employees of Pennsylvania. In addi-
tion to planning cultural trips and
recreational opportunities for chapter
members, she is lobbying for better
retirement benefits for members who

retired several years ago and whose
income is presently below the poverty
level.

A member of the international
honorary teachers" society. Alpha
Delta Kappa, Hilda annually par-
ticipates in a week's service to
Crossmore School, Inc., a boarding
school for neglected and deprived
children in North Carolina, which is
sponsored in part by ADK. — F.W.S.

March 1979 messenger 3

Nuclear Weapons Project
confronts arms plants

Shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure
of information and exploration of possible
action by local groups are two strategies of
the recently formed Brethren Nuclear
Weapons Project, for confronting the
makers of nuclear weapons. Designed in
response to an appeal of the General Board
that members of the Church of the
Brethren "become involved in our com-
munity and national efforts in support of
disarmament," the new project combines
denominational, district and congre-
gational action.

The project's starting point is the
recognition that six facilities in the US
manufacture the components for all
nuclear weapons. The parts are then
assembled in one plant at Amarillo, Tex.
At least five of the six feeder plants are
located in areas where the proximity of
Brethren makes direct local action a
possibility. In addition, denominational
agencies own stock in two of the six cor-
porations and can approach them through
shareholder resolutions.

The five plants targeted for Brethren ac-
tion, and their role in weapons manufac-
ture, are Bendix, Kansas City, Mo.,
mechanical and electronic components;
General Electric, St. Petersburg, Ra.,
neutron generators; Monsanto Mound
Laboratory, Miamisburg, Ohio,
detonators; Rockwell International, Rocky
Flats, Colo., plutonium bomb parts; Union
Carbide, Oak Ridge, Tenn., enriched
uranium into bomb parts. (The sixth plant
is DuPont in Aiken, S.C., enriched
uranium into plutonium.)

At the invitation of the General Board
Peace Task Team, district representatives
from the five districts attended the "Con-
vocation to Reverse the Arms Race" in
New York City in December (see
Messenger, February 1979, page 6). Since
then, the Southern Ohio group has met
with representatives of Monsanto's Mound
Laboratory and the Florida/ Puerto Rico
District group has met to begin planning
its strategy for approaching General Elec-
tric.

As reported in the February Messenger,
the Church of the Brethren co-sponsored a
shareholder resolution seeking disclosure
of information from Union Carbide about
nuclear weapons production at the Oak
Ridge facility. Shantilal Bhagat attended a
recent meeting with corporate executives in

General Secretary Bob Neff (center) raps u ith Jim Wallis (left) and Jim Wall: Do you work
for change within the system or do you assert yourself against government^

Wall, Wallis discuss modern Christian's Agenda

Differing ways of setting the agenda for Christians in today's political arena were outlined
by two noted Christian observers of the contemporary scene in a professional growth ex-
perience for Elgin staff and district executives. Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine,
and Jim Wall, editor of Christian Cen'ury, presented their viewpoints and engaged in
dialog with the audience and each other during a half-day session in January. Wall told his
listeners he believes "the agenda for the church is set by the existentialist situation in which"
the agenda must operate" and that the church must "push (the prevailing political situa-
tion) toward the ideals of the kingdom of God." Wallis emphasized the close relationship
between worship and political action. "Renewal of faith," he said, "is the only thing with
enough power to assert itself against the government." He added. "The places where the
politics of Christians are the most dangerous is where their worship is strongest."

which they provided full answers to the
shareholders' questions. In light of this
meeting, the filers have withdrawn their
resolution about the Oak Ridge operation.

Later, Brethren were primary filers of a
shareholder resolution with Monsanto re-
questing disclosure about their weapons
production at Miamisburg. Management
agreed to publish the information in its
next quarterly report and the Brethren and
co-filers withdrew the resolution.

Coordinated through the office of Board
peace consultant Chuck Boyer, the
Brethren Nuclear Weapons Project is a
beginning step in confronting the military-
industrial-university-government complex
responsible for the proliferation of nuclear
weaponry.

Needy Americans receive
$135,000 through SHARE

Helping America's minority and disadvan-
taged persons to pay for housing and fuel,
obtain better health care, improve their
level of nutrition and seek justice and
human rights were only some of the ways
in which SHARE grants were put to use in

1978. Through SHARE, the Church of the
Brethren provided funding for locally-
controlled programs of community
development and self-help.

In announcing the 16 grants totaling
$135,000 made in 1978, SHARE director
Wil Nolen noted, "All of the programs ad-
dress basic human needs or rights as ex-
perienced by those who are poor and dis-
advantaged in this country." He also point-
ed out that in most cases SHARE dollars
were joined with other funding.

A number of the 1978 grants were
reported in earlier issues of Messenger in-
cluding the $5,000 grant to the Voice of
Calvary Health Center in Mendenhall,
Miss.; a $5,000 grant to Centre de Infor-
macion in Elgin, 111.; $2,000 to the Asocia-
cion de Campesinos in Princeville, 111.;
$7,500 to the Organizacion del Pueblo of
the Immigration Coalition in Los Angeles,
Calif.; and $10,000 to the Indian Law
Resource Center in Washington, D.C.

Major grants were made to four
programs combating the high cost of fuel
and housing for the poor. The Kentucky
Mountain Housing Development Corpora-
tion in Manchester, Ky., has built more
than 75 affordable new homes and re-

4 MESSENGER March 1979

paired more than 500 during its five years
of SHARE support. It received $16,000 in
1978. A new recipient of SHARE funds is
Immokalee Funds for Humanity, Inc., Im-
mokalee, Fla., which received $15,000 to
begin a housing development program for
migrant farmworkers.

Two citizens' coal companies mine com-
mercial coal but also mine and sell, at an
affordable price, coal to heat area
residents' homes. Knott Citizens
Benevolent Coal in Hindman, Ky., re-
ceived $15,000, and Citizens Coal Com-
pany in Clintwood, Va., received $5,000.

A $6,500 grant to the Cumberland
People's Health Council in Crab Orchard,
Tenn., will help replace a dilapidated shack
now housing the community clinic. In
Bakersville, N.C., a $2,500 grant from
SHARE enabled the Bakersville Com-
munity Medical Clinic to obtain major
federal funds for an emergency room and
X-ray equipment. Lybrook Community
Ministries in Cuba, N.M., received ap-
proximately $18,000 in 1978 for various
phases of an alcoholism rehabilitation
program among the area's Navajo Indians.

The Eastern Georgia Farmers' Coop-
erative in Waynesboro, Ga., helps the
small-operator black farmer make ends
meet. A SHARE grant of $10,000 helped
pay off the mortgage on the cooperative's
combine.

In Salisbury, Md., SHARE and the
Mid-Atlantic District have provided help
for the Wicomico County Hunger Action
Program which assists in meeting the food
needs of Maryland's seasonal workers in
agriculture and oystering. SHARE pro-
vided a grant of $6,000: Mid-Atlantic has
committed a shipment of beef from its can-
ning project. Another $6,000 grant, this
one to the Anna Waters Head Start Policy
Council in Decatur, 111., helps support a
nutritionist for a day care and a senior
citizen lunch program.

Nolen characterized the Holmes County
Assistance Program in Lexington, Miss., as
"a I960s-type civil rights program" that is
still effective in combating blatant racism
directed at this city's black population. A
$5,000 grant helps support the program.

In addition to direct grants to communi-
ty programs, another aspect of SHARE
helps sensitize Brethren to the situation of
minority and disadvantaged persons in the
US. SHARE II made grants of $24,000 in
1978 for Bethany Seminary's interracial
program, the Brethren Appalachian and
Hispanic American caucuses, and special
programming at Brethren conferences.

Life-Style task force
seeks Brethren input

A five-person task force appointed by the
General Board to explore life-style issues is
seeking help from Brethren who have made
decisions about or changes of life-style.

Elected by the General Board at its June
1978 meeting, the life-style task force has
been corr missioned to provide the Board
with information and suggestions about
what Brethren can and should be doing
about life-style. The task force was es-
tablished in response to two queries passed
on to the Board by Annual Conference,
one requesting guidance on taxation for
war, the other on the Christian response to
wealth and possessions.

Because the Board stressed its particular
interest in practical, experiential data, the
task force plans a sociological survey of
Brethren on life-style concerns. However,
members also want information about
what Brethren are doing or thinking about
a variety of issues related to life-style, for
instance: taxes for war, giving to charity,
involvement with the poor, income and its
use, community living and stewardship of
time. Too often, one committee member
noted, "we just go along with everyone
else" without making conscious decisions
about life-style. The committee is interested
in hearing from anyone who has made in-
tentional decisions about life-style.

Persons interested in responding to the
committee are invited to write to any of its

members: Ina Ruth Addington, 2716
Linden Rd., Kingsport, TN 37664; Cordell
Bowman, R. 3, Box 23 1 A, Athens, OH
45701; Estella Horning, I9W63I Rochdale
Cir., Lombard, IL 60148; Steve Mohler, R.
5, Southern Heights, Debby Ln.,
Warrensburg, MO 64093; or Ramona
Smith Moore, R. 2, Box 95, North
Manchester, IN 46962. Responses should
be in the hands of the committee by the
end of April. Working with the task force
is Howard Royer, General Board staff ad-
vocate for salvation and justice issues.

First reports on 1978
giving show increase

Preliminary reports available as this issue
of Messenger went to press indicate that
giving to the Brotherhood Fund in 1978 in-
creased by 5.3 percent over 1977 giving.

Figures available to the Stewardship
Enlistment Team as the 1978 financial
books were closed show giving to the
Brotherhood Fund at $2,549,594 compared
to 1977 giving of $2,420,399.

More than $480,000 of the total amount
was received in December. Because many
persons and congregations "catch up" on
their commitment to the General Board
program in December, it is generally the
month in which giving is highest.

Despite the increase in giving, steward-
ship staff member Ron Petty notes that
giving failed to keep up with the national
inflation rate of about nine percent.

Village health workers
now at work in Ecuador

Brethren Volunteer Service worker Karen
Haynes has been working in the mountain
region of Ecuador since 1976 with the goal
of improving health care for the local
campesinos. A registered nurse, her work
has focused on the development of a
network of village health workers, persons
who could provide minimal preventive and
curative health care in remote villages
where medical care might otherwise be a
long walk away. (See Messenger, October
1978, page 9.)

The first five-week training course
graduated eight "health promoters." Pic-
tured at right, two trainees learn the cor-
rect way to clean and dress an infected
sore. The graduates are now learning to
function in their villages.

(Loiii](ol(t[r[]te(§*^

Misidn Mutua committee
values Mexican seminar

For four days in December, the provisional
committee for Mision Mutua en las
Americas got "Another Look at the
Americas" as it participated in a cross-
cultural experience in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
The Center for Intercultural Dialog on
Development in Cuernavaca planned the
seminar especially for the Church of the
Brethren group as a conditioning ex-
perience for its responsibilities in com-
municating with Latin American churches.

One of the objectives of the provisional
committee, which is charged with laying
the groundwork for the new Mision Mutua
emphasis, is "to experience, as a group, a
process of education and awareness-raising
related to the Latin America/ North
America context." The seven members
visited rural villages, poor urban neigh-
borhoods, cultural and historical exhibits
and programs, and spent many hours in
conversation and discussion with persons
who, in the words of Merle Crouse, "have
opted for the poor and oppressed ma-
jorities of Latin America."

Many of the persons with whom the
committee spoke are members of "base
communities," local groups of concerned
Christians who meet for study of scripture
and social reality to discern signs of hope
and means for change in attitudes and
systems that impoverish the human spirit.

The committee reports experiencing a
new glimpse of how the Bible becomes a
fresh source of understanding when studied
with the poor Mexican villager. "The ex-
periences in Mexico showed that inter-
cultural and multi-lingual communication
help one to articulate one's faith in a
renewing way," Crouse observes.

Two issues with which the committee has
had to grapple in this setting are the true
Brethren meaning of violence and non-
violence and the biblical understanding of
covenant, partnership and mutuality.

The committee's exploration for possible
partner churches in Mision Mutua con-
tinues. The list presently includes
denominations in the Dominican Republic,
Mexico and Cuba. The committee will
meet this month in the Caribbean with
leaders of potential partner denominations.

Serving on the provisional committee for
Mision Mutua en las Americas are Rene
Calderon, Karen Carter, Guillermo Encar-
nacion, Sandy Mason, Grady Snyder, Hulda
Flores Valencia, and Merle Crouse.

Vera and Earl Mitchell

IVIacedonian IVIissioners
enriching churcli life

Originally designed as a two-year program,
the Macedonian Mission program is now
well into its fourth year of service to local
churches. The new year was not only an
anniversary for the program but also the
date when its coordination shifted from
Matt Meyer, consultant for evangelism, to
Bob Bowman who is working with con-
cerns related to smaller churches.

During the first three years of the
Macedonian Mission, eight pastoral
couples have ministered to approximately
120 congregations, bringing the knowledge
and experience of a seasoned pastoral
couple into contact with congregations.

Through congregational meetings, small
group meetings, conversations with in-
dividuals and special training sessions, the
couple becomes acquainted with the
church's people and programs, then assists
in a process of evaluation, dreaming and

goal setting. The usual pattern involves two
visits with the congregation, during a total
of five or six days.

A special attempt is made during the
Macedonian Mission to help congregations
enrich their corporate worship, revitalize
the local church program to meet the needs
of members and non-members and
develop sensitivity to community and
global needs.

Eight pastoral couples have served in the
program, generally for two to three-month
periods. They are Curtis and Anna Mary
Dubble, Herbert and Helen Fisher,
Chalmer and Mary Faw, Howard and Eu-
nice Keim, Eugene and Joanne Smith,
Willis and Evelyn Maugams and Alton and
Lucille McDaniel. Cyrus and Jeannie
Bucher will be conducting a Macedonian
Mission in Southern Pennsylvania District
this spring.

One couple has provided extended ser-
vice through the Macedonian Mission
program, serving on a volunteer basis for
two years. Earl and Vera Mitchell have
visited approximately 70 congregations in
eight districts during this time, finishing
their program in the Northern Plains dis-
trict last summer. Says Meyer, "Warm
words of appreciation for the ministry of
the Mitchells have been expressed by
dozens of local congregations."

The program is a cooperative effort
between districts and the national office.
Districts wishing to host a Macedonian
Mission and pastoral couples interested in
serving are invited to write to Bob Bow-
man, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

US pressure helps free
South African leader

Sally Motlana, vice-president of the South
African Council of Churches and a promi-
nent black leader in Soweto, was released
in December following eight weeks of
detention. It was the third time Motlana
had been detained without charges.

In addition to her work with the South
African Council of Churches, Motlana is
president of the 29,000-member National
Housewives League and has recently been
involved in an effort to communicate to
white women the situation of blacks in
South Africa.

Religious groups across the US respond-
ed to Motlana's plight, writing to various
influential persons. Among those speaking
out in her behalf were members of the

General Board staff: Roger Ingold,
Asia/ Africa representative, Shantilal
Bhagat, United Nations representative and
Ruby Rhoades, Washington representative.

Rhoades directed her appeals to the
South Africa Desk of the Department of
State and the South African Ambassador
to the United States. Ingold and Bhagat
collaborated in approaching contacts at the
UN including US Ambassador Andrew
Young, the Secretary General of the UN,
the director of the Center Against
Apartheid and the Special Commission
Against Apartheid. Also, through Ingold's
office, a number of women in the denomi-
nation were alerted to Motlana's situation
and wrote in her defense.

The three staff members say they are
convinced public pressure from a variety of
sources is helpful in obtaining the release
of prisoners like Motlana.

6 MESSENGER March 1979

SHARE II helps raise
Bethany's awareness

Although membership of the Church of the
Brethren is still made up almost entirely of
white persons, five minority-group students
are studying this year at the denomina-
tion's only graduate school of theology,
Bethany Seminary in Oak Brook, III. Their
attendance at the seminary is due at least in
part to SHARE II, the program of the
denomination whose focus is to educate
and sensiti/e white Brethren to minority
and disadvantaged persons in the US.

The 1978-79 school year is the fourth
year that SHARE II has worked with
Bethany by funding its minority student-
interracial program. According to Murray
L. Wagner, who chairs the committee
which works with SHARE, the majority of
the SHARE funds is used to provide grants
to non-white students to enable them to at-
tend Bethany. The remainder of the grants
has been used to help fund visiting
professors, provide media resources for use
in the classroom and launch consciousness-
raising programs.

"The most constant and impressive in-
fluence (of the SHARE funds) is the
presence of the minority students
themselves," says Wagner. "I've seen one
exchange after another that wouldn't have
been possible if those students weren't
here."

Although Wagner says it is hard to
measure the impact the minority students
have had on their white peers, he points
out that students and staff are confronted
with non-white viewpoints in classrooms,
small groups and other settings. Special
chapel services, for instance, have been
shared as an outgrowth of courses taught
by a visiting black professor, Charles
Spivey of Chicago.

Since SHARE II's purpose is to aid and
improve the entire denomination,
SHARE director Wil Nolen points out that
by helping minority students attend
Bethany "the grant has an indirect impact
on the whole denomination. Specifically,"
he notes, "its purpose is to sensitize the
seminary community — students, faculty,
administration — to the multi-racial real-
ities of this nation and the potential real-
ities of the communities which students will
be serving."

The program's future may rest on
evaluations later this year examining how
the program's continuation might have a
more direct impact on the denomination.

ON TELEVISION

Viev^ers watching the CBS nev/s report, "The

Boat People," in mid-January saw Brethren Galen Beery inter-
viewed. Beery, representing Church World Service, described
the difficult decisions facing workers trying to find spon-
sors for Vietnamese refugees. . . . Jean Warstler Zimmerman ,
convicted of trespassing after a peace witness at the Rocky
Flats, Colo., nuclear weapons plant, was interviewed on a
South Bend, Ind., television talk show in December.

IN THE LIMELIGHT . . . Clyde Shallenherger , director of the
chaplaincy service at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md. ,
and chairman of the General Board, will receive the Distin-
guished Service Award from the College of Chaplains in Ana-
heim, Calif., in March. He is a Fellow of the College of
Chaplains, a professional group of about 7,000. . . . The
Pomona Valley (Calif.) Council of Churches awarded its Ecu-
menical Service Award to Leland Wilson, pastor of the La Verne
church.

ON THE ROAD

A ten-day trip to Cuba in mid-January pro-

vided an opportunity for students and other interested per-
sons to explore life in that country since the revolution.
The 25-member group was led by Manchester College professors
Ken Brown and Dick Bittinger .

IN THE WORKS

Retired General Board staff member Ken

Morse has been commissioned to write a history of the Brethren
Service Center, New Windsor, Md. , as part of the center's
35th anniversary celebration this year.

ON THE JOB ... A third series of the Brethren radio series,
"Think About It," is in the planning stages and Sue Statler ,
a former Brethren Volunteer Service worker at the general
offices and now a graduate student in communications at Illi-
nois State University, has agreed to serve as producer. . . .
Stanley J. Noff singer , former director of Mid-Atlantic CROP,
has joined the staff of the Wichita (Kan.) First church as
associate in youth ministries. . . . Herbert Zeiler , co-pas-
tor of the Northern Colorado church, is the new part-time
associate district executive for the Western Plains District.
. . . . In the interim between the resignation of Merle
Crouse as district executive of the Florida/Puerto Rico Dis-
trict and the hiring of a new executive, Peggy Reiff Miller
is serving as district field program coordinator, at least
until April 1. During the same period, layperson Emily Mumma
is handling pastoral placement.

AT THE SPEAKERS' TABLE

Three major speeches highlighted

Dale Brown ' s visit to the Bridgewater College campus in Janu-
ary. The professor of theology at Bethany Seminary was the
college's Focus Week speaker and Staley Distinguished Chris-
tian Scholar. ... In February, General Secretary Bob Neff
presented three addresses at the 84th annual Spiritual Life
Institute at Bridgewater. . . . John Scoltock, M.D. , who
wrote the health care article in the January Messenger , will
address the Health and Welfare luncheon on Friday of the
Seattle Annual Conference.

March 1979 messenger 7

[i^(p)dl(s]te

EXPRESSIONS OF CARING

To help insure that no person in

their church family was without a special Christmas dinner,
members of TASC (Third Age Services Council) of the Waynes-
boro (Pa.) church solicited the names of persons who might be
alone for Christmas and- encouraged members to invite such
persons to their homes or take a Christmas dinner to them.
The service was just one of a variety of services offered by
TASC to supplement community services for the elderly. . . .
In operation now for a year and a half, the Tyrone Adult Day
Care Center located in First Church, St . Petersburg, Fla. , is
now operating at full capacity of 30 persons. The church
opens its doors to the center five days a week so the center
can serve elderly persons who need some support in daily liv-
ing but not nursing home care .

SPECIAL OFFERINGS

. . . The Hunger Committee of the Kokomo ,
28 aside as the Sunday when members

Ind., church set Jan.
were invited to make an offering of letters to their con-
gressional representatives urging reform in US food aid. . .
. Members of the Center church (Louisville, Ohio) are urged
to offer prayer each week for a different denominational
leader, missionary or service worker. A short biographical
sketch in the church newsletter helps members get to know the
persons for whom they are praying.

AN EYE ON YOUTH . . . "Operation Frostbite" may have been an
appropriate name for a mid- January junior high retreat in
Western Pennsylvania District. Youth were encouraged to
bring "sleeping bag and sled". . . . As an expression of their
appreciation for the support of the congregation, youth of
the Elkhart (Ind.) City church donated $1,000 for the build-
ing of medical facilities at Timbercrest Home. ... In
Roanoke, Va. , "CBYF" has taken on a new meaning. Instead of
standing for Church of the Brethren Youth Fellowship, it now
means Common Bond Youth Fellowship for youth of the William-
son Road church and nearby Methodist, Baptist and Christian
(Disciples of Christ) congregations.

GETTING TOGETHER . . . Brethren throughout the Atlantic
Northeast District were invited to the White Oak church's
Manheim Meeting house in mid-January for the second old-
fashioned a cappella hymn sing using the 1901 Brethren Hymnal.
. . . . Members of the Pleasant Hill and Troy , Ohio, church
choirs got together in December for two performances of a
Christmas cantata. ... To increase interest in their Sunday
schools. Central church and First Christian Church in
Roanoke, Va. , have been combining their kindergarten through
12th grade Sunday school classes with good results.

DAYS OF CELEBRATION ... Sunday, Nov. 26, was a special day
for Brooklyn First church when it dedicated a new sanctuary
for its Spanish ministries. Warren Groff , the current Annual
Conference moderator, gave the dedicatory sermon. ... A new
church recreation court for tennis, basketball and volleyball
was dedicated by the McFarland (Calif.) church on Nov. 19. .
. . The Lor i da (Fla.) church burned the mortgage on its par-
sonage Jan. 7 at a special afternoon service.

8 MESSENGER March 1979

Three studies support
return to registration

Three studies recently released to Con-
gress support the position that the present
"deep standby" draft could not respond
quickly in the event of war and recom-
mend a return to national registration of
draft-eligible persons.

Some observers had predicted the
reports would call for the resumption of
conscription itself but no report made that
recommendation. (See Messenger.
December 1978. page 9.)

The three studies released in December
were made by the Congressional Budget
Office, the General Accounting Office, and
the Department of Defense. The studies
concurred that an improved registration
system is necessary if the Selective Service
is to respond quickly in the event of war.

Suggested alternatives include improv-
ing the computer data processing system,
compiling a list of draft-eligible people
from the records of other governmental
agencies, and instituting compulsory
registration, testing, classification and
physical exams for youth classified by
Selective Service for initial call-up.

Chuck Boyer. General Board peace con-
sultant, believes these reports signal the
return of registration for men within the
first six months of 1979. Although he had
anticipated more pressure from the studies
to return to the draft, he says the threat of
conscription still lingers. "The government
is not preparing data banks unless it thinks
it is going to use them," he observes.

In light of the continued uncertainty
about registration and conscription. Boyer
still encourages draft-eligible persons
(men and women between the ages of 16
and 21) to make their positions as con-
scientious objectors known now by filing
evidence of their positions at the Brethren
General Offices. They may do so by writ-
ing Boyer at 1451 Dundee Ave.. Elgin. IL
60120, and requesting conscientious objec-
tor registration forms.

Foundation Series plans
two-year adult course

The Foundation Series Publishers Council
and Editorial Council ha\e decided to
develop a two-year adult core curriculum
instead of moving ahead with the proposed
four-year adult curriculum.

Among reasons for the changed direc-

tion was the fear that the four-year
curriculum, which proposed a number of
Bible book studies, would duplicate the Bi-
ble study already being offered in the Uni-
form Lessons, a heavily used course among
Brethren and Mennonite groups. Helmut
Harder, executive director of the project,
urged that any new curriculum should offer
a clear option.

Harder proposed that the present adult
outlines be scuttled and new ones be
developed, drawing in part from the
themes which Donald Durnbaugh, Church
of the Brethren theologian and historian,
has isolated on the Believers' Church. Such
a study would still be a biblical study, per-
haps containing some Bible book studies
(such as a study on discipleship based on
Mark), and would be considered a core
curriculum, not another elective.

The Editorial Council also encouraged
the publishers to continue to produce elec-
tives on themes such as personhood and
family life, themes which will not receive
extended treatment in a two-year core
curriculum.

Four editors for the youth-adult
curriculum were named: Elizabeth Yoder
of the General Conference Mennonites and
Levi Miller of the Mennonite Church as
youth editors; Rick Gardner of the Church
of the Brethren and John Zercher of the
Brethren in Christ as adult editors.

The Foundation Series Youth-Adult
Curriculum is a cooperative publishing
project of the Mennonite Church, General
Conference Mennonite Church, Brethren
in Christ and Church of the Brethren. The
curriculum is scheduled for release in
September of 1981.

Peace institute studied
by New Call group

Among the suggestions made by the
National New Call to Peacemaking Con-
ference in October was that the possibility
of establishing a peace institute be ex-
plored. In January, a committee of
Brethren, Mennonites and Friends
gathered at the Elgin offices to consider
this suggestion.

"At this point, we are not anxious to
recommend the establishment of an institu-
tion with a budget and permanent staff,"
reported Chuck Boyer, General Board
peace consultant and a member of the
Brethren delegation, following the meeting.

During its two-day session the com-

Nominating Committee tackles Conference ballot

Drawing up the ballot for Annual Conference elections was the order of the day when the
Nominating Committee met at the Elgin offices for two days in January. Working around
the table are (from left) John T. Fike of Sebring, Fla.; Don Bowman of Brookville, Ohio;
Phyllis Kingery Ruff, Annual Conference secretary, of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Dean Miller,
chairperson, of Hagerstown, Md.; (with backs to the camera) Ethel Harris of Jennings, La.,
and Anita Metzler of Nappanee, Ind. Not shown are three other members: Evelyn Bowman
of Frostburg, Md.; Jan Eller of Portland, Ore.; and Art Hunn of Polo, 111. The ballot will
appear in a later Messenger.

mittee attempted to assess what the three
groups are doing related to peace education
and to identify needs that are currently
receiving little or no attention. Among such
needs identified were the need to foster and
support local peace groups; to provide non-
violence training; to educate people in
specific areas so they are prepared to ap-
proach leaders of government and industry
knowledgeably; to prepare agents of recon-
ciliation in congregations and communities.
Growing out of her experiences with
Mision Mutua, Brethren member
Karen Carter urged exploration of the
relationships existing among peace, non-
violence, justice and development.

Boyer noted that the representatives of
the three groups are eager to increase
cooperation among the three historic peace
churches and, although the establishment
of a peace institute does not appear immi-
nent, a sub-committee has been appointed
to look at a few "very specific things" the
groups can do together to meet some of the
needs identified by the committee.

Brethren chosen by the On Earth Peace
Assembly to discuss the idea of establishing
a Brethren peace institute agreed to par-
ticipate in the cooperative venture and two
other Brethren were also appointed to the
committee. The seven Brethren serving on
the committee are Dale Aukerman, Chuck
Boyer, Ken Brown, Karen Carter, Don
Durnbaugh, Bill Puffenberger and Ruby
Rhoades. (Brown and Rhoades were un-
able to attend the January meeting.)

On Earth Peace approves
plan of organization

The ninth On Earth Peace Assembly at the
New Windsor Brethren Service Center in
December marked a new direction for the
group as it adopted for the first time a plan
of organization. The new organizational
plan includes a statement of purpose,
provision for officers and a committee
structure. Elected chairperson was Harold
Smith. Joyce Welker was chosen secretary.

The newly stated purpose of On Earth
Peace Assembly is "to clarify the issues
that the Christian church must face re-
garding violence, with specific reference to
war as a method of peacemaking, and to
promote conferences by the Church of the
Brethren to search for a better way to settle
human conflict."

A highlight of the assembly for the 90
persons attending was the presentation by
Ronald E. Neumann, officer in charge of
Jordanian Affairs in the Near East/ South
Asian Bureau of the Department of State.
"Time," he insisted, "is not on the side of
peace in the Middle East."

An Annual Conference On Earth Peace
luncheon is scheduled following the ad-
journment of Conference at 12:30 p.m.,
Sunday, July 8. Persons interested in more
information about On Earth Peace may
write On Earth Peace Assembly, M. R.
Zigler, convenor. Box 188, New Windsor,
MD 21776.

March 1979 messenger 9

9)(t(gD(o]U mm.

Taiwan and the
American reality

by J. Martin Bailey

We sat in a pleasant room, high on a bluff
overlooicing a sparkling lake. Beyond the
glassless windows a mass of poinsettias six
feet high blazed in the intense sun. The set-
ting was very different from the snowy plains
of the United States. Across from me a
youthful, Princeton-trained theologian ex-
plained his work at the seminary for minori-
ty students from the mountain churches of
eastern Taiwan.

"Paul" Nan-Jou Chen described the con-
text in which Yu-Shan Theological College
operates: "While 1 was at Princeton," he ex-
plained,"! wentto Professor Shaull to see if I
could avoid his course. 'The American Reali-
ty and the Human Future' sounded like a
waste of time for an Asian student still learn-
ing English.

"But Dr. Shaull wouldn't let me out,"
Paul grinned. "I've discovered how much
'the American realities' affect our life, even
in this remote part of the Pacific."

During the 10 days that followed my in-
terview with Paul Chen, 1 learned how
United States policies have affected the
religious life and political freedom of the
Taiwanese people. And a week after my
return home. President Carter changed
their lives dramatically by deciding to
recognize the People's Republic of China.

I found a bit of history helpful as I
talked with members of the Presbyterian
Church in Taiwan, which is closely related
both to the United Church of Christ and
the United Presbyterian Church. As the
champion of human rights in 1949, the
United States helped General Chiang Kai-
shek establish "Free China" on the island
200 miles from the mainland. What
happened as a result is a classic example of
how the solution to one problem often
creates other problems.

The mainland exiles — backed by our
military and later enriched by American in-
dustrial contracts — have maintained their
position at the expense of the Taiwanese

Teacher Nan-Jou Chen, on ihe sometimes unwelcome Americans: "Fve discovered how
much 'the American realities' affect our life, even in this remote part of the Pacific."

people, who represent 88 percent of the
island's population, and the tribal people in
mountain villages, who make up perhaps
an additional two percent of the popula-
tion. The economy of the island is enviable,
but the repression of the indigenous people
is unjustifiable by any standards.

So determined have been the so-called
"Mainlander" followers of Chiang Kai-
shek to dominate the culture of Taiwan
that they have insisted on the use of the
Mandarin language everywhere. One Sun-
day in 1975, for example, the government's
police garrison marched into local churches
and seized copies of the Bible and hymnals
being used by the Tayal-Mountain
Taiwanese. Four days later the police
entered the offices of the Bible Society to
confiscate the entire printing of the new
Hoklo-Taiwanese translation published for
the island's Roman Catholic and
Presbyterian churches.

While I was in Taiwan early this past
December, the government issued a new
regulation providing that any person un-
able to read Mandarin must apply for a
special registration number in order to read
the Bible in another language.

The Taiwanese generally are strongly
anti-communist. Having been dominated
ever since Dutch colonial times (1624) by
foreign powers, they now fear they are
becoming pawns in a diplomatic chess
game as the United States normalizes
relations with the People's Republic. Some
of the "Mainlanders" are known to be
ready to move to the United States if the
island in fact becomes part of the People's
Republic. Other Taiwanese officials have
been quoted as suggesting that an accom-
modation with the communists may be
possible. That suggestion has even been
echoed in Peking where the productive
capacity of the island is envied, but where
Teng Hsiao-Ping, the deputy prime
minister, has said that "unification" of
Taiwan with the People's Republic "could
take a decade, a century or even a thou-
sand years."

So the church, which is probably the
largest single organization of Taiwanese

10 MESSENGER March 1979

The Christian church is threatened in a land
where the indigenous people are repressed by
a mainland minority. Can the American
presence there help the struggling Taiwanese?

people, has struggled to discern what it
means to be faithful to the gospel. As John
Jyigiokk Tin has put it, "After a 350-year
history of Christianity in Taiwan, should
the churches be faithfully obedient to the
government, directly or indirectly, no
matter what kind of regime, in exchange
for freedom to evangelize within the
political structure of the age, so that more
people might become Christians expecting
salvation in the next life? Or should they
play the servant role of positive participa-
tion in God's continuous creation and
redemption, and bring his justice and
salvation to every corner of human society
for the realization of his will on earth as
well as in heaven?"

As early as December 1971. soon after
President Nixon announced plans to visit
the People's Republic, the Presbyterian
Church in Taiwan pointed out that "God
has ordained and the UN Charter affirmed
that every people has the right to determine
its own destiny." That "Public Statement
of Our National Fate" called on the
government to "raise the demand for
justice and freedom" and to hold elections
to replace the leaders who had been ruling
since before they left the Mainland in 1949.

In November 1975, the church issued
"Our Appeal," which called attention to
the confiscation of the Bible, and which
urged the government leaders to open
themselves to conversations with church
officials to "achieve mutual trust and con-
fidence." The Appeal also called for an end
to "discrimination based on provincial
origin or party membership."

The language of the two documents was
all very mild and few Americans would
have perceived the anguish that led to the
statements or would have predicted the
harsh response from a presumably
freedom-loving government. The
statements, however, went to the core of
the issues that have troubled the Taiwan
society. The aging Mainlanders who con-
trol the only legal political party, the
Kuomintang, were not prepared to share
power with the Taiwanese people or to give
up their claim to the lost Mainland. The

govermental institutions they had created,
including the military and police garri-
sons, made it possible for them to maintain
iron-fisted control.

It was the third statement of the church,
prepared with great care in August 1977,
and presented for the General Assembly in
March 1978, that brought the most direct
repression. That brief "Declaration of
Human Rights" was addressed as an open
letter to President Carter, to the countries
concerned and to Christian churches
throughout the world. Two sentences
prompted quick reactions: "We therefore
request President Carterto uphold the prin-
ciples of human rights while pursuing the
'normalization of relationships with Com-
munist China' and to insist on guaranteeing
the security, independence and freedom of
the people of Taiwan. ... In order to
achieve our goal of independence and
freedom for the people of Taiwan in this
critical international situation, we urge our
government to face reality and to take

Above: A Taiwan pastor
discusses the effect on
the church of US recog-
nition of the People's
Republic. The church in
Taiwan hopes that in
any future deal with the
Mainland, the majority
Taiwanese will have a
jar in their future.

Right: H. C. Wang and
John Tin study a copy
of the Taiwan Church
News, confiscated by the
government. This new
action marks siepped-up
government opposition
to the church.

March 1979 messenger 11

effective measures whereby Taiwan may
become a new and independent country."

The drafting committee released the
Declaration by mail to all the churches, to
governmental officials and to overseas
churches, but the letters were not delivered:
The Taiwan pastors learned of the Declara-
tion when police "visited" them. The text
also was published in the Taiwan Church
News. 4,000 copies of which were
destroyed by the post office.

The Department of Interior Affairs
"instructed" the church to change the
language of the Declaration, specifically to
omit the concept of independence. Officials
clearly were fearful that the Taiwan In-
dependence Movement had resurfaced in
the church, an assumption which church
leaders have categorically denied. When
the General Assembly officers refused to
alter the language, the Kuomintang's fifth
section sought to bribe delegates to the
Assembly, offering the equivalent of $1,361
if the Declaration was rejected and the
General Secretary, C. M. Kao, defeated in
his bid for re-election. The Assembly ap-
proved the Declaration 235-49-10 and re-
elected Dr. Kao 255-49-8.

Subsequently, the government stepped
up its oppositon to the church, refusing to
allow the General Assembly officers to
travel abroad, planting informers in church
meetings, intercepting mail to and from
Christians overseas and changing property
and tax laws to weaken the authority of the
General Assembly.

In the face of this situation, an emergen-
cy theological consultation was called by
the church, and overseas participants were
invited. Even on short notice, 19 persons
arrived from England, Germany, Canada,
the United States, Japan, the Philippines,
Indonesia, Switzerland, Malaysia and
Singapore. Thirty-four persons were pres-
ent from all parts of Taiwan representing
several points of view.

During a reception for government
leaders. Moderator H. K. Weng of the
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and the
Reverend Harmut Albruschat of the
Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg,
signed a church-to-church partnership
agreement. A covering letter from German
church officials expressed disappointment
that Mr. Weng had not been permitted to

speak at the church's General Synod.

Various of the overseas participants in-
dicated the concern of their churches for
human rights in Taiwan and confidence in
the leadership of General Secretary Kao
and Moderator Weng. Government of-
ficials seemed impressed by the support the
overseas churches demonstrated by the
presence of so many persons.

And now, the American reality with
which Taiwanese Christians must deal has
changed dramatically — and with it their
future. In a sense. President Carter merely
dropped Mr. Nixon's other shoe, for the
normalization of relations between
Washington and Peking had been expected
since the Shanghai communique of
February 27, 1972. The expected has now
become a reality and people must deal
directly with realities.

M,

Lr. Carter's announcement included
some phrases to which the Taiwanese will
cling with desperate hope. He referred to
his efforts "to assure the well-being of the
people of Taiwan" (italics added). The
words, "people of Taiwan" are code words
that include more than the government or
the ruling party. Mr. Carter and the US
State Department are well aware that the
government on Taiwan does not represent
the majority of the people.

President Carter also reasserted Mr.
Nixon's position that the US "will continue
to have an interest in the peaceful resolu-
tion of the Taiwan issue." That — together
with China's willingness to ignore the con-
tinued sale of defensive arms to Taiwan —
offers some assurance that the island will
not be overrun by the communists in the
forseeable future.

The church in Taiwan has a big stake in
that. In the first place, the church has ap-
pealed to the mainlander Chinese who rule
Taiwan not to make a deal with the
People's Republic without elections that
would give the majority Taiwanese some
say in their own future.

More directly, some church leaders have
expressed anxiety that communist control
of the island could drive the church un-
derground. Aware of that possibilty, one
church is seeking to double its membership
in a decade and to provide lay theological

training to thousands of people. It also
seeks to help Christians prepare for any
eventuality as well as to express their
witness beyond Taiwan. The maturity of
theological reflection in that church is
matched by the courage and insight with
which its leaders are dealing with the
changing realities of their life.

President Carter also promised con-
tinuing "cultural, commercial and other
unofficial relations with the people of
Taiwan." Mr. Carter not only recognized
'the simple reality" of the People's
Republic of China, but he also recognized
the stabilizing influence that unofficial
relations can play vis-a-vis Taiwan.

American business, with its own massive
interests in Taiwan, could play a very
significant role in assuring that freedoms
increase rather than decrease there. The
Taiwanese majority can no longer look to
the United State government to aid them in
their human rights struggle. But commer-
cial interests, affirming their own con-
fidence in the democratic system, will find
it in their own self-interest to deal with the
persons who represent all the people, and
especially the Taiwanese, whose stake in
the island's future is the greatest.

Christian churches around the world
also may play an increasingly significant
role. There is real danger that as the pres-
ent government is forced into a more
defensive posture, it will lash out more in-
tensively toward the church that has
challenged its assumptions. Expressions of
concern and strong church-to-church ties
may impress not only the present govern-
ment in Taiwan, but also the observers in
Peking. Such direct involvement of other
churches from North America, Europe and
elsewhere in Asia might even suggest a
model that could eventually reopen Chris-
tian churches in the People's Republic of
China.

On Taiwan, as elsewhere, the American
reality is pervasive and sometimes un-
welcome. If the effects of that reality
sometimes cause us Americans discomfort,
we need also to ask how we as
Christians act within that reality more
responsibly. D

J. Mariin Bailey ix editor of \. D., Jenoniinaiional
magazine for the United Presbyterian Church and
I he i'nilt'd Chunh of Christ.

12 MESSENGER March 1979

We have no choice
the choice is being
made for us. As our
traditional energy
supplies dwindle
away we have to
change to other
sources.

Handling energy
transition in the
Brethren
tradition

by

Richard

Keeler

"Live simply that others may simply live."
Straightforward Brethren philosophy—
you've been taught that for years. Now, as
our energy supply is fast dwindling, as the
Middle East withholds its oil supplies, as
Iran's oil business is jeopardized, it is time
for the entire US population to hear that
philosophy and for all of us to implement
it. Actually, we have no choice^the choice
is being made for us. We have to change to
different sources of energy.

These are the findings of many of the
nation's leading energy scientists and top-
level decision-makers. In their presen-
tations at the University of La Verne's
energy colloquium, led by Dr. Richard
Green, manager of environmental
technology at the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., these experts
assert a problem — an energy dilemma.

For the first time in history, we are
entering an unwanted energy transition.
Unwanted because, unlike previous

changovers
from wood and
animal power, this
transition is one without an energy
successor which we can pour into our gas
tanks or plug our toasters into.

With US oil dependence now reaching
48 million barrels daily, there is no wonder
at the concern. At our present pace, the
transition into new sources of energy will
begin in earnest in 1980 and continue
through 2020, a date Glen Lovin (manager
of consumer and government affairs with
Edison Electrical Institute) and other scien-
tists feel we will be hooked into our new
advanced energy sources, whatever they
may be.

But until that time, it is a personal dilem-
ma, and to Lovin, conservation is the key to
resolving it. His suggestions to meet this
challenge are, first, to stretch the fossil fuel
epic to its limit and, second, to simul-
taneously accelerate conservation tech-
nology for a short (and hopefully, painless)
transition period. In his campaign for
energy saving, Lovin looks to utilizing

March 1979 messenger 13

some of the vast energy waste at our
disposal — namely cogeneration possi-
bilities of recycling waste industrial heat, a
conservation tip formerly unheard of. And
there are other virtually untapped sources.
Probably the most enterprising is solar
energy. Others are geothermal power, bio-
conversion, wind power and nuclear
power. Some of the other standbys such as
natural and synthetic gas, coal and
hydroelectric power are sources that will be
around in 2020. While natural gas current-
ly totals 28 percent of our energy (oil
supplies 50 percent), coal and hydroelectric
power are far behind. Especially hydroelec-
tricity, which is a mere 1.4 percent of our
energy production.

We like to think of Brethren as
traditionally having been watchful of
energy waste and consumption. Brethren
energy consultant Roy Johnson comments
that "Brethren life is to be lived frugally."
Johnson, an advocate of a "soft energy"
approach proposed by Amory Lovins of
the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has
engineered two solar-equipped homes (See
Messenger, November 1977, "The House
That Runs on the Sun," and February
1975, "Let the Sun Shine In). He sees soft
energy as an alternative measure to hard
energy approaches because, "We have had
an almost romantic relationship in the US
with nuclear energy."

The soft energy approach Johnson refers
to relies on natural, renewable energy flows
such as the sun and vegetation. They are

diverse, flexible and relatively simple to use
and understand. And most important, this
energy matches its need. Why fire up a
nuclear inferno to heat homes to 68
degrees, when it could just as easily be
done by plentiful solar energy? "After all,"
says Johnson, "almost all of us have a solar
collector in our homes — it's called a south
window.

"We waste so much energy, it's hard to
understand — I guess partly because it's
been cheap in the past . . . but no more."
Hard energy catch-all approaches,
however, seem to be more attractive in
Washington. But the financing of costly
nuclear power plants, increased foreign oil
and environmentally damaging coal are
now being re-evaluated.

"Clearly, the soft path offers just about
everything — if we are willing to change our
life-style for the sake of what is right . . .
and for the sake of the future," explains
Johnson, pointing out a need for a change
in attitude and vested interests. "So far, no
one has become rich on solar energy, and
perhaps no one ever will." Johnson cites
the church's responsibility as a leader in the
energy dilemma in producing a new
energy-conscious life-style for the country.

In order to preserve our remaining
resources through the transition years, we
as individuals must take on the task of con-
serving our high-grade energy sources of
vanishing oil and natural gas. While
everyone has a south window and "solar
dryer" (clothesline), commercially

"As Brethren work at
energy stewardship
they not only show
reverence for Gods
creation, hut they
serve their neighbors'
20od as well. "

developed solar panels are also needed.
These panels, also referred to as photo-
voltaics by their technical name, are solar
cells able to take sunlight and convert it to
simple electricity.

Although these solar cells are beginning
to be marketed commercially, the problem
with manufacturing them cheaply is that it
takes a lot of energy just to produce a solar
panel, and so far the return of energy from
them has not been highly efficient. If you
are a resident of the eastern US, solar
energy suffers from the capricious passages
of storm systems. Even in the West, smog
hampers the success of collection. These
are the observations of Dr. Marshall Alper,
director of photovoltaic research at the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory. Dr. Alper reports
that with commercial production, the cost
of solar cells is gradually falling: three
years ago one watt of solar energy on
spacecraft cost $30,000. Today, one watt is
close to $9. To be economically feasible,
the cost must drop to about 50 cents for
the same amount of energy. "Technology is
not a problem — the important issue is how
we view other costs," he says.

Recent scientific innovation has un-
covered another possibiity — orbital solar
platforms. With constant sunlight that is
not diffused by atmosphere, the possi-
bilities are great— but there are drawbacks,
even though they are not technologically
oriented. According to Dr. Alper. there is a
limited amount of prime orbits. Also, no
government wants to have a potential
weapon orbiting above it. Plentiful solar
energy could be focused like a powerful
death ray toward the surface, using
microwave beams that transport the
energy. Still, the technology for such solar
platforms does exist.

It is estimated that if solar energy were

14 MESSENGER March 1979

used as America's sole energy source, it
would take roughly 75 square miles of pan-
els to supply our needs at our current 12
percent solar conversion efficiency. Even
by 2000, solar-collecting efficiency will not
increase substantially, say scientists.

Sidelights to solar collection hold several
other possibilities, the most popular of
which is hydroelectric power — the ability
to harness water energy. Technology is
available, but the major obstacles are
ownership and priorities. Although
hydrogeneration is clean, the impact that
dams have on the environment is substan-
tial. And many of the prime areas are
already generating power.

With nearly 75 percent of the world
covered by water, harnessing sea thermal
power is also getting a close look. Since
oceans absorb solar heat energy, there are
differences in temperature at different
depths. So far this heat is virtually un-
tapped.

Another form of solar energy is wind.
For centuries we have built machines to
put the power of moving air to work — and
always abandoned them when a more con-
venient and constant source entered the
picture. It is, again, time to re-examine this
source. Already, the development of large
windmills and turbines is fast becoming an
interesting prospect to public utilities.

While these ideas can be potentially
good resources, many people are looking
for a more substantial energy source on
which to lean. And right now, coal is the
most interesting area looked at, says Dr.
Art Murphy of the coal development
program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Coal: It is not easy to get at; it is not
easy to transport; it is not easy to clean up
after. Yet, coal is the present great
American hope.

As foreign oil prices rise, people look
homeward to coal; there is more of it than
other hydrocarbons, and certainly more of
it in the US than anywhere else. And, coal
is "the most misunderstood section of our
energy delivery system," adds Dr. Murphy.
Adding to the confusion over coal. Dr.
Murphy states: "Coal is not going to be
any more important in this country in 15
or 20 years than it is today." The problem

lies in supplying it, not in the actual
technology needed to extract underground
reserves. Forecasts indicate only a marginal
six percent increase each year in coal
production. As he sums it up, "It looks
pretty dismal." Stricter environmental
pacts forbidding strip mining and clean air
acts have further contributed to put coal
production at a near standstill.

And those optimists seeking "the coal
conversion dream" (making coal a liquid
fuel source), as Dr. Murphy puts it, have a
long time to wait. Since most of the current
costs of coal extraction stem from en-
vironmental concerns. Dr. Murphy con-
cludes that this is a "societal problem and
not as much a technological problem. Peo-
ple must be ready for it — and pay the costs
such as strip mining."

A„

Lnother American hope — nuclear
energy — is affected by many of the same
problems associated with coal. An even
larger threat exists behind the scenes of
seemingly unlimited energy — that of toxic
radioactive nuclear waste. This reason
alone is responsible for much of the declin-
ing enthusiasm for nuclear power.

According to Dr. Tom English, expert
and consultant on nuclear waste at the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, high-level radio-
active waste is made up of spent fuel rods.
After running a nuclear facility for about
three years, there is a problem of what to
do with all this nuclear garbage. Right now
all nuclear wastes in the US are stored in
swimming pool-like holding tanks of water,
rather than burying them in the ground
where leakage would occur over a period
of years.

And if storage of nuclear waste is not a big
enough problem in itself, the material must
be heavily guarded for fear of its being
stolen. In the wrong hands nuclear waste
makes a formidable weapon as a bomb
since it still contains active plutonium and
the radiation is a killer weapon in itself In
spite of all precautions, a small percentage
invariably is lost. A special term known as
MUF (missing and unaccounted for) has
been coined for obvious reasons.

Where can you put something so lethal

that potentially it could destroy all of
humankind? The first choices are rock salt
beds (underground), oceans and outer
space. Each of these options is risky. Toss-
ing nuclear wastes into outer space is a
tempting idea, but too many things can go
wrong with the rocket — and who would
want to find radioactive waste in the
backyard some morning?

Some methods for waste deportation via
space include sending it to the "Billy
Crater" on the moon (Yes. it's named for
Billy Carter!), shooting it directly into the
sun or into a parked orbit around the sun
and Venus. "If we do this type of thing, we
had better know what we are doing," ad-
vises Dr. English, since the simplest of mis-
haps could drop this poison right on top of
us.

As Dr. English sees it, the only option
left is to shut down the nuclear industry
until we figure out what to do with the
spent fuel. The other area he comments on
is military and commercial inconsistencies.
"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread,"
he quotes Pope. "Waste is just as
dangerous if it comes from the military as
from any other source. I hope we end up
treating the military in non-military ways
with nuclear waste.

"We need to get the collective wisdom of
society together to figure out what to do,"
he concludes. And, after all, some people
even view solar power as a form of nuclear
power — but with the waste 93 million miles
away.

In the midst of these complex and con-
fusing circumstances surrounding energy,
our scientists turn to us to creatively think
of ways to utilize it and to conserve it. As
Brethren, we have traditionally held up the
simple and natural life-style as an ideal.
And Christopher Saur's motto: "For the
Glory of God and My Neighbor's Good"
rings as true at the approach of the second
millennium as it did in colonial times. As
Brethren work at energy stewardship they
not only show reverence for God's creation
but they serve their neighbors' good as

well, n

Richard Keeter. a former Communications Team in-
tern, is a University of [m Verne journalism student and
editor of La Verne Magazine. He is a member of the La
I'erne Church of the Brethren.

March 1979 messenger 15

ShMi out uour hand

Read: Mark 3:1-6; Luke 5:5. 27-28: John
2:1-11

Sometimes Jesus is infuriating! Take the
man with the withered hand in Mark 3; 1-6.
"Stretch out your hand," Jesus says to a
man who has a lifeless arm and hand. He
asks the poor man to do the impossible.

Or think of that time when Peter and his
fellow fisherman had tried all night to
catch fish, but were forced to return to the
shore when day dawned, their nets empty
and their bodies worn out. Then Jesus asks
Peter to try it again and the disciple un-
derstandably protests: "Master, we toiled
all night and took nothing!" (Luke 5:5). It
was obviously not the fishing season.
Again such an irritating command, asking
men to do the impossible!

Yet another example: the calling of Levi
or Matthew (Luke 5:27-28). The man is at
work in the tax office along the road from
Damascus to the Mediterranean Sea, just
outside Capernaum. People traveling that
road, the only good one, have to pay a
road tax. Levi is employed by King Herod.
We would say that he worked at the toll
booth giving access to the turnpike. The
flow of traffic continues. While he is busy
figuring the receipts of that day (maybe his
bribes as well), Levi hears a voice. Jesus
stands at the window and calls, "Follow
me!" How can he ask that of the tax collec-
tor? The man has a family which has to
eat, his work contract, his pension and
other benefits to think of. Just leaving the
job? King Herod is not an easy master. It is
risky business to displease him! Jesus asks
once more for the impossible!

One final example (there are many more)
we find in the story of the wedding at Cana
(John 2:1-11). The feast is in progress, the
spirits are high, there is a lot of merrymak-
ing and laughter. Then, suddenly, they dis-
cover that the wine is gone. More guests
than expected, greater thirst than usual,
not enough wine to begin with? We do not
know. But it is a catastrophe. There is no
wine to be had at the local supermarket
and Kool-aid, obviously, will not do. It is,
after all, a wedding, a new beginning. That
ought to be celebrated properly. Cannot
Jesus do something? Oh yes, he can. "Fill
these six wine jars with water," he com-
mands. With plain water? Indeed. They
have not yet recovered from their amaze-
ment when Jesus tells them to take it to the
steward of the feast. Just water? That is
even worse than Kool-aid! The oddity of it
all, they must have thought. Impossible,
that man Jesus!

Is Jesus not a harsh master, a com- •
mander without feeling, quite irresponsible
and not too well related to the world as we
know it? We use the present tense for is it
much different today from those days?
Have you never been called by the Master
to perform an impossible task, such as
when they asked you to teach in the church
school, or serve on the church board, or
chair a meeting or try to get newcomers in
the community to come to church? I'll do
anything you want me to do, but not that,
you said. Impossible. Jesus is still calling
people to do tough jobs. It is infuriating!

It is clear, then, that there is a pattern
here, a maddening similarity between then
and now. He has not changed his ways.

this Lord of ours. Is it not enough to make
you lose your faith?

It would be, if he would leave us in the
lurch like that. Giving an impossible com-
mand and not telling us how to go about it.
Jesus does not work that way. He calls and
gives orders, but he also provides the
energy and the courage to do that to which
we are called.

The man with the withered hand is
enabled to stretch it out, to move it, to let
his fingers dance. The impossible had
become quite possible and it was fun. He
could not get enough of turning and
twisting his hand, newly filled out and nor-
mal like his other one.

With Peter there is no difference. He
doubts Jesus' wisdom in trying again for
fish. What does a carpenter know about
the sea that a professional fisherman does
not know? But he is awed by Jesus' self-
assurance and after some feeble objections
he agrees and sails out toward the deep.
The result is most surprising. Where no
fish had been all through the night, a great
shoal now swims straight into their nets,
which begin to tear under the load. More
than that, the load is so heavy that several
boats cannot contain it and are even begin-
ning to sink. When you put your trust in
the Master, you are almost drowned in
blessings!

Levi's case is of the same cloth. He looks
up from his books, his hand in the cash
box, and all that is involved passes in a
whirlwind fashion through his mind — the
risk, the ridicule, the gossip, the penalties.
But the voice outside is a voice with
authority and there is no getting around it.

G5U5 ^mpow^rs, f wg ar^ wi ing

16 MESSENGER March 1979

It is a choice between staying where he is
or getting up and going. We see him
struggle for a little while. Then he gets up,
leaves the books open, the cash box un-
locked, the keys in the door, and follows
Jesus. He has been provided with the will
power to risk Herod's wrath, the scorn of
his fellows, the gossip of his neighbors and
all the determination in the world to make
a success of his new calling.

So it is also with the servants at Cana.
When they are told to take water to the
steward, so that he can taste it, they
hesitate. Are they going to make fools of

themselves, get a good scolding in front of
all the guests and be dismissed without
further ado? It is not a very pleasant posi-
tion to be in, that is for sure! Somehow,
though, Jesus' quiet and friendly manner
gives them the nerve to go through with it
and boldly. they present the steward with
what they still imagine to be just plain
water. Nobody is more surprised than they
when the steward's face relaxes and breaks
open in a smile of deep satisfaction. This
wine is so good, where on earth did it come
from? When Jesus empowers us, the results
exceed all expectations.

"Christ Hfalini^ the M'ithereil Hand." by Alexandre Bida

Now how about us today? When we
were called upon to serve, we felt that we
could not do it. Impossible. No talent. No
time. No ideas. No inklings. No hunches.
No training. No experience. And so we can
go on. Maybe you have thought of other
excuses. But Jesus did not immediately
withdraw. He asked us again and again, via
the congregation, and we finally gave in.
Okay, I will try. You remember then how
you began to prepare, with fear and much
trembling, for your new tasks. You had to
study and ask questions of those who knew
more about it. It hurt your self-esteem a
bit. You had to admit ignorance at many
points and that hurt your pride. There
were, however, tremendous compensations.
You learned a great deal about the new
task, and also about yourself. You received
the power to accomplish the impossible.
The Master asked you to stretch out your
hand, to use it. You thought he was kid-
ding. But he was serious, even though he
may have chuckled within himself about
your hesitancy, knowing the outcome
as he did.

When you venture out on the sea of
life with Jesus, you will be impowered to
go on and become a "fisher of men." When
you hear the insistent call of the Master,
the cash box loses its hold on you. When
you are adventurous enough to dip into the
living water, that which is common will
become special, the old new, the earth the
Lord's, your will His.

Stretch out your hand! □

Ton van den Duel, /orrnerty a Church of the
Brethren missionary in Nigeria, is currently a inis-
sliinary in Indonesia.

/ou Ton van d^n Do^

March 1979 messenger 17

Believing that the church is ''all people of
God," Anna Warstler has lived her life of
service that they may find their place in
Christ's mission in a changing world.

Anna Warstler: A ministry of

by Mildred Hess GrimJey

A part of me is left in every place
That I have loved — be it a single tear,
A dream, the echo of my voice, a step.
A long last look of faces that were dear.

A part of every place that I have loved
Is left in me, so neither is the same —
The place nor 1— and neither can return
To its simplicity before we came together.

These words, tucked in among Anna
Warstler's memoirs, come as no surprise to
anyone who has followed Anna's long and
creative ministry. Indiana. India. Elgin,
schools, retreats. Mission Twelve. Search
and Share groups, CORE and Creative
Aging Ministry — are but a few of those
places and areas that will never be the same
because Anna left a part of her in every
place she loved. And Anna, now at 77.
after 40 years of service to the church, has
herself grown with each successive
experience and will never be the same.

Anna graduated from Goshen High
School in 1920. She took a three-month
normal course at Goshen College in
Indiana and passed her county teachers'
exam. After three years of teaching in a
one-room school house and three years in
the elementary .schools of Goshen. Anna
taught religious education on released time
in the Elkhart County Public Schools from
1928 to 1931. and became a part of the
faculty of the Elkhart County Leadership
Training School in Christian Education,
supported by various local churches.

18 MESSENGER March 1979

^^"Ja

teaching

Anna reflected, "To be involved ecu-
menically in this area of church leadership
was both a learning experience and a chal-
lenge. A very early responsibility which re-
quired me to be sensitive to persons and
groups with church backgrounds."

In an evaluation session concerning her
work, someone remarked, "Anna, you
seem to keep everyone in the class in mind
and invite each person to participate."

"This comment," she said, "gave me an
inner vision/concept regarding the
teaching/ learning process which became a
guiding star as my teaching ministry un-
folded."

Anna was born in 1902 in Goshen, Ind.,
the daughter of Charles and Nancy Holt-
zinger Warstler. She was one of nine
children. One family — but bristling with a
variety of temperaments, interests and ex-
pressions of faith.

"But mother and father never pressured
us; they allowed us to make our own
decisions."

Sermons were often discussed around
the dinner table, and local and
Brotherhood policies aired, but it was done
most positively; negative, damaging
criticism was avoided. "The ecumenical
nature of our household has made my life
pilgrimage in the Christian life richer. It
never seemed to make a difference in our
family, but pointed up the fact that we had
found, at least in part, what unity in diver-
sity can mean.

An interest in missions was fanned by
the exciting slogan of the World Mis-
sionary Movement at that time, "The
evangelization of the world in this genera-
tion," and kept alive through Anna's years
at Manchester College, by such contagious

personalities as John R. Mott, returning
missionaries and church leaders. Home
"Mission Study Courses" were offered by
the Brotherhood and given in the local
churches. Anna took all of them.

"While I was greatly motivated toward
being a missionary, and almost secretly at
times prayed that my lot might be cast in a
foreign country, 1 tried to keep my goal set
for God's will, and to be willing to go
wherever he would lead me."

A,

Lt the 1931 Colorado Springs Annual
Conference, Anna was commissioned for
the "educational ministry of the developing
church" and left for India. For 13 years she
worked at the Anklesvar Girls' School as
principal — disciplining, counseling and
coping with the many vicissitudes of teen-
age girls. Her girls became such a part of
her that years later when in Lybrook,
N.M., a little Indian girl asked her, "Are
you a grandma?" Anna replied, "Yes,
Honey, I'm a grandma" — for in truth,
many of her "girls" were mothers.

For the next 13 years she supervised
religious education in mission schools; the
Vocational Training College, the School of
Practical Arts (for girls beyond the 8th
grade), the Bible School and many small
village schools.

On her first furlough, Anna attended
Bethany Theological Seminary and re-
ceived her Master of Religious Education
Degree in 1939. She returned to India that
same year.

"After this, 1 had two full terms and en-
joyed the blessings of fellowshiping, not
only with Christians, but with people of the
major religions of the world. These con-
tacts opened up for me a new insight con-
cerning the Lord's prayer, 'Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in
heaven.' I realized anew the sovereignty of
the Lord of life and all creation."

Anna affirmed her belief in a Messenger
article, "A Rose for My Neighbor" (July 3,
1969), in which she wrote of a Hindu
woman who asked her for a rose. "May I
have one of your roses to take to my
temple?" the Hindu asked. Anna clipped
off the loveliest rose on the bush and
carefully handed it to her.

"Thank you," the Hindu woman replied,
bending at the knee. "And won't you please
visit my temple?"

"Yes," Anna smiled, "and I invite you to
my church too."

"To me," Anna reflected later, "this was
an exchange-invitation in the Spirit of the
Sovereign Lord. I gave her the roses
without revealing my doubt . . . because
she was a neighbor whose heart was in-
tensely turned to the god she knew. . , .
For this to happen I needed to get myself
out of the way so the Lord of Life could
speak to both of us."

In 1955, after weighing her options, and
only after agreeing to a two-year term so
she could return to India, Anna responded
to the call from Elgin to join the General
Brotherhood Board staff as Director of
Adult Work/ Women's Fellowship.

A,

Lnna's insight into the work of church
people contributed to a more holistic view
of the church. Here, as elsewhere, Anna's
gentle indignation brought change. Women
were active in Ladies' Aid: service projects
involving cooking, sewing and serving and
as children's Sunday school teachers; men
were active as church leaders and ad-
ministrators, on major committees, as
adult Sunday school teachers and involved
in such projects as Acres for the Lord and
Heifer Project.

"The time seemed to be right," Anna
said, "to take cognizance of some stirrings
among both men and women for a closer
planning between the two organized

March 1979 messenger 19

groups." To her, "church" was "the people
of God" — so ail should be involved in
every aspect of church life. More important
than age groups or sex distinctions or work
"roles," were the abilities of persons to do
whatever they could.

Another area of concern was the Sunday
school program. Classes, the "most wasted
hour," had bogged down to a humdrum
study of the international lesson series. But
new resources and new elective courses
were made available and the program came
alive. "Brethren Life and Thought," "New
Life in the Church" and "Segregation and
the Bible" were among those diverse classes
added.

Anna urged adult workshops, the forma-
tion of local adult councils and adult
retreats. Special adult seminars went yearly
to Washington, D.C., to meet with leaders
of Government — to discuss the issues of
the day and to learn "what this means to us
as we envision our responsibility to be
more active participants in voting and in
exercising our influence for better govern-
ment at the local and state levels."

"We need to see ourselves," Anna wrote,
"as the whole church — with a deeper
concern for all the work. Much of the work
formerly done by the two groups should
have the attention of every adult. Why set-
tle for dividing it up in groups by sex? In
Christ, we are one and should find our
ministry together. It is only when we ap-
proach a specialized work that we need the
fellowship groupings. . . . But both are
stronger if they see themselves in a larger
context, whether it be in the congregation,
the district, or the Brotherhood. With this
background, the focus for adults is not
organization, but mission."

In the early days of the women's libera-
tion thrust, Anna was "somewhat saddened
to feel the strains of some of our sisters
who seem to appear belligerent at times
concerning women's rights, equal rights
and separate meetings. Some of the things
they stress, and in a way are undoing, we
had tried in a more unified spirit of un-
derstanding to hold up, by being together
as mature men and women — envisioning
together, planning together, discussing
together and serving together ."

However, after Anna attended the 1977
women's conference at Elizabethtown
College, she was much encouraged and
spoke of the conference as "very helpful in
clarifying ways for the sexes to relate to
one another in the kingdom of God." She

20 MhssiNGKR March 1979

said, "It was a postive and powerful
experience — not essentially a fight over
equal rights. It helped us look at ourselves
and analyze some of our adverse feelings.
So it's my dream that these current efforts
are serving a needed purpose both on their
behalf and on behalf of our denomination.
I trust it will also be an example for the
larger community of humankind which is
facing so many changes.

"I can only say that, though I was mis-
understood at times, I am happy to have
been involved in history making. 1 sense
that all of us are moving toward a better
understanding of one another, and of what
God's will is for unity within humankind."

In 1962, the Christian Education Com-
mission of the General Brotherhood Board
developed in-depth small group ex-
periences of Christian community. These
were called Mission Twelve. Their design
was to motivate and train lay persons for
the church's ministry. Sustained interper-
sonal experiences involving persons and
congregations in a year-long program of
exploration of meanings and expressions of
the Christian faith was the basic design.
Anna put a return to India on a back
burner and accepted this opportunity for
the opening of communications between
people, between people and their churches
and between people and the community.
She coordinated 43 Mission Twelve ex-
periences, involving some 4,500 persons
from 500 congregations, and participated
in a number of them herself.

In 1966. Manchester College awarded
her their Alumni Award "for personal ac-
complishment whereby the prestige of the
college is enhanced, for distinguished
service to her church both here and
abroad and for singular contributions to
the spiritual life of her times." The same
year she was listed in Who's Who of
American Women.

She was then invited by the church of In-
dia to return and lead lay training for
leaders in two districts. She conducted a
series of retreats similar to Mission Twelve.
This proved to be one of the richest ex-
periences the church had known, as
evidenced by the statement of one young
man, "You know, I now believe maybe we
are called to make a new garden of Eden."

Pastor Gameti wrote, "There is now a
new zeal for living the Christian life,"

Mr. Christachari (later to become the
first Bishop of the Gujarati District) wrote,
"(As to) the ordained and the unordained

w

'"', '■•"1'

Above: Anna received
Manchester College's
Alumni Award in 1966
for "service to her
church." Left: Combat-
ing an appalling illiter-
acy rate, Anna super-
vised reading lessons dur-
ing her years in India.

in the church, (the two) have been at
swords' end. Laymen have been at the
point of feeling left out. Now they sense
that while the pastor carries a specialized
role, there is basically only one call that is
to everyone — to witness and service."

Retirement comes to everyone — some
sooner, some later. Anna laughed, "I
always said that if I were not willingly
ready to step down when I became 65, they
should just knock me down."

So at 67, for "personal enrichment," she
enrolled (in 1969) in the Theological
College of Bangalore, India, for a year of
graduate study in the history of religions,
Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and other
Eastern religions.

Her retirement plans met with criticism.
"Such an adventure is more suited to
young people — or hippies!" "Will it not
mix you up or wean you away from the
Christian faith?" "Having lived among
those faiths for 23 years, what more do you
need to know about them?" "At your age!"

But Anna was adamant. "I was dealing
with a dream that was pressuring me for
realization. I was paying a debt, not
only to myself, but to a people and country
I had come to love: a debt related to
respect, integrity, and a right for them to
be free to be themselves in an area of life-
religion as dear to them as to me. To
see the Word anew, I must know my
neighbors better. Not, on the one hand, to
be in a subtle position to bring them either
to my American or Christian way; nor on
the other hand, to forsake or deny my
Christian faith, but to set the Word free
to speak to me in a climate of exploration
and discovery."

Anna was not disappointed, and upon
returning wrote, "May I say that the in-
sights received through this experience
have made me freer in Christ to live
redemptively, and have crystallized a fresh
challenge to me to help unveil, or to re-
veal, the mystery hidden through the eons
by God. I invite my Christian friends to
begin an adventure of listening in 'naked
faith.' "

After she returned from India, Anna
continued to minister in areas of spiritual
growth. After a young adult retreat at
Manchester College in 1976, Anna received
this letter:

"Dear Anna,

Thanks so much for your leadership this
past weekend. We young adults have so
much to learn from brothers and sisters

who have walked the paths before us. I
sincerely believe that in Christ there is no
communication gap. This could be seen
during the weekend.

In His love, Mark."

At another similar retreat at Camp
Mack, when the campers were walking
down to the lake for the footwashing ser-
vice, one of the young men slipped an arm
around Anna's waist and said, "Anna, let's
wash each other's feet!"

Then for three years, Anna was part of a
program administered by the Consortium
for Higher Education Religion Studies for
the seminaries of Ohio. This unusual
program allowed those seeking the degree
to remain in their areas of ministry and
develop their own independent programs
of study. They were allowed to specialize in
some aspect of ministry appropriate to
their setting. The participants also selected
a small group of resource persons, chosen
from within or outside the seminary. This
was known as the CORE faculty— of
which Anna was a member.

"One of my priorities in retirement,"
Anna stated, "was to keep growing
mentally — to keep my horizons in relation
to God being at work in his world." With
this foremost in her mind, Anna took
further religious studies at the Associated
Mennonite Seminaries of Elkhart and
Goshen College, both in Indiana.

Programs of "Creative Aging," or
"Learning to Grow Old," sponsored by the
Northern District of Indiana, were Anna's
next challenge. The goals of the program,
assisting people to age creatively and
gracefully, bridging the gap between the
old and the young fit easily into Anna's
philosophy of living.

A friend replied to one of her letters:

"Your sentence 'at my age' threw me for
a loop! I find it interesting that you have to
remind others that you are growing older!
It doesn't seem to be a significant factor in
the discussions I've shared with your
students! Perhaps thai is the significant
factor which makes the difference between
being a good or an excellent teacher, so I'm
for growing older too!"

Anna has always been a good teacher.
Yet each new church experience is met with
the spirit of a student, still exploring, will-
ing to grow and knowing that the church
as she defines it, and she will neither be
the same. D

MiUlit'tl //ess iinmlcY ;s a tornur Niiicna niissmnurv
lioiii ihc Hrnnkyilli- (Ohm) i uiixn-Kuliim. She is ihc
uiilhfj ul Children nl Ihc Hu^h Ciiunlry.

March 1979 messenger 21

Caught in a strangling urban setting,
Baltimore First was dying. Efforts of
concerned clergy and church consultant have
helped a changing congregation look . . .

beyond crisis to promise

by Thomas Wilson

First Church of the Brethren in Bahimore,
Md., was dying — and in need of resurrec-
tion. Through the efforts of a strong con-
gregation, spirited church-leadership
group, district executive Don Rowe and in-
sightful goal-setting leadership of pastor
Bill Hayes and associate pastor Erv Huston
and what some would term the "moving
Holy Spirit," First Church has moved from
a program of maintenance to mission, from
survival to visioning about the future; from
death to life. A congregation that once
looked to the past with pride now looks to
the future with hope.

The neighborhood around First Church
began changing in 1959, as predominantly
working class, homeowning blacks trickled
into its all-white neighborhood.

First Church became the victim of a
changing neighborhood. Large, single-
family homes were converted to squeeze in
more families. These new, younger families
contributed to overcrowded living con-
ditions and schools. Recreational facilities
for this growing youth population are still
limited.

The church is situated on the edge of a
commercially zoned strip that stretches out
several blocks. Most of the owners of
stores and businesses live outside the
neighborhood, and so care little about its
condition. Overall though, the community
remains stable with pockets of poverty dot-
ting the landscape.

This external change marked the begin-
ning of a process of "internal transition" in
First Church— the end of which is yet to
come. Indeed, the times and changing ur-
ban scope portend that such an end
may never come; and the church may
need to learn to minister in a perpetual
state of change, both within its own
structures and the community.

22 MKssiNfiKR March l<)79

First Church made a strong effort to
cope with the change that engulfed it, and
adapt, to minister to white and black by
reaffirming "The Time Is Now" Annual
Conference statement and declaring its in-
tention to minister to persons regardless of
race.

In an effort to acclimate and alert its
membership to change, in 1964 the con-
gregation began pulpit exchanges with
neighboring black congregations.

In October 1971, a church board retreat
under the theme, "Survival and Revival,"

was held so the body could evaluate and
coordinate the church program. During the
retreat, plans were made for evangelism
visitations, spiritual renewal within the
congregation and contacts with new
families. Following the retreat First
Church and Salem Community Church, a
black congregation, joined together for a
vacation Bible school, a number of
members attended a district race relations

workshop — and discussion of goals began.

Things took a turn for the worse in 1974.
when a period of sharp membership decline
began.

Except for the period of January
through June 1975, when William A.
Hayes, a black minister and seminary staff
member from Washington, D.C., filled the
pulpit, there was no stability and the pulpit
committee was busy filling the pulpit on a
week-to-week basis during 1974 and 1975.

My arrival on the scene in 1976 was in a
dual role: that of a Brethren congregational
consultant and as a student in the Doctor
of Ministry program at Bethany Seminary,
pursuing studies in urban mission. With
enthusiastic support from both the pastor
and the district executive, two years of
consultation was contracted including a
monthly flight to Baltimore to work with
church leadership.

Our first goal was: to develop knowledge
and awareness in the core-leadership group
(10-15 members of Baltimore First Church)
that would enable them to define the mis-
sion of the church in its urban setting.

Group members participated in a 7-week
Bible study, collected congregation and
community information, participated in
training in communications and began the
process of collating, interpreting and
evaluating statistics.

Goal two in the process was designed to
develop and increase skills and perfor-
mance in church members and enable them
to realize their potential. To this end the
core-leadership group agreed to continue
to study and analyze their collected facts,
pin-point needs, evaluate existing programs
and revise or establish objectives and con-
gregational goals.

From their study, the leadership group
established a list of priorities for the con-
gregation and community: To meet
physical, material and spiritual human

With the reactivation of the church came the revitalizalion
above, for adults and be! ovi.for children. A tutoring program

of the Sunday
for youngsters

■ school program,
began in January.

needs in an effective ministry; to increase
participation of members and others from
the community by revitahzing worship,
church school and rejuvenation of the
music program with choirs for all age
groups; to affect community outreach by
hiring a second staff person as community
director.

The third goal was designed for members
and friends of the Baltimore First Church
to make a commitment to the stated goals
and programs of the church and to call
others to this commitment. To accomplish
this, core-leadership members pledged to
publicize and discuss goals, make public
commitment to goals, work at activating
fringe members and new families into the
life and ministry of the church and make
plans to celebrate this achievement.

During the work toward the third goal,
the rapidity of change in the congregation
accelerated. William A. (Bill) Hayes, a
black minister from the United Church of
Christ and a former vice president and
director of education at Inter/ Met
Seminary, Washington, D.C., accepted the
position of pastor at First Church in
September 1977. (Since his calling. Bill has
also obtained ministerial standing in the
Church of the Brethren.)

The calling of Bill was in accord with
one of the goals previously worked out by
the core-leadership group; but it came

much faster than anticipated. Secondly,
former pastor Ervin Huston was kept on as
associate pastor.

Erv's change was in accord with his own
wishes to enroll in automobile mechanic
school and to further prepare himself for
ministry in a small church — along the line
of a "tentmaking ministry." Erv's desires
coincided with Bill's availability.

Erv had gained the respect of the con-
gregation as pastor. In this move, which re-
quired him to demonstrate a bigness of
character unlike any prior challenge, Erv
stood tall. His new role was to help con-
solidate and stabilize the white members of
the congregation, and to assist in nurturing
their adjustment to the changes that were
now imminent. As it turned out, the skills
and abilities of Bill and Erv complemented

each other in meeting the overall needs of
the congregation and community; and their
personalities proved to be compatible.

Under the leadership of Bill, the con-
gregation began to move aggressively
toward other goals. In October a black
choir director was named; and two weeks
after Bill's installation, where there was no
choir, there now appeared an integrated
choir of 13 voices. Since September 1977,
10 new adult members and five young peo-
ple have been received. A telephone
reassurance ministry was inaugurated in
December 1978. A tutoring program serv-
ing elementary school children began in
January 1979. And planning is underway
for a day care center in cooperation with a
neighboring United Church of Christ con-
gregation. It will open this June.

Tom Wilson, left, was church consul tanl for the splniudi rcrwydnon of Baltimore
First. He helped lay ground work for the hiring of pastor Bill Hayes, above,
greeting constituents after a service. The church's first black pastor. Hayes had
served during the troubled interim between hired clergy. The newly formed choir.
right, began its role in worship actively when a black director was engaged, and for
voung adults, far right, church school classes started.

The rapid pace of events in the life of
this congregation was a beautiful thing to
witness and participate in. If someone had
caught the members of this congregation
on candid camera two years ago and com-
pared them to some present shots, the
difference would tell more than I ever
could.

Praise for what happened at Baltimore
First Church must be spread among a host
of persons. We should begin with the Holy
Spirit who was mightily at work among the
congregation. There was a core-leadership
group who participated in all aspects of the
three outlined phases. They wrestled with
the facts of urban mission and the demands
of the gospel upon them, until in the
leading of the Holy Spirit, they caught a vi-
sion of what they might become. Ervin

Huston, the pastor prior to the calling of
William Hayes, demonstrated a depth of
understanding and wisdom in stepping
down and assuming a different role under
the new pastor. Also, present and deeply
involved was Donald Rowe, District Ex-
ecutive for the Mid-Atlantic District. Don
exercised foresight and patience in guiding
this congregation through difficult times.
Mid-Atlantic District also provided needed
funds for enabling this congregation to be
in mission. Then there was William Hayes,
who served during an interim period of
ministry prior to his full-time call to this
congregation. It was during that interim
period that Bill, in his pastoral concern and
skills, dispelled all myths about a black
pastoring whites, thus preparing and en-
abling this congregation to make the deci-

sion later to hire a black pastor. My role
was that of representing the Parish
Ministries Commission of the General
Board of the Church of the Brethren.
Given these kinds of resources and
strengths, this urban church was enabled to
choose alternative choices over conven-
tional ones. It could, and did, decide to live
and be in mission.

First Church is no longer a congregation
that is beaten, disillusioned and despairing,
it now appears to be in a "new creation."
Now it is a congregation with a sense of
achievement and purpose and a feeling that
it can do any task the gospel would lay
upon it. Because in the grace and strength
of God, it had dared to accept and even
plan its death, and thus prepare itself to
live and minister. Words of Jesus are

applicable to both in-
dividuals and in-
stitutions: "For
whoever would save
his life, will lose it;
and whoever loses his
ife for my sake and
the gospel's, will save
it" (Mark 8:35).
Here is a congrega-
tion no longer
chained by what it
had been and done in
the past; but grasped
by a new vision of
what it might
become. This vision
set a church free to
minister in a new
world — a world it no
longer feared. □

Thomas Wilson is con-
sult aril for congregational
community involvement for
the Parish Ministries Com-
mission.

Why

we

were

there

Shirley While-
side, BVSer from
Bellendorf, Iowa,
helps in the "mud-
ding-out" process
after last year's flood
in Rochester. Like
other Brethren, she
was just someone in
the area who was con-
cerned and who cared.

by James E Tomlonson

"There is no Church of the Brethren in
Rochester. Why are you here?" It is with
this kind of question that 1 began to work
with the Rochester, Minn., flood of 1978.

You are never ready for disasters and
equally not ready for the response you
receive. Circumstances determine vour

26 MESSENGER March 1979

"Disasters will continue.
Calls will come to persons
like ourselves, untrained and
busy. But disasters cannot be
planned any more than our
opportunities to serve as
Christians. God's call to us
never has all its implications
neatly arranged. "

style of work. Therefore, Brethren came to
Rochester, Minn., because we were in the
area and concerned, though not adequately
prepared to handle the disaster. Prepara-
tion and acceptance came during the first
hours and days.

Our image of a servant people as a
denomination is not something we seek.
But in service work it comes as a by-
product to our call. In the weeks and
months which have followed our effort,
references are continually made to the
work of "your church." Interestingly
enough, I have been known by some of the
civic leaders for my work as a board
member of a community corrections ad-
visory board. Since the flood, I am better
known for my blue jeans and boots than
for my suit and tie! I must confess, I feel
more comfortable and closer to my
heritage in blue jeans.

For me it takes some adjustment in
working with non-church agencies.
Brethren Service has a long and good
working relationship with the Red Cross,
but it needs constant re-interpretation in
each new community. The morning after a
newspaper story about the Brethren and
Mennonite volunteers, a Red Cross staffer
wanted to know "who authorized that in-
terview and why was the Red Cross not
given credit for its work?" Both time and
experience clarified this relationship and
working arrangements.

As the weeks passed, the Brethren and
Mennonites, dressed in their blue jeans and
bib overalls, provided the hands and feet
for the direct work with the people. Red
Cross staffers, some in three-piece suits,
provided the material, housing and food
wagons, all of which were essential support
items in order to do our job. Brethren and

Mennonite service units can in no way
have those kinds of resources. I am not
always happy with this Red Cross/church
marriage of convenience, but it has its
place in disaster work.

In the Rochester experience, our disaster
work was not only in cooperation with the
Red Cross, but it had a dual relationship
with the Mennonite Disaster Service. Our
response, our recruitment and the dispatch-
ment of volunteers was handled as one
unit. Steve Pankrantz, Mennonite Disaster
Coordinator for Minnesota, was uniquely
qualified to serve as project coordinator.
Often he would have to say to some Amish
and Mennonites that it was all right that
they were being sent out to work by a
Brethren pastor. As the work progressed, it
became clear to all involved that as we
answered the phone, "Church of the
Brethren/ Mennonite Disaster Service," we
were not only using a quick way to re-
spond, but were indeed operating as one.

T.

.his cooperation saved duplication of
people, work assignments and costs. Since
all of what we were doing was the same, it
saved confusion among the flood victims.
Of course there is a risk involved. When 1
was interviewed or when I spoke to some-
one who had received help from our
workers, they often thanked the good peo-
ple, "the Mennonites." It was not impor-
tant to our task or to me that I would have
to correct them and say, "I am Brethren."
They were, after all, thanking me as a
Christian who was seeking to work at a
sense of unity and purpose.

When I was thrown into the task of on-
site coordinator, it was extremely impor-
tant to me to have a good sense of direc-

tion and support from our national disaster
staff. Mac Coffman and, later, Jan Thomp-
son provided the kind of leadership that
"equipped" and "let go." Early on, as I en-
countered the local Red Cross staffer, it
was helpful to me to have Mac there to set
a perspective. This perspective is necessary,
but often happens best on location.

The many techniques of obtaining ad-
ditional volunteers, dispatching workers in
teams to match their skills, listening to
frightened callers who were seeking relief,
working with up to 15 different govern-
ment and church agencies, being sensitive
to including volunteer needs and organiz-
ing all of these various groups to run
smoothly can only come from the able
assistance of a district disaster coordinator
and/or a national disaster staff person. For
without them, as an on-site coordinator, I
would not have been able to function with
as much ease. Our Disaster Network is an
invaluable aid.

Disasters will continue. Calls will come
to persons like ourselves, untrained and
busy. But disasters cannot be planned any
more than our opportunities to serve as
Christians. God's call to us "to come over
to Macedonia" (Acts 16:9), never has all its
implications neatly arranged. But whether
that call comes to us to go to Puerto Rico
in 1956 or to Rochester in 1978. it comes
with the impact that we can do no other,
but to go.

No, I wasn't trained, but we cannot wait
to serve only in those areas where we feel a
special competency. One must be prepared
to follow the leading of the Spirit whenever
it calls us. Brethren Service offers this op-
portunity, n

James E. Tomlonson is pastor of the Root River
congregation. Preston. Minn.

March 1979 messenger 27

Straightening out our attitudes!

The Homosexual Crisis in the Mainline
Church, A Presbyterian Minister Speaks
out, by Jerry R. Kirk, Thomas Nelson. Inc .
Nashville 191 pages. Softback $3 95

Homosexuality and the Church, by
Richard F Lovelace, Revell, Old Tappan, N J,
160 pages. Hardback $6 95

Is the Homosexual My Neighbor?
Another Christian View, by Letha Scarizoni
and Virginia Mollenkott, Harper and Row,
San Francisco. 159 pages. Hardback S6 95

Homosexuality and the Christian Faith: A
Symposium, by Harold L, Twiss, Editor, Jud-
son Press. Valley Forge, 1 10 pages Soft-
back S3, 95

by Duane H. Ramsey

That part of the church which is
predominantly white, middle and upper
class, and has been shaped by the "success
values" of our American system has never
been In want for something to challenge its
firmly entrenched prejudices. In recent
decades our racism, our theology of eco-
nomics and our sexism have been surfaced
by militant movements of the blacks, the
poor and those who champion equal rights
for women in our culture and the church.

Once again the church is facing the ten-
sions of a new issue, this time the one of
homosexuality. Many denominations, in-
cluding the Roman Catholic Church are in
the process of studying, writing, amending,
adopting or rejecting major position papers
on human sexuality with special attention
given to homosexuality. Gay persons have
announced their sexual preference, can-
didates for ordination to the ministry have
openly declared that they are homosexual
and some homosexuals who are already or-
dained have stated so publicly. In 1968 a
new denomination was organized to
minister to the homosexual community,
and scores of books have been published to
help us deal with this troubling issue.

The books listed are four such books
which hope to help Christians and non-
Christians straighten out their attitudes
and feelings about this issue. Jerry Kirk, a
Presbyterian pastor in Cincinnati, Ohio,
describes the problem as The Homosexual
Crisis in the Mainline Churches, churches
which are facing great pressure "from
within and without not only to respond to
the homosexual crisis, but to do it now."
Serving a church which ministers to a gay
community, he shares his observation that

gay people are attending church not only
for forgiveness, acceptance and love, but to
tell the church and the world that gayness
is good, that homosexuality is not sinful,
that God made homosexuals that way and
that it is time to accept gays as they are.

That affirmation startles Jerry Kirk and
he uses his book to encourage the church
to stand firm in its rejection of homosex-
uality as an acceptable style of life and to
love homosexuals just as God loves all
sinners and urges Christians to love them
too. We are to love them in such a way
that homosexuals may be led to repent of
their sinfulness and be reconciled to God
and the Church. Kirk is a preacher, and
probably a very good one. His book is
written in a homilectical style. He does not
discuss the issue of homosexuality; instead
he "preaches" forcefully against it. The
book has little value except to those who
have a strong bias against homosexuality
and are looking for support. Kirk offers
that support, which in my opinion does not
help to resolve "the homosexual crisis in
the mainline churches" or any other place.

A much more serious study of the issue
was done by Richard F. Lovelace who, as
the promotional line on the book jacket
tells us, offers "the first comprehensive,
scholarly work that deals with the issue
from an evangelical view point." Dr.
Lovelace was one of the leaders of the
"conservative minority bloc of the United
Presbyterian Church's task force on
homosexuality, which was commissioned
to study homosexuality and ordination.

In his book Lovelace reviews briefly the
historical position of the church's stance
toward homosexuality, beginning with
statements from early and medieval
Christianity and concluding with Karl
Barth and Helmut Thielicke. The conclu-
sion, of course, is that traditionally the
church has considered homosexuality as
"unnatural," a violation of God's "creative
intent for human behavior," as "perver-
sion" or as, according to Thielicke. a con-
dition of life which calls for pastoral care
to be given to help a person "sublimate his
homosexual urge."

For the rest of his book. Lovelace argues
against these new trends toward more
openness in accepting the homosexual
stance. Admitting that the church too long
has neglected any creative mission to the

gay culture and also has failed to deal
effectively with homophobia (a mixture of
compulsive fear and hatred with which
society often regards homosexuals),
Lovelace moves to a careful consideration
of the biblical evidence against homosexual
practice. He examines texts in Genesis.
Leviticus, Romans, I Corinthians, 2 Peter
and Jude, concluding that "there is no
warrant in the Scriptures for any form of
homosexual behavior to be considered a
legitimate expression of the will of God."
The final chapter of this book, which, ac-
cording to its title, should have offered
help for the church's ministry to homosex-
uals, in reality offers very little practical
help. The author, instead, presents a
theological treatise on the spiritual life
which he applies in theory both to
homophobes and homosexuals.

Another Christian view, assert Scanzoni
and Mollenkott. can be found in their
book Is the Homosexual My Neighbor'^
The preface introduces their purpose for
writing. It reads in part: "We Christians
need to learn a lot about love — and about
those who need our love. The homosexual
is our neighbor, but we haven't acted like
it; instead, we hold a stereotype in our
minds. Of course, we have done this also
with other groups: Jews, blacks . . . the
poor, women. We don't understand them,
so we rush to condemn. We use the Bible
to clobber people rather than to uplift
them . . . we hurt our fellow human beings.
all the while claiming that we are doing the
will and work of God. It is in the hope
of alleviating such hurtfulness (which
harms us all) that we have written this
book."

This is a compelling book which en-
courages readers to examine their own
thinking or prejudices about the homosex-
ual and the fear, if not hatred, which many
heterosexuals feel toward gay persons.
Who is my neighbor? .-According to Jesus'
definition, anyone who crosses my path
and needs my help is my neighbor. Scan-
zoni and Mollenkott apply that story of
Jesus very forcefully to the Christian caring
about the needs of homosexuals who are
usually misunderstood and rejected until
they are willing to act in a heterosexual
way or agree to "live celibate forever."

Do we care about such persons'? The
answer, of course, is a strong "Yes."

28 MESSENGER March 1979

toward homosexuals

Richard Lovelace and Jerry Kirk would
also answer "Yes," but have a different way
of expressing that care than do Virginia
Mollenkott and Letha Scanzoni. These
women authors recognize the real agony,
the struggle, the fear that is involved in
questioning our traditional ethical stand-
ards. Like Peter on the roof of the house,
struggling with his prejudices against Gen-
tiles, we too have a hard time facing our
prejudices against those people who in
some way appear to be different from us or
who pose some kind of threat to our social,
psychological or religious security.

This is an important book to read. It is
very readable and presents scripture
narratives in a fresh and creative way, such
as their interpretation of the Good
Samaritan story. Though these authors
also deal with the familiar accounts of
Sodom and Paul's oppositon to homosex-
uality, they focus on biblical guidelines that
urge Christians to love one another, show-
ing compassion upon all who stand in
need. One of the important contributions
which this book makes to a better un-
derstanding of homosexuality is the listing
of important contributions which male and
female homosexuals have made to art,
literature, education and medicine. Among
them are Leonardo de Vinci. Michelangelo.
James 1 of England, poet Walt Whitman,
Jane Miranda Barry (the first British
woman doctor). Mary 11 (Queen of
England, Scotland and Ireland), and Carey
Thomas (dean and president of Bryn Mawr
College in the early 1900s). That list was
given by the authors only to show that
many homosexuals live "responsible,
productive lives and make impressive con-
tributions to society." It also indicates just
how comfortable many of us can be with
the lives and works of great persons before
we are aware of their homosexuality.

In their chapters on a definition of
homosexuality, and on struggling from
homophobia to understanding, Scanzoni
and Mollenkott present well-documented
material which can assist persons to un-
derstand better their own personal at-
titudes toward this issue. They conclude
their book with a proposed Christian ethic
for homosexuals. Aware that there is no
uniform agreement among Christians — in
fact a great deal of disagreement — the
authors appeal 1) for "more and more per-

sons to become less afraid of the issue and
2) for more creative thinking on the
theological/biblical/ethical level and more
compassionate counsel on the prac-
tical/personal level." Any person who does
any serious thinking about questions
related to homosexuality will find this
book a good resource.

Another book which is more scholarly
done and offers more precise kinds of in-
formation is a symposium entitled
Homosexualily and the Christian Faith. It
is a collection of articles previously
published in journals and other periodicals
such as Christianity Today, Eternity.
Christian Century and Christianity and
Crisis. They are written by psychologists,
ministers and theologians and other
students researching and writing in the
field of homosexuality. Although in some
of the articles the reader will recognize

LiKe reier on me
rooftop, we too have
a hard time facing
prejudices against
those people who in
some way appear to
be different from us.

some very prejudicial feelings and judgmen-
tal statements, the symposium offers a range
of views, carefully presented. A few
quotations give some indication of the im-
portance of this book. Alan Bell, research
psychologist wrote: " . . . data will show that
there simply is no such thing as f/if homosex-
ual, that homosexuals are as different from
each other as heterosexuals are from each
other. ..."

David Bartlett, minister of Chicago's
Hyde Park Union Church and a member of
the faculty of the Divinity School at the
University of Chicago, writing on "A Bib-
lical Perspective on Homosexuality," makes
this observation: "It may be that both
heterosexual and homosexual people feel
uncertain of their rightness as full human
beings, and even of their right relationship
to God. . . . Heterosexual people who are
concerned to prove their rightness are

threatened by homosexual people, who ap-
parently do not need to prove their
rightness in the same way. . . . However, if
heterosexual people and homosexual peo-
ple could really hear the word that they are
in right relationship to God because of
God's grace, and if they could receive that
word in faith, they would not need to spend
so much energy defending themselves or
browbeating others."

William Muehl, a lawyer and teacher of
homiletics at Yale Divinity School, con-
cludes his chapter on "Some Words of
Caution" with these thoughts: "Homosex-
uality ought not to be treated as the
manifestation of some form of social
depravity. . . . But neither can it be defined
as an appropriate expression of Christian
love in interpersonal terms. The gay
relationship is one form of sexual irrespon-
sibility among many and no more
reprehensible than most. As long as (gays)
recognize it as a problem and are prepared
to seek help in dealing with it. there should
be no arbitrary limits placed upon their full
participation as leaders in the Christian
fellowship.

"When gay people claim, however, that
their way of life is a morally healthy one,
insist upon their intention to affirm it
publicly, and ask that it be consecrated in
some way by the church, they put
themselves in contempt of Christian con-
science."

1 do not agree with some of the
statements just quoted, but have included
them as a fair sample of the book's value.
Those who have the desire and time to
move on what seems to be a biblical in-
junction to understand, to love and to
accept others as God loves all, will be
challenged, perhaps disturbed, and even
angered by Homosexuality and the Chris-
tian Faith: A Symposium: and Is the
Homosexual My Neighbor? but they are
important books to read. Homosexuality is
a fact; the stress and tension in and outside
the church about homosexuality is also a
fact. It is one issue, and a major one. in the
larger question of human sexuality. Bor-
rowing some words from Jerry Kirk, that is
a question on which "the world needs to
hear from the church. And the church
needs to hear from the Lord." D

Diiane H. Ranisev is pastor uf the H'ashijigtoti Citv
Ctiiirch of lite Brethren. Washinf^ton, D.C.

March 1979 messenger 29

m%@m(^(^i

HUMAN
SEXUALITY

Our culture is saturated with sex. It comes to
us through advertising, magazine arti-
cles and dirty jokes. We get a distorted pic-
ture of sex because as it is portrayed, it is sep-
arated from the wholeness of sexuality.

We have defined sexual as genital activi-
ty rather than the total expression of a per-
son, and we have defined sexual pleasure
as orgasm rather than the total enjoyment
of another person.

From a biblical perspective, however, be-
ing a sexual person means being a whole
person in relationship to others in a wide
range of activities from the caress of a new
baby, to the handshake of a friend, to in-
tercourse.

Following are but a sample of the many
books available on sexuality. Of the many
books that were reviewed, including the
following, no one book received my
total agreement. Because of a wide variety
of points of view regarding sexuality, it is
important that we read books on the sub-
ject with an open mind and in a spirit of
dialog and with other persons.

Although the authors of the following
resources express various points of view
regarding aspects of sexual expression, all
are concerned with the totality of per-
sonhood in sexual identity and activity.

Something for Adults

Human Sexuality: A Preliminary Study,
The United Church of Christ, 258-page
paperback, $4.95.

A comprehensive look at human sexuali-
ty, developed by a staff team and a team of
consultants of the United Church of Christ
in response to a denominational mandate
to do a study and recommend postures for
the church regarding the dynamics of
human sexuality.

There are three strong chapters. The first
is "Biblical Foundations," which examines
Old and New Testament attitudes and
values regarding sex, and the way women
and men are to relate. Next is the chapter

entitled, "Faith, Ethics and Sexuality,"
which attempts to provide guidance for
decision making regarding sexual activity.
Finally, the chapter on "Psychosexual
Development," which brings into question
sexist ways of viewing male/ female
development in light of present research
and study.

A fundamental point of the book is that
sexuality is much more than genital activi-
ty. "It is who we are as body-persons who
experience the emotional, cognitive and
physical needs for intimate communication
with others." All persons are sexual,
married or single, including persons who
are physically impaired.

Another underlying assumption of the
book is the need for freedom from rigid
stereotypical roles for women and men.
Wholeness in human sexuality views
women and men, each created in the image
of God as persons of equal worth.

Other chapters are "Some Perspectives

physical sex and good communication, es-
pecially the sharing of feelings, go hand in
hand.

The book is exciting to read, easy to un-
derstand and a good book for couples to
read and talk about together. There are
many ways to increase physical pleasuring
in marriage as well as improve emotional
intimacy through improved communica-
tion. The Chernicks will help the reader
couple in very practical and concrete ways.

Something for Teens

Growing Up With Sex, by Richard F.
Hettlinger, 162-page paperback, $3.95,
Seabury Press.

Written for teenagers, this book dis-
cusses the physical facts but also talks
about values regarding sexual activity.
Developing a healthy personality and deal-
ing with one's own values is a part of
developing a positive sexual life.

W'hotenew in hunian sexitalily views
iinieii anil men. each created in the
iniai^e of Goil as perstms of
equal worth.

GROWING

^^eWingei

on Sex Education" and "The Community
of Faith and Human Sexuality." This is an
excellent basic resource.

In Touch, Putting Sex Back Into Love
and Marriage, by Dr. Beryl Chernick and
Dr. Noam Chernick, 180-page hardback,
$9.95, Macmillan of Canada.

A husband-wife team takes the reader
through a series of counseling sessions with
a couple who have a sex problem. In the
process of dealing with the couple's specific
problems, the Chernicks reveal much about
the physiology of sex, human sexual
response and, most important, positive
ways of relating sexually.

The Chernicks also spend a good deal of
time working on improving the com-
munications skills of the couple. Good

Considerable space is devoted to the
relationship between physical sex and love,
and to the issues to consider prior to
marriage. The author is especially con-
cerned that persons enter marriage after
careful thought and planning.

Growing Up to Love: The Meaning of
Sexuality, from Youth Elect Series,
produced as an elective for youth in the
Christian Education: Shared Approaches
of Living the Word curriculum.

A si.vsession course for youth, to
provide information, guidance and value
clarification on issues related to sexuality.
Through group sharing, youth can deal
with the physical, emotional, relational,
ethical and spiritual aspects of sexuality.

The booklet contains session outlines.

30 MESSENGER March 1979

liSS

ole-plays, writing exercises and many dis-
mssion helps. Especially recommended for
I retreat setting, but could be used on a
veekly basis.

Something for Children

The Wonderful Siory of How You Were
Born, by Sidonie Matsner Gruenberg,
lardback, $4.95, from Doubleday.

A beautifully illustrated and easy-to-read
5ook for families of young children, this
;an be read to younger children. Children
3f eight or so can read it themselves. The
age range is about four years old to 10.

; The wonderful story of
!jA (• how you were born

It contains a separate section for parents
;o give special guidance on the use of the
book as well as how to provide good sex
education.

The above resources can be ordered
rom The Brethren Press, 1451 Dundee
\\t.. Elgin, IL 60120. — Ralph L.
Detrick

Ralph L Detrick is consultant for life cycle
ministries/person awareness with the Parish Ministries
Commission.

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• March's ageless motif is the lion and the lamb, which leads us rather directly to
theology. Woody Allen says the lion shall lie down with the lamb . . . but the lamb won't
get much sleep. All of that is changed as the love of God embodied in Christ becomes the
first step toward that happy fulfilled time when the lion shall lie down with the lamb, and
the lamb shall sleep peacefully. March also brings intimations of the paschal lamb— slain
for the sins of the world. For the shadow of the cross is already on Christ.

Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is over — the feasting is finished, and our own 40 days in the
wilderness have arrived ... a decision is needed. A sacrifice is exacted — but what is it we
can give up? Most of us only claim a token sacrifice ... to give up chocolate or dessert . . .
or something of momentary pleasure which gives only a slight nod of recognition to the
obligation of sacrifice. When Jesus decided during his wilderness hours what he needed to
give up, he decided to offer up himself.

In this day when self-realization and self-satisfaction are encouraged, we might con-
sider what abandonment of self entails. To enter into Lent with some vision of sacrifice
beyond a token measure, we must abandon our lives to God's will like the old saint who
said, "Yes, God, yes and always yes!"

So the pilgrim goes to her own wilderness determined to nudge self at least out of the
center . . . determined to give up something worthy of the lamb of God ... for finally it is
our duty as Christians to bring about the peaceable kingdom ... to move from that which
began in the garden to the City of God.

• The new pope was described by one of the cardinals as being both a servant and a
saint. The Brethren understand servanthood better than sainthood, but we do know there
are no saints who haven't first been servants.

• Saw two interesting signs across the street from each other. On a Methodist church
bulletin board was printed "Seven days without God makes one weak." Across the street at
a MacDonald's hamburger stand the marquee read, "Seven days without a Big Mac makes
one weak." 1 don't know which sign was put up first, but I'm pretty sure the "bread of life"
will have the last word.

• I was sitting in a Western Pancake House recently with a group of women from
whom I derive both strength and satisfaction. All of us are either licensed or ordained
ministers . . . but we looked quite normal. After indulging in several bursts of laughter one
in the group suggested we send a note around to the other customers asking: What voca-
tion do these five women have in common? Do you think anyone would have guessed?

• STOP SIGNS: On a bulletin board of a church at a country crossroads-
headlights; the other person's are always more glaring than your own."

-"Sin is like

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Joyce Miller — Courage
to Create, Rollo May; The Phenomenon of Man, Teilhard Chardin. T. Wayne Rieman —
Out of My Life and Thought, Albert Schweitzer; Markings. Dag Hammarskjold; New
Seeds of Contemplation, Thomas Merton.

• From another Pilgrim's Pen: "He gives Himself to us in order that we may give Him
to others. To give Him in all and to all constantly ... by word, by deed, by counsel, by
prayer, by almsgiving, by forgetfulness of self, by the gift of self." — Lucie-Christine (French
mystic, 1858-1916).

See you on the journey. — pkh

Brethren writer Patricia /Kennedy Helman is a licensed minister and a member of the Manchester ctrnf^rcKatitin.
North Manchester, Ind. She is a Brethren representative to the National Council of Churches and is a coordinamr of
the Association for the Arts in the Church of the Brethren.

March 1979 messenger 31

On Jonestown, Conference, Dan West

Dave Jackson

Jonestown cause:
over commitment?

As the secular press has tried to help the
public comprehend last fall's horror in
Guyana, there has been the frequent im-
plication that the problem was too much
commitment. Journalists suggest that any
time people give themselves totally to a
cause, the product is likely to be as
heinous. Is that true? And if it is, how
should that affect our commitment to Jesus
Christ and his church? Is our safety a
retrenchment into individualistic
Christianity?

In many segments of the church today
there is a ground swell of urgency to realize
unity, to be cooperative with Jesus' prayer
of John 17 for us to become one. This is a
trend away from the individualistic
Christianity that has long characterized
much of the church. Believers recognize the
importance of leadership so that the mis-
sion of the church can flow together as a
coordinated body without rancor and divi-
sion. Some respond by living a more cor-
porate life in Christian communities, shar-
ing with each other and the poor, realizing
their identity as citizens of the kingdom.
The gift of prophecy is reappearing. People
speak for the Lord, not only as preachers
with a traditional sermon, but in first per-
son or a "thus-saith-the-Lord."

How do we distinguish what God may
be doing through the Holy Spirit from a
madness that would ultimately degenerate
into a bramble of cults that convulse in
death? The problem of people following
false prophets to disastrous ends is not
new. In Jeremiah 23:15-16 the Lord said,
"Behold, I will feed them with wormwood,
and give them poisoned water to drink; for
from the prophets of Jerusalem un-
godliness has gone forth into all the land.
Do not listen to the words of the prophets

To hold in respect and fellowship those in
the church with whom we agree or disagree
is a characteristic of the Church of the
Brethren. It is to the continuation of this
value, and to an open and probing forum,
that "Opinions" are invited from readers.

who . . . speak visions of their own minds,
not from the mouth of the Lord."

The secular explanations of Jim Jones
miss half of the terror. If ever evil spirits
were active, this must have been a prime
occasion. And it was not just a satanic plot
to destroy more than 900 people in a
remote South American jungle. It was
calculated as a blow to the Holy Spirit's
work in the church today. It was to spread
fear, confusion and possibly persecution
against those Christians everywhere who
are giving their lives more totally to the
Lord. Secular attempts to divide the bad
from the good may have the benefit of ex-
posing other cults. But the danger would
be a focus on the wrong criteria, thinking
that full commitment itself is suspect.

As for dedicated Christians, there is safe-
ty without retreat. Commitment is not the
problem, but the object of our commitment
is critical. Jesus said that he is the Good
Shepherd, and he promised that we may
know his voice. We do not need to be
fooled into responding to the voice of a
demonic "stranger" billing himself as an
angel of light. God has given us the Bible
as a standard by which we may test every
spirit, every proclamation, every prophet. I
am sure that the powers operating in Jones
which attracted people to him were strong,
but according to the reports now available
in the media, red flags were everywhere for
any who would measure him by God's
written Word.

Jones made no attempt to hide his sex-
ually immoral life. He insisted that people
worship him and call him "Dad," while
God says that we are to worship only him
and call no man "father." Jones was a free
lancer, unaccountable to anyone. Jesus,
however, claimed no power or authority
coming from himself; he was totally sub-
mitted to the Father, and the apostles con-
tinued that attitude by submitting to the
Father. The apostles continued that at-
titude by submitting to each other and to
Christ's body, the church.

Jones renounced the Bible, placing
himself above it. He attempted to disprove
it and called it a paper idol, saying, "Too
many people are looking to it instead of
me." He confessed publicly that he did not
believe in the virgin birth. He gave
deference to the rich when the Scriptures
instruct us to show no partiality. He held
seances with spirits, which the Bible ex-
plicitly forbids. He used coercion and

violence on his followers, whereas Jesus
said that the kingdom of heaven suffers in
the hands of men who use violence.

And if, because of his "wonders," these
clues were not sufficient to warn everyone
that Jones was not of God, there was one
clincher: Jones claimed to be Jesus Christ
and finally God himself For that even-
tuality Jesus gave us an explicit warning:
"Then, if anyone says to you, 'Lo, here is
the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not beheve
it. For (in the last days) false Christs and
false prophets will arise and show great
signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if
possible, even the elect. Lo, I have told you
beforehand. So, if they say to you, 'Lo, he
is in the wilderness,' do not go out; if they
say, 'Lo, he is in the inner rooms,' do not
believe it" (Matt. 24:23-26).

God has provided us with the necessary
means of discernment so that we can com-
mit ourselves in confidence without fearing
that we are being duped. Any false prophet
will give himself away if we measure him
by God's Word. D

Dave Jackson is a member of Reba Place Fel-
lowship. Evanston. III.

Chauncey H. Shamberger

Delegates expect
to be needed

When I decided to attend the Indianapolis
Annual Conference, I had no desire to be a
delegate but I accepted the responsibility.
As a delegate, I discovered that the respon-
sibility had largely disappeared. I was not
expected to think my way through to a
decision on great issues; I was expected to
approve or disapprove. The meaning and
function of being a delegate has changed.

Annual Conference was initially the
means of maintaining unity of thought and
practice by bringing together represen-
tatives from the local churches. Tliese
delegates were charged with the respon-
sibility of discussing a matter until a con-
sensus could be reached. The erosion of
such a concept of business sessions is plain;
though subtle, it is certain.

Many years ago the church began to
assume a place in the modern world and
the delegates were faced with complex
social and moral issues from outside the
church. As long as the business was along

32 MESSENGER March 1979

If I Were Starting My Family Again

John Drescher offers fathers hard-won bits of
wisdom. "One of the best books ever written about
raising children." — Marjorie Holmes. Illus. with line
drawings. Condensed in Guideposts. $4.95

Rejoice in the Lord

Bruce MacDougall; foreword by Bruce Larson.
Share the experiences of MacDougall (executive
director of Faith at Work, Inc. in Canada) as he
matures in Christ. He describes rough and tumble
living which the church had not prepared him for.
$6.95

Table Talk with Jesus

Kenneth L. Mauldin; foreword by Dr. Kari A.
Menninger. Ten Lenten-Easter messages based on
the Gospel of Luke. See how Jesus used table talk
to obliterate barriers between persons. $3.75, paper

The Grandmother's Book

Joan Lowcrv Nixon shares the special joys of
grandmothers with grandbabics. Evocative
photographs illustrate the warm, sensitive text. A
perfect gift for every grandmother you know! $5.95

The Courage to Care

Marilyn Brown Oden offers a strengthening look
at the problems which beset individuals and families
today. She shows how the answer lies within where
we find courage to care. $5.95

Living the New Life

A Primer for New Christians

Gavin Keid explains the basic beliefs and
practices of Protestantism with wit, insight, and
eloquent simplicity. Questions at the end of each
chapter for individual or group study. $4.50, paper

Talk with Us, Lord

The Joi^ful Adventure of Prai^er

Jayne Lind helps you learn more about prayer
and how to make it a daily part of your
relationship with God. Answers "Why should 1
pray," deals with intercessory prayer, how to pray,
etc. $6.95

:.%

IK
THE LORD

ALLNi^OrS

Festival Books

Introducing the Bible

William Barclay. $1.75, paper

The Word Became Flesh

E. Stanley Jones. $2.50, paper

How to Have a Happy Marriage

David and Vera Mace. $1.75, paper

A Private House of Prayer

Leslie D. Weatherhead. $1.95, paper

1 • ■

at your local bookstore

March 1979 messenger 33

traditional lines and dealt with strictly
church concerns, delegates had a back-
ground of experience and know-how for
discussion. They came to Conference
expecting to be needed.

Not so today. As the church changed its
stance in the world, it soon became ob-
vious that these new issues required study
and research by smaller groups. Queries
were referred to existing agencies or to
special committees. This relieved the
delegates of any work on their own and
when reports came back a year or two
later, all the delegates had to do was ap-
prove their findings and their recommen-
dations. Who were the delegates to ques-
tion the wisdom of the smaller group?

By this process the delegates rendered
themselves unimportant and impotent. A
group of proxies, wisely chosen from the
districts, could do what the delegates do, at
less cost, in less time, and equally well.

If this appears far-fetched, take a candid
look at what took place at Indianapolis.
There were pages and pages of reports to
be read and digested together with pages of
old and new business to be considered. Did
the delegates discuss them? Yes, two of
them: gun control, baptism and church
membership. Did they dispose of any of
them? I cannot recall that they did unless it
was the Standing Committee's report on
baptism. The report did not specify at what
age a child comprehended what was in-
herent in the rite and the delegates wanted
them to study it a year longer and put
down the exact year the child is old
enough. We also spent 40 minutes trying to
amend the report of the Council of
Churches only to decide it wasn't amend-
able.

The delegates set their pattern in the first
business session and held to it consistently.
When a report was open for consideration,
some delegates suggested amendments. But
when that happened, the delegates soon
became restive and in no time at all the
moderator sensing the mood of the dele-
gate body, would say he thought they were
ready to vote on the report. They were
always ready. They were not only ready,
but there was never any question that the
great majority would vote for adoption.

I think any fair minded person would
agree that some reports were pretty
"strawy" (Martin Luther's apt word for
James' epistle). That made no difference;

they went right through, the same as the
best of them. Delegates no longer think
through a question to a conclusion: they
approve someone else's thinking.

The way the business sessions went, no
delegate needed any great preparation
beforehand. If any felt they did, about all
they had was the Conference Booklet
which came out a couple of weeks before
Conference time. This did not seem to be a
drawback; if the delegates could vote to
refer and approve, that was all they need-
ed.

It is unfortunate that being a delegate
has become so meaningless, especially since
delegate decisions still become the official
position of the church. It would mean so
much more to churches sending delegates
to Conference if these representatives could
actually participate in decision-making,
rather than just poring over what others
have studied and then approving their
recommendations. But, in addition to that,
there should be a climate in which delegate
participation is made possible.

1 had not been at an Annual Conference
for 24 years. To me it was a frustrating ex-
perience to be a delegate. I feel there must
be a better way than the one we are using
now. Maybe we should authorize a com-
mittee to study the matter and report in a
year or two! D

Chaumev H. Shamher^er is a retired nrchardtst ami
a member of I he Fruition J (Idaho) congregation.

Joe Van Dyke

A friend recalls
Dan West

Our world is a trivial and mean world if
that is the only way we can see it. If we fix
our eyes no higher than the ground at our
feet and neglect the heavens above our
head, the lives we live here will be small
and earthbound. We are saved from living
in such a trivial world and from living a
meager existence by following our own in-
sights into truth and by recognizing the
geniuses of living who now and then come
among us.

Dan West was such a man, such a
genius. He was also as human and vul-
nerable as any one of us; he wrestled with
angels and with demons just as we do. But

Dan, more than we do. realized the infinite
dimensions of living on this planet and in
this century. He could surely have said
with Henry David Thoreau, "I wished to
live deliberately, to front only the essential
facts of life . . . and not, when I came to
die, discover that 1 had not lived."

Passing on the Gift, the biography of
Dan West written by Glee Yoder, is a
successful attempt to see this man as he
faced what he believed were the essential
facts of life.

A few men and women — and Dan is the
best example 1 know — see visions that go
beyond one's self; they dream dreams for
the world and believe their dreams can be
made real. Over and over for them the
bush burns, the still small voice at the heart
of the whirlwind speaks. And they help us
to dream with them.

Dan's church — The Church of the
Brethren — was based on a dream. It came
into being at a time when the simplicity of
first century brotherhood was non-existent,
when force backed with violence was the
accepted rule within nations and between
nations and even in religion itself when the
elemental needs of the common people
were considered last or not at all. This new
church of sisters and brothers was a bold
attempt to get back to essentials, to put
first things first.

When Dan came along, that church was
two centuries old, but the dream was un-
changed. Its preachers, writers, mis-
sionaries, teachers and just ordinary
laymen were giving their time, energy and
spirit to the building of a better world, to
the spreading of the good news, to the
feeding and clothing of the world's
disadvantaged — to helping in every way
they could to make the envisioned
kingdom of God on earth, a fact.

What Dan did was to focus on these an-
cient ideas — among them this one:
everyone must be involved. He looked for
practical, untried ways which would be
available to almost anyone of reaching the
old ends. He began early in life to put his
vision into words and acts. He woke us up
and prodded our minds. He made us un-
comfortable.

I think he distrusted organizations as the
best medium to channel effort, though he
worked through them, he knew that even
good institutions tend to be wary of
change. His best hope was in the awakened

34 MESSENGER March 1979

If your church is using the

Foundation Series Sunday Schooi curricuium,

you shouid be aware of Herald Press VBS.

WE OFFER THE ONLY CURRICULA THAT ARE:

# CONSISTENT WITH AN ANABAPTIST THEOLOGICAL APPROACH TO THE
SCRIPTURES: through the 13 courses students are prepared to accept Jesus Christ
as Lord and Savior, to grow in their commitment to Christ and the fellowship of
believers, and to participate in the life of the church. Christian faith must be the
response of a person's whole being to God.

# PERMANENT: your child grows through the course. Your teachers develop con-
fidence that comes from the continuity of such a program. You are sure of what
your child will learn this year, next year, and in the future.

# CLOSELY GRADED: whether yours is a small or large school, you will be pleased
at the ability to meet the children right on their level, educationally and spiritually.
Nursery, Kindergarten 1 and 2, Grades 1-10 are available in either curriculum.

CHOOSE THE SERIES THAT MEETS YOUR NEEDS:

HERALD SUMMER UBLE SCHOOL SERIES

A Bible foundation curriculum. Each year is a
complete course. Combined, all the courses provide
your child with a solid knowledge of the Bible.
Available in either 5-day or 10-day curriculum.

Each year there is a new devotional theme for
your centralized worship period. We provide you
with a free Leader's Guide for these periods. This
year's theme is THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.

HERALD OMNIBUS BIBLE SERIES

A biblically-based approach to real-life issues.
Each year the child is met with issues that he faces
daily— problems like honesty, drugs, sex, obedience—
and the teacher and the child explore together what
a Christian response should be.

Useful year-round, this curriculum may be used in
5-day VBS programs, released time programs, Sunday
and Wednesday worship, or camps.

Herald Press

Dept. MS, Scottdale, PA 15683
Kitchener, ON N2G 4M5

Please send me the Sample Kit checked below. I

understand that I may return the Kit for credit within

30 days if I so desire— no obligation.

D 5-day HSBS Sample Kit ($7.10 plus BSi postage)

D 10-day HSBS Sample Kit ($9.15 plus $1.00 postage)

n 5-day HOBS Sample Kit ($7.70 plus 85i postage)

O Please bill my church, including actual postage.

D I enclose check/money order for $

Address^
City

State

Order Sample Kit for Free 30-Dav Examination

March 1979 vitssENGER 35

CLASSIFIED ADS

TRAVEL-Juniata College Tours^ 1979:
ALASKA-11 days (June 22July 2) before
Seattle Annual Conference, and 14 days im-
mediately after (July 8-July 21), Includes In-
land Water Passage Cruise. Two-day mini
tour Seattle-Victoria-Vancouver possible
before 11 day tour and after 14-day tour.
1980: Oberammergau Passion Play, follow-
ing Pittsburgh Annual Conference, 14 days.
Includes Bavaria, the Alps, Rhine Cruise,
Berlin and Prague. June 30 departure.
Harold B Brumbaugh, host conductor. Infor-
mation: Weimer-Oller Travel, 405 Penn
Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652. Tel. (814)
6431468

TRAVEL— Around the world five-week tour,
optional return via Afghanistan and Soviet
Union. July August 1979. British Isles 15
day tour including England, Scotland, Wales,
Southern Ireland and Europe, July 17, 1979.
Scandinavian 15-day tour including Den-
mark, Sweden, Norway and important sites
in Holland and Germany, August 7, 1979.
Alpine countries and Oberammergau Pas-
sion Play mid-July 1980. Inquire immediate-
ly for Passion Play reservations. Write for
brochure: Rev. Richard C Wenger, 805 Stan-
ford Ave., Johnstown, PA 15905, (814) 255-
3657 collect

TRAVEL — Bridgewater College President's
Tour to Alaska leaving Seattle after Annual
Conference Includes Inside Passage Cruise,
14 days, July 8-21 Contact Dr. Wayne F.
Geisert, Bridgewater College, Bridgewater,
VA 22812, Tel. (703) 828-2501.

TRAVEL— Air-conditioned bus tours to 1979
Annual Conference in Seattle. After Con-
ference return home via Canadian Rockies
or go on to Alaska. Write Dr. J. Kenneth
Kreider. R D #3, Box 660, Elizabethtown, PA
17022.

TRAVEL — Continuing Educational Tours.
1979. Alaska. 14 days, July 8-July 21. Travel
immediately after Annual Conference from
Seattle. Wash. Featuring: Anchorage-
Fairbanks Glacier Bay-Inside Passage
Cruise. 1980: Eastern European Highlights-
Featuring: West and East Germany-Holland-
Czechoslovakia Austria. Tickets to Oberam-
mergau Passion Play included. Departure:
July 8, 1980, from Cleveland, Ohio. Tickets
in great demand: register early Brochures
available Clergymen and Teachers invited to
be tour hosts. Rev. Raymon/AnnaBelle Eller,
experienced coordinators. 358 Selden Ave.,
Akron, OH 44301. (216) 724-9595.

TRAVEL — "Heart of Europe Tour" and
Oberammergau June 15 July 4, 1900. Thrill
to the great art, music, drama, and culture of
SIX European countries. Enioy the tremen-
dous scenery of Switzerland, Austria and Ita-
ly. Twenty days by chartered bus to Geneva,
Florence, Venice, Vienna, Prague and Salz-
burg (Graduate or undergraduate college
credit available ) From New York. Compare
schedules and prices. For information write
Dr Dayton Rothrock, experienced tour direc-
tor, McPherson College, McPherson, KS
67460

TRAVEL — Pastors and persons interested in
conducting your own tour group to any place
in the world— let us assist you in your plan-
ning and quote you a price. We specialize in

36 MESSENGER March 1979

the Middle East, Turkey, Greece, Italy. Also
available: 9-day post- conference tours to
Hawaii from Pittsburgh, Chicago. Cost $639
from Pittsburgh; $599 from Chicago. In-
cludes air fare to Seattle and return. Also,
travel with us and Anna Mow to
Oberammergau Passion Play, Germany, July
1980 Visit Schwarzenau, birthplace of the
Brethren. Spend 15 days touring Europe on
our Brethren Heritage Tour. (15-day Euro-
pean tour $1499). Limited number of tickets
available. Contact: Bohrer Tours, Inc., Joan
and Wendell Bohrer, 96 Penrod, Johnstown,
PA 15902 (814) 536-1811 or (814) 266-
2629.

FOR SALE — Thought-provoking book of
poetry, prose, short stories from life. Also
collection of stimulating, challenging calls to
worship. By Ivan J. Fausnight, minister for
30 years. Sister Anna says of this book "It is
lovely, unique and inspiring." Paperback,
"Down-to-earth and up too." $2.95 plus 55$
postage. Hardback $6.95 plus $1,00
postage. Box S, Danville, OH 43014.

FOR SALE— "The 25th Anniversary
Cookbook" published by The Brethren Home
Auxiliary. New Oxford, Pa., at $8.75 plus
$1.25 for postage and handling. Loose-leaf
book; more than 1,000 tried and tested
recipes. Order from The Brethren Home, c/o
Milton E. Raup, Box 128, New Oxford, PA
17350

WANTED- Retired' Try Alabama. Fifty miles
from Gulf Can accept two couples; one
handyman Housing experiment in small
town $100 per couple per month. Un-
furnished Church background required.
Immediate possession if accepted. Trial
visits encouraged Contact Roy White,
407 State St., Citronelle, AL 36522. (205)
866-7154.

WANTED — Retired couple to work at Inspira-
tion Hills, Church of the Brethren Camp,
Northern Ohio. All living expenses provided.
Small salary negotiable. Contact Stanley
Hendricks, Rt. 1, Box 184, Burbank, OH
44214. (419)846 3010.

WANTED- District of Michigan has two half-
time positions. Minister of Nurture and
Camp Manager, open Mar. 1, 1979. Will
consider couple, retirees, or one person
for both positions. Send inquiries or appli-
cations to Board Chairman, Mane Willough-
by, R. 1, Copemish, Ml 49625. Tel. (616)
362-3345.

OLD ORDER NOTES-a new publication of
Brethren history and genealogy is now
available When issue No. 2 appears, single
back issues will be $2 each, post-paid. For
introductory offer send $1.50 for current
issue plus next issue free of charge. Old
Order Notes, P 0. Box 134, Covington, OH
45318

WANTED — Urgent. Doctor needed by June
1979. Opportunity for private practice and
medical director at Greenville, Ohio,
Brethren's Home; 4 blocks from local
hospital, pleasant rural community, easy
access to Dayton, Cincinnati, Indianapolis.
Contact Administrator of The Brethren's
Home, 750 Chestnut St., Greenville, OH
45331 (513) 548-4117.

individual, the heart set on fire. Although
he spent much time with groups, large and
small, he was forever looking for the one
person — that person who could catch fire
over an idea or a cause and become the
spearhead to initiate a beginning. Over and
over he spent his time and sometimes his
own money on that single individual who
showed promise of some kind.

We commonly think of sacred places
as those spots, permanent structures most-
ly, that have been set apart as places of
worship. Dan knew that we worship God
most truly when we are engaged in action
that matches God's purpose for us. So he
thought of a place as holy where he or
anyone was able to make some aspect of
the dream of brotherhood become a reali-
ty. His own holy places were legion: early
on they became global.

T.

. here were many Dans, but I think we
were watching the essential Dan when he
was part of a give-and-take meeting of
minds and spirits. He did not preach ser-
mons but he could make sluggish hearts
beat faster and wills come alive as he laid
out his fresh and lively views. Still, I
remember, afterwards it often seemed as if
we had only partly understood what he was
driving at; we had only partly grasped his
intent. There was a gap which he — and
we — could not always bridge.

As readers of Passing On the Gift follow
the history of this man, some may come to
different conclusions about him from those
I have reached, just as people disagreed
about him when he was alive. Any person
who never heard him talk or never spent an
hour alone with him or never became in-
volved with him in an attempt to turn
dreams into reality will be at a disadvan-
tage. The book is not the man himself.
Such a reader may find him qui.xotic or im-
practical, a man not quite in tune with his
times.

In a way this is true. What prophet was
ever wholly accepted and followed by the
age he was a part of? But Dan West is not
really dead; he is alive in us who knew him
and he may come alive to you as you read
this book. Maybe you will recognize some
part of his dream and catch fire and want
to help keep him alive by taking your turn
at passing on the gift.

Dan would like that. D

Jtif I an Dikf is a retired teacher, an ouidoorsman. a
Iree-lanir writer atui formerly was a colleague of Dan
tycsf's in the Church of the Brethren carnpini; move-
luent.

t^y^ijiitof pmiM^i

Licensing/
Ordination

AUawa>. John A, ordained

Nov." 19. 1978. Antelope

Valley. Okla.. Southern

Plains
Bauserman, Jason, licensed

Dec. 10. 1978, Pocahontas.

Shenandoah
Curr>. Don, licensed Dec. 10.

1978. Pocahontas, Shenan-
doah
Faw. Marv Piatt, licensed Dec.

10. 1978. Quinler. Western

Plains
Hollenberg. Robert Eugene,

licensed Nov. 26. 1978. Ft.

Wayne, Lincolnshire, North-
ern Ind.
Nicarr>. Paul R., licensed Nov.

19, " 1978, New Hope,

South Central Ind.
Sahards. Harry H., licensed

Nov. 16. 1978. Carson

Valley. Middle Pa.
Stone. Steven F.. ordained Dec.

10. 1978. Richmond Four

Mile Church. South/ Central

Ind.
Taylor, Mary Catherine

Mowery, licensed, Nov. 19.

1978, Trinity Church.

Michigan
Valencia, Jose Bonifacio.

licensed. Oct. 29, 1978.

Brooklyn. First, Atlantic

Northeast

Pastoral
Placements

Bosserman, Willis O.. from
Walnut. Northern Ind., to
Pyrmont. South/Central Ind.

Brubaker, Clarence O., from
Circleville. Southern Ohio, to
Bellefontaine. Southern

Ohio, interim, part-time

Cox. Alvin S.. from Mt. Pleas-
ant. Western Pa., to Circle-
ville. Southern Ohio

Faust. Robert B.. student, to
Clear Creek, South/Central
Ind.

Hare, jack Dennis, from
secular, to Outlook, Ore-
gon Washington

Harn. Ramsumair K., from
Garbers. Shenandoah, to
Swatara Hill, Atlantic
Northeast

Johnson. Roy A.. from
American Baptist Extension
Corporation, to Flower Hill.
Mid-Atlantic

Keim. Howard, from retire-
ment, to Cedar Creek. Ala..
Southeastern

King. Bernard, from retirement,
to Long Green Valley. Mid-

Atlantic, interim, part-time

Kurtz. Earl H., from retire-
ment, to Lampeter Fellow-
ship. Atlantic Northeast

Lawyer, Calvin Lee. from
Eden. N.C., Virlina. to
Wabash. South Central Ind.

Noffsinger. Stanley J., from
CROP, New Windsor, Md.,
to Wichita. First. Western
Plains

Polins, James, to Ladera, Los
Angeles, Pacific Southwest,
interim

Ritchie, Lowell E.. from Fruit-
dale, Southeastern, to
Roanoke. La.. Southern
Plains

Ruyts. F. Robert, from other
denomination, to Shepherd.
Mich.

Smith. Beverly A., from
Christiansburg. Virlina. to
Mountain Valley, Southeast-
ern

Wampler. Mark W., from
retirement, to New Hope.
South/Central Ind.

Whisler. H. Arthur, from
Shepherd. Mich., to Fruit-
dale. Ala., Southeastern

Ziegler. Levi, from Erie, Com-
munity Church, Western Pa.,
to Conewago, Atlantic
Northeast

Wedding
Anniversaries

Bollinger. Mr. and Mrs. Alvin

K. Lilitz, Pa., 53
Burket. Mr. and Mrs. Elvin R.,

Martinsburg, Pa.. 50
Bush. Mr. and Mrs W. Royd.

Martinsburg. Pa., 51
Clair, Mr. and Mrs. Galen,

Una, 111., 65
Dunlap. Mr. and Mrs. Art,

Goshen, Ind., 50
Everhart, Mr. and Mrs.

William. La Verne, Calif , 50
Fike. Mr. and Mrs. Edgar,

Winter Parli, Ra., 57
Hudson. Mr. and Mrs. Delmer,

McFarland, Calif., 50
Kline. Mr. and Mrs. Charles,

Mansfield, Ohio, 50
Knox. Mr. and Mrs. Charles,

Port Providence. Pa., 54
Kreider. Mr. and Mrs. Bard E.,

Utilz, Pa.. 55
Landis. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver,

Yuba City. Calif., 50
Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel,

Trotwood, Ohio, 50
Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Kenton

R.. Martinsburg, Pa., 50
Miller. Mr. and Mrs. N. Ray,

Martinsburg. Pa., 51
Neff. Mr. and Mrs. George,

New Paris, Ind., 50

Rover. Mr. and Mrs. Millard,

kimmell, Ind., 50
.Sheets. Mr. and Mrs. Glenn,

South Bend, Ind., 50
Showalter. Mr. and Mrs. Ray-
mond, Martinsburg, Pa., 50
Smucker. Mr. and Mrs. Carl,

Davis, 111., 50
Starrell. Mr. and Mrs. Austin,

Kansas City, Kan.. 55
-Steele. Mr and Mrs. Lester L.,

Martinsburg, Pa., 57
Stevens. Mr. and Mrs. W. V.,

Moneta, Va., 65
Tusing, Mr. and Mrs. Tom,

Baltimore, Md., 54
Wampler, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob

W., Weyers Cave, Va., 50
Weaver. Mr. and Mrs. Ortha,

Johnstown, Pa., 55
Weaver. Mr. and Mrs. Warren,

Johnstown, Pa., 55
Weisl. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel,

Ephrata, Pa., 59
Wenger. Mr. and Mrs. Ed.

Empire. Calif., 60

Deaths

Albright. Howard, 92, Mar-
tinsburg, Pa., Oct. 20, 1978
Bealer. Maurice H., 84,

Gapland, Md., Nov. 20, 1978
Beynon. David R. P.. 85,

Orange Park, Ra.. July 20,

1978
Beynon. Margaret, 60, Broom-
all, Pa., June, 1978
Brumbaugh. Delcie P., 65,

Martinsburg, Pa., Nov. 13,

1978
Casey. Ethel M., 82,

Wilmington, Del., June 13,

1978
Casleel. Thomas J. Jr., 33,

Chambersburg, Pa.. Oct. 27,

1978
Clark. Etta Marie, 70, Boons-

boro, Md., Oct. 10, 1978
Clevenger. Reda, 74, Indiana.

Pa.. Nov. 25, 1978
Croxton. Edna, 74. Bridge-
water. Va.. Nov. 22, 1978
Delwiler. Katharine R., 97,

Neffsville. Pa., Aug 2, 1978
Edwards. Dove, 94, Knoxville,

Tenn., Oct. 7. 1978
Fousl. J. Stanley, 84,

Chambersburg, Pa., Oct. 26.

1978
Franlz. Roy, 71. Rocky Ford,

Colo., Sept. 9. 1978
Gaby. Martin, 84, Greeneville,

Tenn., Sept. 3, 1978
Gingrich. G. Nelson, 77,

Waynesboro, Pa., Nov. 26,

1978
Greenleaf. Minnie R., 97,

Martinsburg, Pa., Sept. 6,

1978
Heiple. Annie 67, Somerset,

Pa., Nov. II, 1978

Hess, Mary Frances D., 70.
Staunton. Va., July 31, 1978

Helrick. Wade, 52, Cumber-
land, Md., Oct. 14, 1978

Hinkle. Charles, 91. Spring-
field, Ohio, Nov. II. 1978

Hoffman. Gerald Blake, 23,
Martmsburg, Pa., Oct. 28,
1978

Hogue. Leah, 80. LaOtIo, Ind.,
Aug. 4. 1978

Hollinger, Viola. 82, Freder-
icksburg, Pa., Nov. 15, 1978

Hull. G. Harvey. 91, New
Lebanon, Ohio, Nov. 14.
1978

Jennings. Naomi Virginia. 82,
Boonsboro, Md., Oct. 27,
1978

Johnson. Ethel. 80. Kingsley.
Iowa, Oct. 28, 1978

Kagev. Paul S., 85. Harrison-
burg. Va.. Nov. 25, 1978

Keith. Nora, 91, Martinsburg,
Pa., Oct. 1. 1978

Lewis. E. Lena, 66, Martins-
burg, Pa., Nov. 3, 1978

McConnell. Robert C, 91.
Cabool, Mo., Nov. 14, 1978

.VfcEwen. Laura, 95, McPher-
son, Kan., Nov. 10, 1978

Mclntyre. Howard D., 61,
Oaks, Pa., Nov. 21. 1978

McMillan. Iva Opal, 63, Santa
Barbara. Calif, Oct. 12. 1978

Malone. Mrs. Donnie. 80, Par-
sons. Kan.. July II, 1978

Maloy. Jerry, 41, Columbia
City, Ind., Sept. 9, 1978

Mangus. Paul Dayton. 75,
North Liberty, Ind., Nov. 21.
1978

Markev. Anna N., 66, York,
Pa, Sept. 6. 1978

Maxwell. Sterling, 26, York,
Pa., Sept. 25, 1978

Merck. Katheryne Maree, 70,
McFarland, Calif.. Oct. 10,
1978

Metsker. Jesse D., 99, Quinter,
Kan.. Sept 24, 1978

Melz, Clara Mae Webster, 92,
Worthington, Minn., Sept.
10. 1978

Meyer. Grace E., 47, Fred-
ericksburg, Pa., Nov. 16,
1978

Meyer. Harry L , 66, Cleona,
Pa., Aug. 17, 1978

Miller. Lloyd, 71, Gettysburg,
Ohio, Oct. 22. 1978

Nve. Earl, 77. New Lebanon,
Ohio, Nov. 14. 1978

Osborne. F. Allie, 72, Brod-
becks. Pa., Oct. 27. 1978

Pearce. Miriam. 84. Phila-
delphia. Pa.. Oct 19, 1978

Peyton. Edwin, 70, Hollidays-
burg. Pa., Nov. 9, 1978

Rayman. Mary, 80, Winter

Park, Ra., Sept 24, 1978
Replogle. Rorence, 90,

Lafaye.tle, Ind , Nov 3, 1978
Rhodes. Kenneth, 45, Roaring

Spnng, Pa., Oct 8, 1978
Richard. Marjorie, 53, Lima,

Ohio, Nov 5, 1978
Ritchie. Ruth V. Adkins, 62,

Lmville, Va., Nov. 25, 1978
Roadcop. William, 68, Weyers

Cave, Va . July 20, 1978
Rodrigues. Manuel, 48, Erie,

Pa., Nov. 10, 1978
Salmon. Jean Calder. 65,

BakersHeld, Calif., May 6.

1978
Schlosser. Ralph W , 92, Lan-
caster, Pa., Dec. 14, 1978
Schmucker. Gertrude E., 69,

Syracuse, Ind., May 9. 1978
.Shook. Lillie, 69, Polo, 111.,

Nov. 7, 1978
Simmons. Cleta, 64, Bridge-
water, Va., May 14, 1978
Slackford. Marion, 70,

Louisville, Ohio, Oct. 23,

1978
Slough. Elton. 76. Elkhart.

Ind.. Apr. 18. 1978
Smith. Delia. 83, Peru, Ind ,

June 1, 1978
Smith. Gloria, 83, Lima, Ohio,

Oct. 5, 1978
Smith. Lola, 73, North Man-
chester. Ind., Apr 18, 1978
,Snowberger. Verne L.. 89,

Waynesboro, Pa.. Nov. 9,

1978
Sonafrank. Floyd, 75, Peru.

Ind.. June I. 1978
Southard. Arthur, 86. Balti-
more City, Md., Oct. 21,

1978
Spangler. John Vernon. 85.

Knoxville, Tenn., Nov. 12.

1978
Slarz. Lillian. 76, York, Pa.

Apr. 25. 1978
Stull. George, 70, Elkhart, Ind.,

May 8, 1978
Sturgill. Pearl, 94, Sparta,

N.C., Sept. 1978
Swank. Glenn, 83, Lorida, Ra.,

May 9, 1978
Todd. Pheoba R., 81, Ennice,

N.C., Sept. 27, 1978
Towers. Caroline A., 81,

Wilmington, Del., Sept. 25,

1978
Tritapoe. Homer Burnett. 72,

Brunswick, Md,, Nov. 13.

1978
Wagner. Nellie. 74, Assaria,

Kan., Nov. 26. 1978
Waltz. Mary, 88, Philadelphia,

Pa., Oct. 14, 1978
West. William Anderson, 79,

Rocky Ford. Colo,. Oct. 12.

1978
Wine. David, 37, Bluff City,

Ind.. Aug. 30. 1978

March 1979 messenger 37

Ever since the tv film "Roots" there has
been an increasing interest among many
people in tracing their ancestry. Time and
Newsweek, as well as many other national
magazines, have publicized this sudden
trend. A ntmber of books have been pub-
lished explaining methods of research.
Pan-American Airways has used this latest
American fad to advertise and sell over-
seas airline tickets. The idea of going back
to the "old country" and walking where
one's ancestors walked has great appeal for

38 MESSENGER March 1979

by William G. Willoughby

many of us.

My own mdifference to genealogical
research was blasted by "Roots," which
showed me that such exploration can be
fascinating, and. in some cases rewarding.
It can help our generation understand what
we are and why we are as we are. Black
hair and dark eyes are passed down genet-
ically for countless generations. But
"Roots" has also shown us that a spirit
of independence, a vocation or a family
tradition may also be passed down cultur-

In

ally for many generations.

Knowledge of our ancestors can also
help us to know who we are. Knowing our
roots can give us a stronger sense of per-
sonal identity, a sense of belonging, a sense
of life's continuity. Adopted children can
also have a very strong feeling of cultural
heritage, for the values and ideals that are
socially transmitted are extremely impor-
tant in shaping identity.

Knowledge of our ancestors can give us
a fresh perspective on life as we learn of
iheir disappointments, iheir triumphs, their
failures and accomplishments. We can be
thrilled by a heroic grandfather's tale of a
storm on the high seas, or inspired bv the
story of a great-grandmother's struggle to
raise I I children in a pioneer settlement.

We have many kinds of roots- physical
roots in our genetic ancestry, political roots
in the Magna Charta and the Declaration
ol Independence and religious roots.
Whether we only recently became members
of the Church of the Brethren or had great-
great-grandparents who were Dunkers in
Ohio, Virginia or PennsyKania, our
religious ancestry is much the same and an
exploration of this ancestry may help us
understand ourselves much better.

For the uniquely Brethren roots of our
faith, we go back to the first generation of
Brethren in Europe from 1700 to 17.10, a
heroic generation of great courage and
faith.

In 1706 Alexander Mack, his wife and
two small sons were driven out of their
home in Schriesheim by religious persecu-
tion. Christian Liebe, another one of the
early Brethren ministers, with four Men-
nonites, was condemned to life of servi-
tude on a Sicilian galley. Within the first
year, two of these prisoners died. Through
the efforts of Brethren and Mennonites,
Liebe and the other survivors were finally
released: but the years of penal ser\itude
had taken their toll.

Martin Lucas and his wife were banished
from Heidelberg, and told never to return.
Their children were taken from them and
given to a family in Heidelberg to rear.

When the Brethren held their first bap-

search of our roots

tismal service in 1708, they were actually
violating the law of the Holy Roman Em-
pire, and theoretically subjecting them-
selves to the state's death penalty.

Magnificent as these spiritual ancestors
in Germany were, they were not paragons
of virtue, for they tended to be very
legalistic, and at times quite exclusivistic.

Wanting to imitate the life of Christ in
every way, they were tempted to make of
Jesus" teachings a new Mosaic code, put-
ting a heavy burden of obligation on each
member. At times their emphasis on
legalism was so heavy they seemed to have
forgotten the New Testament teachings on
grace.

Only those who had been baptized by
trine immersion could participate in the
love feast and holy communion. A young
person could marry only another member
of the church, a member who was in good
standing. This e.xclusivism was the basis for
the first major Brethren controversy. A
young man by the name of Hacker married
a young Mennonite woman, and was put
under the ban for doing so. This caused a
serious break in relationship between the
two ministers of the Krefeld congregation,
John Naas and Christian Liebe. That
relationship was not healed for many years.

Believing that only those who had been
immersed as adults with mature faith were
truly Christian, they considered all other
Christians apostate or unsaved.

In spite of these rather unfortunate
tendencies, there are some treasures in our
heritage which we can truly cherish.

The early Brethren were quite
equalitarian. They believed in the divine
worth of every individual. They did not
want to establish a hierarchy of status.
They had seen too much of this in their
state churches. Brethren ministers were
considered servants of the people, and their
participation in worship was of no greater
importance than anybody else's. The early
Brethren recognized no authoritarian
leaders. All decisions were arrived at
through group discussion and consensus.

Not wanting to give special honors to
anyone, they kept secret the name of the

person who baptized Alexander Mack, lest
at some future time he be given undue
respect for this simple deed. Alexander
Mack, himself, did not wish to be labeled
as the "founder" of the church, though, in
the ordinary meaning of the term, he truly
was.

The Brethren were so equalitarian that
they made no sexual distinctions in their
worship services. Women were as welcome
to pray and participate as men. One of the
ministers at Schwarzenau was a woman.
Frail Jacob Schneider. Count Charles
Louis, who was very hostile toward the
Brethren, complained that in their meetings
"males and females are permitted to teach
whatever the Spirit moves them!"

The early Brethren had a vigorous con-
cept of practical, "down-to-earth"
Christianity. Patterning their style of life
after the example of Christ, they practiced
a non-violent, highly ethical religion. It was
definitely "this worldly" rather than "other
worldly." They were opposed to force in
religion, and in society. They refused to go
to war or to take an oath. A Dunker's
word was as good as a bank certified
check.

T.

[he early Brethren had a surprising view
of the future life. They could not accept the
theological idea of everlasting punishment
in hell. They could not see the God re-
vealed in Christ as a God who would con-
demn his own creation to eternal punish-
ment. Their rather startling and
revolutionary view was of a God whose
yearning, compassionate spirit was so
strong that eventually all persons would be
restored to God's eternal kingdom of ever-
lasting life.

The Brethren in America, under the in-
fluence of frontier revivalism, found this
view of ultimate restoration a bit too
revolutionary for them, and by the middle
of the 19th century had accepted a view of
hell that was a place of eternal punishment.

The early Brethren had a healthy and
refreshing openness to new truth. Indebted
to the scholarship of their day, they were

especially impressed by the scholarly
writings of Gottfried Arnold, one of the
leading historians of their time. The
Brethren believed that the future could
and would reveal new truth; therefore
they did not want to lock themselves into
any kind of binding creed. They were very
suspicious of elaborate theologies and
complex systems of church doctrine.
They wanted to be open to the future and
to the ever-possible discovery of new
understandings.

The early Brethren had a magnificent vi-
sion of a loving, caring, disciplined com-
munity. Although they were not sure of the
exact pattern their community should take,
they firmly believed that it should be an ex-
pression of Christian love and commit-
ment. They did not accept the kind of love
which says: "You do your thing, and I'll do
mine, and we'll just love one another."
Their community was based on
relationships between members in which
conflicts were honestly faced and were
dealt with in an open and constructive
fashion.

This kind of disciplined community has
its hazards. At its worst, it is cold,
repressive, intolerant and very destructive
of human personality. At its best, it can be
a warm, loving community, the kind that
befriends the lonely, heals the shattered
and gives helpful guidance in life's most
difficult situations.

All denominations have something of a
mixed ancestry. Any church, looking into
its past, will find some skeletons as well as
some treasures. The search for Brethren
roots presents us with a vision of a loving,
caring community, open to the future, with
a strong emphasis on practical, human
relationships, fully committed to the exam-
ple of Christ.

The early Brethren did not fully realize
this vision. In our own generation,
the same vision still attracts us, but its
fulfillment also tantalizingly eludes us. □

Hilliain (j. W'illiiimhhv thairs ihe ilepanmem of
philitMipIn anil rfligitiil ul ihe L'liiversilv (if La I'erne.
fa I i'rtn: Calif His hio^raph\ of Alexander Mark,
C'ounling ihc Com. will he iiiihli\heil hy The Brethren
Prew this June-
March 1979 MESSENGER 39

Avoiding moral rigor mortis

One of the mementos of my youth that has sur-
vived is my old Scout handbook, a reminder of
the brief couple of years or so when I was a victim
of someone's enthusiasm for Scouting at our small
country church in the Virginia hill country. What
intrigues me now is how the Scouts had it all
together so neatly. You just progressed through
the handbook and everything fell into place. A
clearly defined set of rules guided you along the
road to distant maturity, to good citizenship, to
love and respect for motherhood, apple pie, the
American way and the flag.

A lot of people in the church view the Bible as
the ultimate Scout handbook. Hearing them tell
it, the Bible sounds like a systematic set of handy
rules none of which contradicts another -
which, if followed piously, gives easy answers to
every moral dilemma. Letters to the editor often
lament that if only today's Brethren followed the
Bible the way our forebears did, we would once
again be right with God. Ha! Writers of such
letters would probably have run our Brethren
forebears out of the church!

Look at the Brethren of the past century in-
sisting on the slavery issue, "We don't care what
scripture you quote, slavery is contrary to God's
will." Look at Alexander Mack himself, searching
the Scriptures for truths to free him and his
followers from the spiritually bankrupt estab-
lished church in Germany, an exercise which got
him drummed out of his hometown of
Schriesheim and led him to Schwar/enau and the
"New Baptist" venture of 1708. For Mack,
obedience did not mean unquestioningly following
an authoritarian set of rules, but a dynamic
relationship to a transcendent vision of Christ's
kingdom.

Self-suspicion is in order when you find all your

views coinciding with the prevailing view, whether
that is the view of your church or of the secular
society around you. Sometimes that view is the
right one, but more often, after honest examina-
tion, you are forced to move beyond the comfor-
table certainty of old, familiar rules. For me, one
of the most helpful passages in the Bible is the
story in Acts 10-11 of Peter and his vision of
"unclean" food, of Peter coming to the realization
that some of the scriptures he had always followed
had been transcended, that God loved and
accepted Gentiles as well as Jews.

Quoting author Virginia Ramey Mollenkott,
"The morally mature person is one who has not
only sorted through the standards learned in
childhood, rejecting those that no longer apply
and accepting and internalizing those that still do
apply . . . (but) also one who has developed the
courage to obey God's voice in those highly un-
usual situations when long-accepted standards
must for some reason be transcended. Rising
above standards that have been ingrained from
childhood may involve tremendous struggle and
often real terror. But the refusal even to consider
the possibility of such transcendence may well
lead to moral rigor mortis."

Th,

hose who cry loudest that the Brethren have
forsaken the Bible are, ironically, themselves the
very ones who have forsaken it. To refuse to
search the Scriptures and allow them to give new
insights concerning the assumptions of today's
society is to refuse to submit social customs to the
Judgment of the Bible. Those are the real eroders
of biblical authority in today's society. Not the
seekers, but those afraid to seek, are the ones who
really want to put the Bible aside. — K.T.

40 MESSENGER March 1979

ON€N/OIUD ON€ FAMILY

Moved any mountains lately? Jesus
said that faith the size of a mustard
seed could move a mountain.
Around us tower mountains of illit-
eracy, disease, loneliness, and op-
pression. Christians are called to
put their faith into action moving
these mountains.

Brethren Volunteer Service is a
way of answering that call.

Through Brethren Volunteer Serv-
ice, committed, responsible individ-
uals work within a Christian frame-
work to meet human needs, further

\Bir.

social justice, and promote peace.
Our volunteers, eighteen years of age
and older, are located independently
and in teams across twenty states
and twelve nations. These persons
contribute their love and skills
toward moving mountains in educa-
tion, youth counseling, agriculture,
medicine, community develop-
ment, construction, care of children
and the aged, disaster relief. Chris-
tian education, and other areas. They
live a simple lifestyle, receiving only
a small amount of pocket money in

addition to room and board.

Brethren Volunteer Service fits
well into a lifetime of service and
faith. It beginswith a dynamic orien-
tation. Broadening. Supportive. On
project, a volunteer's values and
faith are challenged and strength-
ened, leadingto a deeper, tempered
approach to Christian living.

Moving mountains is what Breth-
ren Volunteer Service is all about.
Even if your faith is like a mustard
seed — bring what you have, put it to
work, and watch it grow!

Brethren Volunteer Service, 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120.

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

APRIL 1979

N

mM(^^t.

H 2 What Made D.L. Miller Tick? Frances Holsopple Fenner takes a
close look at her great-grandfather, a former Messenger editor.
Businessman, traveler, writer, editor, missions promoter, D.L. Miller was,
in his day, perhaps the best-known Brethren leader. How did he manage
to get it all together and accomplish so much for the church?

4 g Easter In Jerusalem 1899. From the unpublished journals of D.L.
Miller comes a description of a footwashing service in Jerusalem at the
turn of the century.

4 Q Mary Magdalene: The Faithful One. Was Mary Magdalene

really the prostitute that popular tradition and the movies have made her
out to be? Karen S. Carter offers a different image of this most faithful of
Jesus' followers.

A O Alleluia. Artist Joyce Miller graphically presents familiar Easter hymns
to use during Holy Week.

24 These Women Transform Lives. Carolyn Purden tells the stories

of six great Christian women of today, chosen by the editors of eight
denominational magazines, including Messenger.

28 Biblical Inspiration and Authority: Where Do the

Brethren Stand? Fred W. Swartz interviews an Annual Conference
study committee to give readers a preview of a vital 1979 Conference
business item.

In Touch profiles Earl Kurtz, Elizabethtown, Pa.; Cyndi Hinkle, Middletown,
Md.; and Ottie Decoursey, Nampa, Idaho (2) . . . Outlook reports on BVS
retreat. Goals for the 80s. UN update. Ecumenical coalition. Jobs with Peace.
WCC disarmament priority. Ruby Rhoades appointment. Cable gift. Brethren
Encyclopedia. Mennonite tax protest. Disaster workers seminar. Appalachia
workcamp. Personnel shifts (start on 4) . . . Underlines (7) . . . Update (8) . . .
Special Report, "The Arms Bazaar That Bombed," by Harriet Z. Blake (10) . . .
Resources, "Biblical Authority," by Rick Gardner (29) . . . Turning Points (31)
. . . Prayer Calendar (32) . . . Column, "We Will Never Be the Same Again," by
Theresa C. Eshbach (32) . . . Opinions of Amy Langdon, Sarah Alexander-
Mack, Dick Miller and Nettie Thomas (start on 34) . . . Pilgrim's Pen, by
Patricia Kennedy Helman (35) . . . People & Parish, stories from Harrisburg,
Pa.; Danville, Ohio, and Muskegon, Mich. (38) . . . Editorial "Ministry Through
Communication" (40).

EDITOR

Howard E Royer (on special assignment)

MANAGING EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson (acting editor)

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Ziegler Bfake

FEATURES

Stewart M Hoover, Fred W. Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E Weaver, Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Dons Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K Thompson

VOL 128, NO 4

CREDITS: Covlt H. Armstrong Roberts. 4
Merv Kccncy. 6, 9-11 Nguyen Van Gia. 2. 29
Fred W. Swart.'. 12-17 from files of Frances
Fenner. 19-22 art by .loyce Miller. 25 RNS.

Mhssenger is the official publication of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug. 20. 1918. under Act of Congress of
Oct. 17. 1917. Filing date, Oct. 1," 1978.
Messenger is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service. Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version.

Subscription rates: $6.00 per year for individual
subscriptions: $4.80 per year for Church Group
Plan; $4.80 per year for gift subscriptions: $3.15
for school rate (9 months): life subscription,
$80.00 single, $90.00 couple. If you move clip old
address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change. Messenger is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission, Church of the
Brethren General Board. 1451 Dundee
Ave., Elgin, III. 60120. Second-class
postage paid at Elgin, 111., April 1979. Copyright
1979, Church of the Brethren General Board.

■

REMEMBER SISTERS AND CHILDREN

i like the idea of changing the name of our de-
nomination (Editorial. February). The name
"Brethren" does seem to leave out some persons
in our church — we do have sisters and children
too.

I suggest this nev.' name: The Church of
Believers in Christ (that is. born again believers).
This would cover all — men. women and
children.

John Kyle
.lohnstown. Pa.

TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT?

Regarding the editorial on name changing
(February), the churches I have been associated
with have feminine majorities and they could
easily have voted themselves into any position
with comparable capability.

A three-member masculine school board upon
which I once served was faced with the nomina-
tion of a feminine member. The director sagelv
observed, "If you have three married men on the
board you've got three women too."

What have we here, "a tempest in a teapot?"

Would a change in name mean less of the
rather meager identity we now have, and
perhaps loss of membership as has occurred in
previous changes''

Lee Kend.all
Wichita, Kan.

LET'S STOP NIT-PICKING

The February editorial suggests we change the
name of the denomination. The se.\ual connota-
tion doesn't bother the majority of us anymore
than referring to God as "he," My dictionary
says "brethren" is an archaic form of
"brothers" — a body of persons having the same
belief.

Let's stop our nit-picking.

M.ARY Be.ahm Baber
West Hyattsville, Md.

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

It IS almost unbelievable that the Church of '
the Brethren pays someone to sit at Elgin and I
think up editorials such as "A New Name to Set
Us Singing" (February).

If you find the name Brethren so "awkward,"
"objectionable" and "worn out." why don't you
find employment with an organization which is
more "up-to-date." such as the Women's Libera-
tion Movement, where you wouldn't be "embar-
rassed to wear your name out in public?" I'm
sure your position could be filled by someone
(yes. even a "sister") who is still proud and hap-
py to be called a Brethren,

Evelyn L, Ritcuey
Roaring Spring, Pa,

JOIN ME AS A CO

There is a chance of the draft or registration
being reinstated. .At first I was not alarmed,
and didn't heed Chuck Boyer's advice to fill
out a conscientious objector form. I have now
learned that a consressman has introduced

legislation to reinstate the registration of 18- and
19-year-old persons. 1 am now filling out the
form.

Young people of our denomination should
consider filling out these CO forms, which are
available from the Elgin offices. In reading the
.Scriptures 1 have become aware of feelings and
convictions against war and all with which it is
associated. I never was so aware of my faith in
the pacifism and nonviolence teachings of Jesus.
If the CO form doesn't do any good, I still have
reaffirmed my faith in these teachings.

The draft, for which I am now liable, is some-
thing that 1 didn't have to face In the Vietnam
era. I reaffirm my faith, and I hope that men
and women throughout the Brotherhood will do
the same.

Daniel Gibble
MI■RR.^v State University
Murray, Ky.

YOUTH TODAY TOMORROW'S CHURCH

Thanks for Steve Simmons' Special Report,
"Brethren Young Adults: A Sense of Timing"
(February). I did not know 1 had made a hit. It
made me feel good to have had something to do
concerning the future Church of the Brethren
created by the youth of today.

M. R. ZlGLER
New Windsor. Md.

A TREMENDOUS ADDITION

The Me.ssencer feature. Pilgrim's Pen, written
by Pat Helman, is interesting and offers great
promise in that you anticipate continuing it in
the future. It is a tremendous addition to the
overall contribution of the magazine.

Leland Wilson
La Verne, Calif.

A BIT OF GENTLE AMMUNITION

January was an especially good issue of
Me.ssen'GER, primarily because of two excellent
articles. "Profit Motive" by John Scoltock, re-
flects a beautiful spirit in action. "Born-again
Christians" gives a long overdue bit of gentle
ammunition for us who have been too often
judged by our well-meaning but over-zealous
"born againers."

.Eileen P. Thompson
Harrisburg, Pa.

A HUMANITARIAN ALTERNATIVE

There are alternatives to abortions but taking
care of the "needy mothers and unwanted child"
from an inappropriate pregnancy is not the
answer (Bomberger, Messenger, October 1978).
It would be more constructive to help young
people (among whom most abortions occur) to
learn to deal with sexual identity and sexual
feelings and to develop warm supportive
relationships within their families and with per-
sons of the opposite sex. It may be necessary to
build some "family" for young people and model
responsible behavior.

We all know what creates pregnancies. High
risk sexual behavior needs to be confronted. Ad-

dressing the issue at this stage is a humanitarian
alternative to abortion. Psychological and
physical complications for both the male and
female in\'olved are eliminated.

Rarsing funds to care for needy mothers and
unwanted children is the same old "after the
fact" we've done historically. It is in fact con-
doning this sexual behavior and the birth of an
unwanted child. Are we subconsciously valuing
birth and creation of new life above responsible
personal behavior? Why is it more difficult for
us to deal with peoples' self-destructive behavior
than to spend endless time and money patching
up something that could have been prevented?
Mary Hays
Des Moines, Iowa

THANKS FOR THE CALL'

I have been aware of the "New Call to
Peacemaking," and realized it was important.
Bui our work, and my own life, is secular.
Perhaps il was not until I looked at the good
coverage in New.siteek that 1 felt moved to tell
you how encouraged 1 have been by that call. In
recent years I have almost gotten used to
"radical shock" coming out of the Catholic
Church and have more than once felt that the
historic peace churches were content with what
they had already achieved.

It is never possible, in this world, for a person
or a group or a nation to change only its own
life. Inevitably such change affects others. And
how desperate just now is the need for your
collective call, in the aftermath of the tragedies
in Guyana and San Francisco — and the con-
tinuing commitment of the great powers to the
organized, methodical murder of the human
race. Thanks for that call — the spirit in which it
was issued helps revive the spirits of us all.

David McReynolds
War Resisters League
New York, N.Y.

LET GOD LEAD THE WAY

Certainly Me.ssencer is a magazine with
varied ideas, thoughts and actions, largely of the
Brethren faith. I agree with Olden D. Mitchell
(Letters, October) that "every member needs
Messenger."

However, it is sickening to be constantly bom-
barded with the seemingly important issues of
ERA and gays.

Messenger is an excellent publication trying
to please all, but we need more constructive
writers to stand firm in building a better world
for generations to follow. As Arnold B. Sturgill
writes (Opinions, October), "We have already
compromised too many times with Satan and
each time the church has been the loser."

I challenge all God-fearing persons to
reverently reread Mr. Sturgill's article, and then
ask themselves, "Am I committing spiritual
suicide?"

Let's put God first, and always let God lead
the way.

Raymond B. Hoff
Spring Grove, Pa.

oXoYoT"?(o

A

ntarw Fleal

Ironically, Diane

February Me.ssenger In Touch story
told how two sisters. Sheila Russell and
Connie Allen, had been reunited after their
adoption 17 years before. We felt some in-
volvement in the sisters' story, since it was
a 1961 Messenger ad that had led to their
adoption and separation.

The In Touch story ended poignantly,
expressing the sisters' fond hope that some
day another miracle would happen to help
them find the third sister, Diane.

The miracle happened! When the
Marshall Leslies of
the Lick Creek
Church of the Breth-
ren in Bryan, Ohio,
read their February
Messenger, they in-
stantly recognized
that the "lost" sister
was their own
adopted daughter,
Diane. A few calls
was all that were
necessary to reunite
the three sisters by
telephone January 27.
was living only 10 miles from Connie's
parents, Alvin and Myrtle Kintner.

Diane is married to Ken Pleat and the cou-
ple has a 6-month-old daughter. Of the re-
union with Connie and Sheila, Diane says,
"We talked on the phone until 1 a.m. It was
wonderful and it is a relief to know they are
well and happy."

She goes on, "It is remarkable that it was
through Messenger that we were separated
and now have been reunited. For anyone in
doubt, God still performs miracles when we
put everything in his hands and believe."

Next month's Messenger will be a
special issue on the theme. "The Human
Face of Justice." The entire magazine will
be devoted to stories about Brethren in-
volvement in justice issues, and, hopefully,
will put a human face on a concern that is
vital for all who truly try to fulfill the
duties that the Lord doth require. Former
Messenger editor Ken Morse will explore
European prisons which held early
Brethren in "In Heart and Conscience
Free." Howard Royer will survey the
"Brethren Response and Involvement in
Justice Issues." Our May personality
feature is on a Brethren mother arrested
and convicted for demonstrating against
the manufacture of nuclear weapons that
threaten the future of her children.
Messenger's Steve Simmons will be the
writer of that story of Jean Zimmerman. —
The Editors.

April 1979 messenger 1

ini^fiT^

Earl Kurtz: From campus to pulpit

"Earl Kurtz is an unusual combina-
tion of minister and businessman. He
is equally competent behind a pulpit
on Sunday morning and across the
desk from an architect on Monday."
Thus does Clifford B. Huffman,
chairman of the Elizabethtown
College Board of Trustees, describe
the man who last year retired as
treasurer of the college for 21 years.

Working under four presidents,
Kurtz presided over the expansion of
the Elizabethtown campus from 60 to
1 10 acres and the construction of
eight new buildings. In addition,
current president Mark C. Ebersole
credits the former treasurer with
maintaining the institution's solvency
in a period in which many private
colleges suffered financial dilemmas.

Earl Kurtz's service to Elizabeth-
town College is but one half of a life
that continues to be devoted to the
church. Prior to his campus post the
Richland, Pa., native spent 17 years
with the Brethren Publishing House
in Elgin, 111., of which he was
manager. It was under his leadership
that the denomination secured the
land on which the present General
Offices are located. With that move
the Publishing House merged with
the Church of the Brethren General
Board and Kurtz accepted the
treasurer's position at his alma mater.

Labeling himself "a victim of the
Pennsylvania Dutch work ethic,"
Earl Kurtz has not "retired." In addi-
tion to serving as chairman of the
board of the Elizabethtown church
and a member of the Camp Swatara
trustees, he currently is interim
pastor for a new Church of the
Brethren fellowship, Lampeter, in
Pennsylvania's Lancaster County.

"It is a new and challenging ex-
perience for me," he says excitedly.
"I've done pulpit work all along, but
I have no seminary training. I'm in
over my head, working intimately

2 MissisciiR April 1979

with a group of people who have
varied backgrounds and whose needs
run the gamut. It sort of scares me."

His "nervousness" has not ham-
pered the organization and growth of
the new church, however. A recent
baptismal service brought the
membership to 49. Sunday morning

attendance runs as high as 90.

Will Earl Kurtz really retire in
1980 when his wife, Esther, termi-
nates her public school teaching
career? "Oh, that's still uncertain," he
answers, with a dreamy look in his
eye. "We're sort of looking toward
volunteer service — and I expect we'll
try that." — F.W.S.

Cyndi H inkle: Headstarti |

"I see my career choice as definitely a
helping profession, an opportunity to
vividly portray needs and problems
in society. I enjoy doing in-depth
things which people can see and say.
'Wow. 1 didn't know it was like that.'
It is said that a picture is worth a
thousand words, and I believe it. If
you can see a photo you have the ob-
vious proof that it's true."

Cyndi Hinkle. an 18-year-old high
school senior in Middletown, Md.,
can talk on and on about the joy and
purpose she is finding in photo-
journalism, which she intends to
make her vocation. Already accepted
in the school of journalism at West
Virginia University this fall, Cyndi is
gaining valuable experience which
should give her a headstart in the
profession.

Through her high school work-
study program Cyndi works four
days a week for the Frederick News-
Post as an intern photographer. Her
shots of people, environmental con-
cerns and human interest events fre-
quently make the front page.

Occasionally she is given a special
assignment such as a recent series of
pictures depicting teenage problems.
Another of Cyndi's published pic-
tures, showing a pregnant woman be-
ing e\icted from a city-owned hous-
ing project, resulted in attention from
the city to the woman's housing
plight. "I felt I helped her." Cyndi
recalls with joy.

Even though she is hea\ily in-
volved with her work and school,
Cyndi is acti\e in church ministries.
She is vice-president of the Mid-
Atlantic District youth cabinet, and
she is helping to illustrate both a pic-
torial director) and a history for her
home church, the Frederick Church
of the Brethren. For the latter proj-
ect she is photographing several
showcase artifacts as well as the
church's stained glass windows.

loto-joumalism

She also has been able to use can-
, did photograhy in other ways
around the church, such as getting a
photo of her youth group's Christmas
tree project on the News-Posi's front
page. "They sold all their trees!" she
reports.

Cyndi's interest in photography
and journalism began in the ninth
grade. A subsequent conversation
between her father, Darl Hinkle, and
Mid-Atlantic District executive, Don
Rowe, resulted in Cyndi's being
chosen as volunteer assistant to the
Communications Team at Annual
Conference in Indianapolis last year.
There she helped publish the daily
newssheet, assisted with press
releases, and shared in other tasks
within the busy Conference press

room. "It was a valuable experience
for me," she states. "I learned the
other side of communication, and it
helped me confirm my career
choice." — F.W.S.

Ottie Decoursey: 'Brethrenism' in person

Would you like to see "Brethrenism"
translated into human form? Follow
Ottie Decoursey of Nampa, Idaho,
around for a few days. Now 86, her
years of dedication to service to
others has made her the embodiment
of the Brethren way of life.

Ottie grows flowers — scads of
flowers — with which she makes bou-
quets for shut-ins, taking them when
she goes to visit those lonely people.
Ottie thinks the Lord's house should
be asthetically pleasing, so years ago
she accepted the responsibility of
having flowers on the altar of the
church every Sunday of the year.
When flowers are not in season she
still manages to find them, somehow.

Ottie is always at the church for
whatever is going on. Now with im-
paired hearing, she says, "I can't
always hear, but you know I'm for
you." She is continually thinking of
ways to give people encouraging
strokes.

When a family is in need, Ottie
arrives with groceries, clothing,
canned food, meat — whatever is
appropriate — along with good, solid
motherly advice. Groups within the
church have learned to channel their
helping ministries through Ottie
because they trust her judgment to
know what is really needed and the
best way to give it.

Her garden in the summer is pur-
posely much too big for her alone so
that she has plenty to share. Ad-
ditionally, when she hears that other
gardeners have an excess of
vegetables or fruit she goes with her
baskets and boxes to gather it for
freezing or canning to be used when
someone is in need.

Ottie collects used grease, the
cooking fat variety, a project which
has been hers for many years. The
women of the church bring their jars
of grease to the local recycling center,
which collects it for Ottie. Originally

she used the drippings to make soap.
Now she sells it to a local firm, with
the money going for relief.

To Ottie, money is a means of
helping people, so she sells aluminum
cans in addition to the grease and has
had many other money-making proj-
ects over the years. One of the more
unique was selling gopher tails for 25
cents each, gophers which she, of
course, had trapped.

Her energy puts younger people to
shame. She drives her car, some-
times pulling a trailer to pick up odds
and ends of wood for burning in her

own stove or someone else's.

For several years she was summer
manager of Camp Stover, living in a
little cabin on the camp grounds, and
she has had a long tenure as a Sun-
day school teacher in the Nampa
church.

Ottie Decoursey's understanding of
what it means to be Brethren and
what it means to be Christian sends
her out to take care of God's human
family. — Dorris Blough

nnrn\ Bli'liiih /,n a nwmht'r i>/ t/w Nampa (Idaho)
uintiretianon ami a /nniwr nirnihtr oj the Church of
I hi' Brethren General Boar J.

April 1979 MFSSENGER 3

BVSers explore projects
liberation of oppressed

Twenty-nine Brethren Volunteer Service
workers from 12 states and the District of
Columbia, met recently in Oregon, 111., for
an in-service retreat, midway through their
project assignments.

Led by Wil Nolen, coordinator of com-
munity development ministries and
SHARE director, one part of the retreat
focused on "Liberation and Development
with Oppressed People."

Nolen took the participants through a
series of exercises, simulation games and
discussions.

Following an exercise in which BVSers
drew up their visions of a "good world,"
Nolen painted a gloomy picture of the
present world.

"Defense is by far our highest priority,"
said Nolen. "A major percentage of the
current national debt has been incurred in
war and billions of dollars now go to war
vets. Our foreign aid is only $8.2 billion
and most of that is in military sales."

One evening Nolen presented his assess-
ment of the US aid record and its image
abroad, particularly in the Third World.

"These nations get less support from the
US than other developed nations, and that
aid is linked with new-colonialism — part of
the extension of US influence and power.
We aid these nations to present a good im-
age to corporations — US wealth is at the
expense of the Third World."

As positive aspects Nolen noted Presi-
dent Carter's human rights stance, the
historic peace churches' peace position and
programs of voluntary agencies supervised
by Third World peers.

The other portion of the retreat was
devoted to project sharing. Each volunteer
made a collage of their project and ex-
plained it to the entire group.

Marrianne Schwartzmann, of
Switzerland, works for the National
Moratorium of Prison Construction in
Washington, D.C. Her collage showed the
sun streaking through prison bars and a
mouse (herselO nibbling at the bars. Said
she of her project, "They accept my
English."

Patti Moser and Colleen Sholly work at
a charity hospital in Mississippi, be-
coming intensely aware of race problems,
"It's hard to be a Christian there." said
Sholly. "This tear (on her collage) is for the
hospital, the area and me. "You learn how
everything should be in college," she add-

Brethren Volunteer Service workers on an inservice retreat outlined their vision of a "good
world. " under the leadership of Wil Nolen (left). The retreat focused on the liberation of
oppressed persons and, later, on the workers' projects.

ed, "It's just not that way, but I am grow-
ing professionally."

Steve Broache and Shirley Rummell
work at Lend-A-Hand in Walker, Ky.
Broach recounted guilt feelings after an ac-
cident with a project car, soon after arriv-
ing in Kentucky. "The director told me,
'What you do here makes up for your mis-
takes.'" He and Rummell both told of the
grateful Appalachians who told them after
each visit, "You'uns stay with us now."
Broache and Rummell always answer with
"We will."

Concluded Broache, "I have often found
myself thinking to the future and looking
at this year as transit — then I realize I'm
being too selfish and not getting all I can
out of the project."

Goals statement draws
response from churches

When encouraged last fall to respond to a
tentative statement of goals for the Church
of the Brethren in the decade ahead, ap-
proximately 15 percent of all congrega-
tions did so. according to figures available
from the committee coordinating the
denominational goal-setting process.

In late autumn, an invitation went out to
congregations and districts to respond to
the tentative goals statement, "God calls us
in the spirit and peace of Christ to do
justice, to love tenderly and to walk
humbly." Each of the three phrases (to do
justice, to love tenderly and to walk
humbly) incorporated several other, more
specific goals.

General Secretary Bob Neff, whose of-

fice has collated the responses, says, the
comments were basically affirmative and
positive with many churches expressing
their appreciation for the opportunity for
involvement. A Bible study small group
approach was suggested and Neff reports
that this approach sparked continuing
Bible study in several congregations.

"People raised the right questions." Neff
points out. The importance of those
questions is demonstrated by the revised
statement, to be published as part of the
1979 Annual Conference Booklet.

Congregations and district boards in all
but two districts responded to the state-
ment. Florida Puerto Rico District had the
highest response with nearly 44 percent of
its congregations commenting. In five par-
ticipating districts, however, less than 10
percent of the congregations responded.
The persons collating the responses noted
that many of the first responses were from
relatively small congregations.

Neff is quick to point out that establish-
ing a statement of goals for the 1980s is
only the first step of a two-step process.
The second step is to translate the goals
into specific objectives and program.

In preparation for their own participa-
tion in the goals process, members of the
General Board staff have been engaged
since the first of the year in group Bible
studs of the texts mentioned in the goals
statement. As was the case in congrega-
tional settings, the texts have provoked
thought and discussion among the people
in\olved.

Delegates to Annual Conference in Seat-
tle will Note on the statement as it appears
in the Conference Booklet.

4 \ii SSI S(,| K April 1979

UN disarmament talk
buoys representative

Church of the Brethren United Nations
Representative Shantilal Bhagat has com-
pleted his first year at that international
organization with the close of the 33rd
General Assembly session in February.

Midway through his two-year assign-
ment with the Salvation and Justice
program, Bhagat, who has focused on dis-
armament issues, is pleased with the record
42 disarmament-related resolutions passed
during the session.

"Nations are beginning to see the linkage
between the $400 billion spent annually on
world arms and the development levels of
nations," Bhagat reports. "That those
resources are not available for constructive
and humanitarian uses is disgraceful."

Among the resolutions Bhagat considers
most important is one introduced by India
which "declares that nuclear weapons are a
violation of the Charter of the United
Nations and a crime against humanity and
the use of nuclear weapons should
therefore be prohibited." The United States
voted against the resolution.

The US abstained from a resolution set-
ting 1982 as the year for the second Special
Session on Disarmament, and voted
against a resolution calling for "nuclear
states" to refrain from placing nuclear arms
on territories "where there are no such
weapons at the present." Russia and its
allies voted for the resolution.

"Governments of developing and Third
World nations," says Bhagat, "have a feel-
ing that superpowers, constantly building
their arsenals, are unreasonable — they feel
helpless. They have no say, but would suf-
fer the consequences if such weapons were
unleashed. This attitude is reflected in the
resolutions," he says.

The resolution which prompted the most
debate, five hours worth, was introduced
by Jamil M. Baroody, Ambassador of
Saudi Arabia, calling on the General
Assembly to make a film on the horrors of
war.

Baroody argued that "a film of grim
footage of past wars could help educate the
young and remind those in power not to
formulate policies with no restraints."

At the General Assembly vote, the US
tried unsuccessfully to have the matter
transferred to another committee and final-
ly abstained along with the USSR.

"The United Nations is important for
Church of the Brethren presence at this

time in history," says Bhagat. "The issues
facing it are ones that have always held
church interest."

"I believe that we as church NGOs (Non-
Governmental Organizations) are making
important contributions."

This is evidenced in a resolution dealing
with conscientious objection passed in the
General Assembly (a first for the UN). "It
recognizes the right of all persons to refuse
service in military or police forces which
are used to enforce apartheid."

Says Bhagat, "It has a narrow focus and
is not a blanket statement, but it is a begin-
ning, and it came from religious NGOs.

"Governments of the member nations
are realizing the role of these agencies," he
says. This resolution even calls on NGOs
"to provide all necessary assistance to such
persons (COs).

"The UN staff and member delegations
are beginning to realize that public opinion
is important. NGOs definitely represent a
segment of the public," says Bhagat.

Ecumenical coalition
offered mill purchase

The Ecumenical Coalition of the Mahon-
ing Valley has received an offer to purchase
a mill it has been striving to put back in
operation since the mill's last-September
closing.

A letter from Gordon Hall, president of
the Western Division of Jones and
Laughlin Steel Corp. informed the coali-
tion, about 250 religious leaders in the
Youngstown (Ohio) area, that it could
purchase the Campbell Works of the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company for
$16 million. The letter also states that for
an additional $7 million the coalition could
buy other steel facilities to be closed in the
future.

When the mill was first closed last year.

San Francisco vote may
foretell national trend

The vast number of returns from last
November's general election obscured the
vote on a San Francisco proposition which
The Progressive says may be the first of its
kind ever presented to an American elec-
torate.

The backers of Proposition V — the
"Jobs with Peace" initiative — asked voters

with a loss of 4,000 jobs, the coalition
formed under the leadership of Bishop
James W. Malone of the Catholic Diocese
and formulated a response (See Outlook,
June 1978 Messenger).

Part of that initial plan was a $25,000-
study to determine if profitable reopening
with a community/worker owned system,
or converting to another product would be
feasible. The Carter Administration has
given the coalition a 5300,000 grant to con-
tinue the study.

Father Edward A. Stanton, executive
director of the coalition, termed the offer
"interesting." He declined to comment on
the figure, though the ecumenical coalition
had discussed a $15-million purchase price
for the Campbell Works.

Stanton noted that the coalition will
counsel with production experts to deter-
mine if the offer to sell includes necessary
equipment to begin production.

The coalition has sought a federal grant
of $15 million from the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, plus
$300 million in guaranteed federal loans to
begin operation.

Governor of Ohio James A. Rhodes has
promised to introduce legislation granting
the coalition an additional $10 million.

Father Stanton believes the coalition
could purchase the mill with a combination
of all the funding.

Coalition members have charged that the
Campbell Works were closed without any
advance warning to the area or its workers
and called the closing irresponsible because
the Lykes Corporation officials, "showed
little compassion for the workers' welfare
or the economic effect on the community."
It is estimated that about 1,200 workers are
still unemployed, about 1.000 have retired
(some earlier than expected), another
1,000 have found other jobs (many earning
less money) and about 1,000 have left the
area.

to demand that the Federal government cut
the military budget and put the money into
productive jobs and services. Supporters
cited the fact that the average San Fran-
ciscan pays $670 a year in taxes for
military spending. The proposition
passed — by a 61 percent margin.

Although the San Francisco vote is but
one voice. The Progressive notes with in-
terest that, a decade ago, San Francisco
was the first American city to pass a
declaration against the Vietnam war.

April 1979 MESSENGER 5

Disarmament program
new WCC priority

The Central Committee of the World
Council of Churches has adopted a new
program called Programme for Disarma-
ment and Against Militarism and the Arms
Race. Approved during the January
meeting of the Central Committee in
Kingston, Jamaica, the program reflects
growing WCC awareness of and interest in
the problem of increasing worldwide
militarism and the arms race.

Attending the Central Committee
meeting as an adviser to this recommenda-
tion was Lamar Gibble, General Board in-
ternational affairs consultant. Gibble had
chaired earlier consultations which resulted
in the proposal of this program and
provided background materials.

The recommendation, which was ap-
proved unanimously, places the program in
the Council's Unit on Justice and Service
and directs that it "be pursued as a matter
of highest priority to the WCC, the
churches and the world."

Gibble points out that the preface to the
document contains phrases familiar to
Brethren. The preface reads, in part,
"Security for humanity has its true basis in
the loving will of God, who desires that
none shall perish and that all should enjoy
the fulness of life ... It is the prophetic
duty of Christians to lift the cloak of
secrecy which covers the militarist enter-
prise and to challenge the idols it has
erected in our midst."

The program is expected to stimulate
study on the subject of militarism, sharing
of information and experience among
church groups at every level, support for
church activism on these issues, and ex-
pressions of concern to governments and
agencies such as the United Nations, dib-
ble expects the program to initiate further
study of the biblical and theological bases
for disarmament.

Other items facing the Central Com-
mittee at the meeting included discussion
of the $85,000 grant to the Zimbabwe
Liberation Front from the Programme to
Combat Racism and the Council's con-
tinuing financial crisis. Although some par-
ticipants were critical of the way in which
the Zimbabwe grant was announced, the
Committee affirmed the grant and the
PCR goals. Discussion of the financial
crisis centered around a projected deficit of
more than three million Swiss francs (near-
ly $2 million).

Rhoades appointed head
of World Ministries

Ruby Rhoades has been named executive
secretary of the World Ministries Commis-
sion. She is the first woman appointed to
one of the denomination's top executive
posts, a position which also includes
responsibilities as one of three associate
general secretaries.

Rhoades appointment will become effec-
tive Jan. I. 1980, when the term of
Kenneth E. McDowell, who has held the
position since November 1977, is conclud-
ed. As head of WMC, Rhoades, 55. will
administer programs of volunteer service.

peace witness, disaster response, the Wash-
ington Office, development programs for
disadvantaged persons in the US. and
Brethren involvement in mission on six
continents.

Since 1977, Rhoades has served the de-
nomination as its Washington Office
representative, presenting to government
personnel and agencies the positions of the
denomination and reporting to the church
on the significance of various government
actions. In 1946 she and her husband, Ben-
ton, were the first Brethren missionaries
sent to Ecuador. They served 12 years, co-
founding the Brethren rural development
program there.

Rhoades studied at Manchester College
and at Bethany Theological Seminary. She
and her husband have three daughters and
one son, all living away from home.

McDowell, whom Rhoades -succeeds, has
served the denomination more than 25
years. He had accepted the executive posi-
tion while the search continued for a long-
term executive who would fulfill the
Board's affirmative action guidelines,
which called for the employment of a
woman or minority person in one of the
top positions by 1980. He will continue to
work for the Board until his retirement
date in June 1980.

Couple's gift prompts
generosity of others

Following their decision in late sumer 1978
to give more than $400,000 to Church of
the Brethren-related institutions. Bill and
Miriam Weybright Cable of Syracuse, Ind.,
have committed an additional $100,000 to
Bethany Seminary and have prompted
other gifts of more than $107,000.

Among their previous gifts to the
General Board, Manchester College. Uni-
\ersity of La Verne, Timbercrest Home
and Bethany Hospital was a gift of ap-
proximately $105,000 to Bethany Theo-
logical Seminary to begin the endowment
of a Wieand Chair of New Testament
Studies. The chair is to be named in honor
of the seminary's co-founder, A.C. Wieand,
and his son, David J. Wieand, currently
professor of biblical studies at Bethany.

The Cables expressed the hope that
others would join them in giving $300,000
to $400,000 needed to fully endow an
academic chair. Indeed, within a few
months, an additional $5,000 had been

contributed by others.

Rather than wait for more to give,
however, the Cables decided to help build
momentum for the project. Their gift of
another $100,000 for the endowment was
contingent on one thing — that members of
Bethany's Board of Directors, President's
Council, and seminary faculty and staff
contribute a matching amount.

Floyd McDowell, Bethany's director of
development, reports that in little more
than a month from the time these persons
were told of the Cables' request, more than
$107,000 had been committed with nearly
half the amount paid. More than 40 per-
sons and family units in the three specified
groups responded. The Cables hope other
persons in the church will also respond to
their gift to complete the endowment.

As the seminary has made the final pay-
ment of the campus debt and approaches
the 75th anniversary of its founding, Mc-
Dowell notes, "The task of training men
and women for ministry is strengthened by
this new joining of teachers, ministers and
laypersons — inspired b>' just two — in a
clear reaffirmation of Christ's calling."

6 \iiAsi N(.i K April W9

Encyclopedia funding
nears halfway point

The Board of Directors of the Brethren En-
cyclopedia report that funding for the
cooperative venture of five Brethren bodies
has neared the halfway mark with $70,000
received as of mid-February.

Dale Ulrich, dean of Bridgewater
College and Brethren representative to the
Board of Directors, says $150,000 will be
needed to support the editorial and print-
ing costs of the projected three-volume en-
cyclopedia. He reports the board hopes the
additional $80,000 can be raised by June 3
(Pentecost), the date of the annual meeting
of the Old German Baptist Brethren.

Editorial work is being done by Donald
F. Durnbaugh, professor of church history
at Bethany Theological Seminary, under
the guidance of a committee drawn from
each of the participating bodies: the
Brethren Church, Church of the Brethren,
Dunkard Brethren, Fellowship of Grace
Brethren Churches and the Old German
Baptist Brethren.

Persons wishing to make contributions
may send them to Brethren Encyclopedia,
Inc., 661 1 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia,
PA 19119.

Church as tax collector
protested by Mennonites

Delegates attending a special meeting of
the General Conference Mennonite Church
in Minneapolis in February voted to
launch a vigorous campaign to exempt the
church from acting as a tax collector for
the state. The 500 delegates at the con-
ference, called to discern the Christian re-
sponse to militarism, passed the resolution
by a nine to one margin.

A central focus of discussion was tax
resistance already being practiced among
Mennonites and the request of one such
person, a General Conference employee,
that the church stop withholding war taxes
from her wages. The General Board denied
her request because it is illegal for an
employer not to act as a tax collector for
the Internal Revenue Service.

Delegates affirmed that decision but in-
structed the General Board to vigorously
search for legal avenues to exempt the
church from collecting taxes so individuals
employed by the church would be free to
follow their own conscience.

REUNION FOR BVSers ... A third annual reunion for former BVS-
ers is planned June 17 at the Pleasant View church, Lima,
Ohio. Morning worship is at 10:30 a.m. with a carry-in meal
at noon. A time for fellowship and a program are scheduled
for the afternoon. For details, write Paul Myers , 4520 Beech-
wood Ave., N.E., Paris, OH 44669.

PEOPLE YOU KNOW . . . 01 in J. Mason, formerly administrator
of Lebanon Valley Brethren Home in Palmyra, Pa., has accepted
the position of director of church relations with Bethany
Hospital in Chicago. He will work with districts and congre-
gations to implement the 1978 Annual Conference decision per-
mitting Bethany Hospital to seek $2 million in financial sup-
port from the Brethren. Mason's office is in the United
Church of Christ Homes, 550 E. Main St. , Annville, Pa. . . .
Moderator-elect William Eberly , Manchester College professor
of biology, has been reappointed to the Indiana Pesticide Re-
view Board where he has served since 1971 .... Earl H.
Kurtz, who retired in April 1978 from the position of Eliza-
bethtown College treasurer, has been appointed Treasurer
Emeritus by the Board of Trustees. ... A deacon of the
Greensburg church (Western Pennsylvania District) and modera-
tor of the Monroeville church, William R^. Davis has been ap-
pointed secretary of Pennsylvania's Department of Community
Affairs by newly-elected governor Richard Thornburgh. Davis
will administer the state's smallest department but one which
administers a budget of $57.6 million, mostly in federal and
state grants to local communities. . . . James O. Eikenberry ,
pastor of the Bethel church, Carleton, Neb. , has been elected
president of Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska. . . . Rowan
Keim Daggett, associate professor of English at Manchester
College, has been appointed associate academic dean of that
institution. . . . When Mary Faw sought to be licensed to the
ministry in the Western Plains District, the district minis-
terial commission which interviewed her included at least one
member with a unique vantage point. Among persons interview-
ing her was her grandson, Tom Faw Neher , a McPherson College
freshman and three-year member of the district board. Faw
was licensed in the Quinter, Kan. , church Dec. 10.

SCHOLARSHIP TO BE ENDOWED

An endowed scholarship fund

with a $10,000 minimum goal has been established at Bridge-
water College in memory of Richard D_. Obenshain , a 1956 grad-
uate who died in a plane crash in the summer of 1978 while
campaigning as the Virginia Reptiblican nominee for the US
Senate. When the fund is established, it will provide an an-
nual scholarship award to a Bridgewater senior interested in
a career in public service. Contributions may be sent to the
college in care of the development office.

ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN

In a letter to the editor

of MESSENGER in March 1978, retired pastors were invited to
come to Alabama, enjoy the climate and help out small congre-
gations needing pastoral leadership. Members of Cedar Creek
church, Citronelle, Ala., have written again, this time to
pxoblicly thank Chalmer and Faye Pilling of Johnstown, Pa. ,
who answered that request for three months this winter.

April 1979 MKssFSGfR 7

[!i]fo)@(§

GENERAL BOARD ... braved northern Illinois' wintry weather to
meet at the Elgin offices Feb. 21-24. A number of Board mem-
bers joined employees and other Brethren to spend a cold
afternoon protesting an arms exhibit at the nearby O'Hare In-
ternational Exposition Center (see pages 10-11) before the
meetings got underway. A pleasant break in the especially
heavy agenda was the annual Board-employee dinner where 11
employees were honored for their years of service.

REJOICED

in the appointment of Ruby Rhoades to the

position of executive secretary of the World Ministries Com-
mission effective Jan. 1, 1980 (see page 6).

SPOKE FOR JUSTICE ... by calling upon the Nestle Corpora-
tion to change its aggressive marketing practices of infant
formula in developing nations where the substitution of for-
mula for breast milk has been linked to a high rate of infant
illness and death. The Board endorsed the boycott of Nestle
products, asking its offices and agencies to observe the boy-
cott. Congregations and members were called upon to study
the underlying issues and to stop buying Nestle products.

RECOMMENDED TO ANNUAL CONFERENCE . . . the report of the com-
mittee studying Annual Conference elections; a revised state-
ment of denominational Goals for the 80' s; new goals for con-
gregational giving in support of denominational program; and
the recommendation that Conference establish a goal of doub-
ling by the end of the next decade the percentage of total
income Brethren give through all agencies of the church.

TABLED

a proposed resolution from World Ministries

Commission on SALT II which affirmed the SALT process but did
not advocate Senate ratification of the SALT II treaty. Also
tabled until June the recommendation that the report of the
committee studying human sexuality from a Christian perspec-
tive be accepted by the Board and circulated for study prior
to presentation at the 1980 Conference.

STUDIED MISION MUTUA

in a joint Parish/World Ministries

Commission meeting. In addition to increasing its theological
and philosophical understanding of the new program, the group
learned that the Provisional Committee has had promising con-
versations with a denomination in the Caribbean.

GENERAL SERVICES COMMISSION

approved a statement on

editorial freedom and responsibility in the church; discussed
financing for the 1980' s; witnessed demonstrations of new com-
puter and typesetting equipment.

PARISH MINISTRIES COMMISSION

engaged in dialog with

representatives of the Womaen's Caucus; approved four new
capital loans; became a participant in United Ministries in
Education, an ecumenical program working with public schools.

WORLD MINISTRIES COMMISSION

previewed staff reports

for Annual Conference; discussed the future of BVS with em-
phasis on effective recruitment and orientation.

8 Missi \GKR April 1979

Disaster coordinators
share ideas at seminar

Widening their vision of disaster response,
being reminded of the Brethren role in the
aid operation, and sharing insights and
fellowship with each other were among
items discussed by the district disaster
coordinators when they met at the
Brethren Service Center. New Windsor.
Md.. for their annual seminar in February.

During their opening sharing period, the
27 coordinators representing 18 districts
spoke enthusiastically about the kinds of
response persons in their districts provided
in 1978 — ranging from joining in flood
clean-up efforts to providing mental-health
counseling for victims of tragedy.
Strengthening the network of congre-
gational disaster response coordinators was
also a main focus of the seminar and
several district persons reported that Jan
Thompson, director of disaster network
development and projects coordinator, was
working with them on training events.

Although Brethren in 1978 continued to
be active in major disaster response efforts,
a number of districts reported increased
work in smaller-scale disasters such as barn
and home fires and other hardships which
deeply touch a small number of persons
who need Christian ministry.

In addition to Thompson, other
denominational staff members addressed
the coordinators. General secretary Bob
Neff gave his vision of a "Mandate for Ser-
vice" during an open session the first eve-
ning of the seminar. Using several New
Testament scriptures to build his case. Neff
said. "Service is response, h is putting
oneself in another's shoes — totally." Ken
McDowell, executive of the World
Ministries Commission, and Mac Coffman.
director of service ministries, were also on
hand for dialog with the coordinators.

One day of the seminar was spent in
Washington, D.C.. where Thompson had
arranged stops at the national headquarters
of the American Red Cross and the
Federal Disaster Assistance Administra-
tion, two agencies with whom Brethren
work closely in some relief efforts.

At the Red Cross, the group was greeted
by Elouise Waite. acting vice-president for
disaster services, who said. "The Brethren
and the Red Cross need to trade on our
good reputations — both our agencies are
well-regarded." Spending a major amount
of time with the Brethren were Bryce
Torrence. national director of disaster

services for the Red Cross, and Bob
Vessey, deputy director.

At the Federal Disaster Assistance Ad-
ministration, group members had the op-
portunity to taii< with Bill Wilco.x, director
of the FDAA, and with Dick Sanderson,
director of individual assistance. Both ex-
pressed the belief that voluntary agencies
such as the church can often do the work
of disaster relief better than the federal
government and expressed their gratitude
for the involvement of the Brethren in dis-
aster response.

The coordinators also took care of some
business items, approving for the first time
a job description for the position of district
disaster coordinator and a statement on
ethical standards for volunteers.

Appalachia work camp
open to BVSers, others

Helping to meet the needs of persons in
Appalachia and learning about the culture
and difficulties of the region will be com-
bined in a three-week work camp July 15
through Aug. 5. Set in the Flat Creek and
Mud Lick areas of Clay County, Ky., the
work camp is a joint project of Brethren
Volunteer Service and SHARE.

The greatest need in the area is for house
construction and remodeling and most
work campers will be involved in these
projects. Some opportunities to work in
community services also exist. Local
organizations involved are the Kentucky
Mountain Housing Development Corpora-
tion and the Flat Creek Church of the
Brethren.

Evening and weekend programing will
introduce participants to the art, literature,
music and problems of the area. Both for-
mal and informal contacts with the people
of the area will be part of the program. The
SHARE program is making possible this
intercultural aspect of the experience.

Work campers will stay in a local church
and cooking will be done by the group.
The only expense to the participants is
transportation to and from Kentucky.

The three-week work camp is set within
a five-week BVS orientation unit and is
open to a limited number of persons not
intending to enter Brethren Volunteer
Service. The BVS staff notes, however, that
for persons who have considered BVS but
who are not ready to make a commitment,
the work camp may be "an excellent way
to get a taste of the program."

Only a limited number of persons can be

accepted and applications must be re-
ceived by May 15. The program is open to
persons 18 and older. For further informa-
tion write Brethren Volunteer Service, 1451
Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

Elgin offices lose two;
three others join staff

Two long-time members of the General
Board staff have submitted their
resignations and three new persons have
been hired to fill other staff vacancies.

Gwendolyn Bobb, who has served the
past two years as coordinator of historical
resources, announced in January her plans
to begin early retirement following the
1979 Annual Conference. Bobb came to
the General Offices in 1959 as ad-
ministrative assistant and worked in that
capacity in the Ministry and Home Mis-
sion Commission staff, and later, the
General Services commissions. After her
resignation becomes effective, Bobb plans
to do freelance research in Brethren history
and genealogy.

Resigning from the General Services
Commission staff is Ronald D. Retry, who
has served 10 years as a member of the
Stewardship Enlistment Team. Retry has
accepted the call of the Sebring, Fla., con-
gregation to become its pastor beginning
Aug. I. The move marks a return to the
pastorate for Retry who had been pastor of
the Kokomo, Ind., church before coming
to the General Board staff in 1969. During
his tenure with the Board, he served a
three-year term as one of six vice-
presidents of the National Council of
Churches. He and his wife, Beverly Tobias
Retry, have four children.

Named to a fourth position on the
Stewardship Enlistment Team is Janine
Katonah of Oak Park, 111. The position,
with responsibilities for Direct Gifts, was
created by the General Board at its Oc-
tober meetings. Katonah began her work in
mid-February. A graduate of Juniata
College and the University of Chicago,
Katonah has also studied at Bethany
Theological Seminary and the University

of Strasbourg. Until 1976, she taught high
school French. She was instrumental in
proposing the Global Women's Rroject and
served on the steering committee which
developed the program. She has been ac-
tive in the York Center church, Lombard,
111. She and her husband, John, have two
daughters.

Robert E. Faus has accepted the position
of ministry consultant in the office of per-
sonnel administration beginning May 7.
Faus, who has been pastor of the York
Center congregation in Lombard, III., the
past four years, had previously served 1 1
years in campus ministries at Wichita State
University, Wichita, Kan., and at Juniata
College. In his new position, Faus will be
responsible for matters related to the
development and employment of the
denomination's clergy. A graduate of
Elizabethtown College and Bethany
Theological Seminary, he also has studied
at Union Theological Seminary and San
Francisco Theological Seminary. He is
married to Nancy Rosenberger Faus. They
are the parents of two children.

Appointed to the newly-created position
of health and welfare consultant is Jac-
queline D. Driver, currently associate
professor of psychology at James Madison
University, Harrisonburg, Va. A graduate
of Madison College, Harrisonburg, Driver
earned her doctorate in human develop-
ment from the University of Maryland in
1974. She has studied extensively the needs
of the elderly and has served as a consul-
tant to a number of organizations working
with senior citizens. In her new position
within the Rarish Ministries Commission,
she will be responsible for directing the
denomination's attention to health and
welfare and the needs of the elderly and
will serve as coordinator for the work of
the Church of the Brethren Homes and
Hospital Association. She will begin her
work Aug. I. Married to Richard Rhalen,
she is the mother of four adult children.

In another personnel development, June
A. Miller has moved from an associate staff
to a general staff position with expanded
responsibilities for educational resourcing,
teacher training and editorial tasks.

G^yen .

Janine Kaianah

Jackie Driver

)[p)(t€D@D mpmt

I

The arms bazaar that bombed

by Harriet Z. Blake

Peace people have often been fond of ask-
ing, "What if they gave a war and nobody
came?" In February, "they" gave an arms
bazaar — and almost nobody came. Except
the peace people.

The peace people came in droves. By
some news accounts, they outnumbered
participants in the arms bazaar ten to one
on the show's opening day. And they came
steadily. All four days, the bazaar was
visited by at least a few peace people with a
large contingent of Brethren turning out on
the final day.

The peace people were there because of
their belief, expressed in a leaflet given to
participants in the exhibit, that arms
bazaars promote the sale and production
of arms, arms which contribute to the
spread of terrorism, enlarge arsenals that
already threaten the human race with ex-
tinction, divert resources from economic
and social development, and undermine
security and justice by centering trust in
might rather than in God's saving power.

This particular arms bazaar, "Defense
Technology '79," was advertised as present-
ing the latest concepts and weaponry in the
field of defense technology. A private ex-
hibition, it was closed to the public and the
public media. The organizers anticipated
the presence of speakers, exhibitors and
participants from around the world for the
four-day show Feb. 18-21 at Chicago's
O'Hare International Exposition Center,
located in Rosemont, 111.

Unanticipated, perhaps, were the peace
people. Their presence should have been no

surprise, however, as they began to protest
"Defense Tech" in October.

When the Church of the Brethren staff
first learned of the plans for the arms
bazaar, they drafted a resolution in opposi-
tion to it for the consideration of the
General Board, then finishing its October
meetings. Not only did the Board heartily
endorse the resolution but members also
asked that staff plan an opportunity for
them to express their personal opposition
to the show, knowing that the final day of
Defense Tech and the opening day of the
February Board meetings would coincide.

From October through the days of the
bazaar. Brethren v^orked with a coalition
of more than 50 religious, labor, and civic
organization to protest the bazaar. Coa-
lescing under the Mobilization for Surviv-
al banner, the coalition negotiated long
hours with the Rosemont village officials,
who own the exposition center, and the of-
ficials of Hyatt International whose O'Hare
hotel was hosting part of the bazaar.

Several weeks before Defense Tech was
to open, it became clear the peace people
had lost the fight to have the bazaar
canceled and energies were turned toward
on-the-site protests.

The protest's biggest day was Sunday,
the opening day of the show, when more
than 2,000 protesters from across the cen-
tral United States gathered outside the ex-
hibition center for a peaceful protest.

Although a number of Brethren attended
the Sunday events, Wednesday's vigil was
the focus of Brethren planning. Chicago-
area Friends and Mehnonites worked with
General Board staff to launch the day's ac-

The Bethany Semi-
nary choir, joined by a
few friends, shivered
through a quick re-
hearsal prior to lead-
ing the marchers in
song at the close of the
protest. At left is the
tent which was hotne
to three young peace
church members dur-
ing the four-day ex-
hibition. Peter Haynes.
Ronn Front: and
Doug Wiebe lived in
the tent to keep a 24-
hour vigil on the site.

tion under the New Call to Peacemaking
banner.

All staff, plant and office employees of
the General Board had been given leave to
attend the protest if they desired and a sur-
prisingly large number accepted the offer.
Nose counts on the two full buses indicated
approximately 30 staff members and 17 of-
fice and plant employees participating. In
addition, 10 members of the General Board
took part. A couple of visiting district ex-
ecutives and the children of several
employees rounded out the delegation from
the General Offices. (When joined with
students and faculty from Bethany
Seminary and carloads from the Highland
Avenue (Elgin) and Ivester (Iowa) con-
gregations, the Brethren were about half
Wednesday's group.)

Upon its arrival at the expositon center,
the group joined other protesters for in-
structions before gathering at the police
barricade about 60 feet from the main en-
trance to the building for prayer and a
silent vigil. Slowly, then, the group began
to circle the parking lot in front of the
building, picket signs aloft for the benefit
of the police watching from inside the
building and the few participants straggling
into the exhibition center.

What was going on inside the exhibition
while the protesters witnessed to their con-
victions on that cold, damp February day?
We don't know for sure. Our attempt at
getting inside was unsuccessful. "The ex-
hibition is not open to the general public,"
sniffed the staff member to whom we
spoke.

An enterprising reporter from the
Chicago Sun-Times did manage to get in-
side, however, and in a con\'ersation with
him we learned that what was going on in-
side Sunday, when he was there, was
precious little. "It was very sparsely attend-
ed," Roger Simon said. "No more than
200 were inside at any one time."

The sponsors had ad\ertised more than
100 exhibitors and had promised exhibitors
more than 6,000 participants. "I counted 27
or 28 booths," Simon reported, "a few of
which were empty." A sign on an easel
listed 18 companies which had withdrawn,
including such corporations as Boeing,
GTE Automatic Electric and Rolls Royce,
according to Simon's report. One exhibitor
told Simon he thought they would be for-
tunate to have as many as 700 customers
during the four-day exhibit.

10 MissiAGiK April 1979

Although Brethren and others were in-
itially disappointed that their attempts to
have the bazaar canceled were unsuc-
cessful, the opportunity to witness at the
bazaar was perhaps more significant than
anything else could have been. The Rose-
mont chief commented, "You people won.
You won with your letters and you won
with your protest. It (Defense Technology
79) is a flop."

At the conclusion of the vigil, the 200 or
so protesters gathered again at the police
barricades for silent prayer. Then, with
leadership from the seminary choir, the
group lifted their voices in "And everyone
'neath the vine and fig tree, shall live in
peace and unafraid. . . . And into
plowshares turn their swords, nations shall
learn war no more." And for the first
time that afternoon, as if in blessing, the
sun broke through the grayness of the
skies to warm the singers and their
cause.

The New Call to Peacemaking protest at
Defense Technology '79 began and ended
(above right and below) with marchers
lined up along the police barricades with
their protest signs. A slow, silent march
around the parking lot of the exhibition
center (right) was the afternoon's major
demonstration. The black building in the
foreground is the exposition center housing
the arms bazaar; the Hyatt is in the
background.

THr

. .^S^i^^m.

What Made
D. L. MiUer

Tick?

Businessman, traveler,

writer, editor, missions

enthusiast, D. L. Miller

was, in his day, perhaps the

best known Brethren leader.

How did he manage to get it

all together and accomplish

so much for the church?

D. L. Miller (1841-1921) is known among
Brethren through his years of editing the
Gospel Messenger (1891-1921) and for his
travel books (1892-1912).

Yet beyond the printed page, notes and
anecdotes on fragile note paper and crum-
bling copy book pages reveal a genius in
perception of issues, analysis of problems,
insight into alternatives, foresight concern-
ing outcomes and a clear vision of the
future. Application of these talents
demonstrated the sound judgment that
led his contemporaries to seek and to
heed his counsel.

Aided by proxy

Church people have wondered — How
did D. L. Miller ever get so much done?

12 mi:ssi:ngi:r April 1979

How did he combine his many respon-
sibilities: Gospel Messenger editor, Mt.
Morris College Trustee, Brethren Board of
Foreign Missions, with his personal writing
and traveling?

Surviving correspondence reveals a high-
ly developed network of shared respon-
sibility among late 19th-century Brethren.
Proxies were exchanged in amazing
fashion.

Lifelong relationships, such as that of
D. L. Miller and his brother-in-law Galen
B. Royer, were close and productive. The
delegation — and acceptance — of authority
and the discharge of responsibilities were
stunning.

Examples of the smooth-running
effectiveness of the system include;

Item: Galen B. Royer to General Mis-
sionary and Tract Committee, August 12,
1904. "Bro D. L. Miller has notified me in
writing that he wishes me to vote for him
during the expiration of his term of office."

Item: J. H. B. Williams to Galen B.
Rover, August 24, 1910. "Uncle D. L. says
that if he is correct he has power to vote
for you in your absence and therefore if the
Board concur in acting on the business in
this letter, then 1 shall go ahead and notify
them to that effect before awaiting your
reply. Is that correct?"

Item: "Dear Henry. Yes, Father Miller
takes my place on the Board in my
absence. Let him vote and it will count just
the same. I enclose my vote (form) just to
get the paper out of my way." September 9,

1910, Malmo, Sweden, on General Mission
Board letterhead— /$/ Galen B. Royer to
J. H. B. Williams.

This practice was reversed after protest
late in 1913.

Beneficiary and businessman

To afford world jaunts, years in a row,
donate thousands of dollars to worthy
projects and write journals re-
flecting hours of reading and thought, D. L.
Miller needed talents of investment,
organization, wise budgeting of time and
prudent resource management — all of
which he had.

Migrating from Maryland where his
father was a prosperous grain miller, to
Polo, 111., where he prospered in a grocery
and expanding butter and egg business.
Miller was able to sell out and reinvest
several times at handsome profits to
himself and his associates.

"Those were the days of emigration to
the still farther West — Kansas. Daniel was
a real estate agent who helped to make the
first settlement in Reno County, Kansas."
Royer wrote.

During the 1880s Miller's services to Mt.
Morris College (as business manager), the
General Mission Board and Brethren
publishing concerns profited him and those
he served. In 1886 he developed the En-
dowment Plan that enabled missionary
enterprises for the Brethren.

"I think 1 may, without boasting, lay
claim to being the prime mover in turning
over the Publishing House to the church.
The minutes of 1882 show the committee
to consider the question ... I strongly
urged that the church take over, manage
and control her own publishing interest . . .
to unify the body and make us all the
stronger and that subscription lists would
grow larger and more profit would accrue
to the church" (this proposal was voted
down in successive sessions).

"After the Conference of 1890, the
Brethren Publishing Company was
reorganized and incorporated. ... I in-
sisted that an agreement be made that at
any time the church was ready to take over
the stock, it should be surrendered at par
value, $100 per share. With a single excep-
tion, this was done. One stockholder sold
his ten shares at $200 per share, showing
that those who turned over their stock at

' ^K '■'■■■■ ■■;^'"'i-^-

^^'^

The Millers dispensed hospitality in their home in Mount Morris, III., often dubbed by
visitors. " Dunker Hotel." In 19 14 Miller posed in the front yard with (from left) his sister
Anna Rover, wife Lizzie, and brother-in-law. Galen B. Royer. The Millers loved flower
gardens and birds, witnessed below by the raising of a new martin house.

par donated to the church on each share
not less than $100 or a total of $50,000."
(Miller owned approximately one-third of
the stock.) The transfer was accomplished
in the fall of 1896.

"It was bankrupt when Brother Amick
and I took it up, (but now) the profits were
large and I felt that instead of going into
the pockets of individuals, they should go
into the church to advance the missionary

interests . . . that the profits were beyond
the deservings of the individual stock-
holders."

To explain his philanthropy. Miller told
of a "man at a meeting where an offering
was being taken. The man reached in his
pocket and found a half-dollar. The
tempter said, 'that's too much.' He found a
quarter, and the tempter said, 'that's too
much': Then the man asserted himself and

April 1979 messenger 13

said, 'If you don't shut up, I'll make it a
dollar." That man, of course, was Miller.

Being of independent means for his own
responsibilities. Miller was able to benefit
and counsel others. He gave liberally to the
then established Brethren colleges and
thousands to start an orphanage in Bulsar,
India. By 1915, nearly $75,000 had been
plowed from his "pocket" back into the
work of the Brotherhood.

The magazines combine

Many papers and tracts circulated free-
lance among the 19th century Brethren in
America. Henry Kurtz launched the Gospel
Visitor in April 1851 and, by the 1880s, a
need to consolidate the periodicals, which
printed hostile material denouncing each
other and fiercely served their own con-
stituencies, became obvious.

In 1881, D. L. Miller entered the
publishing business with Joseph Amick,
taking the reins of Brethren at Work,
divesting it of Children at Work and con-
solidating with the Primitive Christian.

The following year. Miller headed an
Annual Meeting committee of Editors in
Consolidation in Milford, Ind. On the first
page of his notes of the June I meeting.
Miller wrote: "... this meeting will en-
courage us as churchmen and will
recognize this paper as the church organ
and give it the influence of the church.

"We the Committee appointed by An-
nual Meeting to confer with the publishers
of the consolidated papers recommend that
for the present the firm continue the
publication of two papers. In the
meanwhile the publisher shall ascertain the
sentiment of the Brotherhood in regard to
having one paper only."

The 1882 Annual Meeting at Bismark
Grove, Kan., approved the Committee's
plan, and in 1883 Primitive Christian,
Pilgrim and Brethren al Work became the
Gospel Messenger.

In their Annual Meeting resolution the
Committee wrote, "The Annual Meeting
shall recognize this paper ... as the official
church paper. We agree to make ourselves
directly amenable to Annual Meeting for
the contents and character of the paper."

On January 1, 1885, D. L. Miller became
office editor and in 1891, editor— a post he
held until his death. He was a dedicated
leader and spokesman for the core doc-
trines of the church. He spoke earnestly of
getting back to primitive Christianity" as

^ri.-*^,** ,

an overriding influence in personal life.

A self-educated man with little formal
schooling, he read extensively in the
classics. One of Miller's earliest memories
involved his love of books and his father.
When a neighbor gave young D. L. a copy
of Thomas Paine 's The Age of Reason, his
father angrily burned the book. Years later
Miller wrote, "I think it was a good thing
for me that I did not read the infidel's book
in my then immature years." And even
though he worked long hours in the family
mill. Miller spent his spare moments read-
ing and studying — never quenching his
thirst for knowledge.

M,

.iller was obsessed with proving the
truth of the Bible. His seven trips abroad,
including five stays in the Holy Land, and
his seven books, were vehicles for proof of
physical evidence of biblical sayings;
relative to this evidence was his desire to
assess the revelation and outcome of
prophecies in the Bible.

In a "Fragments From the Holy City"
entry in an 1899 notebook. Miller wrote,
"No more important question can engage
the mind than that of tracing and setting
forth the evidences of the truth of the Book
of God."

When Miller read church history, he
went to Germany's University of Halle and
enrolled to read church history and policy
from source documents. For this, he
learned the German language. To prepare
for his visits to Egypt he traveled in Lon-
don, studying Egyptology in the British
Museum. Much time and study was spent
ascertaining which of the Pharaohs was
benevolent toward Joseph and which was
the "other Pharaoh," who persecuted the
Children of Israel and pursued them across

Miller was obsessed with
proving the truth of the
Bible. In his trips to the Holy
Land he first prepared him-
self with exhaustive study-
ing of the Bible and archeo-
logical and historical works.
Then he insisted on spend-
ing enough time in each
place he visited to absorb the
spirit and history it exuded.
In 1893 Miller studied this
gate at Ephesus.

the Sea of Grass in their flight.

Believing in learning by seeing, much of
what he learned and later shared with his
Gospel Messenger readers. Miller gleaned
through his vast world travels.

"The traveler travels 6,000 miles to visit
the most interesting country in the world.
It takes ten days hard riding, Damascus to
Jerusalem . . . the intense fatigue robs
them of all pleasure. When they reach the
camping place, they are tired and worn out
and go to bed and sleep until they are
aroused early in the morning to eat a hasty
breakfast and mount their horses for 10 or
12 hours ride. . . . They go away with a
very vague notion about Palestine in
general and Jerusalem in particular. But
they have the satisfaction of saying they
have been in Palestine. Yes! They 'have
been and that's about all there is to it."

This style of travel offended Miller, who
believed in staying in a place long enough
to absord its ambiance — the qualities that
make it special. This was especially true of
the Holy Land. "No one can visit the Holy
Land . . . without being impressed with the
truth of the statement that the Book was
written there, and nowhere else.

Journalist and "author"

D. L. Miller lives for us today as a writer
and editor. His name graced the masthead
of the Gospel Messenger for 36 years, he
was a prolific writer, contributing articles,
news items, pamphlets, commentaries,
devotional materials, tracts and travelog in
a steady stream.

In her biography. The Life of D. L.
Miller, Bess Rover Bates quotes his writing
philosophy as. "First acquire the habit of
thinking clearly, concisely and to the
point. Then express your thoughts in the
simplest and fewest words consistent with

14 Mi.ssi \c.i R April 1979

clearness of expression."

A key to Miller's ability to turn out
voluminous amounts of material was his
wise use of time. Lectures, sermons and
correspondence flowed regularly despite
failing eyesight (his wife aided him
then) and learning to use a "newfangled
machine," the typewriter (he was able to
make carbons, and a file of 5,000 letters
was given to Bates for her biography).

During Annual Meeting resolution
meetings, the notebooks he filled show
Miller's practice of the German grammar
he was studying for his visit to Halle, Ger-
many to read church history in its original
language.

Galen Royer once wrote, "It pleased the
Lord not to give him (Miller) children after
the flesh, but the following (Miller's books)
are the children of his mind and heart." D.
L. Miller's seven books (Letters From Eu-
rope and Bible Lands, 1 884; Wanderings in
Bible Lands, 1893; The Seven Churches of
Asia, 1894; Girdling the Globe, 1898; The
Eternal Verities, 1902; The Other Half of
the Globe, 1906; Some Who Led: Fathers
in the Church of the Brethren [with Galen
B. Royer] 1912); and editorial work attest
to a man concerned with
both journalism and
literature — information and
entertainment.

Miller was proud of the
vast sale of his books, but
also sent out many free
copies to missionaries and
mission schools. He always
sought to promote the work
of his Lord and considered
his books for God as well
as Brethren.

The Miller influence

Contemporary H. C. Ear-
ly summed up Miller's im-
portance: "It will be seen
that God gave Brother
Miller his life at a very im-
portant period in the growth
ofthe Church of the
Brethren. It was a distinctly
transitional period, such as
the church never knew in her
history. Here are the four
leading activities of church
enterprise: (1 The publishing
business, (2 Sunday schools,
(3 Higher education and (4
missions. These were in

the throes of birth during the last 30 years
of the 19th century . . . the church was in
travail, in getting back to the teaching and
practices of our own church followers and
needed someone to deliver her.

"Brother Miller believed sincerely that
these agencies were essential to the church's
welfare — in fact, that the church cannot
exist today without them — and he put
himself heartily to the task of re-
establishing them in the practice of the
church . . . did more than any other man in
the church. I think, to influence Con-
ference to get behind these measures. It
would seem that God raised him up at this
time for this purpose. He has been a real
Moses among our people. ..."

Miller drew strength from Brethren who
like him, rose above their personal
differences for the good of the church.
Often they exchanged quotations as freely
as their proxied votes.

In a letter to his wife, Ida, in 1907, Charles
Bonsack quoted Henry Van Dyke, "The
aim of the church is not to keep on doing
the same thing forever in the same way, but
to improve this way as often as may be
necessary to keep on accomplishing the

same thing. The church may well have a
soup-kitchen if it is needed; but the church
ought never to he a soup-kitchen . . . never
fail to give a blessing with the bread."

D. L. Miller was challenged by his
responsibility to inform his readers. Yet he
was able to alert them to urgent social
need, the need for education and the
necessary preparation of youth for transi-
tion into the world of the self-supporting
adult.

His work and money plowed back into
the church support all of these ideals. In
"The Eternal Verities." Miller wrote what
can be termed an appropriate epitaph, "In
the great day of all days, when we stand
before the Judge of all the world, the ques-
tion as to what church I belong to will dis-
appear and in its place will stand the
greater question: 'Have I obeyed from the
heart the commandments of my blessed
Lord?'"

D. L. Miller could answer with a
straightforward "Yes." □

Frances Hotso/y^h' Fenner (if Ajton, N. Y., trains
and supervises vocalional counselors for (lie Stale of
\e\\ York. Born in Bulsar. Intlia. to Quincv and
Kuthren Rover Ho/sopple. site is the ^reat-
i^runddauf^hler ol f}. /_. Miller, her i^randniother heint^
ffolll his vounf^est sister and adopted daui^hter.

Intrepid traveler
Visiting Egypt's

s, the Millers bore the hardships of turn-ofthe-century touring conditions with good humor,
pyramids, Lizzie (left) and D. L. pose with camels and friends.

.iP^ ^

April 1979 messenger 15

Easter in

Jerusalem

1899

As a world traveler, D.L. Miller took
copious notes, filling tablets with im-
pressions and experiences to be turned into
editorials and articles to keep the Church
of the Brethren informed — through the
Gospel Messenger he steered.

A prime motivation for his globe-
trotting was the search for foreign mission
stations; to answer the question — "Why
not a congregation in Jerusalem?" In addi-
tion to missionary work among the Arabs
and Jews, such a contact would assist
American Brethren in returning to prin-
ciples of " Primitive Christianity," a cause
close to Miller's heart.

His plans were halted by conflict in
Smyrna (now Ismir, Turkey) and he ul-
timately advised against attempting a per-
manent settlement in Palestine. But in the
spring of 1899, the Holy Land was still
irresistible-
Fragments From the Holy City

In Jerusalem again and why? It is hard
to pass by the door of an old friend and
not call in. We were passing on our way to
Smyrna and as we must needs wait for a
ship, we stopped at Jaffa. And then there
was an extra attraction. At the Easter time
of the Greek church, is performed the
ceremony of the footwashing and we
wanted to see and describe in the
Messenger footwashing as it is observed in
the city where it was instituted by the Son
of God. And this must account for our
fifth visit to the Holy City.

One never gets done learning in this
world, is a saying commonplace enough,
but as true as it is commonplace.

Just now the city is crowded with
pilgrims, from all parts of the East. The
Russian peasantry predominates, but a
dozen or more nationalities are to be met
on the streets. Americans, Copts and
Abyssinians are met. Here the plains about
Pergamos and Philadelphia send their
complement. It is an interesting study to

see these pilgrims visit the so called holy
places.

Naturally the sacrament of footwashing
was vital to Miller, so, living his editorial
duties, he arranged to attend the Greek
Orthodox ceremony while in Jerusalem —
to report back to a curious denomination:

Greek Footwashing

The Greek Footwashing. Jerusalem,
Thursday, May 27, 1899. At 6 a.m. we
were ready to go to the Church of the Holy
Sepulcher, where at 8:30 the ceremony of
the footwashing took place. Even at that
early hour the large court and the entrance
leading to it was a mass of people, the
house tops, the towers, minarets, and every
available spot was covered with a mass of
humanity. Fortunately for us we had Mr.
Gelat, dragoman of the American Con-
sulate and a cavass, otherwise we should
not have been able to get through the
crowd. It was a trial as it was. The cavass
pushing and crowding, Mr. Gelat assisting
and I following with Maijee next and three
ladies, Mrs. Clark and daughter and Miss
Sherman close behind. It was a hard
struggle. The crowd closed in and wedged
us fast several times so that it was impossi-
ble to move until a swaying motion loos-
ened us and thus inch by inch we made our
way through until at last we reached the
file of soldiers who kept a vacant square
around the platform where the foot-
washing was to take place. The soldiers
opened their ranks and we passed through,
glad to have a breathing spell after our
struggle. It was welcome.

Mr. Gelat had secured an upper room
for us with windows overlooking the court
and the platform where the ceremony
took place.

The Multitudes

It was a large crowd made up of people
from all parts of the world, the Russian
peasant predominating. It was a packed
crowd, a sea of faces and all individuality
lost, each man and woman a mere atom in
the great mass. As a stone thrown into a
quiet pond of water sets its particles in mo-
tion, forming waves that pact from shore

16 MK.SSKNGKR April 1979

to shore, so a motion started in any part of
the crowd set the whole in motion. Some-
times a wave would start from the outer
circle and the swaying would continue until
the inner circle of soldiers were pressed
with so much violence that they found it
difficult to keep their ranks unbroken. It
was a good natured crowd and one might
study individual faces with much interest.
The Russian devotional crossing himself
and his lips moving in prayer.

In the center of the great court a plat-

form six feet in height was erected. Here at
one end was placed the throne of the
patriarch, while the side seats were ar-
ranged for the 12 priests who were to have
their feet washed. At 8;30 the procession
emerged from one of the side doors of the
church. The patriarch, dressed in the rich
gold-embroidered robes of his office and
wearing the jeweled crown, entered. He
took his seat on the platform as did also
the 12 priests, six on a side facing each
other. After an invocation and the reading

of a part of the 13th chapter of St. John,
the patriarch arose from his throne and
with the assistance of two of his deacons
laid aside his garments, and girded himself
with a towel. He then poured water into a
basin, washed the right foot of the first
priest, wiping it with the towel, wherewith
he was girded, and kissed the foot — the
priest whose foot was washed, kissing the
patriarch's hand. This was repeated until
the right foot of each of the 12 was
washed, wiped and kissed.

After the washing the patriarch was
again robed and took his seat and then fol-
lowed the usual religious ceremonies of
prayer, chanting and reading. A part of the
water used in washing was poured into a
basin, and as the procession formed and
passed out, this was carried by a priest in
front of the patriarch who from time to
time dipped a large bouquet of flowers into
the water and sprinkled it over the mul-
titude. The people crowding formed in a
great mass anxious to have at least a drop
of water fall upon them.

And so the Greek Church com-
memorates the washing of feet, I thought
of the quiet upper room, of the last supper,
of the Master who had nowhere to lay his
head, rising from supper, girding himself
with a towel, pouring water into a basin,
and washing and wiping his disciples' feet.
I thought of his words to them, "If I then
your Lord and Master," etc. I saw him in
his humility teach the great lesson in
humility and then I wondered how out of
the plain and simple example and com-
mandment could have grown the imposing
ceremony with all its pomp, grandeur and
show that I had just witnessed. I came
away feeling that the Greeks were in part at
least following the word, yet the spirit was
gone, and it was only an empty form, dead
and useless.

These notes reveal a man steeped in Chris-
tianity and prophetically aware of the Mid-
dle East. No matter where in the world he
was. Miller strove to open this world to his
readers, to teach them the challenges of
global awareness, show them the beauty of
Easier, and the uniqueness of the Church
of the Brethren.— F.H.F.

April 1979 me-SSenger 17

Mary Magdalene:
The faithful one

"How much comfort
Jesus may have re-
ceived from Mary!
How beautiful to be
understood, ac-
cepted, loved. No
arguments about
theology, no hot-
headed enticing into
action to establish
the kingdom
speedily, no asking of
favors for the right or
left side of the
throne. Here she was,
simply giving, her-
self to his service,
and in her trust was
his comfort."

by Karen S. Carter

"Then Pilate handed him over to them to
be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he
went out, bearing his own cross, to the
place called the place of a skull, which is
called in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they
crucified him, and with him two others,
one on either side, and Jesus between
them. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on
the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the
King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read
this title, for the place where Jesus was
crucified was near the city; and it was
written in Hebrew, in Latin and in Greek.
The chief priests of the Jews then said to
Pilate, 'Do not write, "The King of the
Jews," but, "This man said, 1 am King of
the Jews."' Pilate answered, 'What I have
written I have written.' When the soldiers
had crucified Jesus they took his garments
and made four parts, one for each soldier;
also his tunic. But the tunic was without
seam, woven from top to bottom; so they
said to one another, 'Let us not tear it, but
cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.' This
was to fulfil the scripture, 'They parted my
garments among them, and for my clothing
they cast lots.' So the soldiers did this. But
standing by the cross of Jesus were his
mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the
wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene"
(John 19:16-25).

Luke gives this story a very special
warmth when he says, in his gospel that all
those who knew Jesus personally, including
the women who had followed him from
Galilee, stood at a distance to watch (Luke
23:49).

There is an old gospel song which
says:

When the storms of life are raging
. . . sland by me

in the midst of tribulation . . . stand
hy me

And Mary Magdalene did. She stood
close to the cross or, as Luke has it, she

was one who knew Jesus personally and
watched from a little distance. Let us not
take this too lightly, this presence. At a
time when Mark had fled, leaving his
garments by which he had been seized in
the hands of the pursuers, at a time when
Judas had betrayed Jesus, at a time when
Peter had denied that he even knew the
Lord, at a time when the establishment and
the foreign authorities together had turned
their back on him in hostility, Jesus could
look over to a few women standing near
enough to be with him, and among these
was Mary Magdalene.

In his final hour of suffering, in his hour
of agony and desolation, in his hour of
forsakenness and abandonment, there she
was, believing, courageous and loving in
her quiet vigil with her master.

Mary Magdalene she was called — Mary
of Magdala, to distinguish her from the
other Marys who were in Jesus" company.

Mary's town of Magdala was situated at
the south end of the fertile plain of Gennesa-
reth in Galilee. It was an important
agricultural town, as well as a place famous
for its fishing and shipbuilding industries
and as a trading center — a city of
considerable wealth. As often is the case,
such a place with much traffic and much
wealth also had much immorality. The
reputation of Magdala was so bad, in fact,
that the downfall of the city was attributed
by the rabbis to its licentiousness.

Coming from such a notorious town
makes it at least understandable why some-
where along the way Mary of Magdala
became identified with harlotry, confused
with an unnamed prostitute in the Gospel
of Luke. So, for centuries Mary has been
one of the most maligned characters in the
New Testament.

Yet there is no reason to assume that

Mary Magdalene ever had been a harlot,

(Cominued on page 23)

18 NMssiNC.iR April 1979

r)or)or

iQ-e lips ot children

nr^ade
5tt)eet iQosaooa; rir)g

^e people
ol- tt)e rfebrecoj

a)\tbpoilnf)5
before Ujec a)er)tj

Our praise

and

prayer

ar)d
aott}ecn5
Before 1T)ec
coe present.

vBreqd o[^e cOorl(

l^^-* - >■ >- ■^r^i^Rt'imi^

10 nr}erca
broker);

ir? rpercij

.^<^^^

)ordj of life
y^toere jpolcer),

Y)<i iQ coboje dcaH;

our sios,
(, are dead:

' ribel^eari
Sorroa) ^

bii,S'mers

.;e lokep

iot byll^c^ grace

oor souls
L are reo.

-^^ J ^ 09 dniqbt; , .
>^ arjo iron; rjeavcrjig picurjs

toe ^onq tbat Qoqels kooo);

, U9[}eQrd

09 (y)ortals ore H)e jtrair)^

^cueetltj joothe <be Javier's a)o

.rorrj His bead

)orroa) and ove

flooa
fY)inqled 6ou)r)\

Pid e'^r ^ocl? love
QOd jorroo) o}cel:,

•tboros coropoje
SO ricV) a crocor)'

Were ^ /
the cohole reain

W>v\

ftail the Lord

/^LLelulal

bort9 b<^ qiverj:

'W)ee cjje qreelr
1riurr)phQnt noo):

lV)e Kejurr-ecnoo
1T)ooJ

(Continued from page 18)
or that she could reasonably be identified
as the street woman of Luke 7:36-50 (a
woman who comes to Jesus while he is din-
ing with Simon the Pharisee and bathes his
feet with her tears, wipes them with her
hair and anoints them).

Right after this incident, Luke tells us
that some time later Jesus traveled through
towns and villages, preaching the good
news about the kingdom of God. The
Twelve Disciples went with him, and so did
some women who had been healed of evil
spirits and diseases. Mary who was called
Magdalene, from whom seven demons had
been driven out; Joanne, whose husband
Chuza was an officer in Herod's court;
Susanna; and many other women who used
their own resources to help Jesus and his
disciples.

If the sinful woman of the anointing at
Simon's house had been Mary Magdalene,
Luke would not have had to introduce her
at this time in this way. There is no indica-
tion here in this passage that she was pres-
ent before. It is likewise unthinkable that a
woman like Joanna, the wife of Herod's
steward, would have traveled in the com-
pany of a notorious prostitute.

All the motion pictures of Jesus I have
seen, including the well-done Jesus of
Nazareth, the musical version of Godspell
and the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar.
portray Mary Magdalene in the popula-
rized maligned image of a prostitute,
forgiven and converted. This does make for
a dramatic and touching story. A woman
who had fallen into the abyss of sin was
healed and forgiven, transformed into a
radiant beautiful worshiper of Jesus, her
Lord. Somehow, in the popular version of
Mary Magdalene we see the epitome of all
the waywardness of woman — the woman
at the well of Jacob with her five husbands
and lovers, the woman caught in the very
act of adultery and not condemned but
forgiven, the woman of the street in the
story of Luke 7 who anoints Jesus with her
tears and her perfume. And yet, as far as
the biblical record goes, Mary Magdalene
was none of these, though she is men-
tioned 14 times by name — 13 of them are
in connection with the crucifixion.

Who, then, was Mary Magdalene?

Luke simply introduces her as a woman
from whom Jesus had cast out seven
demons. This, and the comment about the
women's support of Jesus' ministry out of
their own resources is the only reference to

Mary Magdalene outside the Crucifixion
and Resurrection stories. We do not know
what the seven demons were; we can only
guess that it was a very disturbing condi-
tion and serious affliction from which
Jesus had healed her. Out of gratitude,
Mary served him, supported him and fol-
lowed him. We know from reading
between the lines that she was totally
devoted to him — why else would she have
followed him around on his mission in
Galilee and to Judea, yes, even to the
cross?

I often wondered what it must have
meant for Jesus to have such a faithful,
trusting, outreaching and warmhearted
person in his group of followers. We know
that there were times when Jesus' own dis-
ciples either did not understand him or else
quarreled with one another. Can you im-
agine them coming to the end of a long
day's journey, sitting around the fireplace
in a hospitable home, or out on the hill-
side in a warm summer night? And can you
see the disciples discussing in argumen-
tative whispers what on earth Jesus' last
parable might have meant, which he told
them on the way? And can you see Jesus
sitting over there, off to himself, heavy
with thought? Where will his mission lead
him tomorrow? Whom will he encounter?
What sacrifices are in store for him?

A,

. s he looks up, his eyes meet those of
Mary Magdalene. Her eyes are loving, un-
derstanding, caring. There is no reproach,
no demand. Just a complete acceptance of
Jesus as Master of her life, and a deep car-
ing for him as a person.

How much comfort Jesus may have re-
ceived from Mary! How beautiful to be un-
derstood, accepted, loved. No arguments
about theology, no hot-headed enticing
into action to establish the kingdom
speedily, no asking of favors for the right
or left side of the throne. Here she was,
simply giving, giving herself to his service,
and in her trust was his comfort. How
reassuring not to have to talk now, to ex-
plain, to justify. Do you know what
strength and consolation comes from such
acceptance?

And now we meet her again, at the cross.
Naturally. Where else would Mary be dur-
ing the Crucifixion? Again, no word. In a
time of anxiety and gloom, Mary stands
strong, sharing her silence. It reminds me
of the last line of Milton's sonnet. On His

Blindness, which reads: "They also serve
who only stand and wait."

We know from scripture that Jesus hung
on that cross for at least three hours before
death released him. I am certain that while
he was suffering physically, and while he
was struggling with the anguish of aban-
donment by most of his friends at this
hour, that he would have frequently
glanced over to the women who stood close
to the cross, a little group of supporters.
His eyes would meet those of Mary
Magdalene as they had done so often
before, and he would know, without a
word, what he had always known, that her
faith and her devotion were beyond ques-
tion. There is nothing, absolutely nothing,
that Mary could do now to help, other
than what she has chosen to do. After all,
she had already shown her faith by follow-
ing him, by supporting his mission, by put-
ting him first in her priorities. There is
nothing left, but to be. Note that there is
no expression of "Don't leave me now" or
"Please, take me with you." Her own fate is
unimportant to her while her Master is dy-
ing. She gives him her last gift: her with-
ness, her presence.

"When my strength begins to fail, stand
hy me."

Is it any wonder that we find Mary at
the tomb as soon as the end of the sabbath
permits it, even before daybreak? The
authorities may have wanted to dispose of
him as a common criminal, but Mary is go-
ing to give Jesus the customary last honors
of anointing his body with fragrant spices.
It is Mary Magdalene who alone is men-
tioned in all four of the Gospels as coming
early to the tomb. Matthew, Mark and
Luke present her name first among two or
three others. John mentions only her. Her
love and loyalty did not waver even in the
face of such apparent failure. And she is
rewarded: Mary Magdalene is the first per-
son to whom the risen Christ appeared.
Not to John, the beloved disciple. Not to
Peter, on whose expression of faith the
church is to be built. Not to Jesus' own
mother, who also stood by the cross with
him. But to Mary Magdalene. And it is to
her, to Mary Magdalene, that Jesus en-
trusts the most important message to be
taken to his disciples and shared with the
world: the message of the Resurrection.

Jesus called her by her name. "Mary," he
said. And in that word was life. D

General Boarit member Karen S. Carter i.s a licensed
minister in the Daleville (Va.} congregation.

April 1979 ME.SSENGER 23

These women transform lives

by Carolyn Purden

Every year. Time nwf;a:ine chooses its
"Man of the Year."

Bui must it he a man? The editors of
Inter-Church Features, an informal
association of nine US and Canadian
church publications with a total circulation
of over two million, wondered why
women's contributions were not similarly
celebrated. (One magazine, US Catholic.
has initiated its own "Women of the Year"
award.)

For over a year, ICF's mostly-male
editors prepared and pruned long lists of
names. They agreed that the people chosen
must be living — eliminating Joan of Arc
and. more recently, anthropologist
Margaret Mead. The chosen few should
not be e.xclusively western, and should
have some international renown or
significance. And because the world often
acclaims achievements while ignoring
motivations, the chosen were to be
specifically Christian.

With the list finally reduced to six, ICF
commissioned Carolyn Purden, Associate
Editor of the Canadian Churchman, to
write this article. ICF publications include,
besides MnsstNGKR: AD, The Church
Herald, The Disciple, The Episcopalian.
The Lutheran, Presbyterian Survey, The
United Church Observer, and US Catholic.

The secular or religious leaders in our
society are usually people in positions of
authority, exercising power. Their
leadership is supplemented and indirectly
given credibility — by the physical trappings
of office, by the acclaim of influential peo-
ple, by the constant focus of media atten-
tion.

It is hard to recognize leadership in the
humble and the poor — doubly hard when
they are women.

Who could see greatness in a frail
woman who bathes the gangrenous legs of
a dying man on an Indian sidewalk; in an
80-year-old woman marching in an
American anti-war protest; in a somewhat
dowdy British intellectual writing a back-
ground paper for an environment con-
ference; in a plump Dutch oldster visiting

an African imprisoned for murder; in a dis-
barred South Korean lawyer giving
marriage counseling to a middle-aged cou-
ple; in an African teacher who wanted to
be a lawyer.

And yet these six women are among the
outstanding Christian leaders of our time.
Their words and actions have transformed
the lives of thousands of people; their lives
exemplify what it means to be Christian.

Mother Teresa's life has been spent
working among the poorest people on
earth; she personified total submission to
God's will coupled with service to her
humanity. Dorothy Day founded a move-
ment that was the forerunner of Catholic
social activism in the United States. Bar-
bara Ward has used her intellectual powers
to prick the universal Christian conscience,
reminding it how far it has strayed from
Christ's teachings. Corrie ten Boom's life
has exemplified that most profound of
Christian principles — forgiveness. Lee Tai-
Young works with the oppressed victims of
South Korean society — the women —
seeking the justice they deserve. And Annie
Jiagge is respected throughout Africa as a
symbol of the emancipation of women.

A,

. 11 of these women have a common
belief that has shaped and given force to
their lives — that they should love God and
neighbor. No one is excluded from this
love. Mother Teresa and Dorothy Day ex-
tend it to those who live in desperation and
degrading poverty; Barbara Ward includes
not only people, but nations of people.
Corrie ten Boom gives it supreme expres-
sion in loving her enemies, and Lee Tai-
Young expresses it toward both oppressor
and oppressed in her search for equality
and justice.

For these women, prayer and pious ex-
pressions mean nothing without action.
They are involved with the world, in-
volved with men and women, in each of
whom they see the face of Christ. What
they do, they do at God's direction; they
are his instruments. And they speak to the
world with an universal voice. All are prac-
ticing Christians, yet none speaks of her
denomination or its tenets. They speak of
Christianity, and they offer their actions.

their words, their lives as examples to all
who profess that faith.

There can be few people who have
not heard of Mother Teresa, the Albanian
nun whose life work has been caring
for the poorest of the poor. Born Agnes
Gouxha Bejaxhuim, she became a nun in
Ireland, but went to India because it was a
mission country. In Calcutta, her convent
room overlooked acres of squalor and un-
attended sickness. She received permission
to go into those slums with whatever
medicines she could find. But serving the
poor was not enough; she felt God calling
her to merge her life with theirs. In 1948
she established the Missionaries of Charity;
a religious order devoted to serving the
most unfortunate people in society — the
sick, the destitute, the abandoned.

Today there are more than 1,000
members of her order working in 67 coun-
tries. In India alone, the missionaries run
mobile clinics, leprosy clinics, family plan-
ning centers and homes for abandoned
children and dying destitutes.

Poverty and austerity are the rule of the
order, for Mother Teresa believes this is
the only way for the missionaries to un-
derstand and help the poor. She admits she
could make life easier for the nuns, but this
she refuses to do, explaining that they
never know what hardship awaits when
they enter a situation.

"The hardship and difficulty is never
calculated; otherwise there wouldn't have
been all this," she says of the missionaries'
work. "It would not have been possible."

But the missionaries' vocation is not to
care for the suffering — it is to belong to
Christ. The work they do is only a means
of putting love for Christ in action.

"It is not how much we are doing but
how much lo\e, how much honesty, how
much faith is put into doing it."

Similarly, her own concern is not with
the work done, but with the missionaries:
"If they don't have the right spirit and the
right approach, then all our work is in
vain." Her vocation, she says, is an unend-
ing search "to experiment with God, to ex-
perience God."

Mother Teresa's philosophy is best
summed up in the prayer which hangs on
the wall of the mother house in Calcutta.

24 MhssiNGLR April 1979

These six Christian women transform hves:

(Clockwise from upper left) Annie Jiagge.
Corrie len Boom. Dorolhy Day, Mother
Teresa. Barbara Ward and Lee Tai- Young.

"Let each sister see Jesus Christ in the per-
son of the poor: the more repugnant the
wori< on the person, the greater also must
be her faith, love and cheerful devotion in
ministering to our Lord in this distressing
disguise."

Carrying the analogy further. Mother
Teresa says, "1 often wonder, if innocent
people did not suffer so much what would
happen to the world? They're the ones who
are interceding the whole time: By accept-
ing suffering they intercede for us."

Although she shares Mother Teresa's
philosophy, Dorothy Day's life has been
vastly different. Born just before the turn
of the century, she graduated from a uni-
versity to a 15-year career as a radical and
journalist.

Her lifelong commitment to the poor
resulted from a job on a New York paper.

Horrified by what she saw in the slums, she
decided she could overcome her aversion
only by sharing the misery. She developed
an intense emotional sympathy for the
poor and advocated a more equitable dis-
tribution of society's goods. When she left
Anglicanism in 1930 for the Roman
Catholic Church, her socialism became
based on the gospel.

With French socialist Peter Maurin,
Dorothy Day started a monthly one-cent

newspaper which combined Catholicism
and radicalism. As the 1940s approached,
the Catholic Worker evolved from a news-
paper into a New York hospitality house
and soup kitchen for the needy, and from
there into a movement whose credo was
"immediate response to the need of the
other person."

The Catholic Worker Movement took
the gospel message literally. It made peace
and voluntary poverty a way of life for its
adherents. Houses for the needy opened in
virtually every major US city. Young peo-
ple, unable to find jobs in the Depression,
flocked to the movement. Maurin provided
the philosophy, but it was Dorothy Day
who attracted the workers. She made the
poor matter to them. She made the gospel
come alive.

The houses have attracted virtuallv everv

April 1979 messenger 25

notable lay Catholic in the past four
decades, for they provide a training school
where Christians learn to live on Christ's
terms, in poverty and in service to the
poor. The work is hard. As Dorothy Day
describes it, "It's the whole business of
accepting the Cross. In houses of hospitali-
ty you have many opportunities to do
that."

She does not exempt herself from
hardship. She talks of the shocked reaction
of people who come to interview her in
New York. "They whisper to each other,
'How can they live like this?' Don't they
know that this is how many people in
America have to live?"

Whenever a social issue has challenged
the American conscience, the movement
has taken a stand, and Dorothy Day has
been in the forefront. She has seen many
jail cells in her lifetime, because of her par-
ticipation in demonstrations over issues as
diverse as women's suffrage, US involve-
ment in the First World War, compulsory
air raid drills and the United Farm
Workers' boycott.

if Mother Teresa and Dorothy Day are
the social activists, Barbara Ward is the
philosopher, the Christian conscience
always reminding us that we are our
"brother's keeper." A prolific writer of
books and articles, a lecturer, broadcaster
and traveler, in the last 15 years she has
become the world's best-known voice on
issues of development and environment.

An Oxford graduate, she worked as a
university lecturer and journalist before
marrying Sir Robert Jackson, then an
undersecretary-genera! of the United
Nations. His job took them to India,
Pakistan and Ghana. Living in these
places, Barbara Ward developed her con-
cern for and commitment to the developing
countries of the Third World.

Later, visits to the US stimulated a
growing interest in environmental concerns
and in recent years she has become iden-
tified with UN work in this field. At the
same time she has continued to speak out
on development issues, describing the im-
plications they hold for the rest of the
world.

She describes the philosophy which en-
compasses these two global concerns; "This
human habitat includes everything. A
Roman philosopher once said, 'Nothing
human is alien to me.' How much more
true is this of the inescapable context
within which the whole of existence is
carried out. What can we leave out when

we are talking of the complete life cycle of
humankind?"

And so, over the years, she has voiced
concern over a wide range of issues:
racism, pollution, the arms race, world
starvation and land use, student protest, in-
ternationalization of the seabed, nuclear
warfare, poverty, crime rates, the Vietnam
War. trade agreements, children's health.
Maoism and redistribution of the world's
wealth.

Gathering together these diverse topics is
a common theme: this world is a global
village and as its inhabitants we are all
responsible for one another. To Barbara
Ward there is no escaping this obligation if
you are Christian: "The profoundest of all
Christ's teachings is that all of us are
neighbors and our world, our planet, our
single earthly home must learn to conduct
its affairs on the basis of a genuine
neighborhood or community."

"//' innocent people
did not suffer so
much what would
happen to the world?
By accepting
suffering they
intercede for us."

But in tones more sorrowful than angry,
she points out again and again how far we
fall short of the ideal. We operate by the
law of nature, she says, the law of power
and privilege defending itself with every
means of violence. Our relationships with
the Third World countries, our neighbors,
are characterized by greed, injustice, ex-
ploitation, oppression.

She questions the values which put an
arms budget ahead of feeding starving
children, which allow unthinking pollution
of the earth, which use vast wealth "so
acceptingly for destruction, so grudgingly
for the great creative purposes of society."

Ventures into space, and the resulting
development of a cosmic consciousness,
make our omissions even more deplor-
able, she says. Looking at this planet, sus-
pended among the thousands of other
bodies in the universe, "it is hard to belie\e
that the preservation of a common human
life upon this single globe is not the

very first task to which we are sum-
moned."

Unlike Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day or
Barbara Ward, Corrie ten Boom spent
most of her life in obscurity in Haarlem.
Holland — working in a watch shop with
her widowed father and sister. She was a
devout Christian, though, and when asked
to respond to overwhelming human need
she committed herself without thought for
her safety.

The need arose from the Nazi invasion
of Holland in World War II. The ten
Boom family joined the underground
movement to help Jews escape the country
and later, when this became impossible,
they hid the Jews in their own house.
Perhaps inevitably, they were betrayed,
and in February 1944 the Nazis arrested 35
members of the ten Boom family and their
friends.

For the next 10 months Corrie ten Boom
lived in a nightmare. She endured four
months of solitary confinement, heard of
her father's death in prison, was trans-
ported to the female extermination camp in
Ravensbruck, Germany, watched her
fellow prisoners disappear into the camp
crematorium, lived under a daily threat of
death, witnessed the brutality of guards
toward her ailing sister Betsie and saw
Betsie die.

Through it all, Corrie ten Boom's faith,
far from wavering, became stronger, more
confident, more mature. Solitary confine-
ment became God's gift, allowing her to see
her sins more clearly. She learned to rejoice
in her father's release by death from prison,
and wrote to her family: "How happy he is
now for he sees the answer to everything."

Of her fellow prisoners, she wrote: "The
worst for us is not that which we suffer
ourselves but the suffering which we see
around us. We are also learning to put the
worst in the hands of the Savior. . . . When
all the securities of the world are falling
away, then you realize, like never before,
what it means to have your security in
Jesus."

Just before she died. Betsie told Corrie
that God had sent them a message: When
they were freed they were to tra\el the
world telling people of the hope they had
found in Christ. "Only prisoners can know
how desperate this life is. We can tell from
experience that no pit is too deep, because
God's e\erlasting arms always sustain us."

Corrie ten Boom was freed shortly after,
one week before all women her age at
Ravensbruck were put to death.

26 Missive, IK April 1979

She had never stopped her Christian
witness while in prison — holding secret
Bible meetings and even attempting, with
partial success, to convert one of her
interrogators — but it was after she was
freed that her faith was most severely tried.

One of her first acts was to write to the
man who had betrayed the ten Booms, tell-
ing him of their imprisonment and the
resulting deaths of her father and sister.
But she was able to add, "I have forgiven
you everything. God will also forgive you
everything, if you ask him. ... 1 hope that
the path which you will now take may
work for your eternal salvation."

Since the war, Corrie ten Boom has fol-
lowed God's instructions and traveled the
world to tell people of the profound lesson
she has learned. To those in prison, to
those who have been sick or otherwise suf-
fering, she has brought a message of hope
and forgiveness, always addressing their
needs from the tapestry of her own ex-
perience. As age has made traveling more
difficult she has, in recent years, turned to
writing to convey her message of joy.

Her ordinariness has been the key to her
success as "God's ambassador." To
thousands of men and women she
represents living proof that they, too, can
survive the catastrophes of life, that God
will reach out to them as he did to her and
bring them through despair to triumph.

For South Korean Lee Tai-Young, a
childhood decision set her on a path which
was to transform the lives of thousands of
Korean women. At the age of seven she an-
nounced she would become a lawyer.

Such a thing was unheard of in that
male-oriented society. A woman had no
social position and little legal status; she
was to be subservient to her father, her
husband and her mother-in-law.

Lee Tai-Young was fortunate. Her
mother, a Christian convert, promised the
best education to whichever of her
daughter and two sons showed the most
ability. So it was that Lee Tai-Young ful-
filled her ambition, becoming the first
woman lawyer in the country. Now in her
60s, she has used her education and skills
to improve the lot of Korean women.

After graduating as a lawyer, she single-
handedly set up what has now become the
Korean Legal Aid Center for Family
Relations in Seoul. It had a two-fold goal:
to help women fight the inheritance and
divorce laws that favored men, and to
counter Korea's severe discrimination
against women. Underlying her work was

Lee Tai-Young's belief that as children of
God, women should not have to
suffer because of traditions and
practices.

Today the center operates with a large
staff from a six-story building. It adheres
to its original goals and has expanded its
facilities to include resources for women
law students, seminars, visits to juvenile
offenders in institutions and a mobile unit
to take legal aid to outlying areas.

The center has handled more than
100,000 cases since it was founded, most of
them related to domestic affairs. Most
clients — one-third of them men — are seek-
ing an amicable solution to their problems
and counseling plays a large part in the
staffs work. Now Lee Tai-Young is
broadening this work to include the
tension-ridden mother and daughter-in-law
relationships which dominate Korean
society. "It's a small seed," she says, "but I
believe peace in the family makes for peace

''Only prisoners can
know how desperate
this life is. We can
tell from experience
that no pit is too
deep, because God
sustains us."

in the world."

Important as these functions are, she
plays an even more vital role on the
national scene. Since 1973 she has been
working with 61 other women's groups to
obtain revision of 10 laws affecting the
status of women. She has also been an out-
spoken opponent of the government of
President Park Chung-Kee, whom she
blames for interrupting the natural evolu-
tion toward a Korean-style democracy. She
says her opposition to President Park was
inevitable — "because 1 am a Christian,
because I am a Korean, because I am a
lawyer."

Born in British Togo (now part of
Ghana), Annie Jiagge was the sixth of
eight children in an active, educated family.
Annie Jiagge has worked hard for her
place in the world. In doing so she had the
support of her father, a Presbyterian
pastor, and her mother, a teacher who was
a leader in the YWCA.

She followed her mother's footsteps and
became a teacher. After six years, however,
she went to Britain to study law. After
graduation from the London School of
Economics in 1949, she returned home and
was the first woman admitted to the bar in
her native country. She worked her way up
to magistrate, judge and finally Supreme
Court justice.

On the world scene she has been recog-
nized as a champion for the rights of
women. In her own country she arranged
seminars on civic and political education
for women. She has also served as a
delegate to the United Nations Commis-
sion on the Status of Women and, as head
of that commission, helped draft the
Declaration on the Elimination of Dis-
crimination Against Women adopted by
the General Assembly in 1967.

Annie Jiagge has also been active in the
ecumenical movement. She attended the
World Christian Youth Conferences in
Norway and India, and the first Assembly
of the World Council of Churches in
Amsterdam in 1948. At the 1975 Assembly
in Nairobi she was elected a president of
that world body.

When she gets involved in an issue she
speaks clearly and bluntly — and she is ac-
customed to being heard. On a recent visit
to the United States, for example, she
defended the WCC grant to the Patriotic
Front in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia).

"All human beings are made in the im-
age of God — and this makes racism a sin,"
she said. Then she expressed some criticism
of the media coverage of events in Africa:
"There have been thousands killed in
Africa and the media did not know about
it, but when one missionary is killed, it gets
different treatment." When asked about the
relationship between the WCC and South
Africa she said, "they are in fact not
friends."

Leaders with authority and power can
transform the world. And the changes they
bring affect, for better or worse, the lives of
individual women and men.

But rarely can such secular or religious
leaders transform lives from within.

It is this quality that characterizes the
leadership given by Mother Teresa,
Dorothy Day, Barbara Ward, Corrie ten
Boom, Lee Tai-Young and Annie Baeta
Jiagge. It is this quality that makes them
outstanding among Christian women and
men of our age. Q

Cariihn Pun/en i^ asstniale editor of the Canadian
Churchman,

April 1979 Mi:ssi:\GfiR 27

Biblical inspiration
and authority:
Where do the
Brethren stand?

by Fred W. Swartz

Delef^ates al Annual Conference in Rich-
mond. Va.. in 1977 responded positively to
a query originated by the Brethren Revival
Fellowship calling for a study of the
Brethren view of the inspiration and
authority of the Bible. The communication
to Standing Committee front the general
meeting of the BRF cited as their concern,
alarm that, while for Brethren belief and
practice, the Scriptures remain normative,
the denomination has been infiltrated with
varied attitudes toward them.

" Would it not be good. " the query
asked, "to prepare a position paper stating
the Church of the Brethren stance on the
inspiration and authority of the Scriptures
and attempt to reunite our teaching and
preaching forces along the lines of our
Anabaptist heritage of biblicism?"

Upon the recommendation of Standing
Committee, the Richmond Conference ap-
proved the appointment of a committee of
five persons charged with preparing a
paper on historical Pietist-Anabaptist and
Brethren understandings of the Bible's in-
spiration and authority, discovering what
attitudes toward the matter exist among
Brethren today, and addressing the issue of
diversity, if such were found to be the case.

Appointed to the committee were Joan
Deeter. Wanda Will Button. Harold Mar-
tin. Rick Gardner and Dale Brown. The
committee has taken two years to
thoroughly research its assignment and
prepare an answer for this year's Annual
Conference. The following Messenger
interview was held as the study committee
neared the end of its work.

W'hal is Ihc committee's understanding of
its assignment?

We were asked to study the basic ques-
28 Mhssi \Gi-K April 1979

tion of the inspiration and authority of the
Bible, to prepare a history of the Pietist.
Anabaptist and Brethren understandings
and to discover representative positions
held by Brethren today. And then the com-
mittee was commissioned to work at
developing consensus statements which the
committee members themselves could af-
firm together and which could serve as af-
firmation statements for the entire church.
We were also asked to list the things on
which we could not agree as a committee
and discovered these areas of disagreement
in the denomination. The last part of the
assignment was to offer guidance on how
to hold one another in love and fellowship
in those areas in which we cannot agree.

Are you convinced that the request for
such a study is a valid concern?

Definitely, for several reasons. First of
all. the query originated with the Brethren
Revival Fellowship out of a primary con-
cern that statements within official
Brethren publications and literature during
recent decades have suggested that
Brethren have respect for the Bible but do
not hold the view that the Bible is without
error. So that organization at its annual
mass meeting requested that a study be
made as to where the Brethren really do
stand on the inspiration and study of the
Scriptures.

But the idea met with favor beyond the
BRF because there is a great deal of confu-
sion about the way we use the Bible and
there is a strong need for clarification of
what it means to be a New Testament
church in this day.

Such a study should redirect our energies
toward constructive Bible study and call
both denominational leaders and members
to an accountability.

Finally, so far as Standing Committee

and our committee have been able to deter-
mine. Annual Conference has never made a
study such as this.

Has your study revealed any point at which
the denomination has departed from a con-
sensus of attitude tovtard the Bible?

General consensus on the trust-
worthiness of the Bible in faith and prac-
tice has been the Brethren affirmation from
the beginning. The schisms in the 19th cen-
tury were not involved with debate about
the Bible. All of the separating groups
maintained a strong belief in the authority
of the Scriptures.

Thus we note no significant differences
in viewpoint until well into the 20th cen-
tury when the debate over higher criticism
broke out in American scholarship. The
Brethren were affected, but were not in-
fluenced enough to go to extremes. In fact,
it is not until the 1940s and 50s that some
polarization among the Brethren becomes
pronounced — liberals becoming more
liberal and those on the opposite end of the
spectrum taking a stronger view of the in-
errancy of the Scriptures.

But the fact remains that Brethren by
and large have never gone to the extreme
at either pole — and that is true today.

At what points then has the committee
reached consensus?

The heart of our report will be the sec-
tion in which we list affirmations we want
to make together and related disagreements
on which further work is needed. We feel
that we have reached some very strong
agreements. For e.xample. we affirm that
the Bible, rightly interpreted, is a fully
trustworthy guide for our lives. In this
sense we reaffirm the historic Christian un-
derstanding of scripture as an infallible rule
of faith and practice.

We affirm the Bible as inspired by God's
Spirit and we are convinced that we need
to interpret scripture in the light of scrip-
ture itself rather than prooftexting with
fa\orite texts while ignoring others. We af-
firm the central character of the Bible as
God's self-revelation, as opposed to a
merely human witness to God.

We work at the centrality of Jesus Christ
and talk about the need to interpret all
scripture in light of God's self-revelation in
Jesus Christ. We affirm the need for a
careful, disciplined approach to the study
of (he Bible and the importance of the
community of believers as a place to test
insights and interpretations.

We conclude in a very Brethren way to
say that a faithful response to the bibhcal
message involves both believing and doing.

What about the disagreements?

We are not yet agreed on whether in-
spiration is a finished or continuing
process. We have not achieved consensus
on the nature of the Bible's inerrancy. We
still see some problems in determining the
direction the church should take in ad-
dressing particular issues it faces in today's
world when the Bible, taken as a whole,
contains seemingly conflicting directives.
We are not yet agreed on the creative value
of the historical-critical method of Bible
study, nor on how binding the church's
consensus interpretation of the Scriptures
should be on individual members. Finally,
we have not agreed on whether the present
direction of the denomination is toward or
away from a faithful response to scripture.

Aren't you afraid that this format of partial
agreement and partial disagreement might
prompt accusations that the committee was
not conclusive enough?

No, the mandate from Annual Con-
ference said we should do the very thing we
have done. It is the most honest way we
can do it without adding to an increased
polarization within the church. We believe
it is a v^ay we can draw the church
together, by affirming a number of things
together while recognizing, and perhaps
even appreciating, our diversity.

We want to emphasize that our affir-
mations are not watered-down affir-
mations, calculated to be so general as to
please everybody. They are each as strong
a statement as what you have in early
Anabaptist-Pietist statements and early
Brethren thought. We really hope to give
the church some ringing, resounding
statements of what we do believe, what we
can celebrate together as a community of
the Word, even as we chart out areas where
we need to do some prolonged, serious
study to try to come closer.

What then will the rest of the paper be?

We will have a section with historical
material, a compilation of our research on
Brethren attitudes toward the Bible, a list
of definitions for words frequently used in
the discussion of biblical infallibility and
authority, and the section on holding one
another in love and fellowship. Much of
this material will lend itself to a study guide

mmmmi

BIBLICAL
AUTHORITY

The Committee on Biblical Inspiration and
Authority hopes that Brethren will spend
time exploring the key issues prior to An-
nual Conference. In this study and discus-
sion, the committee's paper in the Annual
Conference Booklet should be a primary
resource. Some other resources you may
wish to consult are listed below.

Two helpful and easily accessible in-
troductions to the theme of biblical
authority are Herbert H. Farmer, "The

Debate About the Bible, Inerrancy vs. In-
fallibility (Westminster, 1977), and defends
the moderate view of scripture as an infalli-
ble rule in matters of faith and practice.
The position of inerrancy in all matters is
championed in Edward J. Young, Thy
Word Is Truth (Eerdmans, 1957) and in
James M. Boice, editor. The Foundation of
Biblical Authority (Zondervan, 1978).
Brethren Life and Thought articles
provide the best introduction to Brethren

The Annual Conference Study Committee on Biblical Inspiration and Authority: From
left, Harold Martin, Rick Gardner. Dale Brown. Wanda Button and Joan Deeier.

Bible: Its Significance and Authority"
(Interpreter's Bible. Vol. 1, pp. 3-31), and
Kenneth J. Foreman, "What Is the Bible"
{Layman's Bible Commentary, Vol. I, pp.
7-31). A very good study document which
bridges the issues of authority and inter-
pretation is Biblical Interpretation in the
Life of the Church, based on a 1975 Study
Report of the Mennonite Church General
Assembly. The standard historical treat-
ment of the subject is J. K. S. Reid, 77?^
Authority of Scripture (Methuen, 1957).

For the current debate over biblical in-
errancy in evangelical circles, Stephen
Davis provides a good overview in The

thinking on inspiration and authority. See
especially Donald Dumbaugh's article,
"Brethren and the Authority of Scripture"
(Summer 1968, pp. 170-183) and the
special issue on this topic (Summer 1973),
with articles by Warren F. Groff, Estella
Horning and Graydon F. Snyder. Other
valuable articles include Chalmer Faw,
"The Biblical Dilemma of the Church of
the Brethren" (Autumn 1955, pp. 7-17),
and Martin Schrag, "The Early Brethren
Concept of Authority" (Autumn 1964, pp.
109-126). — Rick Gardner

Rick Gardner is editor for hihlical resources on the
Parish Ministries staff.

April 1979 messenger 29

UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE

La Verne, CA

SUMMER ALUMNI/BRETHREN

COLLEGE

July 13-14, 1979

For those attending the Church of the

Brethren Annual Conference, and West

Coast alumni and friends —

You are invited to join us for a weekend
educational vacation in Southern Cali-
fornia.

*for the whole family to participate in
workshops and seminars of stimula-
ting current topics such as:

-Body Conditioning for Those over 25
-Nutrition and Holistic Health
-The Older Years-Aging in America
-Art and Recreation Experiences for

Youth
*to acquaint or reacquaint yourself

with La Verne, the faculty, and

alumni.
Cost per person - $25, including meals.

For complete Summer Alumni/
Brethren College Information contact,

Eugenia Brubaker
Director of Church Relations
University of La Verne
La Verne, CA 91750

Closing registration date: May 15, 1979

by Churchman, Anthropologist
Desmond Bittinger
A new, non- media view of the African
in his own earlier Africa. He is part of a
self-respecting, confident, reverent
community. When the white man ar-
ri vest he African becomes receptive to
"The Brethren Way." Black and White
build together the foundations which
have produced the most rapidly grow-
ing edge of today's Church of the
Brethren.

The book is narrative, as most of
Brother Desmond's writings and
preachings are. Some say of it: "It is
hard to lay it down." "The rhythm of
the drums is in it." "It is picture and
poetry."

Many individuals and each church
library should havethis story of partof
our Brethren heritage. Hardback.

$8.95

Order from "The Brethren Press "

1451 Dundee Avenue
Elgin, 111.60120

30 Mis.M.NGKR April 1979

format and we hope it will become that
kind of resource.

How has the committee gone about this
rather awesome task?

In a variety of ways. First, we shared in
Bible study together. Each member of the
committee was asked to take a particular
passage and exegete it for the rest of the
committee. The passages were carefully
chosen to bring out our varying view-
points. We spent a great deal of time at this
in an effort to understand each other and
our different ways of coming at the Bible.

Soon after that we began analyzing the
results of several surveys which we hoped
would help us discover the viewpoints of
the Brethren. We sent a specific survey to
75 Brethren selected for diversity of age,
geographic location and theological view-
point. We had 58 respondents in that ef-
fort. Then we distributed a questionnaire at
Conference last year, to which we received
845 responses. We also held a hearing at
Indianapolis which furnished a great deal
of helpful feedback.

We have spent considerable time
together studying papers prepared by in-
dividual committee members on what the
Bible has to say about its own authority,
and the issue in Anabaptist, Brethren and
Pietist history. We have each read exten-
sively from a list of books and articles,
both within our immediate tradition and in
terms of a larger debate within the Chris-
tian world today. And we have intentional-
ly worked at consensus.

What has been the spirit within the com-
mittee as you have worked at these tasks?

That is one of the most pleasant sur-
prises of our work. We came together
somewhat apprehensively, for we come
from such divergent backgrounds. And
some of us are theologians, some are not.
But from the beginning we were very open
toward each other, honest and confrontive,
but yet had a good spirit within all of that.
We took our assignments seriously and we
have listened to o:ic another and have
graciously allowed others to be where they
are and be accepted. We have not tried to
change one another's position.

What are some of the findings your surveys
revealed about the denomination's attitude
toward the Scripture?

The surveys did confirm the diversity
within the denomination, yet they helped

us get a handle on places where there are
affirmations and agreements. For example,
the matter of our heritage that there is no
creed but the New Testament, and that it is
important to know the content of the
Bible as well as trying to live by its
principles.

One strong area of agreement was that
increased biblical awareness should be a
major denominational priority. Further-
more, an unmistakable message came
through that they do not want the com-
mittee to come up with an official state-
ment that all Brethren would be required
to sign in order to be considered true
Brethren. Rather, the emphasis was on af-
firming our differences and holding one
another in love and fellowship.

Do I understand that early in your
deliberation you entertained the idea of
giving a one-sentence answer to the query,
after the pattern of the early Annual
Meetings?

Yes, we toyed with it and were at least
half serious. The statement would have
read: "The Church of the Brethren reaf-
firms its historical adherence to the
authority of the Bible in matters of faith
and practice."

It is probably where the committee
would have come out if there had been a
stalemate. But the fact that we have so
many common affirmations means that we
don't have to accept that statement as a
limit to what we can affirm together. We
have discovered we can affirm more things
together than we thought we were going to
be able to do at the outset.

Further, it is also true that Annual Con-
ference committees in this century have
become educational agents as well as
referees. And the longer, more complete
paper will be more effective than a simple
statement to promote further study.

Then you hope the matter does not end on
the Conference floor in Seattle?

Oh, absolutely! In fact, our paper will
contain some specific recommendations for
further study and dialog. Chief among
them will be a recommendation that one of
the denomination's priorities for the next
five years be increased attention to Bible
study at e\ery le\el of the church's
organization and life. We shall also recom-
mend that the General Board de\elop a
study guide that can be used to continue
the dialog on the concerns this query and
study have raised. □

t^yirtnia^f ^©mt.

Licensing/
Ordination

Benedict, James Lloyd, rcli-
ccnsed Dec. 15, 1978. Rob-
ins. Northern Plains

Burger, N. Annette, relicensed
Dec. 15. 1978, Fairview.
Northern Plains

Burr>. Gene, ordained Dec. 16.
1978. Northern Plains Dis-
trict action

Dowdv. Dale W., licensed Dec.
31. " 1978. Bethel, Western
Plains

Kcenroad, Bruce, ordained
Nov. 21. 1978. Heidelberg.
Atlantic Northeast

FJIcr. David B.. ordained Nov.
12, 1978, Pleasant View,
Northern Ohio

Heisey. Walter K.. ordained
Nov. 21. 1978. Heidelberg,
Atlantic Northeast

Kipp. John Snvder, licensed
Nov. 26. 1978. Mt. Olivet.
Southern Pennsylvania

l.itlle. Larry Dean, relicensed
Dec. !5. 'l978. Prairie City.
Northern Plains

McCaman, Gary Earl, reli-
censed Dec. 15. 1978. Dallas
Center, Northern Plains

Margush. Philip E.. ordained
Oct. I. 1978. Springfield. At-
lantic. Northeast

Martin. Glenn R., ordained
Oct. 29. 1978. Cocalico. At-
lantic Northeast

.Schrock. J. Roger, relicensed
Dec. 15, 1978. Root River.
Northern Plains

Slothour. Wilbur, licensed Dec.
31, 1978, Upper Conewago.
Southern Pennsylvania

Tultle. Steven Lynn, ordained
Dec. 24. 1978. Quinter. West-
ern Plains

Pastoral
Placements

Bcrkebile. Wesley J., from in-
active, to Oriental Fellow-
ship. Southern Pennsylvania

Crouch. Albert, to Jones
Chapel. Virlina. interim part-
time

Klam. Joe. from student, to
Owl Creek. Northern Ohio

Krisman. W. Ethmer. from sec-
ular, to Mineral Creek, Mis-
souri

Fike. Galen, from interim, Har-
man. West Marva. to full-
time. Harman. West Marva

Kike. J. Rogers, from district
executive. West Marva. to
Cherry Grove. West Marva.
part-time

Flora, Bruce, from retirement,
to Germantown. Brick, Vir-
lina. part-time

Criffilh, V. Enos. to Pleasant
Hill. Virlina, part-time

Heise\. Dean, from other de-
nomination, to Denton. Mid-
Atlantic, part-time

HiN. Raymond £., from secu-
lar, to Beech Run, Middle
Pennsylvania, part-time

Hines. J.W.. from Flat Rock,
Southeastern, to Eden. Vir-
lina. interim, part-time

Miller. Preston, from Bethes-

da. West Marva. to Beaver
Run. West Marva. part-lime

Mayer. Edwin, to Penn Run,
Western Pennsylvania

Penny , Orville. to Shelby
County. Missouri, part-time

Ramsey, Randolph, to Dan-
ville. First. Virlina. part-
lime

Kobin.son. Delmer T., student,
other denomination, to Reed-
ley. Pacific Southwest

Schuster. Jerome, from Worth-
ington. Northern Plains, to
Mountain Grove 'Green-

wood. Missouri

W'cnger. Richard C. from
Johnstown. Westmont. West-
ern Pennsylvania, to Hun-
tington, South Central Ind.

Wedding
Anniversaries

Blocher. Mr. and Mrs. Ken-
neth. Greenville, Ohio. 50

Bomberger. Mr. and Mrs.
Isaac. Leola. Pa.. 50

Bos.serman. Mr. and Mrs. Ben.
Englewood, Ohio. 50

Burkholder. Mr. and Mrs.
Aaron. Chambersburg, Pa.,
66

Dambman, Mr. and Mrs. Clar-
ence. Lanark, III., 62

Dearth. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph,
Englewood. Ohio, 50

Fasick, Mr. and Mrs. Carris.
West Milton. Ohio. 55

Frederick. Mr. and Mrs. Har-
vey, Nappanee. Ind., 64

Good. Mr. and Mrs. John,
[,eola. Pa,. 63

Groff. Mr. and Mrs, Aaron.
Leola, Pa.. 50

Hirsch. Mr. and Mrs. Roy.
Troy. Ohio. 50

Huffman. Mr. and Mrs. Frank,
Dayton. Va.. 50

Jensen. Mr. and Mrs. Al. Nap-
panee, Ind,. 54

Keith. Mr. and Mrs. Clair J..
Roaring Spring. Pa.. 50

Kindell. Mr. and Mrs. Clar-
ence, Englewood. Ohio. 50

Krcps. Mr. and Mrs. Orvil, Ply-
mouth, ind.. 50

Miller. Mr. and Mrs. [Joyd.
Somerset. Pa.. 62

Moore. Mr. and Mrs, Jesse.
Somerset, Pa.. 63

Oiler. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel.
Waynesboro, Pa.. 65

Orange. Mr. and Mrs. Hubert.
Cloverdalc. Va.. 50

Rice. Mr. and Mrs. Leslie.
Nappanee. Ind., 57

RoIIc. Mr. and Mrs, Ernest.
Olympia. Wash.. 65

Schrock, Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Sr.. Rockwood. Pa., 50

Show alter. Mr. and Mrs. D.
Warren. Dalton. Ohio, 50

Stanley. Mr, and Mrs. Les. An-
derson, Ind.. 50

Wade. Mr. and Mrs. Robert.
Cabool. Mo., 58

Walker. Mr. and Mrs. Horace,
Hanover. Pa,. 57

W hitehead, Mr. and Mrs.
Glenn. New Paris. Ind., 60

Wood\. Mr. and Mrs. Carl. La
Verne. Calif.. 55

/.uok. Mr. and Mrs. Howard.
Hyaltsville. Md.. 50

Deaths

Bashnre. Harvey R,. 76. Leb-
anon. Pa.. Nov. 30. 1978

Blood, Nellie Couch. 87. Adel,
Iowa. Sept, 29. 1978

Brown, Audrey A.. 69, Hart-
ford Citv. Ind.. Jan. II. 1979

Brown, Willie S.. 81. Frys-
town. Pa.. Dec. 8. 1978

Brubakcr. Dayton K.. 82. Day-
ton. Ohio. .ian. 4, 1979

Bruch, Charles. 91. South
Whitley. Ind.. Sept. 10. 1978

Burd. Ada, 82. Millerstown
Pa.. March 9. 1978

Carr. Paul. 54. Harrisonburg
Va., Dec. 15, 1978

Carson. Lillian Walker, 89
Waterloo. Iowa. Nov. 26
1978

Clase. Donald, 65, V/arsaw
Ind,. Nov. 25. 1978

Coo\cr. Sam, 68, Bradenton
Fla.. Nov. 8. 1978

Crouse. Rov E.. 69. Adel, Iowa
Dec. 26. 'l978

Dourte. Clarence. 65. Leb
anon. Pa.. Jan. 8, 1979

Dymond. James B., 29. Add
Iowa. Dec. 20, 1978

Kstcp. Cloyd. 87. Bellwood
Pa.. Dec. 28. 1978

Fvans. Galen. 83. McPhtrson
Kan.. Dec. 15. 1978

Fike, Harvey M.. 89. Oakland
Md.. Jan. 4. 1979

Fralin. Naomi Stump. 85. Bent
Mountain. Va.. Dec. 21. 1978

Franklin. Rolland L.. 57, Mo
desto. Calif.. Dec. 29. 1978

Frydenger. Sandra N.. 37. Cer-
ro Gordo. 111.. Jan. 2. 1979

Fult/. Clara V., 87, Leeton.
Mo.. Dec. 15. 1978

Carber. Mata Brubaker, 81.
Dayton. Ohio. Sept. 14. 1978

Gossar. Charlotte A.. 79, Wind-
ber. Pa.. Nov. 20. 1978

Hanawalt. David, 68, Everett.
Pa.. Nov, 23. 1978

Harper. Lauren M.. 68. Can-
ton. Ohio. Dec. 5, 1978

Hartman. Lawrence. 67, York.
Pa.. Nov, 15. 1978

Ha//ard. Orvillc. 78. Mount
Morris. III.. Dec. 2. 1978

Heag>. Paul. 74. Manheim.
Pa.. Dec. 13. 1978

Hearn. John. 24. Huntingdon.
Pa.. Oct. 25. 1978

Hess. Lottie. 80. Manheim. Pa.,
Dec. 19. 1978

He^ener. Ollie. 68. Lititz. Pa..
Dec. 20. 1978

Hornbaker. Norma. Garden
City. Kan.. Dec. 12. 1978

Karper. Nellie. 63. Chambers-
burg. Pa.. Dec. 15. 1978

Landgra\c, Ruth, 89, South
Bend. Ind,. Oct. 21, 1978

Larrison, Sue. North Man-
chester. Ind.. Dec. 13, 1978

Martin. Esther. 81. Seattle,
Wash., Nov. 9, 1978

Myers. Lucille, 64, Bremen,
ind.. Aug. 10- 1978

Noffsinger. Waldo. 69. Conti-
nental. Ohio. Dec. 10. 1978

Olson. Otis S.. 65. Modesto.
Calif., Dec. 29. 1978

Rowc. Stella G.. 63. Washing-
ton. D.C.. Dec. 18, 1978

Roycr. Maude, 77. Louisville.
Ohio. Dec, 31, 1978

Shaffer, Walter. 81. Akron.

Ohio. Dec. 21. 1978

ShiveK. Mac. 81. Bremen. Ind,.
Sept. 13. 1978

Shollcnbcrgcr. Charles. 71.
Lebanon. Pa,. Nov. 10. 1978

Shook. Lucille. 71. Mount
Morris. III.. Dec. 3. 1978

Smith. Lloyd, 84, Lincoln.
Neb.. Nov. 3. 1978

Sprinkle. Elizabeth. 70. Mun-
cie. Ind., Oct. 19. 1978

Slcrn. Susie L. Oroville. Wash..
Dec. 20, 1978

Sloner. Iva Mae. 62. Somerset.
Ohio. Dec. 27. 1978

Stroman. Velma B.. 90. Gosh-
en. Ind.. Nov. 21. 1978

Sunderlin. Bovd. 73. Windber.
Pa.. Nov. 18, 1978

.Sweigarl. Mary Ann. 43. Leb-
anon, Pa.. Oct. 12. 1978

Taylor. Roland J.. 66, McGa-
heysville, Va.. Dec. 15. 1978

Troyer. William Gail. Sr.. 76.
South Bend. Ind.. Dec. 18.
1978

\an Winkle. George, 71. Seat-
tle. Wash., Oct. 8. 1978

Wagner. Jessie E.. 79. Water-
loo. Iowa. Oct, 18, 1978

Webb. Ruth Kreider. 59. Ship-
shewana. Ind,. Nov. 28.
1978

Whitmcr. Grace L., 80, North
Libertv. Ind,. Dec. 18. 1978

Brethren Colleges
Abroad

To Barcelona. Spain:

Anderson. Eli7abeth P.. Gaeta.
Italy. Georgetown Univer-
sity. Washington. D.C.

Boldin. Ann M. York. Pa.. Mil-
lersville State College

(arty. Winthrop D., Washing-
ton, D.C. Boston University

Dueck. Robert. Montevideo.
Uruguay. Bethel College

Delp. Robert. Harleyville. Pa..
Goshen College

Hernando/, Jesus. San Fernan-
do. Calif., University of La
Verne

Jarvjs. Karen. Ontario. Calif..
University of La Verne

Kauffman, Ruth A., Lombard.
111., Goshen College

Kuta. Stanley W.. Ashley. Ind,.
Manchester College

Lyman. Anita. Waynesboro.
Va.. Bridgewater College

Feksa. Jeffrey E.. La Porte.
Ind . Manchester College

Marque/, Edwin. Chino. Calif.,
University of La Verne

Martinez. Carmen E., Azusa.
CaliL. University of La Verne

McCarey. Mary. Springsville.
Pa.. Kings College

Merkcl. Sharon K.. Fleet-
wood. Pa.. Millersville State
College

Merwin, Robin M,. Vallejo.
Calif,. University of La Verne

Miller, Sharla 1... Kalona.
Iowa. Goshen College

Musgra\c. Allison. Bowie, Md.,
Juniata College

Ortega. Rebecca. La Verne.
Calir, University of La Verne

Paulson. Susan. New London.
Conn., Clark University

Pogwist, Kimberly, Seaford.
Del.. University of La Verne

Roehm. Elizabeth. Garrett.
Ind . Manchester College

Scheihner. Belle. Falls Church.
Va.. Bridgewater College

.Scondd. James. Balboa. Canal
Zone. University of Hawaii

Shank. Rachel. Aberdeen.
Scotland, Goshen College

.Snyder, Mary. Lansing. Mich..
Goshen College

Stephens. Janel F.. Ardmorc.
Pa.. Millersville State Col-
lege

Swartzendrubcr. William. Tel-
ford. Pa.. Goshen College

Villanucva. Sofia. Los Ange-
les. Calif.. University of La
Verne

Weathcrsby. Dcbora. Los An-
geles, CaliL. University of La
Verne

Voder, Christ. Athabasca.
Can.. Goshen College

T<> Cheltenham. England. Fall

1978:
Allhoff. Melina. Sidney, Ohio,

Manchester College
Bond. Daniel E.. Valparaiso.

Ind.. Manchester College
(line. Charlsie L.. Sterling.

Va.. Bridgewater College
Fckley. Andrea B.. San Diego.

Calif.. University of La Verne
Garber, Jeffrey L.. Elgin. III..

Manchester College
Gordon. Christie. Carmel. Ind..

Manchester College
Hakes. Margie. Stanley, Wis..

Manchester College
Flolsinger. Grant. Somerset.

Pa.. Manchester College
Husc. Janet Y.. Maumec. Ohio.

Manchester College
Kennedy. Margaret. Placentia.

CaliL. University of La Verne
Kciscr. Joan L.. Pottstown.

Pa.. Juniata College
Luna. Idalia E.. Los Angeles.

CaliL, University of La Verne
McC lure, Karen. San Jose.

CaliL. University of La Verne
Miha\ics. Ronald. Fort Wayne.

Ind.. Manchester College
Miller. Edward J.. Jr.. Glen-

dora. CaliL. University of La

Verne
Musgrave, Linda. McCords-

ville, Ind.. Manchester Col-
lege
Phillips. Carolyn L.. Sunbury.

Pa.. Elizabethtown College
Rice. Julia Ann. Pennington.

N.J.. Eli/abethtown College
Schwcring. Jeanne. Greens-
burg. Ind.. Manchester Col-
lege
.Sharp, r^an. Syracuse. Ind..

Manchester College
.Stcigcr. Brenda Lee. Hadden-

field. N.J.. Elizabethtown.

College
Slewarl. Elizabeth H.. Pass

Christian. Miss.. Bridgewa-
ter College
Sweallock. .Suzanne M., Myers-
town. Pa.. Juniata College
Waggy, Loren. Goshen. Ind..

Manchester College
Walton. Jennifer. Ken net I

Square. Pa,, Juniata College

Brethren Colleges Abroad //.\7.v
u /// he i oniiniH'd ne.xl month.

April 1979 MKSSFNGhR 31

pmf(^\? (^(d(^n(Sm

(mkimm

Ka

^athryn Kiracofe is retired and a part of the Bridgewater, Va., retirement com-
munity. She is a member of a weekly prayer group there called the Great Commis-
sion Prayer Group. From items in Messenger and other literature sent from the
Church of the Brethren General Offices, this prayer group gleans its agenda of prayer
concerns. In a recent letter to the General Offices, Kathryn expressed her wish that
perhaps there might be a regular feature in Messenger carrying praise and prayer
concerns for groups such as her Great Commission Prayer Group.

Persons who serve on the national and district staffs of our denomination have
often expressed their sense of responsibility to the church and their need for the
prayer support of congregations.

These two concerns are coming together in the appearance of this Prayer Calen-
dar as a monthly feature of Messenger.

You are invited to suggest items to the Prayer Calendar for inclusion. Such
items should express concerns wider than local ones. Prayer for persons or programs
known only by a particular congregation may perhaps be most effectively made
within the congregation where the needs are best known. Send items to Prayer Calen-
dar, Parish Ministries Commission, Church of the Brethren General Offices, 1451
Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120. The compiler of the Prayer Calendar, Glen Norris,
will give consideration to all requests submitted and will select items for inclusion in
the monthly prayer list.

April prayer calendar

April 1-7: Pray for the Western Pennsylvania District Women's Spring Rally, to be
held on April 5 at Center Hill, Kittanning, Pa.

Give prayer support to Merle Crouse in his new position as church development
consultant within the Parish Ministries Commission; to Shirley Heckman, Parish
Ministries Commission consultant for educational development, as she assumes ad-
ditional responsibilities with United Ministries in Higher Education and ministries in
public education; to Ralph and Mary Cline Detrick in an expanded work assign-
ment as person awareness coordinators in addition to their life cycle ministries.

April 8-14: Pray for the Stewardship Enrichment Seminar, to be held at Camp Mack,
Northern Indiana, April 20-22.

Pray that the Brotherhood may be guided in the selection of goals for the 1980s.

April 15-21: Give prayer support to Ruth and Tom Nelson as they continue to
minister to Arab refugee children near Jerusalem. (See Messenger, March 1978,
pages 16-19),

Pray for the progress and implementation of the Mutual Mission in the
Americas program (Mision Mutua en las Americas) involving the Church of the
Brethren in North America and certain Latin America churches. (See Messenger,
December 1978, page 4.)

April 22-28: Rejoice with the Walnut Grove Church of the Brethren, Johnstown, Pa.,
as this congregation prepares for its 95th anniversary service on April 29.

Ask that God's blessing may be on the Southeastern Youth Roundtable, April
28-29, Bridgewater College.

April 29-May 5: Remember those who will be graduated from Bethany Theological
Seminary this spring and entering new fields of service.

Pray for the continued progress of the committee representing the Brethren
groups in the preparation of the Brethren Encyclopedia. (See Messenger, October
1978, page 40, and November 1978, page 23.) D

A

Wei

Glen Norris is a former missionary to Scandinavia and a retired edito
ihool fjuhlirations.

of Church of the Brethren Sunday

. s the whining jet engines revved up for
lift-off, their powerful motors seemed to
scream, "You'll never be the same . . .
never be the same . . . never be the same

Those had also been the insightful words
of Merle Crouse, then of the World
Ministries staff, as he prepared our family
for a trip to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. My hus-
band, Warren, and I had been encouraged
to visit Aide aux Enfants since both of our
employers, the West York congregation
and the Southern Pennsylvania District
Children's Aid Society, are financial sup-
porters of this Haitian program for
children. And if a metamorphosis was to
occur, then we wanted our three sons.
David, Eric and Robert, to share the
cocoon-breaking experience with us. And
now the words had become reality, but the
feelings defied explanation. What had hap-
pened in this brief visit?

For one thing, our senses had been
sharpened and even now tastes and smells,
images and sounds race by in the rapid
progression of a speeding film . . .charcoal
fires and beans; sea air and human body
odor; clear blue skies and poinsettia "trees";
listlessly-ill children and eager-to-learn
children; congregational singing and "You
American?" questions; mangoes; lizards;
Aide aux Enfants; Luc Neree; voodoo
drums; starving children; Mona Teeter;
crowds; honking horns; more people;
tropical hot sun; more and more and
more people; mountain farming; eager
worshipers; sugar cane; rum; and still
more people.

The country of Haiti has a tumultuous
history. Political upheaval and social in-
justices ha\e left their mark on this island.
Eighteenth century Haiti produced enough
food for the entire New World; today it
cannot produce enough for its own popula-
tion. Eight to ten million people li\e in an
area about the size of the state of Mary-
land. Approximately three million live in
Port-au-Prince, a cit> whose geographic

32 Ml-ssiNOiR April 1979

by Theresa C. Eshbach

ill never be the same again

area is only 15-20 square miles.

Dense population, limited job oppor-
tunities, inadequate educational facilities,
social inequities and poor agricultural con-
ditions have thwarted the creativity of
many Haitian Christians. But Pastor Luc
Neree is not one of these. Previously a
lawyer who also served in government, Luc
Neree experienced the movement of the
Holy Spirit in his life and a dramatic con-
version took place. Choosing to commit his
total life to Jesus Christ, Pastor Neree left
his government position, came to the states
to attend seminary, and returned to Haiti
to become a pastor and Christian leader.
Since that time, it has been his goal to help
the Haitians develop an appreciation for
who they are and what they can become.
He believes that Haitians need to develop
an attitude of self-respect instead of self-
deprecation, finding hope as Christ works
in and through them rather than searching
for security in white American leadership.
Pastor Neree strongly believes that
Haitians cannot continue to be dependent,
thinking that their own abilities and skills
are inferior. They may lack in experience,
but certainly not in potential.

A

nd how has Pastor Neree tackled this
problem? Through a ministry to a con-
gregation of 1,200 at the Eglise Baptiste des
Cites (Baptist Church of the City) where
leadership training and Christian education
are priorities; and through the Aide aux
Enfants (Help for the Children) program in
downtown Port-au-Prince. Aide aux En-
fants has a three-pronged ministry: a feed-
ing program to 500-600 street children: a
health clinic particularly for children but
including some adults: and a Christian
school.

Nearly 1,800 children pass through the
doors of Aide aux Enfants each week. 900-
1,100 of these children are brought to the
clinic where three graduate doctors and 12

qualified nurses, all Haitian, respond to
their physical needs. A small fee of 29 cents
per patient is charged, but no one is ever
turned away because of inability to pay.
Why any fee at all? To maintain integrity
and develop responsibility among those
who are being treated. Medical facilities
and supplies may be limited by American
standards, but the care is of an outstand-
ing quality.

A,

nother 200 students attend the Chris-
tian school which has been developed to
meet the academic and physical needs of
the gifted child, the hope for Haiti's future.
Classes presently consist of kindergarten
through sixth grade, but plans are under-
way for the inclusion of those grades
equivalent to the American junior-senior
high schools. The school is staffed with a
principal and six Haitian teachers, all
trained at a local teacher training school. It
is one of the few educational facilities
which includes a cafeteria with a cooked
noon meal for the students. Meat from our
Southern Pennsylvania/ Mid-Atlantic Dis-
trict canning project has been most
gratefully received by Aide aux Enfants,
for meat is very scarce in Haiti. Daily in-
struction in the school includes a half-hour
chapel service with hymn singing, unison
scripture reading, prayers and enthusiastic
Bible teaching by one of the grade school
teachers.

Though the language was foreign to us,
the message of that entire service was clear:
the proclamation of the good news in the
coming of Jesus Christ and a commitment
of one's total life to the Christian way.

Spurring the most interest in our family
and also that part of the program receiving
the greatest financial support from the
Church of the Brethren, is the feeding
program for near-starving street children.
These youngsters are so named because the
street is literally their home. A noon meal

is served to nearly 600 children, six days a
week, and is probably the only food of
which they are certain in a 24-hour period.
Waiting until the entire group is seated, the
meal is preceded by a hymn and a unison
prayer lined out by a member of the staff.
Then, and only then, do the children eat.
Consider for yourself one meal in a 24-
hour period and the extent of your
patience under similar circumstances.

Clothes are also scarce, but every child
in the feeding program is required to wear
shoes and shirts. When these garments are
not available to the children, members of
the Eglise Baptiste des Cites (who them-
selves have little) have worked to provide
for those in need. Many days have passed
since we watched those frail, hungry bodies
file through the eating hall, but their im-
ages will linger forever. Other hymns have
passed by our ears since we heard them
sing "Jesus Loves the Little Children" in
their Creole dialect, but that melody and
the eyes that gazed on us as they chanted
"red and yellow, black and white" will
never be erased from our memories.

So what had happened to the Eshbachs?
We had been limited in our understand-
ings, seeing life from a Pennsylvania;
American perspective. But God
moves beyond those weak, human
limitations and we got caught up in his
tide. And what is happening at Aide aux
Enfants? A butterfly is emerging and the
hope of new life for many of God's
children in Haiti is becoming a reality
through the ministry of dedicated Haitian
Christians. n

Theresa C. Eshhach is administratorfexecutive of the
Children's Aid Sociely of Souihern Pennsylvania Dis-
triil. New Oxford. Pa.

April 1979 mfssfngkr 33

On forgiving, name-changing, building

Amy Langdon

God forgives us.
Can we accept?

I have always gone to church with my
family regularly, and have always believed
in God and his Son, Jesus, but I never
really understood God's forgiveness of our
sins. I knew that if I prayed to God for for-
giveness. I should receive it. but when 1 did
1 never really felt forgiven. 1 always re-
mained feeling guilty about what 1 had
done. It almost seemed to me that God
wasn't really listening to me. This left me
deeply hurt and confused. But this all
changed when I went to National Youth
Conference last summer.

At NYC I attended a workshop on "faith
sharing," 1 remember paging through the
lists of workshops and being drawn to this
one. At the time 1 wasn't sure why. 1 had
never given much thought to sharing my
faith with others — 1 didn't think it was
strong enough for that, but I kept feeling 1
had to go to that workshop. Now 1 know
that God wanted me to go.

The first day the workshop was held on
a grassy hill. The 20 participants sat on the
ground in a circle. After introducing
himself, leader Larry Davis asked each of
us to give our own names and tell why we
had come. I don't remember what I said,
but I do remember what Larry said next:
"Although each of you came to this
workshop wanting to learn how to share
your faith with others, you can't until you
feel good about yourself." Larry said the
one thing most people have trouble with is
forgiving themselves when they have done
something they shouldn't have, or have not
done something they should have.

Most Christians pray to God for
forgiveness and believe he has forgiven
them, but somehow they can never quite
get around to forgiving themselves. They
just never stop feeling guilty about what
thev have done.

To hold in respect and fellowship those in
the church with whom we agree or disagree
is a characteristic of the Church of the
Brethren. It is to the continuation of this
value, and to an open and probing forum,
that "Opinions" are invited from readers.

I realized Larry was right. Often I had
prayed to God asking him to forgive me
for things I had done, but I still felt guilty
about doing them. There were some things
1 had felt guilty about for years. I could
easily relate to what Larry was saying.

Next Larry talked about how these
feelings of guilt can get in the way of a per-
son's growth with God. It is hard to reach
out to someone else when you are feeling
negative about yourself. I can remember
thinking that it would be great if I didn't
feel so guilty, but 1 couldn't see how
anyone could help me with these feelings.

Then Larry suggested a powerful
solution — prayer. Somehow I wasn't sure
this would work for me — I had tried it be-
fore— but somehow, listening to Larry talk
about how God heals us of anything if we
just ask him, I began to really believe that
maybe, just maybe, God could take away
my guilt feelings.

Ne

ilext, Larry had us write down every-
thing we were feeling guilty about. After
everyone was done with that, we all joined
hands and Larry prayed for us all. It was a
simple prayer. First Larry asked God to
help us stop feeling guilty about everything
we had written and anything else we might
have forgotten to write down. Larry then
asked God to bless and heal all the
memories of each of the years of our lives.
He did this separately for each year we had
lived, counting down a year at a time, back
to the time we were conceived. Then Larry
closed his prayer by thanking God for heal-
ing all our memories and guilt feelings.
This really surprised me. Larry was
positive God would heal us all; he was
sure, in fact, that he already had and he
thanked God for doing so. That was the
first time I felt anyone was sure God really
would answer his prayer. Larry then
collected all our papers with our guilts on
them and tore them up. I left the hilltop
feeling that something important had just
happened, but I didn't realize how impor-
tant it was until that evening.

After supper I went to the worship serv-
ice being held for the whole NYC group.
At one time during the service, all who
wanted to were invited to go up to one of
the three microphones and tell about
anything that was happening to them at
NYC, or about their feelings at NYC.
Hordes of people came to the mikes. Some

people came with prayer requests, some
came to tell everyone that they had
accepted Jesus as their Savior that dav,
and some came up to tell about an ex-
perience they had while at NYC. Choruses
of "Amen" and "Praise God" were going
up all through the group when persons
would tell how NYC had changed their life
in some way. All around me people were
crying tears of joy. I can remember think-
ing it was great that everyone was so hap-
py. I was full of joy. but tears did not fit
into my celebration — I was smiling from
ear to ear.

Then it hit me — I wasn't feeling guilty. I
used to feel guilty about not crying when
people were sharing about being saved or
feeling closer to God. I felt happy for them,
but I was never moved to cry and this real-
ly bothered me. I felt I was just not feeling -
as emotional about the whole thing as 1
should be. But here I was in the same type
of situation and I wasn't feeling guilty at
all! It was great! God had taken away that
guilt, and all it had taken on my part was ^

to ask him. 1 had not even thought to list fl

this sore spot and yet God knew about it
and took care of it for me anyway!
Through the rest of the service I basked in
this new-found peace. I felt as if a great
burden had been lifted from my heart. I
had learned that I don't have to carry
around guilt feelings — all I have to do is
ask God to take care of them for me and
he will.

I had learned that God always listens. I u

realize that the times I thought he wasn't f

listening, he really was. At times I still
catch myself trying to carry around some
bit of guilt, but God always reminds me of
my lesson and I ask Him to take o\er for
me and he always does. D

//;,?/t sc/uHtt senior .^niy Langihn Is a member of the
Trinity congregation. Sicitjey. Ohio.

Sarah A lexauder- Mack

We may soon
see a memo . . .

ME1V10 TO: General Secretary

FROM: .Associate General Secretary

for Marketing
RE: Corporate Name Change

1 ) Marketing has made a study of our cor-
porate name and has concluded that it is

34 Missi,N(ii:K April m9

(plDrf^l p^^

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

xist, misleading, inaccurate and generally
ust not with it."

2) Problems have resulted in our confu-
on with a monastic order and in the belief
lat a segment of our market can not fully
irticipate in the affairs of the corporation,
rom marketing's viewpoint, this image
;rception leads to a low return on invest-
ent in company growth, discourages new
ockholders and limits merchandising
jssibilities. Keeping our place among the
)mpetition in our line of business re-
jires a name change. (In the first half of
>78 alone, 455 firms changed their names,
) we need not feel alone.)

3) A name is needed to identify our
"oduct line, yet one that is dignified,
■verent and contemporary. It should be
urable, lasting for many years. It should
J non-restrictive, so as to allow for the
iding of more product lines in the future.

4) There are several approaches to the
roblem:

A) Drop the limiling part of the name
id focus on the root word. This would

ot work, since the root word is the of-
nding word. What is left is too generic
nd common.

B) Explore existing names presently or
nee held by the corporation, perhaps with
'storic connotations. Words like "Ger-
lan," "Schwarzenau," "Baptist," or
Vlack" have ties to our identity, but re-
lain limiting in meeting objectives of
lodernity and marketability.

C) A coined name. If City Bank of
ew York can become Citibank, perhaps
e might choose "Churen" or
Vlackalites." The problem here is that an
(tensive advertising campaign may be re-
uired to establish the new name in the
ublic mind. We might even suffer a drop

I what public recognition we already hold.

D) An acronyn. This method sparkles
ith possibilities. "COB" already has usage
ithin the corporation, but pronouncing it
as some negative connotations. Care
lould be taken to avoid offensive
:ronyns that could result in a new name,
jod's Uncounted Numbers" (GUN)
ould not speak well for the corporation's
Jcial concerns. Similiarly for "Witnesses
.dvancing Righteously" (WAR).

5) Marketing advises using a computer

) come up with the combination of words
lat could suggest a new name. Per-
lutations of the alphabet are known to
reduce 1 1 billion readable 8-letter words.

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• "Christ is risen!" "Christ is risen indeed!" The Eastern Rite Orthodox salutation and
response on Easter morning gives the lie to death and reminds us that Easter is the queen of
religious festivals. Central to the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus Christ was
resurrected after having suffered and died, and thus we have celebrated this holiest of days
longer than any other Christian holiday, using universal symbols in a variety of ways. The
ancients believed the new year began at the time of the vernal equinox, that special time
when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator, making day and night of equal length
all over the earth. Easter is the original movable feast, moving backward and forward on
the calendar according to the fluctuations of the full moon in relationship to the vernal
equinox, always occurring between March 21 and April 25. On the timing of Easter Day
depend all the movable feasts that occur throughout the Christian yea"". For example,
Pentecost always arrives the seventh Sunday after Easter.

• Western Christians celebrate Easter according to the time set down and made secure
at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. But Eastern Christians celebrate the great day on Pass-
over, the 14th of Nisan — the first month in the Hebrew year.

• In 1948 the full moon occurred on March 21, the day of the vernal equinox. One
week later, March 28, was Easter Day and Pilgrim celebrated by giving birth to her first
daughter. Bunny will not have another Easter birthday in this century. As nearly as we can
calculate, Easter will fall on March 28 again in 2027. when the Easter girl will be 79 years
old and Pilgrim will be 102. I'll arrange to give her felicitations considerably earlier.

• The egg has been a universal symbol as long as history has been recorded. It was be-
lieved to be the origin of all things, therefore it was the symbol of creation. The creed of the
egg is Life and Hope, Here and Now. So it is dyed and eaten at Easter, not only to signify
the beginning of the natural year, but to indicate Christ's triumph over death.

• I have a collection of eggs that has come to me because of an interest in decorating
eggs. One of my favorites came from a Greek Orthodox friend early one Easter morning. It
is deep red, decorated with a gold cross, nestled in its own tiny basket. When she presented
it to me. she said "Chirst is risen!" and asked me to respond according to the custom of the
Greek Church. "And hath appeared unto Simon."

• In the Tyrol area of Austria the men go from house to house singing Easter carols,
and they are rewarded with . . . what else but boiled and colored eggs.

• The greatest Easter celebration in the world is held at St. Peter's in Rome, replete
with pomp and pageantry. The Pope, in his white and gold vestments, wears a triple crown
symbolizing spiritual power, temporal power and the unity of both. On either side of him
are borne large fans of ostrich feathers in which are set the eyes of peacock feathers, the
eyes signifying that the church is all-seeing and vigilant.

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Anne Albright — The
Catherine Marshall books, beginning with A Man Called Peter: Nine O'clock in the Morn-
ing, Dennis Bennett. Clyde Weaver — Whatever Became of Sin, Karl Menninger; Becoming,
Gordon AUport; God's Trombones. James Weldon Johnson.

• From another Pilgrim's Pen: "Not only should we not be ashamed of our Lord's
death, but we ought to trust in it and make it our boast. For in taking for himself the death
he found in us, he promised to give us life that was beyond our reach." — St. Augustine.

See you on the journey — p.k.h.

Brethren writer Patricia Kennedy Helman is a licensed minister and a member of the Manchester congrega-
tion. North Manchester. Ind. She is a Brethren representative to the National Council of Churches and is a coor-
dinator of the Association for the Arts in the Church of the Brethren.

April 1979 mhsskngi-:r 35

CLASSIFIED ADS

WANTED — Young persons for truck drivers.
21 years or over; good driving record
necessary; Bretliren preferred, but not re-
quired. Would also do warehouse work, load-
ing and unloading. Contact Eleanor Rowe,
Director of Administrative Services, Breth-
ren Service Center, Box 188, New Windsor,
MD 21776, telephone (301) 635-6464.

WANTED — Urgent. Doctor needed by June
1979. Opportunity for private practice and
medical director at Greenville, Ohio, Breth-
ren's Home; 4 blocks from local hospital;
pleasant rural community; easy access to
Dayton, Cincinnati, Indianapolis. Contact Ad-
ministrator of The Brethren's Home, 750
Chestnut St., Greenville, OH 45331. (513)
548-4117.

WILDERNESS BEACH ADVENTURE-July 8-
17, 1979. Hike the West Coast Trail on Van-
couver Island British Columbia (part of the
new Canadian Pacific Rim National Park). 44
miles of beaches, tidal pools, headland, In-
dian villages, seals, shipwrecks, clams, light-
houses, and waterfalls along the Pacific
Ocean. Trip begins and ends in Seattle.
Cost of $115 includes all transportation,
most food and all group equipment. Limited
to 12 participants. Experienced leader-,
ship. For more information write Kent
Verbeck, Route 4, Box 60-A, Cle Elum, WA
98922.

FOR SALE— Supplement of Brubaker Infor-
mation by Ethel H. Weddle, 1978. $3
prepaid. Addition to "A Brubaker Genealogy:
The Descendants of Henry Brubaker 1775-
1848 of Salem, Va," by Weddle and
Smeltzer. 2 books in 1 binding, $10.50
prepaid. Limited supply. Order from Ethel
Weddle, 416 North 4th, Girard, IL 62640.

FOR SALE-"The 25th Anniversary Cook-
book," published by The Brethren Home
Auxiliary, New Oxford, Pa. $8.75 plus $1.25
p&h. Loose-leaf book; over 1,000 tried and
tested recipes. Order from The Brethren
Home, c/o Milton E. Raup, Box 128, New Ox-
ford, PA 17350.

FOR SALE— Thought-provoking book of
poetry, prose, short stories from life. Also
collection of stimulating, challenging calls to
worship. By Ivan J. Fausnight, minister for
30 years. Sister Anna says of this book, "It is
lovely, unique and inspiring." Paperback.
"Down to earth and up too." $2.95 plus 55$
postage. Hardback $6.95 plus $1.00 post-
age. Box S, Danville, OH 43014.

FOR SALE — Sappington, "The Brethren in
Bridgewater: The First One Hundred Years,"
Park View Press, 1978, 225 pages, hard-
back. New Congregational history. Send
$8.55 to Bridgewater Brethren, 400 E. Col-
lege St., Bridgewater, VA 22812.

TRAVEL— Continuing Educational Tours.
1979: Alaska. 14 days, July 8-July 21. Travel
immediately after Annual Conference from
Seattle, Wash. Featuring: Anchorage-Fair-
banks-Glacier Bay-Inside Passage Cruise.
1980: Eastern European Highlights — Fea-

turing: West and East Germany-Holland-
Czechoslovakia-Austria. Tickets to the Ober-
ammergau Passion Play are included. Depar-
ture: July 8, 1980 from Cleveland, Ohio.
Tickets are in great demand; register early.
Brochures available. Clergymen and Teach-
ers are invited to be Tour Hosts. Rev.
Raymon/AnnaBelle Eller, experienced coor-
dinators. 358 Selden Ave., Akron, OH 44301.
(216) 724-9595.

TRAVEL— Pastors and persons interested in
conducting your own tour group to any place
in the world — let us assist you in your plan-
ning and quote you a price. We specialize in
the Middle East, Turkey, Greece and Italy.
We also have available 9-day Post Confer-
ence Tours to Hawaii from Pittsburgh and
Chicago. Cost $639 from Pittsburgh and
$599 from Chicago. This includes air fare to
Seattle and return. Also, travel with us and
Anna Mow to the Passion Play at Oberam-
mergau, Germany, July 1980. Visit Schwar-
zenau, birthplace of the Brethren. Spend 15
days touring Europe on our Brethren Heri-
tage Tour. (15-day European Tour $1499).
Limited number of tickets available. Contact
us: Bohrer Tours, Inc.— Joan and Wendell
Bohrer, 96 Penrod, Johnstown, PA 15902.
(814) 536-1811 or (814) 266-2629.

TRAVEL— Scandinavian 15 day tour includ-
ing Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and impor-
tant sites in Holland and Germany, August 7,
1979. 15 day Alpine countries and
Oberammergau Passion Play July 15, 1980.
Inquire immediately for Passion Play reser-
vations. Write for brochure: Rev. Richard C.
Wenger, 314 E. Washington St., Huntington,
IN 46750. (219) 356-7983 collect.

TRAVEL— Air-conditioned bus tours to 1979
Annual Conference in Seattle. After Confer-
ence return home via Canadian Rockies or
go on to Alaska. Write Dr. J. Kenneth Kreider,
R D. #3, Box 660, Elizabethtown, PA 17022.

TRAVEL-Juniata College Tours. 1979:
ALASKA-11 days (June 22-July 2) before
Seattle Annual Conference, and 14 days im-
mediately after (July 8-July 21). Includes In-
land Water Passage Cruise. Two-day mini-
tour Seattle-Victoria-Vancouver possible
before 11 -day tour and after 14-day tour.
1980: Oberammergau Passion Play, follow-
ing Pittsburgh Annual Conference, 14 days.
Includes Bavaria, The Alps, Rhine Cruise,
Berlin and Prague. June 30 departure.
Harold B. Brumbaugh, host conductor. In-
formation: Weimer-Oller Travel, 405 Penn
Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652. Tel. (814)
643-1468.

TRAVEL— "Heart of Europe Tour" and Ober-
ammergau. June 15-July 4, 1980. Thrill to
the great art, music, drama and culture of 6
European countries. Enjoy the tremendous
scenery of Switzerland, Austria and Italy. 20
days by chartered bus to Geneva, Florence,
Venice, Vienna, Prague and Salzburg. (Grad-
uate or undergraduate college credit avail-
able.) From New York. Compare schedules
and prices. For information write Dr. Dayton
Rothrock, experienced tour director,
McPherson College, McPherson, KS 67460.

36 Mi.ssiNChR April 1979

any one of which might replace the of-
fending 8-letter word we seek to eliminate.

A) The computer could identify
"buzzwords" familiar to our product line
(i.e.. Peace, Covenant, Trine, Foottub.
Justice, Plain Garb, Simple Life.) The
proper combination of two or three of
these words should result in an acceptable
replacement name.

B) We must consider in any list of
candidate names the emotional, semantic
and substantive concerns implicit. "The
Peace Corporation" says much for our
company ideals, but doesn't represent our
majority viewpoints. "Corporation of the
Nonviolent" again bespeaks historic con-
cerns and current ideals, but more
stockholders than not keep a gun in the
home. This corporation cannot accept
moral or ethical ambiguities in its name. It
would hurt our image.

6) Whatever name is chosen, marketing
advises a heavy promotion to replace the
old name in the public consciousness, using
a strong creative concept. Promote well
among employees and stockholders. Sug-
gest heavy media schedule on the "Law-
rence Welk Show" and "PTL Club." D

Sarah Alexander- Mack is the non de plume of a
Brethren contributor whose name, upon request, is
withheld.

Dick Miller

Just a-singin'
in the reign*

The February editorial, "A New Name to
Set Us Singing," made me want to stand
up and sing, "Rise Up, O Men of God!"

What do they mean when they say that
our name is se.xist and e.xclusive? Would
you (the editor), as a man, feel e.xcluded if
the name of the denomination were the
Church of the Sisters'? I think not, especial-
ly if the sisters seemed sincere when they
explained that the word "sisters" is generic
and includes us brothers and us men. We
wouldn't jump up and ask, "When and
how did it get to be generic?"

This is definitely not the time to tamper
with our name. There are many more im-
portant things with which to occupy our
time: budgets and organization and ....
Unlike the year the name was changed the
last time, the church today is not changing!
In the early 1900s, German-speaking
brothers were becoming English-speaking

rothers and a generation tied to the past
'as giving way to a generation committed
D the future. Not so this time!

I do wonder, in passing, how many
'omen delegates were in that voting body
1 1908 compared with the ratio of men
nd women in the current Annual Con-
;rence delegate body, and how many
'omen were on the ballot then compared
'ith now. But that probably has no great
gnificance as an indication of change in
le church!

Unless we are going to be sensitive to a
ocal minority and in touch with what they
ill the current mood and the wave of the
jture, let us wait until a voting majority
ecome women. My guess is that we can
utwait them — delay them long enough
lat they will become tired of the battle,
rop out, and never challenge us
jccessfully.

I wish I had been in the delegate body in
908. Those English-speaking brothers
'ould have dropped out, too, if we
lerman-speaking brothers had waited it
ut! Ja?

^.s a matter of strategy, we can
robably convince those women who stay
lat the "name" issue is not important to
le liberation movement — that it is trivial
nd of no importance at all.

I do wonder, at times, if the "name" is
ot important, why this editorial evokes
uch anger!

And I do hope that they will not use our
rgument against us, suggesting that if the
ame isn't important, why noi change it!

Anyway, for 71 years of our 271 years of
Irethren history and 1,946 years, give or
ike a few, of Christian history, we have
ad our name, given to us by our church
ithers. What is more important, "Church
f the Brethren" has been our name for as
Dng as I have been a member. Therefore, it
; well established, as far as I am con-
erned. We should not tamper with our
ame!

So, let's continue to sing in our own
eign. Brethren (and, of course, that
icludes you women). Unite . . . and sing
. . one more stanza . . . "Rise Up. . . .

*Suggesling thai our denomination
'.ame is like a "suit of clothes" as was done
n the February editorial reminds me of the
tory of the emperor's new clothes. The

editorial sees through the security and
splendor of a name we thought was "new"
and adequate to the naked truth that
women just are not brethren.

Now that I have had my fun, please
record me on the side supporting the
editorial. It is right on! And let the new
name, whatever it may be. assure all the
sisters, the vocal as well as the silent, that
they are included. D

DUk Miller is a realtor associate from Manassas, Va.

Nettie Thomas

Quit 'building'
God's kingdom

"The kingdom of God is like a church
which was being built from boards sliced
from a tree hewn with an ax, cut with a
saw, aged until it was properly dead and
shrunk, nailed with sharp nails, with a
powerful and brutal hammer, erected ac-
cording to a man's plan, printed to pre-
serve the dead wood."

Can you imagine Jesus saying those
words'? He said no such thing! It is similar
to the opinion of a minister who once re-
marked in a meeting of ministers that he
wished churches and denominations would
get together: He clinched his fist, saying
that it had much more "clout" than with
the hand extended. He completely ignored
the fact that one can only give and receive
with the outstretched hand, could serve
and comfort with the fingers unrolled and
active. All that could be done with the
clinched hand was to strike a cruel and
painful blow.

Jesus never compared the kingdom of
God to the work he did in plying his trade
of carpentry. Why? Could it be that he did
not want it compared to a physical thing
made with pointed nails and violent ham-
mers? It is only unliving materials that can
be so handled without pain, and with the
violence of chopping, sawing, hammering.
The kingdom of God is a living thing —
seed sowed in the ground — mustard seed
which is very small and grows to be the
largest of herbs, serving the birds which
live among them; leaven — yeast which is
hidden in dough or batter, alive, growing,
having its influence in many loaves thus
produced. The kingdom of God is choice
for one's lifetime, a living sacrifice in behalf

of the worth-ship of a treasure. The king-
dom of God is life eternal, not the physical
structure that decays, rots, burns and is
destroyed. The kingdom of God is that
which is worthy of one's whole life, one's
greatest possessions, because it is an eternal
kingdom that grows.

We may enter the kingdom and build
within it — build houses for the poor, build
places of worship, promote equitable
economic systems, more democratic politi-
cal systems, but we can never build ihe
kingdom of God. We can only enter it, live
within it, devote our lives to it and die
within it.

Come on! — Let's quit trying to ^a/W the
kingdom of God. Let's enter the kingdom
of God, follow its constitution and laws, its
love, and it will grow and grow and grow. □

\eine Tlu>nia\ is a liiensetl nunisler in the
Warrenshuri^ (Mo.) mni^rei^atittn.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE BULLETINS

INVITATION— Join Annual Conference trans-
continental adult bike hike; Ocean City,
Wash,, to Ocean City, N.J. July 9-Aug. 31.
Visit national parks. Great Lakes. Contact
Don Remnant, R. 2, Box 263, Mt. Joy, PA
17552,

INVITATION — Stop by Nampa, Idaho, on way
to Seattle, Hospitality provided June 30-July
2 Coffee shop marked 1/8 mi, off Interstate
80 at Exit 38, Camper/trailer facilities avail-
able, Sunday morning church at 11, Inquire
Nampa Church of the Brethren, 323 11th
Ave,, S,, Nampa, ID 83651, Tel, (208) 466-
3321,

INVITATION — Stop by Wenatchee, Wash., on
way to Seattle. Sunnyslope congregation
offering overnight lodging or trailer/camper
facilities. Church providing parking, kitchen,
bathing facilities, 3 hrs. from Seattle. Extra
inducement: free cherry picking! Inquire:
Sunnyslope Church of the Brethren, 3330
School St,, Wenatchee, WA 98801. Tel. (509)
663-5745,

INVITATION-Peace Church of the Brethren
suggest spending time in Portland, Ore.,
"City of Roses," Church near Interstates 5
and SON. Spend overnight in homes. Church
grounds available for campers, trailers,
tents. Scenic attractions and skiing nearby.
Contact Ed Groff, Peace Church of the
Brethren, 12727 SE, Market St,, Portland,
OR 97233, (503) 254-6380 or (206) 256-
8550,

WANTED — Experienced string and brass
players for Conference ensemble. Will ac-
company congregational singing and choir
anthems. Send name, address, name of in-
strument, date of arrival at Conference. Lois
Schopp, 401 Maryland Avenue, Wenatchee,
WA 98801

April 1979 MK.SSKNGKR 37

^(^©pyikpmmh

f

Harrisburg: Enthusiasm for a novel
approach to Vacation Bible School

For the past two years the Ridgeway Com-
munity Church of the Brethren,
Harrisburg, Pa., has used an innovative ap-
proach to Vacation Bible School. The
change has brought renewed enthusiasm
and support for a program that was suffer-
ing from traditional routine.

The first uncharacteristic note about
Ridgeway's Bible school is its mid-August
timing. Although recognizing there is
always some conflict with family vacations,
Ridgeway's educational planners feel that
children are more receptive to a weekday
structured program after some time has
elapsed following the public school recess
than they are in June. The 1978 VBS had
64 children enrolled, including 26 who were
not of congregational families. The
program is for children from kindergarten
through sixth grade.

Secondly, although the children are
grouped by ages for occasional group ac-
tivities, such as Bible study, worship and
films, the majority of the Bible school ex-
perience is an individually chosen elective
program. Children are offered choices from
many activities, including drama, crafts,
music and learning center activities.
Because each day's schedule is designed
uniquely, a child can benefit even if unable
to attend the entire eight days.

One very favorable aspect of the new
design is the opportunity to involve more
adult leadership, yet lighten the traditional
burden of a staff of teachers and aides. In
addition to the director, only five other
full-time persons are required. These per-
sons act as the family or base group leaders
who help the children of their group
choose their individual activities.

A total of 40 other adults share involve-
ment at some point in the eight days, doing
such things as leading Bible study, telling
stories, giving craft instruction, leading

People & Parish is a forum for sharing
stories ahoiil church activities that may
encourage other congregations to try new
approaches in their own local programs.
Congregations, groups, and individuals are
invited to submit reports and photographs
to support this cross-fertilization process.

recreation, planning field trips and direct-
ing music. Ridgeway does not hesitate to
involve resource leaders from the com-
munity around the church.

"We feel good about the way the new
format for the Bible school is using a varie-
ty of personal gifts," comments Pastor Ken
Gibble. "It is much easier to get leaders
and everyone is enthusiastic." Ken also
notes with appreciation the fact that the lay
people take charge of planning and con-
ducting the school. "The only thing I do is
tell a story," he adds.

The overarching goal of last August's
Bible school was to give the children a
fresh awareness of the creative love of God
and a sense of significance and joy in doing
something to help take care of God's
world. Some of the special activities during
the eight-day program include exploring
nature, senses walks, expressing the words
of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 through dramatic
movement, field trips, discussions on the
cycles of nature, an overnight day camp
trip to Camp Swatara, and the planting of
a tree on the church property.

One of the keys to the success of Ridge-
way's Bible school venture is its excellent
director, Linda Geesaman. Drawing from
her public school teacher training. Linda
adds the special touch that makes the
program exciting for both leaders and
pupils. The enthusiastic response from
parents, teachers and especially the
children makes her eager to share the
details of Ridgeway's successful program
with other congregations. — Barbara
Myers

Barf^ara Mvfrs is a member of the Ridgeway Cum-
nninity (Harrisburg, Pa.) congregation.

Danville: Learning th
reliving early formativ

Brethren heritage came very much alive for
members of the North Bend Church of the
Brethren in Danville. Ohio, during a three-
week series that focused on the customs
and doctrines of the 19th century. Led by
the congregation's pastor. Tom Zuercher.
the 1 10 active members at North Bend
both heard and dramatized the earlier era.

Pastor Zuercher used the first two Sun-
days to preach on the denomination's doc-
trine and polity, the heart of which, he de-
clared, has not changed in the more than
270 years of the church's history. He
stressed, among other cardinal principles of
the church, the Brethren belief in no creed
except the New Testament.

The final Sunday in the series featured a
worship service after the fashion of the
1870s. It was during that period that the
North Bend congregation was established.
Hence, several members had heirlooms and
articles of clothing dating from the
previous century.

Some parishoners came to the service
wearing entire outfits typical of the era,
while all of the women wore prayer
coverings and the men left their ties at
home. Pastor Zuercher borrowed a plain
coat, and he and Mrs. Zuercher, along with
a few other members, made their way to
church in a wagon pulled by a team of
horses.

The order and mechanics of the worship
service were made as authentic as possible.
The men sat on one side of the sanctuary
and the women on the other. No piano or
organ music was used and the h>mns were
lined. The deacons sat on a front bench
facing the congregation and the\ par-
ticipated in the practice of "extending the
liberty" when it came time for the sermon.
Three of the deacons. Jim Lifer. Eldon
Workman and Wayne Workman, re-
sponded with brief sermons.

About the experience. Lifer comments.
"I thought it was one of the best ways to
impress the heritage and culture on us. es-
pecially on the young people. We have peo-
ple still talking about it."

A large collection of old Bibles, hymn-
books and other items from the 19th cen-

38 Missi \c,i u April 1979

?ritage by

'ars

tury were on display at the church during
the emphasis. One of the most unique
among the articles was the wine bottle used
for the first communion service in the
North Bend church over 100 years ago. Its
owner, Thelma Lauderbaugh, is one of the
longest tenured members of the congrega-
tion and can remember the use of the wine
bottle from which the element was poured
into a common glass. The glass was then
passed along each table.

Both Lifer and Lauderbaugh give credit
to Pastor Zuercher for bringing some in-
novative and creative ideas to North Bend
which has rekindled interest and
enthusiasm. Within the past two years the
congregation's attendance and giving has
doubled and a choir has been organized for
the first time. An active group of 15-18
young people is adding to the optimistic
spirit of the fellowship. — F.W.S.

Danville's Pastor Zuercher and his wife wagon-pool with other members on their \
Sunday worship service fashioned after the German Baptist meetings of the 1870s.

Muskegon: A community ministry
on call twenty-four hours a day

The Muskegon (Mich.) Church of the
Brethren and its pastor. Otto
Zuckschwerdt, are ministering daily to a
large segment of the Muskegon County
community through a telephone/tape
ministry. Now in its third year, Dial-A-
Blessing, as it is called, offers callers a
three-minute inspirational message pre-
pared by Pastor Zuckschwerdt. On an
average day about 25 callers use the serv-
ice, but some days the tape is dialed as
many as 200 times. Some 30,000 calls were
received in the first two years.

The brunt of the operation is borne by
Pastor Zuckschwerdt and his wife, Carole,
who make the actual recordings. Inspira-
tion for the talks come from scriptures,
books, conversations and nature. After
listening to the message, callers have op-
portunity to request personal counseling by
leaving their name and phone number,
which the equipment records.

"We have responded to people with
problems that run the whole gamut of
human emotions," Zuckschwerdt relates.
"But we try to counsel each person as a
whole person, dealing with their physical.

emotional and spiritual needs."

Zuckschwerdt further believes the
Muskegon telephone ministry is unique
because callers have anonymity if they
want it. But at the same time it is more per-
sonal than some of the hot-line-type
telephone ministries because callers know
they will always hear either him or his wife,
Carole.

The Dial-A-Blessing ministry uses three
recording machines which can be adapted
to standard telephone receiving and send-
ing equipment. Financial support comes
primarily from the congregation, along
with contributions from some interested
patrons and two significant grants from the
Muskegon County Council of Churches.

There is still not enough money,
however, to advertise the service as much
as the Muskegon church would like to. But
one of the policies of the ministry has been
a refusal to use the taped messages for
financial support. "We absolutely never ask
for donations, lest we offend the callers,"
Zuckschwerdt explains. The ministry has
been publicized through the local news-
paper, and gummed labels with the Dial-A-

Blessing phone number have been placed
on telephones in local motels and hospitals.

Considered to be a very effective
evangelistic tool, Dial-A-Blessing "is our
way of reaching out to people, of en-
couraging them, of letting them know that
they're loved and there is help for their suf-
fering, whatever their human problems."
states Pastor Zuckschwerdt. The Church of
the Brethren and its services are mentioned
at the end of the messages and the un-
churched are invited to participate.

The idea for Dial-A-Blessing
came from a similar program operated
by another pastor in Zuckschwerdt's
home state of New York. Pastor
Zuckschwerdt would like to pass along
details to any congregation interested in
starting its own telephone tape ministry. —
F.W.S.

April 1979 MFSSFNGER 39

Ministry through communication

Last November, in the editorial column, I wrote,
"Sometimes I feel like asking, if the Messenger
goes out to readers, and no one responds with a
letter to the editor, was there really a
Messenger?'" Well, now I know there really is a
Messenger! For the last couple of months my
mail has been coming in hot and heavy. 1 have
been invited by one reader to leave the church.
Another suggested I join the Women's Liberation
Movement. Another recommended that I start my
own denomination, "The Church of the
Agitators." (I don't like the idea of starting a new
denomination but, you know, that might not be a
bad idea for a new name for the Brethren!)

The only thing that disturbs me about reader
response is the revelation that so many persons
misunderstand the purpose of editorials. Many
readers, for instance, apparently saw the February
editorial on name-changing as an announcement
of a new "Elgin" action. Some seemed to take it as
an adopted plan soon to be shoved down
delegates' throats at Annual Conference.

To such readers, let me clarify that Messenger
editorials don't speak for the General Board or
Annual Conference, but are merely one humble
staff member's opinion. If they spark a fire here
and there that burns off a "new ground," and fer-
tilizes the soil for fresh growth, the editor will be
pleased. But to see editorials as tantamount to
General Board statements or Annual Conference
queries is to hold a rather extravagant view of the
editor's role.

Another feature of Messenger that often draws
fire is our news section ("Outlook"). Sometimes
we are accused of "cover-up," of not reporting
controversial news. At other times we are criti-
cized for carrying news that exposes the
denomination in a bad light.

First, let me say that we wrestle prayerfully with
our decisions for carrying controversial news ar-
ticles, and while our judgment is subject to human
frailty, we never thoughtlessly make those
editorial decisions.

Secondly, we recently decided we ought to, for
clarification, issue a statement from our Com-
munication Team on "Editorial Freedom and
Responsibility in the Church." This statement, we

hope, will help our readers better understand the
policy by which we, in the interests of honesty,
fairness and openness, print the news we think
you ought to hear to be responsible members of
the church family.

That statement now has been adopted by the
General Services Commission and in June will be
passed to the General Board of the Church of the
Brethren for its consideration. It reads:

"The General Board of the Church of the
Brethren believes the definitive function of per-
sons engaged in journalistic efforts for church in-
stitutions is to report and discuss the
developments and concerns of the Christian com-
munity, especially those related to their con-
stituents.

"To fulfill this function, the church needs to
provide access to information, freedom of inquiry
and the right to exercise editorial decisions.
Without these conditions the integrity and the
effectiveness of communication from the church is
compromised.

"In their task, church communicators must be
committed to the gospel which calls the church to
honesty, fairness, courage and openness. Ad-
ditionally, the communicators share with other
employees of the church a primary responsibility
to serve the whole people of God and not solely
the institutional structures that employ them.

"We commend these principles to other agen-
cies of the Church of the Brethren, including
Bethany Theological Seminary, the church-related
colleges, the homes and hospitals, the districts and
congregations."

A inally, sisters and brothers, (to quote my
colleague, Harriet Z. Blake), "God is a
communicator — communicating through crea-
tion, the prophets, the Scriptures and. ultimately,
through the life, teachings, death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ. As the church strives to emulate
Christ, it too is called to a ministry of com-
munication, knowing always that the com-
municating is done not for its own glory but for
the glory of God as revealed through the work of
God's church." — K.T.

40 \iissi\(,iK April 1979

^HERALD PRESS:
Radicar Christian Literature

MARK: THE WAY FOR ALL NATIONS

by Willard M. Swartley

New insights into the Gospel of Mark for
the layman combined with a radically dif-
ferent educational experience for congrega-
tions and small groups.
Paper, $4.95.

TO WALK IN THE WAY

by Urie A, Bender

A dramatic presentation of the Gospel of
Mark. Combined with Swartley's MARK:
THE WAY FOR ALL NATIONS, you will
receive the dramatic impact of Mark's view
of Jesus Christ.
Paper, $4.95.

THE TAX DILEMMA: PRAYING
FOR PEACE, PAYING FOR WAR

by Donald D. Kaufman

Explores the direct connection between
death and taxes. Traces biblical and histori-
cal precedents for war tax resistance and
discusses possible responses today.
Paper, $3.95.

JESUS AND THE
NONVIOLENT REVOLUTION

by Andre Trocme

Presents Jesus Christ as a vigorous
revolutionary who changes the world non-
violently through love. Examines and
elaborates on how He carries out His
revolution.
Cloth, $7.95.

CHRISTIAN MISSION AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE

by Samuel Escobar and John Driver

Through a creative reading of the New
Testament and a thorough knowledge of the
history of missions, the authors call on
North American churches to combine word

\=

Si).,

Thetax

PRAYING to'

-"i ft

PAYING Wg

with deed. This book treats Christian
mission and social justice, not Christian
mission or social justice.
Paper, $3.95.

THE COMPLETE WRITINGS
OF MENNO SIMONS

J. C. Wenger, editor
Leonard Verduin, translator

Contains all known writings of Menno
Simons, one of the most influential leaders
of the radical Anabaptist wing of the Refor-
mation. Includes a biography of Menno's
life by H. S. Bender and a complete index to
the over 1 100 pages of text.
Cloth, $19.95.

JEREMIAH

by Ernest D. Martin

A 13-lesson workbook for use in studying
the person and Book of Jeremiah. Each
lesson contains an introduction, focus,
prayer, textual listing, guided exercises, and
a summary.
Paper, $1.95.

At your local bookstore

f Mission
and

''Returning to its source

Herald Press

Dept. MS, Scottdale, PA 15683
Kitchener, ON N2G 4M5

HAVE YOU NOTICED?

A person will spend a lifetime to build an
estate but won't spend an hour to plan
what happens to it when he or she dies.

But what does happen to your estate is
your responsibility, and careful planning
for its use and distribution is a part of
Christian Stewardship. By planning now
you can ease the pressure that increases
constantly with postponed decision
making. The Stewardship Enlistment
Team of the General Board can give you
some good suggestions along with sound
counsel that will make the process
simpler.

I suggest you contact them today.

Doris Cline Egge

Chairperson

General Services Commission

Church of the Brethren

General Board

"is

Please send,

without obligation,

information on:

Gifts Returning Income For Life

Gifts of Property

Gifts of Life Insurance

Gifts as a Memorial

Gifts Through My Will

Investments in Church Extension

Name

Street

City/State/Zip

Please clip and mail to: Church of the Brethren General Board/Office of Stewardship Enlistment
Elgin, Illinois 60120/Telephone: (312) 742-5100

messenger

\.'^^

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

MAY 1979

i, inc i^uru, nave Cuiieu you una givtn yuu puwti

to see that justice is done on earth.

Through you I will make a covenant with all peoples;

through you I will bring light to the nations.

You will open the eyes of the blind

and set free those who sit in dark prisons.

—Isaiah 42:6-7(GNB)

m(M,(^M^.

^ 2 Jean Zimmerman Lives a Vision. Steve Simmons tells how a

Brethren homemaker with no past in protest, found herself arrested and
on trial as a demonstrator against nuclear weapons production.

^ Q The Message Entrusted to Us. Estella Horning explores the Old
and New Testaments to trace the development of the concept of justice
from ancient Israel to the revelation of God's justice in Jesus Christ.

13'" Heart and Conscience Free. Kenneth I. Morse takes readers
to the prisons of Europe where early Brethren and their associates were
incarcerated for their justice witness. Photos by Wilbur E. Brumbaugh.

22 Justice: A Brethren Testimony. Edward k. ziegier gives an

overview of Brethren experiences in the justice arena.

24 ^^^^ Christians in an Age of Hunger. Ronald J. Sider offers a

global perspective on the relationship between economic issues and social
justice.

27 J '® ^^^ Justice. Howard E. Royer reviews General Board program
related to justice issues, recounting the many opportunities to witness.

30 ^° ^® Have to Put People in Jail? Bob Gross explains to us
that there are alternatives to putting people in jail.

33 Justice In Our Church Family. "Sub-groups" in the denomina-
tion testify how they work at justice issues for themselves and others.

In Touch profiles Ralph Dull, Brookville, Ohio; Marcy Smith, Baltimore, Md.;
and Don Snider, Elgin, III. (2) . . . Outlook reports on well-digging. Boyer
testimony. Death row prisoners. Apartheid. Radio spots. Global Women's Proj-
ect. Shareholder resolutions. Science/ Faith meeting. T-A-T. Radio series. Con-
gress. Brethren books (start on 4) . . . Underlines (7) . . . Update (8) . . . Special
Report, "A Personal Touch at the UN," by Shantilal P. Bhagat (10) . . . "The
Human Face of Justice" (II). . . Resources, "To Do Justice," by Washington
Office staff (36) . . . Film Review, "The Deerhunter: Salt in a National Wound,"
by Steve Simmons (38) . . . Pilgrim's Pen (39) . . . Book Review, "Sounding the
Call for a New Jubilee," by Fred W. Swartz (40) . . . Column, "The Luxury of In-
justice," by Janine Katonah (42) . . . Opinions of Marge Bhagat, Richard
Buckwalter, Lois Myers and Richard Greene (start on 44) . . . Prayer Calendar
(45) . . . Turning Points (47) . . . Editorial, "The World Is Larger Than Our
Hearts" (48).

EDITOR

Howard E Royer (on special assignment)

MANAGING EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson (acting editor)

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Ziegler Blake

FEATURES

Stewart M Hoover. Fred W Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E Weaver. Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Dons Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K Thompson

VOL, 128, NO, 5

MAY 1979

CREDITS: Cover art by Bunchi; used by permis-
sion of InsieaJ of Prisons, published by Prison
Research Education Action Project, 2 John
Grimley. 3 left Tim Speicher; right, 9. .36-37, 42
Nguyen Van Gia, 4 Owen Shanksler. II, 24 RNS
13 Denver Post photos by Duane Howell, 14
Steve Simmons. 18-20 Wilbur E. Brumbaugh. .30-
31 Wallowitch, 38 Universal City Studios,

M^:ss^iNGER is the official publication of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug, 20. 1918, under Act of Congress of
Oct. 17. 1917 Filing date, Oct. 1, 1978.
Mksshnger is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service, Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version,

Subscription rates: $6.00 per year for individual
subscriptions; $4,80 per year for Church Group
Plan; $4,80 per year for gift subscriptions; $3.15
for school rate (9 months); life subscription,
$80 00 single, $90,00 couple. If you move clip old
address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change. Messenger is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission, Church of the
Brethren Genera! Board. 1451
Dundee Ave,, Elgin, III, 60120.
Second-class postage paid at Elgin. 111., May
1979 Copyright 1979. Church of the Brethren
General Board.

J>a\j.\jv Slug

HERE'S THE OLD BRETHREN WAY

In response to Lawrence Welborn's letter
(February Messenger) I recently was in the
hospital, and I was overwhelmed by the caring,
love and help I received from the members of
the Church of the Brethren where we have been
attending for the past several years. We aren't
even members, but I felt very much a part of a
large, concerned family, I am truly sorry Mr,
Welborn has had a negative experience, but I am
certain it cannot be typical of the loving
Brethren people that I know.

Lynn Brown
Wenatchee, Wash.

OLD BRETHREN WAY IN ST. PETE

(See Lawrence Welborn letter. Februarv
Messenger.) I know of deacons who every Sun-
day, out of love for Christ and his church, pick
up a retired couple who are not very well and
bring them to church and take them home, often
alter a lunch out.

Last year the husband was in and out of the
area hospital twice lor treatment. The pastor
called on him at home before and after. He was
on the church prayer chain and received cards.

Many hospitals today have hospital chaplains
and ministers that are a part of the hospital staff
ministry.

Today's church ministry and prayer program
is better than ever. The local church board,
deacons, and commissions do respond spiritually
to needs as never before. The Spirit of the Lord
is at work in his people and in the Church of the
Brethren,

J, AMES L, HoiFF
St. Petersburg. Fla,

STILL HAS FAITH AFTER 70 YEARS

(See Lawrence Welborn letter. February
Messenger.) It may depend on where you live
whether there are "old Brethren ways."

I was in the hospital most of this past
January, also twice before in less than a year. I
was visited daily by one or the other of my
pastors; also by pastors of other Church of the
Brethren congregations and members from m\
own church, I still have faith in the Church of
the Brethren after 70 years as a member,

C,\NDACE R, HoO\ER

Fort Wayne, Ind,

WOMEN WEREN'T LEFT OUT

The name. Church of the Brethren, has ne\er
excluded sisters or women. Sisters have been a
very functional part of the Church of the
Brethren since I have known it. That is over SO
years. As wife (helpmate to husband), mother,
homemaker or spinster, women have been active
in the church. We are included no matter how it
is worded. Our name is like the title of a
fellowship, a brotherhood, a society, a fraternity,
an enterprise or profession.

We are a fellowship of believers in Jesus
Christ, our Savior and Lord. Our name is
Church of the Brethren. It has nothing to do
with beini; male or female, and I am sure that

the brethren who chose that name had no inten-
tion of leaving out their beloved wives or any
other female. 1 was Brethren before and after 1
was a wife. Let's not change our name because
of misunderstanding. I like it and its full mean-
ing. May God help our sisters who are offended
or who misunderstand and the brethren who are
becoming confused about our church name. It's
time we cleared up the meaning among the con-
fused instead of changing it.

Carrie Show alter Stern
Villa Park, 111.

(Your statement. "... the brethren who chose
that name [Church of the Brethren} had no in-
tention of leaving out iheir beloved wives or any
other female," makes my point belter than my
whole editorial. Beautiful! — Ed.)

BRETHREN'S MEANING CONFUSING

I do not agree with the two February articles
that objected to the word "Brethren."

One definition of brethren which I found was
"those who have made profession of the same
faith and religion." That is what the Church of
the Brethren means to me.

I question the sincerity and Christianity of a
person who would mock and jeer the name of a
denomination. Would they think any more of us
if we changed our name?

I believe we have oeen ahead of our time in
the ordination of women. However, I don't
think the confusion comes entirely from the
name Brethren. Some denominations do not
believe in the ordination of women. This is
based on I Timothy 2:11-12.

Gladys Haugh
Waynesboro, Pa.

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR A NAME

As an 82-year-old with nothing much to do,
let me suggest some possibilites for a new name
for the Church of the Brethren: Workers,
Christ's Servants, Peace-makers, Laborers,
Messengers, Truth Seekers, Inspirational, Rock
of Ages, God's Glory, Cross-bearers, Doers,
Helpful, Hopeful, Tried and True, God's
Worshipers.

Dora Sliger
Auburn, Ind.

'BORN AGAIN' NO BEDTIME STORY

In the January Messenger, Herbert Fisher
goes to great lengths to try to justify not being
called a "born-again" Christian. He says that
many are turned off by the phrase "born-again."
I believe the only ones who are turned off are
the Christians who have not truly received the
"new birth" and this is understandable. Jesus is
very plain when he tells Nicodemus that he can-
not even have an idea of what the kingdom is
really like, much less enter into the kingdom of
God, unless he is born again spiritually. Jesus
was not just telling Nicodemus a bedtime story,
he was telling him the way.

New-birth Christians will follow Jesus. The
man of great wealth in Mark 10:17, had he been
a Christian with a renewed mind and spirit.

would have sold all his possessions and followed
Jesus also. It is when we refuse to put Jesus first
in our lives and are not totally committed to
God that we resist the New Birth and cannot
receive it.

Being born again, or having "new birth," or
the renewing of the mind, or regeneration,
whatever terminology you prefer to use, is a
definite experience. Jesus would not tell
Nicodemus that something had "to happen to
him and then not provide a way for him to know
when something had happened or otherwise he
would not know when he had been born again.
Jesus is the renewer of the mind. As long as a
person does not want the "new birth" he cannot
receive it. If Satan can convince us we do not
need the "new birth" or we have if when we do
not, he can keep us from receiving it. Satan can
let us receive just enough of salvation to make us
immune to the real thing.

Before the "new birth" two years ago, I was
hung up on why all the different interpretation
of the word of God. Then God revealed to me
that when we try to interpret God's word with
our own knowledge and what seems reasonable
to us, we get many interpretations. When the
Holy Spirit interprets the word of God, it is the
same to everyone, otherwise God would be a
God of confusion, which he is not.

So we must seek the "new birth," the renewing
of our minds and the love and power that comes
with it. We must walk a closer walk with Jesus
and not resist it or try to disprove it.

LiNFORD G. Best
Brownsville, Md.

USE THE "LITTLE ENCYCLOPEDIAS"

The proposed Brethren Encyclopedia is a
project which is needed, and one which I sup-
port. However, there are "little encyclopedias" of
Brethren information already available which
ought to be in use by everyone. These are the
local and district histories of our church.

Recently there has come into print a most un-
believable wealth of information in the History
of the Northern Plains Church of the Brethren.
This involves Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota
and Montana. For anyone who has had an
ancestor in any of those churches either at pres-
ent or in the early days, this is a "must."

Ably put together by lowans Mary Anna
Hamer of Waterloo, Glen Fruth of Brooklyn
and Berwyn OUman of Des Moines, and print-
ed in a spiral binding, I think it is one of the
most valuable books we Brethren in the Middle
West have seen recently.

For only $10 from Box 400, Dallas Center, lA
50063, one can get this useful book. For any per-
son who is doing genealogy in these states, this
could be most valuable.

Sometimes the Brethren are so modest as to
not advertise what they do well, but those
authors and the persons who helped them have
done a piece of work that continues to amaze
those of us who have seen it in print.

Marianne Michael
Iowa City, Iowa

0} OTOW (o

Xn the midst of our planning and prepar-
ation for this special issue on "The human
face of justice," a letter arrived on our desk
which said much more about our theme
than some of our prepared articles. Uncan-
nily, it picked up on two specific issues
with which we had dealt — the effect of war
on individuals and our zeal for imprisoning
all criminal offenders, and leaves no doubt
that justice does, indeed, wear a human
face.

Here is the letter:

"We need help. In 1977 my brother Gary
had just finished four
years as a machine
gunner in the
Marines. When he
left service he
couldn't find a job,
was denied un-
employment compen-
sation and had a very
rough time over a
four-month period.
One day he "snapped
out" in desperation,

burned his own house down and shot his
next-door neighbor and a fireman as they
responded to the blaze, killing both men.
When Gary was arrested, he was wearing
fatigues, combat boots and dog tags — his
old Marines outfit!

"Because of the political situation in the
county demanding vengeance, the court ig-
nored the psychiatric testimony to Gary's
insanity and convicted him of first degree
murder, saying that his military experience
had nothing to do with it. But Gary needs
a psychiatric hospital, not a prison cell.

"This case is a struggle to recognize the
adverse effect that the military has on the
minds of youth today. Our family was split
over the Vietnam War and military serv-
ice. Partly because of my peace studies at
Manchester College, I went one way and
became a conscientious objector. Gary was
deeply affected by military recruitment
propaganda in high school and went the
opposite way. Today we are united in our
view of what is happening in this country.

"Gary needs prayers and letters of support
as we await a judge's decision whether to give
him a new trial. Would you ask the brothers
and sisters to write him? He would ap-
preciate support mail or questions from per-
sons who want to find out more. Write to:
Family and Supporters of Gary Rock, P.O.
Box 181, Chambersburg, PA 17201. Thanks
very much. Denny Rock"

That's the letter. Justice wears a human
face. — The Editors.

May 1979 messenger 1

int^l^

Ralph Dull: Quiet activist for peace and justice

At 4 a.m. the backdoor of the Dull
home opened and an inebriated voice
called, "Anybody home?" Ralph Dull
tumbled out of bed.

"Can 1 use your phone? I'm stuck
in the snow!"

With typical dry humor Ralph
laughed, "While he called, I sat down
and read the paper like I always do at
4 a.m." Then he added, "You can't
escape service that comes to your
door!"

But Ralph Dull, who operates a
large pig and hybrid seed corn farm
in Brookville, Ohio, doesn't wait for
opportunities to knock on his door.
He makes them happen.

"If 1 had a message," he said, "it
would be to encourage farmers to
take advantage of their opportunity
as farmers. Being self-employed and
living on the job makes a farmer
available for anything anytime."

The consuming thrust of Ralph's
life has been peace and reconcilia-
tion. All of his activities beginning in
high school, when he participated in
Heifer Project International, and
later, BVS in Baltimore, have
evidenced this passion. If necessary, a
field of corn can wait — unplanted —
while Ralph makes a quick trip to
Cincinnati to get papers from the
Mexican consulate for a truckload of
heifers to Mexico.

For three years during the 1960s,
he took part in peace vigils every
Wednesday in Dayton. Though one
would think Ralph represented the
stable, Midwestern conservative, he
spoke out against Vietnam and racial
inequality.

"This seemed like an extra oppor-
tunity to witness," he said.

In 1970 when he ran for a major
political office, Ralph proclaimed a
peace platform.

This concern has been evidenced
throughout the past 25 years as the
Dulls have withheld from their taxes

2 MESSENGER May 1979

the portion allotted to the military.
"Sometimes you get so frustrated,
you just have to do something,"
Ralph said. For the past two years
Ralph and others have taken food to
the IRS as a witness that taxes
should be used for feeding the hungry
instead of supporting the military.

"I'm not sure it does any good, but
it raises the issue."

Extending relationships is an in-
tegral part of Ralph's activities; haul-
ing heifers, plowing snow for
neighbors, opening up his home to
exchange students, refugees, and
FISH referrals, giving temporary
lodging to heifers, employing 100
youth during the summers, and
providing a community practice field
for basketball and baseball teams.

Though always ready to speak out
when others remain silent, Ralph in
honest humility feels that "a farmer
doesn't deserve any special credit for
any special effort; it's just that he is
in a good situation to help things
happen."

And around Ralph Dull, things are
always happening. — Mildred Hess
Grimley

Mildred Hess Grimley is a former Nigeria mis-
sionary and a member of the Brookville (Ohio) con-
gregation.

Marcy Smith: One-to-one

At the 1978 Annual Conference, a
panel response was made to a
representative from the US Depart-
ment of State about disarmament
policy. One woman's soft-spoken
reply powerfully grew in strength as
she asked the delegates to substitute
the word "bomb" for "sword" in
Matthew 26:52.

Marcy Smith learned of non-
violence from her family in Wil-
mington, Del., and at summer
camps in the Atlantic Northeast Dis-
trict. Her Brethren upbringing and
biblical understanding call her to
speak out against the military es-
tablishment, often participating in
demonstrations at the Pentagon.

After graduating in 1975 from
Manchester College in Peace Studies,
Marcy served one year of BVS in the
Brethren Washington Office where
she appreciated knowing and work-
ing with Ralph Smeltzer. During this
time she also met Lee Griffith and
others in Baltimore and became a
part of their community and
ministry, Advaita House.

Marcy interprets the New Testa-
ment to say that "we are put on earth
to do what we can for others" in
order to counterbalance the
economic, racist and sexist injustices
throughout society. Believing these
injustices must be faced directly,
whether by going to the Pentagon or
working in the local soup kitchen,
Marcy prefers putting her own
energy in one-to-one efforts.

She is currently working at Proj-
ect P.L.A.S.E. (People Lacking Am-
ple Shelter and Employment).
Former mental patients as well as
street people are given personal help
in what she refers to as
"deinstitutionalizing," enabling them
to learn to care for themselves.

Marcy views her counseling role as
propping up and holding in these
people so they can learn to use their

labling

strengths. The worst obstacle she sees
is their self-hatred developed from a
sense of failure, instigated by societal
emphasis on personal achievement
and a "buy-to-make-better" commer-
cialism.

As a woman and a Christian, Mar-
cy speaks of feminism as opposition
to patriarchal society, not as men
versus women but as everyone
against the "I am number one" syn-
drome. She points out that many of
the strengths of women have been de-
fined by society as weaknesses, such
as ability to nurture, love and care.

Seeing Marcy at home and work
not only exposes one to the struggles
of the street people of Baltimore, but
also shows her struggle to live in the
hope of the New Testament amidst a

Don Snider: Peacemaking in many forms

broken and unjust world. Her
strengths come forth as she works
with and relates to each person: the
laughter that reaches out and calms
fearfulness; the confrontation which
challenges with love and patience.
—Tim Speicher

Tim Speicher is associate director of the
Metropolitan CROP office in Washington. DC.
and a former BVSer.

Don Snider has been concerned
about peacemaking for almost as
long as he can remember. During a
recent Sunday worship in the Elgin,
111., Highland Avenue Church of the
Brethren he described an event which
he believed Christians should be
aware of. "Next week they are going
to hold an arms bazaar, a weapons
sale near O'Hare Airport. We need to
protest against this terrible event.
Those of us who oppose such an ac-
tivity need to make a witness . . . ."

Don has been making similar
speeches for years and people who
know him recognize the strong com-
mitment he has to peacemaking.
During the Vietnam era, Don served
for eight years as the Brethren
Volunteer Service training director.
Persons in the New Windsor and
Westminster, Md., communities fre-
quently found young volunteers
walking the streets to poll citizens on
their attitudes toward US involve-
ment in that war. Don also sought
out representatives of Christian
groups which supported US interven-
tion in Southeast Asia and brought
those persons to address the BVSers.
Some heated discussions followed,
and many youth foUnd they needed
to re-examine their commitments to
peacemaking.

Don and Marty, his wife, have not
limited their concerns for peacemak-
ing to the years Don directed BVS
training. They served a term as
Brethren Service workers in post-war
Germany. Now a pastor, Don con-
sistently keeps peace concerns before
the congregation he serves. One of
the reasons that the Highland
Avenue congregation has helped
resettle three Vietnamese families is
the fact that Don has given dozens of
hours in counseling, securing housing
and seeking employment for the new-
ly arrived families. Currently he is
also serving as the Brethren Disaster

Network Coordinator for the Il-
linois/Wisconsin District.

As would be expected, not
everyone who meets Don and hears
of his peace concerns accepts the
message with joy. He has been ac-
cused of focusing too much of his
ministry on peace and service issues.
However, many people recognize in
Don's life and ministry a kind of con-
sistent, single-minded devotion to
causes which the Church of the
Brethren teaches are integral to its
life. And despite the many obvious
ministries he performs, a member of

Don's local church suggests that
there is much of his ministry that is
seldom recognized by anyone except
those persons for whom he secures
furniture, provides transportation to
the doctor or delivers food and
clothing.

Peacemaking takes many forms in
the ministry of Don Snider.
— Charles L. Boyer

Charles (Chuck) Boyer is General Board Peace
Consultant and a member of the Highland A venue
Church.

May 1979 messenger 3

German churches assist
Nigeria wells project

When workers in the Lafiya Rural Health
Program in Nigeria started digging wells in
villages which had had only impure water
sources, it was the fulfillment of a dream.
The source of most health problems in
Nigeria is impure water, so acting to correct
that problem was a long-term goal for the
prevention-minded Lafiya workers. Now a
grant of $300,000 from the Central
Organization for Development of the
Protestant Churches of West Germany will
enable workers to extend the well-digging
project beyond the original plans.

The well-digging project, described in a
September 1978 Messenger article, was
funded originally with money conserved
from other aspects of the Lafiya project.
Since the program began, about 35 wells
and water systems have been completed. A
key aspect of the project is involving the
villagers themselves in planning and build-
ing the systems.

The well-digging project is but one
aspect of the highly-regarded Lafiya
program. Its effectiveness, its emphasis on
prevention, its reliance on trained local
personnel and its reliable accounting of
funds received have earned Lafiya an ex-
cellent international reputation. The Chris-
tian Medical Commission of the World
Council of Churches, in fact, has endorsed
the Lafiya Rural Health Program as a
priority. One third of a recent one-hour
film on world health produced by the Ford
Foundation is devoted to Lafiya.

Because of its experience in working
with Church of the Brethren personnel on
the well-digging project, the West German
churches have expressed their interest in
funding food development programs in
northern Nigeria. Roger Ingold, General
Board Africa/ Asia representative and
Larry Elliott, Brethren field representative
in Nigeria, are working with Benton
Rhoades and Agricultural Missions, Inc.,
to survey the existing needs and develop a
project proposal to the West German
churches.

Boyer testifies against
return of registration

Chuck Boyer, General Board peace con-
sultant and chairperson of the board of di-
rectors of the National Interreligious Serv-
ice Board for Conscientious Objectors

Nigerian men use a rig provided by the Lafiya Rural Health Program to dig a well,
providing clean water for their village. A supervisor is also provided by the program.

(NISBCO), testified in mid-March against
any resumption of registration for con-
scription. Testifying before the House Sub-
committee on Military Personnel of the
Committee on the Armed Services, Boyer
spoke in opposition to the five bills before
the committee at that time.

In his testimony, Boyer stated the official
position of the NISBCO Board: "(The
Board) is unalterably opposed to all forms
of conscription, be they military or any
form of compulsory civilian service, and
supports those who refuse to cooperate in
any way with the processes of conscrip-
tion. We believe," the statement continues,
"that the security of the citizens of our
country does not depend upon military
forces, but upon the strength of our moral,
economic, social and political institutions
and upon awareness of the global interde-
pendence of the human family."

Each of the five bills then before the
House committee, and the two in the Sen-
ate, proposed a return to registration in
some form — ranging from registration of
men to registration of men and women to
calling up 200,000 young people within the
next 12 months.

In light of the NISBCO board position,
Boyer pointed out that "we find ourselves
unalterably opposed" to the existence of
military conscription and that "registration
is conscription. Registration cannot be
viewed in isolation," Boyer said. "It is
registration for conscription."

Boyer also said the NISBCO board op-
posed registration and conscription in
peacetime on the grounds that they are un-
constitutional. He noted that the Supreme
Court has ruled conscription during time
of war to be constitutional but that "the
specific question of a peacetime draft has
not been decided. It is our belief, how-
ever," he said, "that a system of conscrip-

tion is a gross violation of personal rights
in violation of Constitutional prohibitions
against involuntary servitude."

Among other objections Boyer raised to
the proposed return to conscription are
the use of school records for registration:
the proposed waiver of the Privacy Act to
allow the Selective Service System full
access to data in the records of federal,
state and locaPgovernment agencies; and
the crisis of enforcement which would be
created if a large number of youth refused
to cooperate with a new registration act.

Testifying the same day against the bills
were representatives of Mennonite Central
Committee and the Hutterian Society of
Brothers. Boyer noted that persons testify-
ing in favor of the bills generally support-
ed the registration of women as well as men.

Boyer believes action on these bills will
be swift as several of them propose a return
to registration by Oct. 1, 1979. Although
he believes passage is likely of some bill re-
instating registration, he also believes leg-
islators are wary of strong public senti-
ment against the idea. Boyer urges Breth-
ren to write their legislators, both mem-
bers of the House and Senate, and express
opposition to any measure reinstating reg-
istration for conscription.

Youth, especially those 19 and under, are
encouraged to write Boyer's office re-
questing the peace packet. By using the in-
formation in this packet and returning the
completed materials to Boyer's office,
youth may be in a better position to docu-
ment their conscientious objection to war
should they be drafted in the future. Boyer
reports he is receiving eight to 12 such
documents from Brethren youth each
week.

For the most current information on re-
gistration, contact Boyer's office. 1451
Dundee Ave.. Elgin. IL 60120.

4 MiissKNGiiR May 1979

Brethren write eagerly
to death row prisoners

Many Brethren have responded to the
Death Row Support Project (see Novem-
ber Messenger) and are writing to people
on death rows all across the US. Johnny
Harris, on death row in Alabama, writes
"When you talk with the people who plan
to write please express our deepest grati-
tude for their unselfishness and compas-
sion. It is hard to relate how much it means
to us here to have someone on the outside
care and show an interest. Many of these
guys get little or almost no mail and this
project will be an immense benefit to
them. . . . With this thought in mind, I
pray that your project is an overwhelming
success."

"An overwhelming success is what it
seems to be," says Rachel Gross of the
Death Row Support Project. The project
was begun at the Indianapolis Annual
Conference. Now, more than 250 people
are receiving letters from persons who
believe they can respond to Jesus' call to
"visit those in prison" by writing letters to
them.

A wide variety of people have requested
names, from high school students to re-
tired men and women. One woman wrote.
"I am a 74-year-old grandmother whose
husband is not well, making it impossible
to do much outside our home. But I still
could write to a prisoner." Perhaps the
most unusual request was from a class of
handicapped adults in Kansas City, Mo.,
who wrote. "We want to make friends with
someone who needs a friend, someone in
prison. We know that being in prison can't
stop a person from being happy. We
want to help someone else through the let-
ters we would send them."

After a correspondence has begun, many
people have asked for the name of
another death row prisoner. "I received a
most welcome and beautiful letter from the
name you asked me to correspond
with. ... I'd like a second name to add to
my correspondence." This woman has since
requested a third name.

An Indiana woman asked for five names
and soon wrote again: "I have written to all
five, and received replies almost by return
mail. ... 1 would like to receive five more
names. They really appreciate having a
Christian friend to correspond with." A
young woman wrote, "1 would be willing to
take on responsibility for writing another
prisoner. . . . but I wouldn't want to hog

the blessing if there are not enough names
to go around."

There are— Death Row Support Proj-
ect still has over 200 names. A name and
some suggestions for beginning a cor-
respondence can be obtained from Death
Row Support Project. New Covenant Fel-
lowship, R. 3, Box 213A, Athens. OH
45701.

UN supports refusal
to enforce apartheid

For the first time in its history, the General
Assembly of the United Nations has sup-
ported a resolution recognizing the rights
of persons to refuse military service for rea-
sons of conscience.

In a resolution approved in late Decem-
ber 1978, the General Assembly recog-
nizes "the right of all persons to refuse
service in military or police forces which
are used to enforce apartheid" and calls
upon member states of the UN to grant
asylum to persons forced to leave their
country solely because of a conscientious
objection to assisting in the military or po-
lice enforcement of apartheid. The

resolution also urges that such persons be
granted the rights and benefits presently
given to refugees.

Shantilal Bhagat, Brethren UN repre-
sentative, explains that in South Africa, all
white males over the age of 16 are re-
quired to serve two years "in forces used to
maintain the oppressive structures of
apartheid." Rather than serve, many are
now choosing to leave their homeland.
Bhagat says the UN resolution provides
helpful international recognition of the
validity of their position. He knows of
several cases where this resolution has
already been used as a supporting docu-
ment in the applications of South African
men seeking asylum in the US.

Although the focus of the resolution is
restricted to those refusing to serve in
forces which maintain apartheid, Bhagat
says several delegations have "expressed
hope that there will be a broadening of the
application of this kind of resolution in the
future." As an official representative of a
non-governmental organization support-
ing the right to conscientious objection to
service in the military, Bhagat hopes to be
able to influence this kind of future direc-
tion at the UN.

New radio spots ready;
first series a success

A second flight of the "Think About It"
radio series has been recorded and is avail-
able this month for placement. The series
of 26 60-second radio spots was produced
and recorded by Earle W. Fike Jr., pastor
of the Elizabethtown, Pa., church. Scripts
for the new series were written by Fike,
Evelyn Frantz, Opal Pence Nees, Paul Bru-
baker and Ken Gibble.

Congregations are encouraged to par-
ticipate in this ministry of the denomina-
tion, a part of the Salvation and Justice
emphasis, by placing the spots on local
radio stations. For further information
about placing the new series, write Breth-
ren Broadcast Ministries, Box 22, Harri-
sonburg, VA 22801.

The first flight, also produced and re-
corded by Fike, has been a real success, ac-
cording to Stewart M. Hoover, executive
producer of Brethren Broadcast Minis-
tries. He reports that the spots have been
placed on 206 stations as of mid-March.
About half of those were placed through
the efforts of pastors, congregational Wit-

ness Commissions or cooperating groups
of Brethren. The remainder were placed
through direct contact with the stations by
Broadcast Ministries.

Hoover notes that only about 20 per-
cent of the locally-placed spots used paid
air time. "We're pleased to learn that sta-
tions are finding the programs of enough
merit that they're placing them on sustain-
ing (free) time in large measure," says
Hoover. He reported that one station,
which rarely uses programs of a religious
nature, was so impressed with the quality
of the "Think About It" spots that it aired
them on sustaining time.

A third flight of "Think About It" spots
will go into production in June for place-
ment in September. Sue Statler, a gradu-
ate student in communications at Illinois
State University, is the producer. Several
women are being auditioned for the "voice"
of this flight.

Persons interested in submitting scripts
or script ideas for this series should write
Brethren Broadcast Ministries, 1451 Dun-
dee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. Like the first
two flights, the third flight is described as
inspirational and anecdotal, relating the
message of the gospel to everyday life.

May 1979 messenger 5

Global Women's Project
logo, materials ready

The Global Women's Project, first con-
ceived at the 1978 Women's Gathering and
approved by the General Board last Octo-
ber, is moving ahead with a logo, infor-
mational brochure, slide/tape presentation
and other consciousness-raising materials.

The project, which grew out of a speech
at the Gathering by Ruthann Knechel
Johansen (see page 42), asks Brethren to
impose a tax on their own luxury
purchases, primarily to raise their aware-
ness of their own overconsumption and,
secondarily, to provide financial resources
for development projects primarily bene-
fiting women around the world. The proj-
ect also encourages participants to re-
evaluate their buying practices and con-
sume less while still donating funds to the
project.

Mary Cline Detrick, administrator of the
project through the person awareness of-
fice, says the project's steering committee
envisions the project as one of "mutual-
ity," believing that both givers and
receivers will benefit. US Brethren, captive
to a hard-sell, consumer-oriented society,
can learn the values of simplicity while
women bound by their poverty benefit
economically. As participants study the
issues raised by the project, Detrick
believes they will be confronted with the
reality that some in the world have too lit-
tle because others consume too much.

As the steering committee has developed
the program, it has had to deal with its
own understanding of what constitutes an
appropriate luxury tax and, indeed, with
what constitutes a luxury. The members
have arrived at some individual answers
but Detrick notes, "We don't want to solve
the issues for others — we want them to
deal with the questions themselves."

To remind persons to deal with these
questions, the project will distribute a
sticker to be placed on a tin can. The can
will then become the collection point for
each family's "taxes." Already, even
without much publicity, the project has re-
ceived donations of more than $1,000.

A slide tape presentation has been pre-
pared by Anita Smith Buckwalter of Lan-
sing. Mich., and Ramona Smith Moore of
North Manchester, Ind. The presentation is
a step toward understanding common
problems faced by women around the
world. Copies of the presentation are avail-
able for use for the cost of postage or for

Global Women's
Project

Clasped arms
of women of
all races sur-
round a globe
to symbolize
the mutual
global interde-
pendence en-
visioned for the Global Women's Project.
The logo has the general outline of the bio-
logical 'female" symbol as a reminder of
the project's primary beneficiaries.

purchase by districts. Contact the Person
Awareness Office, 1451 Dundee Ave.,
Elgin, IL 60120, for details.

Other resources available for exploring
the issues raised by the project include a
packet of materials for use in congrega-
tions and districts. Again, contact the Per-
son Awareness Office.

In making grants from the money re-
ceived. World Ministries guidelines for de-
velopment projects will be used but proj-
ects will be chosen in which women are the
primary beneficiaries.

Contributions may be made to the proj-
ect at any time and in any amount. Send
them to Global Women's Project, Church
of the Brethren General Board, 1451 Dun-
dee Ave.. Elgin. IL 60120.

The six persons working on the design
committee include Detrick, Janine
Katonah, Mary Brandenburg, Phyllis
Miller, Don Stern and Wil Nolen.

Corporate stockholders
to vote on resolutions

Two of the five shareholder resolutions
which Brethren co-filed this winter were
expected to be considered by stockholders
of the respective corporations at Annual
meetings April 25. The Church of the
Brethren and the Brethren Pension Plan
have used the shareholder resolution as one
means of carrying out the investment
guidelines of those organizations.

A resolution co-filed with American
Home Products by both organizations and
other members of the Interfaith Center for
Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) re-
quested American Home Products to es-
tablish an infant formula review commit-
tee. The purpose of the committee would
be to evaluate the corporation's perfor-
mance and involvement in the baby for-
mula market and make appropriate
recommendations. Sales and distribution
of infant formula in the Third World,

where its incorrect use often proves
dangerous, even fatal, has been a concern
of American Home Products stockholders
for several years although this was the first
Brethren action on the issue.

Shantilal Bhagat. Brethren UN repre-
sentative, met with representatives of other
co-filers and the corporation in New York
in late February. Because no satisfactory
agreement could be made between the par-
ties, the resolution was expected to be pre-
sented to stockholders at the annual meet-
ing April 25 in Wilmington. Del.

Similar steps have been followed with a
resolution filed with Union Carbide re-
questing that corporation to withdraw
from its South Africa operations because
of the institutionalized racism and mount-
ing repression there. Again representing the
Brethren, Bhagat met with Union Carbide
officials to discuss this resolution. The
Union Carbide management was unalter-
ably opposed to the resolution.

With no basis for agreement or compro-
mise, the resolution was to be presented to
the shareholders at the annual meeting in
Chicago April 25. In the materials pre-
pared for the annual meeting, the Union
Carbide board of directors presented an
appeal to shareholders that the resolution
be voted down.

Backers of the resolutions agree they
stand little chance of being adopted. They
are, however, an effective instrument for
working with corporations to open up dis-
cussions of important ethical issues and
gain information about the corporations'
activities. This was illustrated in the results
of three other shareholder resolutions filed
by the Church of the Brethren and other
ICCR members this winter.

As reported in the March Messenger.
resolutions seeking disclosure of informa-
tion about nuclear weapons production
from Union Carbide and Monsanto were
withdrawn when each of the corporations
agreed to make public the requested infor-
mation.

Also withdrawn has been a resolution
filed with Sears. Roebuck and Co., re-
questing it to establish a policy against ad-
vertising on television programs which in-
clude "excessive and gratuitous violence."
Sears has now filed such a policy state-
ment with the Securities Exchange Com-
mission. The policy prohibits Sears adver-
tising from being placed on excessively
violent programs or tho.se with excessive
sexuality. In light of this policy, the Pen-
sion Plan and the other co-filer have with-
drawn the resolution.

6 ME.SSENGER May 1979

Science, faith meeting
will include Brethren

A young health physicist will represent the
Church of the Brethren at this summer's
"World Conference on Faith, Science and
the Future" sponsored by the World Coun-
cil of Churches. Dr. David W. Miller. 29,
of Downers Grove, 111., will attend the con-
ference at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology July 12-24 as one of 470 offi-
cial participants from around the world.

The conference is being organized by
the WCC section on Church and Society
and will relate the historic Christian strug-
gle for social justice to the new struggle for
an ecologically and technologically sus-
tainable society.

Half the official participants are to be
scientists or technologists, a quarter will be
theologians and the remaining quarter will
be from the humanities, business and
politics. The US is limited to approximate-
ly 50 participants.

The conference will center on three ma-
jor themes: "Science and Faith," "Ethical
Issues Raised by Scientific Advances " and
"Technology and Society." These themes
will encourage the discussion of the ethical
issues that bear directly on the sciences;
specific topics such as genetic engineering,
programming the brain, biological ethics,
nuclear energy; and the political implica-
tions of technological advances.

Miller, the official representative
nominated by the Church of the Brethren,
holds a doctorate in health physics and has
been engaged in radiation protection work
for seven years. He and his wife, Carol
Barr Miller, are members of the York
Center church, Lombard, 111.

He believes radiation protection is an
important discipline to have represented at
the conference. "Attention must be
given to all types of biohazards," he says,
"if a safe, renewable environment is to be
maintained throughout the world."

In addition to its official representative,
the Brethren have been invited to send two
accredited visitors. Melanie May, a
theology student at Harvard Divinity
School, and H. Lamar Gibble, General
Board peace and international affairs con-
sultant, will serve in this capacity.

Organizers of the conference hope
churches. Christian groups and individuals
will join in study, reflection and interdisci-
plinary encounter on these issues both
prior to and following the conference.

liJKnldlctFlOilci^^

REUNITING . . . Alumni, former students, faculty and friends
of Mount Morris College are invited to a reunion Aug. 4-5 at
the Mount Morris Church, 409 W. Brayton Rd. , Mount Morris,
IL 61054. Class and athletic reunions are scheduled for
the fourth with a catered luncheon on the fifth to be
followed by a program and fellowship.

WORKING

Paul H. Boll, assistant administrator of Peter

Becker Memorial Home, Harleysville, Pa. , will become the ad-
ministrator of the Lebanon Valley Brethren Home, Palmyra,
Pa. , effective June 1. . . .A former BVSer is serving as a
member of a four-person Ecumenical Team in Lebanon. Jerry
Dines , who has been living in the Middle East since 1964, is
working with the Middle East Council of Churches in helping
persons recover from the civil war in Lebanon. . . . Carl
and Kristina J. Peter son- Sy nan began May 1 as resident mana-
gers of Southern Pennsylvania's Camp Eder. The Peter so n-
Synans had been pastors of United Methodist congregations in
Sultan, Wash. . . . The Michigan District has added a con-
sultant on ministry to the aging to its staff as of April 1.
Rufus King is serving in this position as a Post-30 BVSer
while maintaining his home in Indiana. . . . Featured in the
March MESSENGER, Hilda I. Gibbel of Harrisburg, Pa., has
begun a new mode of service as a member of the board of di-
rectors of the Lebanon Valley Brethren Home. . . . Rodney L.
Wea ver of the Waterford, Calif., church is the new assistant
director for the Pacific West Region of Heifer Project Inter-
national, headquartered in Modesto.

LEAVING . . . Paul Miller , campus minister and counselor at
McPherson College, is retiring with the current school year.
Ordained Brethren ministers interested in the position should
contact Dr_. Edwa rd Butler , Vice-President for Student Ser-
vices, McPherson College, McPherson, KS 67460 (316-341-0731)
. . . . Clayton H_. Gehman , author of the popular Brethren
Press book Children of the Conestoga, has resigned his pos-
ition as hospital chaplain at the Windber (Pa. ) Hospital. .
. . After five years, Conrad and Irma Snavely have left the
camp managers' position at Michigan District's Camp Brethren
Heights. They moved in late February to Indiana.

PUBLISHING

Authors of the newly-published History of

the Church of the Brethren on the Northern Plains are Glenn
J. Fruth, Maryann Hamer and Berwyn L_, 01 tman . The book is
available for $10 from the district office, and will be of
special interest to the serious student of Brethren history.

REMEMBERED ... John T. Click, 98, of Bridgewater, Va. ,
died March 9. A former pastor and Bridgewater College pro-
fessor, he is survived by 11 children including former Gen-
eral Board staff member Beth Gl i ck-Ri eman . ... J. Herbert
Miller , 63, long-time pastor of the Spring Creek church,
Hershey, Pa. , died March 9. . . . Reinhart Groff , 81, died
March 14 in Harleysville, Pa. The father of Bethany Seminary
President and Annual Conference Moderator Warren F. Groff ,
he had been a stone quarry operator and a member of the
Pottstown (Pa. ) church.

May 1979 messenger 7

wp(i(Qit(^

REACHING OUT

In March 1978 the Florin chiirch (Mount Joy,

Pa. ) set the five-year goal of matching outreach giving with
local expenses. Instead of taking five years to achieve the
goal, contributions enabled the church to reach it by the end
of December 1978. . . . Members of the Root River church
(Northern Plains District) are seeking people with particular
job skills to relocate in their rural area of Preston and
Harmony, Minn. The congregation is concerned for the contin-
uing development of rural life and will provide information
about relocating in the area to interested families. Contact
the Root River church, Rt. 2, Preston, MN 55965 for details.

MOVING

The earlier- than- scheduled demolition of the

old Fort McKinley church building in Dayton triggered a move
in April for the Southern Ohio District offices which had
been there many years. The offices have moved to a temporary
location in the present Happy Corner church, northwest of
Dayton. The mailing address remains the same but the new
telephone number is 513-836-9654.

DISTRICT DOINGS ... An impressive candle-lighting service
at the Goshen City church March 11 celebrated "Our Oneness in
Christ" for the Northern Indiana District. Guest speaker was
General Secretary Bob Neff . . . . Southern Pennsylvania and
Mid-Atlantic districts worked together again this year in a
beef-canning project. The 12,209 cans of beef chunks and
1,776 cans of beef broth produced last year from 70 cows were
used in hunger relief projects. Volunteers worked together
the week after Easter at a farm near York, Pa. , to process
the cows donated and purchased for this year's project. . . .
A casualty of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Reactor accident
was the "Festival of the Arts" scheduled April 7 and 8 at
Elizabethtown College. Sponsored by the Creative Arts Com-
mittee of the Atlantic Northeast District, the festival,
with its exhibits and demonstrations, had to be postponed.

CELEBRATING . . . March 4 was a mortgage-burning service at
Baltimore's Friendship church where more than $9,000 had been
raised in six months to liquidate the debt. . . . The Naper-
ville, 111., church rejoiced when its final mortgage payment
was made Jan. 8. . . . The Glendale, Calif, church marked its
50th anniversary Feb. 4 and welcomed back four former pastors.
. . . Friends of several churches are invited to join anni-
versary celebrations later this year: Mack Memorial , in Day-
ton, Ohio, will mark its 90th anniversary May 6 with Moderator
Warren Groff speaking at the 10:45 morning worship. . . . The
Maple Grove church, Norton, Kan. , will devote June 2 and 3 to
the celebration of its 100th anniversary. . . . The Pleasant
Valley church, York, N.D., will observe its 80th with a day
of activities June 24. Anyone having pictures or information
about the church's early days is asked to contact Mrs. Walter
Randle, 609 SE Fifth St., Rugby, ND 58368. . . . The music
programs of two churches got special attention during recent
dedicatory services: A Steinway grand piano, given by a
church family, was dedicated March 4 at the La_ Verne , Calif,
church. . . . Stover Memorial church, Des Moines, Iowa,
dedicated new choir robes March 25,

8 MESSENGER Mav 1979

TV awareness training
expands internationally

Television Awareness Training (T-A-T)
will be developed outside the US and
Canada with the cooperation of the World
Association for Christian Communication
(WACC).

T-A-T was developed in 1976 to assist
television viewers in understanding how tv
programming and advertising affects
behavior, attitudes and values. It encour-
ages positive uses of tv by families and
trains viewers to avoid being manipulated
and exploited by tv.

Action, the WACC newsletter, says,
"T-A-T is the brainchild of four creative
Christian communicators — Nelson Price
and Ben Logan of United Methodist Com-
munications, Carolyn Lindekugel of the
American Lutheran Church and Stewart
Hoover of the Church of the Brethren."
These three denominations joined with
Media Action Research Center, Inc., to
develop the T-A-T concept and the cur-
riculum used in workshops.

Two types of T-A-T workshops are of-
fered: leadership training events for per-
sons who want to become accredited
T-A-T leaders; and local workshops for
individuals and groups who, led by an
accredited leader, study eight areas of
television experience — an overview of
the medium, violence, human sexuality,
stereotyping, advertising, children's pro-
grams, news and strategies for change.

After its original development in the US,
the program was adapted for Canadian
use. Since, inquiries about adapting the
training for their own situations have come
from Australia, Taiwan, Argentina, Korea
and Mexico. T-A-T materials have already
been translated into Portuguese for a
workshop in Brazil. As inquiries have
become more numerous, MARC turned to
WACC for assistance in developing T-A-T
in other countries.

A professional service organization of
churches and other groups working
together in more than 50 countries to use
media for spreading the word of salvation
through Christ and for other aspects of
human development, WACC seemed a
logical agency to develop international tele-
vision awareness training.

In discussing the significance of inter-
national T-A-T, Stewart Hoover notes,
"The values portrayed in American com-
mercial television create problems for other
countries. T-A-T is one way we can share

our experiences in trying to alleviate these
problems." He and the other developers
believe T-A-T is a model which can suc-
cessfully be adapted for use in other coun-
tries and among other language groupings.

Brethren, Mennonites
plan joint radio series

In addition to its successful "Think About
It" series of one-minute radio spots. Breth-
ren Broadcast Ministries is now working
with an agency of the General Conference
Mennonite Church to j, ^duce a different
series of one-minute radio spots entitled
"Lifestyle."

Sue Statler, who is producing the third
series of "Think About It" spots for Breth-
ren Broadcast Ministries, has been hired as
producer for the new joint venture. Pro-
duction on the "Lifestyle" series is ex-
pected to begin in September for release in
January 1980. The series will consist of 26
60-second spots designed for weekly release
on a regularly scheduled basis for contem-
porary music stations.

The purpose of the programs will be to
make connections for the listener between
life-style and the important challenges of
the day, to suggest concrete ways of facing
the issues and to illustrate the importance
of life-style as a form of witness,
acknowledging that Jesus Christ is the
foundation for this witness.

Suggested themes for the new series in-
clude stewardship of creation, human
rights, liberation, justice, peace, disarma-
ment and global interdependence. The
spots will be geared primarily to the un-
churched between the ages of 18 and 35.
Church of the Brethren involvement in this
project is through the General Board's
special emphasis on Salvation and Justice.

A special feature of this series is that
congregational resource materials and
study guides will also be available so that
groups in local churches may use the radio
spots as springboards for discussion.

Scripts and script ideas are being
solicited. For further information, write
Brethren Broadcast Ministries, 1451
Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

Catholics, Methodists
keep Congress majority

While 20 percent of the seats in the US
House of Representatives and Senate have
new occupants in the 96th Congress, no

major change has occurred in religious af-
filiations.

Roman Catholics are still in the majority
in the Congress after the 1978 elections —
1 16 in the House and 13 in the Senate.

United Methodists are the second largest
group in Congress, with 57 Representatives
and 18 Senators.

The Historic Peace Churches are
represented by Quakers Edwin B. Forsythe
(R-N.J.) and Kenneth Robinson (R-Va.) of
the House of Representatives.

Other totals in the Christianity Today
survey, conducted every two years, are:
Episcopal, 70; Presbyterian, 60; Baptist, 57;
Lutheran, 19; United Church of Christ, 16;
Unitarian, 12; Mormon, 10; Disciples of
Christ, 6; Greek Orthodox, 5.

Fifteen denominations are represented
by fewer than five members.

New Brethren books join
old favorites in Seattle

Seven new books will be published by The
Brethren Press in time for Annual Confer-
ence in Seattle. They are;

Counting My Buttons by Esther Pence
Garber. A sequel to the popular Button
Shoes, this book traces Garber's growing-
up years.

Springs of Love by Anna B. Mow. One
hundred meditations for Christians from
the pen of "Sister Anna" emphasize the
power and enabling help of God's Spirit.

Counting the Cost: The Life of Alexan-
der Mack by William G. Willoughby. This
documented biography sheds new light on
the man who led the earliest Brethren.
Five-hundred hardbound copies of this
volume will be printed for library use in
addition to the paperbacks.

Sacraments in My Refrigerator by Mary
Sue H. Rosenberger. This book is a gather-
ing of Rosenberger's poetic prayers in-
spired by the revelation of God in every-
day things.

Yeast, Salt and Secret Agents by Ken
Gibble. A collection of 17 sermons by the
pastor of the Ridgeway Community
church, Harrisburg, Pa.

A Raspberry Seed Under God's Denture:
The Wisdom and Wit of William Beahm
compiled by Earle W. Fike Jr. A collection
of memorable thoughts from the writings
and lectures of the late seminary professor
and Brethren scholar brought together by
the pastor of the Elizabethtown, Pa.,
church.

Visions of Glory, by David J. Wieand,

Counting
my Buttons

1

m

i

'I- . . 1.1,
tsthiT IViui' (.jrtvr

r

t^

Through mass-marketing techniques, these
two new books from The Brethren Press
will reach a wider-than- Brethren audience.

Bethany Seminary professor of biblical
studies, takes a modern look at the book of
Revelation.

The best-selling book published by The
Brethren Press in 1978 was Anna Eliza-
heih—17 by Lucile Brandt, a story of
Brethren life in colonial America. First
published in the 1940s, the paperback re-
print reached a wide audience in 1978
through The Brethren Press' mass market-
ing distributors and sold 6,312 copies.

Clyde Weaver, director of marketing for
The Brethren Press, reports that a number
of Brethren books have been well accepted
by secular marketing agents for wider dis-
tribution than Brethren resources could
otherwise provide. Through these contacts,
books with a Brethren viewpoint are on
sale on paperback book racks in many
places. Most of the other top-sellers in
1978 were distributed through these
sources. Others in the Brethren "Top 10"
for 1978 are;

2) Children of the Conestoga by Clay-
ton H. Gehman— 4,815 copies.

3) The Brethren Hymnal ^4. \SS copies.

4) The Will Rogers Touch by Leland
Wilson— 4,018 copies.

5) Button Shoes by Esther Pence Gar-
ber— 3,946 copies.

6) A Bonnet for Virginia by Evelyn
Frantz — 2,267 copies.

7) Anna Elizabeth by Lucile Brandt —
2,226 copies.

8) Johnstown: A Story of Tragedy by
Wendell Bohrer— 1,894 copies.

9) Simple Living by Edward K. Zieg-
ler— 1,894 copies.

10) A Future With Hope by Harvey S.
Kline and Warren Eshbach— 1,780 copies.

May 1979 messenger 9

A personal touch at the UN

by Shantilal P. Bhagat

Of great significance is the recent accept-
ance by most of the human race of the
dogma that there shall be equality between
human beings, that colonialism is not a
permissible political system, that imperial-
ism is outmoded and that the common goal
of humanity is to have a global society in
which all persons may enjoy dignity,
equality and freedom. This indeed is a new
insight in human history, which I believe is
in accordance with the will of God.

The United Nations, as an international
organization, has played a central role in
initiating, formulating, setting the pace and
implementing measures leading to signifi-
cant changes toward the fulfillment of its
charter which expresses determination:

— to save succeeding generations from
the scourge of war.

—to reaffirm faith in fundamental
human rights, in the dignity and worth of
the human person, in the equal rights of
men and women and of nations large and
small.

— to establish conditions under which
justice and respect for the obligations aris-
ing from treaties and other sources of inter-
national law can be maintained.

— to promote social progress and better
standards of life in larger freedom.

The United Nations contribution to the
whole area of justice with its economic,
social and political facets is too vast even
to enumerate. To take just one example, in
the economic and social sectors the UN
over the years has worked through 160
subsidiary bodies including commissions,
committees and expert working groups.
The justice focus, however, is clearly evi-
dent in the UN family, which includes
many organs and related agencies. A list-
ing of the activities of a selected few will
illustrate the point.

The World Health Organization (WHO)
has been able to reduce smallpox to a
negligible clinical proportion within a gen-
eration. Its global strategy for attaining an
acceptable level of health for all by 2000,
with new emphasis on primary health care
has a justice in health focus. The Tropical
Diseases Research and Training Program

will benefit the whole world.

The United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) with its world concern for the
situation of children together with the
stimulus of the International Year of the
Child (1979) continues to have significance
for children.

The United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) is mandated by the
UN General Assembly to protect refugees
and help them resume normal lives as
quickly as possible. Since its inception in
1951, UNHCR has helped more than 20
million of the world's uprooted.

The United Nations Educational, Scien-
tific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
focuses attention on a variety of issues:
freedom of the press, world's illiteracy
problems, exploring the mysteries of the
seas, recovery and protection of the
cultural heritage of humankind all over the
world and so on. Its Declarations on Mass
Media and on Race and Racial Prejudice
are strongly justice oriented.

Xn the field of economic justice the
United Nations Development Program has
had massive involvement at national and
regional levels. The greatest international
debate of our day — the debate on the New
International Economic Order — taking
place at the UN for about five years now —
is based on the plea that political acts of
emancipation, which by no means are com-
pleted yet, should be followed by a full
economic and social emancipation. This
debate is enlivening once again now as the
UN focuses attention on the third develop-
ment decade starting next year.

The United Nations and its cooperating
organizations have worked unceasingly to
advance the cause of human rights in prac-
tical terms: the right to life, the right to
equality before the law, the right to
freedom of opinion and expression and of
freedom from arbitrary arrest and deten-
tion, the right to education, the right to
work, the right to health, freedom from
hunger, and all other human rights and
fundamental freedoms. These rights are en-
shrined in the International Bill of Human
Rights consisting of three historic docu-

ments— the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights: the Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: and
the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
These global Covenants set forth basic
norms which have had tremendous influ-
ence in shaping the policies of nations.

The UN Charter provides for consulta-
tion with non-governmental organizations
(NGOs). Until recently, such consultations
were made in the economic, social and
humanitarian areas of UN activities, but
the scope has. now been widened to include
disarmament. When the Church of the
Brethren became an NGO last year, my
first assignment was preparing for the UN
General Assembly Special Session on Dis-
armament (see Messenger, September
1978, pages 10-14).

The NGO relationship with the UN gives
the Church of the Brethren, through me as
its representative, opportunities to share
concerns, ideas and the position of our
denomination on a variety of issues in-
volving justice, human rights, peace and
disarmament. This sharing takes place in
committee and commission meetings, in
the delegates' lounge, in discussion periods
following briefings for NGOs and in
meetings of NGOs interested in specific
issue areas such as development, human
rights and disarmament. Sometimes I make
personal calls to the offices of permanent
missions to the UN to discuss issues and
occasionally written papers are shared.
Discussion with UN Secretariat staff is an
important approach for sharing too.

The views shared are undergirded by the
basic beliefs of our church, as well as
resolutions and statements from .Annual
Conference and the General Board. What
really happens in the sharings often is the
bringing in of a moral and ethical dimen-
sion which sometimes gets o\erlooked or
sidestepped in the preoccupation of
problem solving. Personal sharing, there-
fore, is important and is made possible by
our Brethren presence here at the UN.

In the United Nations family, justice has a
human face and although the pace may
seem to be slow the ideals set torth are
worthy and fully capable of achievement. D

Sliunlilal P Bhagal is ihi- H urlj Minislrws Cum-
mi.\.\i<>n\\ L ntleJ \ani>ns representalive.

10 MEssbNGER May 1979

The human face of justice

he sounding of the shofar reminds Jews how, in the Exodus, the God of justice
acted to liberate Israel from the galling yoke of slavery in Egypt, to deliver the
Hebrews through the wilderness and to establish them in peace in the Promised
Land. The Exodus, rather than an open rebellion of a people against their captor,
is to be seen as the liberating power that comes from living under a
covenant of justice and peace.

That miracle of liberation gives hope to captive peoples and persons yet
today. It demonstrates God's desire for people to live
in a worldwide community of justice and peace.

God's power is at

cial upheaval to

tice where

work to affect so-
bring about jus-
there is suffer-
ing and op-
pression, thus
awakening
hope in the
hearts of people
everywhere.
As the Old Testa-
ment writers proclaimed the
Mosaic covenant, so Jesus, standing in the
Hebrew tradition of justice and peace, de-
scribed God's will for reconciling justice,
expressed as agape love. The love of God
cannot, for Jesus, be separated from the
love of neighbor. Going beyond Old Testa-
ment boundaries of community, Jesus ex-
tended the grace and love of God to
everyone. The tradition itself must give way
to God's justice.

Today's Church of the Brethren sym-
bolizes in its love feast the fullness of God's love
and justice for all persons, not just the gathered
church. In the footwashing and fellowship at the table
we have expressions of reconciliation between persons.
But how far do we go beyond symbols to actually
live God's love in our daily lives? From their beginning.
Brethren have emphasized justice, both in relation to ob-
vious injustices of society toward certain categories of
people and to more subtle forms of injustice imposed
by ruling systems on groups of people. Examples
which come to mind are the prisoner, the poor, the
hungry, the religious nonconformist, the racial
minority, the political minority — all those whose
voice cannot be heard sufficiently to awe the powerful.

Brethren today are heavily involved injustice
issues — on both sides. The church seeks to minister to
the oppressed and to witness for the cause of justice. But
the oppressed — those seeking justice are not all outside
the church. Within our own denomination are subgroups
seeking justice, understanding, acceptance, love from
their own sisters and brothers. Thus, justice, for the
Brethren, wears a very human face. Read on. — k.t.

May 1979 messenger 11

Jean Zimmerman lives

by Steve Simmons

Jean Warstler Zimmerman considers herself
an ordinary person. But her faith and com-
mitment go beyond that. Last May she was
one of nine protesters arrested on the
railroad tracks leading into the Rocky Flats,
Colo., nuclear weapons plant.

Now back in North Manchester, Ind.,
where her husband, Gary, teaches psy-
chology and human conflict resolution at
Manchester College and she child develop-
ment, Jean has not given up the fight and
talks eagerly and relives her experiences for
any who listen, especially Brethren.

While Gary was studying human conflict
at the University of Colorado at Boulder,
Jean became involved in nonviolent civil
disobedience and the work of Daniel
Ellsberg, now a family friend. "Gary used
to come home from his sessions and tell me
about what happened. I'd respond, 'Yeah,
yeah.'"

It was in the nonviolence training sessions
that Jean realized, "This is something the
Church of the Brethren should do. When we
first lived in Boulder we drove past the site
and I never knew its purpose. I knew that
Brethren have never supported weapons and
I never wanted to, wherever I lived.

"I was so overwhelmed by what I heard at
the sessions and from Daniel Ellsberg about
the consequences of continued weapons
production. He was someone outside the
church who believes in our peace stance.
That was terrific. Many times in my life I've
felt alone — put down by other
denominations for my convictions. Daniel
Ellsberg told me that our statements on dis-
armament and peace were the clearest he'd
ever seen. 'If you're even tempted to live with
these,' said Ellsberg, 'you'll be in conflict
with friends and relatives, but you're lucky to
be born into it.'

"I had learned Brethren principles of
pacifism in my home life. Dan made me see
new responsibilties for my children and all
children through his thinking on nuclear
weapons.

"I knew that I had children and I had to be
involved. But for me the protest was Church
of the Brethren related. I and the group were
acting out our beliefs. I was scared of con-
flict, but also scared that my children might
not live full lives. If we take our heritage

12 MESSENGER May 1979

Above: Jean Zimmerman and fellow protesters express solidarity in song. Below: Jean leads a
worship service on the tracks: before her are Church of the Brethren. Mennonite. Roman
Catholic, United Church of Christ. United Methodist. United Presbyterian and Lutheran
peace statements: the attempted posting of which caused her arrest. The group modeled its
witness on that of Martin Luther, when he posted his 95 Theses on the Castle church door in
Wittenberg. Germany. " When I think about all the nuclear weapons we now have. " reflects
Jean, "six months in jail and $500 (the maximum fine for criminal trespassing) seemed like a
small price to pay for saving the lives of my children and all children. "

a vision

What makes a Brethren wife and mother

'take arms against a sea of troubles'

through protest, arrest and trial?

seriously we have to act to save our self-
respect. The action was so closely tied to
what I grew up with. When 1 was on the
tracks I thought, someone from the
Church of the Brethren should be here —
1 have children, if no one else can do
it, I will."

The entire emphasis of her action is
religious. "Two Catholic workers and Men-
nonite minister Peter Ediger wanted to have
a religious witness with me and many of the
environmentalists who were there. We need-
ed to call for religious support." She was able
to get religious statements from several
denominations. "In the 50s I felt put down —
this was a process for me to heal my
wounds — a big step for me. We went to the
tracks intending to post our statements. We
didn't want to be arrested but we were com-
mitted. We knew when the police had been
called but we stayed. We shared scripture
and song. One we used a lot was 'I See a New
World Coming.' 1 liked sharing a Church of
the Brethren song with other denominations.
It is possible to see a new world. Because
there have always been wars doesn't mean it
has to go that way."

During the spring 60 people were arrested,
Jean was part of the May 24 arrest and
entered her plea on May 27. "I was shaking
so badly I could hardly write. I said I'd plead
for my children, Lori, eight, and Kristi,
three."

"I had responsibilities to my children,"
says Jean. "What would happen if I go to
jailT' As she speaks, Kristi climbs up on
Jean's chair, takes hold of a lock of her
mother's hair and begins to suck her thumb.
"When we decided to protest, Dan was ada-
mant that only one of us go to the tracks, that
someone always be available for parenting.
As a result, my children sometimes play 'go-
ing to jail' and lock each other up. They think
about many things they wouldn't if not for
my involvement. One of them asked, 'How
do we get peace with bombs?'

"One night Kristi decided to pray for the
world. She said, 'I want more houses, more
trees, more love and more world. Please give
us more. Thank you, God, for all of that.'

"Lori, when we lived in Denver, used to
lay out the issues for her second grade class.
She got an autograph from the judge after

the trial. I think it made him think about the
impact of the case. He is one of the youngest
judges in the country.

"When it was time to organize for the trial
I gave the defense council Gary's name. I
knew Gary would have an interest and also
feel part of the action. Gary worked as a
lawyer's assistant and was able to help the

Scenes in the court-
room when the verdict
of six months unsu-
pervised probation
was handed down
signaling the end of
the trial. Right: Jean
embraces daughter
Kristi. Below: Jean
hugs a co-protester
while Daniel Ellsberg
holds Kristi. The
sentence is being
appealed to a higher
court on grounds that
it was not a jury trial.
The judge refused to
let the jury hear the
testimony of seven ex-
pert witnesses. The
appeal is estimated to
take up to two years.

whole group and made a neat contribution."

Gary Zimmerman worked as a liaison
between the Truth Force (the protesters) and
their lawyers. He was able to attend
negotiations with the district attorney and
the county judge and experience the event
from a legal perspective.

"I was elected by the Truth ; orce as one of

May 1979 messenger 13

the ten to take the stand. It was tempting to
say, 'no,' I have responsibilities at home, I
don't want the job. But I needed to accept.
To respond as an ordinary mother in a small
Indiana town." Jean recalls the Los Angeles
Times article which described the defendants
as clergy, peace activists and an Indiana
housewife. "I represent the people who have
more power than they think."

Jean and her family returned to Colorado
for the November trial. "They took my
Mother's Day prayer in as evidence — that
was a highlight for me. But they wouldn't
allow any of the denominational statements.
The judge ruled out our health and radiation
witnesses, such as Karl Z. Morgan, who
testified that radiation health standards were
offasmuchas 10,000 times. It's prohibitive
expense-wise to monitor the alpha particles,
but they have been proven to cause cancer.
This is a form of legalized murder. After I
heard the witnes:.>.s I was more convinced
that something had to be done."

Just before Jean was on trial, parts of the
neutron bomb were ordered into production
by President Carter.

"People have got to realize that we are in a
new ballgame of weapons. The President has
little control. It would take one split-second
for someone to start the whole thing off. The
President wouldn't be involved. We're at the
hands of the Pentagon. The whole episode
emphasized for me how powerless people
can be at in getting things to change.

"But, the people can bring about change.
The Vietnam War is an example. I think you
have to decide you are going to do
something, or you at least contribute to the
vision.

"The situation is that the more weapons
we develop the less secure we get. According
to Dan (Ellsberg) we have to realize that
more weapons make us weaker. The Pen-
tagon perpetuates a myth that we need
nuclear weapons to be strong.

"A powerful tool for change is one-to-one
communication, working for a moratorium
on nuclear weapons — Daniel Ellsberg
thinks if everyone knew the dangers, people
would do something. Until something does
change I'm not finished. The least 1 can do is
communicate in an important and effective
way."

Now that the trial is over (she and the
others were sentenced to six months
unsupervised probation) Jean is back
in her "ordinary" life. "Waiting nine hours
for the verdict was hard. It meant that it
was hard for the jury to decide and
many members told us how they

The whole Zimmerman family
has been touched by the nuclear
dispute. Jean's husband Gary
(center, belowj worked as a
lawyer's assistant with her
defense and took on extra
parenting duties during the
trial. "It was hard on the whole
family." says Jean. "The kids
said, 'Why don't you wail until
we're 20?' I told them that could
he too late." Her daughter
Kristi (with Jean at rightj now
says. "Keep track of Rocky
Flats. " When Jean explained to
Lori (second from left belowj
that the government takes part
of Daddy's paycheck for
bombs, Lori responded, "Don't
pay! I can't believe the Presi-
dent does that. "

14 MFSSHNGER May 1979

supported us but had to vote guilty. One
newspaper in Colorado has called for reform
in storage of nuclear waste and also bomb
sites so close to residents — we've made a
contribution.

"When I was on the stand 1 felt they were
trying the next generation. They're going to
have to fight for the right to live on this
planet. I feel for our youth and what they are
going to have to face with an impending
return to conscription and the draft, coupled
with the threat of nuclear destruction.

"Now that I'm back into ordinary things
— teaching, parenting, homemaking —
I've got to keep the vision alive. We can con-
tribute to peace no matter what we are doing.

"War is when we oppress young people the
worst. We send young people to fight older
people's conflicts. This is grotesque. As a
woman I escape the issue and I want to share
it and witness. My energies will go to youth
and I will support them as an adult in the
Church of the Brethren. I feel sad that they
have to face such a horror at their ages: it is
unfair of the adults. Adults need to take
responsibility for what our youth are facing.

"I have a dream (Me and Martin Luther
King, right?) that on Mother's Day in the In-
ternational Year of the Child — persons will
join together all over the country and say
what we want for our children and what they
deserve — I'm sure it's not a world infested
with radiation.

"Mothers would respond; I'm always im-
pressed by their involvement. There are
enough people in the Church of the Brethren
to turn the world around.

"I've done some speaking at Timbercrest
Home, North Manchester, Ind., and realized
that this kind of protest is not a passing fad.
Some of the men there risked everything to
be conscientious objectors during World
War I. It was hard at that point in history, in
that society. Many of them cry when they
hear me tell my story because it reminds
them of their stories.

"I really don't know what's ahead.
Because our case is being appealed, I may be
involved with it for two more years. I've been
doing some of the things I did before, co-
leading Christian Citizenship Seminars, but
with a little more depth. I do know I've

stopped being silent.

I was asked, 'What would you go to jail
for? My answer: 'to save my kids.' I've
learned not to assume that someone else
would care.

"I don't want to think that we are
powerless, that we can't make a dent. A small
voice says we respond to power not
powerlessness. Gandhi knew it was more
powerful to sit in some places than in others.
We initiated worship on the tracks leading to
a nuclear weapons plant because it is power-
ful to pray in other places, even at the gates
of Rocky Flats.

"It was important for me to go to the
tracks and not just talk. As a country we
have bought too much talk. Some of that is
our notion that we as a church are too
small. Our church needs to work with
other groups on small goals that lead to
big ones.

"I derive much of my power from a belief
in the power and intelligence of the ordinary
person, like I see myself." □

Sieve Simmons is a Brethren Volunleer Service worker
serving as editorial assistant with Messenger,

Helping shift from swords to plowshares

In a General Board resolution on disarmament voted in February
1978, the Board appealed to members of the Church of the
Brethren "to pray steadfastly for peace and disarmament."

Around the country. Brethren have been responding to this
appeal in a number of ways. The most significant follow-up came
in the spring of last year when some 30 Brethren, including Jean
Zimmerman, participated in a peace witness at the Rockwell Inter-
national Nuclear weapons plant at Rocky Flats, Colo., and again
in August where 600 National Youth Conference participants
gathered for an educational/demonstration event there.

Rocky Flats is but one of a network of facilities where nuclear
weapon components are produced. Coalitions of concerned
religious and civic groups are forming to shape action not only to
focus on the dangers of those facilities to their neighboring com-
munities, but also to press the corporations and communities to
turn to non-nuclear, non-military production.

In response to a suggestion from the denomination's peace task
team, the Missouri, Florida/ Puerto Rico, Southern Ohio, Western
Plain, and Southeastern districts have agreed to enlist study/ac-
tion teams to address concerns about the nuclear facility in their
area with the long-range goal of enabling the corporation and
community to plan for conversion of production to non-military
goods.

Action has begun in the districts. Last December the Souther
Ohio group sent representatives to meet in Miamisburg, Ohio,
with the management of Monsanto Mound Laboratory, which
produces detonators. Similar studies and research are planned in
the other districts. Union Carbide's Y-I2 plant at Oak Ridge,
Tenn., fabricates enriched uranium into bomb parts. The

Southeastern District team will study the plant's operations. The
Rorida/ Puerto Rico group is looking at the Pinellas Plant in St.
Petersburg, Fla., where neutron generators are manufactured.
Missouri's group is focusing on the Bendix Corporation in Kansas
City, Mo., where mechanical and electronic components are
produced for nuclear weapons.

Western Plains District continues to address the concerns of
Rocky Rats, Colo., and the MX missile system tunnel project in
Western Kansas. Illinois- Wisconsin District is working at alter-
native use possibilities for Fort Sheridan US Army Base and
Chanute Air Force Base.

In all the projects which the study/action teams are under-
taking, a 4-point goal is being pursued:

1) to pursue biblical and theological insights which provide the
impulse for the church's engagement in disarmament efforts,

2) to help create a climate locally and nationally in which
reversal of the arms race becomes politically feasible,

3) to inform ourselves and the public as well as the leaders of
industry and government that the war economy fuels inflation:
that the arms industry is the least efficient way of providing jobs;
and that some communities and industries are virtually captive to
the munitions enterprise: and

4) to log experience throughout the denomination in working
with particular corporations and communities in planning for
economic conversion, that is, in shifting from dependency upon
the military to non-military productivity.

Persons interested in further information about the Brethren
Nuclear Weapons Project should contact Chuck Boyer, peace con-
sultant. 1451 Dundee Ave.. Elgin. IL 60120. — K.T.

Mav 1979 messenger 15

The message entrusted to us

The old, old story reveals to us God's justice: right relationships,
sober judgment, love and mercy, grace and peace. The Apostle Paul
summarizes our calling: God entrusts to us the
message of reconciliation.

by Estella Homing

David was a king after God's own heart. The
first book of Samuel presents us with the
portrait of a red-headed shepherd boy, so
unimposing that his father didn't think it im-
portant to introduce him to the visiting
prophet Samuel. David did not lack courage
to challenge the fierce Philistine giant, but he
took no credit for his victory. He went forth
as representative of the God of Israel who
had saved him from a lion, and who, he was
confident, would save Israel from the hand
of the enemy. As a fugitive from Saul's
jealousy he gave refuge to those who were
distressed and in debt and suffered oppres-
sion. Twice he set aside the opportunity to
make final riddance of his pursuer, so that
even Saul witnessed to his innocence and
righteousness. When the ingrate Nabal
refused hospitality and responded with in-
sult, David was providentially prevented
from vengeance and blood guilt.

The ideal king of Israel is presented to us
as God's representative, the embodiment of
right relationship, of mercy and kindness, of
innocence and forbearance, of justice and
equity, and of saving power for the sake of
the people of God. It was he who handed out
judgment with equity. It was his strength
that guaranteed peace.

But the weight of being God's represen-
tative on earth mixed with a human situation
of luxury, leisure, unlimited wealth and ab-
solute power presented certain dilemmas of
its own. One day David's favorite prophet
came to him with a case which required his
judgment. It seems that a certain rich man
had had a visitor for whom he wanted to
provide regal hospitality. For the feast, in-
stead of taking an animal from his own am-
ple herds, he roasted and served for dinner
the one and only pet lamb of a poor man, his
neighbor. David, the dispenser of God's
righteous judgment, was incensed. By all
rights the man who did such a thing deserved

to die. The man should pay back four times
the amount he had taken.

" You are the man," said Nathan, then
described the kinds of personal and national
disaster which would result from David's
violation of right relationships with his
neighbor and loyal servant Uriah, and his
violation of the generosity of God. He had
despised the trust which God had placed in
his hands.

This story illustrates amply and vividly the
Old Testament understanding of justice.
Although God forgave David and continued
to be with him, the inevitable consequence of
his violation of right relationship and trust
was a reverberating series of such violations
echoing his own, within his family and in the
nation. Peace and well-being were at an end.

A<

actually the Old Testament has no
proper word for "justice." We translate two
Hebrew words into English as justice. One
means "judgment" {mishpat), the kind
David was giving when he decreed that the
greedy and pitiless rich man must pay back
his poor neighbor with four sheep for the one
he had taken. The other word is properly
"righteousness" (tsedeqah). which describes
the preservation of right relationship of
covenant with God and members of the com-
munity. This kind of right relationship had
been violated both by the man who
slaughtered and served his neighbor's sheep,
and by David who took his neighbor's wife
and discreetly arranged for Uriah to die
abandoned on the front line in battle.

Together, right-relationship and right-
judgment as described in this story represent
the Old Testament concept of justice. A third
Hebrew word, shalom. fills out the picture.
The fruit of fulfilling the obligations of cove-
nant in the community was peace.

Although it may seem strange to us, the
New Testament nowhere uses a word for
justice. There is nowhere an insistence that

every individual is entitled to certain in-
alienable rights and that these are to be
defended. Once again, as in the Old Testa-
ment, we are asked to look at a story: a child,
born in a stable, raised as a village artisan,
baptized along with repentant sinners, friend
of the poor, the sick, the outcasts of the com-
munity, rejected as a blasphemer and ex-
ecuted as a criminal. This was the man who
declared the good news that God's kingdom
had begun, that human wealth and power
were irrelevant and that what mattered were
love and service, wholeness and peace.

His resurrection first brought bewilder-
ment to his friends, then the dawning
recognition that in this rejected, "blasphem-
ing" outcast, God has walked among them.
God had been redefined, but so had the un-
derstanding of being human. A new cove-
nant of "righteousness and judgment" was
engraved on human hearts and revealed by
the Holy Spirit. A new understanding of
justice had appeared. In Jesus was revealed
God's justice. Seeing Jesus' righteousness is a
kairos moment of judgment. John says,
"And this is the judgment, that the light has
come into the world, and men loved dark-
ness rather than light. . . . "(John 3: 19).

Xaul describes the justice of the new co\ e-
nant as being one in Christ. We participate in
the body of Christ. There is one bread, and
we who are many are one body, for we all
partake of the same loaf ( 1 Cor. 10: 17).
There are no longer national, ethnic or racial
divisions. People can no longer be sorted out
by class, education, hierarchy, lines of
authority. It is not a question of whether one
is male or female. God shows no partiality
(Gal. 3:28). In Romans 12 to 14 Paul speaks
of justice as "sober judgment" (12:3). This
will involve self-giving (1 2: 1-8). doing good
for others regardless of what they deserve (9-
20). giving all persons their due: love (13:1-
1 1). making decisions on the basis of what is

16 MESSENGER May 1979

good for others (14:1-15:4), accepting one
another and rejoicing in our differences
while acknowledging our oneness in ser-
ving and glorifying God (5:13).

Ancient Israel confined its understanding
of justice to the people of Israel and to
those strangers who lived in their
households and communities, those whom
they saw and knew. Christians stretched
their bonds of covenant justice across
many of the barriers of the ancient world
to include and value equally the gentiles,
the outcasts, the servants, the dispossessed
among them, and to call for covenant
justice even for enemies.

Within the last generation a new thing
has happened in our world. We have in-
stant access to knowledge of events and
people in the farthest nooks and crannies
of the globe. We can hear their cries and
see their pain. Our world has become a
global village. Our covenant of loving con-
cern and righteous judgment has been ex-
tended. The area where we are obligated
for our neighbor's good is no longer com-
fortably contained. The dividing walls have
been broken down. We all partake of one
loaf.

The old, old story reveals to us God's
justice: right relationships, sober judgment,
love and mercy, grace and peace. The story
also reveals to us who we are. The apostle
Paul summarizes our calling: "Therefore, if
any one is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has passed away, behold, the new
has come. All this is from God, who
through Christ reconciled us to himself and
gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that
is, God was in Christ reconciling the world
to himself, not counting their trespasses
against them, and entrusting to us the mes-
sage of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:17-19). n

Estella Horning, a former missionary to Ecuador and
Nigeria, is adjunct faculty in New Testament at
Bethany Theological Seminary.

Called to live the life of God's agape

We must develop a theology of living here and now in the spirit of the kingdom. We
look toward a future that will be more peaceful, just and respectful of God's creation.
We who are of the body of Christ, an incarnation of God's reconciling and redeeming
love in the world, are called to be a channel of God's loving justice. Wherever
brokenness among people exists, we are called to participate in God's work of
healing; wherever people suffer from oppression, we are to work for God's act of
liberation; and wherever people are deprived of basic human needs and opportunities
we are called to God's work of humanization. We are called to live the life of God's
agape in the world because Christ is our Lord.

Our understanding of the biblical view of justice and peace leads us to affirm
these principles:

The church in its community life, organization and worship must show
compassion and equal respect for all persons.

The church in its concern for all people, the poor, the powerless, the rich, the
powerful, is not called to defend the riches of the rich or to preserve the power of the
powerful.

The church has specific responsibility to defend and respond to the rights and
needs of the poor, the disadvantaged and those with insufficient power to assure
their rights.

No person is created for poverty, but all are born for a full place at the table of
the human family.

The church is to witness to the responsibility of the ruling power for the
administration of justice by crying out against persons or governments that abuse
justice and misuse their power.

Government is to rule with justice for every person.

Individuals as well as the church must guard against the constant tendency to
idealize and to worship (without regard to justice) the social, economic and political
institutions within which any people find themselves.

All human systems including the church are fallible and imperfect.

These systems must be judged by their fruits; are their programs just?

When social structures have ceased to serve their humanitarian purposes, radical
nonviolent changes are in order.

The church, in one aspect of its mission, may be called to participate
nonviolently in the change process.

Hunger, poverty, war and broken relationships are evidence of sin working in
human structures. These point up the need for repentance and restitution for the
restoration of justice in the earth.

God calls the church to work at restoring justice by a responsible use of its
power. We must use means that are compassionate because violence is sin, an abuse
of the solidarity of humankind. — From the 1977 Annual Conference Statement on
Justice and Nonviolence.

May 1979 messenger 17

In heart and
conscience free

by Kenneth I. Morse

"Our fathers, chained in prisons dark, were
still in heart and conscience free. "

The words of this famiUar hymn ring with
new truth when we recall the witness of
several heroic spirits among the first
Brethren, especially in the early years of
the 18th century when religious freedom
was not granted easily and persons who
followed their consciences in observing
their own beliefs and practices were fre-
quently at odds with leaders of church
and state.

By means of words and pictures we can
draw close to some of those whose stories
and testimonies still move us. Following
are from accounts that should have special
interest for Brethren who, even today, can
visit the places where faith triumphed over
cruel oppression.

Detmold: Imprisoned in a castle

A picture calendar for 1979, one of those
splendid examples of full-color printing
published in West Germany, features on its
cover an attractive view of Detmold Castle,
its ornate towers and baroque gables sur-
rounded by flowers and a fountain. The
choice of castle is a good one, as any
tourist who has been captured by the
charm of Detmold will testify.

For music lovers Detmold might well
provide a goal for a minor pilgrimage since
it was to this small court that Johannes
Brahms came in 1857 to direct the court
choir, give music lessons to court per-
sonnel, compose his two youthful
serenades, and work on his first massive
piano concerto. But for Brethren and for
others interested in the radical Pietist
movement of the early 18th century. Det-
mold has a different sort of fascination. We
are eager to see where Ernst Christoph
Hochmann von Hochenau, an early
associate of the Brethren, was imprisoned
and where he wrote a confession of faith
Brethren cherished and later reprinted in
the American colonies.

Though Hochmann was born into a no-
ble family and could claim high-ranking of-
ficials among his close relatives, he was no
stranger to prisons. Besides Detmold he
was incarcerated in Hannover, Nurnberg,
Halle — to name just a few of the cities
where this itinerant preacher found himself
in trouble with local authorities. Himself a
student of the law. he could easilv have

avoided such a hazardous existence if he
had been willing to conform to the conven-
tional claims of church and state. But his
religious convictions, which separated him
from all church allegiances, were so intense
that he spent his days, in or out of prison,
seeking to convince his contemporaries
that they should separate themselves from
a wicked church and practice true
Christianity.

Ale.xander Mack was a frequent com-
panion of Hochmann on his journeys. The
two also lived as neighbors in Schwarzenau
where Hochmann spent the last several
years of his life in a small hut he called his
"Castle of Peace" in the valley of huts
where many Brethren lived. Yet Hochmann
differed with Mack over the importance of
establishing another church, even one that
would seek to conform to New Testament
patterns. Despite these differences, many of
the first Brethren looked to Hochmann as
a spiritual guide and often read his confes-
sion of faith, written in 1702 as a condition
of his release from prison in Detmold.

The official tours conducted regularly to-
day at Detmold Castle offer no informa-
tion concerning any castle prison. On a re-
cent visit we inquired of our guide and
were assured there was no prison in the
castle, but we were shown an engraving of
the castle, the moat surrounding it and the
town beside it, showing Detmold as it
appeared in 1650. Our informant told us of
a prison of that period still standing in the
town, not far from the castle, which we
also visited.

However, the confession that Hochmann
wrote while in Detmold indicates that it
was written in the castle in November 1702.
It seems likely that he was detained
somewhere in the building (which, in the
17th century engraving, was well fortified
by bastions armed with cannons) although
his being of a noble family might have en-
titled him to a kind of "house arrest" less
stringent than the beatings he endured dur-
ing other imprisonments. In any case, he
was granted freedom on condition that he
submit to the ruling court his confession of
faith, the document later published by
Brethren in the colonies.

The confession indicates that Hochmann
was expected to deal with a series of con-
troversial questions, such as: "the nature of
God, baptism, the Lord's Supper, perfec-
tion, the role of the Holy Spirit in ap-
pointing teachers and preachers, the

authority and power of civil magistrates
and redemption of the lost." Hochmann's
statements are forthright and honest, brief-
ly and effectively stated. He thought bap-
tism was instituted for adults, not little
children. He did not want to see "the
Godless children of this world" admitted to
the love feast. Christ alone appoints leaders

across a busy street, yet seems almost lost
among them, in the modern city. The
answer is that it is all of those and more,
for it was also a city prison, where one of
the original eight members of the Church
of the Brethren was an unwelcome guest.

Today you catch a view down the street
of its clock tower and the ramparts that

Heroic spirits abounded among the early
Brethren, for persons who followed their
consciences in religion were often at odds
with the leaders of church and state.

for the Christian community. While he
would submit in civil matters to civil
magistrates, he insisted, "I accord no
power to those who struggle against God's
Word and my conscience or the freedom of
Christ ... I would rather suffer unjust
force than act contrary to this, and I pray
God may not put it to the account of those
magistrates, but may convert them."

Basel: The Swiss connection

Is it a tower, a fortress, a city gate or part
of the fortifications that once protected the
city of Basel in Switzerland? You inquire
about Spalentor (Spalen-Tower), an im-
posing medieval building that sits squarely

Right: Detmold Castle
served as a prison for
Ernst Christoph Hoch-
mann von Hochenau.
and it was here he wrote
his confession of faith
that Brethren cherished,
printed and distributed
in the colonies.

Facing page: Basel's
Spalen-Tower still sits
astride a busy city street.
Just prior to the 1708
founding of the Church
of the Brethren at
Sch warzenau, A ndrew
Boni was imprisoned
here for espousing his
radical Anabaptist ideas.

surround it. As you walk through its gates
you can observe how they could be
dropped quickly on either side of you. And
you observe the narrow openings that
served as windows while allowing little ex-
posure for the guardians of the fortress in
time of battle.

But a look at an historical poster, show-
ing the city of Basel as it appeared, well
fortified and walled all around, in the year

Top: Jiilich foriress, with its strong walls
and its moat (now dry and overgrown with
weeds), mountains much oj the character of
an I8th century prison.

Above: An old doorway in Jiilich fortress.
The six Brethren incarcerated here later af-
firmed that they feared no one. for "Jesus,
his truth and teaching were our protection
and solace." The hazards of prison life, the
threat of torture and other details of daily
life behind bars were recorded by one of
the si.x. William Grahe. whose "Faithful
Account" is an example of Christian faith
in action.

Left: Berne's Kdfigturm (prison tower) was
restored in 1977 and is a major attraction
in the heart of the old city. Here, in 1714.
Christian Liebe was imprisoned and con-
demned to be a galley slave.

1617, makes it evident that the Spalent or was
then the western gateway to the city on the
Rhine. The city gate was well guarded from
its towers, and it faced a moat that also
protected the city walls.

Today it stands at a busy crossroads where
traffic has to be diverted around it and where
your greatest danger is not from massive
gates or weapons directed from an enemy
but more likely from impetuous motorists
who are in a hurry. How different it was in
1707 when Andrew Boni. a native of
Frenkendorf, a village close to Basel, was im-
prisoned in the Spalen-Tower and punished
by being placed for a time in the pillory.

Boni left Switzerland to live for a time in
Heidelberg, Germany, where he was mar-
ried and where he became a master weaver.
Here also he became acquainted with Pietist
and Anabaptist ideas. Returning to Switzer-
land after his wife's death. Andrew introduced
there the radical Pietist beliefs he had ac-
quired in Germany. He was examined by the
local clergy because he refused to bear arms.

Xn 1706 he was denounced because he had
influenced his brother to accept similar
Anabaptist ideas. Then the Basel city council
questioned both brothers, now imprisoned
in Spalen-Tower. The brothers were also ex-
amined by representatives of the clergy. The
decision was to tolerate the younger brother,
Martin Boni, but to expel Andrew from the
city. Though expelled, Andrew returned and
wrote a letter to the city fathers explaining
his position. A few months later he was again
taken into custody. Again, though a
prisoner, he wrote a long letter to the city
fathers, calling on the city to repent of its evil
ways. After being punished by being placed
in the stocks he was again examined con-
cerning his stubborn adherence to his con-
victions. The records indicate that "when he
was asked for what purpose he had come
here again, he answered, from love for God
and his neighbor."

A year after these events Andrew Boni was
living in Schwarzenau. where he remarried
and where he joined with others in the for-
mation of the Brethren movement.

One can understand the fervor — some
would call it stubbornness — that prompted
Andrew Boni. from his cell in Spalen-Tower.
to call on the city of Basel to repent. He could
hardly have dreamed then that. 250 years
later. Brethren missionaries would be work-
ing in northern Nigeria side by side with mis-
sionaries supported by the Basel Mission.

20 ME,SSENGER Mav 1979

which has its headquarters only a few steps
away from Spalen-Tower.

Jiilich: The Solingen Six

Their names were John Lobach, John
Frederick Hencicels, Jacob Grahe, WilHam
Knepper, Luther Stetius, and WiUiam
Grahe. For a short time they were joined by
John Carl, who was later released from
prison after paying a fine.

They were taken from the city of Solingen,
still famous for its steel products, first to a
prison in Dusseldorf, on February 1, 1717.
Their crime was their refusal to renounce
their allegiance to the principles of the
Brethren movement which they espoused
when they were baptized in the Wupper river
by representatives of the Brethren group in
Krefeld. It would be almost four years
later — November 20, 1 720 — before they
would be set free, having spent most of their
sentence at hard labor at the fortress in
Jiilich.

The details of their imprisonment — their
examinations by various church authorities,
the hazards of prison life, the threat of tor-
ture, their encounters with illness, their daily
experiences of coping with life behind iron
bars and in rat-infested dungeons — are
vividly recorded in a narrative by William
Grahe, whose "Faithful Account" is a classic
testimony to Christian witness and a splen-
did example of Christian faith inaction. Like
Paul and Silas in a prison in Philippi, the
Solingen six often broke out in singing. One
of their number, William Knepper, com-
posed about 400 hymns there.

William Grahe's account (soon to be
reissued by Brethren Press with pictures of
the Jiilich fortress and translations of some
of the original hymns) was often copied and
widely read among Pietist and Anabaptist
groups in Germany and Holland. The first
English translation appears in the source
book, European Origins of the Brethren, the
work of Donald and Hedda Durnbaugh.

Reading this "Faithful Account" of six
young but quite spiritually mature Brethren
can be a moving devotional experience. The
best place to read it is within the walls of the
citadel in Jiilich today. This fortress, located
in the center of a small town in Germany,
close to the borders of Belgium and Holland,
retains much of its 18th century character.
The moat, where the Brethren prisoners
worked outside the walls, is cleared for a
green lawn in some areas, overgrown with
underbrush in others. The ramparts are still
there, and many barred windows with heavy
grating suggest the location of dungeons un-

derground. The tower of the castle, reached
by the prisoners after climbing 1 12 steps, is
now part of the educational institution that
occupies buildings, both new and old, within
the heavy walls. Other places mentioned in
the narrative — the Bacon Pantry, the
guardhouse, the salt chamber and particular
dungeons — are not as easy to identify.

Even if one can only enter one of the two
open gateways to the citadel and remain
quietly on the parade ground within, it is suf-
ficient to feel some slight identification with
six Brethren who could affirm, "We did not
fear any man, because Jesus, his truth and
teaching, were our protection and solace."
The people they met in Jiilich, including
many of their guards and examiners, were
"astonished that we had so many acquain-
tances, and that we showed such warm love
for each other."

Berne: Waiting for the galleys

The Michelin guidebook — almost a Bible
for many tourists — tells you to begin your
walking tour of Berne, the seat of the Swiss
federal government, at the Prison Tower
(Kafigturm) in the heart of the old city. The
book mentions that the picturesque tower
was restored in the 18th century (it was un-
dergoing another renovation in 1977), so it
may not now appear as it did to Christian
Liebe in 1714 when this Brethren leader was
arrested in Berne and imprisoned there with

four Anabaptists and like them sentenced to
be a galley slave for the king of Sicily.

Liebe and the others remained in prison
from January until August when they were
sent in chains first to Lausanne on Lake
Geneva and then over the mountains to
Turin in Italy where they were again im-
prisoned at hard labor for the winter. At this
time Liebe and the Mennonites became the
subject of concern among Mennonites in
Holland, who used their religious and
political influence to intercede for the
prisoners. Eventually their efforts brought
release for the captives (one died in prison)
more than two years after Liebe first arrived
in Switzerland.

Those who acted on behalf of prisoners
like Liebe were often in danger of sharing
their fate. A Swiss nobleman wrote letters to
government and church leaders and even
published in 1717a small book concerning
the experiences of Liebe and his friends. But
he too was imprisoned, fined and later
banished from the city because he shared
some of the Anabaptist be!' fs.

By all means start your tour of the colorful
streets and colonades of Berne at the Prison
Tower. But don't forget those stalwart
witnesses and their faith long years ago. who,
though chained in prisons dark were still
"in heart and conscience free." D

Former Messenger Editor Ken Morse is a member
of the Highland Avenue congregation in Elgin. 111.

If you should happen to go

Detmold is a city of 30,000 in north-central Germany, southwest of Hannover and
northwest of Kassel. Be sure to visit the castle, open for guided tours, 9 a.m. to 12:15
p.m. and 2 to 5:15 p.m. Note the tapestries based on the paintings of Rubens and
others picturing events in the life of Alexander the Great. Of equal interest is the Lip-
pisches Landesmuseum, by the moat of the castle, which contains historical and
cultural treasures from the area. Many old buildings in the streets of the old town
near the castle have been restored to show their original beauty.

Basel, the second largest city in Switzerland, is located strategically at the bend
in the Rhine River where that country adjoins Germany and France. Look for
Spalen-Tower (Spalentor) on all city maps, not far from the central market square
and city hall. Visit also the Miinster (cathedral), the Fine Arts Museum, and one of
the Rhine bridges that offers a commanding view of the city.

Jiilich is a small German town near the borders of Belgium and Holland, quite
close to Aachen and not far from Koln. You can easily locate the fortress, or citadel
as it may be known. One of the two entranceways faces the center of the town. Just
within the curving passageway, as you come to the parade ground, you will find a
map of the citadel, indicating the location of present buildings and showing the out-
line of the fortress.

Berne is the seat of the federal government in Switzerland. All city maps locate
the prison tower (Kafigturm) and the famous 12th century clock tower near the main
street with its shops in arcades. The terrace near the cathedral (Miinster) offers an ex-
cellent view of the Aare Valley. — Kenneth 1. Morse

May 1979 messenger 21

The influential Saur Press fell a victim to injustice during the Revolutionary War.

Justice: A Brethren testimony

by Edward K. Ziegler

Present-day concerns in the Church of the
Brethren about justice are in our best tradi-
tion. Through most of our history, justice
issues are prominent in Brethren thought
and hfe. What is new is the more active
pursuit of justice for the many outside of
our own community of faith who are the
victims of faulty and often inhuman ad-
ministration of justice. From the begin-
nings of our church in Germany the
Brethren had deep concerns and often un-
easy confrontations in the relationship of
church and state. They sought to order
their lives by the principle of simple
obedience to Jesus Christ as Lord.

Scriptures which spoke most deeply to
their concerns were Luke 4:18, a statement
of obligation; Romans 13: 1-5, which set for
them a pattern of respectful obedience to
the authorities; Acts 5:29, which set the
priority of first loyalty to God; and the
prophetic messages of Amos and Micah,
who wrote so commandingly of justice as a
mighty stream in the covenant relationship

with God. Their commitment to the New
Testament as the sole and sufficient
guidebook for their life led them to a
posture of uncompromising obedience to
God, even when this meant conflict with
the state, arrest, imprisonment and, in a
few instances, martyrdom.

A,

.long with other radical Pietists and
Anabaptists, the Brethren suffered some
persecution during the brief founding years
in Europe. Alexander Mack and others
were often haled before councils of state
for preaching and baptizing. Six Brethren
from Solingen were sentenced to life im-
prisonment for receiving baptism by
Brethren ministers. They served nearly four
years in the prison of Jiilich castle at hard
labor, often in conditions of severe
deprivation, hunger, illness and mistreat-
ment by fellow prisoners and officials.
Christian Liebe, a Krefeld minister, was
arrested with five Mennonites in Berne,
Switzerland, and sentenced to the galleys.
After two years, including one as a galley

slave, he and his remaining companions
were released through the persistent efforts
of Dutch Mennonites and the Dutch
government.

Through all of this, the Brethren sought
to be good subjects of the state, meeting
opposition and calumny with meekness
and courage. When they could, they
helped others who were poor or per-
secuted. Mack spent most of his con-
siderable wealth aiding those who were
prisoners or the objects of persecution.

After the migration to America, the
Brethren strongly maintained their posture
as a pilgrim people, pious, peaceful and
responsible guests of the state. .Along with
the other German sectarians, they declined
participation in go\ernment. With the
Quakers, they worked for justice for
the Indians.

Firm refusal to engage in war or
rebellion brought the Brethren great dif-
ficulties at the time of the .American
Revolution. Though they were neither
Tories nor Patriots, they were mistrusted
by both sides. The influential Saur press

Working J or justice is not new for Brethren. What is new is the more
active pursuit of justice for those outside our community of faith.

22 MESSENGER May 1979

was destroyed; Saur Jr. was beaten, and all
his property confiscated. When the
Revolutionary soldiers returned, many
Brethren lost their farms, confiscated to be
given to the soldiers. For refusing to take
the oath of allegiance to the new nation,
they suffered reprisals. In Frederick Coun-
ty, Md., most Brethren lost their homes,
and some migrated to Canada. One
Brethren man was hanged, drawn and
quartered in the court square in Frederick.

An outstanding example of Brethren
concern was the unv/avering stand against
human slavery. A minute of the Yearly
Meeting of 1782 reads: "Concerning the
unchristian negro slave trade. It has been
unanimously considered that it cannot be
permitted in any wise by the church, that a
member should or could purchase negroes,
or keep them as slaves." Repeated
references to slavery in Annual Meeting
minutes show that the Brethren never
wavered from this stand.

Two important consequences loomed
large in the Civil War era. One was the
bitter resentment of slaveholders in the
states of the South where Brethren were
numerous. The other was that the church
stayed together when other denominations
were torn asunder by the slavery controver-
sy. The most prominent Brethren leader of
this period, John Kline of Virginia, was not
only an articulate spokesman for the
Brethren and Mennonites to the Southern
government, but was also a powerful force
for the solidarity of the church. He served
as moderator of Annual Meeting in each of
the war years. Maligned by neighbors, im-
prisoned briefly for supposedly aiding
deserters, he was finally killed by fanatical
soldiers in the last year of the war, near his
home.

A.

Lnother Brethren leader in this period,
Daniel P. Sayler of Maryland, was a
trusted counselor of President Lincoln;
there is convincing evidence that he secretly
baptized the President.

Throughout the post-Revolutionary
years, the Brethren refrained from litiga-
tion or any participation in the judicial
system. They steadfastly held to the posi-
tion that disputes had much better be
settled by the tenets of Matthew 18, and
that it is better to suffer injustice than to
seek redress from the courts. A Tennessee
elder, John A. Bowman, was disfellow-
shiped for going to court. Later he was
killed by a Confederate soldier who was
stealing his horse.

"... moving and eloquent witnesses"

• "Because of the spiritual envy of the clergy, the hearts of the authorities were
embittered, and persecution began to take place here and there ... in Switzerland, in
the Palatinate, in Hesse and other places." — Alexander Mack Jr.

• "Some have settled on my land already years ago and have led quiet lives to
this date out of a pure desire to lead lives pleasing to God. They have turned away
from the masses of the worldly mmded, the entirely rational faith, and the godless,
sectarian and quarrelsome mania of branding dissenters as Heretics." — Count
Henry Albert of Wittgenstein.

• "They will thank God if they have to suffer something for Christ's sake, even if
it be death, because they cannot bind themselves to any authority in matters of
conscience." — Report of an inquiry into the cases of Martin Lucas and Nicholas
Diehl by a Council in Heidelberg, May 1709.

• "1 wish for the Lord Count, blessings from God and grace and divine light for
his government, that he, too, may attain a good standing under the kingdom of
Christ." — Alexander Mack Sr. in a letter to Count Charles August of Ysenburg,
Sept. 1711.

• "The Lord, by the mouth of Moses, says, 'Be sure your sin will find you out.'
It may be that the sin of holding three millions of human beings under the galling
yoke of involuntary servitude has, like the bondage of Israel in Egypt, sent a cry to
heaven for vengeance; a cry that has now reached the ear of God." — John Kline in
his diary, Jan. 21, 1861.

A corollary to this position regarding the
judicial process was that Brethren should
not serve on juries, vote in elections, or
hold any public elective office. Nor did
they prepare for the practice of law. The
question of such participation came up fre-
quently in Annual Meetings, but there was
little weakening in this stance until well
into the 20th century. Then the ice was
broken when a Brethren elder, Martin
Grove Brumbaugh, became governor of
Pennsylvania. Since then Brethren have
served in several state legislatures; at least
one has been a congressman, and they par-
ticipate everywhere in local government. A
number of Brethren have become at-
torneys, and several have had respected
careers as judges.

Most immediate involvement with the
judicial system has come about as Brethren
conscientious objectors have been con-
fronted by the demands of military con-
scription. During the Civil War, most
Brethren paid a fine which was used to buy
a substitute. In World War I there was lit-
tle precedent either for the conscientious
objector or for the military. Many men
who refused the military uniform were
treated with savage imprisonment and
cruelty. Resolutions supporting the objec-
tors passed by the special Goshen Con-
ference in 1918 led to a threat by the
Department of War to prosecute the
church for treason. The resolutions were

hastily withdrawn in consternation.

When World War II came, the peace
churches worked out a system of Civilian
Public Service through which many
thousands of conscientious objectors
served two or more years in so-called "serv-
ice of national importance." The system
made for uneasy cooperation with govern-
ment. It was not perfect, but was an honest
attempt to do something more constructive
than simple resistance to the war system.
Many objectors who wished to serve over-
seas binding up the wounds of war, felt
frustrated in what they thought to be irrele-
vant work. A few refused any cooperation
and went to prison for their convictions.
Often their testimonies in the courts were
eloquent witnesses to their faith.

Today there is deepening interest in the
church in the wider implications of justice.
Brethren who have gone to jail for the sake
of conscience are respected and heard as
they seek to make the whole church aware
of the dismal failure of the present system
of criminal justice. The major thrust of the
church's program this year is on salvation
and justice. Criminal justice task teams are
working to find ways for Brethren to
witness and to regain prophetic concern for
the oppressed, the prisoners and victims of
injustice everywhere. D

Ed^vard K. Ziegler. former ruisslonary and pastor, is
editor c/ Brethren Life and Thought ivagazine.

May 1979 messenger 23

"An age of hunger demands compassionate actk
But compassion and simple living apart from str i
than a gloriously irrelevant ego trip or proud pu

A

group of devout Christians once lived
in a small village at the foot of a mountain. A
winding, slippery road with hairpin curves
and steep precipices without guard rails
wound its way up one side of the mountain
and down the other. There were frequent
fatal accidents. Deeply saddened by the in-
jured people who were pulled from the
wrecked cars, the Christians in the village's
three churches decided to act. They pooled
their resources and purchased an ambulance
so that they could rush the injured to the
hospital in the next town. Week after week
church volunteers gave faithfully, even
sacrificially, of their time to operate the am-
bulance 24 hours a day. They saved many
lives although some victims remained
crippled for life.

Then one day a visitor came to town.
Puzzled, he asked why they did not close the
road over the mountain and build a tunnel
instead. Startled at first, the ambulance
volunteers quickly pointed out that this ap-
proach (although technically quite possible)
was not realistic or advisable. After all, the
narrow mountain road had been there for a
long time. Besides, the mayor would bitterly
oppose the idea. (He owned a large
restaurant and service station halfway up the
mountain.)

The visitor was shocked that the mayor's
economic interests mattered more to these
Christians than the many human casualties.
Somewhat hesitantly, he suggested that
perhaps the churches ought to speak to the
mayor. After all, he was an elder in the oldest
church in town. Perhaps they should even
elect a different mayor if he proved stubborn
and unconcerned. Now the Christians were
shocked. With rising indignation and
righteous conviction they informed the
young radical that the church dare not
become involved in politics. The church is
called to preach the gospel and give a cup of
cold water. Its mission is not to dabble in
worldly things like social and political struc-
tures.

Perplexed and bitter, the visitor left. As he
wandered out of the village, one question
churned round and round in his muddled
mind. Is it really more spiritual, he
wondered, to operate the ambulances which
pick up the bloody victims of destructive
social structures than to try to change the
structures themselves?

An age of hunger demands compassionate
action and simplicity in personal life-styles.
But compassion and simple living apart from
structural change may be little more than a

24 MESSENGER May 1979

gloriously irrelevant ego-trip or proud pur-
suit of personal purity.

Eating less beef or even becoming a
vegetarian will not necessarily feed one star-
ving child. If millions of Americans reduce
their beef consumption, but do not act
politically to change public policy, the result
will not necessarily be less starvation in the
Third World. To be sure, if people give the
money saved to private agencies promoting
rural development in poor nations, then the
result will be less hunger. But unless one also
changes public policy, the primary effect of
merely reducing one's meat consumption
may simply be to enable the Russians to buy
more grain at a cheaper price next year or to
persuade farmers to plant less wheat. What is
needed is a change in public policy. Our age
of hunger demands structural change.

Many questions promptly arise. Granted,
some structural change is necessary, but is
our present economic system basically just
or do Christians need to work for fundamen-
tal restructuring? And what specific struc-
tural changes consistent with biblical prin-
ciples should Christians promote today? Are
these principles even pertinent to secular
society? Israel, after all, was a theocracy.
And can we really expect unbelievers to live
according to biblical ethics?

The Bible does not directly answer these
questions. We do not find a comprehensive
blueprint for a new economic order in scrip-
ture, although biblical revelation tells us that
God and his faithful people are always at
work liberating the oppressed, and also
provides some principles apropos of justice
in society.

Rich Christians
in an
age of

hunger

by Ronald J. Sider

md simplicity in personal life-styles,
iral change may be little more
t of personal purity. "

Certainly the first application of biblical
truth concerning just relationships among
God's people should be to the church. As the
new people of God, the church should be a
new society incarnating the biblical prin-
ciples on justice in society through its com-
mon life. Indeed only as the church itself is a
visible model of transformed socioeconomic
relationships will any appeal to government
possess integrity. Much recent Christian
social action has been ineffective because
Christian leaders called on the government
to, legislate what they could not persuade
their church members to practice
voluntarily.

Biblical principles also apply to secular
societies, however, in a second, very impor-
tant way. God did not arbitrarily dictate
social norms for his people. The Creator
revealed certain principles and social
patterns because he knew what would lead to
lasting peace and happiness for his creatures.
Following biblical principles on justice in
society is the only way to lasting peace and
social harmony for all human societies.

The biblical vision of the coming
kingdom suggests the kind of social order
God wills. And the church is supposed to
be a living model now (imperfect, to be
sure) of what the final kingdom of perfect
justice and peace will be like. That means
that the closer any secular society comes to
the biblical norms for just relationships
among the people of God, the more peace,
happiness and harmony that society will
enjoy. Obviously, sinful persons and
societies will never get beyond a dreadfully
imperfect approximation. But social struc-
tures do exert a powerful influence on saint
and sinner alike. Christians, therefore,
should exercise political influence to imple-
ment change in society at large.

The fact that the biblical authors did not
hesitate to apply revealed norms to persons
and societies outside the people of God
supports this point. Amos announced
divine punishment of the surrounding
nations for their evil and injustice (Amos 1-
2). Isaiah denounced Assyria for its pride
and injustice (Is. 10:12-19). The book of
Daniel shows that God removed pagan
kings like Nebuchadnezzar in the same way
that he destroyed Israel's rulers when they
failed to show mercy to the oppressed
(Dan. 4:27). God obliterated Sodom and
Gomorrah no less than Israel and Judah
because they neglected to aid the poor and
feed the hungry (Ezek. 16:49). As the Lord
of the universe, Yahweh applies the same

standards of social justice to all nations.

But now we must face a very complex
question: Given the present situation in
developing countries, who would benefit
from changes such as a new North
American food policy or more just patterns
of international trade? Would the poorest
half of the developing countries be
significantly better off? Not necessarily.
North Americans and Europeans are not to
blame for all the poverty in the world to-
day. Many developing countries are ruled
by tiny, wealthy elites largely unconcerned
with the suffering of the masses in their
lands. They often own a large percentage
of the best land. They produce export
crops to earn foreign exchange so they can
buy luxury goods from the developed
world. Meanwhile, the poorest 30 to 70
percent of the people face grinding poverty.

It is a tragic fact that more foreign aid
and improved trading patterns for develop-
ing countries would not necessarily im-
prove the lot of the poorest in a significant
way. Such changes might simply enable the
wealthy elites to purchase more luxury
goods and strengthen their repressive
regimes.

B.

►ut that does not mean that North
Americans and Europeans can wash their
hands of the whole problem. In many cases
the wealthy elites continue in power
because they receive massive military aid
and diplomatic support from the United
States and other industrial nations. The
United States has trained large numbers of
police who have tortured thousands of peo-
ple working for social justice in countries
like Chile and Brazil. US-based mul-
tinational corporations work very closely
with the repressive governments. Events in
Brazil and Chile demonstrate that the
United States will support dictatorships
that use torture and do little for the
poorest one-half as long as these regimes
are friendly to US investments.

What can be done? US citizens must de-
mand a drastic reorientation of US foreign
policy. We must demand a foreign policy
that unequivocally sides with the poor. If
we truly believe that "all men are created
equal," then our foreign policy must be
redesigned to promote the interests of all
people and not just the wealthy elites in
developing countries or our own mul-
tinational corporations. We should use our
economic and diplomatic power to push

for change in Third and Fourth World dic-
tatorships, especially those like Brazil and
Chile that make widespread use of torture.
We should insist that foreign aid go only to
countries seriously committed to improving
the lot of the poorest portions of the pop-
ulation. We should openly encourage non-
violent movements working for structural
change in developing countries. US foreign
policy ought to encourage justice rather
than injustice. Only then will proposed
changes in international trade, food policy
and foreign aid actually improve the lot of
the poorest billion.

A fundamental change in US govern-
ment policy toward the developing nations
is imperative, but it is not enough. In addi-
tion, the poor masses in developing nations
must be encouraged to demand sweeping
structural changes in their own lands. In a
recent scholarly book on land tenure in In-
dia, Professor Robert Frykenberg of the
University of Wisconsin lamented the
growing gulf between rich and poor. "No
amount of aid, science and/or technology,"
he concluded, "can alter the direction of
current processes without the occurrence of
a more fundamental 'awakening' or
'conversion' among significantly larger
numbers of people. . . . Changes of a
revolutionary character are required,
changes which can only begin in the hearts
and minds of individuals."

It is precisely at this point that the Chris-
tian church — and missionaries in
particular — can play a crucial role. To be
sure, missionaries cannot engage in
political activity in foreign countries. But
they can and must teach the whole Word
for the whole person. Why have mis-
sionaries so often taught Romans but
not Amos to new converts in poor lands?
If it is true that scripture constantly
asserts that God is on the side of the
poor, then missionaries should make
this biblical theme a central part of
their teaching. If we accept our Lord's
Great Commission to teach "all that 1 have
commanded you," then we dare not omit
or de-emphasize the biblical message of
justice for the oppressed.

Cross-cultural missionaries need not
engage in politics. But they must carefully
and fully expound for new converts the ex-
plosive biblical message that God is on the
side of the poor and oppressed. The poor
will learn quickly how to apply biblical
principles to their own oppressive societies.
The result will be changed social structures

May 1979 messenger 25

On marketing malnutrition

Ron Sider's story of the Christians at the foot of the cliff is a parable of the church
today. How contentedly we work at ambulance runs when the more urgent need is
structural change — change to reduce the occurrence of accidents.

One issue being addressed in a decisive way by a growing number of churches is
infant nutrition. No longer is it enough for mission hospitals, for example, to receive
and treat malnourished and dying babies; the more pressing challenge is to correct
the causes of malnourishment and death.

Infant formula — a product intended to nourish life — under certain conditions
leads to the deterioration of tiny bodies. This is the case especially in developing
areas where there is a lack of adequate family income, clean water, sanitation and a
literate parent.

Whose fault is it that bottle-fed babies in such areas drink contaminated milk?
Part of the responsibility, the churches are saying, is that of the manufacturers,
whose practice of advertising and giving samples directly or indirectly conveys the
false notion that bottle feeding somehow is preferable to breast feeding.

Behind such shareholder action as the Church of the Brethren Pension Plan and
General Board were involved in this spring as investors in American Home Products,
and behind the General Board's endorsement of the boycott against Nestle products
and services, is the goal of placing constraints on those advertising and marketing
practices of corporations which ignore the realities of product use. (See Messenger,
September 1978, page 5, and February 1979, page 8.)

Pastors and Witness chairpersons of Brethren congregations have received an
Infant Formula Study/ Action Guide with background on the bottle feeding issue.
Additional copies may be ordered from the Church of the Brethren General Offices.
1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120. — Howard E. Royer

in developing countries.

What are the fundamental biblical prin-
ciples we need to keep in mind as we think
of structural change in society? The most
basic theological presupposition, of course,
is that the sovereign Lord of this universe
is always at work liberating the poor and
oppressed and destroying the rich and
mighty because of their injustice (Luke
1:52, 53). God is on the side of the poor.
As the people of God become co-workers
in this task of liberation, revealed prin-
ciples on justice in society will shape their
thought and action.

Extremes of wealth and poverty are dis-
pleasing to the God of the Bible. Yahweh
wills institutionalized structures (rather
than mere charity) which systematically
and regularly reduce the gap between the
rich and the poor. Although they do not
suggest a wooden, legalistic egalitarianism,
the biblical patterns for economic sharing
(for example, the Jubilee and the Pauline
collection) all push toward a closer ap-
proximation of economic equality. People
are vastly more valuable than property.
Private property is legitimate. But since
God is the only absolute owner, our right
to acquire and use property is definitely

26 MESSENGER May 1979

limited. The human right to the resources
necessary to earn a just living overrides any
notion of absolute private ownership.

This last principle bears directly on the
issues under discussion. Some countries
such as the United States and Russia have
a bountiful supply of natural resources
within their national boundaries. Do they
have an absolute right to use these
resources as they please solely for the ad-
vantage of their own citizens? Not accord-
ing to the Bible! If we believe scripture,
then we must conclude that the human
right of all persons to earn a just living
clearly supersedes the right of the United
States to use its natural resources for itself.
We are only stewards, not absolute owners.
God is the absolute owner, and he insists
that the earth's resources be shared.

Before sketching specific steps for apply-
ing these principles, I must register a dis-
claimer. We must constantly remember the
large gulf between revealed principles and
contemporary application. There are many
valid ways to apply biblical principles. The
application of biblical norms to socio-
economic questions today leaves room for
creativity and honest disagreement among
biblical Christians. Objecting to my

application of biblical ethics to contem-
porary society is not at all the same as re-
jecting biblical principles. That does not
mean that all applications are equally
valid; it does mean that humility and
tolerance are imperative. We can and must
help each other see where we are unfaithful
to biblical revelation and biased by our
economic self-interest. Scripture, as always,
is the norm.

We desperately need economists deeply
immersed in biblical faith who will fun-
damentally rethink economics as if poor
people mattered. I have only an incom-
plete idea of what a modern version of
the year of Jubilee would look like. But
at the heart of God's call for Jubilee is a
divine demand for regular, fundamental
redistribution of the means for producing
wealth. We must discover new, concrete
models for applying this biblical princi-
ple in our global village. I hope and
pray for a new generation of economists
and political scientists who will devote
their lives to formulating, developing and
implementing a contemporary model of
Jubilee.

The Liberty Bell hanging in historic
Philadelphia could become a powerful
symbol for US citizens working to share
our resources with the poor of the world.
The inscription on the Liberty Bell.
"Proclaim liberty throughout the land,"
comes from the biblical passage on Jubilee
(Lev. 25:10)! These words promised
freedom and land to earn a living to
Hebrews enslaved in debt. Today poverty
enslaves hundreds of millions. The God of
the Bible still demands institutionalized
mechanisms which enable even,one to earn
a just living. The Jubilee inscription on the
Liberty Bell issues a ringing call for inter-
national economic justice. Do Christians
have the courage to demand and imple-
ment the structural changes needed to
make that ancient inscription a contem-
porary reality?

(Readers interested in practical steps that
could be taken to achieve international
economic justice will want to read all of
Sider's book, particularly chapter nine, the
source of this excerpt. — Ed.) D

Ronald J. Sider. who holds a B. D. and Ph. D. in

hlsiory from Yale Universiry. is associate professor of
history and religion at .Messiah College. Grantham. Pa.

Taken from Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, by
Ronald J. Sider. ^ 1977 ftr Inier-l'arsiiy Christian
Fellowship, and used bv permission of Inlervarsitv
Press.

is for justice

by Howard E. Royer

What doors are open for a de-
nomination of 175,000 mem-
bers to do justice? That is, to
demonstrate the church's long-
standing view that conversion
has both spiritual and social di-
mensions? To Uve out such
texts as Isaiah 58:6-8 and Luke
4:18-19? To intervene in behalf
of the poor and the oppressed?
In short, to keep the challenge
of prophetic biblical witness
alive?

How shcdl we do justice? Let
us count the ways.

APARTHEID. The Church
of the Brethren General
Board is one of three religious
shareholding bodies currently
appealing to the Union Car-
bide Corporation to terminate
operations in South Africa. A
joint resolution filed by the

churches contends the industry
in effect has become the ally of
South Africa's racist, minority
government.

BIBLICAL STUDY. Cen-
tral to faithful witness is
the recovery of bibUcal tradi-
tion, a tradition which accents
servanthood, prophetic witness
to the state, identification with
the poor, simphcity and shar-
ing, justice and peace.

Seminars and workshops
delving into such biblical
themes will be offered by the

denomination to districts and
congregations beginning in
July.

COUNCIL of the SOUTH-
ERN MOUNTAINS.
Working for mine health and
safety and other reforms for

laborers in central Appalachia,
this program received $15,000
in grants from the Church of
the Brethren SHARE program
during 1974-77.

DISASTER RESPONSE.
The Brethren Service Dis-
aster Network responded to 15
disasters in 1978.

Across the districts the pro-
gram is gearing up to deal not
only with regional or national
emergencies, but local and per-
sonal tragedies as well.

ECONOMIC ORDER. Glob-
al dialog is beginning to
focus on issues of international
economic justice within the
United Nations, the World
Council of Churches and the
National Council of Churches.

In the United Nations the
study centers on the New Inter-
national Economic Order and
the Third Development Dec-
ade. In the WCC, on creation
of a "Just, Sustainable, Par-
ticipatory Society." In the
NCC, on "Human Values in
the Economic Order."

Brethren are involved at all
three junctures.

FAMILY LIFE and POPU-
LATION PROGRAM. As
part of our Church World

Service ministry, this effort ex-
panded family planning and
maternal/child health care
projects especially in Central
and Latin America in 1978.
The United Nations and the
World Bank assisted with
funding.

GOALS FOR THE '80s. To
be presented by the Gen-
eral Board at the 1979 Annual
Conference is a statement
aimed at guiding program de-
velopment for the church over
the next decade. Congregations
and districts have fed into the
shaping of the goals.

The theme, adapted from
Micah 6:8, points to three com-
pelling tasks: to do justice, to
love tenderly, to walk humbly.

HOUSING. One of the
most significant models
of indigenous development is
the Kentucky Mountain Hous-
ing Development Corporation
operating in Clay and Jackson
counties.

Directed by Dwayne Yost
and augmented by $100,000 of

SHARE funds, the program
has in five years enabled the
building of more than 70 new
homes at low cost interest, the
remodeling of scores of others,
employment for residents, and
creation of a board of profes-
sionals and consumers who
have become deeply engaged in
community issues.

INFANT FORMULA. Con-
cerned that misuse of infant
formula by consumers is a key
cause of malnutrition and ill-
ness for infants in developing
areas, the Church of the Breth-
ren has joined with other
churches and groups pressing
multinational corporations to
modify their marketing prac-

May 1979 messenger 27

tices where conditions merit.

Currently the activity centers
in study of the bottle feeding
issue, observance of the inter-
national boycott of Nestle
products and in shareholder
action with American Home
Products to create an Infant
Formula Review Committee.

JAMAICA. Convened here
in January, the Central
Committee of the World
Council of Churches voted to
establish a program on dis-
armament and against militar-
ism.

H. Lamar Gibble was a lead-
ing representative of the peace
churches in urging that disarm-

ament concerns have highest
priority in the WCC and that
serious attention be given to
nonviolence as a means of con-
flict resolution and to consci-
entious objection as an expres-
sion of faith.

KINDERGARTENS. In the
rolling hills and valleys
known in the Bible as Judea

PARTNERSHIP

'ni Dm w

and Samaria, a Brethren Vol-
unteer Service team of educa-
tors— "retirees" Ruth and
Tom Nelson — is helping shap>e
a network of centers for more

than 500 Palestinian kinder-
gartners.

Several of the centers are in
Arab camps in Israeli-occupied
territory.

LAW RESOURCE CENTER.
On behalf of American In-
dians who through the courts
seek just compensation for

tribal lands overtaken by gov-
ernments or private interests, a
law resource center has been
launched in Washington,
D.C., staffed by American In-
dian lawyers.

SHARE has issued a grant
of $10,000 to assist in the cen-
ter's operations.

MISION MUTU A— a Span-
ish term for mutuality
in mission — describes the new
concept guiding Church of the
Brethren mission strategy.
Merle Crouse, who is imple-
menting the program as part of
a church development assign-
ment, explains the new pattern
is to approach other Christians
as sisters and brothers in
Christ, as full partners in the
ministry of the gospel.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
Through district Witness
Commissions, Brethren study/
action groups in six areas are
focusing on weapon-related ac-
tivity in their midst and inquir-
ing about ethical considera-
tions, safety for employees and

community, and alternate use
planning for the sites.

The end goal: Economic
conversion from weapons pro-
duction to consumer industry.
The targets: Nuclear weapons
plants of Rockwell Interna-
tional in Colorado, Bendix in
Missouri, Union Carbide in
Tennessee, Monsanto in Ohio,
General Electric in Florida and
military bases at Highland
Park and Rantoul, III.

OASIS AIR. In Niger, on
the southern fringe of the
Sahara Desert, Ralph and Flos-
sie Royer have developed for
Church World Service Project
Oasis Air, helping villagers ce-
ment walls, irrigate hundreds
of gardens, purchase oxen.

commence literacy classes, or-
ganize cooperatives, enlist
health workers and rebuild
roads.

These two African mission-
aries bring a Christian presence
in a Moslem-dominated land.

PAROLEES. In coopera-
tion with Brethren Serv-
ice, the community of
Castaiier, Puerto Rico, and its
hospital over the past 20 years
have made work and rehabili-
tation opportunities available
to five individuals on parole or
probation. The record is one
few other communities of
similar size can match.

QUERIES. Prompted by
Annual Conference
queries on life-style, a task
force on Christian life-style is
examining the broader mean-
ing of stewardship as it per-
tains to energy and land use,
simpler and more responsible
patterns of living, global
justice and covenant corrunun-
ity, looking for practical
handles to commend to the
church.

The task force report is
scheduled for 1980.

RESOURCES. "Doing the
Word" is a highly recom-
mended curriculum series on
the social ministry of the peo-
ple of God. A particularly in-
sightful work from the series is
Walter Brueggemann's Living
Toward a Vision: BibUcal Re-
flections on Shalom.

Also helpful to study /action
groups on a variety of themes
are the interdenominational
mission education resoiu-ces of
Friendship Press. For descrip-

tions, write the Parish Minis-
tries Commission, 1451 Dun-
dee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

SOLAR HEATING. Low-
cost solar heaters for ho-
gans on the Navajo reservation
are being developed through
the Indian Ministries Task
Force of the Joint Strategy and
Action Committee of the
churches. Through SHARE
support, Samuel Harrison of

28 MESSENGER May 1979

the Lybrook, N.M., Commun-
ity Ministry of the Church of
the Brethren is one of the Na-
vajos trained to teach construc-
tion of the solar devices.

A dream of the Lybrook
community is to establish an
alcoholism rehabilitation cen-
ter where solar food dehydra-
tors are produced as a cottage
industry.

TELEVISION AWARE-
NESS TRAINING. T-A-T,
a program of training for
leaders to help viewers weigh
the impact of television on
their lives is going interna-
tional. Begun jointly by the
Church of the Brethren,
American Lutheran Church,
United Methodist Church and
Media Action Research Center
(MARC), in 1976, T-A-T is
now being transported abroad
by the World Association of
Christian Communication.

There are now nearly 500 ac-
credited T-A-T leaders in the
United States and Canada.

UNDOCUMENTED
WORKERS. Concerned
with the human rights of un-
documented persons whose
presence in the country lacks
legal status, an Immigration
Coalition has been formed in
Los Angeles, representing four
predominantly Mexican com-
munities and 30 organizations.
Joining with the Pacific
Southwest District in support
of the venture, SHARE has
provided first year funds of
$7,500.

VISION. Giving momen-
tum to the church's en-
gagement in public life are the
Old Testament understanding
of Yahweh as God of both
justice and peace, and the New
Testament emphasis on agape
love. These concepts are traced
in the landmark Annual Con-
ference study of 1977 on
Justice and Nonviolence, a
study which asserts that "in
Jesus Christ there are no quali-
fying limits to God's justice
and peace."

The paper prods Brethren to
witness specifically in the areas
of peace and disarmament,
economic justice, human rights
and eco-justice, developing a
theology of "living here and
now in the spirit of the king-
dom."

WOMEN'S EMPOWER-
MENT. To raise aware-
ness about overconsumption
and the misuse of resources by
the First World, and to con-
tribute to the development and
liberation of women in the
Third World, a Global
Women's Project has been
launched by the Church of the
Brethren.

f/

A self-imposed "luxury tax"
is one means suggested for sup-
porting the cross-cultural
thrusts in education and em-
powerment.

Xis many things, including
the signature of persons
who cannot read or write.
Among literacy programs en-

■^

i

gaging workers from the
church is Logos, Inc., Don-
gola. 111., where BVSer Beverly
Weaver is teaching community
children and adults to read and
write.

YOUTH. In the Internation-
al Year of the Child
BVSers and other World
Ministries workers serve girls
and boys in far-flung settings:
In Jericho, at the Al-Bir So-
ciety for Palestinian boys with-
out homes. At Woodstock,
111., as houseparents at a rural
home for retarded children

from Chicago, ages 4 to 21. In
Haiti, at the Aide aux Enfants
school, clinic and feeding pro-
gram for 600 children.

In the Repubhc of Ireland,
with troubled teenagers in
Dublin, and in Northern Ire-
land, at a community relations
center for both Catholic and
Protestant youth. And in day
care and learning centers in
Dundalk and Fairplay, Md.;
Canton and Elyria, Ohio; Indi-
anapolis, Ind., and Elgin, 111.

ZAMBIAN REFUGEES.
The uprooted from nine
countries^from Afghanistan
to Zambia — were among the 97
refugees resettled through the
New Windsor, Md., Brethren
Service Center in 1978.

Because of the spiraling
numbers of displaced peoples,
congregations are urged to re-
double their efforts to accept
and place refugees in the next
few years.

&ET CETERA. Only the
alphabet is ended, not
the recitation of human needs
awaiting responses, nor even
the responses which the de-
nomination already has
mounted.

Given the brokenness, the
hurt, the oppression, the in-
justice that prevails; given the
nature of our own involve-
ment, often hidden or silent, in
the violence of the day; above
all, given faith in Jesus Christ
who decidedly stands for
wholeness and liberation, in-
deed . . . what does the Lord
require of you, but to do
justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your
Cod? n

Mav 1979 MESSENGER 29

Do we have to put people

There are harriers built into our society which
keep apart rich and poor, black and white,
powerful and powerless. Prisons are the most
blatant example of this forced separation.

Christians who find themselves on the
"respectable" side of these barriers must not

tolerate such divisions.

by Bob Gross

An old man climbs the courthouse steps in
Winona County, Minn., with $50 in his
pocket which he will leave on deposit there.

A Royal Oak, Mich., woman meets week-
ly with a young woman in her town.
Sometimes they go shopping, or to the park.
Sometimes they meet at the older woman's
home for a meal. Sometimes they just talk.

Two men leave the house of a Christian
community in Baltimore. Inside, the
members of the community meet in prayer,
asking for God's will to work in the lives of
those two men.

A teenage boy repairs the broken windows
of the home of an elderly couple in
Kitchener, Ontario.

A Bethany Seminary student brings a
guest to the seminary, shows him the empty
dormitory room which has been prepared
for him, and promises to meet him the next
morning to talk over some things.

All these are very commonplace oc-
currences. And that is what makes them
special. Each one is an example of a simple,
community-based alternative to putting peo-
ple in jail.

The Church of the Brethren Statement on
Criminal Justice Reform, adopted at Con-
ference in 1975, calls for several kinds of
responses to the problems of crime and the
criminal justice system. One response
suggested is "living an alternative." This in-
volves some form of withdrawal from the
present criminal justice system and an active
seeking for more loving, a more Christian
response.

The need for alternatives to imprisonment
is indisputable. Well over half a million peo-
ple are in jails, prisons and reformatories
in the United States, representing an im-
prisonment rate of approximately 250 per

100,000 — by far the highest of any western
country. Yet our crime rate is also the highest
of any western country. For 200 years we
have built more and more prisons, and the
crime rate has steadily risen.

At the federal prison at Ashland. Ky.,
where I spent 1 8 months for not cooperating
with the draft, it became clear to me that the
men going home from that relatively
progressive prison were more likely to com-
mit another offense than if they had never
been imprisoned.

T.

his has also been the finding of the
National Advisory Commission on Criminal
Justice Standards and Goals: "The prison,
the reformatory and the jail have achieved
only a shocking record of failure. There is
overwhelming evidence that these in-
stitutions create crime rather than prevent it.
Their very nature insures failure."

Prisons have failed society, but a more im-
portant reason for alternatives is \.\\&t prison
is no place to put people. The growing feel-
ing that newer prisons are "soft" or that they
"resemble country clubs" is a false one,
based on misperception and misinforma-
tion. Prisons are cages. To be imprisoned is
to be caged, in an atmosphere of fear, deceit,
mistrust and hate. Jesus proclaimed release
for prisoners (Luke 4:18) and we must seek
ways for that release to become reality.

One alternative is to simply tear down the
prisons and let the prisoners go home. While
this is consistent with the kingdom of God, it
is not likely to occur fully in these times.
However, the results would not be so serious
as most people probably think. The great
majority of those in prison — 75 to 85
percent — are there for crimes against
properly, not involving violence to people.
Many prison wardens, probation officers

and experts in criminology agree that these
persons, and perhaps others as well, could be
released without presenting any real danger
to society. An historical example which
bears this out occurred in Florida, where
in 1963 a United States Supreme Court
decision freed 1,252 prisoners. A
sudden wave of crime was feared. But 28
months later, the Florida Department
of Corrections found that the repeat
offense (recidivism) rate for these ex-

30 MfsSENGER May 1979

in jail?

prisoners was half thai of prisoners released
after completing their full sentences.

While most of the people in prison should
be and could safely be released, it is still true
that a society must deal in some way with
crime. Let's look at some more loving and
more effective alternatives to imprisonment
by examining more closely the five situations
described at the outset of this article.

Creative Sentencing. The old man in
Minnesota is a chronic shoplifter, sen-

tenced under a "self-sentencing program"
which has proven successful there. Like
3,000 others in the five years of the program,
he met with a counselor of the court to deter-
mine an appropriate sentence for his offense.
The agreement: He placed $50 on deposit
with the court, to be used to reimburse any
merchant for anything the man might steal in
the future. The result; the old man quit shop-
lifting, because he didn't want to lose his $50.

Volunteers in Probation. The Royal Oak
woman is a part of one of the oldest and most
exemplary programs of volunteer "proba-
tion counselors" in the country. The young
woman she sees weekly is on probation, and
the two were brought together by the
professional staff of the court's probation
department.

This is the kind of service called for in one
of the recommendations under "living an
alternative" in the Church of the Brethren's
criminal justice statement: "Members are en-
couraged to actively seek relationships with
offenders, and those in danger of becoming
offenders, in an effort to provide a construc-
tive and supportive influence."

Well-supervised, creative probation could
be a most promising alternative to imprison-
ment, but on a national average, a proba-
tion officer spends about three minutes per
month with each probationer — and half of
the probationers end up committing another
offense. In contrast, each volunteer working
with the Royal Oak probation department
spends an average of 12 hours per month
with the assigned probationer. The repeat
offense rate is down to 15 percent.

Cc

--oncerned persons are working as vol-
unteers with probation departments all over
the country — they bear no legal responsibili-
ty for the action of those assigned to them,
just a commitment of time and concern.

Not Calling Police. Another recommen-
dation under "living an alternative" calls
Brethren to "Consider carefully whether it
is in harmony with the teaching to over-
come evil with good, to report wrongs
done against themselves to police
authorities." Jesus taught "Bless those who
curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer
the other also: and from him who takes
away your cloak do not withhold your coat

as well" (Luke 6:28, 29).

The first reaction of most people when
they suffer the kind of offenses Jesus talks
about would be to call the police. That is
the easy response, but it is not the loving
response to which Jesus calls us.

In the third of our five examples, the two
men leaving the house in Baltimore had
just robbed the occupants at gun point. A
BVSer relates what happened. "I was pres-
ent during an armed robbery one night at
Jonah House — a terrifying experience, I
must say. We did not phone the police dur-
ing or after the robbery. Rather, during the
robbery we tried to talk with the brothers
with the gun about how they didn't need a
weapon to get money from us, and after
they left, we joined in prayer for these
brothers — that God might show love to
them and work changes in their lives. We
have a relationship between our two com-
munities in Baltimore that, in the event of
trouble, we call on each other — both to aid
with physical presence and to aid in resti-
tution afterwards. We think that relying on
the police only amounts to calling in the
power of the gun which we ourselves are
unwilling to wield."

Restitution and Reconciliation. In the

fourth instance, the teenage boy is repair-
ing the windows of the older couple's house
because he broke them. He and they are
fortunate that in their town of Kitchener,
Ontario, Mennonite Central Committee
and others in cooperation with the court's
probation department have instituted the
"victim-offender reconciliation program."

Focusing on crimes with identifiable vic-
tims, such as mischief, theft, breaking and
entering, malicious damage and minor
cases of assault, the program brings victim
and offender together under the guidance
of a trained volunteer mediator to agree on
appropriate restitution or repayment in
each situation. This approach not only aids
the victims in a concrete way and keeps the
offenders out of jail so they can "pay a
debt to society" in a real and meaningful
sense, but it achieves reconcilialion
between the two — a healing of relation-
ships which the present criminal justice
system cannot and does not accomplish.

Bail Project. The guest brought to the
seminary by a Bethany student had spent
the previous several nights at the Du Page
County jail. A handful of students and

May 1979 messenger 31

staff at Bethany Seminary are active in the
Project Understanding bail project which
for five years has provided bail money to
prisoners in the Du Page County Jail who
cannot afford bail. (About half the persons
in local jails across the country have not
been convicted of any crime, and are there
only because they cannot afford bail.)
After securing their release, the project
gives offenders assistance with housing,
food, employment, counseling and legal
aid, if these are needed.

To supplement their efforts, the
seminary has made two rooms available
which the project rents on a daily basis for
people bailed out of jail who have no place
to go. Previously, those involved with the
project opened their homes for such
emergency housing.

A better approach to the injustice of a
money bail system is bail reform, so that
ability to pay would not be the factor
which determines who is released and who
suffers pre-trial imprisonment. But in com-

In prison and they visit them . . .

Jesus' call to visit those in prison, and his proclamation of release to the captives
have led Brethren into many types of ministry to prisoners.

For over three years the Lost Creek Church of the Brethren, in the Southern
Pennsylvania District, has been visiting prisoners in the local county jail. Their initial
inspiration came from Jesus' admonition in Matthew 25:40, '"As you did it to one of
the least of these my brethren, you did it to me."

They inquired at the jail and found that there were no regular Sunday services
for the people locked up there, so they organized themselves into four groups, taking
turns providing worship services at the jail. "We were literally welcomed with open
arms by the prisoners," they reported.

A Middle Pennsylvania congregation, Carson Valley, has had an important
ministry at the Blair County Prison, including concern for the families of those in
prison. They are now seeking to develop a rural rehabilitation center where persons
emerging from prison can live and work in a new and constructive setting.

Another Middle Pennsylvania project is in State College, where Brethren are ac-
tive in several kinds of ministry. Weekly visiting at nearby Rockview State Prison is
maintained, along with visits at the Centre County jail, now led by BVSer Gary
Dean, from Mount Morris, 111. Also, Brethren are active in Community Alternatives
in Criminal Justice, a community-based group which is developing alternatives to im-
prisonment in the county.

One-to-one visiting has been the focus of Brethren in Northern Indiana, led by
the Luke 4:18 Task Force of the district witness commission. Through the In-
mate/Outmate program at the Indiana State Prison, 12 to 15 Brethren travel
together to the prison, and each one visits person-to-person with the same prisoner
each time. In addition, the task force has shared its concerns with several con-
gregations in the district, to enlist their participation.

In a simple and direct way, some Bethany Seminary students and faculty have
been "proclaiming release to the captives" by paying bail for persons in the Du Page
County jail who cannot meet their own bail. (See accompanying article for fuller
description of the Du Page County Bail Project.)

Another type of ministry is the Death Row Support Project, coordinated by
New Covenant Fellowship, in Southern Ohio District. Through this project. Brethren
and others from throughout the country are writing regularly to persons on death
row. It is hoped that other forms of support such as visiting, caring for the families
of prisoners or efforts to abolish capital punishment can grow out of the cor-
respondence now going on.

These are just a few examples of the ways Brethren are acting out the biblical
concerns for justice and love, as they relate to prisoners. — Bob Gross

munities where there is no openness to bail
reform, bail projects or similar efforts by
individuals such as the one in Du Page
County are the next best recourse.

These are examples of just a few of the
alternatives which have been found more
successful than imprisonment in dealing
with the problem of crime and its causes.

But neither these nor the many other im-
portant alternatives to imprisonment can
gain a foothold in society as long as the no-
tion persists that prisons are the answer to
crime. A necessary element in the effort to
establish alternatives is a determined op-
position to the construction of any new
prisons.

Openness to Offenders. Besides involving
themselves in such efforts as those already
described. Brethren could render important
service and witness — by developing a spirit
and a practice of openness to offenders.
There are barriers built into this society
which keep apart rich and poor, black and
white, powerful and powerless. Prisons are
the most blatant example of this forced
separation, but it takes many other forms
as well.

Christians who find themselves on the
"respectable" side of this fence must not
tolerate such divisions. If we allow our-
selves to be separated from the poor, we
may be separated from the Good News
which is preached to the poor.

Our openness to offenders can take
varied forms. People coming out of prison
or released on probation need employ-
ment and housing. Many of us are in a
good position to offer one or both of these.
Most of us can at least aid the offender in
seeking them. Education or vocational
training are sometimes needed. We can
tutor, or we can help to open the doors to
programs in these areas. We can offer our
time, our friendship and the fellowship of
our churches or small groups.

The point is that our openness must be
active. We cannot just sit back on our re-
spectable side of the fence and feel open.
Our lives must reach out to touch the lives
of others — for the sake of our own whole-
ness as much as for the other's sake. For
"as you did it to one of the least of these
brethren, you did it to me" (Matt. 25:40). D

Boh Cross is a member of the New Covenant Fel-
lowship. A ihens. Ohio, and works as a volunteer in a
ministry to prisoners.

32 MESSENGER May 1979

Jus

'ustice may seem to the casual reader to
he an issue affecting people outside our
church, people for whom we assume a
responsibility to succor, but from whom we
remain comfortably isolated. Not so.
Justice is an issue within our own church
family. A cursory glance at even one issue
of Messenger reveals the agony: women,
blacks. Hispanics. farmers, singles, pacifists
crying for Justice for their group.
Messenger here offers a sampling of these
groups and the Justice issues they would
have us confront.

* * *

Church must make
us all one family

Single people work in the church, con-
tribute financially, are a part of the church,
but often feel apart from the church. The
church is family-oriented. Biblically, the
marriage relationship is the metaphor for
God's relationship with his people, and the
church is the "bride of Christ." Yet today
half the membership of a congregation may
be single — never married, widowed or
divorced.

A young single said, "1 left my church
because there was no place for me: the
young adult group always did just-couples
things together." Divorced people often
feel censure and lack of caring and also
leave. Family life institutes give help to
families but few equivalent gatherings
minister to unmarried people. After my
husband's death, I told a friend 1 missed
the things we used to do with her family.
The statement, "Then find some other
widows and do those things," was only
thoughtless, not cruel.

The church is not cruel to singles, only
thoughtless. Calling singles "one-person
families" is a pathetic inaccuracy. Some
remedies for the apartness of singles are
implicit in the examples given above. The
responsibility rests with those of us who
are singles as well as with the married folk.
For every one in the church is a single per-
son, even in the marriage-family
relationship. Each of us begins life single
and many of us will end life single. In the
meantime, the church must make all of us
into one family. — Esther Frey.

Esther Frev t\ a member til the Mtmni Morris (HI J
i'dnjiregatitm anil a recent nuiJeralor tif Illinois antl
Wisconsin District of the Church t)f the Brethren.

JUSTICE

IN OUR
CHURCH
FAMILY

Our ultimate goal:
"Go out of business"

The Church of the Brethren Womaen's
Caucus came into being because many
women were experiencing exclusion from
full participation in the life of the church.
Believing that sexist worship, language and
theology limit our understanding of and
relationship to God and that women
should be participating more equitably in
the leadership of the church, the Womaen's
Caucus organized to work at these issues.

The work of the Caucus proceeds in two
complementary directions. We have
worked to involve women in the church
through resourcing and enabling of their
skills and interests. This resourcing is ac-
complished through our newsletter.

Femailings. scholarship program. Annual
Conference activities and participation in
the nominating process. We have exerted
pressure on the church to seek out women
for leadership and to recognize that the
sexism which occurs in our church familv
also underlies global issues of power and
Justice.

As a direct result of the energies of the
Caucus, we have experienced some changes
in our church. Today, women are serving
in leadership positions in greater numbers,
in 1975, the Caucus initiated a petition
drive which resulted in the creation of the
Person Awareness program of the Parish
Ministries Commission. The General
Board has adopted an inclusive language
policy and Conference passed the Equalit\
for Women paper in 1977. Theologs' and
worship which exclude women are under
scrutiny throughout our church family.

The Womaen's Caucus looks forward to
the day when the issues we are raising are
no longer issues. We would like nothing
more than to "go out of business" as the
vast resource of womanpower and man-
power is at last used to its fullest.
— Karen Hoover

Karen Hoover is a nicnihrr a/ the Hii^hlainl Avenue
coni;re^ution in h'li^in. Ill . and /^ active in ihc Church
III the Brclhrcn Hnniacn\ (aunc.

A growing world of
Hispanic Brethren

Is there justice in the Church of the
Brethren for Hispanics? Permit me to
straddle the fence and reply, "Yes" and
"No." It was in 1972 in Miami, Fla., that a
special consultation on the Brethren
Hispanic American Ministries was held. At
that time, the group worked hard and an
honest effort was made to deal with
problems of the Hispanic group. A deci-
sion was made to create a newsletter and to
prepare promotional membership
brochures. It was proposed that as a means
of educating the church on the needs of
Hispanic Americans and on its own racism,
racism training events on Hispanic
Americans would be held. Our Brethren
colleges could have courses on Hispanic
American culture and commence exchange
studies and assignments in Puerto Rico,
South Texas and California. The consulta-
tion asked that Hispanic Americans be on

the General Board ballot.

Today, several years later, as 1 look
at the General Board, I see no member
of the Brethren Hispanic American com-
munity, although there is a growing rep-
resentation of women and a youth repre-
sentative. Hispanics are nominated
but not elected.

Do Brethren really know what we are all
about? We are about the same "Master's
business." We want true representation and
a voice placed where we will truly be heard.
But it is a brother ^and sister relationship
that we seek, not a parent and child. When
this is achieved, then, and only then, will 1
be able to say that we have true justice in
the church.

As we involve ourselves in more
ecumenical participation, let us become ful-
ly involved and familiar with the growing
Brethren world of Hispanic Americans.
— Phill Carlos Archbold

Phill Carlos Archholil is moderator of the Brook I vn
First Ctingregation. Brtioklvn, N. K. and chairman ol
the Brethren Hispanic American Ministries.

May 1979 me.ssencer 33

Heavy influence
at the local level

The minority group status of farmers has
resulted in unconscious identification
with other minority groups — not in terms
of specific problems and conditions,
but in feeling of powerlessness as deci-
sions affecting lives and businesses are
made by persons and circumstances
not directly related to those lives and
businesses.

Church of the Brethren farmers are a
diverse minority. Position statements and
actions of the church in response to in-
justice of one group sometimes contribute
to injustice of another group as in the
frustrating farm worker issue. Brethren
farmers concerned about farm laborers try
to be personally responsible in their
dealings but find their livelihood threat-
ened by the economic and political action
of the United Farm Workers (UFW)
organization. Increased price supports and
ta.x relief aimed at economic justice for the
family farm may contribute to injustice for
beginning farmers who can't compete as
the economic position of established
farmers improves.

The Church of the Brethren has sup-
ported rural life tangibly as well as sen-
timentally by making loan funds available
to qualified potential farmers.

In many congregations farm families ex-
ert more power than their proportionate
numbers would indicate. Farm owners are
in a financially advantageous position and
generous contributions sometimes have
strings attached, in spite of the giver's best
intentions. Another factor is the
"rootedness" of farm families, in contrast
to the transience of today's society, which
does not encourage involvement in com-
munity and church organizations. Farmers
generally "stay put" and provide continuity
and stability so necessary for church sur-
vival.

Farmers' disproportionate influence is
mainly at the local level. The present
General Board includes only two farmers,
and it's been many years since Annual
Conference has been moderated by a
farmer! — Jov Dull.

Joy Dull ami Iwr husband, Ralph, arc farnwry in
Hronkvillc. Ohio, and ntenihers of the BrookvUlc inn-
,i,'re,tiation. She was /iirmerli eonsitltant for farm life on
the Parish Ministries Commission.

Working together
for mountain life

The Appalachian mountains are rich in
natural resources. For decades its people
lived semi-independently in its hollows and
valleys and its plateaus. It was a hard life,
but the people seemed to have what they
needed. Money was of little value because
the people were largely self-sufficient —
they "did for themselves."

Timber companies, mining companies,
and accompanying mechanization have
reduced the mountain people to govern-
ment dependents, subsisting on welfare
checks.

The Brethren Appalachian Caucus Cove-
nant resists this patronizing attitude and
seeks to support efforts (particularly
church related) to give Appalachian people
opportunities for cooperative self-
development in the midst of both the
welfare system and the continuing disrup-
tion of the land by coal-mining ventures.

BACC has encouraged cooperative feeder
pig ventures, cooperative gardening, a co-
op food store, a sawmill to be eventually
owned and operated by workers, a co-op
mining effort, housing development in
which unemployed persons build homes for
each other through church and government
cooperation. BACC has also encouraged
and supported early childhood develop-
ment efforts, scholarship for church leader
development and improved community
health care.

BACC supports some of these efforts
through cooperation with CORA (Com-
mission on Religion in Appalachia) and
the Brethren SHARE program.

BACC sees the importance of the people
of Appalachia to be able to have oppor-
tunities to meet their own needs and to
have greater control over the use of the
resources in the area. — Cordell Bowman

Cordell Bowman is a member of New Covenant
Fellowship, A thens, Ohio, and is active in the Brethren
.Appalachian Caucus Covenant.

Speaking for those
who have no voice

Gay persons face job discrimination, civil
and human rights violations and psy-
chological, physical and spiritual violence
at the hands of both the church and socie-
ty. This must stop. Justice for gay people
will not be achieved until the church
recognizes its role as an oppressor and ad-
vocates full civil and human rights for all
people. Church people must stop looking
at gay men and lesbians only as sexual
beings and start looking at them as whole
human beings and Christians.

Gay people feel — with good cause — that
presently they have a voice in the church
only so long as they deny or hide their sex-
uality. The Brethren-Mennonite Council
for Gay Concerns (BMC) hopes to speak
for those who otherwise would have no
voice.

BMC is "committed to Christ, and called
to dialog with and to educate" the Brethren
and Mennonite denominations about
homosexuality and gay people. In an
attempt to cut through the many myths,
stereotypes, prejudices and fears that sur-
round lesbians and gay men, BMC (Box
24060, Washington. DC 20024) provides

accurate information about homosexuality
from the physical and social sciences,
biblical studies and theology, both through
its newsletter. Dialogue, and through a
large volume of correspondence.

BMC also fosters dialog between gay
and non-gay persons in the churches by
setting up encounter sessions where non-
gay church people can learn firsthand
about the experiences, feelings, ideas and
hopes of gay Brethren and Mennonites.

Most importantly. BMC provides sup-
port for Brethren and Mennonite lesbians
and gay men. and their parents, spouses,
relatives and friends.

BMC's primary goal through all this is
to help bring about the church's full accep-
tance of gay people as God's children —
acceptance which would reflect the fact
that when Christ died on Calvary, he died
for all of us. not just the elite, the "socially
acceptable." or those who belong to a cer-
tain majority. — Martin R. Rock

Martin R. Rock is coordinator of the Brethren! Men-
nonite Council for Gay Concerns, and is a member of
the Currvville. Pa. congregation.

34 ME.ssENGfiR May 1979

Evangelism ministry
and Bible teaching

The Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF)
came into being because the Church of the
Brethren was seen to be moving into
liberalism and there was a sense of
helplessness on the part of members who
did not agree with that direction.

In the earlier days of BRF's existence,
there was open resistance from fellow
Brethren. More recently some have been
saying that the conservatives have a right
to be heard. Breakthroughs have occurred:
At Annual Conference and in General
Board and program involvements the BRF
presence has been increasingly felt.

Yet, in spite of all this, the Brethren
Revival Fellowship still seems to be viewed
primarily as a divisive force in the church,
and is looked upon with considerable
suspicion. If there is genuine concern for
the welfare of minority views in the Church
of the Brethren, why are BRF's views not
represented at Bethany Seminary by hiring
at least one professor who would uncom-
promisingly hold to an inerrant Bible? Why

are not at least a few of the Elgin staff
members promoters of the
evangelical/ conservative Brethren
positions? Why is not a strong mission
work established?

There are three primary reasons why the
BRF has stayed within the Church of the
Brethren: our deep conviction and firm
belief in the importance of the historic doc-
trinal stand of the Church of the Brethren,
the freedom granted to local congregations
which allows members to worship as they
believe best, and the many requests that
come to BRF from congregations wanting
a ministry of evangelism and clear Bible
teaching.

With such opportunities in mind, the
BRF has consistently said, "Stay with the
established church." Our primary con-
cern is not so much related to whether
justice has been shown to us, as it
is to the matter of whether justice has
been shown to God and to his word.
— James F. Myer

James F. Myer is an ordained minister in the White
Oak (Pa.) congregation, a member of the Church of the
Brethren General Board and chairman of the Brethren
Revival Fellowship.

Silent resistance to
outmoded roles

If, as wise persons have said, experience is
a way of judging the future by the past,
then pastors' wives are hearing the creak of
outmoded employment practices in the
church and are filling jobs elsewhere. No
longer are they decorating their diplomas
and marriage certificates with role models
of the self-sacrificing subordinate, whose
interior sufferings, as one who gave freely
for an overworked, underpaid husband, are
said to have redeemed a smug congrega-
tion.

Indeed, they see this past model not only
as mock folly but as the untold tragedy of
women who sincerely believed that they
were doing a favor to themselves, their
husbands, the church and God. Yesterday's
tragedies have bred a new lot: the pastor's
wife who claims freedom to separate her
God-given destiny from her husband's con-
gregation.

The silent approbation of outmoded
practices by pastors' wives only perpetuates
the injustice of two tempers in the church:

its denial of common justice when it is
demanded as a right; its gifts of more than
justice when an appeal is made to its
generosity as God's gracious advocate on
earth. A contemporary pastor's wife does
not cater to either temper, by demanding
from a base of justice, or pleading from a
base of poverty. Both are self-debasing and
belittling. So she earns her way elsewhere.

Most unjust of all is your reaction, no
doubt, as a reader of a denominational
magazine and, probably, a loyal church
member. "What she says isn't true, and
even if it were, she shouldn't say it." It is
precisely this reaction from her husband's
public which has silenced pastors' wives in
the past. Their loyalty to their husbands
could be counted on to keep them silent
and submissive.

Today, pastors' wives are still silent, but
the silence marks a resistance to outmoded
roles of partnership. Each pastor's wife has
become her own advocate. She is building
her God-given life in an expanding
individuality. — Inez Long

Ine: Lonn is a high school English teacher and the
wile ol a retired pastor, living in \ew Holland. Pa.

Concern for peace
biblically rooted

The Brethren Peace Fellowship focuses at
two points which it believes are interre-
lated. It is concerned about keeping the
church's peace witness alive and vital, it is
also concerned about the renewal of the
church.

But a biblically rooted concern for peace
is also concerned about justice. There can
be no peace without justice. And there can
be no justice unless there is peace. Indeed
war is the greatest, most terrible form of
injustice.

The Brethren Peace Fellowship News-
letter has focused on such issues as "peace-
making in repressive societies." the move
toward black equality and how a Christian
responds to violence in this regard. Issues
have featured various persons involved in
justice, such as Cesar Chavez, Martin
Luther King Jr. and the Berrigans,
and an open discussion of various
aspects of the movement toward full equal
rights for women.

The danger with "justice" issues is that
so often church leaders have followed the
popular causes as identified in cover stories
in Time and Newsweek and have often
dropped into step with their methods
rather than seeking to understand issues
and responded from the perspective of the
biblical and theological orientation of our
faith. When funding of violent black efforts
was an issue, BPF found itself at odds with
some leadership pressures as we tried to
sort through the alternatives that faced us.
Similarly with the women's movement it is
not always easy to separate the emotions of
the moment from a solid, responsible
course which reflects the biblical under-
standing.

Because the denomination has not ade-
quately provided a biblical and theological
base for our response to injustice, in many
ways little progress has been made toward
converting those who do not understand or
appreciate areas of injustice. Many
biblically illiterate church people view the
church's efforts in these areas as "social"
involvement because they have not seen the
biblical concern for righteousness which
applies to our day as surely as it did in
Bible times. — C. Wayne Zunkel

C. Wayne Zunkel is pastor of the Panorama
Citv/Glendale yoked fellowship in Californta. He is
editor of the Brethren Peace Fellowship Newsletter.

May 1979 messenger 35

^m&

TO DO
JUSTICE

Annual Conference statements and Gen-
eral Board resolutions point to many
justice concerns of the Church of the
Brethren: criminal justice, eco-justice.
economic justice, equality of women, peace
and disarmament, taxation for war and
many others. The resources described here
are a sampling of the many excellent
materials available to guide individuals and
groups in study and reflection.

Economic Justice

Lord Make Us Hungry — Make Us Bread.
Aids for worship related to issues of
hunger and justice are available from
Bread for the World, 4600 N. Kilpatrick,
Chicago, IL 60630.

Sharing Global Resources. The
relationship between rich and poor nations
and the possibility of a new international
economic order is explored in this 35-
minute slide show. Rental is $10 from
American Friends Service Committee, 1501
Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19102.

H^ho Really Starves? Women and World
Hunger. This book capsulizes the effects of
women's status, worldwide upon women's
roles in food production, distribution and
consumption. Forty pages, it can be ob-
tained for $1.25 from Friendship Press, 475
Riverside Dr., New York, NY 10027.

Boiile Babies. The use of infant formula
is badly suited to poverty conditions and
yet many producers promote the sale of
formula in the Third World among people
who can least afford it. 16mm, color, 26-
minute film describes why and how. Mar-
keting Dept., Church of the Brethren
General Offices, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin,
IL 60120.

Ending World Hunger. Designed by
Duane and Ramona Smith Moore for
Mennonite Central Committee, this 4-
session study guide aims to create a clearer
understanding of the causes of world
hunger and appropriate Christian

responses to hunger issues. Available for
$1 from Millindo Food & Hunger Con-
cerns Committee, Rt. 2, Box 79, North
Manchester, IN 46962.

Criminal Justice

Instead of Prisons. A very readable discus-
sion of research on the use of prisons and
alternative programs is available from
PREAP, 3049 E. Genesee St., Syracuse,
NY 13224.

Death Penalty Packet. This collection of
nine booklets and articles discusses bibli-
cal and social concerns in the use of capi-
tal punishment. Available for $1 from
the Brethren Press, 1451 Dundee Ave.,
Elgin, I L 60120.

/ Was in Prison. . . . This newsletter on
Brethren concerns in criminal justice is a
joint ministry of the New Covenant Fel-
lowship and the Church of the Brethren
Washington Office. For a free subscrip-
tion contact Bob Gross, Rt. 3, Box 21 3A,
Athens. OH 45701.

IMPACT Prepare on Imprisonment.
This 12-page study guide paper prepared
by the Washington Interreligious Task
Force on Criminal Justice explores con-
cepts of crime and justice, biblical perspec-
tives, popular images and realities in the
use of prisons, and alternatives to impris-
onment. Free from the Church of the

.^^,UAKE US HVNa^^

MAKE US BREAD

Bread for the World
Worship Aids IT

Brethren Washington Office, 110 Mary-
land Ave., N.E., Washington, DC 20002.

Human Rights

Last Grave at Dimbaza. Shot secretly in-
side South Africa, this film reviews the full
range of the racial policy-pass system,
military might, segregation and inequality

in industry, housing, medical services, edu-
cational services and facilities, and es-
pecially the effects of the system on black
family life. The film is unusual in taking
the viewer inside the assembly line in auto
plants and inside the life of an Africa "nan-
ny" in a white house. High white standards
of living are dramatically pictured. Contact
Clergy and Laity Concerned, 1322 18th St..
N.W., Washington, DC 20036.

The Quest for Human Rights.
Engage /Social Action Forum #38, an ex-
cellent 40-page study on the historical and
theological perspective, foreign policy im-
plications and the domestic agenda on US
human rights policy. 30c per copy. Write
e/sa, 100 Maryland Ave., N.E., Washing-
ton, DC 20002.

Journal of Current Social Issues on
Human Rights. Summer 1978. Published
by the United Church of Christ, this 100-

■ '•■• ■journal OF CURPENT SOCIAL

issues

Human Rights

All human beings
are born free and
equal in dignity
and rights. They
are endo'w^ed
-with reason and
conscience and
should act

page study book presents reports on the
human rights struggle from seven coun-
tries, including the United States and the
USSR. Though violations continue in
tragic numbers, there is hope in the stories
of people who refuse to give up . . . even
against terrible odds. $3.75. Journal of
Current Social Issues (Human Rights
Summer 1978), 10 Pelham Parkway. Pel-
ham Manor, NY 10803.

Justice for Women

Statement on the Equal Rights .Amend-
ment. Clearinghouse Publication 56. US
Commission on Civil Rights, December
1978. A 32-page booklet dealing with ef-
fects of implementation of state ERAs on
legislation. Single copies free. Write the
Commission at Washington, DC 20425.

36 MESSENGER May 1979

Statement on
the Equal Rights
Amendment

fVhai's All This About an ERA?
Religious Committee for the ERA. A 25-
frame color filmstrip with cassette and
script, approximately five minutes long.
Art work enhances educational aspects
dealing with legal obstacles before women.
Free rental. Church of the Brethren Wash-
ington Office, 110 Maryland Ave., N.E.,
Washington, DC 20002.

IVhv Religious Groups Support the
Equal Rights Amendment. Religious Com-
mittee for the ERA. A pamphlet which
helps persons explore issues of equality and
justice in relation to faith. 475 Riverside
Dr., Room 812, New York, NY 10027.
Single copies free. $5 per hundred.

Battered Women: A Summary by Sabra
F. WooUey, May 1978. This concise study
looks at causes and the inadequacy of the
legal system, and gives suggestions for pre-
vention and treatment. A good overview
for quick study. Women's Equity Action
League, 805 1 5th St., N.W., Suite 822,
Washington, DC 20005. $2.

Battered Wives by Del Martin. One of
the first major comprehensive books
published on spouse abuse. A must for
those seriously interested in learning more
about the problem. Glide
Publications, San Fran-
cisco, 1976.

Response to Violence and
Sexual Abuse in the Family.
Bimonthly newsletter pub-
lished by The Center for
Women Policy Studies, an
organization dedicated to in-
creasing public awareness on the
subject. 2000 P St., N.W., Suite
508, Washington, DC 20036. Free.

La Enmienda De Derechos De
Igualdad Y La Vida Familiar. By
Charles Petty, it describes the effec
of ERA on family life. It is also
available in English. Order from
Women's Division, United Methodist
Church, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 1504,
New York, NY 10027. $3 per hundred.

Disarmament

Packet on SALT II. A compilation of
resources concerning the Strategic Arms
Limitation Treaty, it includes analyses of
the treaty from both political and
theological perspectives, denominational
statements, bibliography of religious
literature, news articles and suggestions for
action. It is an excellent resource for dis-
cussion groups. $2. Religious Committee
on SALT, 100 Maryland Ave., N.E.,
Washington, DC 20002.

World Peace Ta.x Fund Slide Show. En-
titled Conscience and War Taxes, this 20-
minute slide presentation explains the
history of the US income tax and presents
the moral, legal and economic dilemma of
those persons conscientiously opposed to
contributing to war preparations through
payment of taxes. It gives personal ex-
amples of individuals who are wrestling
with this issue of conscience and what they
are doing about it. Excellent discussion
starter. National Council for a World
Peace Tax Fund, 2111 Florida Ave., N.W.,
Washington, DC 20008.

At What Cost? A 45-minute slide show,

» t* CITI2EW P:j

rtY\i* OPINION J^ J

« 1979 ^^

The Human Rigfc,,Cove„a„,v

ggBODVOFRj^S

Its Action Guide

J

charge. An examination of the values of
our society which have led inevitably to an
emphasis on military prowess, and a state-
ment of the need to change those values so
that respect for human needs is primary.
Contact Jonah House, 1833 Park Ave.,
Baltimore, MD 21217.

The Race Nobody Wins. A brief, concise
and amazingly easy to understand presen-
tation about a massive, complex and seem-
ingly endless problem — the international
arms race. Geared to a high school level,
the presentation is excellent for school,
church school or discussion group
audiences. Rental $10. CALC, 1322 18th
St., N.W., Washington. DC 20036.

Active Witness

Register Citizen Opinion 1979. 96lh Con-
gress. A guide to political action including
Congressional directory for all members,
gives tips on how to write letters, outlines
how a bill becomes law. Single copies free.
Church of the Brethren Washington Office,
I 10 Maryland Ave.. N.E.. Washington. DC
20002.

You Can Make An IMPACT on Public
Policy. Free brochure. IMPACT is a
national interfaith network of committed
persons who on the basis of religious and
moral conviction seek to influence public
policy. Free brochure describing IMPACT.
Church of the Brethren Washington Office,
1 10 Maryland Ave., N.E., Washington, DC
20002.

Action Guides. A 16-page study and ac-
tion guide, 10c each. Order from the Coali-
tion for a New Foreign and Military
Policy, 120 Maryland Ave., Washington,
DC 20002.

Disarmament Action Guide — 7979. A
guide for citizen action directed toward
reversing the world's arms race and con-
verting a military economy to a healthy
peacetime economy. Includes a section on
SALT II, conversion, arms trade,
resources, and how to organize for action
in local communities.

Covenants Action Guide. A guide to the
United Nations Covenants which answers
questions concerning economic, social and
cultural, and civil and political rights, the
current status of the Covenants, and what
the next steps in the ratification process
are.

Human Rights Action Guide. A guide to
current US human rights policy, what is
happening around the world, and what
citizens in this country can do to bring
change. — Washington Office Staff

May 1979 messenger 37

The Deer Hunter: Salt in a national!

by Steve Simmons

THE DEER HUNTER, an EMI Films, Inc
Presentation; released by Universal Pro-
duced by Barry Spikings, Michael Deeley.
Michael Cimino and John Peverall. Directed
by Michael Cimino. Screenplay by Dene
Washburn, story by Michael Cimino, Dene
Washburn, Louis Garfinkle and Quinn E
Redeker

Michael Cimino's film The Deer Hunter is
a kick in the teeth for anyone who par-
ticipated in or stood by and watched the
Vietnam War,

Three "buddies" leave the hell of a Penn-
sylvania steel mill for the hell of the battle-
ground, victims of the unquestioned valor
of warring.

What sets the film apart from the current
onslaught of Vietnam pictures (reflective of
a catharsis of national embarrassment) is
its emphasis on human relationships.

The men lead lives that should be com-
patible to combat. After work they carouse
and sometimes hunt, their interactions
limited to joking, teasing and humiliating
each other. They refuse to be serious with
each other. When Nick (Christopher
Walken), facing the war, pleads with
Michael (Robert De Niro) to promise, "If
anything happens you gotta bring me
back," Nick responds with characteristic
impassivity.

It is in the desperation of war that the
men finally develop the kind of love,
respect and loyalty that should have bound
them from the first. A truly painful revela-
tion of the film is that the friendships never
reach the level of brother.

When the three are reunited in Vietnam,
it is as captives. Captives used as pawns in
the Russian roulette games their captors
play to gamble and also humiliate and tor-
ture. When Michael and Nick scheme their
escape we see a joint power they never ex-
perienced in the US.

Their friend Steven (John Savage) is re-
duced to a whimpering child by the horror

Linda (Meryl Streep) and Michael (Robert
De Niro) are attracted to each other as
they dance at the wedding reception before
he and his buddies go off to battle in Viet-
nam.

and stress, Michael makes sure he gets to
safety and the medical attention he needs.
The war has turned him around and made
him see life's greater values, Michael
demonstrates a sense of Christian
loyalty he was unable to months before.
Risking his life and saving his friends
become a passion for Michael, as hunting
had earlier.

Michael hunts with a religious convic-
tion. As he tells Nick, "A deer must be
taken in one shot." When Michael returns
to Vietnam to retrieve Nick, they meet in a
Russian roulette parlor where Nick taunts
Michael with his same philosophy before
pulling the trigger of the gun aimed at his
temple. True supportive caring again
comes too late.

When Michael is hunting again after his
return, he has a bead on a buck he could
easily get — his way. But he can't pull the
trigger. He throws up his arms and shouts,
"Okay! Okay!" The knowledge that life
and friendships are valuable takes a long
time to hit some people. Anyone can kill.
To live and let other people and animals
live is more difficult.

Thus Cimino dynamites, one at a time,
war ideals sold to an unwary generation.
He also points out what he thinks will
make the world better, commitment to the
value of every life.

The film community, the trio, their
friends and lovers, is a microcosm of that
period United States, people who thought
war was an adventure. The opening of the
film details the preparations for Steven and
Angela's Russian Orthodox wedding and
following party. At the party, held in an
American Legion Post, photos of Michael,
Nick and Steven loom over the festivities.
The trio is given a big send-off; other
friends are envious. At the bar the three en-
counter a Green Beret whom they prod
with questions of the exciting life in Nam
and he responds to each question with the
same expletive. Later, they know why.

Despite its length (three hours). The
Deer Hunter is whisked along by a mag-
nificent ensemble of actors and an in-
volving script. Films in which transforma-
tions in character take place are great op-
portunities for actors. Walken, Savage and
De Niro seize each one. The Vietnam se-

38 MESSENGER May 1979

Abound

quences have a sense of reality that make
one turn away — the Russian roulette
scenes in which men sweat, cry, babble and
collapse display superior acting to painful
effect.

As Linda, Meryl Streep makes a
beautiful and impressive debut. She is
loved by Nick and then courted by
Michael. When Michael returns without
Nick she is disappointed. She had made
Nick a sweater. "You and Nick are about
the same size." She holds it up to Nick and
finds it is way too big. "One thing about
wool," she chokes, "it's a cinch to fix."
Streep poignantly conveys Linda's
knowledge that her life will not mend as
easily, that life can improve and is moving.

As a story of wild-living men changed by
war. The Deer Hunter is spiced with raw
language and intense violence. But as
screenwriters like to say, "It's all
necessary." It is; and theaters showing the
film include in their ads the statement that
the R-rating policy (No one under 18 ad-
mitted without parent or guardian) will be
strictly adhered to. These aspects may be
considered exploitive but the realism they
lend make the film an important anti-war
statement.

The final scene is perhaps the most sear-
ing. At breakfast after Nick's funeral the
principals sit in their friend's bar — the bar
owner who couldn't go, Steven with no
legs, his wife half crazy, Michael alienated
and alone, like Linda. Slowly they sing,
one joining after the other, perhaps the
most moving version of "God Bless
America" ever filmed. The camera pans
back for a tableau of unforgettably shat-
tered lives.

As an example of how war interrupts
lives and creates unhealable wounds. The
Deer Hunter is unsurpassed. It gives war
the human faces of Michael, Nick and
Steven facing torture, mental anguish and
death. It demands that we see the force in-
volved, especially important now as our
country faces a return to conscription.

The Deer Hunter makes us uncomfor-
table, almost sick. But when the pain sub-
sides we realize how much we need that
kick, n

Steve Simmons is a Brethren Volunteer Service
worker serving as editorial assistant with Messenger
stall.

o) (o

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• The deliberations of a long, hard winter are over . . . that which was dead has come
to life . . . the trees that stood as stark and inky sentinels through the whiteness of winter
have exploded into a miraculous spectrum of greens.

Process theology becomes a reality as we daily witness the flux, the beginning again,
the scintillating movements of an ever-changing, ever-dying, ever-born-again creation . . .
suggestive of our own renascence in Christ. The Creator as exterior decorator has done it
again, and as I ponder the painful, poignant beauty that surrounds me, questions arise.

There is another side of the coin . . . mysteries of beauty no more abound than
mysteries of ugliness. To juxtapose that which is right with the world against that which is
wrong with the world is in itself a perturbing procedure. Alfred North Whitehead once
suggested that we confine evil to its rightful place, the realm of mystery, but for Christians
that is not totally satisfying. We want to meet the powers of darkness head on, to wrestle
and do battle with evil and injustice. Believing that the sacredness of life points us to a uni-
versal human value of respect for the individual, we hasten to be on the side of the angels
... on the side of human rights ... on the side of alleviation of hunger ... on the side of
the peaceable kingdom. We are heartened by occasional victories of love, and es-
chatologically we look forward to one great overwhelming victory of love when "the king-
doms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall
reign forever and ever." Amen.

• In times like this when I am weighed down on every side by a universe invaded by in-
justice, my mind and heart live under protest but that is not enough. My ears must be at-
tuned to God's call, my eyes open to the injustices around me, my feet willing to march in
protest, my hands ready to bind up the wounds of the world, and my spirit courageous
enough to heed these messages.

• A Dutch minister in Florida remembers the winter of 1944 in Holland when he was
totally preoccupied with hunger. Anthony Van Ham says, "As easily as Esau sold his birth-
right for a pottage of lentils and a piece of bread would I have sold my soul for the same.
We must all fight the great enemy, hunger, and eradicate it from the face of the earth.
Because hunger not only kills the physical body by starvation, but also kills what is most
precious and eternal in the sight of God — the spirit of man."

• The "bizarre bazaar" of sophisticated weapons of destruction that took place in
Rosemont, III., in February reminded all of us that we must redouble our efforts to create a
peaceful world. The obscenity of the marketplace has never been more pronounced . . . the
sellers of death more callously obvious. The Prince of Peace must have wept over Rose-
mont, and his tears join the tears of thousands of our brothers and sisters to create a river
of protest against the blatant sin of war.

• Pilgrim saw injustice close up between her junior and senior years of college. She
spent the summer as physical education director at the Kansas State Industrial School for
Girls. As a sheltered Brethren, her mind and heart were scarred by the violence, the cruelty,
the language, the hopelessness of the 100 girls incarcerated there — even as the young
prisoners were scarred physically by masochistic prison culture. Christ's words. "I was in
prison and ye visited me not," always bring visions of those tormented faces — young girls
who could only look forward to a lifetime of prison living.

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Wanda Will Button: Les
Miserables by Victor Hugo; People Making by Virginia Satir; Testament of Devotion by
Thomas Kelly. De Witt M'i\\e.T: Reasons of the Heart by iohx\Dux\x\t; The Other Side of Silence
by Thomas Kelsey; On Being a Christian. The Church and Signposts for the Future by
Hans Kiing.

See you on the journey. — pkh

May 1979 MESSENGER 39

Sounding the call for a

The Upside-Down Kingdom, by Donald B
Kraybill, Herald Press, Scottdale 328 pages
Softback S5 95
The Predicament of the Prosperous, by

Bruce C Birch and Larry L Rasmussen. The

Westminster Press, Philadelphia 21 2 pages

Softback S4 95

The Global Connection: Local Action for

World Justice, by Dennis E, Shoemaker,

Friendship Press, New York, 142 pages

Softback S3 95

I Believe in Justice and Hope, by Pedro

Casaldaliga, Fides/Claretian. Notre Dame

232 pages Softback, $5,95

by Fred W. Swartz

Four books on justice! I didn't have time
to take this assignment, I should have
gotten someone else to do it, and yet there
was the compelling feeling that 1 needed it.
I suspected that my own sense of justice is
rather shallow. Sure, 1 believe in justice; I
obey all the traffic laws and drive 55 mph
or less. 1 pray for those who are criminals
just the same as 1 pray for those who
aren't. 1 turn out the lights when 1 leave a
room and 1 keep our home thermostat on
68. 1 believe in justice!

It is that kind of shallow involvement
that these books painfully challenge.

Donald B. Kraybill teaches sociology at
Elizabethtown College. A IMennonite and
former pastor, he disdains any distinction
as a theologian, but his astuteness as a
biblical scholar is convincingly evident in
The Upside-Down Kingdom.

Centering in on the Kingdom of God, or
the life and order intended by God for his
human family, Kraybill's thesis is that the
Kingdom of God is an inverted or upside-
down way of life in contrast to the typical
kingdoms of this world or the prevailing
social order. Everything is topsy-turvy in
the community championed by Jesus'
teaching and actions: the good guys are
labeled the bad guys, the least are the
greatest, the enemy is blessed, not cursed.
IVIary, pregnant with "the one who was
to come," anticipates in song the upside-
down surprises the IVlessiah would bring:
the scattering of the proud, the humbling
of the mighty, the exaltation of the op-
pressed, the satiation of the hungry and
the emptying of the rich (Luke 1:49-53).
Jesus himself begins his ministry by

successfully rejecting the temptation to es-
tablish his own authority and accomplish
the purpose for which he was sent through
the methods of temporal kingdoms, that is,
political, religious and economic power —
the Right-Side-Up Kingdom. In each case
Jesus recognized the tempter's offer as only
a temporary solution to the problems of
the human situation.

But Kraybill shows that Jesus' mission
was actually rooted in the Hebrew year of
Jubilee, the faith conviction that periodi-
cally both persons and land must be
set free and renewed. Every seventh year,
the land was left fallow, prisoners were re-
leased, debts were forgiven, slaves were set
free. Israel remembered their wholesale
deliverance from Egyptian slavery and for
many years thereafter passed that grace on
to others.

Then comes the author's listing of the
marks of the Jubilee Kingdom and its
Christian servants: a self-chosen poverty in
order to share wealth with others, a piety
that is rooted in love and not law or social
custom, a rejection of violence and
reciprocity in relationships, a refusal to put
people in distinctive boxes, a denunciation
of any form of social stratification in-
cluding distinctions of title, jobs and
remuneration.

In introducing the reader to the Upside-
Down Kingdom Kraybill points out the
social temptations of contemporary life
that easily lure us toward allegiance to the
temporal kingdoms. For example, we may
smugly feel we are "doing justice" by giving
to charity a tithe of our income while living
on the other nine-tenths much more com-
fortably than 95 percent of the world's
population.

Discussion questions at the end of each
chapter make The Upside-Down Kingdom
a recommended study for small groups or a
retreat theme.

The Predicament of the Prosperous is
another treatment of the inequity between
the world's rich and poor. Again using
biblical images and concepts throughout,
the authors, both professors at Wesley
Theological Seminary, speak pointedly to
the relationship of the most prosperous na-
tion in the the world, America, and the
crisis in resources — specifically energy,
food and environment — that threatens the

global community.

The opening chapter exposes the
American arrogance, characterized by the
watchword of the Kennedy years, "The
New Frontier," which boasted of unlimited
achievement through space-age technology.
But the new surge for affluence and power
was sidetracked by economic, environmen-
tal and political limits. With the increase
of material abundance and indulgence the
quality of life actually decreased. The rich
got richer and the poor poorer and the in-
terdependence of people in the global com-
munity made the gap all the more
pronounced.

Birch and Rasmussen document the in-
equities between the First and Third
Worlds with convincing statistics and they
lay the burden for closing that gap squarely

Many believe they
have an inherent
right to the American
dream . . . that
America has a
theological claim to
its prosperity.

upon the American nation, and more
specifically, American Christians.

Christianity in America according to
Birch and Rasmussen has tended to skirt
responsibility for issues of ethics and
justice by "spiritualizing" the material and
confining religion to an individual ex-
perience. "We can spiritualize the biblical
references to the poor and, at the same
time, underwrite religiously the materialism
of the rich." "In the face of demands to
change the systems that allow or effect
poverty or hunger we can call up pretext or
secularization strains or some combina-
tion of these . . . 'Religion is a person's
own private business and just shouldn't get
all mixed up in politics and economics and
those kinds of things.' With the pre-
text secularization response we might gi\e
generously to special offerings, clothing
drives and relief efforts. But we do not act
corporately ('some might not agree'), nor

40 MrsstNGER May 1979

new Jubilee

do we work at systemic solutions."

To bring about significant change in the
systems and structures that affect the
human situation. American Christians are
called to a change in perception — a change
in how the world is viewed. The discerning
Christian will begin to see that the God of
biblical faith is fundamentally identified
with the poor and dispossessed; that the
world and its inhabitants and properties
are a creation of God, not the possession of
humans or nations; and that God has so
ordered life that each person is promised
freedom, dignity and the satisfaction of
basic needs.

Comparing the American church with
the role of the chosen Hebrew nation in the
Old Testament, the authors find an absence
of a repentant spirit that recognizes our
own part in God's judgment of the human
situation. "Many believe they have an in-
herent right to the American dream in its
most undiluted form, continued and un-
interrupted possibihties for growth,
prosperity and consumption. Many also
believe that America has a theological
claim to its prosperity."

The Global Connection: Local Action for
World Justice is the Christian community's
practical manual for acting in issues of
justice, peace and human suffering.

Shoemaker first helpfully identifies
significant justice ministries as those which
attack the root causes of injustice as op-
posed to merely treating the victims of in-
justice. The first step is becoming aware of
the presence of injustice, which for
Americans, who like to move to three-acre
suburban plots or take Palm Springs
vacations, is no welcomed nor intentional
assignment. Another need is that of having
our perception of neighborhood expanded
beyond our local community or even
national boundaries. Furthermore,
Shoemaker suggests that "if it is global
economic justice we seek, the place to
begin is with a close examination of our
own consumptive patterns and the struc-
tures that foster them."

Each call for action in The Global Con-
nection is illustrated with examples of
programs, both of congregational and
community design, which are working.
There is also an action/ reflection guide in
the appendix which could provide many

months of program agenda for a con-
gregation's witness commission.

A helpful feature of The Global Connec-
tion is the detailed description of Amnesty
International and the Interchurch Center
on Corporate Responsibility, two
organizations seeking to uphold the rights
and dignity of persons and in which
members and program units of the Church
of the Brethren have participated.
Shoemaker also describes how mul-
tinational corporations, many of which are
supported by the investment of Christian
dollars, tend to oppress and exploit
residents of Third World countries.

/ Believe in Justice and Hope is not an
easy book to accept. Bishop Pedro
Casaldaliga, a Claretian missionary and
native of Spain, heads the sparsely pop-
ulated Mato Grosso diocese in Brazil's
Amazon jungles. For 10 years he has been
waging a vigorous campaign against
Brazil's systemic oppression of the poor
and vulnerable. When he arrived in 1968 he
found big land companies conspiring with
officials to establish vast ranches and plan-
tations with total disregard for the human
rights of the Indians and poor settlers
already living there. Peons were brought in
to work the land like slaves. The com-
panies drove their bulldozers and strung
fences where they pleased. Protesters or
those who showed reluctance to move out
of the way were beaten or killed by com-
pany thugs, with police complicity.

/ Believe in Justice and Hope is a chroni-
cle of Casaldaliga 's confrontation with the
oppressors and his identification with the
poor people of the Amazon. Believing that
"you can only be Christian by being a
revolutionary," he celebrated the day of his
consecration as a bishop in 1971 by wear-
ing a villager's straw hat instead of a mitre
and by writing a 123-page documentation
of the injustice and brutality, which he
promptly sent to the exploiters. As a result
his life was threatened and he was placed
under house arrest for awhile.

But while championing with powerful
clarity what the Third World means by
"liberation theology," Casaldaliga is a total
pacifist. And he favors a Utopian socialism,
denouncing both capitalism and com-
munism as sinful, in that they easily yield
to an exploitative stratification of society.

Confronted at once with four formidable
books on justice has been a Jacob-
wrestling for me. I am indicted, convicted
and desirous of a greater commitment to
do justice. But I realize the bottomline is
up to me — will I make it a priority? For I
am still possessed with the paradox of
spending so much time earning the power
and bread that could free me to work at
justice that I do not seem to have the time
to become involved. But as I said — it's up
to me: Do I want to be in or out of the
kingdom? Q

ANNUAL CONFERENCE BULLETINS

Stop by Nampa, Idaho, on way to Seattle.
Hospitality provided June 30-July 2, Coffee
shop marked '/a ml. off Interstate 80 at Exit
38. Lodging or camper/trailer facilities
available. Sunday morning church at 11, In-
quire Nampa Church of the Brethren, 323
11th Ave., S., Nampa, ID 83651. Tel. (208)
466-3321.

Stop by Wenatchee, Wash., on way to Seat-
tle. Sunnyslope congregation offering over-
night lodging or trailer/ camper facilities.
Church providing parking, kitchen, bathing
facilities. 3 hrs. from Seattle. Extra induce-
ment: free cherry picking! Inquire: Sunny-
slope Church of the Brethren, 3330 School
St., Wenatchee, WA 98801. Tel. (509) 663-
5745.

INVITATION — Peace Church of the Brethren
suggests spending time in Portland, Ore.,
"City of Roses." Church near Interstates 5
and 80N. Spend overnight in homes. Church
grounds available for campers, trailers,
tents. Scenic attractions and skiing nearby.
Contact Ed Groff, Peace Church of the
Brethren, 12727 S.E. (Vlarket St., Portland,
OR 97233. (503) 254-6380 or (206) 256-
8550.

Conferencegoers are invited to stop at the
IVIountain View Church of the Brethren, 2823
N. Cole Rd., Boise, Ida., 3 miles north of 1-80,
1 mile north of Hwy. 30, Overnight camping
available at the church. Limited nomes open
to overnight guests. Contact Edith Gauby,
3014 Grandee, Boise, ID 83704.

WANTED — Experienced string and brass
players for Conference ensemble. Will ac-
company congregational singing and choir
anthems. Send name, address, name of in-
strument, date of arrival at Conference. Lois
Schopp, 401 Maryland Avenue, Wenatchee,
W A 98801.

INVITATION— Take the Worthington, IVtinn.,
exit off Interstate 90; spend some time with
Worthington congregation. Free facilities
available for campers at Olsen Park camp-
ground, camp at the rural church or lodge in
congregational homes. Contact in advance
Tim Standafer, 328 Lakehill Dr., Worthing-
ton, (VIN 56187. (507) 372-7215.

May 1979 messenger 41

€(o)ll[U][n!i][n]

by Janine Katonah

The luxury of injustice

"No one will do it."

"What do you mean, Mom?" I ques-
tioned.

"In these days of staggering inflation and
high taxes, no one is going to impose
another tax on themselves, even if it is for
a worthwhile program."

The dialog continued at length as I ex-
plained to my generous, kindhearted
Hungarian mother-in-law the thrust of the
Global Women's Project.

But I believe many in the Church of the
Brethren will choose to witness through the
Global Women's Project and so do the
other persons with whom I serve on the
Global Women's Project Steering Com-
mittee. We have worked on a proposal to
bring before the members of the church
since the project's inception at the Gather-
ing of Church of the Brethren Women at
North Manchester, Ind., in July 1978.

Of the utmost importance in our efforts
to formulate a proposal for the General
Board was the concern for gross overcon-
sumption so prevalent in many areas of
American society and the overwhelming
part this overconsumption plays in
widespread human injustice in the world.

It was during the very moving and
thought-provoking presentation entitled
"Giving Birth to a New World," by
Ruthann Knechel Johansen at the 1978
Women's Gathering, that the painful
realization of our own misuse of resources
hit so hard. Many of us were challenged to
look more closely at our own life-style and
thus the Global Women's Project was
born. In a unanimous vote the women at
the Gathering affirmed the action to
carefully examine our consumer life-style
and to channel through the Global
Women's Project monies that might have
been spent on luxuries or monies generated
by a self-imposed tax on luxuries pur-
chased. These funds would in turn be used
for programs involving and related to
Third World women since there is no

current program aimed specifically at the
needs of women.

Howard Royer, of the Salvation and
Justice Team, arranged the meeting of a
group of six concerned women from the
Gathering with representatives of the Elgin
staff. From the participants of this initial
meeting a design committee was selected to
prepare a proposal for the October 1978
meeting of the General Board — a proposal
that was designed to capture some of the vi-
sion and excitement of the project of those
who had gathered at North Manchester.

Th

he following objectives from the
proposal summarize the manner in which the
Global Women's Project will become a part
of the life of our church:

1 ) To advocate a coordinated educational
strategy through the nurture channels of the
Church of the Brethren (person awareness,
mission education, stewardship education,
communications, district nurture com-
missions and Bethany Seminary).

2) To invite participation in a self-
imposed luxury tax, publicizing such invita-
tion through the communication channels of
the denomination.

3) To support at least two projects that
promote fulfillment and empowerment of
Third World women.

4) To provide at least $10,000 and human
resources as needed for these projects.

5) To advocate for the leadership of Third
World women at Annual Conference, Dis-
trict Conferences and in the program of the
General Board.

Administration of the objectives was in-
cluded in the proposal as was the designation
of a steering committee for the initial two-
year duration of the project. Mary Cline
Detrick, person awareness consultant of the
Parish Ministries Commission, will ad-
minister the project as a member of the steer-
ing committee.

There exist already requests from several

churches and districts within the Church of
the Brethren for materials to begin work on
the Global Women's Project. Thus the steer-
ing committee is preparing a packet of
materials including an audio-visual presen-
tation, brochures, resource materials, and
suggestions for implementation of the proj-
ect to be used by interested resource persons
at the local and district levels. These
materials are designed to inspire workshops
or other church programs aimed at bringing
the Global Women's Project before
members of the church.

Some individuals and churches have
already sent funds to the General Board
designated for the Global Women's Project.
The steering committee is feeling the grow-
ing momentum for this project and wants to
continue to move with it.

We have begun to list ways of increasing
our awareness of luxuries in our own lives.
Couldn't we check our shopping lists for
necessities only, evaluate our wardrobes,
make a tally of the number of cars, tvsets
and appliances we have and re-examine our
style of gift -giving? We will all discover many
more ways to examine our consumer life-
styles. For if we truly believe that our own
overconsumption and misuse of resources
contribute directly to global injustice, then
we can work together to stem the tide of in-
justice in the world. "And God is able to
provide you with every blessing in abun-
dance, so that you may always have enough
of everything for every good work. Thanks
be to God for his inexpressible gift" (2 Cor.
9:8, 15). D

Janine Katonah is a member, since February, of the
Ste^vardship Enlistment Team (SET) of the General Ser-
vices Commission.

42 MESSENGER May 1979

HISTORY
COMES
ALIVE

THE BRETHREN IN THE NEW NATION

and edited by Roger E. Sappington

Compilec

Some people
have thought of the early years of the 19th century as a
"Wilderness period" or the "dark ages" for Brethren. But this
book will shatter that myth. For in the period from 1785-1865
Brethren were busy emigrating, writing, attending Annual
Meetings, publishing periodicals and devotional books,
preaching sermons, testifying for peace before governmental
eaders, debating with and relating to other religious groups, es-
tablishing their first schools, and expanding and building up the
Brotherhood. 496 pages. Cloth, $12.50 plus 15% p&h.

EUROPEAN ORIGINS OF THE BRETHREN -Compiled and edited by
Donald F. Durnbaugh— The beginnings of the Brethren in the early
eighteenth century at Schwarzenau, Germany. Research conducted in
more than one hundred public and private archives, libraries, and
collections in six countries served as a background for the compilation
and writing of the material in this volume. 463 pages. Cloth, $6.95 plus
15% p&h.

THE BRETHREN IN COLONIAL AMERICA -Compiled and edited by
Donald F. Durnbaugh— This book covers the activity of Brethren in the
colonies until the end of the Revolutionary War. There are travel de-
scriptions of ocean voyages to America, accounts of the first baptisms and
love feast at Germantown, reports of the establishment of early churches,
and discussions of relations with other church groups. Attention is given
to the Ephrata movement, to the influence of the Sauer publishing
achievements, to the impact of the American Revolution on the Brethren,

and the doctrinal and devotional writings of the colonial period. 659 pages. Cloth,

$12.50 plus 15% p&h.

COUNTING THE COST -by William G. Willoughby-Although Alexander Mack pre-
ferred not to be known as the founder of the German Baptist Brethren, it is clear that
from his spirit and conviction came the impetus and direction for the family of
churches now commonly referred to as the "Brethren."

"This book," writes Willoughby, "is an interpretation of Mack's life, of the impact
of that life upon many other people, and of the subtle changes he made in his style of
leadership. Throughout his life Mack pursued a dream— a dream which never
dimmed, although his understanding of it was continuously modified by new insight
and experience." $6.95 plus 15% p&h.

THE BRETHREN PRESS

1451 DUNDEE AVE

ELGIN, IL 60120

May 1979 messenger 43

On defensive medicine, name changing,

i

Marge Bhagal

Making a case for
defensive medicine

I would like to give another viewpoint to
Dr. John Scoltock's article, "Look What
the Profit Motive Is Doing to Doctors"
(January Messenger).

The practice of medicine in a developing
country is different from that in an affluent
society. In a poor country diseases are
usually easy to diagnose on symptoms
alone, malaria for example. A large
number of diseases in America are due to
our affluent life-style, such as heart
problems, gall bladder trouble, and ulcers.

Dr. Scholtock is right when he says doc-
tors take more tests than necessary, but the
reason is not profit. The reason is defensive
medicine. One patient in 10.000 may need a
particular test, but should a doctor not
order such a test and get the one in 10,000
he would be sued. Lawsuits come up all the
time because a doctor practicing good
medicine hasn't covered every angle. Until
laws are passed to prohibit suing doctors
who are practicing medicine to the best of
their ability, defensive medicine is
necessary.

I'm surprised that Dr. Scoltock thinks
national health insurance would help. In
countries like England which have such
programs, the standard of medicine has
deteriorated because of government in-
fluence. Let's not let the government do
this to our country. When a bureaucracy
gets involved there seems to always be
bankruptcy (social security system), inef-
ficiency (the postal and welfare systems),
and higher taxes. Let's keep government
out of medicine and keep America free —
working for the ideals this country was
founded on.

If Dr. Scoltock can limit his practice to
35 patients a day he must live in a high

To hold in respect and fellowship those in
the church with whom we agree or disagree
is a characteristic of the Church of the
Brethren. It is to the continuation of this
value, and to an open and probing forum,
that "Opinions" are invited from readers.

physician per capita area, or many people
would not receive needed care. The doctors
in this area work long, hard hours because
there is a need. 1 know of no patient who is
turned away because of inability to pay
and there are plenty of charity cases. We
older idealists know that laws and regula-
tion can't change a man. Living a good ex-
ample, plus a lot of prayer carries a big
weight. The first person who comes to
mind is Mahatma Gandhi who, by the life
he lived, influenced millions.

Come on. Christians, we can do it too.
Let the light shine through you. D

Marge Bhagal attends the Weslaco. Tex. First
Prestiyierian Chureh.

Richard Buckwalter

On our becoming a
'Family of Christ'

1 am writing to say "yea and amen" to two
articles in the February Messenger; the
opinion of Brother Francis Hendricks, "A
Name Capturing Our Wholeness," and the
editorial, "A Name to Set Us Singing."

As half of a co-pastoring couple, I too
have experienced the playful, but still pain-
ful needling received when both my wife
and I introduce ourselves as pastors in the
Church of the Brethren.

The ideals linked to being "Brethren" are
ones that 1 would like to keep, but to be
holistic and inclusive we need to say "The
Church of the Brethren and Sistren" (and
then we would need to pronounce it as
spelled and not as Brethren and Sistern).
But why use the word "church"? It is so
often misunderstood as meaning the
building and not the people as a corporate
body. Instead, let's be clear and talk about
the church house; who would meet there
but the household of God (Eph. 2:19), that
is, those people who belong to the family
of Christ. With this name the word "fami-
ly" affirms the personal vitality of the
brother-sister relationship of Christ.

Furthermore, I suggest that instead of
the word "Brotherhood." which we
generally use to refer to the institutional
side of our life as a church family, we use
the word, "Commonwealth." This would
proclaim the commonwealth that we have

in Christ Jesus, who heralded the advent of
the glorious Commonwealth of God, and
who embodied and inaugurated that com-
monwealth among those who joined his
family. The literal common-wealth (per-
sonal, economic, social) that we are sup-
posed to have in Christ is the style of life
that we gracefully find in his family and the
vision we share with all people in the wider
global family. In addition, the word, com-
monwealth, suggests the political nature
that life together in Christ invariably
assumes (see J.H. Voder's book. The
Politics of Jesus). So, to summarize, in the
family of Christ, our life-style and mission
are shaped by our commitment to be
citizens of the Commonwealth of God. and
by our commitment to be brothers and
sisters in Christ, who began to and con-
tinues to make that Commonwealth flesh
here among us.

So, sisters and brothers. I propose "The
Family of Christ " as a new calling and as a
challenge to our present way of being the
Church. I suggest this name as one
possibilty in the discussion which. I hope,
will help us come to a better under-
standing of ourselves and our disciple-
ship. If that happens, then 1 "will feel
like singing." D

Riihard and .Antia Smiifi Buckwalter are pastors of
the First Church of the Brethren, Lansing, Mich.

Lois Myers

Name change — a
question of priority

If I were honest, I would have to say I'd be
happy to leave the church name as it is.
(See Editorial, February.) We are a small
sect already — change the name and we'd
probably be lost in the ecumenical shuffle!
My real point is that I believe our name, or
changing our name is "one of the least of
these" — What are our priorities anyway?
There are many questions we should ask
oursehes.

We'\e been wrestling with the cost of
Annual Conference and we're going to
spend thousands of dollars arguing a name
change? Maybe set up a study committee
and pay expenses for it to get all over the
countrv to meetings?

44 MHSsrNOKR May 1979

Tod speaking

Maybe we should be asking ourselves
personally and collectively, more vital
questions of life and death, spiritually and
physically. In the following, please see "1"
as the individual Church of the Brethren
and not me personally. Are these questions
we should be asking ourselves and then do-
ing something about them?

How many refugees have my family and
I sponsored in our home during the past
five years? How many refugees has my
church helped resettle during the past five
years? Did I watch the tv special on boat
people? What am I doing about it? What is
my local church doing about it?

Am I fasting a meal a week or 24 hours a
week in order to have more money to work
at hunger problems? How obese am I
physically and in the way in which I use my
(God's) money? What do I encourage my
church to do about world hunger?

We love to glamorize and eulogize
about the simple life as one of the tenets of
Brethrenism. Have I given up any of my
over-consumption? Am I still eating beef
like a hog even though American big
business has bought up hundreds of acres
of land in foreign countries from family
farmers and put them in the streets in order
that 1 can still have my beef — all I can eat?
How have I simplified my life? How has
my church simplified its life? In what ways
have we become less obese? What have we
done to "equalize" opportunity and con-
sumption? Messenger continues to adver-
tise tours well over $1,000 per person.
When I indulge in such a tour do I at least
give an equal amount to the two-thirds of
the world which is hungry, or the one-third
which is starving? How many times do I sit
eating from the fat of the land and then go
outside and say, "Tut, tut, what abject
poverty! Why don't they do something for
themselves?" Or, watch people getting their
day's food from my garbage can? As a
church, we do not live the simple life. We
lie to ourselves and delude anyone who is
gullible enough to believe us.

Do I believe that giving a tenth to the
church is only a beginning? As I become
more committed will I increase my giving?
Do 1 tithe? How many people in my church
tithe? How does my church spend money?
Have we ever reached the Annual Con-

[5)[r(§iy©[f (g@]D#[n](ol(oi[r

One great purpose of prayer on the part of believers is to undergird the work of the
body of Christ. Through prayer, especially intercessory prayer, Christ's followers can
strengthen and promote the activities which make known the truth of Jesus Christ
and demonstrate Christian love to persons in need. Of first importance to the
followers of Christ is that the will of God be done on earth as it is in heaven. This
priority shapes the nature of their work as his servants.

Through prayer, all may participate in the work which Christ is doing in the
world. This participatory praying will support the organized projects and ministries
of the church, the church's various institutions and persons involved in the church's
activities. Those who belong to Christ share his love for all persons. They will also
pray with reference to specific areas of human need, whether caused by injustice,
poverty, war or natural calamities.

You are invited to suggest items to the Prayer Calendar for inclusion. Such
items should express concerns wider than local ones. Prayer for persons or programs
known only for a particular congregation may perhaps be most effectively made
within the congregation where the needs are best known. Send items to "Prayer
Calendar," Parish Ministries Commission, Church of the Brethren General Offices,
1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120. The editor of the Prayer Calendar, Glen
Norris, will give consideration to all requests submitted and will select items for in-
clusion in the monthly prayer list.

May Prayer Calendar

May 6-12: Pray for district executives and the work of their offices, especially the one
in your own district.

Pray for Jean Zimmerman, homemaker from North Manchester, Ind., arrested,
tried and convicted for her peace witness.

Pray for the General Board staff, meeting in Elgin May 9.

May 13-19: Pray for those who work in Brethren retirement homes.

Pray for Flossie and Ralph Royer and their agricultural and community work in
Niger. (See Messenger, June 1978, page 30, and December 1978, inside front cover.)

May 20-26: Pray that the concerns of the New Call to Peacemaking Conference held
last October may be taken seriously and acted upon by the peace churches repre-
sented and by Christians everywhere. (See Messenger, December 1978, page 24.)

Pray for Mona Lou Teeter and her work at Aide-aux-Enfants in Haiti.

Pray for programs and projects designed to help to achieve the objectives of the
International Year of the Child. (See Messenger, January 1979, page 10; April 1979,
page 32.)

May 27-June 2: Pray for the delegates to Annual Conference as they prepare to face
the issues in the Conference agenda.

Pray for fruitful and committed work ministering to the oppressed and witness-
ing for the cause of justice.

Glen \ orris is a former missionary tt> Scandinavia and a retired editor of Church o/ the Brethren Sunday
school puhticalions.

May 1979 messenger 45

ference suggested goal of 50-50? Are we
working at it? Have we set up a formula
which will help us get there?

How do I furnish my home? How many
rooms "sit" most of the time? Dishwashers?
Luxurious this and more luxurious that?
What does my personal wardrobe look
like? The simple life? What about my per-
sonal habits? How much do I spend on
candy, cigarettes, liquor, gum, junk food?

Conclusion? If we delude ourselves into
believing that the changing of our
denominatinal name can rank as a top
priority for individual members of the
denomination or the denomination itself, I
feel sorry for us.Q

Lois Myers is a member of the Ciiy Church of the
Brethren, Ooshen, Ind.

J. Richard Greene

If they hadn't
heeded Jonah

The January Messenger editorial men-
tioned. "Run from those who announce
that God told me to do this and that."
Don't we believe that God speaks to man
today? The Scriptures say that "I am the
same yesterday, today and forever." Are
people being told to run from someone to
whom God has given a direct order? 1
wonder what would have happened if the
people hadn't listened to Jonah when God
gave him an order for the people to repent?
I think back to Noah's day when the peo-

CLASSIFIED ADS

TRAVEL-Juniata College Tours. 1979:
ALASKA-11 days (June 22-July 2) before
Seattle Annual Conference, and 14 days im-
mediately after (July 8-July 21). Includes In-
land Water Passage Cruise, two-day mini-
tour Seattle-Victoria-Vancouver possible
before 11 day tour and after 14-day tour.
1980: Oberammergau Passion Play, follow-
ing Pittsburgh Annual Conference, 14 days.
Includes Bavaria, The Alps, Rhine Cruise,
Berlin, and Prague. June 30 departure.
Harold B. Brumbaugh, host conductor. Infor-
mation: Weimer-Oller Travel, 405 Penn
Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652. Tel. (814)
643-1468.

TRAVEL— Pastors and persons interested in
conducting your own Tour Group to any
place in the world — let us assist you m plan-
ning and quote you a price. We specialize in
the Middle East, Turkey, Greece, and Italy.
We also have available 9-day Post-Confer-
ence Tours to Hawaii from Pittsburgh and
Chicago. Cost $639 from Pittsburgh and
$599 from Chicago. This includes air fare to
Seattle and return. Also, travel with us and
Anna Mow to the Passion Play at Oberam-
mergau, Germany, July 1980. Visit Schwar-
zenau, birthplace of the Brethren. Spend 15
days touring Europe on our Brethren
Heritage Tour. (15-day European Tour
$1499.) Limited number of tickets available.
Contact us: Bohrer Tours, Inc.— Joan and
Wendell Bohrer, 96 Penrod, Johnstown, PA
15902. (814) 538-1811 or (814) 266-2629.

TRAVEL— Scandinavian 15-day tour in-
cluding Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and im-
portant sites in Holland and Germany,
August 7, 1979. 15 day Alpine countries and
Oberammergau Passion Play July 15, 1980.
Inquire immediately for Passion Play reser-
vations. Write for brochure: Rev. Richard C.
Wenger, 314 E. Washington St., Huntington,
IN 46750. (219) 356-7983 collect.

TRAVEL — Continuing Educational Tours.
1979: Alaska. 14 days, July 8-July 21. Travel
immediately after Annual Conference from
Seattle, Wash. Featuring: Anchorage-Fair-
banks-Glacier Bay-Inside Passage Cruise.
1980: Eastern European Highlights-
Featuring: West and East Germany-Holland-
Czechoslovakia-Austria. Tickets to the Ober-

ammergau Passion Play are included. Depar-
ture: July 8, 1980, from Cleveland, Ohio.
Tickets are in great demand; register early.
Brochures available. Clergymen and
teachers are invited to be Tour Hosts. Rev.
Raymon/AnnaBelle Eller, experienced coor-
dinators. 358 Selden Ave., Akron, OH 44301.
(216) 724-9595.

TRAVEL— Air-conditioned bus tours to 1979
Annual Conference in Seattle. After Con-
ference return home via Canadian Rockies
or go on to Alaska. Write Dr. J. Kenneth
Kreider, R.D. #3, Box 660, Elizabethtown, PA
17022.

WILDERNESS BEACH ADVENTURE-July 8-
17, 1979. Hike the West Coast Trail on Van-
couver Island British Columbia (part of the
new Canadian Pacific Rim National Park). 44
miles of beaches, tidal pools, headland, In-
dian villages, seals, shipwrecks, clams, light-
houses, and waterfalls along the Pacific
Ocean. Trip begins and ends in Seattle. Cost
of $115 includes all transportation, most
food, and all group equipment. Limited to 12
participants. Experienced leadership. For
more information write Kent Verbeck, Route
4, Box 60-A, Cle Elum, WA 98922.

Christ's rule encompasses every aspect of
life. He IS gathering a community and lead-
ing it himself. Publishers of Truth, 1 S 147
Third St., Lombard, IL 60148.

FOR SALE— 'The 25th Anniversary Cook-
book" published by The Brethren Home
Auxiliary, New Oxford, Pa., at $8.75 plus
$1.25 for postage and handling. Loose-leaf
book; over 1,000 tried and tested recipes.
Order from The Brethren Home, c/o Milton
E Raup, Box 128, New Oxford, PA 17350.

ROMANS 12:13— "Share your belongings
with your needy brothers and sisters, and
open your homes to strangers" (TEV). Oppor-
tunity: Live and work in Denver area, and live
in a "hospitality house" type living situation.
Would involve sharing a large home with two
or three other persons who live there and
take in clients as "guests" in a temporary
emergency situation. For more information,
write to: Hospitality House Project, 2025 W.
Mississippi, Denver, CO 80223.

pie ran and laughed at him when they
should have stood still and listened. I, also,
think of the many men and women of to-
day to whom God has given a message to
give to his other children. Many of these
receivers are disobedient, and they end up
with problems and situations in their lives
that would never have happened if they
would have listened to that still small voice
of God.

People all around the world are aware
that God has laid a project on the hearts of
the little Church of the Brethren here in
Frostburg. Md. He spoke to them through
me as their pastor. We are to tell the peo-
ple in the world that God loves them, that
Jesus is coming soon, and that we are to
rebuild Noah's Ark as a sign of his soon
return. Why would one of our Brethren
leaders ask people to run away from those
to whom God has given a message?

We here at Frostburg praise God for
literally over a thousand decisions made
for Christ across the country. These people
came to know Christ as their Lord and
Savior because of the rebuilding of Noah's
Ark as our church building. We knew
when we began the project that many peo-
ple would not understand; but we feel that
God has spoken, and we are trying to be
obedient to his still small voice. We thank
God that there have been some running,
not away from God's message, but to
Jesus Christ as Lord of lords and King of
kings. This turning to Jesus Christ as Lord
and Savior is what it is all about. If we
aren't willing to publish, preach and teach
about the Lord's love and his soon return,
then 1 think we are in the wrong business.

I, too, disagree with the cults and the
people's temples and the Jim Joneses that
are being raised up "in these the last days."
The Bible, however, says that there will be
false teachers, that there will be a falling
away, that there will be people claiming to
be Jesus Christ . . . but you can't always
compare those with God's chosen people.
As I would not put the Messenger editor
in the same category as a pornographic
publisher or editor so he should not put
someone whom God has dealt with in the
same category as a cult leader.

We want everyone to know that we, the
Frostburg Church of the Brethren, do not
always agree with what is done in our
General Offices in Elgin, 111., but we still
support and pra\ for our leaders, asking
God's Holy Spirit to be poured out in a
mighty way in their lives so they will do the
will of the Lord. We will pray that they will
do the same for us. D

J. Richard Greene is pastor of the Frostburg iUd.j
Church of the Brethren.

46 MESSENGER Mav 1979

t^y[riii)Q(fii(| pmM'.

Brethren Colleges
Abroad

(continued from last month)

To Cheltenham. England.
Spring 1979:

Antick, Bonny L.. Newton.
Mass., University of La
Verne

Bustamante, Ann. Los Ange-
les, Calif., University of La
Verne

Collins, Joe A., Lament, Calif.,
University of La Verne

Dapkiewicz. Diane, Penn-
sauken, N.J.. Elizabethtown
College

Dilling. LaRita, Fort Wayne.
Ind.. Manchester College

Garber, Julie L., North Man-
chester. Ind., Manchester
College

Groves, Jeffrey D. . M odesto,
Calif., University of La Verne

Hams. Kim L.. Ontario. Calif.,
University of La Verne

Hawthorne, Lori, Harrisburg.
Pa.. Elizabethtown College

Heinz, Melanie. North Wales,
Pa.. Elizabethtown College

Holle. Paula, Los Angeles,
Calif., University of La Verne

Jones, Lori Jean, Lincoln,
Neb.. University of Nebras-
ka

Liberalori, Kathy. Stowe, Pa.,
Elizabethtown College

Miller, Sue E.. Glendora.
Calif.. University of La Verne

Paiko, Karen. La Verne, Calif.,
University of La Verne

Rice, Julia Ann. Pennington,
N.J.. Elizabethtown College

Salazar, Laticia, Pomona,
Calif.. University of La Verne

Schroder, John, Jr.. Wheat-
field, Ind., Manchester Col-
lege

Stemmler, Melissa S., La
Verne. Calif.. University of
La Verne

Stineman, Scott. Wabash, Ind.,
Manchester College

Slong. Debra Ann, Ankeny,
Iowa. McPherson College

Stover, Celia C. Manhattan
Kan., McPherson College

To Marburg. West Germany

Antrim. Barbara J., North
Manchester, Ind., Manches-
ter College

Becker, Jeff. Moumdridge.
Kan., Bethel College

Clemens. Frederick. Goshen,
Ind.. Goshen College

Creed, Elizabeth A.. Lake
View, N.Y.. Allegheny Col-
lege

Denlinger. Joyce. Gordonville.
Pa.. Goshen College

Domke, Gayla. Valparaiso.

Ind.. Manchester College

Dueck, Evelyn, Goshen. Ind..
Goshen College

Eitzen, Dirk W.. Barto. Pa.,
Goshen College

Cingerich. James, Goshen,
Ind,, Goshen College

Gingerich, John, Goshen. Ind.,
Goshen College

Hart. Carol, Hagerstown. Md.,
Juniata College

Hill. Mark. Granville, Pa., Jun-
iata College

Hines, Kristi. La Verne, Calif.,
University of La Verne

Judy, Richard M., Jr., McPher-
sonv Kan., McPherson Col-
lege

Keller, Virginia, North Man-
chester. Ind-, Manchester
College

Kerr, John. Baldwin Park.
Calif., University of La Verne

Landis. Phil. Lititz. Pa., Man-
chester College

Lowe. Nancy, Escondido,
Calif., University of La Verne

Morgan, Robin, Williamsburg,
Pa., Juniata College

Ott. Beverly Jo, Huntertown.
Ind.. Manchester College

Shepard, Lorette S., Portland,
Ore., McPherson College

Thiesen. Maylene. Newton,
Kan.. Bethel College

van Asselt. Allen. McPherson,
Kan., McPherson College

Welch, Beth. La Verne. Calif.,
University of La Verne

To Strasbourg. France:

Boulton. Jeffrey M.. Mount
Joy. Pa.. Juniata College

Cressman. Howard D.. Cam-
bridge. Can.. Goshen Col-
lege

Friesen. Laura J.. Goshen. Ind.,
Goshen College

Fisher, Susan A., Goshen, Ind..
Goshen College

Geiger, Brenda K.. Bechtels-
ville. Pa.. Juniata College

Jordan. Kathleen C. Man-
chester, Md.. Elizabethtown
College

Knuth. Jane L., Manhasset,
N.J., Franklin and Marshall
College

Lindsay, Charlotte F.. Edisto
Island. S.C, College of
Charleston.

Rich. Miriam. Mitaka. Japan,
Goshen College

Schlabach, Esther L.. Goshen
Ind.. Goshen College

Sheets. Mary E., Angola. Ind.,
Ball State University

Smith, Paul H., Easton. Pa..
Juniata College

Springer, Joseph A.. Goshen,
Ind.. Goshen College

Stuart Diane V.. Altoona, Pa.,

Juniata College

To Strasbourg. France. Spring
1979:

Mull, Minday. Michigan City,
Ind.. DePauw University

Segall. Jacqueline, Surf City.
N.J., Elizabethtown College

Sizer, Teresa, St. Joe. Mich..
DePauw University

Snyder. Durfee L.. Green Cas-
tle, Ind., DePauw University

Licensing/
Ordination

Albright, Robert H.. licensed
Jan. 28. 1979. Pottstown. At-
lantic Northeast

Grout, Paul E.. ordained Jan.
21. 1979. Sugar Ridge. Mich-
igan

Hosier, Glenn Richard, li-
censed Jan. 28. 1979.
Chiques, Atlantic Northeast

Pastoral
Placements

Anderson, ^Imer E. Jr., to Elli-
cott City, Mid-Atlantic, part-
time

Duffey. Scott Lee, from
Bethany Seminary, to Long
Green Valley. Mid-Atlantic

Fryman, Robert, from Pots-
dam. Southern Ohio, to
Eversole. Southern Ohio

Long, Kenneth G., from retire-
ment, to South Mill Creek.
West Marva

Miller, Jerry, from secular, to
Fresno, associate pastor. Pa-
cific Southwest

Mover. Richard A., from Evan-
gelical Congregation. Am-
bler, Pa., to Quakertown, At-
lantic Northeast

Ringeisen, Garold D., from sec-
ular, to Pittsburg,
South/ Central Indiana, in-
terim part-time

Rodabaugh, Stanley, from sec-
ular, to Bethel Center.
South/Central Indiana

Wampler. David, from retire-
ment, to Arcadia, Flor-
ida/Puerto Rico

Wedding
Anniversaries

Alexander. Mr. and Mrs. John.

Middletown. Ind.. 57
Baker, Mr. and Mrs. Ottis.

Friedens. Pa., 58

Barnhart, Mr. and Mrs.

Everett. Delphi. Ind.. 60
Barnhart, Mr. and Mrs. Frank.

Delphi. Ind., 62
Bohn, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde M.

Sr.. Frederick, Md., 60
Boorigic. Mr. and Mrs. Ed. In-
dependence. Kan.. 50
Cayford. Mr. and Mrs. Frank,

Glendale. Calif,. 50
Cooper. Mr. and Mrs. Edward

G.. Medway, Ohio. 55
Dearth, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph.

Uke Placid. Fla.. 50
Grone. Mr. and Mrs, Harold.

Davenport, Neb.. 55
Holsinger, Mr. , and Mrs.

Cletus. New Hope, Va.. 62
Holsinger, Mr. and Mrs. Emra.

Quakertown, Pa., 56
Hoover, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey.

Lebanon. Pa.. 60
Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. James.

Oakland. Md.. 64
Koontz, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph,

Johnstown, Pa., 54
Kreider. Mr. and Mrs. Clay-
ton, QuarryviUe. Pa., 50
Lanter, Mr. and Mrs. Herb,

Cerro Gordo. 111., 59
Maust. Mr. and Mrs. J. W.,

Bruning, Neb., 60
Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Charles,

Tucson. Ariz., 50
Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence,

Ashland. Ohio. 58
Poore, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd,

Anderson, Ind., 50
Rolle. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest.

Lacey. Wash.. 65
Schlotman. Mr. and Mrs. Sam.

Waterloo, Iowa. 50
Traughber, Mr. and Mrs. Earl.

Decatur. III.. 52
Weaver, Mrs. and Mrs, Levi,

South Bend, Ind., 50
Whitehead, Mr. and Mrs. Glen.

New Paris. Ind., 60
Young, Mr. and Mrs. .Sam.

Ashland. Ohio, 54

Deaths *

A>ers, Pearl Homes. 92. Hia-
leah. Fia., Jan. 25. 1979

Baugher. Joseph M.. 89. York,
Pa., Dec. 25, 1978

Beck, Esther M., 75. York. Pa.,
July 19, 1978

Beeghly. Hugh F.. 66. Bruce-
ton Mills. W. Va., Dec. 3.
1978

Bense, William H. Sr.. 69.
Windber, Pa., Dec. 1, 1978

Brower. F. Donald, 54, Flora.
Ind.. Jan. 19, 1979

Brumbaugh. Susie. 86. Green-
ville, Ohio. Feb. 15, 1978

Cox. Kenton M.. 84. Lancas-
ter. Pa., Dec. 20. 1978

Dellenger, Jacob. 73. New Cas-
tle. Ind.. Jan, 1. 1979

Fike, Floyd A.. 68. Metamora.
Ohio. Jan. 15. 1979

Fike. Ruby Virginia. 54, Raw-
lings. Md.. Dec. 16. 1978

Garber, Almeta. 57. East Pe-
tersburg, Pa.. Nov. 20. 1978

Geisewile. Ernest H., 75. East-
ville. Pa.. Jan. 15. 1979

Gunn, Miriam. 88, Tampa,
Fla.. Dec. 30. 1978

Hangey. Benjamin L.. Quaker
town. Pa.. July 28. 1978

Harris, Charles Everett. 50,
Weverton, Md.. Jan. 20. 1979

Hartsough, Clara Culler. 88
North Manchester. Ind.. Jan
29, 1979

Hiteshew, Christina M.. 90
Trevose. Pa.. Dec. 23, 1978

Jackson, John R., 87, Galax
Va., Jan. 8. 1979

Johnson, Thermal F., 72. Ea-
ton. Ohio. Dec. 30. 1978

Krall. Irvan, Anderson, Ind..
Dec. 22, 1978

Lewallen, Thelma. 65. New
Paris. Ind.. Jan. 29, 1979

Mohler. Miriam K., 62. New
Carlisle. Ohio. Jan. 14. 1979

Moore. Mvrtle A.. 85. Wind-
ber. Pa.. Jan. 18. 1979

Mullendore, Nellie Lucille. 77,
Rohrersville. Md.. Dec. 30.
1978

Ne(T. Bessie Cripe. 95. New
Paris. Ind,. Jan. 27, 1979

Netzley. Lula M., 91. Green-
ville". Ohio. Jan. 19. 1979

Sanger. William H.. 97. Bridge-
water. Va.. Jan. 26. 1979

Sines. Dorothy M.. 75. Flora.
Ind.. Jan. 2l'. 1979

Spider, Earl. 70. Phillipsburg.
Ohio. Jan, 28. 1978

Stubbs, Raymond. 71. Piqua,
Ohio. Dec. 26. 1978

.Swisher, Mildred Lucille. 75,
Cape Coral, Fla.. Dec. 22.
1978

Thompson, Martha E.. 76, Hol-
lidaysburg. Pa.. Jan. 23. 1979

Wagner. Oda Oneida. 92. Cer-
ro Gordo, ill.. Jan. 16. 1979

Wilson. Fonda. 80. Greenville,
Ohio. Nov. 11. 1978

Winter, Roger. 47. South Bend.
Ind., Jan. 5, 1979

Wolfe. Raphael. 65. Glendora.
Calif.. Nov. 18. 1978

Workman, Luther. 68, North
Manchester. Ind.. Dec. 30.
1978

Young. Leonard, 82. Bellefon-
laine. Ohio. Nov. I. 1978

Zook, Emma L., 81 . Littitz.
Pa., Dec. 23. 1978

May 1979 messenger 47

The world is larger than our hearts

The signing of the Israeh-Egyptian peace treaty,
not in Jerusalem or Cairo or on the banks of the
Suez Canal, but in Washington, D. C, with Jim-
my Carter as a witness, underscores a fact of life
for today's world: We live in a global village and
we can no longer, as persons or as nations, go our
separate ways.

William Silverman writes of a farmer whose
small son toddled off into the wheat field while his
mother was busy with kitchen chores. When he
was missed, the mother searched for him in vain.
The father and the farmhands joined her. Even-
tually the whole community turned out, everyone
running to and fro in desperation. Finally, at
someone's suggestion, the crowd formed a gigan-
tic circle round the wheat field and marched
toward the center, covering every inch of ground.
The boy was found, dead. In anguish, his father
cried out, "God, why didn't we join hands before
it was too late?"

Silverman goes on to say, "We can no longer
afford the luxury of going our separate ways. We
must not incur the guilt that will rest on each of
us, if after the destruction of human lives, our
Father in heaven should look upon the lifeless
bodies of his children and ask us why, despite our
differences, we did not join together before it was
too late."

We live, in the words of Alexander Mack's
hymn, in a " . . . time so urgent, which God gives
us only once." The question is whether we can be
made to feel that urgency to act as a global com-
munity of God's children before it is too late to
achieve the vision we have received for peace and
justice for all humankind.

A Jew in Hitler's Germany was trying
desperately to emigrate, but was being thwarted
by a Nazi travel agent who pointed out immigra-
tion restrictions no matter where the Jew pointed
on the globe. Finally the would-be emigrant cried
out, "Haven't you got another globe?"

We don't have another globe. We have to
work with the one we have. In Zechariah, God
shares a vision of a new day, a day in which
"every one of you will invite his neighbor under
his vine and under his fig tree," a time of justice
and peace, a time when Jerusalem, the embodi-
ment of the envisioned kingdom, will be
"inhabited as villages without walls," and God will

be the glory in it.

Empowerment for achieving that vision
comes from the faith we have in the means God
puts at our disposal: "Not by might, nor by
power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts"
(Zech. 4:6).

Brethren have demonstrated how in love and
non-violence that Spirit can work. When we
marched hand-in-hand with Martin Luther King
Jr., we saw that Spirit at work. When we said
"No!" to the Vietnam War, our voice found its
force through the Spirit. I felt that Spirit per-
sonally at the recent Rosemont Arms Bazaar,
when we effectively protested an exhibition of war
weaponry and technology (See April Messenger,
"The Arms Bazaar That Bombed").

Somehow, Brethren have to move beyond
their role of merely being the occasional witness
to peace and justice. The time is so urgent that we
call ourselves and the whole world to accept the
concept of a global village, where each of us bears
responsibility to see that not just ourselves, but
our neighbors may sit under their vine and fig
tree, at peace and unafraid.

In his play, "Abraham Lincoln," John Drink-
water has the Civil War President grieving after a
Union victory in which 2,700 Southern soldiers
and 800 Northern soldiers were killed. Lincoln ex-
claims, "Thirty-five hundred lives!" A friend
remonstrates, "You mustn't talk like that, Mr.
President, there were only 800 that mattered."
Lincoln responds slowly, "Madam, the world is
larger than your heart."

Th

he time is so urgent to see that as Arabs,
Christians and Jews are joined through a common
scriptural heritage, so are they and all the world's
peoples joined as heirs to God's love and his vi-
sion of peace and justice for his children.

Sisters and brothers, the world is larger than
our hearts. In the words of the hymn, "This Is My
Song," no matter how wrapped up we are in a
narrow-minded concept of being God's chosen
people, "... other hearts in other lands are
beating, with hopes and dreams as true and high
as mine." — Steve Simmons

BySer Sieve Simmons serves as an editorial assistant on the
Messenger staff.

48 MESSENGER Mav 1979

^HERALD PRESS:

Books for families growing in tlie Kingdom

\

MAKING DECISIONS:
A GUIDE FOR COUPLES

by David R. Leaman

Carefully drawing from both
biblical and psychological perspec-
tives, the author provides clear advice
on making the right kinds of deci-
sions for families today.
Paper, $2.95, in Canada $3.40.

PEER COUNSELING
IN THE CHURCH

by Paul M. Miller

Carefully describes the attitudes
and skills laymen in the church will
need to assist one another in growth-
type counseling, especially as it
relates to vocations, preparation for
marriage, and problems within
marriage.
Paper, $4.95, in Canada $5.75.

SPIRIT FRUIT

by John M. Drescher

Explores the meaning of the fruit
of the Holy Spirit, reviews how it
appeared in Christ's life, and suggests
how it finds expression today. Reveals
the importance of love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faith-
fulness, gentleness, and self-control
in our everyday life. Short chapters
make excellent daily meditations.
Paper, $5.95, in Canada $6.90.

CAUGHT IN
THE CROSSFIRE

by Levi Keidel

This fast-paced novel presents a
church caught in a carefully woven
net of organized violence. How are
believers in Africa coping with
tribulation today?
Paper, $5.95, in Canada $6.90.

PAUL AND ALTA

by Phyllis Pellman Good

Here is living wisdom shared by a
couple who have been together for
over 60 years. Much is written today
of growing older as decline and
depression. The joy, happiness, and
humor which comes through the
text and the warm, delightful photo-

At Your

Local Bookstore

ow5^'"

graphs will be an inspiration to

Christians everywhere.

Paper, $7.95, in Canada $9.20.

MORE-WITH-LESS
COOKBOOK

by Doris Longacre

Nearly 200,000 families have
discovered that there is a way to
more responsible living and eating
that brings more fun and more enjoy-
ment to the whole family while
consuming less of the world's valu-
able food resources. Over 500
recipes to help achieve this goal.
Wi rebound, $6.95, in Canada $8.05.

For Children:

KEN'S HIDEOUT

by Dorothy Hamilton

The story of why Ken Laine,
12-years-old, ran away from home
and how Mr. Trent, an old friend,
helped Ken begin to put his life back
together again. For 9-to-14-yaar-olds.
Paper, $2.50, in Canada $2.90.
Hardcover, $3.95, in Canada $4.60.

TOM AS AND THE
TALKING BIRDS

by Ruth Nulton Moore

Tomas moves from Puerto Rico
to a steel town in the U.S.A. Life in
America is strange for the Spanish-
speaking boy until he meets Mr. Sam,
who owns a pet shop. Tomas is

fascinated with the talking birds in
the shop and when he tries to help a
homesick parrot to speak English, he
solves his own language problems.
For 8-to-1 2-year-olds.
Paper, $2.95, in Canada $3.40.
Hardcover, $3.95, in Canada $4.60.

Available in Spanish, TOMAS Y LOS
P/ijAROSPARLANTES Paper,
$2.95, in Canada $3.40.

AFRICAN FABLES

by Eudene Keidel

Twenty-one authentic African
tales with spiritual truths as used
by Christian preachers and teachers
in Zaire, For parents and Sunday
school teachers of primary-and-junior-
age children.
Paper, $2.50, in Canada $2.90.

Herald Press

Dept. MS.Scottdale, PA 15683
Kitchener, ON N2G 4M5

193rd RECORDED
ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

Join Moderator Warren F. Groff (and several

thousand other brothers and sisters) at the

Coliseum in the Seattle Center, Seattle,
Washington, July 3-8, 1979.

May God's steadfast promise so claim our lives
and corporate structures that we shall be re-
newed in our gratitude as partakers of the
heavenly food, and in our obedience to what God
intends for all creation.

• Tuesday, July 3, Moderator Warren F. Groff, Presi-
dent of Bethany Theological Seminary, will speak at
the opening worship service. Topic: "Heirs Accord-
ing to Promise."

• Wednesday, July 4, Lloyd J. Ogilvie, pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, Hollywood, Calif.
Topic: "The New God for Old Struggles."

• Thursday, July 5, Dramatic Presentation, "Journey of
the Sisters Among the Brethren."

• Friday, July 6, Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, Author
and Professor of English, William Paterson College of
New Jersey. Topic: "The Infinite Dimensions of the
Promise."

• Saturday, July 7, Robert W. Neff, General Secretary,
General Board, Elgin, III. Topic: "How Firm a
Foundation."

• Sunday, July 8, T. Wayne Rieman, North Manchester,
Ind. General Board Member. Topic: "Life! Life! New
Life in Christ."

CHU^|CH OF THE BRETHREN

m(i^t(^M,i

iQ Annual Conference 1979. Steve Simmons, gearing up as editor
of the Conference News in Seattle, previews the business agenda and
program highlights of the 193rd Annual Conference.

^g Warren Groff: Naming his Gifts. Guy E. Wampler Jr. talks

with important people in Warren Groffs Ufe who "named the gifts" of
the future Annual Conference moderator.

20 Returning to Seattle. Kermon Thomasson takes a nostalgic look
at the 1914 Annual Conference — in Seattle.

23 Annual Conference Elections: The Issue of Equitable
Representation, messenger runs the text of an important paper
to be discussed in Seattle.

24 Biblical Authority and Inspiration: Two Views. The

Brethren Revival Fellowship and W. Robert McFadden explore a sub-
ject under debate at this month's Conference.

28 Sorting Them Out in Seattle. To be sure you know you're at
the right conference, we provide a "fieldguide" to the Brethren.

32 Striving for Partnership. Fred W. Swartz interviews the

Stewardship Enlistment Team to understand its conception of what
stewardship should mean for Brethren.

34 Pentecost— Hallelujah! Glenn H. Asquith wonders if Pentecost
could be experienced anew today.

In Touch profiles Jeffrey F. Keuss, Seattle, Wash.; Daniel L. Graybill, Wenat-
chee, Wash.; and Olga Johnson, Boise, Idaho (2) . . . Outlook reports on Three
Mile Island. Greenville Home. Disarmament. Messenger awards. "Discussion
Day." USSR Protestants. Ecumenical links. Holy Spirit Conference. "Life
Lab." Alternative Celebrations (start on 4) . . . Underlines (7) . . . Update
(8) . . . Column, "Cults and Commitment," by Shirley J. Heckman (22) . . .
Prayer Calendar (33) . . . Resources, "Outdoor Ministries," by Walter D.
Bowman (38) . . . Media, "Parceling Out a Scarce Commodity," by Stewart M.
Hoover (40) . . . Pilgrim's Pen (41) . . . Turning Points (45) . . . People &
Parish, stories from Tonasket, Wash.; Rocky Mount, Va.; and Champaign, 111.,
by Fred W. Swartz (46) . . . Editorial (48)

EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Steve Simmons

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Ziegler Biaice

FEATURES

Stewart M. Hoover, Fred W. Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E. Weaver, Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Doris Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K. Thompson

VOL. 128, NO. 6

CREDITS: Cover, 11, 12, 14, 16, 22, 38 Nguyen
Van Gia. 2, 3 left Fred W. Swartz. 5 Warren Day.
6 Grant Holsinger. 18 Kenneth E. Bomberger.
20-21 Donaldson Photo-Art Co. 35 Three Lions.
47 Dennis Brown.

MESSENGER is the official publication of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug. 20, 1918, under Act of Congress
of Oct. 17, 1917. Filing date, Oct. 1, 1978.
Messenger is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service. Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version.

Subscription rates: $6.00 per year for individual
subscriptions: $4.80 per year for Church Group
Plan; $4.80 per year for gift subscriptions; $3.15
for school rate (9 months); life subscription,
$80.00 single, $80.00 couple,. If you move clip

address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change. MESSENGER is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission, Church of the
Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee
Ave., Elgin, 111. 60120. Second-class
postage paid at Elgin, 111., June 1979. Copyright
1979, Church of the Brethren General Board.

CALL 'EM LIKE YOU SEES 'EM

I appreciate the refreshing honesty of the re-
cent editorials in Messenger. I have long felt
that a lot of us in the Church of the Brethren are
so concerned about possibly hurting or offending
someone that we rarely face each other honestly
and openly. The result, of course, is that people
end up being more hurt because they can sense
that someone doesn't quite approve of or agree
with them, but they aren't quite sure.

Keep on calling 'em like you sees 'em!

Sylvia Eller
Santa Monica, Calif.

THANKS FOR YOUR COURAGE

Each new Messenger is as stimulating and
thought-provoking as the previous one. Thanks
for your courage to speak out on the moral and
spiritual issues of our day through the many
features of the magazine.

The February editorial, "Avoiding Moral
Rigor Mortis," was particularly appreciated. It
was good to read an opposing argument to the
infallibility of a strict interpretation of the Bible.
Life is not now and never has been so simple that
specific verbiage can always be interpreted the
same way for each situation. One must look for •
the Spirit behind the written word to seek direc-
tion. We believe that is what Christ would have :
us do.

Keep this type of editorial coming!

Bill and Lois Grove
Dike, Iowa

HAVE A CONCERN FOR OTHERS

I have read in Messenger about some persons'
concern about the name of the church, the :
Church of the Brethren, as they think it seems to ■
refer to men rather than to women. And I have ■
read many times how the Church of the Brethren
has been one of the first to respond to places of
disaster, such as earthquakes and floods, with
thousands of dollars, food, clothing and work-
ers. Now, to me, the concern for others far •
outweighs the concern for a name.

Does it matter to Christ if we are men or
women, or if we have a certain name? May we ■
not be more concerned about a name than about .
helping those who are in need, whether it be far
away or in our own community?

Christ is the head of the church and man is the ■
head of the home. Yet in union there is strength.
Let us strive to work together for the good of
mankind, and not be divided on such trivial :
things as a name.

Marguerite Snoeberger
Cumberland, Md.

A 100TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE

Thank you for the February editorial callings
for a change in the name of our denomination. I,
too, have shared the warm feelings mentioned
for the name Brethren. But I have come to realize
that the name is not inclusive of the many sisters
in the church.

In addition to the factors mentioned, a look at

official policies also shows many changes in the
role of women in the church. At the time of the
1908 name change, there were still official limita-
tions on women's involvement in the life of the
church. Not only were women not officially per-
mitted to preach or be ministers or deacons; they
could not even break their communion bread to
each other as the men did, but rather had it
broken to them by the officiating ministers.

Since 1908, these official pohcies have all been
changed to include women more fully in the life
of the church, it seems appropriate that our
name also be changed to indicate this inclusion
of the sisters.

1985 will mark the 100th anniversary of
organized women's work in our denomination.
In 1885 women led a prayer service in support of
missions at Annual Meeting; local women's mis-
sionary societies were organized that same year.
It would be fitting to begin the process of chang-
ing our name to recognize the contributions of
the many sisters down through the years as we
look toward that 100th anniversary. It would be
meaningful tribute to them to complete the proc-
ess by that time. May the process continue to
fruition.

Pam Brubaker Lowe
Springfield, Ohio

A WELL-ORGANIZED MINORITY

Shame on the peace people! They exploited the
February Rosemont arms bazaar!

Their effective protest at the O'Hare Interna-
tional Exposition Center at Rosemont, III.,
verified fears aired by John M. Fisher, presi-
dent of the American Security Council. An arti-
cle, "The Disarmament Lobby" by Fisher ap-
peared in the November 1978 issue of the
American Legion Magazine. In the article he
hsted members of the disarmament group. Cited
were many fine groups, including the Church of
the Brethren.

Fisher summed up the situation with the
following:

"Why is this sohd majority view ignored while
the United States continues unilaterally to cut
back its defenses? The single most important rea-
son is that the minority of Americans who favor
unilateral disarmament are well organized and
the majority who favor military superiority are
not."

Praise the Lord for the well-organized minor-
ity at "Defense Tech" in Rosemont! Even the
Rosemont chief of police admitted, "You people
won!" Who can say now that churches neither
get involved nor make any impact on society?
Catharine Strahm
Topeka, Kan.

A QUESTION OUT OF THE CLOSET

My thanks to Duane Ramsey for his book
review in March. Annual Conference delegates
will need information from a variety of sources
in their struggle to adopt a report on human sex-
uality.

1 hope the rational consideration within the

context of the teachings of Jesus will prevail in
these deliberations. Questions regarding sexual
expression and activity will not be closed at this
Conference; rather, these discussions indicate
that the Church of the Brethren has brought
these questions "out of the closet." Ramsey's ar-
ticle; other articles, opinions and letters in the
Messenger; discussions in local and district
gatherings and the deliberations of Annual Con-
ference contribute to a dialog which reduces our
ignorance in the area of human sexuality.

Richard G. Blouch
Mountville, Pa.

YOUTH STILL SOARING

I just finished playing Andy and Terry Mur-
ray's album, "Good-bye, Still Night," with the
National Youth Conference theme song on it.
While it was playing I relived some of the many
precious moments we experienced at Estes Park
together.

I would like to remind everyone that the spirit
and love we felt there is still ours today if we
simply ask for it in faith. Yes, we are now out of
the mountain, but if Jesus is Lord of our life we
do have the power to fly.

Mark Shetler
Middletown, Pa.

MUST JESUS BE LABELED?

In our modern society we seem bent on pin-
ning labels on everyone — liberal, conservative,
activist, pacifist, fundamentalist, charismatic.
We cannot seem to accept people as creatures of
God's creation possessing many different pat-
terns of thought. Pin a label on everyone and thus
alienate them from a large segment of society.

To my consternation an article in the February
Messenger suggests, in fact argues, that Jesus
was a feminist. In my understanding, the role of
Jesus was not the social liberation of any par-
ticular segment of society. John 3:16 and John
3:17 explain the mission of Jesus not as a social
revolutionist but as savior of all. Quoting John
3:17, "For God sent the Son into the world, not
to condemn the world, but that the world might
be saved through him."

Does writer Scrogin overlook the fact that the
disciples chosen by Jesus were all men? Why not
six men and six women if he really wanted to
shake things up? Or that the characters in most
of the parables used by Jesus in his teaching were
men? The good Samaritan. The prodigal son.
The rich fool. The unjust steward. The rich man
and Lazarus. And more. I do not suggest that
these things make Jesus an advocate of male
supremacy. Neither do I accept the notion that
Jesus was a feminist simply because he offered
help and comfort to women with whom he came
in contact.

Accept Jesus as the gift of God to save the
world from all sin rather than the gift of God to
liberate women. If Jesus must be labeled, I still
prefer Savior to feminist.

Vernon A. Gearhart
McVeytown, Pa.

oXoToY<^ (o

There they stand at the train station in
Seattle, portmanteaus and picnic
hampers in hand, the hardy bunch of
Brethren who made it to Seattle in 1914.
They stand there a silent witness to the fact
that Brethren no more fitted stereotypes in
1914 than they do today. For example, a
glance at the photo reveals a variety of
clothing styles among a group of supposed
conformists.

The huge photo of that gathering 65
years ago, which will be on display at An-
nual Conference this
month, is reproduced
in miniature on page
21-22, accompanying
a nostalgic review of
the event. The review
is part of a package of
materials we have
pulled together to pre-
pare Seattle-bound
readers for this year's
Annual Conference.
Let us know if it has
been helpful.

Well, you have probably been wondering
when Messenger would give in to inflation
and change its subscription rates, joining the
ranks of everything else that hits our pocket-
books these days. Wonder no more. Come
September, we will have new rates which we
hope will not be beyond the reach of our
subscribers.

Here are the new rates: Individual
subscriptions: $7.80 one year; $14.40 two
years; $21 three years; $33 five years. Group
subscriptions: $6.60 per year. Gift subscrip-
tions: $6.60; student subscriptions 50<t per
issue. Your local Messenger representative
will have further details. They were alerted a
few months back. We do not like to make
these changes but we feel sure our readers
will understand.

We have noted in recent months that
readers' response to Messenger has picked
up. We hope that our inference is correct,
that we are stimulating some of you to do
some thinking about your church, your com-
mitment, your involvement, your stance on
issues facing you both as a Christian and as a
global citizen. Not all the mail we receive
pats us on the back, but that is good. Believe
us, we need to live and work under tension,
and so we need feedback. In a recent meeting
of our Communications Team, our resource
person stressed that the most important
thing we could do was to initiate feedback
processes with our readers. Thanks for help-
ing out by writing us. — The Editors

June 1979 MESSENOtR 1

int^C^

David L.Graybill: A* nuts and bolts' ministry

Wenatchee, Wash., is located in
the heart of apple-growing country.
For five months of the year it be-
comes a center of bustling activity
as the cherished fruit is harvested,
packed and shipped all over the
world. Those five months, July to
November, always bring to the
Wenatchee Valley a special group
of people, the migrant workers,
without whom the apple crop
could not be harvested as quickly
nor as efficiently as necessary.

Thirteen years ago the Sunny-
slope Church of the Brethren
established Friendship Center to
care for the personal needs of the
migrants. David L. Graybill, distri-
bution manager for Wenatchee 's
daily newspaper, a lifelong resident
of the area and a deacon in the
Sunnyslope congregation, was one
of those instrumental in getting the
Center going. He has stayed with
the ministry ever since, although he
has seen it evolve into an ecu-
menical venture including several
churches and the Salvation Army.
"Mostly I have helped with the
nuts and bolts, the material aspects
of the center such as locating places
for it each year," he says modestly.
In 1977 he was chairman of the
committee that directs the center.

Friendship Center provides wel-
coming and information services
for migrants who come to the
valley. In 1978 over 4,700 per-
sons were served by this agency.

But Friendship Center is only
one aspect of the quiet, yet far-
reaching ministry of Dave and
Ellen Graybill to others. Dave has
served on the boards of several
community service groups. He and
Ellen, who have five children of
their own, have given material sup-
port and motivational
encouragement to several young

2 Ml SSI \(;i R June 1979

Sunnyslope couples.

Always alert to needs and oppor-
tunities, Dave has a dream for a
new community project. "Back in
the 40s," he explains, "the Breth-
ren Service' Commission bought a
cannery outside Wenatchee and
staffed it with Brethren Service

personnel. It was a wartime project
to help preserve excess fruit and
vegetables grown in the valley. I
remember that our Sunday school
raised tomatoes and canned them
there."

Dave believes the cannery, now
privately owned, could be revived
and set in operation again. "There
is so much food going to waste in
this valley," he laments, "and
nowadays people have more leisure
time to give to worthy projects. I
can imagine there would be some
senior citizens in the area who
would be happy to give volunteer
time." He is "sowing the seeds" for
the project within the ecumenical
group that maintains Friendship
Center.— F.W.S.

Jeff Keuss: Seattle's o:

"M.I.S.— the 'Man in Seattle.'
That's what I'd like to be called,"
said an enthusiastic Jeffrey Keuss,
the on-location coordinator for this
year's Annual Conference. With an
effervescence of spirit that seems to
flow from an unending source, Jeff
talks in glowing terms about the
"welcome" the northwest Brethren
plan for this year's conferencegoers.
"I am very happy that the Confer-
ence will be held here. In the last
ten years, Seattle has come of age
and it is an exciting city. And by
coming here the Brethren will also
see that the church has some
persons who are very dedicated
to a spiritual ministry and
service."

Jeff; his wife, Sandra; and
children, Jeffrey Frank and Jessica,
are a part of Olympic View Church
of the Brethren's fellowship of
dedicated families. Jeff is a deacon
and teaches adult church school
classes. "The church is for me the
third part of my wholeness, the par-
ticipation in the community."

That community aspect of Jeffs
life includes his occupation with
Educational Service District No.
121, for whom he is an admin-
istrative assistant for instruction. He
meets with teachers and ad-
ministrators, parent groups, com-
munity groups and institutions of
higher learning that relate to public
education and attempts to discern
and service any special needs. He
may be called upon to arrange for a
Sesame Street character to visit an
elementary teacher's classroom or to
plan and conduct an in-service re-
treat for 500 teachers. "I am a trou-
ble shooter," he explains, and the
gleam in his eye attests that he loves
it!

Jeff's public school experience
began in Hawaii where he was a

jcation coordinator

high school teacher and counselor.
Later, in Guam, he served as a
junior high principal and negotiator
for the first teachers' labor contract.
He is thoroughly dedicated to the
nurture of children: "My
philosophy is that children are the
next generation, the future of our
country. So spiritually and educa-
tionally they must have the seeds
that will productively grow."

Jeffs energy is sufficient to keep
him active in community service in
addition to his immense occupation-
al task. He serves on the scholarship
committee of the Seattle First Na-
tional Bank and the educational
committee of the Seattle Chamber
of Commerce. He is an active
Scouter and participates in the fund

raising efforts of the local YMCA.
He is frequently asked to present
motivational talks to businesses, in-
dustries and schools.

When they talk of some of their
most memorable times, the Keuss
family boasts of their VW camper
pop-top which has taken them on
vacations from Canada to
Mexico.— F.W.S.

Olga Johnson: Taking the stranger in

Olga Johnson, now 88 years of
age, became a member of the Church
of the Brethren 70 years ago in Boise
Valley, Idaho, and has been living by
its principles ever since. There was
little family income on which to feed,
clothe and care for her seven chil-
dren, but no matter how scarce the
money, there was always enough to
also feed the many "strangers" who
found their way to her door.

She recalls a time during the
depression when one "stranger"
asked if he could work for his supper.
She let him split wood for the ever-
hungry cook stove, but after being
called in for the good meal, he was so
grateful the he immediately went out
and split another big pile of wood,
which in turn prompted her to fix a
lunch to see him on his way.

With Olga through 65 years was
her faithful husband, Howard, who
died in 1977. It was not uncommon
to see Howard and Olga delivering as
many as eight loaves of fresh bread
that came weekly from her oven — to
the new neighbors down the road, the
family who lost a loved one, or the
lonely soul who just needed a friend.

Olga's youthful vigor was exem-
plified at age 70 when Howard's eye-
sight began to fail. She learned to
drive, obtaining a driver's license at
this advanced age, so she could con-
tinue her "errands of mercy."

Through the years, job oppor-
tunities saw the family moving from
Idaho to Oregon where their home
was the favorite overnight refuge for
visiting church dignitaries or La
Verne College students and profes-
sors. (Incidentally, all seven children
attended La Verne College, six of
whom graduated.)

They eventually moved to Cali-
fornia where in the Live Oak Church
of the Brethren the ultimate in "tak-
ing the stranger in" took place. After
World War II, when the denomina-

tion was helping war refugees get es-
tablished, Olga and Howard went out
on faith, borrowing $10,000 to set up
a young Polish immigrant family in
the jewelry store and watch repair
business. It was a bitter pill to swal-
low when the man squandered and
lost all the money illegally, even end-
ing up in prison, but their faith in
humanity was never shaken. Through
all this, Olga even helped the young
mother care for her six small chil-
dren.

Olga still serves the Live Oak con-
gregation in many capacities, but

most noticeably by the beautiful
floral and altar arrangements she has
prepared every Sunday for 30 years,
taking from the bounty of her "show-
case" flower garden.

Even now, at age 88, there are not
enough hours in the day. If someone
is in need of food, she bakes them a
loaf of bread, if they are sick, she
shares the flowers from her garden,
and if they happen to be a stranger,
she takes them in — and they are
strangers no longer! — Arlene
Harms

-i rienf f .Ui\. fCllisJ Harms is a member of the
Clnirrh ii/ ihe Breihren. Paradise, Calif.

.lunc 1979 MisshsciKK 3

Reactor scare touches
Pennsylvania Brethren

While their brothers and sisters across the
country read the headlines with alarm, ap-
proximately 3,600 Brethren living within a
10-mile radius of the Three Mile Island
Nuclear Plant near Harrisburg, Pa., ex-
perienced first-hand one danger of the
nuclear age — exposure to radioactivity
escaping from a damaged nuclear
generator.

Area Brethren report that the final days
of March and the first days of April were
confusing and frightening ones as conflict-
ing reports were issued by government
and industry representatives as to the
dangers of escaping radiation. What at
first was termed an "event" by plant of-
ficials was later called by Time magazine
"the worst accident in the history of US
nuclear power production."

How did Brethren react? Like others in
the area, many fled, especially pregnant
women and families with small children.
Pastors at several of the closest churches,
including Harrisburg congregations,
reported half their normal attendance
Sunday, April 1.

But like many others, lots of Brethren
stayed — and tried to confront the danger
of which they were newly aware.

Pastors Levi Ziegler at Conewago
church (about eight miles from the plant)
and Earle Fike at Elizabethtown (about
six miles away) both felt strongly the need
to address the situation in their Sunday
worship service.

Both pastors chose texts to reassure
their congregations of God's steadfast
love for them: Fike preached from the
23rd Psalm; Ziegler chose the promise of
2 Chronicles 7 — "My eyes will be open
and my ears attentive to the prayer that is
made in this place."

Continuing the theme of prayer, the
Conewago congregation offered prayer for
all personnel at the power plant. On the
instruction of the congregation, Ziegler
shared with Metropolitan Edison, through
a telephone call, that the people were
remembering the workers in prayer.

At the Elizabethtown church, Fike
shared his alarm about the accident and
said, "Living in the valley of the shadow
of Three Mile Island, it is time to think
and speak in a different way from the way
one does when one decides to wait and
see." He encouraged the congregation to
speak out. "We should become vocal and

active on this issue. With so many ques-
tions, the issues are no longer simply
technical. They are moral and ethical."

In response to the accident, the con-
gregation's executive committee began
preparing a brief statement against nuclear
power, hoping for wider church action,
and begin seeking other ways to re-
spond.

Other congregations, both within and
without the danger area, responded.
Several persons from the Harrisburg First
church volunteered at the relief center
established in Hershey for people fleeing
the affected area. Pastors of the Potts-
town area, outside the danger area, of-
fered churches and homes if people need-
ed to be evacuated.

Although the immediate danger ap-
parently passed within a week's time, per-
sons in the area express varying degrees of
uncertainty about the future. To equip
pastors to help persons cope with their

fears and anxieties surrounding the invisi-
ble radiation threat, both the Atlantic
Northeast and Southern Pennsylvania dis-
tricts helped organize training sessions for
pastors on mental health and reaction to
disaster.

On the national level, three executives
responsible for energy policy at the Na-
tional Council of Churches called for a
close look at eight nuclear power plants
that may have safety defects similar to
those at Three Mile Island.

Joel K. Thompson, executive of the
General Board's General Services Com-
mission and chairperson of the NCC
Committee on Energy Policy, issued the
statement in conjunction with NCC
energy resource consultant Katherine
Seelman and staff associate for economic
justice Chris Cowap. The three also called
upon American churches to "be vigilant
in monitoring utility, industry and govern-
ment clean-up of the reactor site."

Ohio home may cancel
life-care contracts

In the struggle to provide a firm financial
base for the financially-troubled
Brethren's Home of Greenville, Ohio, the
court-appointed trustee has requested that
all hfe-care contracts of residents in the
home be terminated.

Before the proposal can go into effect,
it must be approved after a May 16 hear-
ing in the US District Court. The court
appointed a trustee in November 1977 to
oversee the reorganization of the corpora-
tion requested by the home's board of
trustees. The home had to seek
reorganization or face possible
foreclosure.

Canceling the life-care contracts would
affect more than 300 of the home's
480-490 residents. When they entered the
home, these residents purchased life-care
contracts which assured them of complete
care as long as they resided there. Under
the trustee's proposal, all residents would
be charged a monthly amount for rent
and services. The life-care contract
holders would be offered a rate lower
than the usual amount.

Voiding the life-care contracts is only
one step in the total reorganization plan,
says Wilbur Mullen, the home's ad-
ministrator. Charging residents for the
services they receive will permit the
trustee, Dayton certified public account-

ant Harry J. W. Fravert, to establish a
financial base upon which to build the
rest of the reorganization plan. Fraven
was scheduled to file a plan of reorganiza-
tion May 15. Any plan must be reviewed
by the court, the Securities and Exchange
Commission and the creditors.

Mullen reports residents have begun to
evaluate their options and assets in Hght
of the proposal. He says all avenues of
support will be explored for each
resident. Residents have also sought legal
counsel which represented them at a
meeting called to explain the
proposal.

In addition, the Southern Ohio District
has established a Resident Aid Fund. All
funds donated to the home by congrega-
tions and individuals will be used to help
residents who could not otherwise meet
their expenses. Southern Ohio congrega-
tions have donated more than $839,000 to
the home since its financial crisis became
known in March 1976.

Mullen anticipates court approval of the
proposal and believes that through the
cooperative effort of residents, churches
and families, the needs of the life-care
contract holders will be met.

The home, one of the denomination's
oldest and largest, fell into default in May
1976 when it was unable to make a payment
of $824,000 due on principal and interest
on bonds sold to build a $10 million addi-
tion in 1972. Since that time, only one
payment has been made to the bondholders.

4 \ii sM M,i i< .lunc I97y

A Joint statement on disarmament issued by church leaders from the US and the USSR was
hammered out in sessions like the one above at the Ecumenical Center in Geneva.

Historic consultation
calls for nuclear ban

Religious leaders from the US and the
USSR concluded a three-day conference
on disarmament with a joint statement
calling for the earliest possible approval of
the SALT II accords.

The statement, which was issued as an
appeal to Christians in both countries,
also calls for a total ban on nuclear arms
testing, new nuclear weapon systems and
the development of chemical and radio-
logical weapons.

"We have been drawn together across
the differences of language and cuUure,"
the paper states, "by our common Chris-
tian calling to foster life in the midst of a
race toward death.

"We know that still more terrible
weapons are being developed which can
only lead to greater fear and suspicion
and thus to a still more feverish arms
race. Against this we say with one voice —
No. In the name of God — No."

The delegations, composed of 10 church
leaders from each country, met at the
Ecumenical Center in Geneva, Switzer-
land, in late March.

Lamar Gibble, Brethren peace and
international affairs consultant, has been
among the leaders working several years
to bring the dream of such an ecumenical,
international consultation to reality. He
was one of three US and USSR represen-
tatives who did preparatory work for the
consultation earlier in March. Prior com-
mitments, however, prevented him from
accepting an invitation to join the US
delegation.

Analyzing the statement issued from the
consultation, Gibble was excited about the
document approved by the two delega-
tions. He said he was especially pleased
with "its call to the churches to teach and

preach the biblical vision of peace and to
point out the devastating consequences of
the arms race."

Speaking to the delegations on the
technical problems of disarmament were
USSR Ambassador Victor Israelian and
US Ambassador Adrian Fisher, heads of
the two nations' delegations to the Com-
mittee on Disarmament. Both am-
bassadors agreed that SALT 11 was an
essential step for peace.

The church leaders expressed reserva-
tions about the SALT II treaty in their
statement because it does not provide for
more substantial arms reductions. They
decided to urge Christians in both coun-
tries to work for its approval, however,
because it "would open the way to
decisive progress on other critical disarma-
ment issues."

The joint appeal also calls for Chris-
tians in both countries to support
ecumenical programs for disarmament,
such as the World Council of Churches
Programme for Disarmament and Against
Militarism and the Arms Race. The state-
ment urges churches to increase education
efforts concerning the biblical basis for
disarmament.

For Gibble, one of the many Brethren
who have been part of the Church of the
Brethren-Russian Orthodox exchanges
through the years, a satisfying aspect of
the consultation was hearing that "the
Church of the Brethren was singled out in
Metropolitan Juvenaly's address for the
interchanges we have had on peace, social
justice and practical cooperation." The
Metropolitan stated his belief that these
long-term contacts "have deepened our
cooperation and contributed considerably
to the general Christian witnessing and
service to peace." Metropolitan Juvenaly
headed the USSR delegation.

The members of the US delegation were
William Howard, president of the

National Council of Churches; Claire
Randall, general secretary of the NCC;
Dorothy Marple, NCC second vice-
president; Chester A. KirkendoU, NCC
recording secretary; Arie R. Brouwer,
general secretary of the Reformed Church
in America; Avery D. Post, president of
the United Church of Christ; James K.
Matthews of the United Methodist
Church; Vladimir Berzonsky of the Or-
thodox Church in America; Bruce
Rigdon, professor at McCormick Theo-
logical Seminary, Chicago; Alice Wimer,
NCC executive for international affairs;
and serving as technical advisor, Alan
Geyer, executive director of the Churches'
Center for Theology and Public Policy.

The delegation from the USSR included
representatives from the Russian Or-
thodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic
Church in Moscow, the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Latvia, the Estonian
Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Union
of Evangelical Baptists of the USSR and
the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Messenger recognized in
national competition

Messenger received awards in two
categories at the Religious Public Rela-
tions Council (RPRC) annual award
presentation held recently in New York.

Messenger was honored with the
Award of Excellence for magazines and
editor Kermon Thomasson received a Cer-
tificate of Special Merit for his feature
story "Abraham Harley Cassel Cut a
Wide Swath" (October 1978).

The issue judged was the April 1978
Messenger, a special issue on disarma-
ment. It was cited for its cover, general
contents, headlines and cartoons on the
back cover promoting National Youth
Conference.

RPRC, a national interreligious
organization with more than 500 members
in the US, this year celebrated its 50th an-
niversary. It is one of the oldest public
relations professional societies in the
country.

Messenger awards were among 48
bestowed. There were 179 entries in the
DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Com-
munications Competitions.

Denominationally, Southern Baptists
received the most awards, nine; followed
by United Methodists, eight; Roman
Catholics, six; and Disciples, five.

June 1979 \IRSS! \Gi R 5

Nuclear safety, ethics
debated at Manchester

Debating issues of nuclear ethics, safety
and feasibility, experts and students con-
vened at Manchester College, North Man-
chester, Ind., for a week-long examination
of the question "The Nuclear Age: Plague
or Panacea?"

Although "Discussion Day" was for-
mally scheduled for Wednesday, March
28, the event began on Monday and con-
tinued through the week with movies,
workshops and informal discussion.

Morris Firebaugh, a 1959 Manchester
graduate and professor of physics at the
University of Wisconsin, Parkside, began
the discussion with a Monday morning
presentation. Speaking on the mechanics
of nuclear energy, Firebaugh presented
studies supporting the development of nu-
clear energy sources as safe and feasible.
In response. Sister Rosalie Bertell, an
energy and public health specialist with 10
years research experience involving low-
level radiation, dealt with what she per-
ceived as unanswered questions regarding
the long-term relationship between radia-
tion and possible genetic mutation of
future generations.

The problem of insufficient study sur-
faced again Tuesday morning when a
panel of four experts, Bertell included,
continued the debate. Kenneth Shank, a
bionucleonics researcher and group leader
at Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
opened the morning convocation with
graphs and charts suggesting that nuclear
energy is necessary, economical, reliable
and safe.

Sister Bertell pointed out, "The charts
and graphs you have just seen are not ac-
cepted in the energy and health worlds."
She again shared her deep concern over
the irreversible damage that might result
from exposure to low levels of radiation.
"Present nuclear predictions are in the
form of a forecast," she stated, "not a
careful audit. What we need is constant
health monitoring of nuclear workers and
their children in order to fully understand
the dangers."

Henry Weaver, provost of Goshen Col-
lege and chemistry professor, spoke as the
third panel member. Addressing the
ethical questions involved from his Chris-
tian perspective. Weaver proposed that an
energy policy should be followed that in-
volves the lowest loss of life, protects the
environment, reduces the chances of war.

Sidney Lens (left),
nuclear and labor
activist, and Sister
Rosalie Bertell, a
public health special-
ist, presented a num-
ber of the dangers of
the nuclear age dur-
ing a day of debate
between pro- and
anti-nuclear represen-
tatives at Manchester
College.

and can best meet the needs of the Third
World.

Sidney Lens, labor leader and nuclear
weapons expert, attacked Weaver's state-
ments as "innocent" and "misinformed."
Lens agreed that nuclear energy and nu-
clear weapons are inseparable; with the
spread of nuclear energy will come a pro-
liferation of nuclear armaments. "Within
a decade, six countries will be able to
destroy the world and with nuclear
energy, 40 countries will have nuclear
bombs within 15 years. We must preserve
the human race by ending the nuclear
age," Lens said.

The convocation ended with questions
from the audience and dialog among the
panel members.

Three afternoon workshops provided an
opportunity for discussion with the

gathered experts. In addition to the morn-
ing panelists, Kathryn Seelman, author of
the National Council of Churches energy
paper, and James Wilkinson, Deputy Di-
rector for Exchange in the Office of
Soviet Union Affairs, US State Depart-
ment, provided leadership for the
workshops.

Tuesday's formal discussion ended with
a summation by Seelman and responses
by Manchester Professor Jerry Tucker
and students Andrea Wamke and Kevin
Wolfe.

An exciting feature of the week was the
abundance of discussion both in and out
of classes. The enthusiasm with which the
program was received and its elicited re-
sponse indicate a need for information
and discussion about the issues of this
nuclear age.— Dave McFadden

Al focuses attention
on USSR Protestants

Amnesty International, the human rights
movement which received the 1977 Nobel
Peace Prize for its work on behalf of
prisoners of conscience around the world,
has launched an international campaign to
win freedom for hundreds of Protestants
in the Soviet Union who have been im-
prisoned for their religious beliefs.

In a campaign booklet entitled "USSR:
Protestants in Prison," Al states that dur-
ing the past two decades it has learned of
more than 1,000 Evangelicals, Baptists,
Seventh Day Adventists and Pentecostals
who have been imprisoned for their
beliefs. This does not include many more
who have been jailed for one or two
weeks on lesser charges or "on
suspicion." Al says that despite the large
number of these prisoners, Protestants are
one of the least pubhcized persecuted
groups in the USSR.

As a typical example of religious perse-

cution in the USSR, the campaign booklet
describes the plight of a congregation of
Baptists and evangelical Christians in
Rostof. Denied official status, the church
members met in a home until it was con-
fiscated. A month later police barred the
entrance to another home used as a
church and members trying to enter were
beaten. When the congregation then built
a tent in which to worship, the tent was
torn down. Later, when the congregation
made an attempt to gather in the yard of
a home, the police began to disperse the
crowd by force. The church minister
was arrested, released and then arrested
again in January 1978. He has been sen-
tenced to two and a half years of im-
prisonment.

The Al campaign booklet suggests ac-
tion for churches or concerned individuals
which may help these Protestant prisoners
of conscience and includes addresses of
the Soviet authorities who should be writ-
ten. Persons interested in participating
may write to Amnesty International, 2112
Broadway, New York. NY 10023.

6 Missi \(ij K June 1979

Action begins on WCC
disarmament priority

With the adoption of the Programme for
Disarmament and Against Militarism and
the Arms Race by the World Council of
Churches Central Committee in January,
a new emphasis on peace issues has begun
in the WCC. (See Messenger, April
1979, page 6.)

The action on the militarism and dis-
armament program included a recommen-
dation which encouraged "further ex-
ploration of the Report on Violence and
Nonviolence in the Struggle for Social
Justice, paying serious attention to . . .
the need to promote peaceful resolution
of conflicts." This report, approved by
the WCC in 1973, had been heavily influ-
enced by consultations with Brethren,
Mennonites and Friends.

WCC General Secretary Philip Potter
has requested that the statement be re-
viewed by persons and agencies connected
with its conception. They have been asked
to look at the paper especially in the light
of the struggles for racial and social
justice in Africa. The WCC was severely
criticized earlier this year for a grant from
its Programme to Combat Racism to
Uberation organizations engaged in violent
struggle in Zimbabwe. WCC officials
hope this re-examination will help the
church discover effective and nonviolent
means for combating racism.

A second outgrowth of the new WCC
peace priority was a colloquium May 4-10
at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey,
Switzerland. The colloquium, on "Peace-
ful Solutions of Conflict," was designed
to help church leaders move from an
understanding of the nature and
prevalence of conflict to knowledge of
practical measures that can be taken to
reduce conflict, bring opponents together
and help bring about a more peaceful
world. Lamar Gibble, Brethren peace and
international affairs consultant, was
among those attending.

In a third development, SODEPAX,
the only joint organization between the
Vatican and the World Council of
Churches, has adopted peace and dis-
armament as one of four emphases for
the organization during the coming years.
SODEPAX (which means Conunittee on
Society, Development and Peace) has em-
phasized development recently and Gibble
perceives this action as a return to an
earlier strong emphasis on peace concerns.

CELEBRATING ... Poet and long-time member of the Middlebury,
Ind. , church, Orpha Nusbaum will celebrate her 105th birthday
Aug. 13. She was featured in a June 1976 "In Touch" feature.

ACCEPTING NEW POSTS . . . Carl H. Zigler, who has been chap-
lain at The Brethren Home, New Oxford, Pa. , began a three-
quarter time chaplaincy April 1 at West View Manor in Wooster,
Ohio. . . . Robert E_. Ziegler , professor of science and edu-
cation and director of developmental studies at Elizabethtown
College, will leave the campus this month to spend three years
in Western Australia helping establish a science education
program in early childhood education at Churchlands College of
Advanced Education in Perth. . . . Administrator of the Mor-
risons Cove home in Martinsburg, Pa. , Ralph M_. Delk has been
elected president of the Homes of the Aging Division of the
American Protestant Hospital Association. ... A newly- formed
Consortium on International Peace and Reconciliation has been
formed in Iowa with the Church of the Brethren as one of seven
participating church groups. Named half-time director of the
consortium is Dan Clark, also employed by the Iowa Peace Net-
work. . . . The SERRV program at the Brethren Service Center,
New Windsor, has established a new position of office super-
visor. Virginia Grossnickle, an 11-year employee of SERRV,
has been appointed to the post.

BEING HONORED

Two Church of the Brethren-related col-

leges bestowed honorary degrees on General Secretary Bob Neff
during May commencement exercises. He was honored at Bridge-
water and at Manchester colleges. . . . Elizabethtown College
awarded several honorary degrees in May including one to 25-
year college trustee Norman K_. Musser , an active business and
churchman, now 87 years old.

CUTTING TRAVEL COSTS

The "Mennonite Your Way Travel

Directory" is one way Brethren travelers can pay less and enjoy
travel more. Publishers Leon and Nancy Stauffer have compiled
a second edition of listings of persons across the US and Can-
ada willing to host travelers in their homes. Most are Men-
nonites but a number of Brethren are listed and Brethren are
invited to participate. To purchase a single copy of the
directory, send $5 to Mennonite Your Way, Box 1525, Salunga,
PA 17538. Pennsylvanians should add 5 percent tax.

THANKING WORKERS ... A special morning coffee in April at
the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor gave thanks and
recognition to 15 volunteers then at the center: Charles and
Florence Baker , Ed Cable, John DiCara , Nettie Elliott, Maxine
Fasnacht , Blanche Geesaman , Muriel Griner , Ethel and Murlin
Hoover, Ed Leiter , Mabel Schrock , Emma Smi th , Dawn Strickler ,
and M.R. Zigler.

REMEMBERED

Iowa West Kuehl , 61, long-time arts in-

structor in camps and workshops throughout the denomination
and in Ecuador, died after a prolonged illness March 31 in
Polo, 111. . . . Rolland F_. Fl org , 84, a former Ohio pastor
and key supporter of the Florida and Puerto Rico District,
died May 3 in Florida after a struggle with cancer.

June 1979 mf.ssengrr 7

[i^[p)(dl(o]te

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

That was the cry in the Paci-

fic Southwest Conference May 11 when more than 1,900 Brethren
turned out for "Brethren Night" at Dodger Stadium. Several
Brethren helped throw out the first ball, the University of
La Verne Chamber Singers sang the national anthem and the Dod-
gers' message board flashed the names of all 21 participating
congregations and their pastors. Organizer Wayne Zunkel ,
chairman of the Conference Commission on Evangelism, promoted
the event because he thought going to a baseball game together
would be fun, would provide fellowship for the widely-scat-
tered Brethren and would give good visibility to the church.

TO SERVE A CHANGING WORLD

For the Antelope Park church.

Lincoln, Neb. , a new means of service has been found by en-
couraging pastor Glenn Era zi er to participate in the Police
Chaplaincy Corps. Pastors in the corps are trained and on
call to give spiritual and professional counsel to Lincoln
citizens when called in by police. They work in such areas as
death, child abuse, domestic disturbances, suicide, rape, drug
and alcohol abuse and others. ... To help church members go
to work as disaster response volunteers, the Dunnings Creek
church in Middle Pennsylvania District offers financial sup-
port for volunteers' travel expenses. ... A newly-opened
SERRV shop in Dayton, Ohio, makes the international handcrafts
and gifts more available. It is located in the Mack Memorial
church on a main thoroughfare. . . . The Osceola, Ind. , church
has established a Helping Hand Fund of $1,000 so it can offer
an immediate "helping hand" of financial assistance when a
church member is in need.

LOSING ONE

The Columbus (Ohio) Cooperative church,

after discussions with Ashland Brethren and Southern Ohio Dis-
trict representatives, has voted to affiliate with the Ashland
Brethren and end the cooperative relationship. The Ashland
Brethren owned the building and, until recently, the Church of
the Brethren has provided leadership. The change brings the
number of Southern Ohio congregations to 56.

MILESTONES . . . The new Lebanon Valley Brethren Home in
Palmyra, Pa. , was dedicated during afternoon services May 20.
It is the third home in the Atlantic Northeast District . . .
. The Naperville, 111. , church will burn its mortgage and
celebrate with a homecoming service June 17. All former pas-
tors and members are invited.

ON EARTH PEACE

A luncheon meeting for persons inter-

ested in the work of the On_ Earth Peace Assembly is planned
for Sunday, July 8, following the closing session of Annual
Conference in Seattle. Meeting at 12:30 p.m., the group will
consider the theme "The Sacredness of Life Demands Peace."
Opportunities for fellowship, professional group meetings and
reunions will follow.

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE

Members of the Oakland church

near Greenville, Ohio, made their church a stage when they
launched their fourth major dinner-theatre production. This
year's show, "Fiddler on the Roof," played two March weekends.

8 Mtssi \Gi:R June 1979

Board staff influence
ecumenical agencies

A recent informal survey of General
Board staff members reveals the broad
variety of areas in which Brethren provide
ecumenical leadership. Staff members
serve on boards and committees of
ecumenical organizations and according to
the survey, more than 15 staff members
serve in leadership roles in areas ranging
from international affairs to family life.

Within the National Council of Church-
es, the survey showed nearly a dozen
Brethren in leadership positions. General
Secretary Bob Neff represents the Church
of the Brethren on the NCC nominating
and executive committees.

Eight divisions and commissions com-
prise the NCC structure and several staff
serve on their executive committees: Ken
McDowell is treasurer of the Division of
Overseas Ministries and their represen-
tative in the NCC Administrative and Fi-
nance Committee; Bentley Peters serves
on the Division of Education and Ministry;
Ronald Petry on the Commission on
Stewardship; Wil Nolen on the Division
of Church and Society. Nolen is also on the
search committee for a new DCS executive.

Heading committees within various divi-
sions and commissions are several other
staff members. Walt Bowman chairs the
Committee on Outdoor Education, part
of the Division of Education and Minis-
try; Mac Coffman chairs the Immigration
and Refugee Program Committee, part of
the Division of Overseas Ministries;
Lamar Gibble chairs two groups — the In-
ternational Affairs Interunit Working
Group, made up of persons from all NCC
units, and the Task Force for Middle East
Policy Statement Review related to several
offices; Stew Kauffman chairs the Wills
and Special Gifts Action Team of the
Commission of Stewards; Bentley Peters
chairs the Professional Church Leadership
Committee of Division of Education and
Ministry. In a special project of the Divi-
sion of Church and Society, Joel Thomp-
son has been chairing its Committee on
Energy Policy. NCC positions continue
for a three-year period. Appointments for
the new triennium began in January 1979.

In other ecumenical agencies. Brethren
are also busy. Louise Bowman chairs the
Washington Interreligious Staff Council
(WISC) Task Force on Public Policy Af-
fecting Women; Chuck Boyer chairs the
National Interreligious Service Board for

Conscientious Objectors; Lamar Gibble,

the Historic Peace Churches Consultative
Group; Ron Hanft, the WISC Task Force
on Criminal Justice; Shirley Heckman, the
Curriculum Analysis Project, Joint
Educational Development; Stewart
Hoover, the North American Broadcast
Section /World Association for Christian
Communication; Clyde Weaver, Rehgious
Conference of the National Safety
Council.

In addition to the boards, committees,
commissions, task forces, and other units
which profit from Brethren leadership,
others, too numerous to list, are influ-
enced by the membership of Brethren.

Program set for national
Holy Spirit Conference

A national Church of the Brethren Con-
ference on the Holy Spirit, under the
theme "Building the Body through
Love," will be held Wednesday through
Friday, Aug. 8-11, at Manchester College,
North Manchester, Ind.

Activities will include dciily classes, wor-
ship, praise and multi-media inspiration
by Glen Eshleman.

Scheduled guest speakers, one each day,
are Lester Sumrall, founder of the
Sumrall Evangelistic Assn., headquartered
in South Bend, Ind., editor of World
Harvest magazine and president / founder
of WHME radio station; J. Richard
Greene, pastor of the Frostburg,
Md., Church of the Brethren, whose
congregation is currently constructing a
new worship facility, God's Ark of Safe-
ty; Leonard H. Evans, pastor of the
Pleasant Valley Evangehcal Church of
Niles, Ohio; and Ramsumair Harry, a
native of Trinidad, pastor of the Swatara
Hill Church of the Brethren.

Class topics include "Gifts of the
Spirit," "Drugs— Hooked or Unhooked,"
"Christian Discipleship," "The Fruit of
the Spirit," "Christian Family Life," and
several others. The 18 classes will be
taught in two sessions both Thursday and
Friday to give each participant opportuni-
ty to attend more classes.

Activities are planned during sessions
for children, nursery through 12. Youth
programs will be led during the con-
ference by Gene Dillard and Doug Fike.

For additional information contact Car-
mon E. SoUenberger, Box 727, Buena
Vista, VA 24416.

Examining faith, life
offered at "Life Lab"

Persons wanting to explore their own
"life journey" — their relationships with
God, other people and themselves — will
have a special opportunity this summer.
The Parish Ministries Commission is
sponsoring a week-long "Life Lab" Aug.
12-17 which its creators hope will en-
courage an understanding of what it
means to reach out to others as well as to
reach within oneself.

Subtitled "A Pilgrimage to Whole-
ness," the lab's roots are in the group life
labs and Mission Twelve experiences of
the 1950s and 60s. This new focus has as
its model the Leadership Training In-
stitute (LTI) of Faith At Work from
which many Brethren have profited.

Ralph McFadden, executive of the
Parish Ministries Commission, says, "All
of us are on a journey. We hope this lab
will provide significant insights into per-
sons' own spiritual quests, their relation-

Christians encouraged
to celebrate simply

People who were swept into the "tradi-
tional" Christmas observance with its ex-
cess spending in 1978 are being urged to
consider "alternative" ways of celebrating
all holidays in 1979.

Alternatives, a movement seeking
"voluntary simplicity life-styles," plans a
nationwide campaign this year to establish
500 to 1,000 study-action groups which
will work toward new goals of living.

As part of the National Alternative
Celebrations Campaign, "alternative
Christmas commissions" will be estab-
lished in 15 key cities to generate local in-
terest and support in de-commercializing
Christmas and making it a more "life-
supporting" celebration, according to
Alternatives coordinator Bob Kochtitzky.

He said the main goal of the Alter-
native celebrations movement is to change
the way most people now observe all holi-
days and transform the celebrations by re-
storing the original meaning of them; mak-
ing them more personal and joyful and
more dedicated to sharing with the needy.

The Alternatives movement began with
Kochtitzky's publication in 1973 of a
resource book called Alternate Christmas
Catalogue. More than 100,000 copies of

ship to God and other people, and a chal-
lenge as to how they can live more mean-
ingfully in this complex world."

The event is scheduled at Elizabethtown
College and those participating must be
committed to full-time attendance in-
cluding all meals and overnight lodging on
the campus. Both laypersons and clergy
are invited to participate but registration
will be Umited to 60 persons.

Planning for the lab has been carried
out by a committee chaired by Jay Gib-
ble, associate executive of the Atlantic
Northeast District. Other committee
members are Ron Beechley, Sylvia Burt-
ner, Carolyn Clark, Ann Earhart Gibble
and James Miller.

Interested persons are urged to contact
immediately the Parish Ministries Com-
mission, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL
60120, for a brochure and further infor-
mation. PMC will provide $15 on each
registration bringing the cost of the event
to $110 for each participant. Districts and
congregations may provide other scholar-
ship assistance.

the first three catalogs are now in circula-
tion and more than 400 study-action
groups are participating in the movement
toward voluntary simplicity life-styles.

"If you've tried to disengage yourself
from the consumptive life-style you know
how difficult it can be," Kochtitzky says.
"But it's possible. And we believe it's
possible for the Christian community to
provide the prime leadership in moving
our nation toward voluntary simplicity."

Major goals of the Alternatives move-
ment as cited in the new catalog are:

1) To encourage people to celebrate life
by practicing voluntary simplicity; con-
sume less; share more; create more
cooperative structures; increase involve-
ment in justice and peace projects;

2) To motivate people to reduce their
celebration spending and donate a portion
of the saving to justice and peace efforts,
especially hunger projects;

3) To help human welfare organizations
improve their funding sources;

4) To encourage people to purchase the
high quality craft products of self-help
cooperatives and community development
corporations.

Further information about Alternatives
may be obtained from Bob Kochtitzky at
national campaign headquarters, 4274
Oaklawn Dr., Jackson, MS 39206,
telephone (601) 366-8468.

June 1979 messenger 9

Annual Conference 1979

Program Activities

193rd Church of the Brethren Annual Con-
ference, July 3-8, 1979. Seattle Center,
Seattle, Wash.

• Theme: "Partakers of the Promise."

• Delegates: Standing Committee 42.
Congregational representatives, an estimat-
ed 1,050. Other participants, an estimated
4,500.

• Fee. Delegates $30. Non-delegates $10
(includes Conference Booklet). Youth $4.
Twelve and under, no charge.

• Tuesday evening. Speaker: Warren F.
Groff, moderator of Annual Conference
and Bethany Theological Seminary presi-
dent. Topic: "Heirs According to
Promise."

• Wednesday evening. Speaker: Lloyd
J. Ogilvie, Pastor, First Presbyterian
Church of Hollywood, Calif. Topic: "The
New God for Old Struggles."

• Thursday evening. A dramatic presen-
tation, "Journey of the Sisters Among the
Brethren," prepared by Pam Lowe of
Southern Ohio District.

• Friday evening. Speaker: Virginia
Ramey Mollenkott, author and professor
of English, William Paterson College of
New Jersey. Topic: "The Infinite Dimen-
sions of the Promise."

• Saturday evening. Speaker: Robert
W. Neff, general secretary. General Board,
Elgin, 111. Topic: "How Firm a Founda-
tion."

• Sunday morning. Speaker: T. Wayne
Rieman, former faculty memuer Manches-
ter College, North Manchester, Ind. Topic:
"Life! Life! New Life in Christ."

• Bible Studies. 8 to 8:40 a.m., Wednes-
day through Saturday, and Sunday 9-10
a.m. One session only each morning in the
Coliseum Assembly Hall. Topics: Wednes-
day, "Partakers of the Promise: According
to God's Purpose" (Eph. 1), led by Robert
E. Faus. Thursday, "Partakers of the
Promise: No Longer Strangers and So-
journers" (Eph. 2), led by Chalmer Faw.
Friday, "Partakers of the Promise:
Preaching the Unsearchable Riches of
Christ" (Eph. 3), led by Vivian Ziegler.
Saturday, "Partakers of the Promise:
Leading a Life Worthy of Our Calling"
(Eph. 4), led by Albert Sauls. Sunday,
"Partakers of the Promise: Walk in Love

as Christ Loved Us" (Eph. 5-6), led by
Theresa Eshbach.

• Pre-conference meetings. General
Board; Annual Conference Central Com-
mittee; Standing Committee; Health and
Welfare Committee, in the Washington
Plaza Hotel. Brethren Ministers' Associa-
tion in the Downtown Hilton Hotel. Wo-
maen's Caucus and Brethren Historical
Committee at the Seattle Center.

• Committee hearings. Tuesday 9-10:15
a.m. at the Seattle Center. Biblical Inspira-
tion and Authority; Christian Life-style; An-
nual Conference Elections; Goals for the 80s.

• Luncheons. Luncheon tickets are
$4.75 and may be purchased by sending
orders to the Annual Conference Office
before June 20. Wednesday: Ecumenical;
outdoor Ministries (camping); Yoked
Parish Pastors. Thursday: Partners In Mis-
sion; Brethren Journal Association; Heifer
Project. Friday: Health and Welfare Lun-
cheon. Saturday: College Alumni Lun-
cheons. Sunday: On Earth Peace Assembly.

• Dinners: Wednesday: Evangelism and
Church Growth. Thursday: Messenger ;
Criminal Justice Consultants. Friday:
Higher Education; World Ministries. Satur-
day: Christian Citizenship Seminar
Leaders; Doctor of Ministry.

Dinner tickets are $5.75 and may be
purchased by sending orders to the Annual
Conference Office before June 20.

• Fellowship night. Saturday, 8:45 to 1 1
p.m. in the Coliseum and Patio north of the
Coliseum.

• Womaen's Caucus. Tuesday 1-4 p.m.
Workshop to study Conference committee
reports and prepare to participate in Con-
ference business sessions. Open to
everyone, no pre-registration. Nisqually
Room, Northwest Courts.

• Single Adult Activities. Wednesday
and Thursday 9:30-11:30 p.m.

• Post High (Under 30). Program and ac-
tivities planned throughout Conference
week.

• Junior High and Senior High Youth.
Program and activities planned both at the
Center and in the surrounding Seattle
areas.

• Insight Sessions. Thirty-six, including
Day Care Center and Church-operated

Schools; Disaster Response; Mision Mutua
en las Americas; 20 years of BRF with the
Church of the Brethren; United Nations:
Disarmament and Peacemaking; Forum
with Geneal Board Members; Health and
Welfare — a Continuing Challenge for the
Church; Public Schools and the Churches;
Vietnamese Performing Arts; Support of
General Board Ministries; Introducing a
new Book of Worship Resources; On Being
Black and Brethren; Holy Spirit Renewal;
Brethren Reconciliation Service Programs
in the Middle East and Europe; Church Ex-
tension.

• Musical concerts/ dramas. Wednesday
through Saturday, 6 to 6:45 p.m. in the
Rainier Room of the Northwest Court.

• Conference Choirs. Steve Engle will
conduct the adult conference choir; first
rehearsal Tuesday at 9 p.m. and one daily
rehearsal each day following, 4:45-5:45
p.m. This will leave choir members free to
attend Insight Sessions. Sylvia Gimmestad
will direct the children's choir. Persons in-
terested in participating in string or brass
ensembles should contact Lois Schopp,
Music Coordinator, 401 Maryland Avenue,
Wenatchee, WA 98801.

The University of La Verne Chamber
Singers will present a concert at 7 p.m.
Tuesday in the Coliseum and will also pro-
vide the music for Tuesday evening's wor-
ship service.

• Coffeehouse. Coordinated by Doug
Eller; open Wednesday through Saturday 9
to 11:30 p.m. Instrumentalists, vocalists,
dramatists and poets interested in perform-
ing should contact Doug Eller, 5631 31st
Avenue, Portland, OR 97211.

• Exhibits. General Board program ex-
hibits; some 35 board-related program
exhibits featuring Brethren groups and
their interests, plus colleges and other
agencies.

• Christian Education Center. Coor-
dinated by June A. Miller: Will feature cur-
riculum and other study resources for con-
gregational Hfe. Presentations by resource
persons at noon each day will look at four
different Christian Education issues.

• Other activities. Children's activities
(grades 1-6); and child-care for pre-
schoolers (pre-registration necessary).

10 Mi.ssi.sciR .liinc 1979

preview by Steve Simmons

Initial 1979 Ballot

The final ballot will be presented after the
opportunity is given on the Conference
floor for additional nominations. The
following initial ballot has been prepared in
advance by vote of Standing Committee:

• Annual Conference moderator-elect.
Patricia Kennedy Helman, North Man-
chester, Ind. Duane H. Ramsey, Wash-
ington, D.C.

• General Board, district represen-
tatives (elect three; five-year terms). R.
Stanley Bittinger, Kingsville, Tex. Anita
Smith Buckwalter, Lansing, Mich. Curtis
W. Dubble, York, Pa. Robert Mays
(incumbent), Seattle, Wash. Robert G.
Statler Mock, Nampa, Idaho. Esther
Wilson Petcher, Chatom, Ala.

• General Board, at large (elect two;
five-year terms). Karen S. Carter (incum-
bent), Daleville, Va. Vernard Eller (incum-
bent). La Verne, Calif. Guillermo Encarna-
cion, Castafier, Puerto Rico. Marie Hoover
Willoughby, Copemish, Mich.

• Annual Conference Central Commit-
tee (elect one; three-year term). R. Truman
Northup, La Verne, Calif. Leah Musser
Zuck, Goshen, Ind.

• Committee on Interchurch Relations
(elect one; three-year term). Geraldine
Zigler Glick, Broadway, Va. Paul D.
Steiner, Union Bridge, Md.

• Bethany Theological Seminary, Col-
lege Representative (elect one; five-year
term). Elizabeth Ellis Cherry, Huntingdon,
Pa. John Gingrich, Pomona, Calif.

New queries

Two new queries will be considered by the
1979 Annual Conference:

• Diminishing membership in the
Church of the Brethren. Submitted by the
Missouri District Conference.

• Support Systems for those called to
Set-apart Ministries. Submitted by the
Michigan District Conference.

Moderator Warren Groff (left) plans to
strive for fairness and a judicious pace in
dealing with substantive issues which "may
attract long lines to the mikes. " Moderator-
elect Bill Eberly (right) is well equipped for
his duties after 10 years as conference
secretary.

New business

• Recommended Pension Plan Amend-
ments:

Single-Life Option for married members.
A member of the Pension Plan is eligible at
60 to begin receiving monthly annuities. If
the person is single, the amount is deter-
mined by age and combined accumulation
credited when the annuity was to begin.

If the member is married, the annuity
payment is determined by age, the age of
the spouse and the combined accumulation
credited when the annuity is to begin, and
on the basis that 50 percent of the benefit
will continue to the surviving spouse.

Occasionally, married members inquire
about eligibility for a single-life annuity,
based on their life, providing no benefit to
the surviving spouse.

The Pension Board recommends that a
third option be added to Section A of Arti-
cle VII for married members:

"In lieu of an annuity under paragraph
(a) on the joint-life survivor basis, the
member may, with the spouse's written
consent, elect a single-life annuity payable
only for the life of the member."

Inclusive language amendment — The
Pension Plan was estabhshed in 1943 when
only ministers were eligible to join the Plan.
In 1963 the Plan was enlarged to include lay
persons employed by congregations, dis-
tricts and Church of the Brethren agencies.

Since many lay members and pastors are

women the Pension Board recommends
amending the Plan with more inclusive
language. The revision will in no way
change the Plan and will be made in con-
sultation with Plan actuary, Huggins and
Company, of Philadelphia.

Vesting Provision of employer contribu-
tions. Currently, when members of the Pen-
sion Plan withdraw their member accumu-
lation, the congregational accumulation is
transferred to the Supplemental Benefit
Fund. So, a terminating member forfeits
these monies to the fund.

The Pension Board feels that even
though members withdraw their personal
contribution, the employer accumulation
should continue vested on a graduated basis
beginning at 50 percent after five years, and
then increasing 10 percent per year to 100
percent after 10 years of full contributions.

The proposal can be accomplished by
replacing the first two paragraphs of Article
VllI with new ones.

• Goats for the 80s. The revised state-
ment reflects the feedback received from in-
dividuals, congregations and districts of the
church. (See page 15 of this Messenger.)

Following the adoption of the goals state-
ment, the implementation of the goals (by
the development of definable objectives in
the local church, the district, the General
Board and church-related institutions) will
begin by January 1, 1980.

June \919 \ii-ssisGHK 11

looking at major program and business activities . . .

Unfinished business

• Human sexuality from a Christian
perspective. The Committee on Marriage
and Divorce recommended a committee "to
address itself to the fundamental growth
and relationship issues related to the sexual
dimension of our lives." The General
Board appointed a committee of Graydon
F. Snyder, Robert E. Faus, Charles Boyer,
Ruthanne Knechel Johansen and Jeanette
Tolle. The General Board, after hearing the
committee report in February, expects to
report to the 1980 Annual Conference.

• Biblical inspiration and authority.
Because "we have no creed but the New
Testament," a committee was established
after 1977 Annual Conference to prepare a
paper on the historical Pietist-Anabaptist
and Brethren understanding of the Bible's
inspiration and authority. The committee
of Wanda W. Button, convenor, Dale W.
Brown, Joan Deeter, Rick Gardner and
Harold S. Martin will present its report in
Seattle. (See this Messenger, page 24, and
April, page 28.)

The committee's recommendations to the
General Board are: increased biblical
awareness as a top priority for Board pro-
gram over the next five years, with Bible
study as a basic part of Goals for the 80s,
the creation of a study guide for congrega-
tions using the committee report as a re-
source for church school classes and small
groups; Bible study events be designed and
carried out allowing for in-depth sharing of
varying approaches to biblical texts; more
complete representation of persons holding
different viewpoints on the Bible's inspira-
tion and authority at all levels of church
life; and that, "as members of the church
we commit ourselves to searching the Scrip-
tures, with sensitivity to the message of
both the Old and New Testament, opening
ourselves to new light from God's word."

• Christian life-style. In response to the
1977 queries on issues of wealth, posses-
sions. Christian life-style and taxation, the
Board appointed a task force to identify
key concerns related to these issues and to
recommend practical approaches to ap-
propriate life-style, with models and tangi-
ble tools to enable a strong personal invest-
ment by church members. The committee

of Ina Ruth Addington, Cordell Bowman,
Estella Horning, Steve Mohler and
Romona Smith Moore, with Howard Royer
as coordinator, has focused on two items
singled out by Standing Committee, name-
ly, ways of assisting Brethren in the creation
of a simpler hfe-style, and ways of develop-
ing an energy-conscious community as a
model for Christian stewardship. The com-
mittee is aiming for a 1980 reporting date
and will hold a hearing in Seattle.

• Annual Conference elections. In 1977
the Annual Conference assigned to the
General Board the task of proposing ways
to ensure equitable representation of men,
women and racial backgrounds on
Conference-elected boards and committees.
The committee of L. Wayne Fralin, Lena
R. Miller, David L. Rogers and Vivian
Ziegler will report at 1979 Annual Con-
ference. (See this Messenger, page 23).

• Baptism and church membership.
This query was passed to the 1978 Annual
Conference because "many young people
are baptized before they are ready, because
they feel pressure from parents and friends
to be baptized with their own age group.
Baptism is a serious decision to follow Jesus
and should not be taken lightly." A work-
ing paper on baptism was presented to the
Parish Ministries Commission in February.
Input was given by commission members.
A survey of district ministry and nurture
commissions will be conducted in 1979, and
further rewriting of the paper will occur
before final response is recommended by
the commission to Annual Conference.

For complete informa-
tion on the Seallle Con-
ference, order the
1979 Annual Conference
Booklet, $3 per copy
from Annual Con-
ference Manager,
1451 Dundee Ave.,
Elgin, IL 60120

• Nuclear power plants. Three staff per-
sons, Joel Thompson, Ruby Rhoades and
Stewart Hoover, were asked to respond to a
1978 query and review past Church of the
Brethren Annual Conference actions and
resolutions related to nuclear energy, and
the National Council of Churches docu-
ment on Ethical Implications of Energy
Production and Use. Standing Committee
recommended that the query be referred to
the General Board for a 1979 answer. The
Nuclear Power Plant Committee plans to
have a resolution for the General Board in
Seattle and will then process the resolution
through Standing Committee on to the
Conference floor. It is the committee's
hope that this procedure will enable the
resolution to come before the delegates at
Seattle rather than delaying another year.

• World mission program. The query
asking the General Board to "develop and
implement a more aggressive home and
world mission program for Christian
discipleship opportunities for full-time
Christian service and location alternatives
in light of its indigenization policies," was
adopted by the 1978 Annual Conference.
The query is being studied by a WMC-
appointed task force: Wanda W. Button,
Estella Horning, Terry Slaubaugh and staff
members Merle Crouse and Wil Nolen.

• Challenge Goal for per member giv-
ing. The 1978 Annual Conference directed
the General Board to bring a new challenge
goal for per-member giving to the Brother-
hood Fund, as a business item to the 1979
Conference.

Within the context of the increase in de-
nominational giving to five percent of total
Brethren income, the General Board recom-
mends Conference estabhsh the following
goal for Brotherhood Fund giving, to take
effect Jan. 1, 1980:

Per member dollar amount
and percentage of budget
Participating: $16 per member or 10 per-
cent of local budget
Partnership: $24 per member or 15 per-
cent of local budget
Challenge: $40 and above per member
or 25 percent and above of
local budget

12 \iisM s<,i K June 1474

General Board Report

In last month's Messenger, salvation and
justice advocate Howard Royer asked, con-
cerning General Board program, "What
doors are open for a denomination of
175,000 members to do justice? That is, to
demonstrate the church's long-standing
view that conversion has both spiritual and
social dimensions?"

The 70s are ending. As the Church of the
Brethren looks toward the next decade,
program involvements will depend on the
set of "Goals for the 80s" which will be
adopted at this Annual Conference. In a
sense, dealing with those goals will be a
ceremony of covenant renewal for the
brothers and sisters gathered at Seattle.

Setting the stage for the 80s, the 1979
General Board report measures how well
the Church of the Brethren is currently
"doing justice," how well it is meeting the
Lord's requirements.

A new style of mission is expressed in
Mision Mutua en las Americas in which the
church will not only send, but receive mis-
sionaries. This new ministry will allow the
church to be influenced by those related to
in a partnership. In this manner the church
can ask, "Where can you be helpful to us?"
"Where can we be helpful to you?"

A need to grow is reflected in a new query
and study committees on Christian life-style
and baptism, and church membership.

The drive toward peace and reconcilia-
tion was witnessed across the nation. In
New York, Brethren were present at the UN
Special Session on Disarmament during the
first year of Brethren representation to the
body. Brethren joined in the New Call to
Peacemaking in Green Lake, Wis., to learn
how the historic peace churches can relate
to the issues of peace. Defense Technology
'79, an arms bazaar held in Rosemont, 111.,
was deemed a financial flop due to protest
efforts of Brethren joined with other com-
mitted groups.

General Services Commission. The
Media Education and Advocacy Project
completed its second successful year work-
ing toward media reform. Television
Awareness Training (T-A-T) is now part of
the program of two districts and 23 Breth-
ren have been trained as leaders. Stew-

art Hoover has been asked by the National
Council of Churches to head legislative and
consciousness-raising aspects of the World
Administrative Radio Conference and has
testified on the Communications Act Revi-
sions before the House of Representatives.

Marketing printed more books in 1978
than ever before — more than 100,000. This
year begins an attempt to join the interna-
tional market: About 5,000 books are
distributed in Canada, and contacts are be-
ing made in India, England, Germany,
Japan, Holland, New Zealand, Philippines,
Singapore and Scotland. A new program
initiated in 1979 will provide each congrega-
tion with a six-week Brethren Press book
display on consignment basis. Jim Replogle
became BP plant manager in December.
Replogle formerly headed the printing divi-
sion of Berea College, Berea, Ky.

The Office of Personnel Administration
is now operating and combines crucial per-
sonnel and ministry functions of the de-
nomination. Bentley Peters as coordinator
has brought together a staff including Hazel
Peters, personnel relations; Jan Mason,
orientation and staff development; Anne
Booth, insurance and pension administra-
tion; Merv Keeney, recruitment; and Lois
Baumgartner, placement and employee
procurement. Robert Faus assumed the
ministry portfolio in May.

Historical Resources continue to amass.
During 1978 the historical library received a
1776 Saur Bible, the papers of Dr. Floyd
Mallott and a portion of Dr. Homer L.
Burke's letters. Gwendolyn Bobb, coordi-
nator of historical resources has developed
a Statement of Purpose for the Historical
Library and Archives, a statement on the
Role of the Historical Committee and a new
Policy Manual. After Conference, with
nearly 20 years Board service, Bobb leaves
the staff to enjoy early retirement.

Messenger, under acting editor Kermon
Thomasson and his assistant, Steve Sim-
mons, continues gains in subscriptions and
is currently around 31,000 copies. Due to
increased production and mailing costs of
all magazines. Messenger will have a rate
increase effective in September. The news
services of the Board under Harriet Z.

Blake, received national attention with
coverage of the New Call to Peacemaking
Conference and the Women's Gathering.
Fred Swanz revamped the format and
content of Agenda and reinstated worship
aids for pastors. As book editor, Swartz
developed a five-year book publishing
plan.

World Ministries Commission. Ruby
Rhoades, Washington Office representa-
tive, has been named successor to Kenneth
E. McDowell as executive secretary of the
commission. Rhoades, who begins Jan. 1,
1980, is the first woman appointed to one
of the denomination's top executive posts.
McDowell will retire in 1980 after more
than 25 years of Board service.

Six Brethren Volunteer Service orienta-
tion units were held in various parts of the
US during 1978. Sixty-six people completed
orientation and are on project in the US
and overseas.

SHARE allocated funds to 16 commun-
ity programs in 1 1 states and the District of
Columbia totaling $135,000 — 10 receiving
SHARE monies for the first time.

Volunteers in Service Ministries respond-
ed by giving both their money and time to
more than 15 US disasters. The Disaster Re-
sponse Network has continued to grow;
earthquake response was completed in
Guatemala and volunteer workers are chal-
lenged with finding churches and people
willing to sponsor refugees.

Shantilal Bhagat continues as represen-
tative to the United Nations; following the
Special Session on Disarmament he has
monitored peace issues while moving into
justice and human rights issues.

The church continues to grow in Africa
and India. In the Vyara area of India 290
people were baptized. Nigerian church
membership has increased 80 percent.

Assignments in the Brethren Service-
Polish Agricultural Exchange Program
reached an all time high in 1978 with 54
assignments across the nation and approx-
imately $325,000 in contracts with univer-
sities, research stations, farms, orchards
and nurseries supporting exchanges.

Initiation of the first part of the Brethren
exchange with the Gosner Mission in the

June 1979 mksshngfr 13

and hitting the high spots at Seattle

German Democratic Republic began, work-
ing on disarmament, peace education, cons-
cientious objection and militarism in educa-
tion. With changes of leadership and policy
in the People's Republic of China, renewed
efforts have been made to negotiate an
agricultural or educational exchange or a
visit of religious leaders.

Parish Ministries Commission. In 1978
the Board developed and passed two new
positions: Church Development and Health
and Welfare. Merle Crouse moved from
WMC to PMC on January 1, into the
Church Development position, accepting
responsibilities for church extension,
development of Hispanic Ministries and
Mision Mutua. Jacqueline Driver becomes
Health and Welfare consultant on August
1 , relating to Brethren homes and hospitals
and developing educational and advocacy
programs.

The Education Task Team, June Miller,
Rick Gardner and Bob Bowman developed
10 teaching resources in 1978.

Person Awareness, a program centering
on both males and females, changed hands
in January. Mary and Ralph Detrick, a
staff team filling one full-time staff position
in Life Cycle ministries, picked up the half-
time responsibility. National Youth Con-
ference was held in Estes Park, Colo., in
1978 for 3,000 youth.

To answer the demand for renewed
understanding in education, the Education
Task Team will visit each district start-
ing next fall. Persons from each commis-
sion will be involved; as materials are dis-
played and explained, groups are given the
advantage of learning about models for
mini-labs, and congregations and districts
have an opportunity to talk about their
needs.

A Staff team on Witness and Growth has
been established to look at building up
the church, starting new congregations,
underscoring the validity of the smaller con-
gregation and providing financial support
to many congregations. Teams members are
Carol Sherbondy, Tom Wilson, Merle
Crouse, Bob Bowman and Matt Meyer.

Financially, Brotherhood Fund dona-
tions increased 5 percent, but still fell short
of the budgeted $2,650,000. The General

Board was faced with a difficult task in
designing the 1979 budget, since Brother-
hood Fund allocations have not reached the
budgeted amount for several years. Only
$20,000 was added to the budgeted
Brotherhood Fund income for 1979.

The General Board has authorized a
$250,000 Challenge Budget to support the
Brethren Radio Ministry, the United Na-
tions witness. Health and Welfare
ministries and the Misi6n Mutua programs.

Stewardship figures show that Brethren
giving for all purposes (local, district,
camps, colleges, homes, seminary. General
Board) represents a mere 2.6 percent of the
collective income. In response to in-
struction by the 1978 Conference, the
Board will present to the 1979 Annual Con-
ference, new per-member challenge goals
calling for doubling of giving for all pur-
poses from 2.6 percent to five percent.

Personnel changes were many in 1978.
The resignation of Joan Harrison, admin-
istrative assistant to the treasurer, required
a shifting of duties to Roy Hiteshew, assist-
ant treasurer and Merle Brown, account-
ant. In Parish Ministries, Shirley Heckman
moved to a half-time responsibility in
higher education, and June Miller increased
duties in editing, curriculum development
and teacher training.

Following Lyle Lichtenberger's death.
Rick Gardner moved from work with the
Education For a Shared Ministry (one-half
time) to resourcing Bible study seminars
and workshops.

To express its drive
toward peace and
reconciliation, the
General Board
planned a protest of
Defense Technology
'79 for members and
staff. The nuclear
arms bazaar was
deemed a financial
flop due to pressure
from Brethren joined
with other committed
forces.

The Salvation and Justice Team has had
three foci that will continue in 1979.

The building of community includes a
program of Bible study retreats to be led by
Rick Gardner beginning July 1.

Howard Royer and Chuck Boyer worked
at peace and disarmament projects launch-
ing study-action groups with six distrirts
on conversion planning for nuclear wea-
pons facilities and mihtary bases in the dis-
tricts.

The stewardship of creation focus will
direct church leadership in areas of alter-
nate energy use, conservation of resources,
land use, life-style decisions and hunger and
nutrition concerns.

The team has assisted the General Board
and Pension Board in corporate respon-
sibility by filming shareholder resolutions
on infant formula, nuclear weapons pro-
duction and South Africa's apartheid
policy. Grants have been awarded to such
causes as environmental planning, peace
and disarmament education and women's
justice programs.

Think About It, two series of 26 one-
minute radio messages, was produced by
Earle Fike and Stewart Hoover and broad-
cast over an estimated 100 stations. A sec-
ond series. Life-style, also one-minute pro-
ductions, will be issued in cooperation with
the General Conference Mennonites.

The team is currently composed of
Howard Royer, coordinator, Shantilal
Bhagat, Mary Cline Detrick, Rick Gardner,
Stewart Hoover and Bob Neff. IZi

':§)Gfi(

I Nt.i K June 1979

Renewing the Covenant

For 18 months, brothers and sisters throughout
the church family, from local to national level,
have been working together to create a set of
goals for the decade ahead.

In the life of Israel there was a covenant
renewal festival which was celebrated
every seven years. At that time the cove-
nant, the vision for the community of
faith, was lifted up. At the
conclusion of the ceremony
the people said, "Amen."
In the body of Christ there
needs to be that time when
the vision is affirmed so that
new objectives and new pro-
gram can be developed in
relation to the earlier affirma-
tion. Our covenant renewal
ceremony will take place this
month at Annual Conference
when the Goals for the 80s
are considered as an item of
business. In essence we will be
saying an amen to those
goals, those dreams, those
currents which nurture our
life and thought.

Messenger is here
publishing the final revised
draft statement of the Goals
for the 80s to facilitate a
more meaningful consider-
ation of the goals in Seattle.
This final statement is the
product of many months of
work at local, district and na-
tional levels of the church,
work in which many of our
readers have been directly in-
volved. The final statement
reflects the tone and
substance of the feedback re-
ceived from some 15 percent
of all congregations, repre-
senting every district of the
denomination.

Before Annual Conference,
we invite readers to
search the scriptures which
undergird the goals statement.
Perhaps you will want
to set for yourself a schedule of passages
to study each week. Pastors are
encouraged to develop sermons on the
statement.

At the General Offices in Elgin each
commission staff meeting and Adminis-
trative Council meeting in the last several
months has been opened with a period of

Goals for the 80s

God the Lord of all life and of
all creation, calls us . . .
To do justice

— by witnessing to God's justice, which forgives us and
requires us to turn the other cheek and walk the sec-
ond mile;

— by altering our life-styles to consume less and to share
more, accepting the challenge of the simplicity of
Jesus' Ufe and mission;

— by supporting efforts to establish a just world order
through nonviolent means.

(Selections from Isaiah 59; Amos 5; Matthew 5-7, 25;
Luke 4, Revelation 4.)

To love tenderly

— by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through
proclamation and example;

— by living at one with God, at peace with one's self,
one's family, one's neighbor and one's environment;

— by confronting and caring for one another;

— by claiming God's gift of reconciliation in the family,
the church, society and among all nations and all
faiths.

(Selections from Genesis 1; Hosea 3, 11; Matthew 18,
28; Luke 10; Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12, 13; 2
Corinthians 5; Galatians 6; Ephesians 4.)

To walk humbly

— by living as a servant people who know the empower-
ing love of the basin and towel;

— by being in mission that Uves out mutuality;

— by celebrating the Lordship of Christ and the in-
terdependence of all humanity.
(Selections from Isaiah 53; Luke 7; John 13, 15, 17;
Philippians 2.)

— Micah 6:6-8

Bible study and prayer, focusing on some
part of the Goals for the 80s. Partici-
pants have found that each period of
meditation and prayer deepens their

understanding of the call to discipleship
as expressed through the goals. It is
exciting to consider what could happen
as all the units of our church work

at a common vision through

the use of common scripture

texts. The foundation for any

vision is the scripture itself.

Without that scriptural vision

we as a people will perish.

After the adoption of goals
by Annual Conference, the
more difficult venture will
begin — the implementation of
the goals by the developing of
objectives and programs. It is
the hope of the General
Board that during the autumn
months every unit of the
church — local congregations,
district boards, the General
Board and all the church-
related institutions — will be at
work simultaneously develop-
ing those objectives. The
General Board and staff will
meet in a retreat setting at
Camp Mack in Indiana next
October to set objectives for
the next five years on a na-
tional basis. By that time all
congregations, districts and
Brethren institutions will have
been contacted and involved
in the task of setting objec-
tives. The December MESSEN-
GER will carry a progress
report. In January 1980, a
consultation of district ex-
ecutives and national staff
will be held for the interlock-
ing of objectives, setting the
stage for new program
development.

It is hoped that in the years
ahead, our faith will be deep-
ened, not simply because we
have challenging goals, but because our
Hfe has been united through a common vi-
sion to which each member of the church
says, "Amen." — k.t.

June 1979 messenger 15

Warrenii
Naming

by Guy E. Wampler Jr.

"I quit school at the end of grade
school."

The source of these words makes them
remarkable. 1 was talking to Warren
Groff, our Annual Conference moderator.
"What? You are a high school dropout?"
I exclaimed with near disbelief.

"That's right," Warren responded. "I
never even started high school."

"Really?" I was trying to put together
what seemed to be an extraordinary dis-
continuity. Warren, president of Bethany
Theological Seminary, is a well-known, in
fact foremost. Brethren educator.

"You must remember," Warren con-
tinued in his quiet way, "I grew up in a
rural Mennonite community. Half my
background is Mennonite. Most of my
young friends also didn't go to high
school. They went to work on farms. So
from age 13 to about 17 I worked for one
of the farmers who took chickens and
eggs to neighboring towns."

This conversation was taking a most
surprising turn! Warren and I were not
talking about Karl Barth (the dominant
theologian in Warren's theology) or Christ
the Hope of the Future (a "heavy" book

that Warren wrote) or stor\'telling (a cur-
rent theological trend in which Warren
has been in the vanguard). Instead we
were talking about a Pennsylvania Dutch
boy called "Bud" who quit school at age
13 to take care of chickens. I was
fascinated by the contrast between the
world in which Warren grew up and the
world in which he now circulates. I
wanted to hear more.

Warren, who is now 54, began to
reminisce: "I was baptized when I was 11.
An evangelist convinced me I had better
join. But I soon got caught up in youthful
rebellion. I quit church. I traveled with a
gang. We didn't do terrible things. Our

16 \iissi \c.i K .lunc ls>7y

aroff:
tiis gifts

sins were smallish." (I imagined that
"smallish" sins meant pranks, speeding
and other common misdemeanors.)

Then, more poignantly, Warren talked
about a car accident which was a pivotal
experience in his life: "Our car turned
end-over-end and rolled around. My
friend and 1 got out safely, but it was
enough of a jolt to make me say to
myself, 'It's kind of silly.' "

Those words capsulized how Warren
felt not only about the car wreck, but also
about his work on the chicken farm and
his whole way of Ufe at that point.

J\.t this traumatic juncture, Wilbur and
Evelyn Martin entered Warren's life.
Wilbur was the young pastor at the Potts-
town Church of the Brethren. "Wip was
the kind of guy who would grab you and
play Ping-pong and other sports. He
knew how to banter with youth," Warren
said. "Wilbur and Evelyn became almost
like a brother and sister to me. They were
there at a time when I was ready for
something other than what I was doing.
Wilbur was a pointer toward something I
was reaching for."

Later I was talking with Wilbur, who is
now pastor in Orlando, Fla., checking his
recollection of Warren's youthful days
and his version of the car accident. Wil-
bur remembered, "The Groff family lived
about 20 miles from the church in a Men-
nonite community and their associations
were with that community. The accident
happened on a Friday or Saturday night.
Bud (Warren) and his friend were 'hot-
rodding' or 'cowboying' in a car. They
couldn't maneuver a curve and upset. A
day or so later the hunting season opened
and I went hunting with the Groffs. Bud
and I stayed together. I could see that he

''What! You are a high school dropout?" I

exclaimed with near disbelief. ''That's right, "

Warren responded. "I never even started

high school. " This seemed to me an

extraordinary discontinuity.

was upset. We didn't do much hunting;
we did a lot of talking."

Through the Martins, Warren turned to
the church. There he found an unex-
pected bonus, a young woman named
Ruth Davidheiser.

Ruth was also close to the Martins. She
was not from a Brethren family but be-
came acclimated to the church by helping
Evelyn Martin with secretarial work and
mimeographing.

Warren soon became very active in the
church. "Wilbur was the kind of pastor
who pushed youth to lead at our meet-
ings. He also was always on the lookout
for ministerial potential," Warren re-
called. Within six months after the car ac-
cident Wilbur called on Warren to preach.

It is an outstanding compUment to
Wilbur and Evelyn Martin that two of the
top Brethren leaders today, Warren
Groff, president of our seminary, and
Bob Neff, executive secretary of our
denomination's General Board, both

name the Martins as significant persons
during their formative years.

I am not sure that the church is as at-
tentive today as it once was to what War-
ren calls the naming of gifts (Eph. 4).
"Biblically," Warren explained, "to
name is to be a co-creator. The naming of
gifts occurs not simply in terms of what is
already obvious, but also in anticipation
of what one may become." Here Warren
was speaking out of his own experience in
relationship with the Martins and others
who "named his gifts."

Wilbur got Warren to think about
education, and there was a succession of
events which carried Warren out of the
rural community where he grew up. He
enrolled at the National Bible Institute in
New York City, his pastor's alma mater.
During the 18 months in New York, the
country boy was, in Warren's words,
"partially urbanized."

His experience became still more global
when Warren was drafted in 1943. He was

Warren and Ruth
greet a well-wisher at
the installation of
Warren as president
of Bethany Seminary.
As president, Warren
continues to think of
himself primarily as
teacher-minister.
"The presidency just
enlarges the class-
room," smiles the
Brethren 's foremost
scholar and educator.

June 1979 messfngfr 17

Systematic and orderly as a thinker, Warren has a good grasp of the whole sweep of
theologies. His writings include the popular Story Time: God's Story and Ours.

stationed at a field hospital that moved
just behind the front lines in Europe. In
our conversation Warren stressed, "I
never touched a gun."

Noting the forcefulness with which he
spoke, 1 responded, "That was important
to you?"

"That was important," He echoed.
Then he expressed satisfaction about some
of the constructive things he had done as
a non-combatant, including treating Ger-
man prisoners of war during the latter
years of the conflict.

After the war, events again moved
swiftly and significantly; passing tests for
a high school equivalency diploma; enroll-
ment for a year at Eastern Baptist College
(also Pastor Martin's alma mater); ordina-
tion at the Pottstown church; marriage to
Ruth; and transfer to Juniata College.

"I was traveUng back from Annual
Conference with Alvin Alderfer and his
family; he talked up Juniata," Warren
told me. Alderfer must have been persua-
sive. Within two months Warren was at
Juniata.

"Were you a country boy when you
went to Juniata?" I inquired.

"1 still am a country boy in many
ways," said this distinguished theologian
from Chicago. "Yes, I certainly was that
in terms of my perception of myself."

Warren's intellectual awakening came at
Juniata. For the first time he read not
simply books like The Bobbsey Twins and
Operator Five, which he enjoyed in his
youth, but Plato, Aristotle and the whole
list of classics which Professor Morley
Mays opened to him. After two years and
two summers at Juniata, Warren gradu-

ated summa cum laude.

Next came a year at Bethany Seminary
and two years at Yale Divinity School,
where Warren earned a Bachelor of Divin-
ity degree in preparation for teaching.

Then Warren did an almost unparal-
leled thing at Yale University. Within one
year after graduation from seminary, he
qualified by examination for his doctorate
except for the thesis. That was half of the
minimum time for most students.

"How did you do it? Take an unusually
heavy load?" I marveled.

"No, I just passed the examinations,"
Warren said matter-of-factly. "There were
six full days of doctoral exams which I was
permitted to take. 1 took them and passed."

"That experience must have affirmed
that you were on the right track," I com-
mented, adding, with my voice rising,
"By this time you must have had the feel-
ing of intellectual competence!"

"1 guess 1 was somewhat surprised,"
Warren mused quietly.

"You mean you were discovering as
you went along what you could do?"

"Yes. Right."

"You didn't know from the beginning?"

"No, no, I don't think that I will ever
be confident about those things. That's
why 1 say that a lot of my life has been
filled with a sense of surprise at what's
there."

I had caught another glimpse of the
Pennsylvania Dutch boy.

Warren's teaching career began at
Bridgewater College in Virginia in 1954.
"At Bridgewater 1 taught the most
capable cluster of students I ever had," he
remembers.

After four years, Warren went to
Bethany Seminary, where he began as
assistant professor, became dean and is
now president. Warren continues to think
of himself primarily as teacher-minister.
"The presidency just enlarges the
classroom," he smiles.

The church-at-large probably thinks of
Warren in similar terms. First and fore-
most, he is a scholar. Systematic and or-
derly as a thinker, he has a remarkable
grasp of the whole sweep of theologies.
Paul Robinson, Warren's predecessor as
president at Bethany, contends that
"Warren is probably the first Brethren
theologian who is recognized outside our

18 MisMNCiK June 1979

denomination. Brethren can be proud of
what he can contribute to theological cir-
cles anywhere."

Jesse Ziegler of the American Associa-
tion of Theological Schools, corroborates
Paul Robinson's statement: "Serving on
the commission on accrediting, Warren
visited many of our most prestigious
seminaries and learned to know other
theologians widely across the country. He
became highly respected for his work as a
member of that commission."

Grady Snyder, dean of Bethany, also
speaks of Warren's theological excellence,
but he stresses a different point. "Warren
is very 'Brethren,' " Grady says, con-
cerned that some may be mistrustful of
our moderator because he is such a
scholar.

^•autioning not to be misled by War-
ren's degrees, positions and language,
Grady pointed to an element of simplifi-
cation which he thinks is more at the core
of who Warren is. He illustrates: "The
president's house is commodious, but
Warren and Ruth keep it simple and
homey inside. They like simple food.
Gourmet foods don't appeal to them. He
doesn't convolute his life. There is
simplicity even in the way he does his
tasks — he does only one or two things at a
time. In his way, he is the simplest of us
all at Bethany. His language is complex at
times, but his faith is basic and clear."
Thus Grady expressed confidence that
Warren, as moderator, can be relied upon
to state the faith of the Brethren.

Warren, the outstanding Brethren theo-
logian, is also a good fisherman. "War-
ren," I said, "I want to ask you about
fishing."

"All right!" was his animated reply. It
was clear that he relished this subject.

"Tell me the truth; do you really catch
many fish?" I asked jestingly.

"Always," he said, without batting an
eye. "I am a very good fisherman."

"What is the biggest fish you ever
caught?"

"Bass — about seven pounds."

"You make your own lures?"

"Yes."

"You don't tell those fish tales about
fish almost pulling you in the water and

all that kind of stuff, do you?"

"Oh, yeah, I have all kinds of fish
tales."

I glanced at my watch and didn't give
Warren time to get started on that.

Ruth Groff is a warm and friendly per-
son. When asked how Warren's moder-
atorship has effected her and the family,
Ruth mentioned that traveling was espe-
cially heavy during the late summer and
fall. She accompanied Warren on about
75 percent of the trips to district con-
ferences. Admitting uneasiness at first
about her responsibilities as wife of the
moderator, Ruth said that many unex-
pected things have happened in her hfe
since her marriage. She mentioned War-
ren's election as president of the seminary
and now as moderator of Conference. "I
am a farm girl," she said with tears rising
briefly to the brim of her eyes. Ruth is a
quietly competent person who has ad-
justed to her unexpected roles and in
many ways has found great joy in them.

A he Groffs' son, David, 22, graduated
from Oberlin College last year. He has se-
cured an excellent job as a physicist for a
corporation in Chicago.

Our conversation turned to Annual
Conference. Warren expects the set-
ting— the former World's Fair grounds on
a crowded Fourth of July weekend in
Seattle, Wash. — to have an effect on the
1979 Conference. The world, its technol-
ogy and people, will be with us signaling
us to the global dimensions of our con-
cern.

The Conference symbol, created by
Jeanine Powers, will have a similar thrust.
Broken bread and the words of the Con-
ference theme, "Partakers of the
Promise," are set within an open circle.
"The circle," Warren interprets, "repre-
sents our particularity as a people, a fam-
ily among families. The break in the circle
opens the horizon beyond our particular-
ity to the full sweep of God's own pur-
pose which is for all creation." That is
the overarching vision, lifted up by the
setting and the symbol which Warren
hopes will run through the Conference.

Regarding the Conference business
agenda, Warren observes, "Several issues
are substantive and may attract long lines

to the mikes." Yet he detects a concilia-
tory tone in the statements that are being
prepared, which may reduce controversy
and division.

Asked to describe the qualities toward
which he will strive as moderator, Warren
began with the obvious — fairness and a
judicious sense of pace. Then he ad-
vocated enough humility to remember that
no one Conference statement can carry
the whole weight of the gospel. He hopes,
despite the press of the agenda, for an
openness to the moment and a responsive-
ness to the promise inherent within each
event. Timely was his caution that Breth-
ren should moderate the great urge to do
too many things. Pleasing was his desire
for a simplicity in program and business
which will allow time to be renewed at the
center.

It's a long road from tending chickens
on a small farm near Harleysville, Pa., to
moderating Annual Conference in Seattle,
Wash. Quitting school, the car accident,
the Martins and other key events were
along the way that led finally to the pres-
ent awesome responsibilities.

"Warren," 1 inquired, "looking back
on the road you have traveled, do you
have a sense of God's purpose being
worked out in your life?"

In reply, Warren spoke of the Provi-
dence of God, a phrase which he related
especially to the presence of persons and
the occurrence of events which create
possibilities for his own decisions and
point him in a certain direction.

Then with quiet eloquence and precision
of thought, Warren concluded, "Some-
how I had a life where people's hands
reached toward me and pulled me out of
myself. People saw things in me / never
saw quite so sharply. I live out a keen
sense of the Providence of God, without
taking away the full initiative and in-
dividuality of the Wilbur Martins and
many others right on through college,
who somehow kept seeing gifts in me and
naming those gifts for me and extending
my very being. I experienced that enough
throughout my own life history that it is
not simply a head knowledge. It happened
to me." D

Guy E. Wampter Jr. is pastor of the Beacon
Heights congregation in Fort Wayne, Ind. . and a
member of the General Board.

June 1979 mf:sshngfr 19

by Kermon Thomasson

Brethren planning their journey to Seattle
for the 1979 Annual Conference may be
unaware that they are taking part in a
repeat of the 1914 Annual Meeting, held
65 years ago in the same city.

The Seattle Conference of 1914 marked
the second time Brethren had met on the
West Coast, Los Angeles having hosted
the 1907 gathering. The decision to meet
in Seattle underscored the growing impor-
tance of the Pacific Northwest in the
Brotherhood. The District of Washington
had been created in 1910, adding its 13
congregations to the eight in Oregon and
1 1 in Idaho and Western Montana to
make up a Brethren cluster of 1,500
members in the Pacific Northwest.

Those Brethren, looking forward to
hosting Annual Meeting, hoped that the
event would stimulate Brethren migration
to that part of the country. The movement
of Brethren to the west coast had begun
with emigration of pioneers from Ohio, In-
diana, Illinois and Iowa in the middle
1800s, the first ones in the Northwest set-
tling in Oregon's Willamette Valley. North-
western expansion continued in the fol-
lowing years, with considerable missionary
work being done by the church leadership.

The great expansion period for the
Brethren into the Northwest lay between
1897 and 1918. A number of factors ac-
count for the Brethren interest in moving
to that area. An obvious one is the adver-
tising campaigns of the railroads of that
time. All the roads leading in that direc-
tion advertised extensively in Brethren
periodicals and employed Brethren as col-
onization agents.

Some of the more blatant ads and glow-
ing travelogs raise serious questions of

Below: Conferencegoers at Seattle, 1914.

Returning

Returning to Seattle? Yes, Brethren in 19 U

to Seattle for the first of several Annual

Seattle in 1979 will see many changes, but^

forecast in Messenger accounts of thi

propriety in the minds of today's reader
of those publications. (In fact, one query
at the 1914 Annual Meeting took a hard
look at Gospel Messenger ads!) Yet the
promotion schemes of the railway lines
were matched by a growing behef among
the Brethren that colonization was the
best way to expand the church. Brethren
flocked to the Nez Perce country, to the
valleys of Yakima, Flathead and
Wenatchee, even into western Canada
(where, at Calgary, Alberta, in 1923 took
place the only Annual Conference ever
held outside the United States).

A he 1914 Conference was held June
18-25 in the auditorium of the University
of Washington. Most conferencegoers, as
one would expect, arrived by rail, after
long but comfortable rides across the
country, admiring, in Dunker innocence,
purple mountains, fruited plains and
untrammedled wilderness along the way.
Lodging in Seattle was mostly found in
homes and rooming houses near the uni-
versity campus. Family-style meals for 25
cents were served in a large dining hall
which seated 1,000 persons. Restaurants
and lunch counters competed with this ar-
rangement, but Brethren were cautioned

not to stray into questionable establish-
ments. Brethren of today could have
found their way around fairly easily for
thee were quarters in the audiorium
building set aside for the Brethren Pub-
hshing House, exhibits, Standing Com-
mittee, the Mission Board and "Ladies
Restrooms." Large posters "in conspicu-
ous places," gave general information for
the uninitiated and the disoriented.

The business of the meeting was record-
ed in The Conference Daily, eight issues,
edited by John R. Snyder of Ohio. E.S.
Gregory of Tacoma had charge of the
subscription hst. (In 1979 there will be
three issues and a wrap-up of the
Conference news, edited by Messenger's
Steve Simmons.)

As today, the real Conference was
preceded by other meetings — in 1914 it
was the Sunday school meeting,
missionary meeting and educational
meeting.

A "musical institute" ran throughout the
week, as well as a daily "Sunday" school
program. No "Insight Sessions" were
held, but there were meetings during the
week of the Child Rescue Program, Peace
Program, Temperance group, Sisters' Aid
Society and the Gish Fund Committee.
Preaching and Bible study occupied much

20 MKssiAoi R June 1979

to Seattle

lade the long journey (mostly by railroad)
^conferences in the Northwest. Brethren at
urprisingly, those changes were
arlier Seattle meeting, 65 years ago.

time during the week and the best orators
and teachers of the Brotherhood were
employed for them.

There was no such thing as a Con-
ference theme or symbol in 1914, or
elaborate backdrops for the Annual
Meeting events, but one conferencegoer
noted that "... some sisters, who have
an eye for the beautiful in nature, had
lined the front of the long platform with
about 50 vases of fine flowers, mostly
roses, of every hue, such as the Northwest
produces in marvelous profusion."

The business sessions in 1914 were
moderated by Elder Frank Fisher of In-
diana. On the agenda were items as im-
portant as the issue of the "set apart
ministry" and as trivial as the matter of
brothers wearing neckties.

X here was much calhng for a return of
Brethren to simple Uving patterns.
However, to an outsider it would have ap-
peared that the Brethren of 1914 had that
already as their main tenet. A local Seattle
newspaper writer observed:

"I watched the soberly-dressed throng
moving into the afternoon service with a
lively curiosity. They were essentially
home folks, and their browned skins and

rosy cheeks spoke for the tonic of farm
life and fresh air. . . .

"Smiles and laughter everywhere
proved that a sober garb may shelter a
happy heart. From silvery-haired grand-
mothers, quaintly beautiful in their black
shawls and bonnets, and reverend elders,
hoary-bearded, leaning upon canes, to the
pretty girls and stalwart young fellows, all
reflected the general spirit of content and
cheer. . . .

"It was a large congregation which
assembled to hear Elder Hutchinson of
California. It was a devout congregation,
yet in a cheerful, homelike, contented
manner. If it differed in any way except
outward appearance from the congrega-
tion of the average city church, it was that
its members seemed less constrained, more
at home at worship. . . .

"The dress of the women, like that of
the men, follows the rule of unostenta-
tion, but here and there was a slight con-
cession to the prevailing mode.

"Without musical instruments or pitch-
pipe, the great congregation sang in a
manner to shame the big church choirs.
This was real chorus singing true in tone
and fascinating in the play of parts.

"Prayer was called and fully two-thirds
of the congregation rose from the seats

and knelt upon the floor. The white-
bearded elders knelt in the same manner,
as one of their number besought a
heavenly blessing.

"It was a straightforward, sincere
prayer, full of faith. The rows of kneeling
figures expressed trustful devotion. Here
and there a woman with a baby or young
children in charge remained upright. Now
and then a baby would interrupt the
prayer. I saw one mother during the
recital of faith kissing dimples into the
smiling, flower-like face of a new arrival
in the family, while a gray-beard nearby,
covertly smiled at the picture.

"Having given up earthly pomp and
vanities, the Brethren seem to have gained
proportionately in good cheer and true
content.

"Their church teaches a lesson worth
heeding in this age of material things."

A he Gospel Messenger's J. H. Moore
ended his account of the 1914 meeting
with some suggestions for improving
future Annual Conferences. He called for,
among other innovations, "a splendid ad-
dress on some real hve topic" by the
moderator; for fewer queries and "well-
prepared answers" for those queries; "a
rousing, big sermon" every evening; and a
Conference Booklet that "by and by
(would) be a real book of nearly 200
pages."

He concluded that, having neared the
end of his career and reported 37 Con-
ferences, it was "but natural (to) indulge
in a Httle forecasting." Brother Moore, if
he could be at Seattle in 1979, would find
his forecasts well fulfilled. Would anyone
care to suggest further changes we might
see 65 years hence? See you in Seattle. D

1. ■^B^'^. 'IK

1

1

if iJiSSS

i

t

h

mifffliEMi

m

UK . .*te*.. ■ -«MMi

£__

^m^--

,lunc 1979 MESSENGER 21

^©[lllJl^Ifil

by Shirley J. Heckman

Cults and commitment

Continuance, cohesiveness and control are
issues of commitment to any group, not
just those identified as cults. How to re-
tain members and get the necessary work
done is the issue of continuance.
Cohesiveness is evident in the ways in
which members of the group stick
together against perceived threats from
outside. Control is manifest in the degree
of obedience to leaders and conformity to
beliefs and values of the group.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter compared
modern commune societies with the 19th
century groups such as the Shakers, the
Oneida Community and the Amana Col-
onies. (Commitment and Community,
Harvard University Press.) She identified
six dimensions of commitment — sacrifice,
investment, renunciation, communion,
mortification and transcendence.

Her work was used as a basis for
analysis of present-day cults by Ronald
Enroth in his book, Youth, Brainwashing
and the Extremist Cults (Zondervan).
Following are brief comments which pick
up some of his work:

Sacrifice. Members give up education,
careers and sometimes sexual relations in
order that energy and attention can be
devoted to group tasks. The severe life-
style of many groups is an effective
sacrifice mechanism as is the expectation
of hard work and long hours.

Investment. In joining some cults, per-
sons are expected to contribute tangible
things such as cars, stereos, bank accounts
and money. Apparently commitment is
promoted by emphasizing the irreversibil-
ity of the investment. All cult members
are expected to invest all of their time and
energy for the work of the group.

Renunciation. The world outside is ex-
perienced as evil and corupt. Members of
the cult "family" go into the world only
for recruiting and fund-raising. Contact
with blood families is felt to be polluting
because talk is not related to the vision of

the cult. Family and other attachments are
broken in favor of attachment to God.

Communion. Work is done in teams to
diminish the effect which individual effort
has. A powerful feeling of community
develops when members feel part of a
cause that they expect will revolutionize
the world. Rituals and group meetings
reinforce the sense of communion.

Mortification. The old "evil" identity is
stripped away and replaced with a new
one which is sometimes emphasized with
the taking of a new name known emd used
by the new "family." A hierarchy of
authority is maintained in names,
privileges, positions and living conditions.

Trancendence. The belief system is
often apocalyptic with a vision and revela-
tion of secret purposes of God and the
end of the world in which only the "fam-
ily" will participate. Only those who hold
the "true faith" of the cult will be saved.

he total belief and practice system
provides purpose and meaning for the
members and makes legitimate the
demands made by the group on the
members. Often there is a strong central
leader who is seen as the symbolic head of
the "family." The restrictions of life-style
and morality accepted by the group are
not necessarily followed by the leader.

The main theme is regimentation and
discipline. Commitment is nurtured in a
controlled environment and is manifest in
an unyielding discipline.

Another writer describes a cult as "a
movement of social protest and personal
affirmation, it offers a total way of life to
those who are alienated from their fami-
lies and the attitude by which their fami-
lies and their society attempted to prepare
them for successful adulthood. Cults at-
tract the dispossessed, the bored, the
lonely. Neither poverty nor youth is a nec-
essary precondition for feeling the lure of

a cult" {The Cults Are Coming, Lowell
Streiker, Abingdon).

How can we protect our families and
loved ones from being captivated by the
cults? Streiker has three suggestions:

1) Find out why cults are attractive.

2) Risk open communication with
children. When adults pretend that there
are no problems, no doubts, no failings in
their lives, it is difficult for the young
among us to voice fears, admit short-
comings and seek guidance.

3) Recognize that what wasn't accomp-
lished in the first 18 to 20 years of life is
not likely to be forced upon the emerging
adult. This means that the formative years
of children must be taken seriously and
that children have the right to make their
own mistakes.

Be careful about contributing. Know to
whom you give your money. Don't make
your facilities available to unknown
groups. Inquire whether the person seek-
ing support is a local resident.

Inform yourself and your family about
cults and new rehgions. Provide forums,
classes and printed materials through your
congregation. Join with others in the com-
munity to bring these concerns to public
attention.

If a member of your family joins a cult,
check with local and state organizations
for educational information and counsel.
A clue for locating such groups may be
found in the names of the Pennsylvania
ones: The Pittsburgh Association for In-
dividual Freedom, Focus on Freedom and
Personal Freedom Association. D

Shirley J. Heckman is consuliani for educational
development and planning/public and higher educa-
tion, on the Parish Ministries stuff.

22 MissiSGi R June 1979

Annual

Conference

elections :

The issue of
equitable representation

''A major challenge which is increasing in importance,
which we have not faced squarely, and which
must be dealt with honesty, with integrity and love, is
representative leadership in the church. "

At the Annual Conference in Richmond a
query came before the meeting asking
Conference to elect a study committee
whose task would be to propose ways by
which equitable representation of women
to men on Conference-elected committees
would be assured.

Conference, in answering the query,
directed the General Board to name the
committee to carry out the study. An in-
itial report to the Board in February 1978
was returned to the committee with in-
struction to work further on the study.
The committee's second report was
adopted by the Board in February 1979
and it is this report that comes to Con-
ference in Seattle.

Messenger publishes here the study
committee's report in full (except for
historical background) in order to famil-
iarize Conferencegoers and delegates with
it before the paper is debated at Seattle.

One of the important items of business on
the Conference agenda each year is the
call of persons to leadership through the
election process. Therefore it is incumbent
on the church to insure that the nomina-
tion and election process is fair and equi-
table cmd that all persons within our de-
nomination have an equal opportunity to
receive that call for service. The process
must express our commitment to mutu-
ality as brothers and sisters in the faith.

The concern about our election process
and particularly the matter of representa-
tion has been before the last three Annual
Conferences in one form or another. In
1976, Standing Committee brought to
Conference a resolution calling for a
structured ballot which would seek to
assure a balanced representation of
women and men on the boards and com-
mittees elected by Conference. This
resolution resulted from a concern that all
persons be encouraged to exercise their
gifts at all levels of the church's life and
ministry. This resolution was not accepted
by Annual Conference.

A:

lIso at the 1976 Annual Conference, a
query was adopted calling for a study
committee to update and evaluate the
1972 General Board paper on Equality for
Women. This query requested that recom-
mendations be made for further im-
plementation of the paper. The report of
this committee was received at the 1977
Conference and was adopted with one
amendment which deleted three major
recommendations dealing with ways of
handling the nominating and balloting
procedures to assure a more equitable
representation of men and women on
Conference-elected boards and
committees.

Another query. Annual Conference '
Elections, was brought to the 1977 Con-

ference, which called for a study commit-
tee whose task would be to propose ways
of assuring equitable representation of
men and women on Conference-elected
boards and committees.

The Standing Committee's answer
recommended returning the query
because it believed that the Report of the
Committee on Equality for Women in the
Church of the Brethren contained recom-
mendations which proposed ways of
assuring equitable representation.
However, with those three recommenda-
tions deleted by the delegate body.
Standing Committee's answer was no
longer applicable and did not adequately
answer the query's concern.

Therefore, the delegate body did not
accept Standing Committee's answer and
voted instead that "the concern of the
query be adopted and that we ask the
General Board to propose ways by which
equitable representation of women to men
on Conference-elected boards and com-
mittees will be assured. This study
(should) include all sectors of our
membership, particularly the blue collar
workers and farmers. The Board will
report to the 1978 Annual Conference."

The General Board did appoint such a
committee after consultation with Annual
Conference officers and Central Commit-
tee. The committee appointed was Lena
Miller of Central Committee, Estelle Moh-
(Continued on page 42)

June 1979 messengrr 23

Biblical inspiration ari;

The Brethren at Seattle will consider a report /
Biblical Inspiration and Authority. In anticipate
on the subject, Messenger presents two views ^

Don't disdain the Scriptures

by the Brethren Revival Fellowship

There is much variety within the Church
of the Brethren. The core reason for the
differences is related to the question of
the inspiration and the authority of the
Scriptures. This question ultimately de-
termines one's whole theology.

Some say the epistles of Paul cannot be
reconciled with the teachings of Christ.
Others have difficulties with the first 1 1
chapters of Genesis. Still others say it is
impossible to harmonize the New Testa-
ment concept of God with the Old Testa-
ment accounts of bloodshed. Some of us
believe that the entire Bible is trustworthy
—a reliable guide for doctrine and for
practice — and in the original documents,
inerrant in all its parts.

The basic issue concerns the term "in-
spiration" as it is applied to the contents
of the Bible. There are two viewpoints:

1) Some Christians believe that the
Spirit of God "inspired" the writers of
the Bible by providing inner guidance of a
general and overall nature. In this view,
the Spirit led the writers to express truths
without necessarily controlhng the details
of the stories they told. This allows room
for the possibility that some human errors
crept into the wording of the Scriptures,
despite their overall divine inspiration.

2) The other point of view, held by
many believers, is that the Scriptures are
unique and different from all other
literature in that they are verbally inspired
by God so that in all their words they are
the Word of God. The writers of the
Bible were not simply guided by the
Spirit; they were so completely controlled,
that in every passage in the original
manuscripts, they wrote the words that
the Spirit directed them to write.

The first 1,800 years of church history
reveal that Christians generally maintained

a faithfulness to the doctrine of biblical
inerrancy (the second view, summarized in
the previous paragraph). Only during the
past 175 years have there been serious at-
tempts to dethrone this doctrine.

There are some commonly-held miscon-
ceptions about the view of inspiration
which says that the Bible is a book
without error. We want to note a few of
the misconceptions.

Mechanical dictation. Verbal inspiration
(the accuracy of each word) does not
mean that every writer was merely a me-
chanical machine through which God was
dictating the words. Each writer was an
individual with differing experiences, and
backgrounds and writing styles. But all of
the Bible was God-breathed in such a way
that God guarded and guided every word
so that the message was what God wanted
it to be. We do not say that the writers of
scripture were machines holding pens,
and, hke type-setters in a printing office,
did not understand what they were doing.

Few persons have ever accepted the me-
chanical dictation theory of inspiration.

Sometimes God spoke to the writers in
dreams and visions, sometimes by an
audible voice and sometimes by angels.
At other times we are not told how the
Word of God came to the writers. But
whatever means God employed in speak-
ing to persons, it never obliterated their
own personalities. Each writer used his
own literary style, and each writer empha-
sized his theme — "works" for James,
"faith" for Paul, "love" for John — each
one giving his part of God's complete rev-
elation. God made use of the personali-
ties, backgrounds, temperaments and ex-
periences of the bibhcal writers — and yet
God spoke through them, preserving these
human writers from error. The Bible is a

human book, but the "humanity of the
Word does not exist in isolation from its
controlhng divinity.

We believe that in some marvelous
manner the Holy Spirit made use of the
reason, the memory, the intellect, the style
of thought and the peculiar mental
temperament of each writer of the Scrip-
tures. But how and in what manner this
was done, no one can explain, just as no
one can explain the union of two natures
(divine and human) in the person of our
Lord Jesus Christ. We only know that
there is both a divine and human element
in the Bible, and that while the men who
wrote it were really and truly men, the
book that they wrote and handed down to
us is really and truly the Word of God.

We do not presume to explain the
miraculous gift of inspiration. The posi-
tion many Brethren hold is that while the
Bible writers were not "machines" (as
some sneeringly say), still they only wrote
what God taught them to write. The Holy
Spirit put into their minds thoughts and
ideas, and then guided their pens in
writing them. It is blind prejudice to
equate "verbal inspiration" with "me-
chanical dictation," and to say that God
simply dictated to the writers what was to
be recorded, and thus suppressed the
human element altogether.

Literal interpretation. Verbal inspiration
does not mean that there are no symbols
and figures of speech in the Bible. Literal
interpretation is simply taking the Bible to
mean exactly what it says — that is, taking
it at face value whenever it is possible to
do so. Literal interpretation means that
the reader uses the most direct, simple
and ordinary meaning of the words —
unless it is obvious from the context that
(Continued on page 26)

24 mi:ssi:ngi:r June 1979

authority: Two views

the Annual Conference study committee on
of that debate and to encourage dialog
from sources whose emphases differ widely.

Don*t restrain the Scriptures

by W. Robert McFadden

The central affirmation of the Christian
church is our confession that Jesus is
Lord, that in Jesus the Christ has been
revealed the glory and mercy of Almighty
God. We affirm that in Christ the "Word
became flesh and dwelt among us." When
we affirm also that the Bible is the record
of this revelation, we distinguish between
the personal Word in Christ and the writ-
ten Word in the Bible. However, both the
Bible as the written record and God's self-
revelation in Jesus Christ are part of
God's special revelation. Jesus as the
Christ and the church's understanding of
him as the Christ are inseparable. There is
the revelation in Jesus of Nazareth, but
persons hke Peter must affirm that "You
are the Christ" if the revelation is to be
understood and appreciated. Thus, scrip-
ture participates indispensably in the gift
that God has given to his people.

New Testament is not enough. The New
Testament is the testimony of the original
circle of apostles and disciples affirming
that Jesus is Lord. It serves as the norm
for all later witness by Christians to the
gospel of the Good News of God. But if
we are to understand and appreciate the
New Testament, we must know and be
aware of the theology and history of the
Old Testament as well, for it provides the
foundation on which the New Testament
writers built their understanding of the
revelation in Christ. It is not enough to
say that "the New Testament is our
creed," for if we imply that the Old
Testament is "second best," then we
neglect extremely important material. We
leave out God as Creator in Genesis. We
miss the deeply spiritual Psalms. We
overlook the teachings of Moses in the
book of Deuteronomy which Jesus quot-
ed. We slight the teachings of the proph-

ets that justice is the foundation of con-
cern for neighbor. Rather, we really need
the theology and history of God's chosen
people to understand the paths of the
"New Israel, the church of Jesus Christ."

While recognizing that scripture points
to and finds its fulfillment in the revela-
tion in Jesus Christ, we must also find
ways to appreciate the fact that God com-
municates his Word through all of scrip-
ture. The book of Job and the Deuter-
onomic history in the books of Samuel
and Kings give us insights into the suffer-
ing of the faithful and the judgments of
God which can contribute immeasurably
to our understanding of God's dealings
with people. Let us study to appropriate
God's Word to us in the Old Testament
as well as in the New Testament.

Science and scripture. We must continue
to ask about the relationship between sci-
ence and scripture. Science has us ask:
What is the evidence? Can the conclusions
be verified and proven? On the other
hand, religion points to these questions:
What is the meaning of life? What values
are important for a life of love and serv-
ice? What does it mean to "live in the
Spirit"? The Bible is primarily concerned
with these latter theological questions of
obedience to God and service to neighbor,
whereas science is primarily concerned with
how the universe operates and what laws
govern the natural environment.

Archeology uses the methods of science
to establish its conclusions about historical
events and the nature of the life and
culture of the ancient Near East. About
those conclusions we can always ask what
the evidence is. On the other hand,
theology speaks about the relationship
between God and his people. About that
relationship, Ufe itself must witness to the

mystery of God's dealings with his people
and our Christian experience must testify
to his judgment and mercy.

Archeology is a scientific endeavor that
can make a significant contribution to our
understanding of the story of the He-
brews. The results of archeological
research can illumine the historical context
of the biblical writings. Archeology is
hmited, however. It can tell us about the
ruins of cities in Judea about 1200 B.C.,
but it cannot prove that it was Joshua
rather than the Philistines who destroyed
those cities. Archeology can identify the
city of the Jebusites which David captured
about 1000 B.C., but it cannot prove that
the Davidic dynasty was the gift of God.
Archeological findings can tell us much
about the tunnel that King Hezekiah built
into Jerusalem at the end of the eighth
century B.C., but archeological research
cannot establish the faithfulness or lack of
faithfulness in Hezekiah's relationship to
Almighty God. In other words, arche-
ology can give us a deeper appreciation of
the Scriptures and provide important
historical insights, but it cannot prove
that our faith in God's covenant with his
people is our health and salvation.

Scripture spanning a millennium. We
need to recognize and appreciate the fact
that the Bible is a collection of Hebrew
literature that spans a thousand years. It
is diverse material. There is poetry such as
that in the Psalms and the writings of the
prophets. (Compare Psalm 79 as a peti-
tion for God's mercy and Chapter 5 of
Amos as an oracle of God's demand for
social justice.) There is historical narrative
written by an eyewitness to the events
such as the Throne Succession Story in 2
Samuel 9-20 and 1 Kings 1-2. There is in
(Continued on page 27)

June 1979 MESsk\GhR 25

(Continued from page 24)
the words are to be used in a figurative
sense.

Although this historic view of the Bible
holds the Scriptures to be true in all parts,
this does not mean that every word of the
Bible is literally true. Every word of the
Bible is true only in its context. Isolated
from its setting, it may be altogether un-
true. For example, the larger part of the
Book of Job consists of a dialog between
Job and his three "comforters." Some of
what Job's comforters say about suffering
is not true. God says to them: "You have
not spoken to me what is right, as my ser-
vant Job has" (Job 42:7 NASB). It is true
that Job's comforters said what they did,
but not everything they said is right and
true.

Again, much of scripture is deliberately
presented in a figurative manner. Isaiah
talks about "the trees clapping their
hands," and Jesus mentions "a beam of
lumber" in the eye of one who judges.
But usually it is not any more difficult to
distinguish between figures of speech and
actual literal statements in the Bible — than
it is to do so in a daily newspaper. The
statement in a newspaper which says,
"Two people were killed in an automobile
accident on North Main Street," is clearly
to be taken literally. But the statement in
the sports section of the newspaper which
describes a ball game, and says, "He shot
home from third in the last half of the
ninth, with the winning run under his
arm, and the crowd went mad," is ob-
viously figurative. A ballplayer doesn't
"shoot" home, nor does he carry runs
under his arm, and the crowd merely
became excited — it didn't go insane. And
so it, is with the Scriptures. We know that
when the Bible says that James was a
"pillar" in the church, he was not a post
supporting the roof of a building! The
best way to understand the Bible is to
take the literal sense, unless the context or
the laws of grammar indicate otherwise.

Generally a figurative term can be
readily understood, but if the divine inter-
pretation is not given, the symbolism may
remain an unsolved mystery. In such
cases, we should simply acknowledge that
we do not know what it means, and avoid
guessing at meanings.

Continuing revelation. Some are saying
that there is "continuing revelation" in
our day. They say, "God is not a static
God. We can rightly expect him to reveal
new truth today, especially through
church bodies that meet in conventions

and get the mind of the various brother-
hoods." They hold that God gives new
revelation today.

It was not the intention of our fore-
bears (when they decided not to adopt a
formal creed, and spoke about "being
open to new light") — that the "new light"
would be receiving revelation beyond what
God gave in the Bible, or that the new
light was to receive understandings that
contradicted the Scriptures. For our
Anabaptist ancestors it was new light that
would break forth out of God's Holy
Word! It was new insight, new illumina-
tion, new perspective — out o/the Scrip-
tures, not apart from scripture. We have
no creed but the New Testament. But we
do have a creed. The New Testament is
our creed, and as we receive it by faith
and meditate upon it, new light continues
to burst upon us.

The Scriptures are the unique, definitive

"It is blind prejudice to
equate 'verbal inspiration '
with 'mechanical
dictation, ' and to say that
God simply dictated to the
writers what was to be
recorded. "

revelation of God, given through a special
body of human beings. The 27 New
Testament books were all written within
60 or 70 years of the Crucifixion, and to
add to those books is something no one
has successfully done because the Scrip-
tures stand as a completed unit from Gen-
esis to Revelation. Genesis tells about the
commencement of the heavens and earth;
Revelation tells about their consumma-
tion. Genesis tells about the entrance of
sin and the curse; Revelation tells about
the end of sin and the curse. In Genesis
sorrow begins; in Revelation sorrow ends.
And one could go on with contrasts. To
add to the Scriptures would be a useless
attempt to complete what is already com-
pleted, and would bring endless confusion
and contradiction, as well as the judgment
of God (Rev. 22:18-19).

Particular translations. An inerrant view
of the Bible does not mean that every
word in every translation, every version,
or every paraphrase — is the exact work of
God. We do not say that every word of
the King James Version is inspired of

God. We beheve that the Bible is free
from error "in the original autographs."
But the question is sometimes asked, "Of
what value is such a claim, if the original
manuscripts have perished?"

It is true that none of the original
manuscripts has survived. In 302 A.D.,
the Emperor Diocletian ordered the
wholesale destruction of the sacred Scrip-
tures, and it may be then that the
manuscripts disappeared. Their being lost
has probably been due to a deliberate pro-
vidence of God in order to prevent human
beings from giving superstitious reverence
to pieces of paper.

Nevertheless, we know something of the
scrupulous care with which the scribes
copied the Hebrew and Greek texts.
Futhermore, there are many copies of the
original text available to us. By comparing
the ancient copies with early translations
(and with biblical quotations found in the
writings of the church fathers), textual ex-
perts have been able to establish an
authentic text.

Although the original documents cannot
be found, the correct text can be
recovered with accuracy from many
sources. The Histories of Tacitus are
known to us only through two manuscript
copies which come from about a thousand
years after he wrote them. There are only
10 copies of Caesar's Gallic Wars, and
only 20 copies of Livy's History of
Rome — but over 5,(X)0 manuscript copies
of the New Testament are available,
copies which began to be produced less
than 50 years after the New Testament
itself was written. The Bible is the best
documented and the most accurately
copied book that has ever existed.

Consider this modern parallel: On
January 1, 1863, President Lincoln set his
name and seal to the proclamation which
set 4 million slaves free. It was written on
four pages of ordinary paper in the Presi-
dent's own handwriting. It was Mr. Lin-
coln's Emancipation Proclamation. That
document perished in the great Chicago
fire of 1871.

Suppose some slave owner should later
have seized a former slave of his and chal-
lenged him to produce Mr. Lincoln's
charter of liberty, and told him that if he
did not produce the original, he would
hold him still in slavery. What could the
ex-slave have done? He could not produce
the original, for it was destroyed by fire.
But although he could not produce the
original document, he could recover and
(Continued on page 36)

I

26 mi:ssi\gi;r June 1979

(Continued from page 25)
the book of Judges, the riddle of Samson
and the fable told by Jotham (Judg. 9).
There are the parables of Jesus, the letters
of Paul, and the written visions of the
apocalyptic writers such as one finds in
the books of Daniel and Revelation.
These are all distinctive types of literature.

In the same way, although sometimes
misunderstood, the first 1 1 chapters of
Genesis are primarily Hebrew theology in
story form. The "stories" are told to il-
lustrate what the Hebrews believed about
God's good creation, the human fall from
faithful obedience, and the nature of that
disobedience before God elected a people
with whom he would establish a covenant.
While inspired by God, the stories are
written by human artists, who draw word
pictures. If we treat the stories as scien-
tific history, we may miss the theological
truths which are clearly taught.

We can best understand the inspiration
of the Bible if we remember that there are
different literary genre, that is, different
types of literature in the Bible, and that
we must understand the truth of each ac-
cording to the nature of the truth which
each type communicates. There is a dif-
ference between poetry and scientific data,
between historical narrative and parable,
between a letter and an official court
document. God's truth is communicated
by each type of literature, and the proph-
ets and scribes used these different types
of Hterature to communicate to God's
people.

No "paper pope." The Scriptures are
essential to the preaching of the Good
News. The Good News is the gospel of
salvation which the church is commis-
sioned to proclaim. But we cannot speak
as if the Bible is a "paper pope." Some
want to make it a perfect document, a
writing that does not point to the message
of salvation, but a document which points
to itself as a miracle of infalUbility. A
literalistic interpretation resuUs in a
limited understanding which was not
intended.

The church has the responsibility to
proclaim the Good News of God's revela-
tion to his people. In doing so, we are
challenged to love God with our minds
and discern his message with all the tools
for discernment at our disposal. Like the
conductor of a great orchestra, the
church must bring into harmony the
various parts of scripture so that the
whole glorifies God. The distinctive ele-
ments must not be allowed to become

blurred in a kind of literalism which
reduces the different parts to a sameness
that obliterates and confuses the true
message of the Bible. Inspiration recog-
nizes the various gifts of God to people; it
does not force all of the writers into
one mold.

If we insist that we must see the field
where the man found the pearl of great
price before we see the spiritual truth of
the parable, then we may never perceive
the truth that Jesus was teaching. If we
insist that a big fish swallowed Jonah,
then we may miss the parable about the
mission of the Israelites to the world (and
our own mission as well). If we argue that
Mendel's laws of heredity do not apply to
Jacob and Laban in Genesis 34, then we
will miss the theology in Genesis in which
God is at work protecting his people from
errors that would defeat the covenant with
Almighty God. If we emphasize that

"Neither our public wor-
ship nor our private prayer
is damaged or diminished
by using all the wisdom
God has given us to
understand and interpret
his written Word. "

Joshua was right in saying that the sun
goes around the earth, and curse Coper-
nicus, then we will not discover the
significance of the entire 10th chapter of
the book of Joshua that shows us the
might of God in the face of the threat to
the covenant by the coalition of
Canaanite kings.

Using all God's wisdom. The Bible
comes to us as a repository of material for
public worship and private devotion. It is
the source and guide for the worship of
God in our churches, and it provides a
means to inspire our personal and family
prayers. Neither our public worship nor
our private prayer is damaged or
diminished by using all the wisdom God
has given us to understand and interpret
his written Word. Rather, it is enhanced
and made more meaningful. This is
especially true with regard to prophecy
and the teachings of the biblical
historians.

God's prophets, his spokesmen, be-
lieved that the judgment of God would be
expressed through the Assyrian and
Babylonian armies. The prophets' view of

the future grew out of their knowledge of
God's activity in the present and their
knowledge of the covenant between chc
Hebrews and God. To understand the
consequences of the evil actions of per-
sons described in Isaiah does not commit
one to a position of divination, that is,
that God revealed to Isaiah 250 years in
advance the name of Cyrus, the Persian
king who released the Hebrews from cap-
tivity (Is. 44:28, 45:1). Nor am 1 required
to believe that Moses condemned the
hosts of heaven (Deut. 17:3) 500 years
before these gods were introduced into
Judah by the evil king Manasseh (2 Kings
21:3-5). Instead, I may believe thai there
was a "Second Isaiah," the Unknown
Prophet of the Exile, and that at least
part of the book of Deuteronomy comes
from the seventh century B.C. rather than
the 13th century B.C. And 1 can hold
these understandings of scripture without
violating my trust that Almighty God has
acted in the history of the Hebrews to
reveal his judgment and mercy, his justice
and love. My worship is enriched by my
understanding that the prophets an-
nounced the future based on God's cove-
nant relationship to the Hebrews' disobe-
dience to the covenant.

Perceiving through eyes of faith. That
the Bible is the Word of God is to be
perceived through the eyes of faith. Jesus,
interpreting the significance of John the
Baptist, said, "If you are willing to accept
it, he is Elijah who is to come" (Matt.
11:14). Jesus apparently did not expect
the literal fulfillment of Malachi 4:5,
which says that God would send Elijah to
announce "the great day." Peter declared
that Jesus was the Christ. He affirmed
this by faith on the basis of God's grace
to him in his own experience, and not
because he (Peter) could offer scientific
proof to others that the Christ was re-
vealed in this person Jesus of Galilee. In-
deed, the preaching of Peter in Acts 2
("God raised up Jesus") is a confession
of faith and an affirmation of belief.
Peter's preaching can not be verified in a
laboratory. We do a great disservice to
the Bible itself when we treat its creeds as
a book of science. When we worship
publicly, or pray privately, we show our
trust that God has acted on our behalf,
and we participate in a community of
faith that has come into being in response
to God's gracious love toward us. D

W. Robert McFadden is professor of religion at
Bridgewaier College, Bridgewater, Va., and a member
of the Bridgewater congregation.

June 1979 \ussiNCii R 27

o

o

Sorting them out
in Seattle:

A field guide to the Brethren

The Seattle Center is a big place. So big, in fact, that other conferences may be run-
ning simultaneously with the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. The
following "field guide" has been prepared so you can tell at a glance if you are in
"our" crowd or have wandered into some other gathering.

Regulars will no doubt recognize these more common types of conferencegoers.
Don't be offended if you find your type described here (or omitted). We have all
been guilty of laughing behind our hand at conspicuous types at Conference. It is
high time we realized that we are being laughed at too. So why don't we all laugh
together? We hope this cross-section of Conference types will (to use an "Elginite"
term) "facilitate" that laughter. If you locate any of these eight types, be assured
you are at the right conference. You may be exasperated at them, amused by them,
shocked by them or indulgent toward them. But don't despise them. They are all
part of the family!

Dunker Grandmother

A type that has remained constant over
several decades. Wears sensible shoes, dark
long-sleeved dresses and a prayer covering.
Carries a modest purse into which is prob-
ably tucked a Guide to Biblical Studies. At-
tends all sessions but attention may be dis-
tracted by acquaintances. Between sessions
look for her at the quilting frames or with a
lap load of grandchildren.

Elginite

(Male of the
species more
conspicuous.;
These are very
important
men who work
at the General
Offices in Elgin or
aspire to. Easily
recognizable by the
dignity of their
bearing, sharp sports
coats, blow-drj
hair style, colored
shirts and white
shoes. Carries a briefcase
everywhere, with laminated business card
attached. Often glances at wrist watch. Rec-
ognizes everyone without looking at name-
tag. Stays at plushest hotels. Spends time
referring to datebook. Recognized at mi-
crophones by speeches beginning, "I see the
following 10 things about this report. ..."

28 mi;ssi:ngi.r June 1979

Non-sectarian

A Brethren type trying to recapture her
roots. Strives for simplicity and a slightly
19th century perspective. Wears faded
granny dresses. Often has baby on hip.
Younger types may wear overalls. Males
usually wear turtlenecks, baggy slacks and
sandals. Reads Sojourners. Picnics in park-
ing lots, on lawns and in corridors. Friend-
ly; profuse with greetings. Begins micro-
phone speeches with Bible quotations.
Speeches wary of "Elgin" and committees.

Deacon From Mount Placid

Ruddy face, perpetual smile. Wears short-
sleeved shirts. Has copy of latest Brethren
Press nostalgia book in hip pocket. No
briefcase. Carries handful of brochures
from exhibit booths. Lodges in his own
motor home or at a modest motel. Goes in-
to ecstacies if from your nametag he can
make a family connection.

What New Yoik

reviewers said

about

HAZEL'S PEOPLE

GERALDINE PAGE, PAT HINGLE
GRAHAM BECKELu.:.:'. ,_..^ „h ,«v.v>,

IV\),Ki-J K BURT MARTIN DirKled bv CHARLES DWIS
A«icoH' rtodiKw MtRLt GOOD

.^'

"A warm tender film with a big heart. I
enjoyed Itthoroughlyl"

— Rex Reed, Syndicated Columnist

"One is impressed by the impact young
Rachel Thomas makes as Hazel she
has a presence and instinct for the
camera that reminds one a little of the
young Elizabeth Taylor "

— Christopher Sharp. Women's Wear
Daily

"While HAZEL'S PEOPLE doesn't have
the violence and action associated
with many current films, there's a quiet
beauty and a serenity to the Pennsyl-
vania countryside, caught in Stan
Martin's photography, that is most
refreshing."

— Charles Ryeck, The Hollywood
Reporter

"A very unusual film, A brilliant de-
monstration of Geraldine Page's high art
It's about the glories of tilling the land
HAZEL'S PEOPLE IS nice! "

— Robert Lape, WABC-TV

'HAZEL'S PEOPLE Is good medicine
for urbanltes who think their ways are
the only ones worth recording. This
lovely movie will give you a new lease
on understanding."

— Norma McLaIn Stoop, After Dark

YES, please rush me information about tiow to rent the
motion picture HAZEL S PEOPLE (based on Ifie novel
Happy as the Grass Was Green)

-Postal Code_

State/Province

Mail this form to HAZEL S PEOPLE. The People's Place.
Intercourse. PA 17534, (Or phone 717/768-7171) In
Canada mail it to Dueck Film Productions. Ltd , 295
Wallace Avenue. Winnipeg, filanitoba R2E OBI

June 1979 mfssknc.fr 29

o

o

Barely Brethren

May wear blouse of silver lame; black,
slinky wrap-around skirt; excessive jewelry.
In other words, disguised as non-Brethren.
Carries copy of / Ching. Wears con-
spicuous, personalized nametag. Frequents
AACB art exhibit, luncheons and Insight
Sessions. Begins speeches with "I feel very
strongly about this."

Dunker Fringe

Uneasy about religion in general. Wears
color-coordinated double-knit suits with
matching socks. Watches Jerry Falwell, Rex
Humbard and PTL Club regularly.
Favorite phrase is "Praise the Lord!" Op-
position speakers are considered to be
"grieving the Holy Spirit." Can be warm,
friendly, gracious; never all-business like
the "Elginite."

O

30 \iisM \(,i u .liinc lyTiJ

Suffragette

Wears neat and tailored outfits — frills are
anathema. Carries a briefcase instead of a
purse, and keeps a copy of Coming
Together close at hand. Can be aroused by
terms such as "lady" and "chairman."
Makes frequent speeches on the Conference
floor. Statements often begin, "This is
another example of the repressive strictures
of our male-dominated society." Extinct at
the quilting frames or genealogical tables.

Old Line Liberal

Clean-shaven. Wears two-piece suits, white
shirts and wide ties. Unreconstructed types
still wear white socks. Reads anthologies by
Kirby Page and quotes Gandhi. Greets
every conferencegoer over 50 by first name.
Still uses terms such as "Gospel
Messenger," "Brethren Service Commis-
sion," "General Brotherhood Board" and
"pacifism." Always accompanied by wife.
Seen in clusters of old friends or wandering
in book exhibit. Often begins speeches
with, "I headed the committee that first
discussed this question 15 years ago. ..."

WhatANewYoik
reviewers
said
about ^^1

H^L'SPEOPLE

"It's educational and sincere, and Its
heart Is in the right place."
— McCall's

"While spiritual salvation is clearly what
the movie is promulgating, it is just as
aware of the necessity for social action in
the here and now Wonderfully played by
the entire cast, especially Geraldine Page
as the shyly serene mother of the killed
student, HAZEL'S PEOPLE is ultimately a
beautiful but unsoppy religious picture "
— Richard Freedman, Newhouse
Newspapers

"The Impartial, low-key way It tells its
story makes HAZEL'S PEOPLE seem
chilly and distant at times. But it does
have heart, it also has a lot to say
about why the American melting pot
sometimes refuses to blend."

— Margaret Ronan, Scholastic
Magazines

"This motion picture about the Men-
nonites in Pennsylvania uses an affecting
story of candid honesty to help us under-
stand a way of life based on a clear set of
beliefs. As we react to the characters and
the events that shape their lives, HAZEL'S
PEOPLE reaffirms our conviction that film
IS an experiential process, one that
fosters better understanding of the issues
concerned because it awal<ens our feel-
ings as well as our minds,"

— Film Feedback,
National Council
of Churches

_Postal Code_

State/Province

Mail this form to HAZEL S PEOPLE, Ttie People s Place,
Intercourse, PA 17534 (Or ptione 717/768-7171,) In
Canada mail it to Dueck film Proouctions, Ltd . 295
Wallace Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2E OBI

YES, please rusti me mtormation about how to rent the
motion picture HAZEL'S PEOPLE (based on the novel
Happy as the Grass Was Green)

June 1979 mi:ssi-:n(,i R 31

Striving for partnership

The Stewardship Enlistment Team feels an accountability
to continue helping congregations challenge their

members to a holistic and sacrificial stewardship style.

by Fred W. Swartz

"It is our assumption that stewardship is
not a part of the Christian response, but
includes the whole of it. Our concern is
with the acquiring, receiving and using of
all of life's resources. ImpHcit in this con-
cern is the assumption that the giving/
sharing of life and resources is necessarily
involved in Christian stewardship."

So reads one of the key underlying
assumptions currently guiding stewardship
enlistment staff of the General Board in
its task. The word "stewardship" implies
far more than raising monies for the
Brotherhood Fund. A steward in the
Judeo-Christian perspective, and conse-
quently that of the Stewardship Enlist-
ment Team, is one who has a meaningful,
creative and ongoing relationship to God
and God's creation, including, of course,
all other human beings.

Further, the stewardship staff — Janine
Katonah, Stewart Kauffman, Don Stern
and Ron Retry (until July 31) affirms that
all persons are stewards; we have no
choice by virtue of our presence and
givens in life. But each of us "has the
freedom to be wise or unwise, honest or
dishonest, faithful or unfaithful stewards.
We assume that the fullness of life can be
known only to those who recognize God
as owner /giver and themselves as
stewards / partners . ' '

It is the partnership theme that the
Stewardship Enlistmen Team seeks to
emphasize in its guidance and direction
of the denomination's stewardship. Just
as stewardship is not an activity that can
be compartmentalized or isolated apart
from other functions, neither is it ap-
propriate for the church to call its
members to responsible stewardship
without defining the full scope of that
responsibihty. It is not enough to simply
"give back" in response to God's gift to
us; it is also to assume responsibility for
the creative and constructive use of those
gifts. It is not enough to give toward the
repair of the church roof, but to see that
the steward's responsibihty extends to the
hungry and the oppressed, as well. It is

not enough to focus on one aspect of the
church's extended mission, but to em-
phasize that Christ has many hands by
which his work is done in partnership
with him.

Thus, the General Board's response to a
1978 Annual Conference directive caUing
for a new challenge goal for per-member
giving focuses in its initial statements
upon a goal for the church's total giving
to all purposes, seeking to raise the level
of responsibility to the local church, the
district, the camps and other church-
related institutions, as well as to the
General Board program. Brethren are
urged to examine the concept of partner-
ship with God and one another that
manifests itself in only 2.6 percent of col-
lective income currently generated for the
total ministries of the church. The
challenge to be presented to the Seattle
Conference is that this percentage be
raised to five percent during the 1980s.

J_/fforts to unify both planning and
financial support of church program have
dominated Annual Conference and
General Board activity since 1946. It was
in that year that Annual Conference ap-
proved a reorganization of denomina-
tional program structure, creating a
25-member board to direct the total
ministry of the church and incorporating
the separate boards that had been carrying
out the denomination's work quite in-
dependently of each other. Immediately,
at least at the Brotherhood level, the local
church could now consolidate its outreach
offerings rather than having to respond to
appeals of several different voices, each
implying it had the most vital mission.

But denominational officials discovered
it was not easy to undo long-standing con-
cepts and habits. Hence, in 1954 Annual
Conference found it necessary to remind
congregations that proportionate giving to
the total work of the church is the
desirable spirit and to give additional en-
couragement to the principle of undesig-
nated giving to the Brotherhood Fund.

Six years later, in 1960, Annual Confer-
ence adopted the self-allocation method

to aid congregations in deciding their
shares of budget to go to the various arms
of the church's ministry, including the
Brotherhood Fund. It placed the responsi-
bility for decision of what is a fair and
responsible amount for ministry beyond
the local program squarely on the con-
gregation and freed the national and
district staffs to assist more with
philosophy and education rather than
fund raising per se.

The General Board stewardship enlist-
ment staff has responded to this new
challenge in several ways:

1) It has increased its assistance in
stewardship education, including inter-
pretative materials related to the church's
mission, helps and services to aid con-
gregations in stewardship education and
enlistment and a recently launched
stewardship seminar program.

The seminar structure is proving to be
an exciting and fresh experience in its ex-
amination of stewardship. Using a district-
based setting, the seminar invites the
pastor and four or five leaders from each
congregation for a weekend event. There
are four parts to the seminar, one that
focuses on the biblical and theological
foundations of stewardship, one that
shares information on how a congregation
discovers its goals and priorities for
ministry and stewardship, a third session
on methods of stewardship enlistment and
budget building, and a fourth section
dealing with an ongoing stewardship
educational program in the congregation.
The intent of the entire weekend is to
focus on stewardship as basic to the whole
life and ministry of the church rather than
merely a means of congregational
maintenance.

2) The stewardship enlistment staff has
increased its service to individuals
throughout the church who seek to be
challenged and responsible in the steward-
ship of their estates. Three members of
the team are trained and available to give
counsel and assistance to persons seeking
to make direct and deferred gifts to the
church.

Again, the emphasis of the staffs ac-
tivity is not primarily on seeking funds for

32 Mi.ssiAtii K June 1979

General Board program but to represent
the total view of stewardship and partner-
ship. Another of the team's working
premises is that persons are of ultimate
worth and thus always more important
than material resources. The counselor
always attempts to act on behalf of the in-
dividual, what is best for that person,
especially in estate planning. In some
cases this has resulted in counseling a per-
son that the desired gift to the church's
work may be too large to provide an ade-
quate remainder for the individual's own
future needs.

3) The Stewardship Enlistment Team
takes seriously its own conviction that ac-
countability is crucial to responsible
stewardship. The members feel an accoun-
tability on behalf of the Brotherhood
Fund to interpret to congregations,
districts and individuals how the gifts to
the fund are being used, and to illustrate
the totality of the General Board pro-
gram. They feel an acountability to con-
tinue helping congregations challenge their
members to a holistic and sacrificial
stewardship style.

^myav (goteinKaliail?

o.

'ne thing those who work at steward-
ship education discover — the task is un-
ending and never stagnant. The Board's
stewardship staff currently feels the urgent
need for a more intentional emphasis
within the total church on the stewardship
of creation: earth, environment, water. Its
members wish, too, that they had more
time to spend at developing resources
which would assist individuals to more
adequately plan from an early age con-
structive uses for their own resources.
And there is more to do in providing in-
terpretation of the church's mission and
ministry.

The team is hopeful that progress on
these concerns will begin to show this fall
when it is anticipated that additional staff
assistance will be available. Meanwhile the
present four team members continue a
dedicated effort toward working at a part-
nership with individuals, congregations
and districts in the stewardship task of the
church. D

Af

Lfter Jesus had ascended into heaven, his disciples gathered in an upper room in
Jerusalem where they "with one accord devoted themselves to prayer" (Acts 1:14). It
was a critical time for them. They needed guidance to fulfill their discipleship. Not
long afterwards, essentially this same group prayed for courage to speak the word of
the Lord with all boldness (Acts 4:29). Christ's servants today need to be upheld in
prayer, that they may fulfill their calling.

In this prayer calendar, items for prayer are suggested for each week. You may
want to give prayer support to some causes, activities or persons over a longer period
than just during the week for which they are listed. By holding a prayer concern over
an extended period, we take a greater interest in and become more fully informed
about the cause for which we are praying.

June Prayer Calendar

June 3-9: Pray for Bethany Theological Seminary and those graduating on June 3; for
its teachers and administrators.

Give prayer support to the Brethren-related college in your area.

Remember our youth graduating from high school and college.

Lift up the Parish Ministries staff meeting in retreat near Elgin.

June 10-16: Pray for Warren Groff, moderator of Annual Conference and Matt
Meyer, Annual Conference manager, as they fulfil! the duties of their offices.

Ask God's guidance for Shantilal P. Bhagat, representing the Church of the
Brethren at the United Nations.

Pray for Louise Denham Bowman, representing the Church of the Brethren at
the Washington, D.C. office.

June 17-23: Remember Jerry Dines, Brethren worker in Lebanon for relief and
reconstruction.

Pray for peace in the Middle East.

Pray for unity among the Christian churches and genuine openness with respect
to other faiths.

Ask for God's blessings on all those working in ecumenical councils and
cooperative working groups at the local and national level.

June 24-30: Pray for guidance for the General Board meeting in Seattle.
Ask for travel mercies for all on their way to the Annual Conference.
Remember congregations holding vacation church schools.
Pray for the Brethren-related camp in your district. D

Glen Norris is a former missionary lo Scandinavia and a retired editor of Church of the Brethren Sunday
school publications.

June 1979 MhSsiNOKK 33

m

PcnUco^ - Halklujahl

Read: Acts 2:1-21

Christmas was such a wonderful celebra-
tion! Joy, gladness, sharing, family
festivities— and why not, were we not
observing the birthday of our Savior?

And Easter, too, was so recently the
church-filling, heart-filling remembrance
of the Savior's resurrection.

But now we find ourselves in the season
of Pentecost and notice that not much is
going on in our churches, in our commun-
ities, in our personal emotions. And yet
Pentecost marks the coming of the Holy
Spirit, who empowered believers to tell
the world about Christmas and Easter.

The sad truth is that many congrega-
tions, and individual members, pass the
day by without having known of its com-
ing and going. Very few of the calendars
that come into the homes indicate that
Pentecost is on June 3 this year. This lack
of notice apparently comes from a wide-
spread evaluation of the day as one of
minor importance in the church year.
However, this side-tracking of Pentecost
was not true in the early church.

In the early church, Pentecost was a
time, as was expressed then, for Hallelu-
jah! Joy was spread from person to per-
son. The worship was exuberant. Indeed,
there was a regulation that discouraged
kneeling when praying — a suppliant
should stand upright and come
face-to-face with God through the Spirit.
The Sunday of Pentecost became known
as Whitsunday — White Sunday —
because it was a choice time for baptism
and the candidates wore their white
robes for several days.

Can we recapture the essential meaning
of Pentecost in our time? Perhaps, if we
review what happened to the early
disciples on that day.

There they were, these early followers
of the Christ, withdrawn into a gathering
place. They were sorrowing because their
Lord had gone from them. They were
fearful that some of the antagonistic peo-
ple of the city might do them harm as
they had done harm to Jesus. They were
without direction, without purpose. And
then something marvelous happened:
There was the sound as of a mighty wind
and little tongues that seemed as fire
touched each one of them. But the greater
marvel was what happened after this com-
ing of the Spirit: They went out boldly
testifying to the gospel. Peter preached
mightily. All spoke with tongues that
touched the hearts of those who heard.
The church was on its way to conquer
the world.

An illustration may help to explain this
mighty change. In the days of the steam
locomotive, a man was sitting in a railway
coach awaiting the time of departure for
his distant destination. The time passed
and nothing moved. This passenger asked
the conductor what was wrong and the
conductor said that all he knew was that
there would be a 30-minute delay. The
man stepped out of the coach and walked
down to the engine. In a humorous mood
he asked the engineer, "What's the mat-
ter— are you out of water?" The engineer
replied, "We have a tank full of water
but the water isn't boihng. Until it boils
there is no steam, and until there
is steam we do not move."

Was it not so with these early disciples?
They had faith and devotion and a com-
passion for all who were not in the house-
hold of the one true God. But there was
something lacking. The faith and devotion
and compassion were standing still. There
was no fire or power to move out in the
world to proclaim the great Good News.
The Spirit came to them as the fire came
to the locomotive and tremendous things
began to happen! They all came out of
their spiritual closets and bravely
acknowledged Christ as Savior and Lord.

For one example we can think of the
Apostle Paul whom the Thessalonians ac-
cused of turning the world upside down.
Pentecost had come to him.

And we can think of Martin Luther,
arising from his knees as he climbed a
stairway in an act of ritual devotion and
going out to change the old order and
usher in the Reformation that swept hke
wildfire through many lands. Pentecost
had come to him.

Also, John Wesley, called the founder
of Methodism, found that his missionary
work in Georgia was not prospering — in
fact the people there desired that he leave
because of his strictness. Then he went to
a meeting in Aldersgate Street in London
where men and women had gathered to
worship and study a book by Luther. And
there, he said, his heart was "strangely
warmed" and he went forth to change the
face of England. Pentecost had come to
him.

In addition to this empowering of
Pentecost, the Spirit did what Jesus had
promised would be done — the Spirit
brought to the remembrance of the

Coming out of th^ spiritual clos^

34 Missi N(iiK .lunc 1979

"Pentecost, " by S. Filippo Fermo

disciples what Jesus had taught. They
remembered that he had said that he had
overcome the world, that death was con-
quered, that life was eternal. And what a
change this brought to their lives.

Their new outlook was something like
that of the home team in a baseball game
when the visiting team has finished batting
in the ninth inning and the home team has
won the game. In this case the rules are
that the home team need not bat in the
ninth — the game is won already. But if
the rules required that the home team go
through the formality of batting, how
reckless the players would be! They would
strike at any ball that was pitched, they
would steal bases not caring if they were
thrown out — what is an out when the
game is won anyway?

So it was with the people of that first
Pentecost day — they knew the game was
won by Christ and they went out not
counting the danger or the cost or the
sacrifices. Many became martyrs in
Roman arenas. Many were shunned by
their friends and families. Many lost their
worldly possessions. They did not
care — they were following the Lord and
they had nothing to lose of any perma-
nent value.

If Pentecost could be experienced anew
by our churches and by all of us and the
fire came into our souls it might be that
world turning would be an event of our
day. Christmas, Easter and our other
church holy days would take on new
meaning if Pentecost were restored to its
Hallelujah place among us. D

Glenn H. Asquith is a retired pastor and denomina-
tional editor and the author of 12 books.

^nn

.lunc 1979 Mi:.ssi:NCiiK 35

Within driving distance of the past history

of America but nestled in the cradle of the

colorful, majestic mountains of Virginia.

RETIREMENT VILLAGE, LTD.,

BRIDGEWATER HOME, INC.

Bridgewater, Va. 22812

WE ARE STILL MAKING HISTORY!

Come, see and yearn!

Sponsored by the Shenandoah &

West Marva Districts of the

Church of the Brethren.

Finally: An Affordable
Contemporary Hymnal

SING AND REJOICE!

Sing

and

Rejoice!

• Supplements our churches' rich musical heritage (less than
10% of the songs in today's standard hymnals was pro-
duced in the 20th century).

• Over 150 songs chosen from around the world for their
usefulness In congregational settings.

• Adaptable for church choirs, smaller groups, soloists,
young people's activities.

• Most of the music has four part harmony with guitar
chords; some have piano accompaniment.

Hardcover, $4.95. Spiralbound,$3.95.

Take to your bookstore or mail to Herald Press.

dlSend me a SING AND REJOICE! Introductory Kit containing a hardcover copy of SING
AND REJOICE! and a cassette sample of 27 selections from SING AND REJOICE!

I enclose $6.25 plus 75^ postage.

Name

Address_
City

. Zip_

^

36 Missi scilR June 1979

(Continued from page 26)
produce the original text. How? By find-
ing copies of the original in public instru-
ments— newspapers of the period, transla-
tions of it in French, German and other
languages, by quotations from it in
speeches, periodicals and books. By com-
paring and combining aU these, he could
estabUsh to the satisfaction of a court of
law, the original message which gave him
liberty.

So it is with the Scriptures. There are
hundreds of New Testament manuscripts
that take us back to the early centuries,
and it is possible to recover the entire
New Testament from these sources.

Xa. perfect translation of the Bible is not
available. The words in one language do
not have exactly the same color and
meaning as the parallel words in another
language. The beauty and stately dignity
and reverence of language used in the
King James Version are unequaled in
other translations, but there are virtues
and faults in each of the translations. Yet
with few exceptions, the truth of the
gospel message is clear.

The theological discussions that center
around the reliabiUty of the Scriptures
may seem hard to follow, but the issues
themselves are not difficult to understand.
The basic question that must be answered
is this: "Is the Bible trustworthy?" There
are only three basic answers:

1) Some will say that the Bible is not
trustworthy at all. It is an ancient book,
so scientifically outdated, and so irrele-
vant to modern needs, that it must be re-
jected altogether.

2) Others reply that the Bible is truthful
in all its parts, and is totally trustworthy.
Because God breathed out the account
and because the Holy Spirit superintended
the whole operation — the Bible is without
error. The Bible is God's revelation to us.
It is infallible and inerrant.

3) Still others speak of the Bible as con-
taining some truth and some error. It is
neither completely true nor completely
false. To some, the salvation statements
are reliable, but the facts (science, history,

chronology) are not reliable. To others,
the sayings of Jesus are reliable, but the
words of Paul and Peter are sometimes
their own opinions.

There are many viewpoints that fall
within the range of the third position, but
the conclusion is always the same — the
Bible is only partly trustworthy. The real
question those who hold any form of the
third position must answer, is: "Who de-
cides what is error and what is truth?"

It is the conviction of the Brethren Re-
vival Fellowship committee that the Bible
is without error in the original auto-
graphs. The doctrine of biblical inerrancy
is derived from the attitude of Scripture
toward itself, from the testimony of Jesus
regarding the Scriptures, from the
evidence uncovered by archaeologists,
from the unity of the Bible in spite of its
diversity, and from the manifestation of
God's power through the Scriptures to
change human lives.

w

e affirm the words spoken by Galen
B. Royer (recorded in the June 5, 1920,
Gospel Messenger): "After all, when peo-
ple want soUd reliable information, they
turn to the Scriptures. They do not go to
the professors in the colleges and preach-
ers in the pulpits who declare the first 1 1
chapters of Genesis to be a myth, who
cannot accept the Pentateuch, who sneer
at the story of Jonah, who assign to the
Book of Isaiah at least two authors, who
reject the virgin birth of Christ, who
reason away his deity and do not look
for Christ's return. The honest inquirers
do not go to the books which point out
the errors of the Scriptures (errors which
do not exist in the Bible at all, but only in
the minds of the critics). No, no! Light
and truth came from God through Jesus
Christ ... by way of the Scriptures, emd
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit."

We urge that all in the Church of the
Brethren stand with our faithful forebears
in declaring our confidence in the total
trustworthiness of the Scriptures, and that
in the spirit of obedience to the Lord of
the Church, we submit ourselves unre-
servedly to the authority of His Word. D

Brethren Bible Institute

Students may attend BBI for just one week, or for
two weeks, or for ttiree weeks.

Summer Term
Aug. 6-24, 1979

Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, Pa.

COURSES

Week 1 (August 6—10)

Studies in Colossians (Martin)

Gospel of John (Stambaugh)

Geography of the Holy Land (Martin)

Gifts of the Spirit (Hacknnan)

Sermon on the Mount (1) (Hackman)

Life of Christ (Stannbaugh)

Week 2 (August 13-17)

Studies in Esther (Martin)

The Minor Prophets (1) (Stambaugh)

Teaching a Sunday School (Martin)

Christian Stewardship (Hackman)

Sermon on the Mount (2) (Hackman)

Studies in Hebrews (Stambaugh)

Week 3 (August 20—24)

Studies in Revelation ( Martin)

The Minor Prophets (2) (Stambaugh)

Survey of New Testament (Martin)

Christian Separation ( Hackman)

Sermon on the Mount (3) (Hackman)

Studies In Ephesians (Stambaugh)

General Information

Schedule— Morning: chapel and classes; afternoon: class and study; even-
ing: free for study, recreation, or a music class on Monday, Tuesday, and
Thursday. All other classes meet every day on Monday through Friday.

Cost — Total cost for dormitory students (including room/board/tuition)
is $50.00 for one week, $90.00 for two weeks, or $125.00 for all three
weeks. The cost for commuting students is $10.00 for one week, $15.00 f<Jr
two weeks, or $20.00 for all three weeks. The cost of textbooks is extra.

Write— For an application form and for further information, write to:
Brethren Bible Institute, Route 10, Box 49, York, PA 17404

June 1979 mi;s.si:nc;i.k 37

m^@m(mi

OUTDOOR
MINISTRIES

Recreational vehicles continue to multiply
and campgrounds continue to be crowded.
Camping and backpacking attract more
and more persons. Families go outdoors
to ski, to snowmobile, to canoe, to boat.
On the increase, too, is our awareness
of the out-of-doors in which we recreate.
Concerns for our air, our water, our land,
our fuel, our total environment are all
growing. Unfortunately, tv and radio are
the all too common focus of campground
activity as back home environment gets
carried outdoors.

The Family Outdoors

For the growing number of families who
want to use the uniqueness of the outdoor
setting and who want to make those ex-
periences outdoors into special family
times together, there is a wide variety of
helps to which to turn for suggestions. A
few of them can be mentioned in passing,
with special attention given to others. (All
books mentioned are available from The
Brethren Press, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin,
IL 60120.) If you are interested in hiking,
try The Master Backpacker, by Russ
Mohney, 283-page paperback, $2.95,
Stackpole Books, or When You Go Trail
Camping, by Wallace Chappell, 96-page
paperback, $.75, United Methodist
Church. If it's canoeing, Donald Ger-
main's When You Go Canoe Camping,
69-page paperback, $.75, United
Methodist Church, will be helpful. Family
Camping — Five Designs for Your Church,
by Rozebaum, 55-page paperback, $1,
United Methodist Church, is more for
family groups in your church.

Devotional Needs

For more specific suggestions, I recom-
mend a brand new Brethren Press release
titled Strength to Lead — Faith to Follow,
by Theresa Eshbach and Nancy Knepper,

$3.95. This was conceived as a worship
guide and resource for camp counselors.
It provides helps for counselors in their
own devotional needs at camp. A second
major section suggests worship resources
for the counselor to use with campers.
Another suggests cooperative, non-
competitive games. Make sure that in the
camp your child attends this summer this
resource is available to the staff. If you
are looking for unique ways of worshiping
in the outdoors with your family, you can
get your own copy and make some adap-
tations.

i

m

1^ STRENGTH
W^ TO LEAD

■p

VH

Wr" FAITH TO

mm

1^

pLja

It »•- '"

i

»

1

i

K

Another book that provides material
suitable for adapting by families in almost
any outdoor setting is God/ Man/ Land,
155-page paperback, $5.95, Faith and Life
Press. Written by a trio of Mennonite
authors, it contains 17 5-day programs de-
signed for camps. The unique thing about
these materials is the way in which they
integrate scriptural ideas and ecological
and environmental concerns. The activities
suggested would be adaptable for a wide
range of ages in the family unit. They
provide opportunity for new meaningful
discussions.

Dimensions in Wonder

From the Paulist Press comes a book
titled Celebrate Summer! A Guidebook
for Families, 188-page paperback, $6.95.
With a chapter for each week of the sum-
mer, the book draws attention to different
aspects of summer we might miss, and
opens us up to new dimensions in wonder.
Family activities, scriptures, prayers and
discussions focus on air, water, sunshine,
flowers, summer creatures and a host of
other things. The emphasis is upon cele-

bration that leads to appreciation and
understanding. We are encouraged to
shout "Hurray!" for the world filled with
symbols of the creative presence of God.

Cooking Can Be Fun

But if your family is one that likes to
camp out and really rough it, then be sure
to equip yourself with a copy of Dian
Thomas' Roughing It Easy, 204-page
paperback, $4.95, Brigham Young Press.
Dian will prove to you, beyond the
shadow of a doubt, that cooking outdoors
can be easy, fun and delicious. You will
find new — and sometimes incredible —
ideas for outdoor cooking. The lowly

hobo stove becomes the instrument of all
sorts of ingenious dishes. Equipment is
simple — a forked stick frying pan is
glamorized. Recipes that are simple but
delicious are there in abundance. So many
different methods of cooking are de-
scribed so intriguingly that you will find
yourself gathering up a handful of items
and heading for the backyard to give
them a testing!— Walter D. Bowman

Waller D. Bowman is consultani for ouldoor
ministries on Ihe Parish Minislries staff.

38 \iissi N(ii K .liinc 1474

"THINK
ABOUT I

"THINK ABOUT IT" is a ministry
that brings thoughts and reflections
on everyday life to listeners on 200
radio stations nationwide. These
60-second spots feature Earle Fike,
pastor of the Elizabethtown Church
of the Brethren, and bring the good
news, "seasoned with a smile. ..."

One hundred congregations are
presently involved in this ministry,
placing the programs on local sta-
tions in their communities, often
with a tag identifying them as spon-
sor of the programs.

THINK ABOUT IT is one of two
radio series produced as part of the
Salvation and Justice project of the
General Board. The other series,
"Lifestyle" will be available for place-
ment next year. THINK ABOUT IT
series II and III will be available yet
this year.

If you would like more information
about either THINK ABOUT IT
series, return the reply form to
Brethren Broadcast Ministries, Pro-
motion and Distribution, Box 22,
Harrisonburg, VA 22801.

Return to: Brethren Broadcast Minis-
tries, Box 22, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Name

Church
Address

Zip_

Phone

I would like information on:

— "Think About It" I

— "Think About It" II
—"Lifestyle"

a ministry of . . .

Brethren Broadcast Ministries

Elgin, Illinois

.lunc 1979 MissFNC.i K 39

Parceling out a scarce commodity

by Stewart M. Hoover

A conference will convene in Geneva this
September which will effect international
relationships and economics, and which
will determine to a great extent what you
are going to be seeing on your home
television screen in the next 20 years.

Called the World Administrative Radio
Conference (WARC), this convocation is
called each 20 years to divide up the elec-
tromagnetic spectrum for communications
uses. This spectrum, over which tele-
vision, radio, microwave, satellite and
many other communications channels
send their messages, is a scarce commod-
ity. There is only so much of it available,
so regulation and oversight is necessary to
keep different users and different coun-
tries from interfering with each other's
signals. You can't, for instance, run two
television stations on the same channel
too close to each other, or they will jam
each other's signals, and no one will see
either one. The same goes for radio, and
all the other uses we put the radio fre-
quency spectrum to in our day-to-day
communication with one another.

Who has what in the way of radio fre-
quencies available for their use, and the
technology available to use them is be-
coming more and more important as time
goes on. We are moving, some theorists
say, into the "post-industrial age," where
capital and raw materials will cease to
become important for maintenance of
power in the world. Instead, information
is becoming power.

We need only reflect for a moment on
the events of the late 1960s and early
1970s, to recall that information was
becoming power then. Information about
the political beliefs of people, their credit
histories, and other personal data was
sought after and gained, legally and il-
legally, by the government, the Defense
Department, the FBI and even corpora-
tions. That information yielded power in
those days, and such information can and
will grow in importance as we move into
an age where banking, service records,
employment records and other data can
and will be kept on computer and in other
novel storage systems, where it is not yet

clear what kind of safeguards of privacy
and restraint will apply.

In short, a revolution is happening all
around us, and the WARC conference has
become the focus of attention for many
people around the world who are aware
of that revolution and its implications.
WARC will decide, for the whole world,
who will have what channels of com-
munication available for what uses for the
next 20 years, the period when the shift to
an "information" society will be
accelerating at a feverish pace.

What are the tensions present in the
WARC conference? There are really two
sets of issues that we as American Chris-
tians should be aware of. First, there is
the increasing tension between the rich
and poor nations of the world, and in this
area, as well as many others, the poor na-
tions have found themselves on the out-
side of the action, existing on the good
will of larger neighbors.

As Jim Miller of the Shenandoah Dis-
trict office points out in a major study of
WARC, the issues facing the conference
are based in the growing tension, not be-
tween East and West, but between North
and South, between the developed and the
less-developed countries. Small nations
look at the existing communications
systems of the world, developed by the
larger countries, and still dominating in-
ternational communications, and they
become restive. A ranking Sudanese of-
ficial, Ali Shummo, told a 1977 audience
from the first and second worlds: "You
have 90 percent of the spectrum and 10
percent of the population. We have 90
percent of the population and 10 percent
of the spectrum. We want your share."

Chances are that such sentiments will be
effectively muted by pre-conference lobby-
ing done by the United States and other
major countries. But such feelings cannot
be ignored forever. Shantilal Bhagat,
Brethren United Nations Representative,
suggests that some persons in the United
States delegation to WARC are open to
such issues being aired at WARC, as
discussion items only. Other sources in the
US delegation take a much harder line,
and chances are good that WARC may
find the US and one or two other infor-
mation powers alienated and alone in

deficmce of world opinion.

Church representatives have been work-
ing for a year to help keep that from hap-
pening, by contacting members of the
delegation and other important figures in
the WARC process in the State Depart-
ment, the executive branch and the Con-
gress. Hopefully, those controls will result
in church, public interest, minority and
women's representation in the US delega-
tion to WARC, with at least some chance
of input other than that from the Defense
Department, the Voice of America, major
communications industry groups and the
communications engineers, as has been
the case at past WARCs.

Third World coun-
tries are concerned
that technologies give
them access to com-
munications that
serve their needs, not
just those of major
powers.

Small countries, for instance, may have
more need for sophisticated walkie-talkie
systems than for broadcast television, even
though the American and European televi-
sion networks see them as important
markets for export of our programs and
advertisements.

The second set of issues we face has to
do with what WARC will decide can be
made available for our own domestic uses.
Probably most important in this area is
whether spectrum space will be available
for the development of new satellites
which can be used for a great many in-
stant communication needs (or applica-
tions) including health care delivery and
education in underdeveloped parts of our
own country. Other uses might include
alternate broadcast networks that would
spawn a great diversity of programing
available to you in your home, and uses
by churches and other service organi-

40 Missi \(;i R June 1979

ing available to you in your home, and uses
by churches and other service organiza-
tions in day-to-day ministries and witness.

To this date, most satellite use has been
of a "passive" variety, exemplified by the
broadcast use of satellites by evangeUcal
religious broadcasters. But the potential is
there for more efficient and more people-
centered applications.

The future could see organizations such
as the Church of the Brethren, CROP,
Church World Service, Brethren disaster
coordination or church Christian educa-
tion using sophisticated, flexible, satellite-
based communication for true communi-
cation (the two-way interaction) that
could greatly simpUfy management and
greatly extend our ministries.

The major stumbling block to such
development at this time is agencies which
already have satellites in the air, and wish
to amortize their investment by continuing
to use them, in spite of the fact that bet-
ter technology exists. The United States
position on WARC may resolve that con-
flict by suggesting the channels in ques-
tion be divided in a certain way so both
uses can develop, but it remains to be
seen whether that provision will stay in
the US position once WARC begins.

Efforts will continue to help shape US
WARC policy to be more people-oriented,
and more open to the needs and desires of
the developing world. Working with the
Brethren United Nations office and with
the United Church of Christ, the Media
Education and Advocacy project is
organizing a series of lunchtime "educa-
tionals" for UN delegates who represent
less-developed countries, hoping to ap-
prise them of the importance of WARC.
Efforts are also under way to develop, in
cooperation with the National Council of
Churches, a slide set interpreting WARC
for local congregation and district use.
Jim Miller is working on the piece.

Keep alert to the developments as
WARC convenes and meets this fall. The
decisions made there will have a long-
range impact on your life, and on the
ability of the international community to
talk, work and Uve together. For more in-
formation on WARC, contact: Media
Education and Advocacy Project, 1451
Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120. D

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• The Seattle sojourn is beginning. While the scent of orange blossoms still hovers in
the air, the brothers and sisters are stocking campers, checking flight times and figuring
mileage and motels as they start out once more on the annual trek toward Conference.

As a 9-year-old in 1934 1 attended my first Annual Conference, which was held on the
Iowa State College campus at Ames. The depression was bearing down on us and Ames was
40 miles from home, but my dad borrowed a car and was thrilled that he could take his three
daughters to see the gathered Brethren.

I remember three things about that Conference: I had never seen so many people in one
place, and I had never heard such beautiful singing. But the main thing 1 remember was the
wondrous botanical gardens wherein I saw a banana tree for the first time. I spent my time
running back and forth between the auditorium and the gardens, pondering over the bunch-
es of bananas growing upside down. On the way home my father said grimly, "If I'd known
you were going to spend the whole day looking at a banana tree, we would have stayed home
and I'd have shown you a picture."

Twenty-one years passed before 1 was to attend another Conference. It was 1955 at
Grand Rapids, Mich., and I had lost all interest in banana trees — but I was interested in the
great family of the church — meeting and greeting, preaching and teaching, praying and play-
ing, creating motions and devotions.

I was moved then, as I am now — even though I have become a fixture at Con-
ference— at the phenomenon of the gathered church, the collective lifting of voices, minds
and hearts in the search for the discernment of God's will for all of us.

• I spent an interesting day browsing through old minutes of Annual Conference:
1855: It was considered not agreeable with the word of God to erect tombstones.
1870: The Brethren were admonished to use leavened bread at love feast as unleavened

bread was the Jewish custom.

1884: Vain feasting and worldly celebrations of birthdays were prohibited and the
editors of our periodicals were to cease reporting such occasions.

1910: The sisters were granted the same privilege as brothers of breaking the bread and
passing the cup at communion.

In spite of some Brethren folly, running all through the minutes from those earliest
recorded to current ones, there is a deep concern for peace and an insistent call to us to care
for each other and for all of God's children.

I came away from the day'.s reading feeling that we had always sought answers in ac-
cordance with the Scriptures and God's will.

• Conference vignettes remembered:

—Dan West as moderator waving a towel for order instead of using a gavel.

— Young people demonstrating for peace in the midst of business sessions, including the
burning of a draft card on the platform.

— Al Brightbill directing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"— his whole self in every word.

—Walking in a few minutes late to the rising and falling harmony of several thousand
brothers and sisters singing "Amazing Grace."

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Dorris Blough — Man's
Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl; The Mind of Jesus, William Barclay. Leland
Wilson — The Brothers Karamozov, Fyodor Dostoevsky; The Destiny of Man, Nicholas Ber-
dynev; The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene.

• From Another Pilgrim's Pen:

"We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ. . . . For Jesus Christ alone
is our unity. 'He is our peace.' Through him alone do we have access to one another, joy in
one another, and fellowship in one another." — Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

See you on the journey. — p.k.H.

June 1979 MKSSKNGKR 41

(Continued from page 23)
ler of Standing Committee, L. Wayne
Fralin of the General Board, and Ralph
Turnidge as consultant. This committee
met and finalized a report which was
presented to the February 1978 General
Board meeting. The Board accepted a ma-
jor recommendation contained in the
report, but asked the committee to do fur-
ther work.

Subsequent serious illnesses to members
of the committee prevented further work
for a period of time. Consequently, the
committee asked the 1978 Conference for
a one-year extension of time and this was
granted. Two original members of the
committee, Estelle Mohler and Ralph Tur-
nidge, died in 1978 and two new members
were apponted, David L. Rogers and
Vivian Ziegler.

As the previous paragraphs clearly point
out, it has been a long and somewhat
complex journey to this point. In addition
to the initial assignment, the 1978 Confer-
ence adopted the answer of Standing
Committee on the query of the "Role and
Function of Standing Committee," which
referred a portion of that query's concern
to us. This action called for a review of
the nomination procedures for all posi-
tions elected by Annual Conference.
Thus, the committee was given two man-
dates by Conference: to assure equitable
representation of women and men on
Conference-elected boards and commit-
tees, with the study to include all sectors
of our membership with special attention
to blue collar workers and farmers; and to
a review of nomination procedures for all
positions elected by Conference.

In an effort to interpret the mandates
of Conference, the committee discussed at
length the history of the concerns and at-
tempted to study carefully the actions of
past conferences. Through these efforts
we arrived at the following conclusions:

1) It appears that Conference does not
at this time want a ballot that is struc-
tured any more than the one presently be-
ing used (the committee recognizes that a
portion of our present ballot is indeed
structured).

2) It appears clear that Conference does
not want a "quota" system based on
percentages.

3) Conference asked for this study and
directed that ways be found "by which
equitable representation of women to men
on Conference-elected boards and com-
mittees will be assured," and also directed
the study of nomination procedures.

These facts clearly indicate that Con-
ference recognizes that a problem exists
and desires a solution.

4) That we needed to work with strong
incentive and intentionality to develop a
solution to move us forward while recog-
nizing that it may not be satisfying to all
concerned and may only be an interim
step.

At last year's Conference, the commit-
tee distributed a questionnaire to all
delegates asking them to respond to cer-
tain questions concerning the reasons they
did or did not vote for persons on the
ballot. The response was excellent, with
939 questionnaires returned. The survey
revealed that men and women differed
very little in the reasons for their voting,
with 43 percent of men indicating that
they consciously voted for women and 41
percent of women indicating the same.
The total delegate body, by an over-
whelming 89 percent, indicated that the
main reason for voting for a candidate
was the biographical sketch. Not far
behind was knowing a candidate's in-
volvement in district and local work (82
percent), and knowing the candidate per-
sonally was the third highest reason (79
percent).

J. wenty-two percent indicated that they
voted because of the sex of the candidate
and seven percent of the delegates indi-
cated they did not vote for women because
of the biblical interpretation concerning
women in positions of leadership and au-
thority. At first glance this would seem to
be a small percentage, but as an exclusion
vote it is quite significant. Few national or
state elections are won by a majority as
great as seven percent. It was interesting
to note that the main reason delegates did
not consciously vote for women, farmers,
blue collar workers or minority persons
was because they did not know them.

The survey indicated to the committee
that the sex or occupation of the can-
didate was not particulary important to
the delegates, but knowing the candidates
personally and their involvement and ex-
perience as revealed in the biographical
sketch was important. The delegates ap-
peared to vote for those whom they per-
ceived to be the best qualified based on
information provided. A conclusion one
could draw from this data, based on the
historical role of women in the church, is
that women are presently operating at a
disadvantage because of the lack of exper-

ience in leadership roles in the past. The
committee feels that the results call for an
affirmative action program whereby the
church will work with intentionality in of-
fering visibility and leadership positions to
women in order that experience can be
gciined.

As Conference is aware, the committee
has made this report available throughout
the denomination well in advance of Con-
ference. It is out of this background that
the committee has worked, discussed,
researched and debated the questions in-
volved and presents this report and
recommendations for your prayerful con-
sideration.

Current nominating procedures. Each
year, at its pre-Annual Conference
meeting. Standing Committee elects four
persons to serve on the eight-member
nominating committee for a two-year
term. Information forms are distributed to
the delegates before Conference adjourns,
asking for nominations of persons from
all areas of the denomination. This form
also provides opportunity to submit
biographical data and the candidates' con-
sent to serve.

In July the conference secretary
prepares a list of the offices open for the
coming year and submits it to the
Messenger for publication in the October
issue. By September, more information
forms are distributed to district offices,
with instructions that proposals to the
committee are due at the General Offices
by Dec. 1.

In December the conference secretary
mails a list of all prospective nominees to
the Standing Committee members with in-
structions that any additional names
(data /consent forms) are to be mailed im-
mediately.

In January the nominating committee
and the conference secretary meet to select
the nominees for the ballot. Considera-
tions include: eligibihty requirements of
Conference poUty, the qualifications and
skills needed for the office, a cross-section
related to vocation, age, sex, ethnic back-
ground and possible unique contribution.

The 1978 nominating committee agreed
that they would not nominate any of its
current members or spouses for any of-
fice. They further agreed not to nominate
first-year Standing Committee members
for General Board or study committees.

The information forms play a key role
since it is impossible for the committee to
know all the nominees. The range of ex-
periences Hsted speaks of the person's in-

42 MissiiNCiiiR June 1979

terests, abilities, merits and Christian
faith. The committee must also trust the
judgment and evaluation of the sponsor-
ing group, district executive or individual.
After much discussion and deliberation,
four names are chosen for each vacancy,
constituting the preliminary ballot. All
persons considered by the nominating
committee then receive letters informing
them whether or not their names remain
in the nominating process.

Under uniform guidelines each commit-
tee member is assigned to write the
biographical information for several
nominees. The chairperson combines the
biographical statements, composes the
preliminary ballot and mails it to the con-
ference secretary. This ballot is mailed to
Standing Committee in February for a
preliminary vote reducing the ballot to
two names per office. By late February
the ballot should be ready for publication.

At Annual Conference, the ballot with
biographical information is officially
presented to the delegates and opportunity
is given for further nominations from the
floor Wednesday morning. Biographical
profiles of those nominated from the
floor are distributed Wednesday
afternoon.

On Thursday morning, the day of the
final vote, the conference secretary
presents each delegate with the names of
all nominees. If needed, there is a subse-
quent run-off of ties. Nominees elected to
office are announced at Annual Con-
ference before adjournment.

Be

►elieving that our nominating pro- ■
cedures can be strengthened we recom-
mend (to go into effect immediately upon
adoption for 1980 nomination and elec-
tion process):

1) That Standing Committee submit the
first ballot of four names with
biographical data for each office for
publication prior to Annual Conference
(no later than May), and that Standing
Committee vote on the preliminary
ballot at their pre-Annual Conference
meeting.

2) That the nominating committee
chairperson explain the goals, needs and
all procedures to the Standing Committee
when presenting the preliminary ballot
since first-year Standing Committee
members are usually not aware of the
needs of the boards and committees. This
brief educational process should be
repeated when the official ballot is

presented to Conference delegates.

3) That in fairness to all nominees, a
nomination from the floor must be
made by name only at the time the ballot
is being considered. Biographical informa-
tion and written consent by the nominee
must be submitted to the Conference
Secretary at this time for publication and
distribution.

Goals for Conference elections and ap-
pointments. As we look at the oppor-
tunities and needs of our denomination
there are great possibilities for growth in
our life together and in our mission in the
world. There are things that we can do to
strengthen our quality of life within our
denomination that can also increase our
effectiveness in the world.

We believe we are called by God to take
responsibility for our life and work

together. This includes hearing concerns
for our people and responding. This in-
cludes facing changes that take place in
our world. This includes being open to
and evaluating new awareness.

A major challenge which is increasing in
importance, which we have not faced
squarely and which must be dealt with
honestly, with integrity and love, is
representative leadership in the church.
Our biblical and Church of the Brethren
heritage impresses upon us the respon-
sibility to sense the "fullness of time" and
to answer God's call to decide. We believe
now is the time for us to establish goals to
move us forward and we recommend the
adoption of the following:
— to provide for fair and equitable par-
ticipation by all of our people — men,
women, various ages, racial and ethnic

ANNUAL CONFERENCE BUUHINS

INVITATION— Stop by Nampa, Idaho, on way
to Seattle. Hospitality provided June 30-July
2. Coffee shop marked 18 mi. off Interstate 80
at Exit 38. Lodging or camper/trailer facilities
available. Sunday morning church at 11. In-
quire Nampa Church of the Brethren, 323
nth Ave., S., Nampa, ID 83651. Tel. (208)
466-3321.

INVITATION-Stop by Wenatchee, Wash., on
way to Seattle. Sunnyslope congregation
offering overnight lodging or trailer/camper
facilities. Church providing parking, kitchen,
bathing facilities. 3 hrs from Seattle. Guided
tours of Wenatchee area. Youth gathering
Sat. night. Paul M. Robinson sdeaker Sun. 10
a.m. at Brethren-Baptist United Church in
Wenatchee; pot-luck dinner following. Extra
inducement: free cherry picking! Inquire
Sunnyslope Church of the Brethren, 3330
School St., Wenatchee, WA 98801. Tel. (509)
633-5745.

INVITATION-Stop by Froid, Mont., to or
from Seattle. Hospitality provided by Grand-
view congregation in homes or trailer park-
ing at church. Sunday school at 10; worship
at 11. Inquire Howard Clark, Froid, MT
59226. Tel. (406) 963-2523.

INVITATION— On your way to or from Con-
ference visit, park or camp at Whitestone
Church of the Brethren. Take route 97 to
Tonasket, Wash., then Loomis route 12 mi.
N.W. out of Tonasket. Lakes for fishing,
boating, skiing. Wilderness area for campers
and hikers.

ON EARTH PEACE ASSEMBLY-Luncheon
July 8, 12:30 p.m. Reunions at 3 p.m. for
Brethren Service people. Foreign Mis-
sionaries, Seagoing Cowboys, China Tractor
Unit, Civilian Public Service, Contributors of
Heifers, Hosts for foreign youth. Hosts for
refugees, Puerto Rico personnel. Doctors,
Lawyers, Farmers, Ministers, Theologians,
Morticians, Health & Mental Health Workers,
Truck & bus Drivers, On Earth Peace Youth.
Luncheon tickets available at ticket office.
Specialized professional OEP groups will have
breakfasts Fri., Sat., Sun.

INVITATION— Conferencegoers are invited
to stop at the Mountain View Church of the
Brethren, 2823 N. Cole Rd., Boise, Ida., 3
miles north of 180, 1 mile north of Hwy. 30.
Overnight camping available at the church.
Limited homes open to overnight guests.
Contact Edith Gauby, 3014 Grandee, Boise,
ID 83704.

WANTED— Experienced string and brass
players for Conference ensemble. Will ac-
company congregational singing and choir an-
thems. Send name, address, name of instru-
ment, date of arrival at Conference. Lois
Schopp, 401 Maryland Ave., Wenatchee, WA
98801.

INVITATION— Going west out of Denver
on Highway 1-70? On your way to Seattle Con-
ference stop by Grand Junction, Colo.,
and worship with us at the Kolnonia Church
of the Brethren.

INVITATION-Traveling to Seattle via the
Northern Indiana Toll Road? Camp at the
Osceola Church of the Brethren in our
beautiful 18 acres of woods. 10 mi. from
Elkhart, Ind., exit. Water and restrooms. For
directions, send stamped, self-addressed
envelope to: Osceola Church of the Brethren,
58362 Beach Road, Osceola, IN 46561.

INVITATION-Peace Church of the
Brethren suggests spending time in
Portland, Ore., City of Roses" Church near
Interstates 5 and 80N. Spend overnight in
homes. Church grounds available for
campers, trailers, tents. Scenic attractions
and skiing nearby. Contact Ed Groff, Peace
Church ofthe Brethren, 12727 S. E. Market
St., Portland, OR 97233. Tel. (503) 254-6380
or (206) 256-8550.

INVITATION-Take the Worthington,
Minn., exit off Interstate 80; spend some
time with Worthington congregation. Free
facilities available for campers at Olsen Park
campground, camp at the rural church or
lodge in congregational homes. Contact in
advance Tim Standafer, 328 Lakehill Dr.,
Worthington, MN 56187. Tel. (507) 37.2-7215.

.lunc 1979 Mi:ssi:\(ii R 43

minorities, rural and urban segments of
our church;

— to recognize and utilize the spiritual
gifts and skills of our people;
to meet the needs of our denomination
in the task to be performed, and the
people to be served;

— to call out those of deep Christian com-
mitment and qualifications for specific
tasks to serve the larger church;

— to seek to be faithful in our mission of
proclaiming the Good News and doing
the work of world ministry;

— to develop an effective plan that will be
in practice by 1982.
We recommend the following guidelines

for reaching the above goals:

1) Moderator-elect and secretary: The
nominating committee of Standing Com-
mittee and Standing Committee are called
to continually present to Annual Con-
ference well-qualified people, giving Con-
ference the opportunity to elect women,
minorities and other population groups.

2) The General Board: The nominating
committee of Standing Committee and
Standing Committee should work to pro-

©fth

by Churchman, Anthropologist
Desmond Bittinger
A new, non- media view of the African
in his own earlier Africa. He is part of a
self-respecting, confident, reverent
community. When the white man ar-
rivesthe African becomes recepti veto
"The Brethren Way." Black and White
build together the foundations which
have produced the most rapidly grow-
ing edge of today's Church of the
Brethren.

The book is narrative, as most of
Brother Desmond's writmgs and
preachings are. Some say of it: "It is
hard to lay it down." "The rhythm of
the drums is in it." "It is picture and
poetry."

Many individuals and each church
library should havethis story of part of
our Brethren heritage. Hardback.

$8.95

Order from "The Brethren Press"

1451 Dundee Avenue
Elgin, III. 60120

vide a fair and equitable participation of
all our people, including various ages,
racial and ethnic minorities, rural and ur-
ban segments of our church. They should
work also for a more equal balance of
men and women on the 25-member board.
Commencing with the 1980 election, and
each year thereafter, one of the vacancies
in the General Board members-at-large
category will be elected for a five-year
term by the General Board. These Board-
elected members will be subject to all pre-
sent election eligibility and tenure re-
quirements.

3) Bethany Board: Considering the
demographic make-up (sex, race, na-
tionality) in the student body of the
seminary and recognizing the increasing
involvement of women in theological
education, and the expressed intention of
Bethany Theological Seminary to provide
trained leadership for the total church, we
call for the nominating committee of
Standing Committee, Standing Commit-

tee, Bethany Alumni Association and
Bethany Board in its "at large" appoint-
ments to significantly increase the
membership of women and minority
group members on the Board so that by
1982 there would be at least four or five
such persons on the 15-member board. It
is the committee's expectation that during
the following years all constituting groups
would continue in their elections to move
toward equitable participation of all
qualified persons.

4) Annual Conference Central Commit-
tee: We call upon the nominating commit-
tee of Standing Committee and Standing
Committee to assure through the election
process that the elected committee be
comprised of more than a single classifica-
tion (male, female, black, white, etc.).

5) Interchurch Relations Committee,
National Council representative. World
Council representative. Review and
Evaluation Committee: We call upon the
nominating committee of Standing Com-

CLASSIFIED ADS

FOR SALE — "The 25th Anniversary
Cookbook" published by The Brethren Home
Auxiliary, New Oxford, Pa., at $8.75 plus
$1.25 for postage and handling. Loose-leaf
book; more than 1,000 tried and tested
recipes. Order from The Brethren Home, c/o
Milton E. Raup, Box 128, New Oxford, PA
17350.

MT. MORRIS COLLEGE REUNION-Mt. Mor-
ris College alumni, former students,
classmates, former faculty, friends. Aug. 4-5,
1979. Classes and athletic reunion on 4th.
Catered luncheon on 5th followed by pro-
gram, fellowship. Place: Mt. Morris Church of
the Brethren, 409 W. Brayton Rd., Mt. Morris,
IL 61054,

WANTED— Communication with persons in-
terested in exploring Christian community
and social witness. Contact Joyce and Herb
Beskar, Rt. 1, Box 238, Jefferson City, TN
37760.

Christ's rule encompasses every aspect of
life. He is gathering a community and leading
it himself. Publishers of Truth, 1 S 147 Third
St., Lombard, IL 60148.

TRAVEL— Dr. Desmond Bittinger and Dr. Ed
Bontrager invite you to join in a Christian
Heritage Tour to Europe featuring Oberam-
mergau Passion Play. Highlighting "New Call
to Peacemaking," features spots sacred to
Brethren and Mennonites, incl. Schwarzenau,
Zurich. 15-day tour, departs July 29, 1980,
Incl. Amsterdam, Cologne, i-rankfurt, Munich,
Innsbruck, Venice, Swiss Alps, Lucerne,
Berne, Pans, Brussels, much more. Because
of Passion Play, early deposit of $50 required;
fully refundable. Discount of $50 available.
Contact Rev. Ed Bontrager, 502 S. Ross, San-
ta Ana, CA 92701. (714) 543-1569.

TRAVEL-Junlata College Tours. 1979:
ALASKA- 11 days (June 22-July 2) before
Seattle Annual Conference, and 14 days Im-
mediately after (July 8-July 21). Includes In-

land Water Passage Cruise (Two-day mini tour
Seattle-Victoria-Vancouver possible before
11-day tour and after 14-day tour. 1980:
Oberammergau Passion Play, following Pitts-
burgh Annual Conference, 14 days. Includes
Bavaria, the Alps, Rhine Cruise, Berlin and
Prague. June 30 departure. Harold B. Brum-
baugh, host conductor. Information: Welmer-
Oller Travel, 405 Penn Street, Huntingdon,
PA 16652. Tel. (814) 6431468.

TRAVEL— Pastors and persons Interested In
conducting your own tour group to any place
in the world— let us assist you in your plan-
ning and quote you a price. We specialize In
the Middle East, Turkey, Greece, Italy. Also
available: 9-day Post Conference Tours to
Hawaii from Pittsburgh, Chicago. Cost $639
from Pittsburgh; $599 from Chicago. Includes
air fare to Seattle and return. Also, travel with
us and Anna Mow to Oberammergau Passion
Play, Germany, July 1980. Visit Schwarzenau,
birthplace of the Brethren. Spend 15 days
touring Europe on our Brethren Heritage
Tour. (15-day European Tour $1499). Limited
number of tickets available. Contact: Bohrer
Tours, Inc., Joan and Wendell Bohrer, 96
Penrod, Johnstown, PA 15902. Tel. (814)
536-1811 or (814) 266-2629.

TRAVEL— Scandinavian 15 day tour including
Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and important
sites in Holland and Germany, August 7,
1979. 15 day Alpine countries and Oberam-
mergau Passion Play, July 15, 1980. Inquire
Immediately for Passion Play reservations.
Write for brochure: Rev. Richard C. Wenger,
314 E. Washington St., Huntington, IN 46750.
(219) 356-7983 collect.

TRAVEL-to Panama, Peru, Chile and Brazil
with Daryl and Martha Parker and Rita and
Herman Will, fluent in Spanish and exper-
ienced in Latin America. August 6-25, 1979.
From Washington D.C., $1,995, from Miami,
$1,967. Write the Wills, 103 Central Avenue.
Galthersburg, MD 20760. Note that 1980
Friendship Press study is on Latin America.

44 \iissi \(,i n .lime 1974

mittee, Standing Committee and the
General Board in its appointments to
determine service and representation in
harmony and recognition of our goals.

All who have responsibility for nomina-
tions or appointments are called upon to
develop a plan that will enable us to
realize these goals by 1982.

Conclusion. The issue of equitable rep-
resentation has been with us a long time.
The dialog and discussion that it has
generated throughout the church has
sometimes been healthy and at other times
not. It is the committee's hope and prayer
that the discussion and debate generated
by this report and its recommendations

have helpfully contributed to moving the
church to a new level of openness in rec-
ognizing our oneness in Christ and in
reinforcing a major tenet of our faith that
we are all a part, both male, female,
Spanish, Nigerian, American, farmer and
astronaut — all comprise the "priesthood
of believers."

Accepting one another into full partner-
ship in the life and ministry of the church
has been an ongoing struggle. Men and
women once entered the meeting house
through separate doors, but now we stand
as families, as sisters and brothers. Once
the doors were closed to the laity for
leadership positions, but now are open.

Through the decades, as each new door
has opened and allowed more persons in
as mutual partners in the ongoing work
of God's kingdom, the church's life and
ministry has been greatly enriched and
strengthened.

God offers the fullness and wholeness
of life. How can we have hope of that
becoming reality if the family of God, the
community of faith, does not model that
for the whole world to see? Let us open
yet another door and let God's light shine
in as we continue our struggle for
wholeness and mutuality. It is to this end
that the committee has worked and that
this report is presented. D

i^y[nfi]Q^(D [p)(o)D[fi]t5^

Licensing/
Ordination

Albright, Robert H. Ill, li-
censed Jan. 28, 1979, Potts-
town, Atlantic Northeast

Anderson, Elmer E., licensed
Feb. 25, 1979, Meadow
Branch, Mid-Atlantic

Baker, C. Leroy, ordained
March 11, 1979, Mountain
View, Mid-Atlantic

Caler, Earl Franlclin, ordained
Dec. 1, 1978, Baugo, North-
ern Ind.

Davidson, Kenneth Wayne, li-
censed March 4, 1979,
Osage, Western Plains

Garber, William H., li-
censed Feb. 25, 1979, Little
River, Shenandoah

Grandusky, Robert, licensed
Feb. II, 1979, Elins, West
.Marva

Jones, Timothy Kent, Ucensed
by transfer from United
Methodist Church, Jan. 15,
1979, Atlantic Northeast

Taylor, James E. Jr., li-
censed Jan. 14, 1979, Pleas-
ant Hill, West Marva

Willauer, David R., ordained
March 5, 1979, Parker Ford,
Atlantic Northeast

Pastoral
Placements

Buch, Guy R., from Winter Park
Florida/Puerto Rico, to
Waynesboro, Southern
Pa.

Carter, John, from secular-
lay person (Mennonite/
Brethren), to McFarland, sec-
ond staff. Pacific Southwest

Coffman, Dennis, from Smith
Creek, Shenandoah, to
Ridge, Southern Pa.

Cop, Jeffrey, from Bethany
Theological Seminary, to
Osceola, Northern Ind.

Crumley, Paul D., from Oak
Park, Md., West Marva, to
Summerdean, Roanoke,
Virlina

Fisher, Chester, L., Con-
nellsville. Western Pa., to
Old Furnace, West Marva

Hall, James A., from
Bethany Theological Semi-
nary, to Brothersvalley,
Western Pa.

Harpold, John A., from Thur-
mont, Piney Creek, Mid-
Atlantic, to Richland,
Atlantic Northeast

Miller, Harold W., from secu-
lar, to Akron, South /Cen-
tral Ind., part-time

Miller, Paul E., from McPher-
son. Campus Ministry,
Western Plains, to LaVerne,
Associate and Hillcrest
Homes, Chaplain, Pacific
Southwest

Petry, Ronald D., from General
Board Staff, Elgin, 111., to
Sebring, Florida/P.R.

Ramirez, Frank, from Bethany
Theological Seminary, to
Los Angeles, Ladera,
Pacific Southwest

Sellers, John W., from Tusca-
rora. Southern Pa., to
Knobsville, Southern Pa.

Wedding
Anniversaries

Arnold, Mr. and Mrs. Levi,

Elkhart, Ind., 50
Bridenbaugh, Mr. and Mrs. G.

Herbert, Martinsburg, Pa.,

57
Brooks, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton,

Nickerson, Kan., 57
Farringer, Mr. and Mrs. Roy

Mount Morris, 111., 60
Grimes, Mr. and Mrs. G. Al-
bert, Martinsburg, Pa., 51
Harrington, Mr. and Mrs.

Charles Sr., Ridgely, Md.,

50

Harlzler, Mr. and Mrs. Russell,

Lansing, Mich., 50
Hicks, Mr. and Mrs. George,

Roanoke, Va., 50
Houghton, Mr. and Mrs.

George, Roanoke, VA., 50
Jordon, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Sr.,

Roanoke, Va., 50
Mease, Mr. and Mrs. J.B.,

Lincoln, Neb., 62
Miller, Mr. and Mrs. William

Arthur, Wichita, Kan., 50
Noll, Mr. and Mrs. Orville,

Pleasant Hill, Ohio, 50
Reed, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil C,

Floyd, Va., 65
Secrest, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph,

Nickerson, Kan., 54
Sink, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin E.,

Roanoke, Va., 57
Whitsel, Mr. and Mrs. Harold,

Nappanee, Ind., 53

Deaths

Alderfer, May, 96, Sabetha,
Kan., Dec. 23, 1978

Atherton, John, 88, Lanark,
III., Feb. 26, 1979

Atwaler, Robert L., 65, Tuc-
son, Ariz., Dec. 6, 1978

Balmer, Arlin, 39., Mount Joy,
Pa., Dec. 18, 1978

Bopp, Louis Sr., 83, Johns-
town, Pa., Feb. 15, 1979

Bowlus, Emmert R., 68, Fred-
erick, Md., Jan. 2, 1979

Bricker, Paul W., 58, Cham-
bersburg. Pa., Jan. 27, 1979

Brumbaugh, S. Blanche, 82,
Martinsburg, Pa., Feb. 11,
1979

Buckley, Maurice L., 69, Ta-
neytown, Md., Feb. 10, 1979

Burger, Viola Stump, 76, Per-
reyton, Tex., Feb. 4, 1979

Burrous, Cora, 69, Mexico,
Ind., Jan. 12, 1979

Coblentz, Grace, 78, Peru,
Ind., Jan. 13, 1979

Coppock, Martha E., 90,
McPherson, Kan., Feb. 2,
1979

Coy, Iva, 79, Syracuse, Ind.,

Dec. 31, 1978
Crumley, William Landon,

92, Ewing, Va., Mar. 18,

1979
Dennis, Ruth Buchanon, 67,

Hoytville, Ohio, Sept. 20,

1978
Oennison, Allan, 83. Perry-
ton, Tex., Feb. 3, 1979
Driver, Edna Snyder, 86,

Bridgewater, Va., Feb. 1,

1979
Feasenhiser, Raymond, 73, Lo-

rida, Fla., Dec. 18, 1978
Firebaugh, Donald. 56, Pan-

ora, Iowa, Jan. 31, 1979
Fisher, Henry Saulsbury 111, 78,

Demon, Md., Feb. 13, 1979
Flora, Eloise Rosa, 57. Boones

Mill, Va., Jan. 23, 1979
Frantz, Leia A. Dell, 84

McPherson, Kan.. Mar.

1979
Garrison, Betty, 55, Duncans

ville. Pa., Feb. 18, 1979
Gibson, Terry, 22, New Wind

sor, Va., Jan. 28, 1979
Gordon, J. Brenton, 79

Waynesboro. Pa., Feb. 8

1979
Harman, Elwood, 86, West

minster, Md., Dec. 4, 1979
Herbsl, Elizabeth, 72, York

Pa., Feb. 23, 1979
Holderread, Leslie, 71, Cush

ing, Okla., Jan. 28, 1979
Hood, Elmer, 66, Cush

ing, Okla., Sept. 25, 1978
Jenkins, Ross, 79, Morrill

Kan., Feb. 20, 1978
Johnson, Claude, 73, Nappa

nee, Ind., Feb. 17, 1979
Kinzie, Mary, 83, Gushing

Okla., Apr. 22, 1979
Kirk, Ray, 58, Parsons, Kan.,

Oct. 25, 1978
Livengood, Elba, 97, Sabetha,

Kan., Dec. 18, 1978
McKinnie, Robert Earl, 88,

Hiawatha, Kan., May 24,

1978

Martin, Harley S., 71,
Larned, Kan., Feb. 21,
1979
Martin, Ruth, 58, Rossville,

Ind., Feb. 23, 1979
Meyers, Lloyd. 88, Morrill,

Kan., Mar. 3, 1979
Meyers, Ralph, 77, Sabetha,

Kan., May 31, 1978
Miller, Kenton R., 80, Martins-
burg, Pa., Feb. 21, 1978
Miller, Lena Liskey. 92, Bridge-
water, Va . Feb. 25, 1979
Musselman, Roxie M., 79, New
Carlisle, Ohio, Feb. 13.
1979
Myers, Homer J., 82, Kendall-

ville, Ind., Feb. 9, 1979
Osborne, Blanche. 98, Eliza-
belhiown. Pa., Jan. 9, 1979
Polk, Clara. 81, Duncansville,

Pa., Jan. 31, 1979
Rensberger, Vita Fern, 71,
French Lick, Ind., Feb. 14.
1979
Ringgold, Clarence C, 70,

Ridgely, Md., Jan. 5, 1979
Rishel, Evelyn M,, 59, York,

Pa., Jan. 7, 1979
Sanger, Charles, 86, Silver

Spring, Md., Feb. 15, 1979
Sargent, Rowene V., 77,
McPherson, Kan., Feb. 16,
1979
Shoemaker, Hazel Sheeley, 87.
Waynesboro, Pa., Mar. 5,
1979
Shriver, Elvin R., 84, Martins-
burg, Pa., Dec. 26, 1978
Smith, E. Gay, 85, New Wind-
sor, Md., Jan. 20, 1979
Stafford, Jams Embick, 45,

Dixon, 111., Feb. 12, 1979
Stansbury, W. Walter, 83,
Shady Grove, Pa., Feb. 23,
1979
Stoker, Rhoda A., 83. Council

Bluffs, Iowa, Feb. 26, 1979
Tobias, Nellie L., 95, Middle-
bury, Ind., Feb. 13, 1979
Wareham, Ethel Sloner, 72,
Martinsburg, Pa.. Dec. 2,
1978

,lunc 1979 vii.ssi NCilR 45

p(^(Q)pi(^(k^(Qimh

Tonasket: A congregation constructs
its own organ for the praise of God

The pipe, the ancestor of the modern flute
and other wind instruments, was frequent-
ly used in worship by the Hebrews. When
Solomon was installed as king the people
danced to the music of the pipes. Psalm
150 refers to praising God with the pipe.

The people of the EUisforde Church of
the Brethren, Tonasket, Wash., have 786
pipes with which to praise God every Sun-
day and plan to add even more.

The story began nearly 35 years ago
when Oliver and Adria Weddle shared the
profits of a bumper fruit crop to purchase
a pipe organ for the small EUisforde
Church, a congregation with a history of
deep appreciation for music and the wor-
ship of God with instrument and hymns.
Three years after the installation of the
$5,000 organ the church and contents
were razed by a tragic fire.

But the Weddle family and others main-
tained a dream that once again the
EUisforde church and community could
have the unique and rich tones of the
bellows. Oliver Weddle took a personal
interest in learning how organs are con-
structed, and as he traveled he visited
churches and buildings wherever a pipe
organ was installed. He interested several
persons in the congregation, including his
brother, Harvey, in the mechanics of pipe
organs. Finally, in the late 1950s, the
church decided to commission the Weddle
brothers and several other members to
build and install a pipe organ.

Oliver located a used organ in Montana
which was being replaced by a newer
model. The Weddles found 14 ranks of
pipes that were in excellent shape and of
especially good material. By dismantling
the instrument themselves they were able
to bring it back to Tonasket for $500.

Then the work began. Ray Verbeck
became chairman of the project with

People & Parish is a forum for sharing
stories about church activities that may
encourage other congregations to try new
approaches in their own local programs.
Congregations, groups, and individuals are
invited to submit reports and photographs
to support this cross-fertilization process.

Harvey Weddle displays ranks of pipes
marked for Ellisforde's homemade organ.

Oliver Weddle the technician. Harvey
Weddle designed the circuitry, Henry Col-
bert wired many sound boards, Sid
Lawless supervised the building of the
cases for the pipes, Roy Rhoades built the
organ cabinet and the women and youth
of the church donated countless hours

cleaning and refinishing the pipes.
In November 1967, a jam-packed
EUisforde church celebrated the dedication
of their new organ, an instrument with an
appraised value of nearly $30,000 but
which through the volunteer labor and en-
thusiasm of the congregation had aaually
cost but one-fifth of that value.

Oliver Weddle was not present at the
dedication, however. He had been killed
in an automobile accident prior to the in-
stallation of the projea in which he had
invested so much time and energy.

When the new sanctuary was built,
space was provided for hanging pipes.
From Oliver Weddle' s home will come the
additional pipes to be installed and con-
nected to the present organ, a project
again to be one by volunteer labor and
supervised by Harvey Weddle.

By Easter 1980 the EUisforde church
will be praising God with pipes all
around. More importantly, they wiU have
completed the only instrument of its kind
in the surrounding county, one which has
provided young church musicians of the
EUisforde community an opportunity to
receive a valuable beginning.

Brethren traveling to and from the Seat-
tle Annual Conference are invited by
ElHsforde pastor, Victor Bendsen, to wor-
ship with the Tonasket congregation and
to hear and examine the organ. — F.W.S.

Champaign: Sharing in a community's
concern for the needs of the homeless

Concern and compassion for the homeless
and the stranger led 14 Champaign, 111.,
churches and religious groups, including
the Church of the Brethren, to establish
WES, the Winter Emergency Shelter pro-
gram. For six weeks each, from the mid-
dle of January through Easter, the
facilities of the Church of the Brethren
and the Community United Church of
Christ were used to provide a refuge from
the cold for up to 25 persons each evening.

Truly a total community project, one of
the program's most enthusiastic sup-
porters was Champaign's Christian Police

Fellowship. The Red Cross and the Na-
tional Guard provided cots and some
food, and the local hospital supplied and
laundered linens. In addition to providing
facilities, the churches of the area
undergirded the program with money and
with volunteers, two of whom served as
shelter supervisors each night.

The most consistent guests of the
shelter are male derelicts and unemployed
transients, most of whom would have
otherwise had to take refuge from the
freezing weather in an abandoned building
or other unsuitable place. The

46 \iisM.\<ii K .kinc 1979

program has provided opportunities to get
some of these persons more permanent
help from community agencies.

But during the evening of January 24 a
severe snowstorm crippled all travel
iround Champaign and 25 stranded
travelers were brought to the Church of
the Brethren for the night. One family,
the Wilsons, who was on its way back to
Chicago from a funeral, was forced to
stay a second night while its car was re-
paired. After the Wilsons were able to
continue their journey home, the Cham-
paign congregation found a number of
thank-you notes left in various places in
the church, including one from one of the
children and posted on a bulletin board,
saying simply, "God bless our home!"

Mrs. Wilson's note read: "To the
Church of the Brethren — we will never be
able to thank you enough for your unself-
ish, compassionate and generous act of
sincere care and concern for humanity.
We have the dear Lord up above and you
to be forever grateful to. We will
remember you in our prayers."

"WES has been an affirming program
for a community effort," states Alice
Martin- Adkins, Champaign pastor. "It
Has especially demonstrated that the
churches can work together. Now the
challenge before the community is
whether we can mainteiin our concern and
help for people on a continuing basis, all
jlear round."

Apparently some others are ready to
continue. Jomo Macdermott, a member
of the Champaign-Urbana Friends
Meeting, writes, "WES has been
remarkably efficient in demonstrating
community interaction, religious toleration
md sibling love. 1 look forward to work-
ing again with these people."

The Brethren congregation's participa-
tion in WES has not only broadened the
church's sensitivity to human needs and
encouraged a greater involvement, but it
has established recognition of the church
as a servant congregation in the commun-
ity. And some who were hesitant to risk
this kind of involvement have been
pleasantly surprised that there has been
nothing missing or damaged in the church
building since the program began — F.W.S.

Rocky Mount: Nurturing children toward
an active participation in church life

When attendance for Antioch Church of
the Brethren children's choir dwindled to
three or four it became clear to the music
committee and to choir director Rachel
Brown that a new approach was im-
perative. Realizing that the cultivation of
interest in the church at an early age is
crucial to active congregational involve-
ment as youth and adults, Rachel agreed
to take additional responsibility to enlarge
the church's program for children.

With the encouragement of her hus-
band, Dennis, who is pastor of the church
near Rocky Mount, Va., and the assist-
ance of Linda Barnhart, mother and
former teacher, Rachel organized a
Wednesday afternoon Children's Activity
Hour. Other mothers pitched in and two
groups of children, pre-schoolers and
grades one through six. were formed.

meaning of names and why our parents
named us what they did. This progressed
to the naming of Jesus and the meaning
that has.

"We made our first banner, a 'Friends
of Jesus' banner with the names of ail the
children. This banner was hung over a
manger on the first Sunday of Advent in
the church sanctuary. Families of the
church were asked to place items for a
layette in the manger to be sent to Church
World Service to help real families get
ready for a new baby.

"As we studied the Scriptures to
discover the order of events and as we
worked to prepare for our Advent
celebration, the Children's Activity Hour
became a live ministry to our children.
We prepared banners to hang in the
church sanctuary for each Sunday of Ad-

Pre-schoolers in the Antioch church Activity Hour made creches from boxes filled
with straw: the project, says the director, "gave Christ's birth meaning for them. "

Activities are group-centered, but all
children are encouraged to participate on
their own level. Cooperation and helping
one another are stressed and are the keys
to bridging successfully the age differences
within the groups. The activity hours, ac-
tually about 75 minutes, are divided into
slots for recreation, creative activity, sing-
ing and snacks.

"Ideas grew from the desire to celebrate
Advent in a way that would get the
children interested in the Christ-centered
Christmas." Brown describes one activity:
"We talked about preparations for the
coming of a child into a family circle — the
clothes, furniture and other things that
would make the baby comfortable. Then
we talked about choosing a name, the

vent. We choose to represent prophecy,
Bethlehem, the shepherds and the angels
on successive Sundays. The children
presented the banner with a scripture
reading and a story relating the
significance of the symbols on the banner.
The children were eager to help get the
banner ready and to take their turn in
presenting it during the worship hour."
Rachel Brown is pleased with the suc-
cess of Antioch's Children's Activity
Hour. She concludes: "It has been mean-
ingful to see children take an active part
in worship. Through this experience 1 am
aware of the ways in which children's
creativity can add meaning to worship, and
in turn worship and service can become
more real to the children. — F.W.S.

June 1979 MissiNCi K 47

A not so isolated island

Islands suggest isolation and happenings on them
are not supposed to bother those of us on the
mainland. Not so with Three Mile Island.

My son had a school break in late March, so he
and my wife were back east visiting kinfolks. Left
in Elgin, I decided to fill a Friday evening void
with a movie. "The China Syndrome" was a
frightening tale of accident and cover-up in a
nuclear power plant. Even a weekend and a couple
of days of hard work thereafter did not erase the
dis-ease it had created in me.

In midweek following the movie, I was brows-
ing in a gloomy little secondhand bookshop whose
atmosphere was cheered by an FM music station.
A news bulletin interrupted with some of the first
reports of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident.
Chills ran over me as I heard the statements by of-
ficials so eerily paralleling the cover-up talk in
"The China Syndrome."

A couple of days later I called my wife to make
sure she knew of the impending United Air Lines
strike which would upset the family's return plans.
To my horror I discovered that the wife and son I
had supposed safe in Virginia had spent the day of
the nuclear accident on a cousin's dairy farm near
Harrisburg, Pa. Thus did Three Mile Island di-
rectly touch our lives.

Usually it takes a disaster to galvanize us to ef-
fective action. But how frustrating is the energy
dilemma, when a disaster like Three Mile Island
leaves us as uncertain as ever what direction to
point our action.

Clearly, for me, calling for shutdowns of all
nuclear power facilities where safety is an uncer-
tainty is a basic, responsible step we all should
take. Such uncertainties should be truthfully dealt
with and public safety assured before the plants
reopen.

We should promote alternatives to nuclear
power. Solar power, geothermal power, biocon-
version and wind power are a few of these which
hold attractive possibilities without the risks in-
herent in nuclear power.

Another action we can take is to demand

honesty on the part of government and industry in
informing the public on the dangers of nuclear
power. The old soothing official line of minimal
safety risks put out by corporate spokespersons no
longer deludes a public which has experienced the
reality of Three Mile Island. The new line of
stressing the enormous cost to consumers of
nuclear power curtailment should prove equally
inoperative.

Nuclear energy is supported by a formidable
lobby, composed of the utilities that are eager to
produce energy they can sell and the government
officials who made the multimillion-dollar deci-
sions to develop nuclear power in the first place.
The Energy Department has a tremendous
commitment to make nuclear energy look good.
So we should join those who raise questions about
the long-range feasibility of nuclear power.

The dollars and cents logic of nuclear power
backers is chilling. We must educate others to see
that the issues involved in the energy dilemma are
not simply technical, but moral and ethical. My
boss, Joel Thompson, headed the National Coun-
cil of Churches study panel which drafted a policy
statement on the ethical aspects of energy use and
production. He says: "Today we face such bib-
lically unknown threats as nuclear energy contam-
ination of an indefinite duration and undefinable
dimension. Such a threat to human survival can
only be met adequately within a Christian ethic of
justice that deals with the rights of persons alive
today and those 'neighbors' who are yet voiceless
because they are part of future generations yet un-
born."

Wh

ho knows the long-term physical effects of
Three Mile Island on my family and on all the oth-
ers in range of its radiation? They are victims of a
system which lets greed outweigh human charity.
If we cannot undo Three Mile Island, at least let us
speak out for those voiceless generations yet un-
born. If the church does not speak out for them
and for all of God's creation, who will? — K.T.

48 Missi \Gi K June 1979

NEW BRETHREN TITLES

FOR YOUR
READING PLEASURE . . .

^^^

COUNTING MY BUTTONS

by
Esther Pence Garber

A sequel to an earlier best seller entitled Button Shoes, Counting My
Buttons traces Esther Pence Garber's own pilgrimage through many fan-
tasies to find her life purpose. As a child she dreams of being first a movie
star, then a missionary, and finally a PoUyanna. But as she grows older she
realizes that she has a uniqueness all her own, that she does not have to im-
itate some other mortal to be "somebody." She concludes, "I can always be
me."

The pathway through the fancies of a young girl looking toward the
time she will be "grown up" leads through many charming experiences. The
Pence family was large and Esther was the tenth of eleven children. There
were chores to do, older brothers who teased, shopping trips to the city
where a Mary Pickford movie was playing, impromptu weddings performed
by her minister-farmer father, and new things to learn about the world
beyond the Shenandoah Valley.

Counting My Buttons is a story with which many persons can identify
in their own experience of growing up. Young people, too, will discover it to
be delightful reading. 81.95 plus 15% p&h.

SPRINGS OF LOVE

100 Meditations for Christians

by

Anna B. Mow

God, through Christ, has promised his Holy Spirit as guide and com-
forter to all who open their lives to that promise. "There is an answer for all
anxieties and suffering. There is fulfillment for all emptiness . . . When
Jesus was talking about inner springs in John 7:37-39 he was talking about
infinite resources for any need in living."

Out of that conviction and assurance noted author, minister and retreat
leader, Anna B. Mow, offers one hundred meditations for today's Christian.
With emphasis upon the power and enabling help of God's Spirit, the author
speaks forthrightly to subjects such as temptation, healing, prayer, com-
munication, anxiety, marriage and family and ethical behavior.

The meditations are simply written, yet rich in meaning and practical
suggestion. They clearly reflect the author's own deep rooted and confident
faith.

Anna B. Mow is the author of numerous books, including. So Who
Afraid of Birthdays, The Secret of Married Love, and Find Your Own
Faith. 81.95 plus 15% p&h.

b

ORDER FROM THE BRETHREN PRESS
1451 DUNDEE AVE., ELGIN, IL 60120

Pa]*takei*s
of the Promise

liiM- %-o

^w^

^ m

f^^s^

X

c^^^

^w

t

We are the recipients of a vast
inheritance— that of being "partal<ers of the
promise in Jesus Christ through the gospel."

As Brethren we are given the mission of
witnessing to our faith and living this concern
through Christian ministries.

Our support of these ministries enables the
General Board to carry out the vision of the charge
from Annual Conference.

Both as congregations and as individuals, we
are encouraged to share that which we have so
generously been given as "partakers of the
promise."

A special gift at this time would be greatly
appreciated.

Annual Conference Offering 1979

Church of the Brethren General Board
1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, III. 60120

Amount $
Name

St./RFD
City

State

Zip

Congregation

District

1H0U6HT

OftWCHUHC

A QUARTERLY JOURNAL PUB!
INTERESTS OF THE CHURCH OF

VOUiMEXXW SPR.NG1979 N^

\.

'-^ '^

L&T :

mo ^^ ^
ndw

^^r

mM.(^n'^i

^ 4 Edward K. Ziegler: BL&T Is More Than a Sandwich.

"Fear of God and love of travel" is how Edward K. Ziegler accounts the
way he has lived his life of service to the church, service highlighted by a
quarter-century as editor of Brethren Life and Thought. Story by Harriet
Z. Blake.

^ Q Laying the Schwarzenau Foundation. Commemorating the

300th anniversary of Alexander Mack's birth, William G. Willoughby de-
scribes the events that led Mack and his fellow Separatists to form a new
church in 1708.

22 Wall(ing the Streets He Knew. Kenneth I. Morse takes a walk
through Schriesheim, Germany, the town where Alexander Mack was
born July 27, 1679. Wilbur E. Brumbaugh's photographs illustrate the
travelog.

26 GO*^ AsltS Us to Give. Ken Gibble explores 1 Kings 17:8-16, the
story of the Widow of Zarephath, to show how God sustains the giver.

2 8 ^*^® Pastor and Church Growth, win Am says that Gods desire
is for non-Christian people in our communities to find Jesus Christ, to
become responsible members of the church.

In Touch profiles Howard Wolff, La Verne, Calif.; Jo Ann Cubbage, Arlington,
Va.; and Edna Barnhart Layman, Bridgewater, Va. (2) . . . Outlook reports on
NCC energy policy. Bill Herod. Federal prison visit. South Africa resolution.
Third World mission. Stewardship/ Communications merger. Brethren Disaster
Service. Peace Caravan. Personnel shifts. Urban church needs (start on 4) . . .
Underlines (7) . . . Update (8) . . . Special Report, "Tears Still Flow for the
'Beloved Country,"" by Robert A. Hess (10) . . . "The Nails Remind Us," by Mac
Coffman (13) . . . Column, "Decisions! Decisions!" by Christopher Bowman (1 8)
. . . Resources, "Evangelism/ Church Growth," by Matthew M. Meyer (30) . . .
Pilgrim's Pen (31) . . . Book Review, "Rediscovering Wholeness and Peace," by
Larry K. Ulrich (32) . . . Column, "Alternatives to Detachment," by Dean L.
Farringer (34) . . . Turning Points (35) . . . Opinions of Sarah Alexander-Mack,
Leonard C. Carter, Blaine Miner, Roberta Holiday, Beverly Ott, David and An-
nabelle Fouts (start on 36) . . . Prayer Calendar (38) . . . Editorial, "'A Cruel
and Unusual Thing'" (40)

August Messenger: Because Conference was scheduled a week later than usual,
the August Messenger will be delayed in order to carry a summary of the
meeting.

EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson

MANAGING EDITOR

Steve Simmons

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Ziegler Blake

FEATURES

Stewart M Hoover. Fred W. Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E Weaver. Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Dons Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K. Thompson

VOL 128, NO, 7 JU

CREDITS: Cover, 16 lower John Hunter, I, 4, 9
3rd, 6th, 7th from left. 1.1, 18, 30 Nguyen Van
Gia, 3 Fred W, Swartz, 5 Kermon Thomasson, 10
RNS. 12 UN Center Against Apartheid, 15 Don
Honick, 19 art by Kenneth L, Stanley, 2.V25
Wilbur E, Brumbaugh, 27 art by Cathy Earhart.
34 Robert Samland.

MFss^\G(-R is Ihe official publication of the
Church of the Brethren, Entered as second-class
matter Aug, 20. 1918. under Act of Congress of
Oct, 17. 1917, Filing date. Oct, 1. 1978,
MfssKSGtR is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service, Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version,

Subscription rates: $6,00 per year for individual
subscriptions; $4,80 per year for Church Group
Plan: S4,80 per \ear for gift subscriptions; $3,15
for school rate (9 months); life subscription,
580,00 single, $90,00 couple. If you move clip old
address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change, MtiSSENGER is owned and
published monthly by the General
Ser\ices Commission. Church of Ihe
Brethren'General Board. 1451 Dundee
Elgin. Ill, 60120, Second-class
postage paid al Elgin, III,, July 1979, Copyright
1979, Church of the Brethren General Board,

M%o,(ni sing

WE HAVE THE POWER

E, Paul Weaver was right in his March leUer
about the five-sided rat hole! We as US tax-
payers have the power to decide whether we will
continue to pour our tax dollars down that hole.

True, the government has ways of making it
more difficult (but not impossible) for taxpayers
to refuse paying war taxes— the withholding sys-
tem— but let's face it. our own fear of intimida-
tion, possible loss of job security, loss of friends.
possible jail sentence, garnishment of wages,
fines, etc., is probably our biggest obstruction to
our personal confrontation with the war
machine.

Such fear need not prevail within a Christian
community for we can support one another
through such struggles in our efforts to say "No"
to the death machine and "Yes" to life!

Pm simply lifting up what we as peace
churches at the New Call to Peacemaking Con-
ference said in Green Lake Wis,, this last Oc-
tober: "We call upon members of the historic
peace churches to seriously consider refusal to
pay the military portion of their federal taxes, as
a response to Christ's call to radical dis-
cipleship,"

Phil Rieman
Bethany Theological Seminary
Oak Brook. Ill,

WHO IS BEING GLORIFIED?

The article. "Mary Magdalene; The Faithful
One" (April), is skillfully done. It pays rightful
tribute to the women who did what they could
to meet the needs of Jesus during his public min-
istry, even to the bitter-end.

What conclusion is to be drawn? Are we
being asked to believe that every woman since
Eve has been a paragon of selfless devotion'!'
Shall we make no distinction between the
women at the foot of the cross and the modern
"Christian" women with their costly wardrobes
who make of Easter an egotistical fashion
parade? Is the humble, unpretentious Jesus hon-
ored by gaudy display'' Who is being glorified?
Christian Bashore
Gettysburg, Ohio

A PLEA FOR SIMPLE LIVING

Without a doubt, there are many mani-
festations of the simple life that we of the
Church ol the Brethren profess to express in our
daily living.

As the women of the church, how about con-
sidering 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:1-6?
Observations locally and otherwise reveal that
we have drifted far from those teachings. Is it
because we have become so spiritual that the
outward appearance is of no consequence unless,
of course, it conforms to the current ever-
changing styles?

1 am not saying that people who dress im-
modestly, wear jewelry and indulge in other non-
essentials generally are going to hell because of
such actions. But, please, allow it to become
food for thought that more people might go to
heaven if the money one spends for such things,
which infiuences and encourages others to do

likewise, might rather be spent to send the
gospel to those who have never heard it and
their souls be saved for time and eternity.

The needs of so many people of the world,
both spiritual and temporal, are so great, why
not keep our life-style simple in every way and
be able more fully to respond to those needs?
Birdie Barkdoll
Constantine, Mich.

WE HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO

It is difficult to imagine the writer omitting
the larger meaning of "Brethren" and "Brother-
hood" in the February Messenger editorial. One
of the first things many of us pastors teach to
persons unfamiliar with the Church of the
Brethren, is that it is the Church of Christ our
Lord, composed of his Brothers and Sisters
(Brethren).

While the editorial's historical documentary
about our denominational name was interest-
ing, it neglected the larger and most profound
meaning of "Brethren." Most dictionaries give
several definitions, but the ones that mainly app-
ly to us are: a kinsman of a common family; a
fellow-member of a profession, guild, church,
etc.; the whole body of persons engaged in the
same business (such as our Lord's) or profession,
as a legal brotherhood.

So, you see, we have been correct for years to
include the female of the species in such terms as
Brethren, Brotherhood and mankind. It's rather
sad to hear of militant feminists who falsely
believe they are excluded by these words. Surely,
we have better things to do than to waste God's
time by name-changing.

Glenn Stanford
McFarland, Calif.

IF WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD

I am responding to several of the April letters
on changing the denomination's name.

In a story in one of the letters, the school
board director who said, "If you have three mar-
ried men on the board you've got three women
too," sounds more sexist than sage. Why not
elect the woman, and "have a man too?" Did
anyone ask the wives whether they felt they were
members of the board?

Another letter calls the idea "nit-picking." But
for those who have developed sensitivity to ex-
clusive language (God is more than "he") and to
those who feel excluded, the issue is not so
"picky." This letter discloses a deeper truth in
describing "brethren" as an archaic form.

If the former letter is correct in speaking of
"the rather meager identity we now have," this
may well be precisely because our lives and our
vision, and perhaps our name, too often do not
witness to the all-inclusive (for those who choose
to follow) nature of the kingdom. If we as in-
dividuals and a denomination truly demon-
strated to ourselves and others that we are the
people of God. 1 don't think we would be worry-
ing about our name.

Jon Kauffmann-Kennel
Goshen, Ind.

USE A SIMPLE TERM

In meetings of committees, boards or other
groups, it usually is helpful to have a person to
preside, to moderate, or to chair the meeting.

We frequently see in Messenger and else-
where the term "chairman," "chairwoman" or
"chairperson." We do not use the term moder-
aieman, moderalewoman. moderaieperson. but
moderator; we do not use the term presideman,
presidewoman. presideperson. but presider. Why
not, instead of chairman, chairwoman, or chair-
person use the simple word "chairer"?

If Messenger and our headquarters staff peo-
ple would use the word "chairer" it would en-
courage others to adopt this simple word.

Olden D. Mitchell
Dayton, Ohio

INSISTING ON REPENTANCE

The Church of the Brethren carries a great
responsibility in that we declare ourselves to be a
New Testament church. In reading the New
Testament, we realize that God will accept no
excuses to not "be born again." That is the only
way any of us is forgiven and becomes a "new
person" in Christ Jesus. Nor will God accept in-
tellectual compromises in the name of "New
Revelation." Nor can we expect eternal life by
painting a new face of morality over the same
old sins. The devil is eager to deceive "the elect."

It is my concern that the Church of the
Brethren in its intent to be loving and forgiving,
does not forget to speak out loud and clear on
that first absolute step, repentance. The respon-
sibility of a New Testament church is as great in
teaching and upholding high morality as is our
stated position on war, social justice, racial
respect and our emphasis on the basin and towel
as an example of humility. The drive for im-
morality in the name of freedom by way of tv,
movies, magazines and other media is reaching
alarming proportions. Both Greece and Rome
fell because they embraced all forms of crime
and immorality. Is the Church of the Brethren
awake and praying and acting as responsibly as
it should be in times like these?

Ethel Weddle
Girard, 111.

TO PROD OUR MEMORY

Recent information indicates a lack of
volunteers to fill needed areas for service in both
the local and world community through
Brethren Volunteer Service.

Remembering that the decline in volunteers
began to occur at approximately the same time
as the ending of the draft, might it be possible
that with a resumption of the draft we might
witness a renewed interest in volunteer service?
To someone who doesn't know better this might
seem that some volunteers could be motivated
by lesser considerations than that of
humanitarian service to humankind.

Human need exists in peacetime as well as in
times of war. The draft will prod our memory.
B. Eugene Shaver
Johnstown, Pa.

QXolo CSf (o

Xn the corridor outside the editorial of-
fices in Elgin currently hang photo por-
traits of 10 Messenger editors. Several of
the editors have hoary beards and all are
men of dignified mien, suggesting a collec-
tion of churchly wisdom and sanctity that
can be intimidating to the beholder. The
sight is particularly awesome if, late at
night, a desperate editor glances thither for
inspiration.

It seems odd that Howard E. Royer's
portrait should join that throng in the cor-
ridor. He seems much
too youthful and is
too much an active
part of us to be rele-
gated to an historical
item on the wall.

Surprisingly, for he
looks much younger
than his 49 years,
Howard has been
serving at the Gener-
al Offices since 1953.
Always in communi-
cations assignments

for a time as Hori-
zons editor and for 1 1 years as director of
news services — he has served since 1971 as
editor of Messenger.

In 1977 Howard began a special assign-
ment with the Salvation and Justice pro-
gram which will end next December. In
January he will return to the Communica-
tions/Stewardship Team as director of in-
terpretation. In this newly designed posi-
tion he will develop a strategy of inter-
pretation and public relations for the entire
General Board program.

Howard, as editor, guided Messenger as
it changed from a bi-weekly to a monthly
magazine and as it interpreted the realities
of the 1970s for the church family. He
made Messenger and the Brethren known
far beyond our denomination: He served as
president at different times of the Reli-
gious Public Relations Council and of As-
sociated Church Press, both national reli-
gious journalism organizations.

One of Howard's strengths is his ability
to see what the General Board program is
about and should be about, to interpret it
effectively to the constituency and to
clarify the issues and point new directions
for his staff colleagues. In his new post that
strength will serve him and the denomina-
tion well. Messenger's editors will covet
the counsel and journalistic contributions
Howard will have to offer when he rejoins
our team. We may expect to see his by-line
often. — The Editors

July 1979 messenger 1

Howard WolfE Running with a winner

"Jane Fonda? She's a sensitive, posi-
tive, warm person; really a beautiful
person, easy to get to know.

"Jon Voight? He's rather intro-
spective and contemplative. 1 feel his
attitude toward life is similar to mine.
We talked some; not a whole lot. But
I felt a certain closeness to him."

Howard Wolff talks casually of his
relationship with the winners of
1979's best actress and best actor
"Oscar" awards in the annual
Academy Awards competition. The
source of that relationship to Fonda
and Voight? The 42-year-old La
Verne, Calif., resident was an actor
with them in "Coming Home."

Howard is coordinator for serv-
ices and program for disabled per-
sons at the University of La Verne.
Paralyzed from the shoulders down
and confined to a wheelchair since a
swimming accident when he was 19,
Howard heard that a movie com-
pany was hiring persons in wheel-
chairs to serve as extras in "Coming
Home." He checked out the tip, did a
screen test and got the part.

"I've always been interested in act-
ing and try to get involved in plays
whenever I have time," Howard says.
He was active in drama in his high
school days and acts in ULV plays
when he can.

In the film, Howard has no lines.
But, says Howard, the most impor-
tant part of the experience was not in
being in the movie itself.

"The part that was really signifi-
cant was being able to discuss with
able people what it is like to be dis-
abled. Being physically handicapped
is certainly different from being able
to walk around, but that is not as
terrible as people think it is."

The plot of "Coming Home" re-
volves around a relationship between
Sally Hyde (Fonda) and Luke Mar-
tin (Voight), a disabled Vietnam
veteran. An understanding of the

conditions of a disabled person's dai-
ly life was necessary in character de-
velopment for both Fonda and
Voight, and Howard was able to
offer them some insight. At one point
he even discussed with Fonda the
nitty gritty of sexual relations for dis-
abled persons.

Fonda and Voight are both anti-
war activists and their film is seen by
many as an anti-war statement. But
Howard points out that, for him, the
film is equally important for its ex-
ploration of how able and disabled
persons relate to each other.

A disabled (but not "handi-
capped," he points out) person him-
self, Howard feels good about his
work at La Verne helping other dis-
abled persons and relating to all the
students, who help him "feel young."
For the Seattle Annual Conference,
Howard was scheduled to coordinate
information and services for dis-
abled persons.

Howard does not anticipate an act-
ing career after "Coming Home,"
but he sees that experience as another
opportunity to witness to the world
that disabled persons can lead lives of
fulfillment and that they, too, can
run with the winners. — k.t.

JoAnn Cubbage: Helping

For many years churches in the
Arlington, Va., area have transcend-
ed denominational differences to
work together at meeting the human
needs of the rapidly growing
metropolitan area near the nation's
capital. But when the energy crisis es-
calated in the mid-70s there was no
public or private agency assisting per-
sons who could not meet rent or utili-
ty bills.

Enter JoAnn Cubbage. As a rep-
resentative of the Arlington Church
of the Brethren, JoAnn helped to
spark the formation of AMEN —
Arlingtonians Ministering to Emer-
gency Needs — and served as presi-
dent of the organization from 1975-
1978.

In a recent feature story by the
Fairfax Journal JoAnn Cubbage was
cited for her continuing work with
the all-volunteer agency in which she
now serves as chairperson for the re-
cruitment and training of volunteers.
Also, "as past president, she works
on scheduling, work procedures and
the logistics that maintain AMEN
and which have earned for the
organization one of the Volunteer
Activist Awards presented in the
Washington area by the National
Center for Voluntary Action."

A graduate of Elizabethtown Col-
lege where she met her attorney hus-
band, Roger, JoAnn is a substitute
teacher for the Arlington County
public schools. The couple have two
sons, Brian, 10, and James, eight.

In addition to her work with
AMEN, JoAnn is a member of the
Arlington church nurture commis-
sion and the board of directors of the
Arlington Committee for Temporary
Shelter (ACTS).

Why does a busy mother, profes-
sional woman and active church
member take time to help people who
have trouble paying their bills? "I
have been verv fortunate. Mv needs

2 MESSENGER July 1979

;ople cope

have always been met. When I see
people whose needs are not met and
they do not have any way to get help,
I just want to help so they can cope,"
says JoAnn. "My satisfaction is in
seeing something done. I am moti-
vated by seeing a need met. There are
immediate results. Anxiety for that
particular problem is dispersed.
AMEN pays the bill directly to the
creditor. You know that precise
problem is taken care of."

Service has always been a part of
her life. JoAnn was reared in a
Methodist family oriented to com-
munity involvement. Her father was
a public school superintendent.

In AMEN, JoAnn is pleased to
have found a way that a community
can band together to close the cracks

between private and public
assistance. The trouble is that filling
one crack makes her see several more
waiting attention. That is why she is
also working with ACTS and is cur-
rently attempting to secure a couple
to be Brethren Volunteer Service
houseparents for a temporary
shelter. — Vernon F. Miller

Vernon F. Miller is a free-lance writer, Arlington,

EdnaBarnhart Layman: Creative hands of love

For many people, to knit 75 afghans
would be a lifelong occupation. Ed-
na Barnhart Layman, a resident at
the Bridgewater (Va.) Home has
already topped that feat even
though she did not take up her knit-
ting needles until she was 67 years
old. Now 96, Edna continues to
create the much-sought-after and
cherished product, running her pro-
duction number to nearly 80.

A graceful woman with a caring
smile, Edna Layman has never
taken a cent for any of her afghans.
"I wouldn't feel right charging for
the work," she declares, "I just do
them in my spare time. It's
something to keep me busy."

Most of her creations have gone
to her two children, nine grand-
children and as gifts to many
friends. She received recognition in
the Harrisonburg (Va.) Daily News-
Record in 1977 when she donated a
beautiful afghan of green,pink and
off-white to the Bridgewater Home's
harvest auction. The proceeds were
used to improve the facility and
services to the home's residents. Ac-
cording to Edna it was her way of
expressing appreciation for the
pleasant and comfortable home she
has found in Bridgewater.

Prior to her move to the northern
end of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley
Edna was a resident of Roanoke,
where she continues to be a member
of First Church of the Brethren.
Her daughter, Mrs. Rollin H.
Wampler of Harrisonburg, who
helps her choose the colors and yarn
for her afghans, speaks admirably
of her mother's energy and ingenu-
ity. Often she accompanies the
Wamplers to services at Harrison-
burg's Church of the Brethren, some
eight miles from Bridgewater, and
remains to spend the day at their
home.

Further evidence of her "spunk" is
in her wiUingness to share her knit-
ting experience with her neighbors at
the home. She has taught the pat-
tern she uses to several other
residents and takes a specisd delight
in seeing a new "student" begin
working on her own afghan.

It takes Edna about two months
to complete an afghan. "I can't
work on it and watch television at
the same time," she notes. "I make
too many mistakes." She will not let
a mis-stitch pass, no matter how un-
obtrusive it may be to the eye. "Peo-

ple say no one will see them, but I'll
know they're there. It's like if you
do something wrong that no one
sees you think it doesn't matter. But
God always sees— it does matter."
Thus, with exactness and dedica-
tion, Edna Layman continues to use
her hands and her skills to bring joy
to others' lives and a sense of contin-
uing purpose to her own. — F.W.S.

July 1979 MES.SENGER 3

\^CC;8ays energy policy
should exclude nuclear

A new national energy policy that will not
utilize nuclear power has been called for by
the National Council of Churches.

The policy statement was presented to
the NCC Governing Board after three
years of study by its Energy Policy Study
Committee. Chairing the study was Joel K.
Thompson, executive of the General
Board's General Services Commission.

In the statement adopted at the May
Governing Board meeting in San Antonio,
Texas, the NCC calls for "a national
energy policy which will not need to utilize
nuclear fission." The policy-making body
of the council also supported conservation
and the development of renewable energy
sources. Its statement defines ethical cri-
teria by which energy technologies must be
judged such as sustainability. fairness and
openness to democratic input on policy.

Thompson said, "The significant thing to
me is that the National Council, as no
other institutions in this country have yet
done, has wrestled with the moral and
ethical issues of energy and come up with a
statement."

He believes the three-year process, which
involved theologians, ethicists, scientists,
energy experts and others, already has had
an impact. "It's changed the tone of the
debate in our nation," he says, citing
papers issued by energy companies which
deal with moral problems of energy.

"It was deeply satisfying," Thompson
says, "to see the ecumenical process work."
He adds that he believes a representative of
the Church of the Brethren was asked to
head the committee because "we seem to
have a low-key, bridge-building approach
to controversy" which proved important in
accomplishing the task.

In other Governing Board action, a
statement was approved urging the earliest
possible ratification of SALT II. The ac-
tion was taken in approving "Choose Life,"
the statement of representatives of
churches of the US and the USSR who met
in a consultation on disarmament in
March.

Another significant action of the Board
involved a commitment to examining anew
the state of ecumenism. The Panel on
Ecumenical Commitment and the National
Council of Churches of Christ Purposes
proposed that each member communion be
asked to look at its own commitment to
ecumenism to help chart the future of the
NCC. A report is projected by 1981.

JLj'''^t^ML...M

Bill Herod (right). Church World Service consultant on Indochina, urged Brethren and
other US Christians to get involved in Indochina. He shared his views during a briefing at
the Elgin offices arranged by Brethren peace consultant Lamar Gibble (left).

I ndOChI na expert call S '"'° dependence on soviet supphes and

■_ counsel although Herod believes Vietnam

church to action there has tried to avoid it

The complexity of the situation
demands, Herod believes, a complex
response from the American church. He
advocates everything from political action
to people-to-people gestures to involve-
ment in refugee resettlement.

High on his list of priorities for church
political action is lobbying for normalized
trade and or diplomatic relations between
the US and Vietnam "so Vietnam is not
forced to rely on the So\iets." He suggests
that not only should churches lobby in-
stitutionally but also individuals should be
in contact with their representatives.

He also sees great value in gestures such
as last April's 10,000 ton shipment of
wheat from the American people to the
Vietnamese organized by CWS.

Herod urged churches to get in\olved in
refugee resettlement but cautioned that it
should be done as a "humanitarian
gesture" without using refugees as anti-
communist tools.

Herod's comments blended his astute
political analysis with his own human-
itarian concern and his faith that the
church must be in complex situations like
Indochina. "We live and work in the
world," he said, "to witness to the belief
that we have no enemies." Then, reflecting
on the shooting death of Brethren church
worker Ted Studebaker in Vietnam eight
years earlier, he said. "Christian faith does
not guarantee success. It does guarantee an
opportunity to attempt to be faithful."

J

"The religious community in Vietnam is a
living, vital force in society, a reconciling
force," says a church expert on Indochina.
"We — the American church people — have
the opportunity to relate to that force."

At an April briefing for denominational
staff in Elgin, Bill Herod, consultant on In-
dochina for Church World Service, urged
the church to become involved with the
people of Vietnam.

Herod has worked more than four years
in Vietnam and has been a knowledgeable
observer of the situation since he first
served there. He became known to
Brethren when he went to Vietnam with
Brethren Volunteer Service in 1965 as a
conscientious objector. He later served two
more years and he and his wife Peggy were
in Saigon at the time of the April 1975
evacuation. They visited in November 1977
as representatives of their denomination,
the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
and again this May.

Herod is convinced of the importance of
people-to-people relationships between
Americans and Vietnamese. Further, he is
sure the church is the appropriate agency
to carry forward reconciliation.

"The difficulty for us in the church," he
cautioned, "is that the situation today is
even more complex than it was 10 years
ago — when we didn't understand it."
Believing that helping church people un-
derstand Indochina is part of the task of
reconciliation, he reviewed a summarv of
relationships among Vietnam, Cambodia
and China since the spring of 1975 and the
role of US foreign policy.

Herod contended that US unwillingness
to normalize trade or diplomatic relations
with Vietnam and recently improved US
relations with China have thrown Vietnam

Ecumenical
deni

^•^^

ders
visit

A proposed visit of 12 ecumenical leaders
to the Long Term Control Unit of the
Marion (111.) Prison in April has failed to

4 MESSENGER Julv 1979

S^muAuAiA axMmJz^

materialize. Organizers of the visit and pri-
son officials do not agree, however, on the
reasons.

Staff of the national Committee to Sup-
port the Marion Brothers have been trying
four years to have the special unit of the
federal prison closed. They contend that
long periods of solitary confinement are
not unusual there and constitute "cruel and
unusual punishment."

To encourage support for their cam-
paign, staff member Scott Myers and sup-
porter Bishop Morris Dingman of Des
Moines, Iowa, tried to arrange for a num-
ber of church-related people to visit the
unit and talk with prison officials. Mari-
anne Pittman, a campus pastor at the Uni-
versity of Illinois, had been asked to repre-
sent the Church of the Brethren.

According to Myers, the delegation re-
ceived final word only the day before that
they would not be able to visit. He says
they were given the reason that the prison-
ers were too hostile and the visitors would
not be safe. But, Myers adds, "We feel they
stopped it because they didn't want us to
see it."

Ron Beai, the prison's public relations
officer, gives a slightly different account.
He notes the prison does not honor re-
quests for large groups to visit "housing
units" because they disrupt the normal op-
erations. (The Long Term Control Unit is
one of the housing units.) Beai said that ar-
rangements had been made, however, for
Bishop Dingman and two other repre-
sentatives to meet with the warden and the
warden's administrative assistant but that
the three visitors did not show. Warden
George Wilkinson was not available for
comment.

Myers says the group still hopes to get
into the prison. The Long Term Control
Unit at Marion services the US Bureau of
Prisons and some state prisons. According
to Myers, its inmates are persons who have
caused trouble in other prisons. Marion
Prison itself is a maximum security prison.

Beai says Bishop Dingman and the
others are still welcome to come talk with
the warden, "if they reschedule," he said,
"we'll be glad to have them visit."

Among the groups who planned to send
representatives to the prison in April were
the United Church of Christ, the National
Federation of Priest Councils, the
Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, the
Lutheran Mission Association, the Unitar-
ian-Universalist Service Committee and the
Joint Strategy and Action Committee of
the National Council of Churches.

South Africa resolution
to Union Carbide fails

A shareholder resolution calling for Union
Carbide to withdraw from its South
African operations was defeated during the
annual meeting in Chicago April 25.

Moving the resolution was General
Board staff member Shantilal Bhagat, the
pro.xy holder for the Church of the
Brethren. The General Board owns 1,500
shares of Union Carbide stock.

Although the resolutions garnered only
3.8 percent of the vote, staff members
attending the annual meeting were en-
couraged by the amount of time and
serious dialog given to the issue of cor-
porate involvement in South Africa.

Bhagat reports that no other single item
consumed as much of the meeting as the
resolution on South Africa with one-
quarter of the time given to the discussion.

As mover of the resolution, Bhagat was
given five minutes to speak in its support.
He said, in part, "There can be no neutrali-
ty in this issue and taking no position on
apartheid is helping it. We maintain that
all overseas investments essentially con-
tribute to bolstering apartheid."

In its published corporate statement urg-
ing proxy holders to vote against the
resolution, Union Carbide's Board of
Directors said, "The Corporation is un-
alterably opposed to the policy of apart-
heid. . . . However, after a thorough
evaluation of all relative factors, the Cor-
poration is convinced that continued im-

provement in the social and economic
status of non-whites in South Africa is
much more likely to be achieved by a con-
tinued business presence there than by the
largely symbolic protest of withdrawal."
Only one percent of Union Carbide's total
assets and profits are in South Africa.

Other shareholders raised questions or
spoke in support of the resolution in-
cluding Clergy and Laity Concerned, Uni-
versity of Iowa, Princeton Seminary and
the American Lutheran Church.

Both Bhagat and Howard Royer, the
other Brethren representative, commented
on the value of hearing the chairman of the
board, William S. Sneath, say. "We have
to search our conscience about staying
there. It is always an open question."

Although the resolution did not pass, it
received a sufficient percentage of the vote
to be brought for consideration at the next
annual meeting.

In other shareholder action in which the
Church of the Brethren is involved, a
resolution requesting American Home
Products to establish an infant formula
review committee was defeated at that cor-
poration's April 25 meeting.

A new stockholder action has been
launched with the Pillsbury Company in
which the Pension Plan holds 7,000 shares.
In a resolution filed May 1 1 in anticipation
of the company's annual meeting in
September, Pillsbury was requested to
voluntarily adopt practices limiting certain
kinds of food advertising to children. Prior
conversations on this issue were reported in
the February Messenger.

Church press chaffenged to influence society ^^\

The church press should seek to influence the church and society as a whole; should seek to be
"a sign in and for the world, demonstrating through the church's own communication struc-
tures and strategies a better way of speaking out and listening in." This theme was set forth in
Howard E. Royer's president's address to the Associated Church Press' annual meeting in
Toronto in May and was repeated throughout the four days by
other speakers. More than 100 church press staff heard the
challenging speeches and workshops at
the conference. Royer. former
Messenger editor, was com-
pleting his two-year term as presi-
dent of the ecumenical associa-
tion. He is shown (right) with
newly-elected ACP president J.
Martin Bailey, editor of A.D.
magazine. Among other
speakers was noted
journalist
Malcolm
Muggeridge.

nvoa/UMyt£>

Church hears mandate
for Third World work

A major consultation for representatives of
North American churches and Third
World rural people's movements has
resulted in a challenge to the North
American churches.

According to the leaders of the
represented people's movements. Third
World people need less evangelization by
outsiders, less education to the ways of the
middle-class American churches and more
help in their own efforts for political,
economic and social liberation.

Sponsored by Agricultural Missions, the
consultation brought together more than
100 Third World and North American
leaders to discuss the future of mission
work among the rural poor in North
America and elsewhere. They met in mid-
April in a rural Puerto Rico camp setting.
Ag Missions is an agency of the National
Council of Churches headed by former
Brethren missionary Benton Rhoades.

The leaders of the Third World people's
movements (about one-third of the par-
ticipants) challenged the denominational
representatives to put the church firmly on
the side of the poor and oppressed in the
Third World. Too often, participants
claimed, the church has identified with the
established order which militates against
the interests of the poor.

Participants also criticized some church
development projects, especially those that
rely on high-technology, western-style in-
novations. These, they claim, eventually

Unit links stewardship,
communications teams

The Stewardship Enlistment Team and the
Communications Team of the General
Board staff have been joined in a new unit.
Coordinator of the combined Communi-
cations/Stewardship Team is Fred W.
Swartz, who will also continue as books
and Agenda editor.

Also accepting new assignments in the
reclustering are Howard E. Royer, who has
been on special assignment with the Salva-
tion and Justice program, Kermon
Thomasson, who has been acting editor of
Messenger, and Donald L. Stern. At the
conclusion of his Salvation and Justice
assignment in December, Royer will begin

help large landholders and corporations at
the expense of the poor. They urged sup-
port instead for peasant movements to
preserve the lands of small farmers and
alternatives such as rural cooperatives.

Consultation participants made specific
suggestions to the Ag Missions board for
helpful involvement in the struggles of
Third World peoples. Ag Missions was
asked to deepen its financial and other
support for people's movements at home
and abroad; begin work seeking to
counteract the negative impact of mul-
tinational corporations upon land
ownership and rural development around
the globe; and work to educate North
American church members about the plight
and struggles of Third World people.

North American denominational
representatives came away from the con-
sultation with new challenges for the work
of their agencies in the Third World.
Representing the Church of the Brethren
were Roger Ingold, General Board
Africa/Asia representative; Wil Nolen,
development ministries staff member;
Ruby Rhoades. Washington office
representative and executive-elect of the
World Ministries Commission; and Guiller-
mo Encarnaci6n, pastor of the Castaiier
(Puerto Rico) church.

"The church in the US and other
'developed' nations is needed in a-
relationship of solidarity and partnership
with poor people's movements," said Nolen,
reflecting on the experience. "This implies a
'standing with' which de-emphasizes actual
physical presence since the strategy and
process of liberation must be the direct ex-

responsibilities in the new position of direc-
tor of interpretation. Thomasson has been
named editor of Messenger effective May
16. Stern, responsible for stewardship
education, undertakes an increased
emphasis on stewardship of creation.

Others in the new cluster are Harriet Z.
Blake, director of news services; Janine
Katonah, with responsibility for direct
gifts; Stewart B. Kauffman, with respon-
sibility for deferred gifts. A staff person
with responsibility for congregational sup-
port is being hired for the position vacated
by the resignation of Ronald Petry. Also
part of the cluster are Brethren Volunteer
Service worker Steve Simmons, assistant to
the Messenger editor, and media educa-
tion and advocacy consultant Stewart
Hoover (see article on page 9).

perience of the oppressed." Nolen went on
to say that this support is "expressed
through conscientization of denomi-
national constituencies, at-home witness
(for instance, protesting practices of multi-
nationals), resolutions and unrestricted
grants."

BVS/PVS district reps
learn their business

Nearly 40 district representatives for BVS
and PVS learned new ways of accom-
plishing their mission during two training
sessions this winter and spring.

As part of a denominational network,
most districts have representatives who
know the ins and outs of Brethren
Volunteer Service and Parish Volunteer
Service and will explain the program, en-
courage volunteering and generally
promote the idea of service.

Representatives serve two-year terms in
this position and some have discovered it's
not always an easy task. The two weekend
training sessions were planned by the
denominational staff of the two programs
to strengthen the skills and inspire the
enthusiasm of the new and returning
representatives at the start of the new term.

Merv Keeney, staff for recruitment and
interpretation, outlines the program he and
BVS director Joanne Nesler Davis and
PVS director Tom Wilson planned.
Representatives at the February meeting in
Pittsburgh and at the April meeting in
Elgin were given updates on the two
programs, skills training with emphasis on
group leadership, times to worship and
share experiences. One evening of the .April
sessions was titled "Hard Questions" and
provided ideas for handling the tough
questions which sometimes confront
representatives.

The representatives found the weekends
stimulating. JoAnn Dibert, a new represen-
tative from the Middle Pennsylvania Dis-
trict, commented, "It was very helpful to
compare the experiences of past represen-
tatives. Getting people to listen is the most
important thing."

Representatives are available in all but
two districts to make presentations to Sun-
day school classes, youth groups, camps
and district conferences. Any group in-
terested in learning more about oppor-
tunities for service in the church and com-
munity should contact their district office
to inquire about the availability of their
district's BVS/PVS representatives.

6 MESSENGER July 1979

Major spring disasters
draw Brethren response

Brethren volunteer workers and staff have
been on the scene of several of the major
disasters which struck the US this spring.
A commitment of $25,000 from the
Emergency Disaster Fund and shipments
from New Windsor were other ways
Brethren reached out to people in crisis.

In the weeks following the tornado which
ripped through Wichita Falls, Tex., the
Tuesday after Palm Sunday, at least 10
areas were declared presidential disaster
areas due to flooding and tornadoes.

In Wichita Falls and Lawton, Tex., Jan
Thompson, Brethren disaster response
network coordinator, was among persons
developing an interfaith response to the
crisis. Volunteers from the Nokona, Tex.,
church and persons attending a south-
western sectional meeting in the district
gave time to the clean-up efforts.

Flood waters which were slow to recede
hampered clean-up efforts in Peoria, III.,
and in the Jackson, Miss., area. Brethren
workers were on the scene in Illinois before
being forced to pull out when the river
again began to rise. They have since re-
turned to the project.

The situation was similar in Mississippi.
One busload of 38 workers from seven dis-
tricts spent two and a half days in Jackson
in late April stripping flood-damaged
houses to their frames.

A second busload, however, had to post-
pone its trip to Vicksburg where flood
waters were receding so slowly that clean-
up work could not begin as scheduled.
Thompson reported seeing houses with
four to eight feet of water in them in the
first week of May — and water was receding
at the rate of one-tenth of a foot per day.

Responding to disasters is often frus-
trating to staff and volunteers with project
schedules and even locations subject to
change. "It's very difficult to plan,"
Thompson says. "But if things went along
in an orderly fashion, it wouldn't be a dis-
aster."

International disasters also called for
response this spring. Two shipments were
made from the New Windsor Service
Center in April— 20,000 blankets went to
Yugoslavia on behalf of Church World
Service and the US Agency for Inter-
national Development (AID) for earth-
quake victims and later, 9,740 pounds of
soap and children's clothing were shipped
to St. Vincent, Barbados, scene of a
volcanic eruption.

[y][n}(ol(t[j'[lD[ni(§^^

AT THE MICROPHONE .. . During the Monsanto Company's annual
shareowners' meeting April 27, Velma Shearer registered the
Church of the Brethren's concern about continued manufacture
of nuclear weapons components at a Monsanto facility.
Shearer, a registered nurse from Englewood, Ohio, has been
studying the problems of nuclear weapons production and spoke
on behalf of the 3,800 shares held by the church and its pen-
sion plan. . . . Paul C. Warnke , former chief US negotiator
for SALT and now a special adviser to the Secretary of State,
spoke May 8 at Juniata College.

OFF THE PRESSES

Mark C. Ebersole, president of Eliza-

bethtown College, is the author of an article describing the
lasting values of a liberal arts education. "Why the Liberal
Arts Will Survive" was published in the May 21 edition of The
Chronicle of Higher Education. . . . The Parables of Jesus: A
History of Interpretation and Bibliography was recently pub-
lished by Scarecrow Press, Inc. Warren S_. Kissinger, pastor
of the Dranesville church and associate editor of Brethren
Life and Thought, is the author.

RECEIVING HONORS

The Brethren Peace Fellowship of the

Atlantic Northeast District presented its seventh Brethren
Peacemaker of the Year Award to Jean Wars tier Zimmerman at
the annual meeting April 26. The citation said, in part,
that the award was presented "to a disturber of our own un-
easy peace... (who) stirred us all to care more and do more."
. . . Donald S. Kr ay bill , sociology professor at Elizabeth-
town College, was honored when his book. The Upside-Down
Kingdom, was selected as the top book of the year in the Com-
munity Life/Social Awareness Category of the National Religious
Book Awards. . . . Several Brethren received 1979 Alumni Ci-
tation of Merit Awards at McPherson College's annual alumni
banquet May 19. Honored were Lois E_. Dell of Des Moines,
Iowa, an innovative pre-school teacher; Edith Mae Merkey of
Bloomfield, N.M., long-time worker at the Lybrook Navajo
Mission; and Paul Wagoner of McPherson who worked 21 years in
alumni development for the college.

IN NEW JOBS ... Michigan's Camp Brethren Heights has a new
camp manager. Stan and Hazel Barkdoll and their family ar-
rived in Michigan at the end of May from Clovis, N.M. , where
he had been pastor. . . . New managing director for Shenan-
doah's Caitip Brethren Woods and Canp Overlook is Ronald Robey
of Manassas, Va. , a United Methodist layperson and a school
teacher. He began work April 15. . . . Juniata College has
announced that the fourth J. Omar Good Visiting Distinguished
Professor of Evangelical Christianity is George MacPherson
Docherty , minister emeritus of the New York Avenue Presby-
terian Church in Washington, D.C,

REMEMBERED

Robert H. Miller, 90, died May 10. He had

been a Manchester College teacher, a pastor and author. . . .
Umaru H. Tar fa , former hospital administrator of the Nigerian
mission at Garkida General Hospital and a member of Ekklesiyar
Yan'uwa a Nijeriya, was killed in an automobile accident near
Garkida May 14. He had planned to visit the US this summer.

July 1979 MESSENGER 7

y[p)dl(oite

ACTING FOR PEACE . . . The board of Western Plains District has
asked individuals and congregations in that district to speak
out in opposition to the proposed development of the MX Mis-
sile Complex in western Kansas, eastern Colorado and south-
west Nebraska. In the resolution, passed at the April meet-
ing, the board said, "We oppose this proposed development on
the grounds of (1) the misuse of earth's resources and (2)
the threat to human life." . . . Representatives of the board
of Southern Pennsylvania District met in April with William
F. Goodling, their representative in Congress, to express op-
position to legislation which might reinstate registration or
conscription for military sejrvice.

CELEBRATING BAPTISM

The 13 newly-baptized members of

the 28th Street church, Altoona, Pa. , and their families were
guests of honor at a dinner served by women of the congrega-
tion following the baptismal service.

ASSISTING GLOBAL AWARENESS

A global awareness grant of

$500 has been made to the District of Florida and Puerto Rico
from the church development program of the Parish Ministries
Commission. The grant will help enable participation of 11
Puerto Rican Brethren in the district's summer camp program.

YOUTH GO TO WASHINGTON . . . Forty fourth, fifth and sixth
graders from the Palmyra (Pa. ) church visited the Washington
Office in late April as part of a youth club session on
Christian citizenship. The youngest group ever to visit the
Brethren office in the capital city, they also toured the city
and participated in Sunday morning worship at the Washington
City church before returning to Palmyra. The field trip is
an annual part of the youth club program. Last year's ses-
sion, focusing on peace, took the group to Brooklyn (N.Y.)
First church and the United Nations.

CONFERENCE ANNOUNCED

History buffs may be interested

in a conference being sponsored by the Eastern Mennoni te
Associated Libraries and Archives on "The Mennonite Experience
in America: Conference III." For forther information on the
Oct. 25-27 conference contact James O. Lehman, Eastern Menno-
nite College, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. To be held at Messiah
College, Grantham, Pa. , and in Lancaster, the conference is
open to all interested persons.

MILESTONES . . . Good Shepherd church, one of two new con-
gregations in the District of Florida and Puerto Rico, broke
ground for its new church building Sunday, June 24, at its
site located between Bradenton and Sarasota, Fla. ... A
special part of the morning worship at the Bellwood church.
Middle Pennsylvania District, on May 27 was a mortgage-
burning service. . . . Celebrating its 25th anniversary June
9 and 10 was the Florin church. Mount Joy, Pa. A weekend of
music, worship and fellowship commemorated the occasion. . .
Special open-house hours in May celebrated the 25th anni-
versary of the Reuel B. Pritchett Museum on the Bridgewater
College campus. . . . The Spring Run church. Middle Pennsyl-
vania, dedicated its new organ during services April 22.

8 MESSENGER July 1979

New Call peace caravan^
needs staff to continue

If the New Call to Peacemaking Peace
Caravan can find the nucleus of a new
three-person team, it is likely to continue
after its projected Sept. I conclusion.

The Peace Caravan, a project of the
Illinois- Wisconsin New Call to Peacemak-
ing, has been staffed this year by Brethren
volunteer Peter Haynes and Mennonite
Doug Wiebe. Because it is an ecumenical
venture among the three historic peace
churches, the steering committee is es-
pecially anxious that a Friend (Quaker) be
added to any continuing team.

Steering committee chairperson Bill Faw
reports that the committee is open to con-
tinuing the caravan if, by mid-July, a
Friend is located who is willing to par-
ticipate and if fairly strong leads are dis-
covered for new Brethren and Mennonite
members. (Haynes" and Wiebe's
terms end in September.) Adequate pledgesi
of financial support from congregations
would also be necessary.

If the caravan continues, Faw also says
the steering committee would like to see it I
become a regional caravan, with support
from Iowa and parts of Minnesota and
Missouri in addition to Illinois and Wis-
consin. As far as Faw knows, the
ecumenical peace caravan approach is
unique to the Illinois-Wisconsin project.

Anyone interested in participating in the
caravan next year or having names to
suggest is invited to contact Bill Faw, 703
Seward St., Evanston. IL 60202.

Peace seminar to study ..
ni^lear arms, energy y^

A six-day\peace seminar on the topi<! of
"Christian Xesponses to Nuclear Energy
and Weapons^Production" is berng spon-
sored by the Scmthern Ohio District
Nuclear Study Cofr^mittee 3nd the World
Ministries Commission.

The seminar, schedii^d Aug. 5-1 1, will
be located in the Da^lon. Ohio, area. Par- •
ticipants will have opportunity to visit a
number of nuclear installations around
Dayton as part of their study. They will
stay in the ?ludebaker Log Cabins near
West Chai?^eston, Ohio.

During'the week, participants will join in
Bible stady and meditation as they seek
ways that religious faith can influence
nuclear issues. It is expected that those

attending will do some prior study of the
issues and will be willing to share their
learnings with others after the seminar.

Registration is limited to 24 persons. For
further information, contact Chuck Boyer,
Peace Consultant, Brethren General Of-
fices, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

rsonnel sViifts noted ^
across~denomi nation ^^

^

A wave of personnel shifts has hit district
and denominational offices.

Joseph M. Mason, executive in the Mid-
dle Pennsylvania District since 1967, has
accepted the position of district executive
in the Southern Ohio District. Beginning
Oct. 1, he fills the vacancy left by retiring
executive Chester I. Harley.

Mason served several pastorates in
Pennsylvania and Virginia before accepting
the district position in Pennsylvania. He
received a doctor of ministry degree from
Bethany in 1977. He and his wife, Peggy
Dewese Mason, have three children.

Assuming the district executive position
in the Oregon-Washington District is
Galen L. Miller, pastor at Sunnysiope
church in Wenatchee, Wash. The position
has been filled on an interim basis by Don
Verbeck since the death of Ralph Tur-
nidge. Miller, who will continue as Sunny-
slope's pastor, will fill the position on a
half-time basis.

A graduate of Bethany Theological
Seminary and the Chicago Theological
Seminary, Miller served a pastorate in Il-
linois and in a staff position at Bethany
before going to Sunnysiope in 1972. He is
married to Wanda Johnson Miller and
they have two children.

Phyllis J. Carter has accepted the half-
time position of executive in the Florida-
Puerto Rico District effective Sept. 15. A
member of the General Board since 1968,
she has chaired its World Ministries Com-
mission since 1974.

Carter has been pastor of the Bethel
Center and Wabash churches in Northern
Indiana District and is interim pastor at
York Center church, Lombard, 111. She has

Symposium to address
needs of urban church

"Mission and Ministry in a Pluralistic
Society" is the theme for a Brethren Sym-
posium on Urban Ministry Sept. 7-9 at
Bethany Seminary.

The symposium, while open to all in-
terested persons, will be directed especially
to Brethren pastors and laypersons from
churches in racially and ethnically chang-
ing communities or in those areas of im-
pending change. Registration will be
limited to 100 participants on a first-come,
first-served basis.

Five purposes of the symposium are out-
lined by Parish Ministries Commission
staff member Tom Wilson who is coor-

dinating the event. They are: to under-
stand the urbanization process and how it
confronts the church; to motivate and sup-
port leaders of congregations in changing
communities; to provide tools and
strategies to enable the church to welcome
cultural differences; to provide tools and
strategies to help congregations identify
with and minister to people in ways that
encourage hope and community; and to
strengthen congregations for effective
ministry in their neighborhoods.

Registration fee for the symposium is
$10, $5 for students. Some scholarship aid
based on need will be available through
Wilson's office. Persons wanting more in-
formation should write Tom Wilson,
Brethren General Offices, 1451 Dundee
Ave., Elgin, I L 60120.

studied at Bethany Theological Seminary.
She and her husband, John, have three
children.

The Mid-Atlantic District has created
the second staff position of consultant for
congregational ministry. Beginning this
post June 1 was L. Elaine Halstead.

Halstead, a graduate of the American
Baptist Seminary of the West, Covina,
Calif., has been employed the past five
years as a regional representative of the
American Baptist Extension Corporation.
She became acquainted with the Church of
the Brethren through consultations with
Brethren congregations and because her of-
fice was located in the Elgin offices.

Robert Durnbaugh began work June 4
at the Elgin general offices as coordinator
of sales. In this position, Durnbaugh is re-
sponsible for establishing and coordinat-
ing the sales, customer service and product
management programs of the printing
operation and production department.

Prior to his appointment, Durnbaugh
owned and managed The Lettershop in
Barrington, 111. He had formerly been on
the staff at Bethany Hospital, Chicago. A
graduate of Manchester College, he and his
wife. Tana Hinson Durnbaugh, have two
children.

Resigning from full-time employment

with the General Board is Stewart M.
Hoover, consultant for media education
and advocacy since October 1975. Hoover,
whose resignation becomes effective Aug.
15, will begin doctoral studies this fall at
Annenberg School of Communications of
the University of Pennsylvania. Hoover
will continue with the Board as a part-time
consultant in media education and ad-
vocacy. He and his wife, Karen Woody
Hoover, will live in Philadelphia.

Also resigning from the Board staff is
Jan M. Mason, coordinator of orien-
tation/staff development in the office of
personnel administration. Mason came to
the staff in August 1977 as director of
Brethren Volunteer Service orientation.
Her portfolio was broadened last year to
include staff-wide development. Her
resignation will be effective Sept. I.

Joining the Brethren Service Center staff
in New Windsor, Md., as information and
public relations coordinator is Micki
Smith. She began her job April 16 and is
responsible for public information for the
five segments of the center's operations.

Smith, a rnember of the Lutheran
Church in America, was formerly on the
staff of the Hartford Seminary Founda-
tion. She and her husband, Richard, have
three children.

Galen Miller

Phyllis Carter Elaine Halstead Boh Durnhaugh Stewart Hoover

July 1979 MESSENGER 9

)[p)(f (gD(o]ll mpmt

( H-iiAJUsU)

Tears still flow for the

by Robert A. Hess

Southern Africa keeps pushing itself into
the news. Some persons remember the
Sharpsville riots of 1960, ending with the
South African police firing into the crowd.
Others. will recall the flap over Zimbabwe-
Rhodesia's unilateral declaration of in-
dependence in 1965 and the subsequent

Mrs. Martha Mahlangu
weeps as she mourns her
son, Solomon, 22, who was
executed in a South African
prison in April. Her son was part
of a three-man revolutionary team
the government says was sent into
Soweto to create disorder, on the
first anniversary of the 1976 riots.
Two white men were killed hy a part-
ner of the condemned man, in a ran-
dom assault during the skirmish, and the
courts found all liable. Despite calls for
mercy from President Carter. British foreign
Minister David Owen and Indian Foreign
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, South African Prime
■^ Minister P. W. Botha rejected requests saying. "It is not
for me to interfere in the course of the law."

debate over sanctions. But since 1976.
Southern Africa (Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and
the Republic of South Africa) has made
headlines with demonstrations in Soweto.
the Kissinger shuttle over Zimbabwe-
Rhodesia, the independence of Transkei
and an intensification of guerrilla warfare
in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. Since then we
have seen the shooting down of an airliner
in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia (perhaps two), a
visit by Ian Smith and Bishop Abel
Muzorewa to the USA. Zimbabwe-
Rhodesian air raids into Zambia and
Mozambique and the April elections which
brought Muzorewa in as Zimbabwe-
Rhodesia's first black prime minister.

What issues are at the heart of the un-
rest in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and South
Africa? Why should the United States be
involved there? And why should citizens of
this country raise concerns about the out-
come? Indeed, what will be the outcome?

To black Zimbabwe-Rhodesians. who
prefer to call their country Zimbabwe, it is
a matter of justice and self-worth. Blacks
of the country know the white minority
government has restricted their people to
about half the land area of Zimbabwe-
Rhodesia though they outnumber whites
18 to 1. This means that tribal trust lands,
as the black areas are called, hold 65 per-
cent of the population and that the de-
terioration of this land due to o\erpopula-
tion. means that people there receive an
average income of $2(X) per year.

The injustices blacks see also include the
absurdity of a 175.000 (some say it is less
than 150,000) minority ruling the more
than 6 million who form the black majori-
ty. Most African countries have achieved
the right of self-rule; Zimbabwe-Rhodesia's
political impotence is a blow to black self-
worth. But national pride has now been
aroused. The same black nationalism
which pulsates in the veins of more than
350 million others in Africa fires Zim-
babwe-Rhodesians with ambitions to con-
trol their own political destiny. Increasing-
ly, they are willing to fight for self-rule.

This is not well understood within the
white minority. Generally the white Zim-
babwe-Rhodesian has been convinced that
the African majority is content; the trou-
ble must be with outside agitators. Whites

10 MKSSENGER July 1979

'beloved country'

believe disturbances are communist doings,
threats to ail they believe is right. Hence
their struggle, as they perceive it, is one of
protecting Christianity and the free enter-
prise system against communism.

A few whites are ready to move toward
majority rule, but most are not. Ian
Smith's strongest supporters are the in-
dependent farmers, already subsidized by
the government for solvency, who would
lose the most in land redistributions.

One can understand their point of view
even if one can not agree with it. Many
white Zimbabwe-Rhodesians are third and
fourth generation descendants of forebears
who came from Europe and built a sound
economy. Rhodesia is their mother coun-
try and they are proud of it and willing to
fight for it. Indeed, many white Zim-
babwe-Rhodesians believe that they have
built an economy in which the black has it
better because of the white presence. Hence
it is perfectly natural to them that whites
should be in control.

Here is a subtle racism. The assumption
is that blacks are inferior and need
paternalistic administration. Political con-
trol by blacks, it is assumed, means insta-
bility and violence. One could, of course,
point to numerous black African countries
where the same government rules now that
did 15 years ago, but the image of instabil-
ity lingers and fears mount.

It was in such a setting that the pivotal
year of 1976 struck its blows. With the
coming of independence to Mozambique
and Angola in 1976, conditions drastically
changed. In both cases the leaders of the
emergent governments had sought aid from
communist countries to achieve their goals.
The presence of Cuban troops in Angola
greatly concerned the Zimbabwe-
Rhodesians, the South Africans and the
US. It appeared that a similar fate awaited
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia unless black aspira-
tions there could be realized rather quickly.

The war waged by the exiled Zim-
babwe-Rhodesian freedom fighters also
peaked in 1976. During that time the Zim-
babwe-Rhodesian newspapers carried daily
articles about "terrorist" attacks. White
Zimbabwe-Rhodesians soon began to
avoid certain roads at night and began to
travel with arms. As the guerrilla activity

picked up, for the first time more whites
left Zimbabwe-Rhodesia than entered. By
1977 the exodus of "chicken-run" whites
had reached 1,000 a month. The
economy also began to falter. Manufac-
turing was down 7. 1 percent during the
first nine months of 1976 and retail sales
dropped 3.2 percent. Clearly, the armies of
the Patriotic Front led by Joshua Nkomo
and Robert Mugabe were making inroads.
It was enough to convince Prime Minis-
ter John Vorster of the Republic of South
Africa that the days of the Smith regime
were numbered. He therefore called home
the security forces which had been lent to
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. Telling Smith blunt-
ly he must come to terms with his black
majority, Vorster began to dissociate
himself from a lost cause which would
make the South African position increas-
ingly difficult in an Africa already hostile
to South African policies.

c„

•-learly, Vorster was not motivated by
any concern for the blacks of Zimbabwe-
Rhodesia. He had led his own country in
its segregation policy, separating the Bantu
(as South African blacks are generally
called) from the whites. According to the
theory of apartheid, the Afrikaans term for
separate development, each ethnic group is
supposed to have its own independent state
in which its people are free. But the real
purpose of this policy is to be sure that, in
the white areas constituting about 87 per-
cent of the land, the whites remain com-
pletely in control and the blacks are
treated as non-citizens.

With apartheid as South Africa's basic
policy, it is evident that Vorster did not
push Smith toward coming to terms with
the Zimbabwe-Rhodesian blacks because
of any concerns for political justice there.
Expediency and national self-interest were
the cause, and the present government un-
der Botha continues the same policy.

Something very similar must be said for
the United States African policy. Regard-
ing Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, our needs for
chrome and other rare metals used in mak-
ing steel alloys have led us, until recently,
to disregard UN sanctions against trade
with Zimbabwe-Rhodesia. But 1976 events

represented a changed condition. We had
backed the wrong party in Angola and
found that the Cubans and the Russians
had upstaged us. The South African inva-
sion of Angola embarrassed us because it
suggested we were allied with the most visi-
ble symbol of African political oppression.
Additionally, it had become evident that
delayed transition to majority rule in Zim-
babwe-Rhodesia would tempt those strug-
gling for this end to depend more and more
on communist aid to reach their goal.
Clearly it was time to change our African
policy.

The result was the Kissinger shuttle of
1976. Kissinger persuaded Vorster of South
Africa to join with him in pressuring Ian
Smith to accept majority rule. Conse-
quently, for the first time, the Zimbabwe-
Rhodesian government agreed to majority
rule in the future. However, Smith did
not deliver because he felt the Patriotic
Front (Nkomo and Mugabe) failed to
adhere to certain conditions regarding
arrangements for a transitional govern-
ment. Smith ultimately held elections and
ostensibly has turned over the government
to Bishop Muzorewa's party, but
knowledgeable Africa hands are not fooled
by Smith's ideas of "democratic elections"
and "black rule." But in 1976 Kissinger's
shuttle indicated shifting US attitudes.

One wonders just how much our policy
has changed regarding ultimate objectives.
President Carter continues to call for ma-
jority rule in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and ties
this with his human rights campaign. But
our policy is one which makes sure that
what happens in Southern Africa is to our
advantage. We are concerned that what-
ever government emerges in Zimbabwe-
Rhodesia, that it preserves an economic
structure compatible with ours, that it is
one with which we can easily do business.
Hence Joshua Nkomo is the US prefer-
ence for prime minister.

Of course, we would like to end the
violence before the struggle is too disrup-
tive to the Zimbabwe-Rhodesian econ-
omy, but in mid- 1979 there is little hope
for a quick ending. Internally, Zimbabwe-
Rhodesia finds it more and more difficult
to cope with the growing pressures of the
freedom fighter terrorism. By the end of

July 1979 MESSENGER 11

Dehra Solomon's poster is one of 12 depicting the horrors of Apartheid on the 1979 South
Africa Freedom Calendar, produced in cooperation with the United Nations Center
Against Apartheid. Copies of the calendar are available from the American Committee on
Africa. 305 E. 46 St., N. Y., NY 10017. Proceeds of sales are contributed to the Africa Fund
to help provide assistance for the victims of Apartheid.

"Each uprising is more determined than the last. In Sharpeville we over-
came the consequences of disobeying the law . . . Soweto has been a lesson
in overcoming fear of the gun."— Robert Sobukwe, late president of the Pan-
Africanist Congress of Azania (South Africa)

1978, nearly all of the tribal trust areas
were under martial law and social services
were sharply curtailed as schools and
hospitals closed. Morale is low among the
whites, and the economy is slipping as the
cost of the war mounts. But the end is not
in sight. The April elections were just
another act in a long tragedy being per-
formed on the African stage.

The sensitive Christian can not help but
agonize at the suffering of the South Afri-
can people. Many will attempt to put
events there out of mind, but some of us
know those who suffer. One of my black
Zimbabwe-Rhodesian students has a father
who died in the violence, and a black
bishop I know has a son who fled, either
by choice or coercion, to a guerrilla camp
in Botswana. We can not remain in-
different. We know that massive US cor-
porate profits come from US businesses
reaping the benefits of exploited black
labor in South Africa. Some of us em-
pathize with native black Africans and
pray for a solution we know will not come
easily.

n the meantime we wonder what can be
done. Of course, we must be informed.
And we are obligated by conscience to read
critically. It is easy for middle class Ameri-
cans to be swayed by stories of brutality
and barbarism. But we need to remember
that, however just the cause, atrocities will
happen in the confusion of civil strife. We
need to be aware also that the Smith
regime has exploited the horror stories to
its own advantage while the government's
own security forces have been guilty of
callous shootings, murders and mutila-
tions. Hence we need to listen to the news
critically, remembering that the Western
wire services in that part of Africa have
their headquarters in Salisbury, Zim-
babwe-Rhodesia's capital.

Before it all ends. Southern Africa will
have pushed itself repeatedly into the

news. And when it does, we should
respond with an understanding that
there is much which ties us to the
people there, ties of common

humanity, ties of common world
economy and ties of global
destiny. □

Rithen A. Hvss is a menther of ihe Elizahethtown
(Pa.) tnngrexaliim ami leathes hi.Mory al Me.V!iah
Ctttle\*f. Grantlwm. Pa.

12 MKSSRNGfiR Julv 1979

The nails remind us

by Mac Coflfman

I thought about the idea for a long time. I couldn't share it with many people,
because it was illegal. 1 couldn't even talk with my employer about it. 1 finally
shared the idea with my family and got support to go ahead with it, knowing that
I would probably lose myjob, maybe be put in prison and could even lose my life.

After three months of preparation, just after dusk on a spring evening, we
started to move toward the pier, to gather together in a boat for a voyage of
unknown destination. There were 26 of us, the youngest three months old and the
oldest 84. Twenty-four of us arrived in Kuala Trengganu, Malaysia, 19 days later.
The youngest and the oldest were lost at sea.

We were out of fuel because we had not hoarded enough during the three
months of preparing, smuggling it in quart bottles and tin cans to allay suspicion.
When we arrived at Kuala Trengganu, we were turned away. The offical said we
were not allowed to be there — there were already too many refugees in Kuala
Trengganu. We were pushed out to sea in our boat.

We siphoned the last gallons of fuel out of the tank, spread it over the deck
and set fire to our boat. We jumped overboard, swam ashore and were accepted.
After the UN officials had interviewed us and started moving us off to a camp, a
man met us and interviewed us again. He was Galen Beery, a Church of the Breth-
ren worker with Church World Service.

Months passed at our refugee camp, and finally, through a Church of the
Brethren congregation, we were accepted and came to the United States. Our
group of 25 was now split up and we are grateful to you, grateful to the Church of
the Brethren for this opportunity to complete a dream.

I hope you won't be unhappy when we move. The
church has been good to us, but now we have an
opportunity to move on and join friends in other

states. We are not ungrateful for what you did for
us, but we feel that if we move on and make it on our
own now, that will give you an opportunity to accept
another family.
Galen Beery came home and brought along with him
nails and some pieces of wood from our boat. They have a
special meaning because while we attended your church we heard
stories about a man named Christ. We understand that he died on a
cross and spikes were driven through his hands and feet and that
this is symbolic to you Christians. We further heard the stories that
he gave directions — to take in strangers, visit the prisoners, feed the
hungry. Some of the people at church did not understand that, but
his words were, "As you did it to one of the least of these my
brethren, you did it to me." □

Mac CoJ'fman is director of service ministries for the World Ministries Commission.

July 1979 MESSENGER 13

Edward K.
Ziegler's multi-
faceted ministry
has taken him
from the California
sequoias to Maryland's shore;
through the halls of the General Offices to the
Annual Conference podium. Yet his greatest
journey has been the quarter century as editor
o/" Brethren Life and Thought.

BL&T IS

more than
a sandwich

by Harriet Z. Blake

Editing the scholarly journal Brethren Life
and Thought, teaching public school, doing
mission work, pastoring 10 congregations,
writing books and tracts, directing the
Church of the Brethren evangelism
program — every facet of his ministry, has
kept Edward Krusen Ziegler close to the
denomination he loves.

Although he has written many articles
and books, Ed's ministry with the printed
word has had one other major expression
the past quarter century. Since the quarter-
ly journal began in 1955, Ed's has been the
steady hand on the tiller of Brethren Life
and Thought. As he tells its history, it
seems, even to a person barely older than
the journal, that it began only yesterday.

"I was director of evangelism then," he
begins. "Each year we had a retreat with
the Bethany Seminary faculty. At the fall
1953 retreat, the main emphasis was
Brethren writing." He laughs, "We were
scolded for having no outlet for thoughful
articles." The scolder was their resource
leader, Mennonite Donavan Smucker.

At Annual Conference in Ocean Grove

14 MESSENGER July 1979

Zieglen

the following summer, some interested peo-
ple got together and the Brethren Journal
Association (BJA) was born. It elected of-
ficers and an editorial board who chose a
staff, and Brethren Life and Thought was
launched.

In the first issue in the fall of 1955, Ed
introduced the staff — himself as editor;
Desmond Bittinger, former Gospel
Messenger editor and then president of
McPherson College, as associate editor;
Frances Clemens (now Nyce) as managing
editor. It was Fran who designed the
original cover and, as Ed said in his in-
troduction, did other "necessary tasks
which will make the journal readable."
Handling the business ends of the journal
were Clyde Weaver, current General Board
marketing head, and John Eichelberger,
treasurer and business manager of Bethany
Theological Seminary.

Also in that issue, Ed shared his vision
of the journal's mission — a vision he still
holds today. "Brethren Life and Thought, "
he wrote, "will carry on among Brethren
and their friends a sustained, spirited,
thoughtful conversation on the great issues
we face today, and on our heritage."

By this time, Ed was pastoring at the
Williamson Road church in Roanoke, Va.
Although he and others in BJA had close
personal ties with Bethany and the Elgin
offices, he is quick to make clear that
neither then nor now was the journal of-
ficially tied to or subsidized by any institu-
tion. While that is a real boost for editorial
freedom, the shoestring budget it pro-
duces has been a continuing worry for the
editor.

"We've always been in a financial bind,"
he sighs. "Almost all other journals are
subsidized." But having the journal printed
by a benevolent Brethren Publishing House

During his pastorate
of the Bakersfield,
Calif, church, Ed ad-
dressed the 1967 An-
nual Conference on
evangelism. Ed has
been a familiar figure
in Elgin and at An-
nual Conference, hav-
ing served five years
on the General Board
and as Annual Con-
ference moderator
(1959-60).

(now The Brethren Press) has helped, as
Ed estimates BL&T has received about
$3,000 in help or forgiven debts through
the years.

But it's been important to Ed to main-
tain the freedom to be critical. He recalls a
"scathing critique" written about 20 years
ago by the mysterious "Pathfinder" which,
as Ed puts it, "made Bethany Seminary
and the General Board unhappy." The
author criticized the tendency toward the
tightly ordered hierarchal bureaucracy
emerging in the Church of the Brethren.
The "Pathfinder" was none other than
Earle W. Fike Jr., who later became one of
the top executives of the General Board
hierarchy.

But Ed feels that kind of openness is
crucial to the health of the body. Thejour-
nal's pages have been filled with articles by
many of the church's best thinkers. As Ed
ruminates over the journal's history, he
ticks off a host of well-known people who
have made their mark on the church as
well as on BL&T — Ora Garber, Don
Durnbaugh, Vernard Eller, Chalmer Faw,
Desmond Bittinger, Jesse Ziegler, Tim
Rieman, Grady Snyder, Karen Carter,

Lucile Brandt, Bob Bowman, Bill Faw.
"Harry Ziegler wrote a nice one." he adds
almost wistfully. (Harry Ziegler. Ed's
father, was a country preacher who died in
1971 at age 90.)

No one involved with Brethren Life and
Thought is paid for services, including the
editor. "The prestige of being published in
Brethren Life and Thought should be ade-
quate reward," Ed chuckles. "And every
author does get 20 offprints."

The prestige, or perhaps the joy in shar-
ing their thinking with the denomination,
does seem to be enough to keep authors
coming back for one issue after another.
Occasionally the editor has concentrated
on one particular theme, sometimes with
the help of a guest editor.

Fran Clemens Nyce, active in the Church
of the Brethren Womaen's Caucus, was
guest editor for an issue on women in the
church and former Messenger editor Ken
Morse is currently working on a special
issue on poetry. A recent issue concen-
trated on outdoor ministries and an up-
coming issue will focus on Bethany
Theological Seminary in celebration of its
75th anniversary. Several years ago, when

July 1979 MESSENGER 15

Annual Conference was considering the
paper on marriage and divorce, BL&T
devoted several articles to that issue, and
shared the personal reflections of a number
of pastors or spouses who had experienced
divorce.

Ed hopes that issues like that one have
helped influence the thinking of the whole
church. "I think BL&T has had an impact
on the whole denomination," he reflects.
"It's hard to point to specific examples but
often positions will be presented on the
floor of Annual Conference that have been
in BL&T." He hears that the journal is
used a great deal at the seminary and that
younger pastors say it strengthens their
thinking.

Ed is not the only person who takes
pride in the journal. Fred Swartz, president
of the Brethren Journal Association, says,
"The periodical has demanded an editor
who would maintain and actively seek con-
tributions of the highest quality and
scholarly interest. Ed has consistently
achieved that goal. What is most com-
mendable," he adds, "is the fact that all of
Ed's editorial efforts are labors of love."

Ed's work with BL&T has continued
into his retirement years — although speak-
ing of Ed as retired is to stretch the mean-
ing of the word.

It seems clear that the only thing Ed
gave up when he retired at 68 in 1971 was
the pastorate of the Bakersfield (Calif.)
Church of the Brethren. He certainly did
not give up his 50-year career in the
ministry.

The next year, he became resident
minister for Church of the Sequoias,

Left: Ed discusses
church growth with
Wilbur Mullen dur-
ing his 1950-55 stint as
evangelism director.
Below: Wife Mary's
Catholic roots aid
Ed's Brethren views.

charged with providing religious services in
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National
Parks. He and his wife of two years, Mary
Vivolo Ziegler, lived in Sequoia three
months that summer.

Their plans to stay in California,
however, were scratched when an invita-
tion came for Ed to teach at the Gujarat
United School of Theology in Ahmedabad,
India. He had always hoped to return to
India after he and his first wife, llda Bit-
tinger Ziegler, and their small son. Bob,
had had to leave in 1939 after seven and a
half years in the mission field. llda had
become desperately ill in 1934 and doctors
had told them that with the best of care,
she would have 10 years to live. She lived

until March 1970. They had been married
44 years and had raised three children —
Robert, Ruth Ann and Donald.

So, an invitation to return to India was
joyfully accepted and the Zieglers pulled up
stakes on the west coast (Mary's home) and
headed east to await visas. But living on a
temporary basis with even a beloved sister.
Florence Sanger, on Maryland's Eastern
Shore could not, as Ed says, go on
forever.

Still hopeful that the visas would come
through, the Zieglers settled in Frederick,
Md. Mary resumed her teaching and they
made a home of the old farmhouse they
had rented. When it became clear that visas
would never come in time for Ed to accept
the Gujarat position, he plunged back into
ministry.

For nine months, he worked almost full-
time on a volunteer basis at the Frederick
church, visiting, preaching and assisting the
pastor.

Soon it dawned on the churches of the
area that an experienced pastoral resource
was in their midst and he was called on for

C^^SJr^^HC^

LS ^

HnBH^'^^k)

#^*^V^flp.

M

» Jlw l)^ tI

rnS-y^W 4

JB '* ^'^v^^^^lR^H

|Q<

K^-jfe^ r^.i^ii^4^— ji^ *

^v ^ '^^fl

■■

^'l

1

^^^^^^^^^^V^^P^

^x

1

16 MESSENGER July 1979

one interim assignment after another —
nine months at Manassas, Va., six months
at Westminster, Md., eight months at
Glade Valley, Md., (now his home church),
and, most recently, four months at the
Flower Hill, Md., church.

Since all this was hardly enough to keep
him busy, Ed wrote a couple of books.
Simple Living, published in 1974 by The
Brethren Press, is still selling well, having
been among the Brethren "Top 10" in 1978.
He also wrote a small booklet of poetry.
Frankincense and a Woolly Lamb, which
was published privately.

Perhaps Ed has slowed down a bit this
year. Upon leaving the Flower Hill interim
pastorate, he said, "I'm free as a bird." He
and Mary have moved into an apartment
in the town of Frederick. Mary, 25 years
Ed's junior, continues teaching first graders
while he continues his ministry — now by
teaching the Questers series at Frederick-
Glade Valley.

Like all four children born to Harry and
Mary Hunsberger Ziegler, Ed is an un-
failing optimist. His response to the
prospect of a sixth decade of service to the
church (he was ordained in 1921), is a
snappy "Why not?" "The church," he says,
"offers the only hope for developing the
kinds of values and hope without which the
future cannot survive."

What gives him such optimism, such un-
flagging vigor in service of the church?
Maybe it's inherited. Maybe it has rubbed
off through his two marriages to charming
and dedicated women. It's hard to tell. It's
glimpsed when he says, "I've lived my life
this way because I fear God and love to
travel."

He has done both — and has demon-
strated the joy of that path to many others.
Life, for him, is a joyful thing. He is one of
those rare people who invest in it a zeal
and exuberance others can only covet. This
vigor is in no way more obvious than
when one considers his careers and ac-
complishments. D

A religious venture, launched in faith

At a day's retreat of the Bethany Seminary faculty and the Brotherhood staff in the
spring of 1953, there were hours of good discussion about Brethren writing. The
group was particularly challenged by Professor Donovan Smucker, who urged that
the Brethren start a journal for the publication of scholarly work. The idea caught
fire. At the Annual Conference of 1954, a group of interested people met, and or-
ganized the Brethren Journal Association. During the ensuing year, an editorial
board was appointed, and a staff to start the journal. I considered it an honored trust
when the Board asked me to be the editor. The journal was to be a quarterly, in-
dependent of any Conference or General Board control. Out of my conversations
with the editorial board, I formulated a statement of the plan and purposes of the
journal, which I included in the first editorial.

I wrote: "In the name of God, Amen! We present this first issue of Brethren Life
and Thought conscious of a great cloud of witnesses and of the real and urgent need
of the divine wisdom. This is a religious venture, launched in faith, dedicated to the
quest for truth and to the highest interests of a church which is emerging as one of
the lively and responsible members of the larger family, the Body of Christ. There-
fore, we invoke the guidance of God and his blessing as we present this first number
of our journal.

"Brethren Life and Thought will carry on among Brethren and their friends a
sustained, spirited, thoughtful conversation on the great issues we face today, and on
our heritage. We will publish articles which deal with the whole range of Brethren
thought, life, history, theology, culture and philosophy.

"We have no official ties, no subsidy. We believe we can serve the church we
love in the best fashion if we do not seek any official sponsorship, either from our
General Brotherhood Board, our Conference, or our institutions of higher learning.
We believe and pray that we will strengthen all of them by our ministry. We are not a
competitor of the Gospel Messenger, but seek to meet a need which a popular and
universally read church organ cannot meet. We shall supplement each other's
ministry."

When we began, our subscription price was $3 per year. We hoped that many
people would become members of the Brethren Journal Association, contributing
$10 per year or more. As the years have passed, we have seen printing and produc-
tion costs go sky high. We never had many "angels" to bail us out. A few persons
gave substantial amounts. The Brethren Press, which prints and distributes the jour-
nal for us, has always been most cooperative — and patient when we were hard put to
find funds for paying our bills. Two or three times the General Board gave a small
subsidy, but always with seeming reluctance and a warning!

In recent years, Bethany Theological Seminary has become a partner with the
Brethren Journal Association in our venture. Some funds from a bequest from the
estate of Dr. Perry Rohrer have cushioned our small deficits, and we are remaining
almost solvent. All editorial work on the journal is volunteer service. We have not
paid honoraria to writers. Our subscription list is not extensive. We have never had
over 1,000 subscribers, and the average per year would be near 800. Many theological
seminary libraries subscribe, and quite a number of college and church libraries.

Many persons have made the success of the journal possible. In our earlier years
Frances Clemens designed the cover and served as managing editor. Doris Cline Egge
and later Alice G. Miller worked with me during some of the early years as assistant
editors.

Ora W. Garber and later Mildred Heckert have given countless hours to mak-
ing the journal as perfect a product as humanly possible. Ora was not only produc-.
tion editor for a number of years, but while book editor, he always went over the
copy and proofs with unerring skill and loving care. He also provided excellent trans-
lations of many old German hymns of the Brethren, and frequent sensitive and finely
crafted poems of his own. Since Ora's retirement, Mildred Heckert has served with
great skill and devotion as copy editor.

John A. Eichelberger has served through most of our publishing life as treasurer
and business manager of the journal.

"The good Lord willing," and if senility does not overtake me, I hope to com-
plete 25 years as editor of the journal. — Edward K. Ziegler

July 1979 MESSENGER 17

^©DlL^lnnlOT]

by Christopher Bowman

Decisions! Decisions!

I am 17 years old. If this were 1965, 1
would have to register for the draft in the
next few months. To register intelligently I
would have to know about peace, war,
justice, freedom, liberty, about my country,
my church, my life. I don't know about all
those things — I am only 17 years old.

It is 1979. not 1965, but according to
well-informed sources, registration for the
draft likely will be reinstated this year. So 1
still have to decide about all those things.
But I am only 17 years old.

This is an area in which the Church of
the Brethren has helped me. With finan-
cial help given to me by my home congre-
gation and my youth group 1 was able to
participate last March in the annual Chris-
tian Citizenship Seminar, an opportunity
for which I am grateful.

The Christian Citizenship Seminar,
sponsored by the Church of the Brethren
Washington Office, and held in Washing-
ton, D.C., and New York, is a study/ action
seminar. It helps Brethren youth and adults
relate the denomination's beliefs and prac-
tices to political issues addressed by the
United States and the United Nations.

In Washington we visited our legislators
or members of their staffs, gaining insight
into the problems they deal with, and ex-
amining their voting records on issues like
defense appropriations and the B-l
Bomber. But some of our best contacts
were informal. At the Pentagon employees'
cafeteria 1 had a good 15-minute session
with an officer, discussing army life, the.
world, our lives, nuclear weapons, the draft
and about the man's children.

In New York, we talked to Shantilal
Bhagat, the Church of the Brethren repre-
sentative to the United Nations. I was im-
pressed with his work there, especially with
Third World countries, which are a major
power in the UN.

Aside from the knowledge and insight
we gained from our government contacts.

one of the most important experiences was
the feeling of community shared by the 39
people who participated in the seminar. We
ate together, we spent 35 hours in a bus
together, we sang together, prayed
together, worshiped together, laughed and
cried together. We were a loving, caring,
supportive group. That meant a lot to me.
New York's 42nd Street is the crud of the
town, the rotten part in the Big Apple. We
had to ride down that street to leave New
York. The bus was moving slowly in rush-
hour traffic, so the youth of our group
gathered around the one open window
and — at the top of our lungs — began sing-
ing hymns. After about five minutes of
singing, some dude came out of a porno
shop and stopped to listen to us. Then, get-
ting into the beat, he turned and strutted
away, snapping his fingers in time with our
music. I wouldn't sing hymns by myself on
42nd Street, but because I was with a lov-
ing, supportive group, I could do it.

A had a dream during the seminar, a
dream that could become reality. My
dream is that the youth of my congrega-
tion, yes, even the whole congregation,
would have this love and support for each
other, this feeling of oneness. I have that
dream. I realize that everyone was on a
spiritual high at this seminar and it may
not be possible to get a feeling community
together without that spiritual high. But
still, isn't that what the church is all about?

An issue on which I wish we could have
unity is in our opposition to the renewal of
registration for the draft. Brethren young
persons, male and female, not only need to
speak their opposition, but to prepare
themselves to make a decision for the con-
scientious objector position if registration
is reinstated.

We also need to decide what we are go-
ing to do personally about issues such as

nuclear weapons production and disarma-
ment. Decision-making, for a 17-year-old is
a scary business. But I feel I ha\e to begin
making decisions now that will affect my
life later as an adult. Sure, I may have to
change some of those decisions as 1 ma-
ture, but I realize now is the time to begin
witnessing to the kind of life 1 coven-
anted to live when I accepted Christ and
was baptized.

T.

he power of decision-making is real.
Things will happen, things are happening
because people have decided to witness to
their convictions.

I saw this last February when I took part
in the demonstration against nuclear weap-
onry at the Rosemont arms bazaar. I had
decided I had to do my part to work
toward a safer world. It gave me a good
feeling to be out there in the bitter winter
cold with a group of committed Christians
witnessing to our beliefs on peace and dis-
armament.

The power of your decisions is real. And
not only will things begin to happen in the
world around us but things will begin hap-
pening inside our own li\es. A feeling of
worthiness, a peace inside from making our
decisions and acting them out.

I came back from Washington and New
York feeling good being a Brethren youth
on the cutting edge of what is happening in
our world and beginning to make my own
Christian witness toward it. D

ChrisniffhtT Bowman Is a high sthotti senior and a
nit'mher of HitihlanJ .4 wnui' longregaiion in Elgin. /II.

18 MESSENGER July 1979

f f /5/or/co|;

Laying theToundation in Schwarzenau

by William G.Willoughby

In the tranquillity of rural Schwarzenau,
Alexander Mack and his family found
religious freedom and civil peace at last —
striking contrast to what they had ex-
perienced in war-ridden and intolerant
Schriesheim. In the lovely Eder River
valley, the Macks discovered a community
of mutual love and support, a community
composed of Separatists and other reli-
gious nonconformists. By 1710 about 300
religious dissenters had settled in or near
this village. Although some of these refu-
gees chose to live as hermits in the dense
forests, most settled in the village or on the
hillside overlooking Schwarzenau, living in
tiny hastily constructed huts. Mack used
his home for Pietistic gatherings.

By 1707, there were several different
groups of Pietists living in Schwarzenau.
The most enduring was the group which

met in the home of Alexander and Anna
Margaretha Mack. This group met on Sun-
day afternoons or weekday evenings
around the fireplace in Mack's "big room."
A typical gathering included several
families, one or two widows and several
unmarried persons — all searching together
for the truth which they believed Jesus had
taught. Services began with the singing of
their favorite Pietistic hymns, followed by
unison voicing of the Lord's Prayer. When
Ernest Christopher Hochmann was pres-
ent, he would stand before the group with
his Bible in his hand to "explain the
word" — with great zeal in a loud voice. In
Hochmann's absence. Mack would inter-
pret the scripture. After the scriptural ex-
position, the whole group would kneel,
raising high their arms in fervent prayer.
Following a hymn and a closing prayer, the
group would disperse.

During the spring and the summer of

1707, Mack and Hochmann traveled
together to preach and give encouragement
to Pietists living in other areas. Since many
Pietists had fled to the Marienborn area
northeast of Frankfurt, it is quite likely
that they visited and preached there. The
count of Ysenburg-Biidingen-Marienborn,
Charles August, was, like Count Henry of
Wittgenstein, tolerant toward religious
refugees, although he would not permit the
establishment of any new religious
organizations or the public practice of any
deviant religious rites. These restrictions
caused problems for the Brethren when
they began to baptize adult converts.

Traveling farther. Mack and Hochmann
would have received a warm welcome
among the Pietists of Basel, Switzerland, a
city on the Rhine River about 60 miles
south of Heidelberg. There are no records
to show that Mack visited old friends
there, in the village of Frankendorf.

July 1979 MESSENGER 19

However, if their visit was made in the late
spring of 1707 they almost certainly visited
the Boni brothers, Andrew and Martin,
who were being severely tried and tested
for their faith.

Convicting them of heresy for their
Pietistic beliefs and preaching, the Basel
city council had decided that Martin Boni
was to receive instruction from the Re-
formed clergy, but Andrew Boni was to be
put in pillory for a time and was then to be
expelled forever from Basel, with im-
mediate arrest to follow should he ever
return.

When Boni was informed of the deci-
sion, he replied that he would "commend it
to God," which the authorities understood
as a promise to leave Basel and never
return. But Boni had not accepted the
punishment. He believed himself innocent
of wrong-doing. So, on December 29, 1706,
he wrote a letter to the mayor, defending
his decision to stay in the Basel area, and
explaining why he had not accepted his ex-
ile. The authorities wasted no time. On the
same day that the letter was written and
delivered, they notified all officers in the
area to take Boni into custody. Relatives
and friends were strictly forbidden to
accept any of his letters.

Four months later, on April 22, 1707, the
ruler at Waldenberg, a village 20 miles
from Basel, apprehended Boni and sent
him under custody back to Basel. In an
eloquent letter, written from prison on
April 27, 1707, and addressed to the city
council, Boni called upon the whole city to
repent, to "give themselves to God, and to
renounce all that is worldly and temporal."
Boni's letter apparently made little impact
upon the city council, for they ordered that
he should be placed in the pillory agam
and then be "expelled forever under penal-
ty of beating with switches."

Although it is not certain when Mack
and Hochmann visited Basel, if they were
there while Andrew Boni was in prison
they were possibly instrumental in
relocating him in Schwarzenau. Sometime
in 1707 or 1708, while living in Schwarz-
enau, Andrew married the widow Joanna
Nothiger.

Another place on the Rhine River where
Mack and Hochmann likely stopped was
Strassburg. Here a number of Pietists had
expressed views considered extreme by the
established church. Among these Pietists
was Michael Eckerlin, a skilled tailor and

cap maker, once a notable citizen of
Strassburg and member of the city council.
As early as 1701, Eckerlin had held Pietistic
worship services in his home. The church
officials, becoming quite agitated,
denounced Eckerlin and others to the city
government. After a series of investigations
Eckerlin was found guilty in 1705, was led
out of the city by guards armed with battle-
axes, and was expelled forever from
Strassburg. Eckerlin and his family also
eventually found refuge in Schwarzenau,
where they became part of the Baptist
movement.

For Mack, baptism was a perplexing
issue to which he must have given much
thought during his travels. It was one thing
to reject infant baptism as a perversion of

After much Bible
study, prayer and dis-
cussion, eight indi-
viduals decided to risk
all the peace of
Schwarzenau in ex-
change for im mersion
in the Eder's waters.

scripture: it was quite another to determine
what should take its place. Many Pietists
and Quakers, and Hochmann himself,
believed that sincerely repentant Christians
were baptized through an emotionally
charged conversion experience by the Holy
Spirit. But as early as 1703, the question of
baptism with water had arisen. Some of
Hochmann's followers requested baptism
according to the mode by which Jesus was
baptized in the Jordan River. Although
Hochmann was opposed to infant baptism,
he did not believe at that time that any out-
er form of baptism was necessary.

Mack differed from Hochmann at this
point. He was inclined to take seriously
both the example of Christ and the direct
command in Matthew 28 to baptize
(immerse) disciples "into the name of the
Father, and the Son and of the Holy
Spirit." It was only a question of time,
upon his return to Schwarzenau, until
Mack had to confront the problem of adult

baptism by water.

Sometime, perhaps in the late summer of
1707, Mack returned to Schwarzenau, feel-
ing responsibility for his own family and
the community of followers there.
Hochmann, filled with a restless urge to
proclaim the availability of God's love and
forgiveness and human need for repen-
tance, continued his preaching visits to
other Pietistic gatherings.

The intensity of friendship, love and
commitment felt by Schwarzenau Pietists
for one another led to a functioning, if not
formally organized, mutual aid or com-
munitarian society. If anyone was in need,
the others would provide concrete help. If
someone was hungry, others would provide
food. If a newcomer needed a hut for
protection against the winter weather,
others would join in building it.

Since Mack was the most prosperous of
all the refugees, the financial burden
resting upon him was unusually heavy.
Therefore, he made arrangements to sell
the last of his inheritance in Schriesheim,
consummating the sales on January 23,
February 5 and October 1, 1707.

While Hochmann was imprisoned in
Niirnberg in 1707, struggling for his
freedom, and while Mack was in
Schwarzenau confronting the insistent
question of baptism, the situation for Anna
Margaretha Mack's father, John Valentine
Kling, was worsening in Schriesheim. Time
had deepened the antagonism between
Pastor Agricola and the Kling family.
Finally, the rupture became irreparable.
On December 8, 1707. the pastor and six
elders formally excommunicated Kling and
his wife from membership in the Schriesheim
Reformed Church.

A close friend of Mack, Martin Lucas, was
also under surveillance. He was one of
the leading Pietists in the Schriesheim-
Heidelberg area. A buttonmaker by trade,
a fellow prisoner with Hochmann and Erb
at the Mannheim jail in September 1706.
Lucas frequently held religious services in
nis own home. Occasionally he attended
other Pietistic gatherings with John Valen-
tine Kling. He no longer attended church
services on Sunday mornings or par-
ticipated in holy communion. Further-
more, he believed with all sincerity that
even the "Turks and heathen" could be
saved without baptism if they recognized
Christ as Lord and truly repented of their
sins. Born of Catholic parents in Bayonne.

20 MKssKNCER July 1979

France, in 1651, Lucas was perhaps the
oldest of those who became the early
Brethren.

On Sunday morning. May I, 1708, Lucas
and John Valentine Kling, Mack's father-in-
law, attended the Reformed Church service
in the village of Gross-Sachsen. The
pastor of this church was friendly toward
Pietistic thought and he invited the two
men to his home for Sunday dinner. That
evening, Lucas and Kling returned to the
Kling home for supper after which they
participated in a Pietistic devotional
service.

However, Herr Schumm, the same of-
ficial from Heidelberg who had broken
into the meeting at the Mack mill on
August 22, 1706, heard about the service
and sent his henchmen to break into this
gathering; there they arrested Kling, Lucas
and two others. Schumm had even warned
them of the government decree which out-
lawed Pietism, giving the arresting officers
the right to imprison offenders, restrict
their diet to bread and water and put them to
work with wheelbarrow and stone to build
city fortifications. Schumm had the evidence
against both Lucas and Kling.
They had been caught in the act of study-
ing the Bible, singing hymns and praying
their own prayers in a private group when
the officers broke into their meeting.

On the following Thursday, Schumm
preferred formal charges against them. On
May 10, 10 days after their arrest, the
Heidelberg government fined the Pietists
one hundred Reichstaler, a very heavy fine,
imprisoned them, and gave them four
weeks to join a legal church and refute
Pietism.

Kling and Lucas appealed to the
ecclesiastical authorities in Heidelberg.
Within two weeks, on May 25. the con-
sistory voted on the case, passing a resolu-
tion urging the government to set the
prisoners free. Kling and Lucas, in addi-
tion, personally petitioned the government.
They pointed out that they had been reared
in the Reformed faith, had never separated
from that faith, and were simply trying to
enter more completely into the fellowship
of the saints. As a result of their petitions,
the prisoners were ordered to undergo an
investigation to determine whether they
were truly aligned with a legal church. If
evidence supported such an alignment, they
would be released on May 27.

The prisoners were finally released, but

were required to submit to further intensive
questioning. This new investigation began
on June 8, 1708. In this hearing, Kling ex-
plained why he did not feel that he could
return to the legal church at Schriesheim:
1) Pastor Agricola had attempted to per-
suade Kling to testify against his own son-
in-law, Alexander Mack, and Kling had
refused; 2) because of this refusal, Kling
had been excommunicated from the church
and dismissed from the town council; and
3) he was being charged unfairly simply
because he had occasionally attended ser-
vices in other Reformed churches.

The consistory was satisfied with Kling's
sincerity and excused him upon the pay-
ment of his fine.

The investigation of Martin Lucas was

Even though they did
not like to think of
themselves as found-
ing a new denomina-
tion, they had, and
soon they viewed
themselves as a new,
distinct church.

more damaging. While in prison Lucas had
written a letter to a prominent Pietist in
Eppstein, Christian Liebe, sending
greetings through him to his own "dear
wife," and reporting that God had wrought
a miracle while he had been in prayer.
Lucas also mentioned that a hangman in
Frankenthal had attended some of their
meetings. Unfortunately, this letter was in-
tercepted and used against Lucas at his
hearing. Although Lucas was released after
paying his fine, he was rearrested a year
later and dealt with even more harshly.

These were the struggles and the begin-
nings: Hochmann in prison wrestling with
ideas about freedom and conscience; Mack
in Schwarzenau struggling over issues of
obedience to Christ in ritual and in Chris-
tian community; Kling and Lucas under in-
vestigation; and the continued widespread
harassment of those Pietists who kept the
faith.

By the spring of 1708 all the families who

would be involved in the establishment of
the New Baptists had arrived in
Schwarzenau. During the spring and the
summer all of them, and many other dis-
senters, had become deeply interested in
the question of baptism, the issue that
became the catalyst for creating a new
denomination. But Hochmann, their
leader, was still in prison at NUrnberg. It
was scarcely an auspicious time to talk
about establishing a religious community
with group discipline, a new form of bap-
tism and a love feast service which would
include feetwashing. a meal and holy com-
munion. Yet these were the issues which
the Pietists in Schwarzenau were pondering
in their hearts and discussing in their
religious gatherings.

On July 4, Mack and another Schwarz-
enau Pietist carefully composed a letter to
Hochmann at NUrnberg requesting his
counsel concerning a service of baptism for
adults. They also inquired about his views
on the love feast.

Hochmann did not tarry in answering
that letter. Writing from prison on July 24,
1708, he gave his approval of adult baptism
if it followed true repentance and faith. He
did not believe that baptism was essential,
but if God were leading some of his
children to be immersed in flowing water
as Christ himself had been immersed.
Hochmann would have no objection. He
stressed that such a belief must be thor-
oughly tested to make sure it truly was
from God. Since the advocacy of adult
baptism was itself illegal and easily subject
to misunderstanding by his Separatist
friends. Hochmann asked that only those
who can "bear and understand it be given
the letter to read."

So far as the love feast was concerned,
his opinion was the same as for baptism. It
must be based on the love of Jesus and on
an appropriate community of faithful
members.

When they received this letter in the first
week of August 1708, the little band of
Pietists rejoiced, for they believed that
Hochmann had unreservedly approved
their plans. Looking to him as their spiritual
adviser, they expected that upon his release
from prison he would join them in their
fellowship.

In their enthusiasm they decided to
choose by lot one person from their group
to draft a letter inviting the religious dis-
senters in and near Schwarzenau to par-

July 1979 MESSENGER 21

ticipate in "this high act of baptism."

The letter was written. The author
remained unknown. Three basic reasons
were given for baptism by adult immersion:
1) the example of Christ's baptism in the
Jordan River; 2) the commandment of
Jesus in Matthew 28:19 to "make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit"; 3) the example of the early
church. It was made quite clear that bap-
tism in and of itself was not essential for
salvation. It allowed for that person,
"grounded in God," who did not consider
water baptism necessary, to live conscien-
tiously "according to his or her own call-
ing." The letter closed with a forceful plea
for others to join the pending baptismal
service.

Other Pietists were anxious about their
personal salvation. They no longer believed
in infant baptism, yet there was no
believers' baptism to take its place. Was
this lack of ritual not a violation of the
New Testament directive to be baptized?
For them, this was a very real concern.

Some Pietists were not interested in
helping to start a new denomination. Dis-
mayed by controversies among competing
Pietistic leaders and discouraged by ex-
cessive individualism and lack of stable
guidelines, they returned to the established
church from which they had come. Most of
the Pietists in the area, however, were
satisfied with their own religious condition
and did not respond to the baptismal letter.

Mack, and others in his group, felt called
by God to be a separate people, and decid-
ed to proceed with a public baptismal ser-
vice. There was no doubt in Mack's mind
that infant baptism had no validity. Nor
was there any doubt in his mind about the
need for a "believer's baptism" to be by im-
mersion. The scholarly works of Gottfried
Arnold, with which Mack was clearly
familiar, showed that immersion was the
apostolic practice, performed in flowing
water.

Yet one pressing problem remained, one
which had to be settled before the bap-
tismal service was performed. What
posture or mode should be used? Should
the applicants recline, to be immersed once
backwards, as the English Baptists did?
Shoiild they bow once forward as the
Dutch Collegiants did? Or was there still a
different way?

Mack could not find explicit instructions
in the New Testament; but, by consulting
Gottfried Arnold's books and other books
on church history, he found some indica-
tion that the early church had immersed

the whole body three times forward in har-
mony with the Trinitarian formula. Mack
became convinced that trine immersion
had been the common practice of the early
and medieval church, abbreviated in the
course of time to the pouring or sprinkling
patterns used in the established churches.

After much Bible study, prayer and dis-
cussion, eight individuals decided to risk all
they had gained of tranquillity and peace in
Schwarzenau in exchange for immersion in
the flowing water of the Eder. Plans were
made. The service was to be held not far
from the stone bridge at the center of the
village, sometime between August 5 and
August 8. The date was never recorded, a
precaution taken to preserve its secrecy.
Pietists were generally opposed to holy
days and they hoped to protect this day
from becoming one. The service was to be
held very early in the morning — perhaps at
dawn — when few of the townspeople
would be awake.

A,

A the designated time eight persons
gathered at the bank of the river to es-
tablish, in Alexander Mack Jr.'s words,
"a covenant of good conscience with God."
Anna Margaretha Mack stood beside her
husband, Alexander, the recognized leader
of the group, in charge of the service. An-
drew Boni, from Basel, estranged from his
parents and unable to write openly to his
brother, Martin, was there with Joanna,
his bride of less than a year. George Grebe,
a former gunsmith, was also present. Grebe
had been the court gunsmith to the govern-
ment in Kassel, the largest city in Hesse. As
early as 1700, Grebe had welcomed
itinerant Pietists into his home. When the
government of Hesse, like the government
of Palatinate, sought to repress Pietism in
1706, Grebe and his wife fled from Kassel
to Schwarzenau. Luke Vetter also stood on
the bank of the Eder that historic morning.
Like Grebe, Vetter and his wife had fled to
Schwarzenau from Hesse. Completing the
list of the original eight were John and
Joanna Kipping. Unlike the others, who
had all been reared in the Reformed faith,
the Kippings had been Lutheran, drawn to
Pietism, perhaps, by the active Pietistic
movement within their church at
Wurttemberg.

The group wanted Mack to baptize
them, but he refused to perform the first
baptism because he himself had not been
baptized by immersion. The other four
men then cast lots to choose one who
would baptize Mack. There was common
agreement among them that his name

would never be revealed.

After singing several Pietistic hymns,
and reading from Luke 14 about "counting
the cost" (as Hochmann had suggested),
the anonymous officiant waded into the
clear cold water of the Eder with Mack.
Kneeling in the water. Mack responded af-
firmatively to the baptismal vows, then
bowed his head and body under the water
in three distinct acts of total immersion as
his brother in the faith baptized him into
"the name of the Father, and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit."

Following a prayer of forgiveness and
blessing. Mack humbly baptized the one
who had baptized him. Then he baptized
the other three men and three women.
Following the baptisms the group sang a
favorite hymn, received a benedictory
blessing and solemnly dispersed,
transported by religious zeal, confident
that what they had done was approved by
God even though not by the government.
These eight newly immersed Christians felt
that now, in reality, 'liey had a "covenant
of good conscience with God."

No longer Separatists, individuals, a mis-
cellaneous collection of Christians, dis-
enchanted with established religion, they
were now a Gemeinde, a congregation, a
church, the "New Baptists" or "Schwarz-
enau Baptists." Even though they did not
like to think of themselves as founding a
new denomination, by their action that is
exactly what they did. and very soon they
began to view themselves as a distinct
church, separate from the other churches
of Christendom.

Although the transcendent joy of this
first baptismal service sustained and en-
couraged Mack, two shadows dimmed his
jubilant celebration. The group had
violated imperial law, and no one could
predict the result. Moreover, he was quite
aware that many of his closest and dearest
friends did not approve of his action. What
effect would this have on their spirit of
community?

Strong in his faith, however. Mack was
so firmly convinced of the virtue and
Tightness of what he had done that he felt
himself ready to accept whatever persecu-
tion might come. During the days which
followed, the hea\T responsibility for
providing leadership and spiritual en-
couragement lay upon his shoulders. A
new era had begun for the New Baptists of
Schwarzenau. D

W'illiunt G. M'iilint^hhv chair.\ ihe ileparimenf of
pttilf'\o/>h\ anil religion ai ihc Vnivcrsiiv of La I'crne.
lu 1 inn: Calil.

Hwrr/'ii'il Iron: Counting ihe Cost, hv William G.
II illoiifihhv. Thv Bn-ihren Press. 1979.

22 MESSENGER July 1979

Walking the streets he

Ken Morse visits Schriesheim,
where Alexander Mack was horn
300 years ago this July

by Kenneth I. Morse

If 1 were traveling in Europe this summer, I
would plan my itinerary so that I could
spend July 27 in Schriesheim, a small town
in Germany, only a few miles from Heidel-
berg. That day will mark the 300th anni-
versary of the birth there of Alexander
Mack, pioneer leader in the Church of the
Brethren.

The occasion may not call for any
elaborate local observance since Mack's
pilgrimage took him away from the town
as a young man, and the Brethren move-
ment he helped to launch left its mark
mostly on a new continent. But there are
members of the Mack family still living in
Schriesheim. And the story of Alexander
Mack is a part of its local history. A street
has been named for him.

A day's visit will allow sufficient time to
look for places associated with Mack's ear-
ly life. If possible, 1 would want to have at
hand the newly published biography of
Mack, entitled. Counting the Cost, written
by William Willoughby. Its early chapters
offer a brief account of the turbulent years
in Schriesheim's history that preceded and
accompanied the more than 25 years he
lived there.

The town is located about five miles
north of Heidelberg along the Bergstrasse,
a historic road that runs north and south
along the base of the Odenwald moun-
tains, between the hills and a plain that in-
cludes the Rhine and the Neckar rivers.
The hillsides to the east are covered with
vineyards, and from the mountains come
lively streams flowing westward toward the
rivers. One of these is the mill stream that
flows through Schriesheim after having
provided water power over the years for
several mills, including one that was
operated by Alexander's Mack's father.
The building is now a small factory. Since
it is generally believed that Alexander was
born here, the place is important for Breth-
ren visitors.

To find the location easily, it may be
wise to go by car and take the road that

leaves Schriesheim in the direction of the
mountains. Follow the stream until you see
the sign "Talmiihle" on the side of the fac-
tory. If you leave the road a little down-
stream from the building you can find the
brook, partially hidden among trees, where
the boy Alexander must often have
played. Just a month before he was born.

his father had been able to purchase the
old mill at this location that had previously
belonged to the Mack family.

Further upstream you will notice a much
larger factory bearing the name "Kling." In
the late 17th century in Schriesheim the
Kling family was equally prominent with
the Mack family, Alexander was married

Ken Morse walks the old streets of Schriesheim, Alexander Mack's birthplace. On this
street can still he seen the home of John Valentine Kling, Mack's father-in-law.

July 1979 MESSENGER 23

■f

'^BB

-'^'•' 'i^^^ '^ '"^^^^^^HnflHll^^^^^^^^^^EflHi

►

'tr^^mK^aK^^^^^^MfS^m

1^

m

£ 1

^^iiIOr"i.''^^K#

i».«^

A

^-...^•^ ^t .' ■

4

'^^Mm

1

■Ki^^

1

!^^^^"'

^juB^X*' ' '

'■ ".' ■■:-' -^.T^- -. -

^ y .,.?. ■•■

P'fvtsy'^flffv^'

to Anna Margaretha Kling in 1701.

Here you can take another mountain
road that leads through forests to the ruins
of an old castle known as the Strahlen-
burg. its stone tower, not accessible today,
must once have provided a lookout that
encompassed a vast area, not only the town
at the base of the hill but a vast panorama
stretching from Heidelberg on the south to
Mannheim on the west and northward
along the Bergstrasse. it is conceivable that
the young Alexander Mack would have
often surveyed this scene. Today there is a
restaurant there with a terrace that offers a
good aerial view of Schriesheim below the
sloping vineyards on the hillside. Note the
red-tiled roofs of buildings both old and
new.

Returning to town, you can follow the
mill stream as it takes its lively course past
the earlier location of several mills. Back in
town it is better to be on foot, for the best
views of the stream — and the mill races
and machinery along the way — are to be
found away from the road and back of old
buildings. Here, for example, on the stone
framework of a doorway are the initials
MM and the date 1813. Could this have
belonged to another miller named Mack?

It is tempting to speculate on such pos-
sibilities, but a visit to the Evangelical
(Protestant) church a few blocks away
brings us closer to reliable history. The
present building, though often remodeled
and enlarged, has served congregations for
more than 200 years. It stands on the loca-
tion of an earlier church where Alexander
Mack was baptized in 1679, where he at-
tended school, where he was confirmed in
1692 and married in 1701.

When a group of Brethren worshiped at
the present church in 1958, on Mack's
birthday, the pastor recognized the occa-
sion and said, "We are united in our Lord
Jesus Christ who does not know any
borders between nations and peoples." We
hope that Mack, given the perspective of
275 years, would now agree. But at the
time of his youth, when he listened more

Left: The Talmiihle factory was a mill
owned by Alexander Mack's father. He
bought it just a month before his son's
birth in 1779. The mill stream (upper left)
5/(7/ flows through the woods below the
mill. The boy Alexander must have played
here in an atmosphere which has changed
little since the Brethren pioneer's
childhood.

and more to Pietist and Separatist leaders,
the tensions were building that would lead
him and his wife to break their churchly
ties with the same congregation and to
move away to a new community and a new
church.

The church today offers a friendly at-
mosphere for worship, enhanced by a new
organ just installed in 1977 when the
church was most recently remodeled.
Stained-glass windows honor such Refor-
mation leaders as Luther and Calvin.

Nearby, on the corner of a small square
stands the town hall (Rathaus), another
building associated with the Mack family.
It served the town through the many years
when Alexander's grandfather was mayor
(1655-1685) and during the uncertain and
troubled years of his youth when, on three
different war-time occasions, the bells from
the town hall were concealed in the village
well to protect them. Alexander's father
was a member of the town council as well
as an elder in the church.

T.

hose disturbing years of almost three
centuries ago — when Schriesheim was
threatened by invading armies and trou-
bled later by the religious controversies
that caught up Alexander Mack — seem far
removed from the town hall today, with its
half-timbered walls set off by window box-
es overflowing with flowers. In the en-
trance-way is a wall map of Schriesheim's
streets and roads, including the location of
Alexander Mack Strasse. On the corner
pillar is a grim reminder, with the date
1540, of the metal restraints that kept pri-
soners in the public view. Close by is the
fountain with a simple monument recall-
ing the 1,200-year history of the town.

To the east of the town is one of the
village's oldest houses, the home of a
village pastor who, in the 17th century, in-
scribed scriptural quotations on its beams
in Hebrew and Greek. This is the part of
the town in which there are several old
houses from that century, including one
where Alexander's father-in-law lived. It is
on a charming old street with arched en-
tranceways and flowing vines that wind
around shuttered windows.

Only a block away from the fountain
square is a gasthaus, or inn, now called the
"Deutsche Kaiser," that was once owned
and operated by the Kling family. On walls
adjacent to it you can see murals that call
attention to the vineyards and the wine

24 MESSENGER .lulv 1979

presses that are now — as they were 300
years ago — so important in the Schries-
heim economy.

Past and present live side by side in
Schriesheim without much strain. In a
bakery-store window is exhibited against
the bacicground of today's bread a vivid
picture of an ancient baker's oven. Several
old buildings, interesting in themselves to a
visitor, are still being used for very practi-
cal purposes. The open lofts of a few of the
oldest structures provide a good place for
drying the tobacco grown in the fields
nearby. There are also many new homes
along the hillside vineyards, but their red-
tile roofs blend easily with buildings that
have soaked up the years.

The student of early Brethren history
will find other points of interest in Schries-
heim and the area surrounding it. On a re-
cent trip this writer was unable to locate
the old section of the town cemetery where
Mack's parents were buried but found in-
stead two gravestones in the more recent
part standing side by side with the names
"Mack" and "Kling." We noted the modest
sign of a shoemaker's shop with the sign
"Adam Mack."

A short trip to Laudenburg, a few miles
west of Schriesheim, will introduce a fas-
cinating town with ancient Roman ruins
and a building on the main square, now
called the "Cafe Shorck," where
Christopher Saur was born. His father was
an assistant to the pastor of the Protestant
church nearby. Other places of interest to
Brethren in the area are the cities of
Heidelberg and Mannheim, where in the
early 18th century groups of Pietists met
quietly, but illegally, much to the con-
sternation of leaders in the established
churches.

If 1 could visit Schriesheim on Mack's
birthday 1 would not expect to attend spe-
cial ceremonies in either the Evangelical
church or the City Hall. Instead, I would
welcome the opportunity to walk some of
the streets he knew and to think about
some of the convictions that motivated this
"angry young man" and troubled his fam-
ily and friends. 1 would pray that not only
in Schriesheim, or Schwarzenau, or Ger-
mantown, but in your town and my town
as well we might recapture a little of the
spiritual fervor that once prompted a
search for a New Testament church. □

Farmer Messenger editor Ken Morse is a member of
the Highland A venue congregation in Elgin, III.

Below: The inn once owned and operated
hy John Valentine Kling. Mack's father-in-
law, still functions as the "Deutsche
Kaiser" gasthaus. Wall murals depict
grape-harvesting, still important in the
area's economy. Bottom: Half-timbered
buildings such as the town hall attest to the
antiquity of Schriesheim. In this town,
more than in Schwarzenau one can still
catch the mood of Mack's limes.

July 1979 MESSENGER 25

MbM gi^[y](g]y

\

God Oiks us (o giv€ . . .

Read: I Kinf^s 17:8-16

The story begins impressively; "The
word of the Lord came to Elijah," a
decidedly grander sound than "once upon a
time."

We could spend a lot of time on this
character, Elijah, because he is definitely
one of the VI Ps of the Old Testament. Eli-
jah was a notable prophet. His mission had
been to tell King Ahab that the Lord had
declared a moratorium on rain and snow
and dew and every kind of wetness. That
meant lots of nice, sunny weather, but it
also meant drought. And drought meant
no harvest. And no harvest meant famine.

So King Ahab was less than overjoyed to
hear the news Elijah the prophet brought
him. When Elijah's predictions were seen
to have been accurate, Ahab was anxious
to get his hands on the prophet. So fol-
lowing the Lord's directions, Elijah de-
cided to "lay low" for awhile.

We've already noted that Elijah was im-
portant; in the vernacular, he was a "some-
body." And people who are "somebodies"
usually have the good judgment to know
when to speak up and when to pipe down.
A "somebody" who doesn't have that kind
of perspicacity, who keeps speaking up all
the time usually doesn't last long as a
"somebody." Especially if someone like
Ahab is in charge.

At any rate, Elijah paid attention when
the Lord said; "'Arise, go to Zarephath,
which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.
Behold, I have commanded a widow to
feed you.' So he arose and went to Zare-
phath; and when he came to the gate of the
city, behold, a widow was there gathering
sticks" (I Kings I7;8-I0).

Zarephath was a city in Sidon. To get
there, Elijah had to leave his own country

and go to foreign soil. As he approached the
gate to the city he saw a woman picking up
dead sticks from beneath the small shrubs on
the barren earth, the source of the poor
people's firewood.

Our story here contains an important con-
trast in the status of our two main char-
acters. The first time we met Elijah, he was
making an announcement to King Ahab
about the word of the Lord. But in our first
encounter with the widow of Zarephath, she
is bending over, picking up sticks.

The reason for this contrast, of course, is
that Elijah is a "somebody" and the widow is
not. Like all the people in the Bible who
aren't "somebodies," the widow is "just plain
folks." Nothing derogatory is meant by that
designation. After all, there's room for only
so many "somebodies" in the world. They're
either smart or rich or powerful or good or
bad. Or some combination of all those
things.

But the widow of Zarephath? We're never
even told what her name is. That's why we
must refer to her as "the widow of Zare-
phath." She and you and I fit into the same
category — "just plain folks."

And that's why her story is important. If
she does anything worth remembering, we
will sit up and pay attention. Not because
she's gifted or famous. But precisely because
she isn't; because she's one of us.

When Elijah saw her there, gathering
sticks, he called to her and said; "Bring me
some water to drink."

This authoritarian demand by Elijah may
cause us to react negatively toward the
prophet. The least he could have done was to
toss a "please" in there somewhere.

But remember that Elijah knew perfectly
well that he was "somebody" and that the
widow was "just plain folks." Wasn't she
walking around in poor clothes gather-

ing sticks? And wasn't he a prophet who
had confronted King Ahab? Remember
also that all this happened in those former
days when a woman "knew her place." It
was woman's duty to wait upon the orders
of a man. So we should not judge Elijah
harshly. Besides, he was thirsty.

And as the widow turned to do his bid-
ding, Elijah remembered that besides being
thirsts, he was also hungry. So he added.
"And while you're at it. bring me some
bread also."

If criticism is due Elijah, this is the place.
He stands guilty of that breach of human
decency we might call the "oh, by the way"
offense. Surely you have experienced this
offense yourself.

It's what happens when your husband is
enumerating the expenses of things you've
asked him to buy at the store and then says
in his best off-hand manner; "Oh, by the
way, I picked up a new set of golf clubs — a
real bargain — only $95."

It's what happens when your wife asks
you to fix the clothesline in the backyard
and then adds, "Oh. b\ the way. while
you're out there, how about trimming the
hedge, cleaning out the rain gutters, chang-
ing the tires on my car and painting the
shutters?"

Or it's what happens when a friend from
church calls you to ask how your garden is
doing and then sa\s. "Oh. by the way. how
about serving as head of the finance com-
mittee for the next se\en years?"

We ha\e a right to be upset when that
happens to us. It shows a low regard for
our intelligence and our personhood. And
a "somebody" like Elijah can be guilty of it
the same as you or L

But when he gives the widow this "Oh.
by the way. bring some bread too."
response she has an answer that jolts him.

HGVGr mor^ than wg can

26 MESSENGER July 1979

It jolts us as well. And from this point on,
the story wears a dark, sober aspect. The
widow says, "As the Lord your God lives, 1
have nothing baked, only a handful of
meal in a jar, and a little oil in a cruse; and
now, 1 am gathering a couple of sticks, that
I may go in and prepare it for myself and
my son, that we may eat it, and die"
(I Kings 17:12).

What revealing words they are. Suddenly
we see the widow of Zarephath in a new
light. "Just plain folks" she may be, but she
is also a woman of incredible courage and
dignity. There is a severe famine in the
land. But she will not lie down in despair.
She will not rail futilely against the gods.
No, she will do what she knows must be
done. And then, having done all that can
be done, she and her son will die, but with
their dignity intact.

Hearing these words, Elijah finally sees
the honest dignity of this woman. And he
responds with two of the most comforting
words the human ear can hear: "Fear not."

How we need to hear those words of
assurance. "Fear not." "Don't be afraid."

They must come from someone we respect,
someone we trust. Only a "mommy" or a
"daddy" can say them to a youngster who
wakes in terror from a nightmare. Only a
heavenly Father can comfort us with his
own "Fear not" in the face of the terrors of
our existence — pain, separation, death.

What did those words mean to the
widow of Zarephath, we may wonder. Did
she hear them as an expression of sym-
pathy, as a polite gesture? Or did the words
of Elijah carry the assurance he intended?

We cannot know. But we do know that
Elijah instructed her to do as she had
planned, to use the last of the meal and the
oil but also to make him some bread. And
then he told her: "For thus says the Lord
the God of Israel, 'The jar of meal shall not
be spent, and the cruse of oil shall not fail,
until the day that the Lord sends rain upon
the earth'" (1 Kings 17:14-15).

Then the text says, "And she went and
did as Elijah said."

It may be argued that she had nothing to
lose. She and her son faced death anyhow,
so it showed no great faith to do what the

an hi Cathy Earhari

prophet told her. But there is more to it
than that. Either a woman is a woman of
faith or she is not. Either a man is a man of
faith or he is not. Faith is a long-time
process. It's not something you "get" when
there's nothing to lose anymore.

She could have said. "I've got to keep
what little 1 have for myself. Go on to the
next house, if you want something to eat.
Go to the wealthy section of town. I can't
give anything."

She could have said that, and we would
not have blamed her. We have said it our-
selves often enough, God knows.

And God knows too that the blessing
cannot be given without the commitment.
That's the way it has always been. The
promise to the widow that the meal would
never run out could not take effect until
she had scraped out the last bit, turned it
upside down and pounded on the bottom
for meal enough to bake one last loaf.

Our commitment comes first — then
follows the blessing, and always a greater
blessing than we had expected or dared to
hope for.

God knows one other thing too. It's a
thing we have such a hard time learning.
The widow learned it. Elijah probably
learned it too. It is that we are never asked
to give more than we can give. We may be
asked to give much, maybe even a great
deal, maybe a lot more than we feel is con-
venient. But never more than we can give.

If we do not acknowledge that truth, or
if we are unwilling to act on it, our refusal
is a foolish and maybe even a sinful thing.
And we have explored the story of the
Widow of Zarephath and have not heard
the word of the Lord. D

Ken Gihhie is pastor of the Ridgeway Community
congregation. Harrishurg. Pa.

ErcerpteJ from Yeast. Sail and Secret Agents, bv
Ken Gihhie. The Brethren Press. 1979.

bb^

July 1979 ME-SSENGER 27

The pastor and
church growth

God's desire is for non-Christian people in
our communities to find Jesus Christ, to
become responsible members of the church.

by Win Arn

The search committee was in disarray.
Nine months of meetings, dozens of candi-
dates later, the pulpit was still empty.
Members of the congregation wanted ac-
tion. The committee had prayed, inter-
viewed candidates and contacted
denominational headquarters, but the
church was still without a pastor.

Every church periodically faces the prob-
lem and challenge of calling a pastor — a
strategic decision for the life and growth of
that church. A "right" decision could
bring health, vitality and growth; a
"wrong" decision could bring disharmony,
stagnation and decline. Of course, every
church wants to make the "right" decision.
So does every pastor.

Let's assume that our search committee
represents a church committed to carrying
out the Great Commission, reaching its
community for Jesus Christ, and growing.
In seeking a new pastor, a church will look
for certain qualifications; and the pastor,
committed to the Great Commission, to
making disciples and to church growth,
will look for certain qualities in the church.

A survey of pastors and churches reveals
all shapes, sizes, personalities and ministry

28 MESSENGER July 1979

styles. God does not have a preconceived
notion of the "perfect pastor" from which
to make all models and versions. Nor does
God seem to have one mold labeled
"perfect church." Pastors and churches
come in infinite varieties as broad as
human personalities, as diverse as human
needs and as inclusive as the purposes of
God.

The intricate mosaic of people and
cultures requires churches and pastors to
fit together, to complement each other and
to support each other. Frankly, there are
some pastors and churches that simply do
not "mix." through no real fault of either.

Yet. if we believe that this body — the
church — functions as a living, dynamic or-
ganism, where each sinew and cell has its
particular place and function, then we must
conclude that God has the right person for
each church and the right church for each
person. The problem is getting the two
together.

Divine guidance is needed. The spiritual
disciplines of praying, seeking his will and
being led of his Spirit are of prime impor-
tance. Are there additional considerations?
I think so.

Filling the homogeneous group. In
growing churches, the pastor fits the

homogeneous group. The term homo-
geneous is part of the classic church growth
vocabulary. It simply describes a group of
people where all the members have some
characteristics in common and feel they
"belong," where they like one another and
share similar interests and culture.

Research clearly indicates that churches
grow, and grow best, in their own
homogeneous units. Churches develop
their own individuality and active members
generally fit the same patterns. People
want their pastor to be like them — not too
far above or below, not too far ahead or
behind.

When a pastor establishes a church, the
homogeneous group will be like the pastor;
that's the kind of people who will be at-
tracted. However, when a pastor is called
to an established church, there is a
homogeneous group which is already
formed and is usually fairly rigid in struc-
ture.

A homogeneous group has many dimen-
sions. It may be our educational, ethnic,
social, economic or cultural backgrounds,
or a combination of these elements which
make us what we are. In God's sight there
is no more merit in being the pastor of a
large church than of a small church, of a
rich church than of a poor church, of a
sophisticated church than of a common
church. Yet, in our sight there are differ-
ences, and the important consideration for
a successful ministry is that the pastor and
the church fit the same basic homogen-
eous unit.

A church must also be aware of a po-
tential homogeneous problem. For, while a
church grows best in its own group, it can
also die there by becoming an exclusive
club or a small clique, sealing itself off

from people in its community. "Why grow?
We like it the way it is" represents an atti-
tude which will immediately stop the
growth of any church and in time produce
decay and death.

Anticipating a long ministry. As a
church growth consultant, I know of very
few growing churches with high rates of
pastoral changes. Churches with frequent
pastoral changes are often declining ones. I
recently conducted a study of 58 churches
in the Pacific Southwest. Over three-
fourths had had a pastoral change in the
last three years. And a high percentage of
these churches had reached a plateau or
were declining. Throughout, there was a
mentality, almost expectancy, that the
pastor would be here today and gone
tomorrow. The people expect the pastor to
have a short ministry, and it happens. With
such attitudes, no firm commitments are
made, no close relationships established,
no long-range plans developed.

H,

. ow many pastors see their call as a
stepping stone until their "real talents" are
discovered by a bigger, better church?

If the church and pastor were to look
upon their relationship as an irrevocable
commitment, a marriage that vows "till
death do us part," the dynamics would be
totally different. There would be prob-
lems, but they would become stepping
stones rather than stumbling blocks to ex-
tended commitments and growth. A long-
term commitment in a pastor/church rela-
tionship, as in marriage, has a marked
effect on a growing, positive ministry.

Involving the laity. Basic assumptions of
both pastor and church are of great impor-
tance. A church that feels "We pay our
staff to do the work for us" is doomed to
failure. Likewise the pastor who assumes
the authority for all decisions, planning
and implementation will flounder in frus-
tration. Research is conclusive on this
point: If a church wants to fulfill the Great
Commission, it will give high priority to
lay involvement.

The growth of a church is uniquely
dependent on laypersons. The pastor who
sees the pastoral role as an enabler — to
help the laity discover and utilize their
unique gifts — is far ahead of the pastor
who tries to "run the whole show."

Donald McGavran, known worldwide
for leadership in church growth, says: "You
would misuse God's gifts if you used them
solely for the service of existing Chris-
tians. As we see God's overwhelming con-
cern for the salvation of people, we must
assume that his gifts are given to us, in a
large part, that the lost may come to know
him, whom to know is life eternal."

Church growth studies analyze church
leadership in five different classes:

Class I Leadership: Members in the
church whose energies primarily turn in-
ward toward maintenance of the organiza-
tional structure of the church.

Class 2 Leadership: Members in the
church whose energies primarily turn out-
ward toward the non-Christian commun-
ity in an effort to bring them into the body
of Christ.

Class 3 Leadership: Members in the
church who are partially paid and whose
activities are divided between the church
and outside activities.

Class 4 Leadership: Individuals in the
church who are full-time paid personnel
viewed as professional staff.

Class 5 Leadership: Denominational,
district and administrative personnel,
usually removed from the immediate scene
of the local church.

T.

he key to dynamic, effective church
growth is to be found in the recruiting,
training and utilizing of Class 2 workers.

A' bar graph, based upon actual numbers
of people involved as Class I and Class 2
leaders, helps most churches to immediate-
ly perceive that the majority of their ener-
gies, efforts and finances are devoured in
maintenance of the church in Class 1 ef-
forts.

Utilizing time. Remember, our church
looking for a new pastor is concerned with
the Great Commission, with winning its
community and with growth. How a pastor
uses time has great effect on church
growth. Because pastors are not super-
vised, they must determine the areas of
greater and lesser importance, and decide
how much time to use on each.

Unfortunately, many churches in choos-
ing a pastor place greatest priority on the
person's ability to preach. Certainly con-
gregations are entitled to prepared and

well-delivered messages. Yet, sermon
delivery represents a small portion of the
pastor's total workweek. Indications are
that the sermon, by itself, is a relatively
minor factor in the growth of the church.
How, then, should pastors spend their time
to have the greatest effect in church
growth?

Broad areas of responsibility that pastors
must include in their time schedule are ser-
mon preparation, reading and studying,
counseling, visitation of members, admin-
istrative duties, attending meetings, visita-
tion of prospective members and training
laity for outreach. Which of these areas
should be emphasized if the church is to
grow?

Research evidence to date indicates a sig-
nificant correlation between two of these
variables and a growing church: The pastor
who spends a high proportion of time on
visitation of prospects and training of laity
for outreach tends to have a church with
significant growth.

Vision for growth. Church growth eyes is
a term used by those fluent with church
growth vocabulary in referring to in-
dividuals and churches who have devel-
oped a sensitivity to "seeing the possibili-
ties and applying appropriate strategies to
gain maximum results for Christ and his
church." A pastor and a church with this
type of vision make a winning combina-
tion.

Church growth results are achieved
because some individuals — pastors or lay-
persons— see with church growth eyes the
possibilities God has for their church, and
then determine to achieve these goals. Such
people are not satisfied with doing the busy
work of the church. For them, God's desire
is for non-Christian people in their com-
munity to find Jesus Christ, to become dis-
ciples and responsible members of the
church. That's church growth.

If a church is to grow, it needs both
pastor and individuals who will take leaps
of faith, letting go of their securities and
reaching for new heights. Bold pastors,
visionary churches, committed Chris-
tians— these combinations make for suc-
cessful, growing churches. D

W//? Am i\ (lireilor of the Institute lor American
Chitrih Grow til. Pasadena. Calif.

Reprinted \\ ith penttission. Iroiit The Mennonite.
Manh 2H. IV7H.

July 1979 MESSENGER 29

EVANGELISM/

CHURCH

GROWTH

Church growth is a much talked about
topic in church circles these days. Many
people are frustrated and dissatisfied with
the church "growth" records over the last
20 years. Increasingly, attention is paid to
the possibility of taking specific steps to
change the pattern.

A congregation that is growing is seri-
ous about the faith, and serious about
sharing it with non-church people. Believ-
ing that God wants your church to grow,
and taking specific steps toward growing,
will help it happen.

The following are some of the most use-
ful sources available. Later this year, we
will have a Church of the Brethren church
growth set of materials, involving 25 per-

hurch
'rowth

andthe
brethren

evangelism

should he like a dais

cent of the local members of congrega-
tions that decide to enter the program.

In the meantime, why not get acquaint-
ed with the topic through the use of some
of these helps.

Strategizing for Growth

Church Growth and the Brethren, a 1 0-
page booklet by James McKinnell, pic-
tures the growth of the Church of the
Brethren across 270 years, shares church
growth principles, and offers some specific
suggestions for growth. Available from
Evangelism Office, 1451 Dundee Ave., El-
gin, IL 60120 (25c).

Evangehsm Should Be Like a Daisy, by
Lorele Yager, contains 1 1 short evangelism
dramas, suitable for worship or evangelism
discussion groups. Available from
Evangelism Office ($1).

Tert Steps for Church Growth, by
Donald A. McGavran and Winfield C. Arn
(American Institute of Church Growth)
Harper and Row. examines new areas and
applications of church growth for pastors

and lay leaders. The book deals with
biblical foundations for church growth:
ways of discovering church growth princi-
ples; effective evangelism for the local
church; and strategy, structure and risks in-
volved in planning for church growth.
Available from The Brethren Press. 1451
Dundee Ave., Elgin, I L 60120 ($3.95).
Your Church Can Be Healthy, by C.
Peter Wagner. Wagner, vice-president of
Fuller Evangelistic Association and
associate professor of church growth of

..veESd-detEdta

Your Church
Can B(2 Healthy

Fuller Theological Seminary, declares,
"The notion of relating church growth to
church health has been proving helpful to
many church leaders. . . . Churches, like
human beings, have vital signs that seem to
be common among those that are healthy
and growing. If the vital signs are known,
efforts to maintain them can be made in
order to avoid illness." If your church has a
growth problem, this book can help you to
understand what is wrong and suggests
some steps necessary to correct it. Avail-
able through The Brethren Press (S4.95).
The Contagious Congregation: Fron-
tiers in Evangelism and Church Growth, by
George G. Hunter HI. Hunter believes we
are on the brink of a new surge of faith in
organized religion. This book combines the
faith and the evangelistic methods that
have been most effective for discipleship.
The author outlines an aggressive strategy
for reaching out to people and claiming
them for Christ. Available from The Breth-
ren Press ($4.95).

HNttWaiJi

CONGREGATION

GEORGE G HUNTER III

30 MESSENGER July 1979

The Church— Growing

The following materials are available
through the Institute for American Church
Growth, 150 South Los Robles, Suite 600.
Pasadena, CA, 91101;

How lo Grow a Church, a 26-minute
color, 16 mm. film with study guide. The
film features such church growth leaders
as: Donald McGavran; Win Arn; Dean
Kelley, author of fVhy Conservative
Churches are Growing: Lloyd Ogilvie of
Hollywood Presbyterian Church and
Robert Schuller of Garden Grove Com-
munity Church. Rental, $25.

Reach Out and Grow, a 28-minute color,
16 mm. film presenting evangelism and
church growth priorities, principles and
practical applications based on biblical
strategy. It features McGavran, Arn,
Robert Munger, Arthur Glasser and Peter
Wagner. Rental, $25.

Building the Church, six color films, five
minutes each. Designed to be used as a
series to teach or preach from. Each film
used in a six-week series will motivate
viewers to a better understanding of Paul
and the early church. These six films are: I)
The Apostle Paul — a visual introduction to
Paul and the early churches; 2) Philippi —
where Paul met Lydia and began the
Philippian ministry; 3) Thessalonica — the
walled city to which Paul journeyed and
then found himself in confiict with the
authorities, resulting in his inevitable per-
secution; 4) Corinth — where Paul dis-
covered a new level of effectiveness in his
ministry; 5) Ephesus — where Paul ran into
conflict with the silversmiths over Diana
worship and where Paul taught and
preached "Be strong in the Lord" and "Put
on the whole armor of God"; 6) Rome —
where the might and power of the empire
came to life, where Paul wrote the prison
epistles and shared his last days in the
Mamertine Prison. Rental, $8 each.

Planned Parenthood for Churches, a 22-
minute color film which alerts viewers to
the needs and opportunities of establishing
new congregations. It also helps pastors
and lay people alike see new possibilities
for evangelism and outreach through the
church. Rental, $25. — Matthew M.
Meyer

Uulihew M. MeyiT is comullani for
lyunKi'lhni lilninh xrimih fur itie Parish Ministries
Coinniiwitm.

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• It is the season of a conscious quest for happiness — vacation time when the pursuit
of pleasure is a paramount phenomenon in the culture. The highways are covered with
bumper-to-bumper campers ... the campers are followed by boat carriers . . . and the
boats are loaded with mopeds. While the campers clog the highways, huge jets are carrying
thousands daily to and from Europe, Africa and Asia on a quest for a particular kind of
pleasure that looking at strange things in strange places seems to afford. It is a time of wan-
dering, and I must confess my own weakness at this point, although there is an unprece-
dented mobility when everyone speaks of Heathrow Airport and St. Peter's Square as if
they were just around the corner ... the truth is I do not like to travel. I don't like to make
journeys in mechanized vehicles — neither those that go whizzing along the highway at 60
miles an hour or those that streak across the airways at 600 miles an hour with no visible
means of support.

When people say to me, "But don't you want to see the Tower of Pisa, the pyramids,
the Taj Mahal?" I say, "I've seen pictures of all of them." Let me hasten to add that, even
though I'm a white-knuckle flyer, I do travel; I've been to Europe, and it looked just like
the picture postcards my friends have been sending me for years. Three straight hours of
turbulence over the Atlantic Ocean is not my idea of fun! . . . particularly since the only ray
of hope I had was the sign on the back of the seat that said, "This cushion will floav"
Those words did not fill me with optimism. The Atlantic is so big . . . I'm sizeable . . . but
that cushion was so small. I prayed a whole 747 planeload of people into Kennedy Airport
. . . clutching my St. Christopher medal all the way. (Yes, I know he's been uncanonized,
but any port in a storm.) I do go, because ministry calls, but it is the arrival in this case . . .
not the journey that counts.

The journey I really enjoy is the journey that Dag Hammarskjold called the longest
journey — the journey inward. At heart I am the pilgrim . . . knowing the pilgrimage isn't a
walk-about . . . isn't just any trip: it is a holy journey towards home . . . our real home in
God through Christ.

• This Pilgrim is at home in high churches and low ... at St. Peter's in Rome . . . with
the silent Quakers and the sophisticated Episcopalians ... in a whole spectrum of Breth-
ren churches . . . every house of God except where the answers given to the ambiguities of
life are too easy.

• Peace Pilgrim has walked over 25,000 miles . . . has crossed the US many times and
has walked through Canada and Mexico . . . her only possessions; a navy blue tunic and
slacks, sneakers, a comb and a ballpoint pen. Her pilgrimage is an act of faith. She says, "I
shall remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace . . . walking until I am
given shelter and fasting until I am given food."

• STOP SIGNS; Bulletin board of the Wichita Church of the Brethren; Sermon
topic — To Feed the Hungry . . . directly below it was this announcement; Ice Cream Social
tonight.

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers; Anna Mow -The Broken
Wall, Marcus Bach; A Testament of Devotion, Thomas Kelley; Creation Continues, Fritz
Kunkel. David Rogers —T/je Bihle Speaks to You, Robert McAfee Brown; To a Dancing
God, Sam Keen; The Wounded Hjealer, Henri J. Nouwen.

• From another Pilgrim's Pen; "For many of us in this era the road to holiness neces-
sarily passes through the world of action." — Dag Hammarskjold

See you on the journey — p.k.ii.

July 1979 MESSENGER 31

Rediscovering wholeness and peace

Living Toward a Vision: Biblical Reflec-
tions on Shalom, by Walter Brueggemann.
United Churcti Press, 1976 201 pages

S4 95

Heeling and Wholeness, by John A San-
ford, Paulist Press, 1977 157 pages, S5,95

Waiting for the Lord: Thirty-Three
Meditations on God and Man, Gordon W
Allport, edited by Peter A Bertocci, Mac-
Millan Publishing Co , 1978 1 23 pages
$5 95

by Larry K. Ulrich

"Doing Better, but Feeling Worse" was the
caption the late John Knowles, physi-
cian and president of the Rocicefeller
Foundation, gave to the Daedalus
examination of health care in the United
States. The thrust of the articles was to
criticize technological medicine, oriented to
scientific approaches to cure and disease,
but leaving out valued human
relationships. Paul Tournier in The
Healing of Persons called this missing ele-
ment "personal medicine," the mystery of
healing that occurs when persons care for
and respect one another. There have been
many developments in the profession of
medicine (family practice, preventive
medicine, holistic health care) which are
attempts to regain that sense of care and
concern, while still having the benefits of
technical and institutional advancements.

How do we rediscover wholeness in
healing or in our relationships within crisis,
stress or illness situations? It is easy to find
fault with particular professionals or
disciplines without having much to offer as
alternative positive approaches to complex
problems. Often we cannot communicate
clearly how our alternatives are grounded
in our faith or religious language, par-
ticularly in confronting those persons who
do not start with a perspective of faith or
broader view of truth. In our congregations
we can use the words of "wholeness" and
"peace," but we find difficulty translating
these to the world of sophisticated health
delivery systems.

We are helped in focusing on wholeness
and peace by these three authors. They

help us to bridge a communication gap and
to understand what we can offer as a faith
community to public concepts of health.
Walter Brueggemann is a theologian and
dean of Eden Theological Seminary. John
Sanford is a minister and pastoral
counselor. Gordon Allport was a
distinguished pioneer in psychology and
taught at Harvard University. Their writ-
ings are of a form which church groups or
individuals could study biblically oriented
and founded answers to some of these
perplexing questions. All have a depth that
encourages self-examination, and Allport's
Waiting for the Lord is particularly good
for meditation. Of these. Living Toward a
Vision would be excellent for study in
Christian education groups.

In Healing and Wholeness John Sanford
reminds us that our words for "health" and
"wholeness" are from the same root word,
hal, which means wholeness, a vitality of
our entire being and our relationships with
others. Wholeness is not the sum of the
parts of a person. It is an awareness that we
are more than the sum of our parts.
Specifically, we don't decide to become
whole, rather it is thrust upon us by the life
force which God has implanted in us. We
may consciously recognize this process at
times, but usually it is a self-healing quality
that evades complete rational description.

Sanford clarifies how Jesus was not
satisfied with "cure," but emphasized
restoring persons to wholeness, including
their relationship with God. The Bible
provides many cases when Jesus healed
persons with combinations of physical,
spiritual, emotional or social dis-ease. Cure
is used in those situations where Jesus
healed someone far away. The common
response for healing someone in his
presence was, "Your faith has made you
whole." Wholeness then is an achievable
goal in crisis events and is greater than
physical cure.

Our problem of defining things as they
are not, rather than what they are, is just as
true in using the word "peace." Peace does
not only mean the absence of conflict,
aggression, oppression or violence. Walter
Brueggemann sounds Brethren in Living

Toward a Vision in his appreciation of
peace being a way of life, founded upon a
relationship with God. Peace is a "vision"
of all creation being drawn into community
around the will of God. It is a state of
being where all can know God's immediate
healing presence, just as God led and
reconciled himself with those in need in the
Exodus and Christ events. Peace as shalom
is an experience of wholeness, not based on
having access to or affording professional
services.

B,

'rueggemann points to the implications
of shalom as existing in the community of
faith that creates freedom and harbors
salvation and justice. Thus, peace is
confrontive of the world, particularly in the
world's denial of freedom and unity. These
too are complex concepts, which he shows
as not only being social but personal. We
discover God's shalom in the community
which lives our freedom and unity.
Shalom, as unity and order, is God's
continuing provision of wholeness in the
midst of human efforts for estrangement,
fragmentation, and brokenness. The
freeing power of shalom is over against
oppression, whether that comes from our
own self-deceptions or from the coercion
others impose upon us. Living towards this
\ision means having God's peace to the
point of courageously risking, being
vulnerable in a world wanting security and
emptying ourselves as Jesus did. The
shalom of God is not found in the short-
term gains of human power, positions, or
profits.

Brueggemann has provided a correction
to the writings of other understandings of
shalom, which are often seen as sweet
escapes from reality. He does not take the
sting out of sin. nor deny God's
confrontive judgments against evil. Shalom
isn't placid withdrawal; shalom is being
"in" but not "of the world as a mission
people. Brueggemann presents a high
challenge to the church to become both
more freeing and more uniting. Shalom is
being shepherded by God "... to go
where we are not and to become what we

32 MESSENGER July 1979

are not . . . ," nor ever could be without
the peace of God.

Brueggemann concludes his interpreta-
tion of shalom as living toward a vision
that has a healing and sustaining quality
for us as individual persons: "God as healer
is not a patron of those who have or who
belong or who know. In the biblical tradi-
tion God is precisely the free, un-
domesticated power of wholeness, who is
not owned by those who own everything
and who is not understood by those who
know everything useful." Even when we ex-
perience pain, illness, doubt or discomfort,
we still have available God's shalom.

The meditations presented by Gordon
Allport over a period of almost 30 years at
Harvard's Appleton Chapel formulate a
progression of how one struggles with the
questions of life and the discovering of the
wholeness and peace described here. By not
attempting to escape or deny our troubles,
nor pretending consolation, we can develop
an intellectual humility and spiritual
courage by trusting and Waiting for the
Lord, as Job did, in spite of all suffering.
Allport writes, "One must find sorrie
center, some way of focusing one's ex-
istence, some anchoring faith, or one will
grow weary of life and drift with the winds
of circumstance, with his own impulses,
and with each cross-current that he meets."

Wholeness and peace are bonded in a
God-gjven process that both challenges and
humbles us. We are drawn near to the
center of our being and into the presence of
God, as individuals and participants of the
community of faith. God is with and within
us even when we are not aware. Peace and
wholeness are available whether sickness
continues or social strife persists. The key
to our experiencing God's peace and
wholeness is in our faithful response to
these gifts of God's love. Then we have
much to say back to the world that the
world desperately needs. CH

l.arrv K. t'trich is actinia vite president fur religion
anil nteilitine. fivantit'liial Hospital Association (UCC),
and associate pro/essor. Rush University, Chicago. In
the department ol psychology and social sciences, and
the department ol religion and health. He is a member
ol the York Center congregation in Lombard, III.

If you've never subscribed
to this quarterly journal,
you've missed out on more
than 20 years of lively
articles, debates, essays,
dialogues, interviews,
poetry, sketches, and re-
views that portray Brethren
life and thought. But
bear up! There's
way more than 20
years of them ahead!

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

BRETHREN
LIFE AND
THOUGHT

Brethren Lite and Thought
Bethany Theological Seminary
Meyers and Butterfield Roads
Oak Brook. IL 60521

Please enroll me in the Brethren Journal Association
and send me Brethren Life and Thought, as follows:

D Subscribing member at $10 00/year

D Regular member at $12 00/year

D Sustaining member at $100.00

(Make check payable to Brethren Life and Thought )

Name —

Street

aty

State.

. Zip-

July 1979 MESSENGER 33

(^©[lyoijiM

by Dean L. Farringer

Alternatives to detachment

As the family disburses and friends move
away, one's social support network
becomes more fragile. It needs reinforcing,
if it is not eventually to break.

A piece of cloth weakened by wear and
broken strands can be strengthened; why
not the fabric of people all of us need and
rely on to help hold us together as persons?
It's possible. In pre-throw-away days, my
mother and both grandmothers were ex-
perts in this process. It was called mending!

I propose this technology of mending
cloth be revived and adapted for prevent-
ing isolation and reducing vulnerability
resulting from the thinning out of one's
fabric of social support. Add strands.
Make a closer weave. Reinforce so it can
give protection and provide needed sup-
port; so it won't break down when one
strand gives way under stress. Living in
houses too remote from each other can
weaken this fabric of human support so
crucial in time of need. An isolated
residence holds the risk of isolating its oc-
cupants. Instead of offering support and
protection, the house may itself eventually
need to be supported and protected. What
was once a dream house, offering shelter
and seclusion, may simply by the passing
of time, become a burden.

1 would like to see people have a choice,
by creating alternative living situations
designed to provide mutual support and
security even after the family scatters, and
taking care of the lawn isn't as much fun as
it used to be. To me, this means individuals
and families of all ages developing ways of
establishing their residences closer together
to form a stronger fabric, of both com-
munity and family.

Having living units closer, even to shar-
ing common walls and walkways, could
also offer the advantage of more land space
left over for flower beds, a garden or a
playground.

The single-family house has long been a
symbol of independence and achievement.
However, sharply rising costs of

ownership, utilities and taxes may soop
make a detached house a luxury only the
very rich or the very determined can af-
ford. Some people are seeking comfortable,
energy-efficient and cost-effective alter-
natives offering a sense of supportive com-
munity not ordinarily found in contem-
porary neighborhoods.

The concept of condominium housing
may be adaptable as an alternative to the
single family detached residence on the one
hand, and the isolation of a rented apart-
ment or single room where one is depen-
dent on landlords, corrimercial developers
or caretakers, on the other hand.

Groups of people with similar values and
aims might well get together to explore
possible congregate housing arrangements
consistent with their needs, preferences
and resources. Some objectives of this
grass roots exploration might be;

1) Find and mobilize people and
resources; encourage creative exploration;
weigh the advantages and pitfalls of such
an enterprise; share and utilize informa-
tion.

2) Develop models and mechanisms for
people to create alternative living
situations. This could include such steps as
forming an association, formulating pur-
poses, drafting declarations, incorporating
and eventually purchasing or building a
facility which meets the needs of the
owner-residents in the community they
developed.

3) Include people on the basis of com-
mon values and aims, rather than by age or
other arbitrary classification.

4) Utilize expert counsel in legal
procedures, financing, social and spiritual
aspects of developing a sense of
community — leadership, communication,
periodic assembly, decision making and
conflict resolution.

5) Increase the possibility for people to
live in their own homes for a lifetime —
through crisis, infirmity or loss — beyond
what might be feasible when living in a

detached house, farther from supportive
assistance.

6) Provide as many or as few services,
amenities and common areas as are desired
and consistent with the goals of the com-
munity. These could include such things as
recreation facilities, an activity program,
social and central dining areas for larger
family gatherings, gardens and a
greenhouse.

7) Consider the implications for church
extension: Instead of the church reaching
out to the community, the church becomes
a community involved in the world.

This type of supportive residential com-
munity is not new. It's a variation of the
"extended family" of neighbors and
relatives as might be experienced in small
neighborhoods or apartment buildings with
stable populations. True, there are
frustrations in knowing and being known
by everyone. It is different from living
among transients or people who like being
anonymous.

The condominium idea could combine
the security and convenience of apartment
living with the headaches of indi\idual
ownership and responsibilities of residents.
Privacy and individual family integrity
could be combined with community sen-
sitivity and corporate responsibility. A
further benefit would be the opportunity to
have a part in developing a condominium
community where you will live, rather than
separately buying into an already estab-
lished association and facility commercial-
ly designed and developed from purposes
not necessarily compatible with highest
spiritual and human needs. D

Dean L. Farringer is a psychiatric social worker at Ft.
Logan Mental Health Center in Denver. Colo., and a
member of the Prince of Peace congregation.

34 MESSENGER July 1979

i^P[r^D[n)(o) p(mMi

137th BVS
Orientation Unit

(Training completed Nov. 12,

1978)

Brogan, Mart ha ( Danny), of
Salem, Va., to Ganado Al-
coholism Program. Ganado.
Ariz.

Dean. Gary L, of Melrose
Park. III., to Brethren Serv-
ice Center, New Windsor,
MD.

Harbut. Anne M.. of Harris-
burg. Pa., to Poland

I^fever, Nancy, of Spring
Grove, Pa., to Gould Farm,
Monterey, Mass.

Leiter. Edward R.. of Waynes-
boro. Pa., to Elgin, III.

Miller. David, of State Col-
lege, Pa., to The Solid Rock,
Brigham City. Utah

Moyer. J. Martin (Marty), of
Souderton. Pa., to Morrison
Cove Home, Martins-
burg, Pa.

Nielsen. Norma, of Modesto,
Calif., to Norborne Day Care
Center, Martinsburg, W. Va.

Reed, Michael, of Huntington.
Ind., to Gould Farm, Mon-
terey, Mass.

Ritterskamp, Tamara. of An-
derson. Ind.. to Sage
Memorial Hospital. Ganado,
Ariz.

Townsend. Frances, of War-
saw. Ind.. to Poland

Tucker, Linda, of Warren, III.,
to The Solid Rock, Brigham
City. Utah

Wilson. David, of Brookville.
Ohio, to Camp Alexander
Mack. Miiford, Ind.

138th BVS
Orientation Unit

(Training completed Jan. 27.

1979)

Biddle, Virginia, of Covington.
Va.. to Voice of Calvary.
Jackson. Miss.

Good, Duane. of New Bloom-
field. Pa., to Voice of Cal-
vary. Jackson. Miss.

Haldeman. Gary Lee, of Man-
heim. Pa., to Voice of Cal-
vary. Jackson. Miss.

Heag), Luke, of Lebanon. Pa.,
to Lewiston Housing
Authority, Lewiston. Me.

Henry. Lois, of Glen Rock, Pa.,
to Voice of Calvary. Jack-
son, Miss.

Horsl. David, of Ephrata, Pa.,
to Voice of Calvary, Jack-
son. Miss.

Kreider. Donna, of Lititz, Pa.,
to Lewiston Housing
Authority, Lewiston, Me.

Miller, John, of East Berlin,
Pa., to Lewiston Housing
Authority, Lewiston, Me.

Yosl. Kelly, of York, Pa., to
Voice of Calvary, Jackson,
Miss.

Zeager. Herman and Mary, of
Bainbridge, Pa., to Voice of
Calvary, Jackson, Miss.

Zimmerman, Eugene and
Mary, of Ephrata. Pa., to
Lewiston Housing Authority,
Lewiston, Me.

139th BVS
Orientation Unit

(Training completed Feb. 3,
1979)

Bolinger, Cheryl, of North
Manchester. Ind., awaiting
assignment

Dunkelberger. Bonnie, of Loys-
ville. Pa., to Koinos House.
Adrian. Mich,

Hacker, Kevin, of Ephrata. Pa.,
to The Palms, Sebring, Fla.

Snavel>. Loraine, of Fruitland,
Ida., to Dundalk Church
Youth Services Program.
Baltimore. Md.

Vanl.andeghem, Dawn, of Nor-
ristown. Pa., to Mother
Goose Day Care Center. El-
gin, III.

140th BVS
Orientation Unit

(Training completed Mar. 7.
1979)

Alwine, Clyde and Alice, of
Stahlstown. Pa., to Brethren
Village, Lancaster, Pa.

Frulh. Carl, of Fostoria, Ohio,
awaiting assignment

Hanley. Richard, of Cedar
Falls, Iowa, to Brethren Vil-
lage. Lancaster, Pa.

Joseph. David and Mary, of
Onekama, Mich., to Flat
Creek Church of the Breth-
ren. Flat Creek, Ky.

Kelly. Ellen Davis, of Boynton
Beach, Ra., to Pleasant Hill
Village, Girard. III.

King. Rufus. of North Man-
chester. Ind., to District of
Michigan, Consultant on Ag-
ing.

Marshall,, Virgil, of Adel, Iowa,
awaiting assignment

Sanko. Marilyn, of Manheim.
Pa., Elgin. III.

Williamson, Murray and Ruth,
of Wenatchee. Wash., to
Brother's Redevelopment.
Inc.. Denver, Colo.

Wort. Olive Grace, of Sebring,
Fla., to The Palms, Sebring,
Ra.

Licensing/
Ordination

Anderson. Elmer E., licensed
Feb. 25, 1979. Meadow
Branch, Mid-Atlantic

Edwards. Kenneth L., licensed
March 10, 1979. Pleasant
View. Southeastern

Foust. Robert. licensed March
18, 1979, Marion, South/
Central Indiana

Coldizen. Thomas L. (Sam),
ordained March 1 1. 1979,
Knobley. West Marva

King. John Bruce, licensed
March 1 1. 1979, Los Angeles.
Imperial Heights, Pacific
Southwest

IJIIer. Mark Wesley, licensed
March 25. 1979. Happy Cor-
ner, Southern Ohio

Steele. Randy Lee, licensed at
Yorkana, New Fairview,
Southern Pennsylvania

Pastoral
Placements

Bant/., Floyd E., from Roaring
Spring, Middle Pennsyl-
vania, to Lancaster. Atlantic
Northeast

Barkdoll. Stanley G.. from
Clovis, Southern Plains, to
Rodney and District Minis-
ter of Nurture, Michigan

Bowman. Lee. from other de-
nomination, to New Enter-
prise. Middle Pennsylvania

Carter. Phyllis, from Bethany
Seminary, to York Center,
Illinois/ Wisconsin, interim

Craig. H. Smith, from other de-
nomination and student, to
Eagle Creek. Northern Ohio

Edwards. Ova, to Coulson. Vir-
lina

Hess, Cecil D.. from Union-
town, Western Pennsyl-
vania, to Greencastle. South-
ern Pennsylvania

Hosteller. Tom, from Bethany
Seminary, to Lone Star,
Western Plains

Houff. James Lee. from St.
Petersburg, Florida /Puerto
Rico, to Eden. Virlina

Juillerat, Virgil, from secular,
to Sugar Creek. South/Cen-
tral Indiana, part-time

Krndy, Dean, from Chippewa.
Northern Ohio, to Lake
Breeze, Northern Ohio

Kinzie, Tom. to Springfield.
Illinois/ Wisconsin

Layman, Frank B.. from
secular to Monte Vista, Vir-
lina, part-time

Meyer, Ammon B.. to Mount
Zion, Atlantic Northeast, in-
terim, part-time

Mitchell. S. Earl, from Bethle-
hem (interim) and Monte
Vista, Virlina. to Bethlehem
(only). Virlina

Mitchell. Vernon D., from
Mountville. Atlantic North-
east, to Wenatchee Brethren,
Baptist Church United, Ore-
gon Washington

Mummert, John, from Phoenix
1st. Pacific Southwest, to
Garden City. Western Plains

O'Diam. Eva, from Bethany,
student, to Olivet, Southern
Ohio, intern

Persons. Russell, to Fairview,
Northern Ohio, part-time

Rogers, Clifford B., from
secular. Pacific Southwest, to
Danville. Emmanuel, Virlina

Wedding
Anniversaries

Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Noah,

Mount Pleasant, Ind., 70
Blough, Mr. and Mrs. Dorsey,

Waterloo. Iowa, 62
Blough, Mr. and Mrs. Sterling,

Windber, Pa., 50
Boyd, Mr. and Mrs. Henry J.,

Sebring, Fla., 50
Brightbill. Mr. and Mrs.

Hiram, Cleona, Pa., 51
Burr, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth

R., North Manchester, Ind.,

52
Custer. Mr. and Mrs. Joe,

Quinter, Kan., 50
Fahnestock, Mr. and Mrs.

Nathan. Bethel. Pa.. 60
Flora. Mr. and Mrs. Jonas,

Boones Mill. Va.. 60
Flory, Mr. and Mrs. Glen, Mc-

Pherson. Kan.. 50
Casserl, Mr. and Mrs. Lowell,

Lebanon, Pa.. 56
Hartley, Mr. and Mrs. George,

Harleysville, Pa., 60
Hess, Mr. and Mrs. Frank,

Pleasant Hill, Ohio, 67
HufTaker, Mr. and Mrs. Perry,

Greenville, Ohio, 56
Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Royal,

Waterloo. Iowa. 53
Kaylor. Mr. and Mrs. Roy B..

Elizabethtown. Pa., 56
Lehman, Mr. and Mrs. Hobart

Weaver. Windber, Pa., 58
Leonard. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey.

Pleasant Hill. Ohio. 50
IJchly. Mr. and Mrs. Clark.

Waterloo, Iowa. 56
McRoberls, Mr. and Mrs. Roy,

Copemish, Mich., 60
Martin. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde,

Hagerstown, Md., 55
Mathis. Mr. and Mrs. Jeff, La

Verne, Calif., 60
Noll, Mr. and Mrs. Bud. Pleas-
ant Hill. Ohio. 50
Retry. Mr. and Mrs. Earl. West

Manchester. Ohio. 66
Redmond, Mr. and Mrs. Fred,

Quinter, Kan., 50
Shumaker, Mr. and Mrs. Eu-
gene, Ontario. Calif.. 50
Simmons, Mr. and Mrs.

Qaude, Knob Creek. Tenn.,

60
Sollenberger. Mr. and Mrs.

Noah, Glendale, Calif., 70
Tannreulher, Mr. and Mrs. Or-

ville, Waterloo, Iowa, 59
Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. W.

O.. Eden. N.C.. 50
Whitehead, Mr. and Mrs. Dale,

Warsaw. Ind.. 50
Whitehead, Mr. and Mrs. Earl,

Warsaw, Ind., 54
Whitehead, Mr. and Mrs,

Galen, Nokomis, Fla., 55
Wickersham. Mr. and Mrs.

Clarence M., Wilmington,

Del., 50
W'ickerl. Mr. and Mrs. Reuben

D., Astoria, III., 59
Voder. Mr. and Mrs. George.

New Paris, Ind., 50

Deaths

Anderson. Mina, 82, Rocky

Ford, Colo., March 14, 1979
Andrews. Fred, 71. Sequim.

Wash.. March 4, 1979
Bennett, Glenn, 74, Bradenton,

Ra., Feb. 25, 1979
Bernhard. Ruth A. Bowers, 62,

Elizabethtown. Pa.. March

17. 1979
Brown, Glennon C, 70, Mor-

ristown, Tenn., May 16, 1978
Brubaker. Steven Ray, 31,

Holmesville, Neb., Dec. 28,

1978
Carpenter. Howard. 95,

Beatrice, Neb., Sept. 4, 1978
Crumley, William Landon, 92,

Ewing, Va., March 18, 1979
Cutlip. Sam, 76, Ashland,

Ohio, Feb. 15. 1979

Diehl, Rossie Garkey, 84,
Mount Morns. 111.. March
31. 1979

Elder, Charles. 40, South Bend,
Ind., Nov. 29, 1978

Fit/water, Lawson L., 59. Hill-
crest Heights. Md.. March
13. 1979

Flory, Raymond William. 58.
Harrisonburg. Va.. March
31. 1979

Henr>. Marie. 75, Greenville.
Ohio. March 4. 1979

Johnson, Royal E., 80, Water-
loo. Iowa. Apr. 8, 1979

Karlson, Walter. 87. Kingsley,
Iowa. March 10. 1979

Keplinger, Evelyn. 84, Mays-
ville. W. Va.. Jan. 5. 1979'

Knieriem. Inez Vera. 51.
Wilmington, Del., Apr. 3,
1979

Lewis, Gertrude, 88, Lewiston,
Minn, Oct. 13, 1978

Long. Joseph Winn, 87, War-
rensburg. Mo.. Feb. 28. 1979

Longanecker, Elwood J., 66,
Columbiana, Ohio. March 4,
1979

Ma>slorvich, Paul, 56, Wind-
ber. Pa.. Feb. 2. 1979

Miller. Arthur M.. 85. Mc-
Pherson. Kan., March 20,
1979

Miller, Pearl Cupp, 99, Bridge-
water. Va.. Feb. 23. 1979

Moss, Patricia Jean, 15, Dixon,
111., March 28, 1979

Newcomer, Edwin C, 78,
Waynesboro, Pa., March 10,
1979

Otiinger, Marilynn Ruth, 33,
Knoxville. Md., March 24.
1979

Phillips. Elizabeth Virginia. 67.
Knoxville. Md.. March 16.
1979

Richardson, Ernest R., 81.
Eden, N.C.. Oct. 29. 1978

Royer, Rudy, 82, Dallas Cen-
ter, Iowa, Jan, 19, 1979

.Schmidt. Celia, 77, Lewiston,
Minn., Sept. 29, 1978

Shaffer, Roy, 84, Beatrice,
Neb.. Jan. 9, 1979

Snavely. Everett H., 86, Water-
loo. Iowa. Jan. 30. 1979

Snowberger, Shirley K., 42.
Waynesboro. Pa.. March 28.
1979

Spurrier, Bill, 26, Silver
Spring, Md., March 4, 1979

Strate, Mary Beehler, 66, Litch-
field, Neb., Jan. 9, 1979

Thaeker, Genevieve, Mollo-
han, 69, Harrisonburg, Va.,
March 29. 1979

Theal. Samuel, 94, Hummels-
town. Pa., March 10, 1979

Thompson, Orrile Droud, 84,
New Paris, Ohio, March 19,
1979

Thome, J. Van, 79, Maysville,
W. Va., March 21. 1979

Tobias. Nellie L., 95, Middle-
bury, Ind.. Feb. 13. 1979

Wareham, Ethel Sloner, 72,
Martinsburg, Pa., Dec. 2,
1978

Whitmer, Bertha Glick,
Bridgewater, Va., Oct.
1978

W'ilson. Kate, 73, Lewiston,
Minn., May 17, 1978

87.
14.

July 1979 MESSENGER 35

On war, nuclear energy, ERA, greed,

Sarah Alexander- Mack

The case for
a small war

The morning newspaper carried a story
that the registration of men for the mihtary
draft might soon be resumed. I was anx-
ious to get the view of our district peace
counselor, Wilburn Muggins, on this
development. I found him in his backyard
blacksmith shop, where he spends much of
his time these days.

"Well, what do you think, Wilburn?
Young men may again be required to
register for the armed services. Isn't this
terrible?"

But Wilburn was positively beaming.
"I'm not so sure, Sarah," he grunted, look-
ing up from his work. "Actually, I'm
delighted. Ending registration has really
hurt the peace movement."

"Surely you must be kidding," I said.
"Why, your whole life has been devoted
to ... "

"Look at it this way, Sarah," he in-
terrupted. "In the past two years little has
changed. The armed forces remain intact,
recruitment is still going on, the defense
budget is rising, we've had wars and
rumors of wars. And you know as well as I
do that conscientious objectors are less
likely to declare themselves without the
necessity of registration."

Wilburn was obviously wound up. "But
what really has me worried." he said, "is
that the peace movement might fold up.
You know, Sarah, that the Brethren don't
do a very good job at working for peace in
times like these. They think the job has
been done."

1 was a bit taken aback. "Yes, 1 see what
you mean," I told him, hardly convinced.
"We need something to keep the peace
issue alive between wars. I can sense the
apathy today. What has become of the
street marches and protest demon-
strations?"

To hold in respect and fellowship those in
the church with whom we agree or disagree
is a characteristic of the Church of the
Brethren. It is to the continuation of this
value, and to an open and probing forum,
that "Opinions" are invited from readers.

"That's right," Wilburn said. Why,
students are actually studying again. It's a
disgrace."

"And we're running out of nominees for
Brethren Peacemaker of the Year awards,"
I observed, while Wilburn continued
pounding the red hot metal over his anvil
with even greater vigor.

"How will those who are rising in the
ranks of Churchdom receive their 'peace
credentials' without a war to oppose?"
Wilburn countered. "They need that 'in the
trenches' experience in the peace movement
if they are to be effective should another
war come along."

w,

ilburn was visibly excited by our con-
versation, and I was a little sorry I had
brought up the subject. He was perspiring
heavily from the fire on the hearth and the
energy he put to his task, and I mopped his
forehead with his kerchief.

"Here, turn the other cheek," I told him,
and he did so willingly, as I wiped the
perspiration from his face.

"But what do you suggest, Wilburn?" I
asked.

"What we need is a small, clean war," he
responded.

"Surely you must be kidding?"

"Oh, I don't mean anything where
anyone would get hurt," he said. "We'd
hurl a few insults, then a quick escalation
of hostilities, and before you know it
there'd be people marching in the streets
again, demanding peace negotiations,"
he grunted between blows with his
hammer.

"The issues would be debated in the
press, and once again the need for peace
would be articulated and 'peace in our
time' proclaimed . . ."

I had to interrupt. "But who would we
go to war with?"

"I've thought about that. We could pick
a fight with California. Out there they act
like a different country anyway. We could
occupy Disneyland for a time, the people
would have an issue to rally around, and
peace would again be an issue."

Wilburn's comments were more than I
could take, and I figured that he was suf-
fering from peace fatigue. 1 watched his
work at the forge, and realized that
Wilburn was turning out plowshares and
pruning hooks.

Wanting to change the subject, 1 asked

Wilburn what he would do with them.

"Sell them, what else?" he asked.

"But surely you'll donate them to needy
people?"

Wilburn looked up. his hammer in mid-
air: "What, with the price of swords and
spears these days?" [H

Sarah Alexander- Mai k is the nuni de plume of a
Brethren contributor whose name, upon request.

Leonard C. Carter

Making the world
safe for children

To split the atom started out as a dream in
many scientists' minds. Then it came to be
reality. Soon, though, it turned out to be
more than scientists could handle.
Questions arose that could not be
answered. For instance, w hat to do about
atomic waste — how can it be stored safely
for the millions of years it takes to lose its
radioactivity?

When I first learned about nuclear
energy, I thought, "Great! A good energy
source for the future." I thought about out-
er space travel with nuclear fuel. Then the
movie, "The China Syndrome," came out. 1
went to see it and found it fascinating. At
the same time, the Three Mile Island
nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania had
trouble and began leaking radiation into
the atmosphere.

After seeing "The China Syndrome" 1
became interested in how the real world
handles nuclear energy. I started to collect
the newspaper articles related to the Three
Mile Island accident and articles about
other incidents involving nuclear
accidents — everything 1 could lay my
hands on. Reading the papers I found that
"The China Syndrome" story and the acci-
dent at Three Mile Island were the same. It
really did happen! It was a shock to me!

The most disgusting part of Three Mile
Island and "China Syndrome" was that the
profit of a few persons was more important
than the safety of millions. This was made
obvious by the comments officials from the
power plant made in trying to protect the
power plant. They made statements about
the accident just the opposite of those
made by the NRC. I wondered if I could
trust the people who make a profit from
the nuclear power plants.

36 MESSENGER .luly 1979

peace tax

Nuclear research should be done in
laboratories to find cleaner ways and safer
ways of using nuclear energy, and to find
effective ways of getting rid of the waste. If
these cannot be done, we should forget
about nuclear energy and turn to solar
energy instead.

Children would like to have a word, too.
It is our generation which is going to suffer
from the mistakes of the adults. So, please,
do something! □

Leonard C. Carter is a 13-year old mertiher of the
Datevilte (Va.) congregation.

Blaine Miner

Three Mile Island:
What's the cost?

The late March incident at Three Mile
Island was traumatic for me. The ordeal of
having to leave the Elizabethtown College
campus at a moment's notice, the threat of
mass evacuation, the disruption of every-
day life by both rumor and fact — are these
and other experiences the cost we want to
pay for cheaper energy? Anxiety, genetic
damage, death — are those the cost? Let us
count well the cost.

Three Mile Island makes the challenge to
seek a simple life-style more apparent than
ever. We need to become less dependent on
existing energy sources. I am not an avid
simple life advocate — my current life-style
haunts me — "who is my neighbor?" In the
case of Three Mile Island and other possi-
ble accidents, my neighbors are those who
live near nuclear energy plants.

The scripture on which master to serve
came alive in south central Pennsylvania.
Have I become a servant to material
wealth, do I endanger my neighbor by for-
cing the building of another nuclear energy
plant? I like my life-style, but to continue it
is folly.

I thank God that the worst that could
happen at Three Mile Island never hap-
pened. But for the future Three Mile Island,
Brethren should write their legislators at
state and national levels to urge re-
evaluation of nuclear energy production.

If the cost of what happened at Three
Mile Island is acceptable, then the cost of
nuclear energy is not cheap at all. D

Blaine Miner is a May graduate of Elizabethtown
College, Elizabethtown, Pa., and a member of the
Highland A venue congregation in Elgin, III.

Roberta Holiday

ERA is a fraud
posing as rights

I disagree wholeheartedly with the conclu-
sion that Jesus' view and treatment of
women is reason for churches to support
the ERA (that is, put time, money, effort,
whatever into its passage.) (See "Jesus a
Feminist?" February Messenger.)

The Bible not only clearly states that
men and women are equal in God's sight.
It also places equal importance on the
God-gjven roles of men and women to the
"healthy" structure of marriage and family.
I believe God's purpose in stressing this
goes beyond the needs of the family
to the nation. A nation of "healthy" fami-
lies is a healthy nation, as it puts well-ad-
justed, mature minds into government.
That's where the church has failed
royally. The church needs to be put-
ting its time and energy into the train-
ing of men and women on the basis of the
passages cited in the article and many
others. It needs to stress the importance of
the God-gjven roles and gifts of both men
and women and the necessary respect for
each.

ERA is a fraud. It will never give
women the freedom they seek and long
for. Sure, it may speed up the process of
getting some women into coveted offices,
but women fighting so hard for these
things will still lack the satisfaction they
seek.

John Beckett, writing for Intercessors for
America newsletter, states that a leader of
the women's movement revealed that she
and many others would not be in the
movement if they had satisfactory home-
life structure — "strong husbands who loved
them and cared for them." I believe
research would reveal that the majority, if
not all of those women who have found
their peace with God and have learned the
"secrets" of creating a happy home and
fulfilling life — married or single — are not
pushing for ERA, at least not for
themselves.

Some feminists, Eliza Paschall for one
(former secretary of NOW) has moved
from a pro to a con position, stating that
the amendment won't give women anything
they don't already have. What they really
need is information on their present rights.

CLASSIFIED ADS

TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE-See the Pas-
sion Play and spend 15 days touring Europe
in July 1980. Join Anna Mow, Wendell
Bohrer and Joan Bohrer as your tour hosts.
Visit Schwarzenau, Oberammergau, visit
Worms, enjoy river boat ride on the Rhine
River and visit Reformation Park in Geneva.
(Price $1499.) For information write Wen-
dell Bohrer, pastor, 96 Penrod St.. Johns-
town, PA 15902. (814) 5361811 or (814)
266-2629,

TRAVEL— Dr. Desmond Bittmger and Dr, Ed
Bontrager invite you to join in a Christian
Heritage Tour to Europe featuring Oberam-
mergau Passion Play. Highlighting "New Call
to Peacemaking"; features spots sacred to
Brethren and Mennonites, incl.

Schwarzenau, Zurich, 15-day tour, departs
July 29, 1980, incl. Amsterdam, Cologne,
Frankfurt, Munich, Innsbruck, Venice, Swiss
Alps, Lucerne, Berne, Paris, Brussels, much
more. Because of Passion Play, early deposit
of $50 required; fully refundable. Discount of
$50 available. Contact Rev. Ed, Bontrager.
502 S, Ross, Santa Ana, CA 92701, (714)
543-1569.

TRAVEL— Scandinavian 15 day tour includ-
ing Denmark, Sweden, Norway and impor-
tant sites in Holland and Germany, August 7,
1979. 15-day Alpine countries and Oberam-
mergau Passion Play July 15, 1980. Inquire
immediately for Passion Play reservations.
Write for brochure; Rev. Richard C. Wenger,
314 E. Washington St., Huntington, IN
46750. (219) 356-7983 collect.

WANTED — Up to 4 copies "Meet Henry
Kurtz," by Brandt. Contact Mrs. Ezra L. Kurtz,
2006 College Ave., Goshen, IN 46526.

WANTED — Service Manager. Growing farm
equipment dealership in Colorado requires
topnotch man to supervise, train and moti-
vate personnel, salary DOQ, excellent work-
ing conditions plus benefits. Call manager at
(303) 829-4821

FOR SALE— "The 25th Anniversary Cook-
book," published by The Brethren Home
Auxiliary, New Oxford, Pa. $8,75 plus $1.25
p&h. Loose-leaf book; over 1,000 tried and
tested recipes. Order from The Brethren
Home, c/o Milton E. Raup, Box 128, New Ox-
ford, PA 17350

FOR SALE— The Michigan District Holy Spirit
Retreat at Camp Brethren Hts. blessed
many. Tapes available. Write Otto S. Zuck-
schwerdt, 1846 Catherine Ave., Muskegon,
Ml 49442. Full set of tapes donated to Dis-
trict Film Library, 5505 Union Deposit Road,
Harrisburg, PA 17111. Write library for loan
of tapes.

Christ's rule encompasses every aspect of
life He IS gathenng a community and lead-
ing It himself. Publishers of Truth, 1 S 147
Third St., Lombard, IL 60148

July 1979 MESSENGER 37

pmja^^ (§>(§&(^n4(m

/activities of the church undertaken with the guidance of God's Holy Spirit lead
toward fulfillment of God's will, whether they consist of preaching the gospel, minis-
tering to spiritual and temporal needs or working for social justice. Not the least im-
portant ingredient in the effort to bring all things into harmony with God's will is
prayer.

You are invited to suggest items to the Prayer Calendar for inclusion. Such
items should express concerns wider than local ones. Prayer for persons or programs
known only by a particular congregation may perhaps be most effectively made
within the congregation where the needs are best known. Send items to Prayer Cal-
endar, Parish Ministries Commission, Church of the Brethren General Offices, 1451
Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120. The compiler of the Prayer Calendar, Glen Norris,
will give consideration to all requests submitted and will select items for inclusion in
the monthly prayer list.

You are encouraged to give prayer support to the following:

July prayer calendar

July 1-7: Annual Conference, July 3-8, in Seattle, Wash.; the unity of the church; the
delegates making decisions; newly elected officers and General Board members.

The President of the United States, members of Congress and other public ser-
vants as they face issues confronting our nation.

July 8-14: Those who recently assumed duties as members of the General Board staff:
Janine Katonah, new member of the Stewardship Enlistment Team; Robert E. Fans,
Ministry Consultant; and Jacqueline D. Driver, Health and Welfare Consultant.

The plight of the "boat people" of Southeast Asia and Brother Galen Beery,
working with them.

William R. Eberly, as he takes on the duties of his office as the moderator of
Annual Conference.

July 15-21: Brethren Volunteer Service orientation at Flat Creek, Ky., beginning July
15 and continuing for five weeks.

Brethren Life and Thought and its editor, Edward K. Ziegler, as the journal
begins its 25th year of publication.

The Southern Plains District meeting in conference July 19-22.

July 22-28: Ron Petry, who concludes his service as a member of the Stewardship
Enlistment Team of the General Board staff, and assumes the pastorate of the Se-
bring, Fla., Church of the Brethren.

The land and its resources, with thanksgiving for its bounty and beauty; and for
those engaged in keeping us aware of faithful stewardship in its use.

The Northern Plains District Conference, July 27-29.

July 29-Aug. 4: The Missouri, Southern and Arkansas District and its conference
August 3-4.

Persons and institutions striving to overcome world hunger.

The Brethren camping program in your district. D

38 MESSENGER July 1979

She also states that those /or the amend-
ment don't even agree on what it means.

Some ERA supporters say that women
just need the right to be "free to choose"
whether or not they work in or out of the
home. (Children with the deepest problems
are those whose parents gave to their work
the time and attention so desperately need-
ed by their children.) But 1 can hardly
believe that's a problem anyway, at least
one that the amendment would soUe, since
so many wives and mothers do work full-
time outside the home. That's an issue
between husbands and wives, and obvious-
ly no amendment will ever solve the inter-
nal problems. That's where training from
the church must come in.

Some radicals believe that the in-
stitutions of "love-marriage, family, hetero-
sexual sex and religion" must be destroyed
for complete freedom.

Another radical group of supporters
(400) met together in California to study
female deities. Some indicated that they
would be willing to substitute or replace
the biblical God with these idols. Passage
of the amendment won't do a thing for
their special needs, but the church can.

Other ERA supporters say that those
groups are only a minority; but the amend-
ment is so open-ended that it leads to that
kind of confusion, and may. as many feel,
result in more problems than good for
women (and men, too).

Tactics used by ERA supporters to force
ratification, such as boycotts, are far from
being biblical; they are sinister.

It is a real blow to society that men and
women find themseUes in conflict and
competion rather than working together as
God planned. One or the other (conflict or
unity) will always begin in the home.

1 was raised in the Church of the
Brethren and love it for what it has done
for me, but sometimes 1 think it goes "off
the deep end" for social concerns without
recognizing and working on the source of
the problems. All churches should wake
up to the real need and begin getting to the
heart of the problem, rather than chasing
after ambiguous "rights" which no one
seems to understand (and, according to
polls, most women don't want anyway).

For an unbiased and open interview with
the leaders of the Pro-ERA and anti-ERA
forces, read the November 1978 Moody
Monthly. D

Rfihena HolicJav i.s a member of the Mennonile
Church in (jraiul Rapids. Mieh.

Beverly Ott

Americans crucify
the Lord each day

More than half of US foreign aid is actual-
ly "gifts" of weapons. Meanwhile people
starve throughout the world. Instead of
providing food or aid in the form of educa-
tion to teach people to grow their own
food, we give them weapons and sell them
food. We have sent CIA agents to Chile to
teach them how to torture their political
prisoners. This is our foreign aid.

Many of our big corporations now have
branches in South America and other
developing countries where labor is cheap
and the people exploitable. "Good"
Americans have taught them to raise
bananas, sugar cane and coffee on their
land to sell at low prices, but they no
longer have room to grow food for
themselves. They starve. We ie//them food
though — what they can afford. Meanwhile,
currently we are destroying surplus
potatoes in Idaho because of low prices.

I am a farmer's daughter — I know what
that means too. But is this justice? Is it
right? Should people starve because of our
greed for money? Where are our values?
Does the technology of weaponry and the
fact that we can now destroy the world
umpteen times over come before the lives
of human beings? As Erich Fromm states,
"Man is the only primate that kills and tor-
tures members of his own species without
any reason, either biological or economic,
and feels satisfaction in doing so."

Must we continue the genocide and ex-
ploitation of our own kind? If this society
is based on Christian ideals and ethics,
then where is Christ? Sure, he was exter-
minated with the Jews in World War II,
but today he starves in Third World coun-
tries. He is tortured and shot by the guns
our technology has supplied. A cross seems
to be a more simple and humane way of
dying than the way we "rich Americans"
crucify our Lord each day.

Something must be done — we cannot sit
along the sidelines and allow our elected
officials to care for the issue alone. We
must become aware and informed, con-
cerned about the rights of all people in our
world. Each individual has a share of the
responsibility. We can do something
together. It is our duty to make our minds
known to our legislators on the issue and

to keep well informed. (More information
on this and what we as citizens can do is
available by writing: Institute for World
Order, I 140 Ave. of the Americas, New
York, NY 10036.) D

Beverly Oil is a student at Manchester College.
North Manihester. !nci.

David and Annabelle Fonts

WPTF: Money
for urgent needs

We urge support of the World Peace
Tax Fund Bill (HR 4897) for these
reasons:

We are among the approximately four
percent of the United States taxpayers who
are conscientious objectors to war for
religious or moral reasons. We believe
there is no evil in the world that justifies
the terrible destructive power of modern
warfare. Our government recognizes the
conscientious objection status by allowing
us to do constructive non-military activities
(alternative service) in lieu of military ser-
vice. However the government is inconsis-
tent in making us pay that portion of our
federal taxes which provides financial sup-
port to military activities, including present
defense costs, veterans' benefits and
national debt interest on previous wars.
Altogether, this amounts to about
50 percent of our federal income taxes.

We believe it is a violation of the Fifth
Amendment of the United States Constitu-
tion to force people to pay for war when
religious convictions tell them all are
children of God and they must not resort
to violence against each other. Returning
good for evil is the higher code by which
these Christians live.

The tax money that would be diverted to
the World Peace Tax Fund from conscien-
tious objectors would establish a fund to
promote world peace. Although small in
comparison to the amount of money spent
by the military, this would be a start
toward eliminating war as a means of set-
tling international disputes. Ultimately, as
the threat of war decreases, more money
will be available to help solve such urgent
problems as world hunger, revitalization of
American cities and the development of
alternate energy sources. □

David and Annabelle Fouls are members of the
Trinity Church of the Brethren. Bahimore. Md.

FREE MUSIC

Sacred church music for
the asking. Hymns such

as "There's a Mansion"

— and "My Prayer." Lyrics

and arrangements for
choirs and small
Alfred Eckroih Sr ensembles. Copyrighted
Composer gjj^j clearance given. Send
a few stamps only. Contact: Alfred
Eckroth Sr., 260 South Spruce Street,
Elizabethtown, PA 17022

Box 128

New Oxford, Pennsylvania

17350

(717) 624-2161

a CARING COMMUNITY

for SENIOR CITIZENS

of OUR CHURCH

and AREA

with PROFESSIONAL,

SKILLED

and INTERMEDIATE

NURSING CARE

•

INDEPENDENT LIVING

available in VARIOUS

SIZE COTTAGES at

CROSS KEYS VILLAGE

For Information Contact:

HARVEY S. KUNE, N.H.A. CAROL E. ZOOK. N.H.A.
Mminiumtor AMtoclate Admlnlnrator

MILTON E. RAUP
AMMtstant AdmlnlMtrator

July 1979 MESSENGER 39

A cruel and unusual thing'

I wound up as an editor, but what I always
wanted to be was a political cartoonist. With that
ambition thwarted, I find an outlet by sometimes
communicating my opinions to friends on matters
great and small through cartoons. One of the
favorite characters I draw to suggest what's in
store for "them as steps out of line" is a black-
hooded executioner from medieval times testing
the edge of his great ax while he smiles wickedly
in anticipation of his task. I would like to think
my barbaric symbol out of tune with today's
world. But, no.

May 25, 1979: In an austere death chamber at
the Florida State Prison a black-hooded ex-
ecutioner watches his hapless victim, gagged and
hooded, and strapped in an old oak chair.
Without warning, the executioner throws a switch
and sends 2,300 volts of electricity through the
bound man's body. The body lurches. The hands
contract and begin to blacken. Smoke rises from
his lower legs. Three times the electric current
zaps through the prisoner's body. In the words of
an onlooker, "He sizzled and sizzled again. . . .
We sat there and watched a cruel and unusual
thing."

We use electricity today instead of an ax and,
thoughtfully, we now exclude the public from our
executions. Otherwise, the hooded executioner
doing our killing for us is contemporary, not a
medieval phenomenon preserved only in cartoons
and horror films.

John Spenkelink's execution may well open
the way this year for the killing of up to 40
prisoners on death row in US jails. Certainly there
is little to impede this trend if the public is not
aroused to make an outcry.

That prospect is dim. Public opinion polls
show that 70 percent of Americans favor the
death penalty, almost a 180-degree turn from the
attitude of the 1960s. In part, that turnabout is
due to the terror of violent crime which grips our
nation. Another factor is the desire for vengeance,
for retribution, the barbaric measure for measure
logic against which the Christian Church teaches
love and forgiveness.

As in many other causes, most churches are
ahead of their constituencies in opposing capital
punishment. Some fundamentalist groups
proclaim that "the Bible teaches capital punish-
ment," and support death penalty legislation. But
most major religious denominations and agencies
interpret the Word of God to be against capital
punishment. The Church of the Brethren is among
these. Annual Conference having spoken decisive-
ly in 1957 and 1959.

I have no problem supporting our church's
stance. The Christian message is rendered
meaningless if one person's life is judged less
valuable than another, whether an "enemy" in war
or a condemned murderer on death row. Even if
capital punishment could be proved an effective
deterrent against murder and other crimes, it
would not begin to justify the practice.

Frustrated we may be as crime rates soar. But
we must seek ways of curbing crime which are
consistent with the gospel vision of respect for life,
for Christ's message of God's healing love. The
Lord came to save and not to destroy.

The Supreme Court of our land maintains that
capital punishment is not "cruel and unusual." I'll
buy that it is not "unusual" — unfortunately. But,
"cruel," yes, and not only that, but inexcusable in
a society which has access to the gospel of Jesus
Christ.

A,

Americans are so convinced of the superiority
of their decadent culture and so pitifully ignorant
of other comparatively crime-free countries, that
they overlook viable solutions to a j>eculiar US
problem. For starters, I suggest we outlaw capital
punishment, get off the retribution kick in dealing
with prisoners and put gun control laws on the
books and into practice. That will do more to
protect us against killers than all the electric
chairs now at our disposal.

The sight of a black-hooded executioner
destroying a fellow human being is, indeed,
"cruel." But let us not just make it "unusual" as
well; let us make it unheard of. — K.T.

40 MESSENGER July 1979

ScerciJSgcnfs

Everybody likes a story, for stories re-
count familiar experiences about life in a
way that involves the listener as a partici-
pant. A good storyteller has the ability to
transport his audience to tfie setting and
the substance of an event or happening
now history.

Ken Gibble is an accomplished

Kenneth L. Cibble

storyteller with the particiular gift of
retelling in meaningful and instructive
ways the beloved (and lesser known!)
stories of the Old and New Testaments.

YEAST, SALT AND SECRET
AGENTS will provide the Christian with
practical guidance on such subjects as self-
understanding, dealing with anxiety.

developing an honest and grateful spirit,
deepening faith, improving relationships
with family and community, creative use
of time, and many more.

Kenneth L. Gibble is pastor of
Ridgeway Community Church of the
Brethren, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

$4.95

SACRAMENTS

IN MY

REFRIGERATOR

"This is not a book of poetry; it is cer-
tainly not prose; and if the word 'prayer'
raises images in your mind of cathedrals
and clerical incantations, it is not even a
book of prayer 1 It is rather a diary of
window-raising; an account of experiences
which have opened windows in my life
through which God's light and love could
then shine into areas previously dark. . . .

"... In the midst of experiences such as
picking beans, family squabbles, church

Mary Sue H. Rosenberger

meetings and checking the pulse of a dying
patient, I have often been brought to my
spiritual knees by the wonder of how God
communicates the divine to us in the com-
monplace ... I pray that God might use
something contained in this little book to
open a window in your life through which
He might shine more brightly than
before."

Mary Sue H. Rosenberger, Louisville,
Ohio, is a registered nurse, mother of two

children, and the wife of a Church of the
Brethren pastor.

Some of the topics are: Meditation on
the Evening Paper • Too Tired to Pray •
The Love Cake • Rat Race • Trust and
Teddy Bears • Supermarket Survival •
Weed-pulling • Lesson in a Loaf • Wor-
ship and the Bean Patch • Home-canned
Theology • Sunday's Surgery • Gimmicks
and Grace • Meeting of the Bored • Ruts
and Redemption. $3,95

Order from THE BRETHREN PRESS • 1451 Dundee Ave • Elgin, IL 60120

HAVE YOU NOTICED?

A person will spend a lifetime to build an
estate but won't spend an hour to plan
what happens to it when he or she dies.

But what does happen to your estate is
your responsibility, and careful planning
for its use and distribution is a part of
Christian Stewardship. By planning now
you can ease the pressure that increases
constantly with postponed decision
making. The Stewardship Enlistment
Team of the General Board can give you
some good suggestions along with sound
counsel that will make the process
simpler.

I suggest you contact them today.

Doris Cline Egge

Chairperson

General Services Commission

Church of the Brethren

General Board

e

Please send,

without obligation,

information on:

Gifts Returning Income For Life

Gifts of Property

Gifts of Life Insurance

Gifts as a Memorial

Gifts Through My Will

Investments in Church Extension

Name
Street

City/State/Zip

Please clip and mail to: Church of the Brethren General Board/Office of Stewardship Enlistment
Elgin, Illinois 60120/Telephone: (312) 742-5100

> V-

t*^

^

• » * .

d

Seen in Seattle . . .

Top: La Verne church's
Steve Engle directed the
Conference choir. The
University of La Verne
Chamber Singers provid-
ed special music.
Left and below:
Moderator Warren
Groff hands the gavel to
Bill Eberly and shares in
consecrating the new
moderator and moder-
ator-elect.

m

oYoToT'S^ Co

Q The Edu-Coach Is Conning. A new concept in communication
will be implemented this fall as the "Edu-Coach" rolls out of Elgin to
criss-cross the USA, demonstrating and exhibiting to local churches the
resources and services available at the General Offices for local educa-
tional programs. Special Report by Kermon Thomasson.

^Q Live Oak: No Dead Wood Here. Live Oak church in Califor-
nia found new life when the congregation began to seek creative and
relevant ways to serve the community and to demonstrate to its youth
love, service and partnership. Story and photographs by Bob and Mary
Baucher.

^3 Annual Conference in Seattle. Sixteen pages of photographs
and reports tell how it was at the 193rd Annual Conference, in Seattle,
Wash. — the setting, the sessions, the decisions, the sideshows. A team
of Messenger staff and outside writers tell the story, complemented by
photographs by Randy Miller and Nguyen Van Gia.

29 Christian Life-style Survey. The General Board's Task Force on
Christian Life-style is gathering information on life-style changes which
Brethren have undertaken or are considering. A questionnaire is provid-
ed for readers to complete and xeturn.

In Touch profiles Robert A. Houff, Elizabethtown, Pa.; Henry Jasiorowski,
Warsaw, Roland; and Edith Barnes, Elgin, 111. (2) . . . Outlook reports on
Bethany graduates. World Radio Conference. New King James Version. New
Windsor anniversary. Nigeria church growth. New Call to Peacemaking. UN
Seminar. Bethany faculty. Conscription. New code for South Africa (start on 4)
. . . Underlines (7) . . . Resources, "Illness," by Robert P. Blake (31) . . .
Film Review, "The China Syndrome: Facing Nukes and News," by Stewart M.
Hoover (32) . . . Pilgrim's Pen (33) . . . Opinions of Dick Miller, Fred W.
Benedict, Steve Longenecker (34) . . . Prayer Calendar (37) . . . Turning
Points (38) . . . People & Parish, "Live From the Upper Room," by Fred W.
Swartz (39) . . . Letters (40)

Note: We regret the lateness of this August issue. With Annual Conference a
week later than usual, we had to delay publication to include the Conference
section of this Messenger. -The Editors

EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Steve Simmons

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Ziegler Blake

FEATURES

Stewart M. Hoover, Fred W. Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E. Weaver, Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Doris Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K. Thompson

VOL. 128, NO. 8

AUGUST 1979

CREDITS: Cover, inside front cover, 13-28, in-
side back cover, Randy Miller. 2 Fred W, Swartz.
3, 31 Nguyen Van Gia. 4-5, 8 top, Geoff Brum-
baugh. 4 third from left, bottom {"eter Michael. 5
upper right Floyd McDowell. 6 Harriet Z. Blake.
9 art by Ken Stanley. 10-12 Bob Baucher. 32 Co-
lumbia Pictures Industries, Inc. 39 Johnstown
Tribune-Democrat photo.

Messenger is the official publication of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug. 20, 1918, under Act of Congress
of Oct. 17, 1917. Filing date, Oct. 1, 1978.
Messenger is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to ReUgious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service. Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version.

Subscription rates: $7.80 one year for individual
subscriptions; $14.40 two years; $21 three years;
$33 five years. $6.60 per year for Church Group
Plan; $6.60 per year for gift subscriptions; School
rate 50« per issue. If you move clip
address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change. MESSENGER is owned and
pubUshed monthly by the General
Services Commission, Church of the
Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee
Ave., Elgin, 111. 60120. Second-class
postage paid at Elgin, 111., Aug. 1979. Copyright
1979, Church of the Brethren General Board.

kJee you in Seattle! That has been the "in"
phrase around the Elgin General Offices for
the past several months. Bumper stickers
proclaimed it, letters closed with it, com-
mittee meetings raised alarms with it. In the
final pre-conference days in June, staff
called it out to each other in the halls as one
by one they cleared their desks and headed
off into the sunset.

Something about faraway aspects of
Seattle generated unusual enthusiasm for
the Big Meeting this year. After all, Seattle
isn't a city you pass
through every day.
You have to be sure
to turn right in Seat-
tle if you are bound
for Alaska from
Dunkerland, but for
most Brethren the
great Pacific North-
west is unfrequented
territory.

Perhaps it was the
exotic location and the distance from
Brethren centers that made this year's con-
ferencegoers eager to be in the diminished
throng on hand. Perhaps, too, it was a nag-
ging feeling that what with fuel shortages
and other omens of impending life-style
changes this might be one of the last
chances to pack up the family and head out
for a distant Annual Conference.

That last thought leads me to make a
modest proposal for a future Conference:
The next time we are due for a southeastern
Conference location, why not make it San
Juan, Puerto Rico? Just think of the
benefits which would accrue! It would be in
the very best interests of our Mision Mutua
thrust. It would raise our awareness of our
Puerto Rican brothers and sisters, to say
nothing of our Hispanic Brethren in
general. It would get us off the dangerous
highways and out of fuel-guzzling cars,
campers and mobile homes. And it would
be our first Conference outside the 50
States since Calgary Conference in 1923.
Tour buses could shuttle us out to Castaner
to see the church, hospital and community
made famous by Brethren Service. And we
could soak up Spanish culture and the
charm of historic old San Juan (to say
nothing of sun on the beaches).

There is one departure from the usual
schedule which we would suggest: For the
benefit of Elgin staff, who suffer eight-foot
annual snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures
for weeks on end, let's have the San Juan
Conference at the end of January! Okay?
See you in San Juan! -The Editors

August 1979 MESSENGER 1

in%JfeCi]

Robert A. Houff : Putting lives together again

Robert A. Houff is tall, confident,
quiet spoken and conveys with his
eyes a sense of understanding and
caring. He is the kind of person you
feel comfortable enough with to
share feelings. He is empathic yet
optimistic and firm in his response.
He is an enabler.

These characteristics make Bob
Houff, a 31 -year-old member of the
Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the
Brethren, successful and appreciated
in his current vocation — secondary
school teacher at the Elizabethtown
Hospital for Children and Youth.

Since his graduation from
Elizabethtown College in 1970, Bob
has been involved in ministry to
junior and senior high youth, most
of whom are hospitalized by an or-
thopedic injury. Some of Bob's
students are bedridden, others are in
wheelchairs or walking in braces.
They may have temporary physical
impairments or be handicapped for
life. They usually enter the hospital
for an extended convalescence.

"I am a member of the hospital's
rehabilitation team," Bob explains.
"Most of the patients have spinal
cord injuries usually resulting from
sports, automobile or motorcycle ac-
cidents. There are varying degrees of
paralysis. My task is to help them
continue their education program
and assist in instilling confidence."

"It takes a lot of patience," says
Bob. "A person who has suffered an
abrupt debilitating injury is not
ready to jump into work again.
Moreover, there is the normal pro-
cess of 'why me' and a strong reac-
tion to that. We have to help pa-
tients as they go through the stages
until they reach the point where they
see the future and what they can do.

"They often need to be pushed to
recognize their potential," he notes.
"They have developed a mind set in

2 MESSENGER AugUSt 1979

which they try to get away with
things, to play on the sympathy they
have received to do less than they are
actually capable of doing."

Bob's work continues after his pa-
tients are discharged from the
hospital, helping to integrate them
back into the normal public school

routine. The hospital beheves that
immediate placement back into
school is the best therapy for the
student, even if that means the use
of a wheelchair. Bob works closely
with the school guidance counselor
and helps arrange special transporta-
tion and nursing care that may be
required as well as prepare the stu-
dent's peers, teachers and the stu-
dent for re-entry.

A vital factor in the successful
reorientation of a handicapped
youth is the support of the student's
family, according to Bob.

Bob Houff has found his own
faith and hope enriched and
strengthened through his special
ministry. It has also made him
especially grateful for the health and
well-being of his own family, wife.
Dawn (Shonk), and daughters, Jen-
nifer and Bethany. -F.W.S.

Henryk Jasiorowski:

"I came to America in 1947 expect-
ing to be pushed to accept Protes-
tantism. Old people back in Poland
had warned us."

Henryk Jasiorowski laughs as he
recalls how his fears were un-
grounded. The young student found
the Brethren community he lived in
friendly and tolerant, but
uninterested in proselyting Roman
Catholic Poles.

Henryk was in the first group of
PoHsh students in what would
become in 1957 a regular pro-
gram—Brethren Service/Polish
Agricultural Exchange. Thirty-two
years later he has returned to the US
on what he terms a "nostalgia trip"
to revisit the places he lived and
studied, and to say "Thank you" to
the Church of the Brethren.

High on the list of places to visit
was the Durand, 111., farm where
Henryk's 1947 host, Glenn
Slabaugh, lived and worked. "My
first big shock," Henryk recalls,
"was to learn that Glenn Slabaugh
was a high school chemistry teacher
who had turned to farming. 1
couldn't believe it. In Poland at that
time you just didn't cross social bar-
riers like that."

Henryk was impressed, too, that
one man with only a couple of
helpers could operate a 500-acre
dairy farm with 100 cows to milk
and care for. "I learned that it was
partly possible because of organiza-
tion and mechanization. But more
important was the will of the farmer
to do hard work."

Back in Poland after his year in
the US, Henryk continued his uni-
versity training in dairy science to
Ph.D. level. His career has been in
teaching and today he is rector
(president) of Warsaw Agricultural
University. He continues to teach
dairy science and to pursue research.

'hank you' to Brethren

His wife, Barbara, a retired teacher,
was a friend of Henrylc's in the 1947
group of exchange students.

From 1969 to 1975 Henry k served
in Rome with the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO). In
that post he traveled widely and
gained an understanding of the prob-
lem of feeding the world's hungry.

He particularly remembers Thurl
Metzger, who was in Poland after
World War II and instrumental in ar-
ranging the 1947 student exchange.
On his 1979 visit to the US, Henryk
made a point of visiting Heifer Proj-
ect International headquarters in Lit-
tle Rock, Ark., where Thurl Metzger
still works to feed the hungry.

Asked if the Brethren's Polish ex-
change program has significantly

helped Polish farming and food pro-
duction, Henryk points out affirma-
tive evidence, among it himself and
three other 1947 exchangees who
became university presidents. But
more important than that, Henryk
says, is the cross-cultural under-
standing which the exchange pro-
gram provides. A grin and a hand-
shake from friendly Henryk
Jasiorowski affirms that also. — K.T.

Edith Barnes: Facing Ufe purposefully

Writing in The Gospel Messenger 50
years ago, Edith Barnes said of her
89-year-old grandmother, "No ad-
monition or instruction is so effec-
tive for righteous living as a life
itself."

At age 85, Edith of Elgin, 111.,
has borne out that observation, for
her own life continues to be an ex-
ample of purposeful living to those
around her. For those with a tradi-
tional image of a "proper" 85-year-
old woman, Edith obliges with the
required activities: She quilts one
day a week at the church and at
home she stays busy making lap
robes for nursing homes.

But there is another side to Edith
of far greater significance to the
church at large. Every Wednesday
she spends working at the Church of
the Brethren General Offices. There
in the Historical Library Edith
busies herself answering questions
for persons who write to the library
for help in genealogy. She pores
over the library's shelves of family
histories, through local church
histories and records, old copies of
The Gospel Messenger— whatewer
records necessary to track down the
elusive ancestor.

Edith is the daughter of C. D.
Bonsack, secretary of the Church of
the Brethren Mission Board from
1921 to 1941. She retired in 1959
after 38 years of working with
church school publications at the
General Offices. Always interested
in history, she began to give atten-
tion to preserving the Brethren
record for posterity. When she was
asked to help organize a historical
library for the church, Edith replied,
"I would like to do this. But I don't
want to be paid for it."

Over a period of several years,
Edith and other workers have re-
duced an unorganized accumulation

of records to what is becoming a
first-rate historical library.

She plans to turn over the
genealogy work to another person
this summer, but Edith's eyes
twinkle as she talks of what she still
hopes to accomplish, "before I wear
out." She will help identify historical
photographs in the library collection
and keep working on a file of
obituaries gleaned from the earliest
Brethren publications to the present.
Another project is to make a card
index for local church items which
appeared in periodicals antedating

The Gospel Messenger. She also will
continue creating indexes for
unindexed Brethren historical works.
What is Edith's motivation for her
volunteer service? No doubt there
has been instilled in her throughout
her long life the Dunker devotion to
duty. Edith wrote 50 years ago of
Catharine Bonsack that to younger
people she was an example "of how
to face life purposefully." Edith has
emulated her grandmother
well. -K.T.

August 1979 MESSENGER 3

Christine Barton

Tiffany Bates

June graduation honors
31 Bethany graduates

Thirty-one persons received degrees during
Bethany Theological Seminary's 74th
commencement exercises June 3. The
ceremony was highlighted by the installa-
tion of Dean Graydon F. Snyder to the
Wieand Chair of New Testament Studies
and the commencement address by
Donald E. Miller.

The 10 graduates receiving the doctor
of ministry (D.Min.) degree were:

Larry David Fourman, pastor of the
Pipe Creek and Beaver Dam Churches of
the Brethren (Mid-Atlantic District). B.A.,
Manchester College; M.Div., Bethany
Seminary. Married to Ann E. Fourman;
two children.

Kenneth Oliver Holderread, pastor of
Big Creek Church of the Brethren, Gush-
ing, Okla. B.S., McPherson College;
M.Div., Bethany Seminary. Married to
Elsie Lucore Holderread; three children.

Warren William Hoover, executive
director of National Interreligious Service
Board for Conscientious Objectors;
member of Washington (D.C.) City
Church of the Brethren. B.A., McPherson
College; M.Div., Bethany Seminary. Mar-
ried to Ruth Lichty Hoover; four
children.

Douglas Raymond Loving, pastor of
Ridgefield-Crystal Lake (111.) Presbyterian
Church. B.A., Yale University; B.D.,
Princeton Seminary. Married to Mary
Ellen Kletzien Loving; two children.

Ronald Dean Petry, pastor of Sebring
(Fla.) Church of the Brethren. B.A.,
Manchester College; B.D., Bethany
Seminary. Married to Beverly Tobias
Petry; four children.

William Keith Roop, pastor of Midland
(Mich.) Church of the Brethren. B.A.,
Manchester College; B.D., Bethany
Seminary. Married to Nancy Weimer
Roop; four children.

Royal Elmer Speidel, pastor at The
Chicago Temple (First United Methodist

Kreston Lipscomb Ellen Martin

Church of Chicago). Holds the B.A.,
B.D., and M.S.T. degrees. Married to
Lorrita Speidel; two children.

Arthur Herbert Wille, associate pastor
of St. John United Church of Christ,
ArUngton Heights, lU. B.A., Elmhurst
College; M.Div., Eden Theological
Seminary. Married to Gathleen S. Wille.

Thomas Douglass Wilson, General
Board staff for churches and communities
in transition; member of Highland
Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin,
111. B.A., Dillard University; M.Div.,
Bethany Seminary. Married to Ethel Allen
Wilson; three children.

David John Zersen, pastor of St. Mark
Lutheran Church, St. Charies, 111. B.A.,
Valparaiso University; M.Div., Concordia
Theological Seminary. Married to Julie
Schmid Zersen; two children.

The 17 persons receiving the master of
divinity (M.Div.) degree were:

Christine Dwiggins Barton of Little
Home Church by the Wayside, Wayne, lU.
B.A., Aurora College. Married to Wayne
Barton. Plans to enter the pastorate.

Robert Tiffany Bates of First Congrega-
tional Church, Simsbury, Conn. B.S.,
George Williams College. Will serve as
associate pastor of Plymouth Bethesda
United Church of Christ, Utica, N.Y.

Robert Melvin Belcher of Bakersfield
(CaUf.) Church of the Brethren. B.A., La
Verne College. Married to Cynthia Biery
Belcher. Plans to move to Carthage, Mo.

Charles Jennings Comer of the Salem
Church of the Brethren (Shenandoah
District). Holds the A.S. and B.A.
degrees. Married to Janet Ryman Comer;
one son. Plans to enter the pastorate.

Jeffrey Otto Copp of Columbia City
Church of the Brethren (Northern Indiana
District). B.A., Wabash College. Married
to Connie Rae Copp; two children. Will
serve Osceola (Ind.) Church of the
Brethren.

Mary Elaine Cline Detrick of Highland
Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin,
111. B.S., Bridgewater College; M.R.E.,
Bethany Seminary. Married to Ralph L.

Ronald Martin-Adkins

Jeffrey Neuman-Lee

4 MESSENGER AugUSt 1979

Detrick; one son. Will continue as General
Board staff for life cycle ministries and person
awareness

Scott Lee Duffey of Hagerstown (Md.)
Church of the Brethren, B.A., Bridgewater
College. Married to Rebecca Rathbun
Duffey. Will serve Long Green Valley
Church of the Brethren, Glen Arm, Md.

Jeffrey Eugene Glass of Modesto
(Calif.) Church of the Brethren. B.A.,
University of La Verne. Married to
Susan Glass.

Sharon Leigh Guenthner of First United
Methodist Church, Downers Grove, 111.
B.A., Carthage College. Will serve
Wyanet (111.) United Methodist Church.

David Keith Hendriclcs of Kingley
(Iowa) Church of the Brethren. B.A.,
Westmar College. Married to Anne Lichty
Hendricks; one daughter. Will serve
Worthington (Minn.) Church of the
Brethren.

Thomas Richard Hostetler of Pine
Creek Church of the Brethren (Northern
Indiana District). B.S., Manchester Col-
lege. Married to Angela Ditto Hostetler.
Will serve Lone Star (Kan.) Church of the
Brethren.

Robert William Kurtz of Kent (Ohio)
Church of the Brethren. B.S., Manchester
College. Married to Jeannie Veon Kurtz;
one daughter. Will serve Potsdam (Ohio)
Church of the Brethren.

Kreston Rae Lipscomb of the York
Center (111.) Church of the Brethren.
B.A., North Central College. Married to
Elizabeth Scudder Lipscomb. Will serve
Lower Miami Church of the Brethren,
Dayton, Ohio.

Ellen Fisher Martin of Community
Presbyterian Church, Clarendon Hills, 111.
B.A., Hanover College. Married to
Robert Martin; four children. Will begin
doctoral program at Chicago Theological
Seminary and continue on staff of Com-
munity Presbyterian.

Ronald Ray Martin-Adkins of Cham-
paign (111.) Church of the Brethren. B.A.,
McPherson College. Married to Alice
Martin-Adkins. Will do ecumenical cam-

Frank Ramirez

James Fryman

Persons receiving their doctor of ministry degrees during Bethany Seminary's commence-
ment exercises were (from left) Kenneth Holderread, Royal Speidel, Arthur Wille,
William Roop, Douglas Loving, Ronald Petry, David Zersen, Warren Hoover and
Thomas Wilson.

pus ministry through United Christian
Fellowship.

Burr Jeffrey Neuman-Lee of Park
Ridge (111.) Community Church. B.S.,
Loyola University, Chicago. Married to
Judith Kay Neuman-Lee. Plans involve-
ment in new church development.

Frank Robert Ramirez of La Verne
(Cahf.) Church of the Brethren. B.A.,
University of La Verne. Married to Jennie
Elizabeth Ramirez, one child. Will serve
Ladera Church of the Brethren, Los
Angeles, Calif.

The three receiving the master of arts in
theology (M.A.Th.) degree were:

James Darrell Fryman of the Logans-
port (Ind.) Church of the Brethren. B.S.
Manchester College; M.Ed., Kent State
University. Married to Teresa Ann
Fryman; one son. Will teach special
education in Warsaw, Ind.

James Arthur Hall of the Greensburg
(Pa.) Church of the Brethren. B.A., Gulf
Coast Bible College. Married to Sandie
Hall; one son. Will serve Brothersvalley
Church of the Brethren, Berlin, Pa.

Margaret Ruth Wolfe of Bridgewater
(Va.) Church of the Brethren. B.A.,
Bridgewater College.

Receiving a certificate in Theological
Studies was Peter E. Gaeding Jr. of St.

James Hall

Margaret Wolfe

Peter United Church of Christ. A. A.,
Morton Junior College, B.A., North-
eastern Illinois University. Plans to enter
the pastorate.

UN seminar to push life
in a global community

"Life in a Global Community" is the
theme of a four-day professional growth
experience planned this fall for district
and national staff, pastors and congrega-
tional leaders.

Sponsored by the United Nations office
of the World Ministries Commission, the
seminar addresses one of the goals for the
80s: "To do justice ... by supporting ef-
forts to establish a just world order
through non-violent means."

During the seminar, participants will
learn about the global community of the
UN and will observe the agenda and
discussions of the General Assembly (ex-
pected to be in session during the
seminar). They will have opportunities to
learn about non-governmental organiza-
tions (the Church of the Brethren is a
registered NGO), UN specialized agencies
and various national missions to the UN
as they interact on international issues.
The goals for the 80s will be used as a
backdrop for examining current interna-
tional development issues from a Christian
perspective.

Dates for the seminar are Nov. 12-15
and participation is limited to the first 35
persons to register. For further informa-
tion, contact Shantilal Bhagat, UN
representative, at the Elgin offices, 1451
Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120, telephone
(312) 742-5100.

August 1979 MESSENGER 5

World Radio Conference
draws Brethren interest

Brethren and other groups interested in
communications pohcy are preparing for
the World Administrative Radio Con-
ference (WARC). The 1979 WARC con-
venes in Geneva, Switzerland, in
September to consider policies that will
affect worldwide telecommunications
through the end of this century.

A conference of the International
Telecommunications Union (a United
Nations-related agency), WARC will bring
together representatives of 154 member
nations to decide how to distribute scarce
airwaves — airwaves needed for broad-
casting, satellite, telephone, development
and health care communications.

A variety of international pressures and
interests are involved in the WARC debate
(see Messenger, June 1979, page 40, and
Messenger, January 1979, page 9). The ma-
jor western and eastern nations are holding
out for the status quo whereas less-
developed countries are requesting a share
of the airwaves to use for their purposes.

The attention of the Church of the
Brethren and other church and public-
interest groups has been focused in two
areas. Stewart Hoover, General Board
communications staff, has been working
on behalf of the National Council of
Churches' Communications Commission
to ensure that a church or public interest
representative be named to the US delega-
tion to WARC so that the defense
estabhshment and telecommunications in-
dustries are not the only US voices raised
at WARC. Jim Miller of the Shenandoah
District staff has assisted in this task.

Shantilal Bhagat, Brethren UN
representative, has spear-headed efforts by
non-governmental organizations at the
UN to inform less-developed countries of
the importance of the WARC process.

Earlier in the summer, the US delega-
tion was named. Persons originally sug-
gested by church groups as acceptable
representatives of the public interest were
not included. Instead, the public and non-
profit organizations will be represented by
Ann Aldridge, a professor at Cleveland
State University, and three other persons
acceptable to the church groups.

The work spearheaded by Bhagat at the
UN has taken a new turn recently as more
attention is being paid to the New Inter-
national Information Order. —S.M.H.

Cuban church representatives visit US Brethren

Six representatives of the Iglesia Cristiana Pentecostal de Cuba (Christian Pentecostal
Church of Cuba) visited with US Brethren in June. Their visit was an exploratory step in
the process of making the new Mision Mutua en las Americas program a reality. Above,
Rene Calderon (left) translates a plaque given to the guests at the Elgin offices in com-
memoration of their visit. Listening is General Secretary Bob Neff and the represen-
tatives: (from left) Tomas Cruz, treasurer; Jose Augiar, president of the denomination;
Irma Batista, president of a district women's unit; Ofelia Zorrilla, national women's work
president; and Tomas Tabares, executive secretary of the denomination. Behind Tabares
is Avelino Gonzalez, vice-president of the ICP. The Cubans made their eight-day visit at
the invitation of the Provisional Committee for Mision Mutua. The Provisional Commit-
tee has been charged with finding a partner church in Latin America with whom the
Church of the Brethren can enter into a relationship of mutual mission. The ICP is one
church which expressed interest in the vision. The six-member Provisional Committee will
travel to Cuba in December. No decision on a partner church will be made until the
February 1980 General Board meeting.

New KJV editor: Saved
old scholarship, style

After more then four years of work by an
international team of 119 scholars, editors
and church leaders. The New King James
Bible, New Testament was released to the
public in May and June.

Representatives of the publisher say the
New King James is different from all
other modern translations and paraphrases
and is not a totally new translation. In-
stead, they say, "The New King James
Bible project team has applied both Greek
and English scholarship to make the
historic and popular 1611 King James
Version more understandable."

"The King James Version is widely
revered for both its style and authority,"
said Dr. Arthur Farstad, executive editor
of The New King James Bible, New
Testament, "so the scholarly team has
focused on keeping the originally intended
meaning and poetic beauty of the 1611
version alive in the new version."

The New King James Bible, New Testa-

ment reflects the same process of Greek
manuscript selection as the 1611 King
James Version. Therefore, Farstad points
out, it is not merely a casual updating of
the King James Version but the result of
intense Greek and English scholarship.

Some of the most obvious differences
which readers will notice in The New King
James Bible, New Testament, are the
changing of "thee" and "thou" pronouns
and their accompanying verbs like
"shouldst" and "doeth" to more contem-
porary forms.

More technical — but critical to making
the text understandable — are the changes
of a small number of archaic words, of
words whose meanings have changed, and
of the handling of grammar and punctua-
tion. However, the editors and scholars
maintain that, with only minor excep-
tions, the basic King James Version word
order has been preserved.

The sponsors of the project are the
Thomas Nelson Publishers and the Inter-
national Trust for Bible Studies. The Old
Testament is tentatively scheduled for
completion by 1981.

6 MESSENGER AugUSt 1979

[ii][n](ol(tFl^(t^

Church councils oppose
return to conscription

The Virginia and Indiana Councils of
Churches have approved resolutions op-
posing any return to conscription.

Acting on a request of the Richmond
New Call to Peacemaking group, the
Virginia Council of Churches, during its
April meeting, voiced its opposition to the
reimposition of a military draft. Galen
Heckman, pastor of the West Richmond
(Va.) church and convener of the Rich-
mond New Call, pressed the body to take
a stand after the council's executive com-
mittee had decided to leave the matter to
the member churches.

In Indiana, E. Paul Weaver, pastor of
Union Center church near Nappanee, in-
troduced two resolutions which were
adopted by the Board of Directors of the
Indiana Council of Churches in May. The
first reaffirmed the council's "historic op-
position to any form of peacetime con-
scription or any moves leading toward
peacetime conscription."

A second resolution reaffirmed the
council's support for universal disarma-
ment and called upon the US government
and the United Nations to "work forth-
rightly and unceasingly for disarmament
of all nations." Both resolutions conclud-
ed with a prayerful reminder that all per-
sons are "children of One Heavenly
Parent" who should Uve together with
peace and justice.

Nigerian church grows;
3,500 baptisms in '78

Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nijeriya (Church of
the Brethren in Nigeria) gained nine new
congregations and approximately 3,500
new members in 1978. Nine new con-
gregations were created at the recent Ma-
jalisa (Annual Conference).

Larry Elliott, Brethren representative in
Nigeria, reports that in addition to the
3,500 people who were baptized, approx-
imately 4,000 took the covenant required
by the church indicating their desire to
become members.

Elliott says the area of greatest growth
is the Chibuk area, a heavily Moslem area
which has not gained many Christians in
the past. Two new churches were created
in the North Gunduma (district); four in
the Higi area; one in the Mar£mia area
and two in the Northeast Gunduma.

NOT RESIGNING

The announcement in the July MESSENGER of

Stewart M_. Hoover' s resignation from the full-time employment
of the General Board was incorrect. Hoover's portfolio has
been restructured to a one-third time position to permit him
to attend graduate school. He has not resigned from staff.

REMEMBERED

Allen Yashie Hill, director of the Ganado

Alcoholism Program which was featured in the August 1976
MESSENGER, was killed June 20 in an accident involving a
backhoe he was operating. A Navajo Indian, ordained Presby-
terian minister and recovered alcoholic, Hill's vision guided
the alcoholism rehabilitation program at Ganado which has re-
ceived Brethren financial assistance through SHARE and person-
nel assistance through Brethren Volunteer Service. Hill was
host and guest director for a 1978 BVS unit in Ganado.

CANNING MEAT ... The annual meat canning project of the
Mid-Atlantic and Southern Pennsylvania districts yielded
10,399 cans of beef chunks and 3,438 cans of broth to be-
stored at the Brethren Service Center to await use in Third
World countries. Sixty-eight animals were slaughtered and
canned during the four days of processing April 16-12.

OFFERING WORKSHOPS

The Liberty (111.) church offers a
workshop on "Ministry to Abusing and Neglecting Families" to
other congregations in the Illinois and Wisconsin District.
The workshops help participants understand neglecting and
abusing families and what can be done to minister to them. A
certified social worker and member of the church, John B.
Huggett, leads the workshops.

AIDING THE COLLEGES . . . Manchester College has announced
that Howard and Myra Brembeck of Goshen, Ind. , have made a
commitment of $500,000 to the college's Focus on the Seven-
ties capital funds campaign. . . . H. Edgar and Isabel
Isanogle Royer of Westminster, Md. , have made provision to
fund by bequest a $100,000 scholarship for worthy students
at Bridgewater College. First preference will go to students
who are members of Westminster church, second to Brethren
students in the Mid-Atlantic District. ... An anonymous
alumnus of Bridgewater has established a scholarship fund for
premedical students at the college in memory of £r. Bruce
Forward, a former student at the college who had practiced in
Harrisonburg, Va., until his death in 1975. Contributions to
the fund may be made to the college.

RESIGNING

The General Conference Mennonite Church has

announced that Heinz Janzen, general secretary since 1969,
will leave that position by mutual agreement following the
church's Estes Park Conference in 1980.

TAKING A_ RIDE . . . When Ralph Robison , an engineer with
the Santa Fe railroad for 42 years, retired April 28, more
than 160 family and friends were aboard the train for its
Los Angeles-San Diego run. Ralph and his wife, Lucille,
members of the La Verne (Calif.) church, had invited those
who wished to to join them for this "sentimental jotirney."

August 1979 MESSENGER 7

Bethany faculty named
to new chair, posts

Graydon F. Snyder, James N. Poling and
Lauree Hersch Meyer were named to new
positions at Bethany Theological Seminary
during the recent Board of Directors
meetings.

Snyder, dean since 1975 of the denomi-
nation's only graduate school of theology,
was appointed to the
newly endowed Wie-
and Chair of New
Testament Studies.
He will also continue
his responsibilities as
dean. A member of
the Bethany faculty
since 1959, he holds a
B.A. from Manches-
ter College, B.D.
from Bethany, and
Th.D. from Prince-
ton Theological Sem-
inary. He and his
wife, Lois Horning
Snyder, have three
children.

Lauree Hersch
Meyer, who has been
teaching at the sem-
inary during the
1978-79 academic
year, has been appointed assistant pro-
fessor of biblical theology. A graduate of
Bridgewater College, Meyer earned her
master's and doctoral degrees in theology
from the University of Chicago. Among
places she has taught are Notre Dame
University, University of North Carolina,
Belmont Abbey, Belmont, N.C. She
delivered the Hoff Lectures at Bethany in
1974. Denominationally, she served on the
abortion study committee, has participated
in a variety of conferences, and is presently
on the committee planning the fourth theo-
logical study conference. She has two sons.

James N. Poling has been appointed
assistant professor of pastoral care and
counseling. He completed this summer his
doctorate in religion and personality at the
Claremont School of Theology, Clare-
mont, Calif. He is a graduate of Bridge-
water College and Bethany, and is a clinical
member of the American Association of
Pastoral Counselors. Poling was pastor of
the West York church, York, Pa., for
seven years, and served three years on the
General Board, one year as chairperson of
the Parish Ministries Commission. He and

James Poling

his wife, Nancy Werking Poling, have two
children.

In other action, the board granted tenure
and full professor status to Murray L.
Wagner, now librarian and professor of
historical research. Wagner has been on the
Bethany faculty since 1973.

New Call schedules next
national meeting in 1980

A second national New Call to Peacemak-
ing Conference has been recommended by
the Central Planning Committee of the
New Call. Plans call for the conference to
be held Oct. 2-5, 1980, in Green Lake,
Wis., site of the first conference in October
1978.

In recommending the conference, the
committee cited "a sense of urgency that
our churches move toward a deeper level of
discipleship in the face of growing
militarization in our world."

Planners anticipate that the upcoming
conference will focus on three issues: con-
scription, taxation for war and nuclear
questions. In preparing for the conference,
regional New Call meetings are encouraged
to focus autumn 1979 events around the
problem of conscription, paying special at-
tention to the involvement of youth. Spring
1980 events might focus on taxation and/or
nuclear issues.

Also announced at the recent committee
meeting was the publication of the official
New Call study book, New Call to
Peacemakers. Maynard Shelley, former
editor of The Mennonite, is the book's
author. It calls for examination of the
themes of authentic biblical Christianity,
committed living and peacemaking.

WPTF bill introduced;
New Call backing cited

The World Peace Tax Fund Bill has been
introduced in the current session of Con-
gress by Senator Mark Hatfield (R-Ore.)
The bill would give taxpayers opposed to
war the option of channeling their taxes to
non-military purposes.

In introducing the bill, Hatfield said,
"Denominational church support for this
bill is wide and growing. Possibly the most
compelling affirmative statement to date
came from the New Call to Peacemaking
Conference in Green Lake, Wis.," he said.
That joint effort of Brethren, Mennonites
and Friends endorsed the WPTF concept.

Anniversary celebration
set for Service Center

The 35th anniversary of the Brethren
Service Center in New Windsor, Md., will
be marked with a day of celebrative ac-
tivities Sunday, Oct. 14.

Center staff are planning program ex-
hibits, continuous showing of the Center's
new 12-minute film, and refreshments be-
tween 12:30 and 4 p.m. An anniversary
service of commitment to the future will
begin at 5 p.m. with Maryland Senator
Charles McC. Mathias as the guest
speaker.

Brethren from across the denomination
are invited to attend the celebration. Also
invited are Church of the Brethren na-
tional and district staff members, staff of
related ecumenical agencies including
Church World Service, and neighboring
executives of other denominations.

New code urged for US
firms in South Africa

The president of the National Council of
Churches has called on the more than 350
US corporations operating in South
Africa to sign a new code of conduct.
William Howard has offered his new six
principles as an extension of the so-called
Sullivan Six Principles of 1977, which
were signed by more than 100 US cor-
porations. Howard said that there is no
question that the principles of 1977 raised
the consciousness of corporations, but
they were only a first step.

The proposed new six principles are a
commitment to no expansion; no new in-
vestment in South Africa; no new bank
loans to South Africa; no sales to the
police or mihtary; no investment inside or
on the border areas of the reservations for
Africans, the Bantustans; an end to trade
in strategic areas with South Africa; and a
commitment by US investors to withdraw
operations from South Africa unless and
until the white supremacist government
abandons it apartheid policy.

"An ultimatum by US investors,"
Howard said, "that they will withdraw
unless South Africa moves toward black
majority rule and the disengagement by
US companies would be a very real shock
to South Africa. It would be a severe
blow to the white minority," Howard con-
tinued, "which values its membership in
'white. Western civilization.'"

8 MESSENGER AugUSt 1979

fecfe>->__

The Edu-Coach is coming!

by Kermon Thomasson

How do you make Brethren aware of
resources and services available from the
Elgin General Offices? That question is a
perennial one among the Elgin staff. No
amount of publicity distributed through
Messenger and Agenda does the job. An-
nual Conference exhibits are seen only by
conferencegoers. Individual staff field
trips do not reach everyone.

Out of that dilemma was born the idea
of the Edu-Coach. The staff would put its
show on the road. So, September 4, a
converted mini-motor home, named the
Edu-Coach, will pull out of Elgin, bound
west for Mount Morris, 111. Aboard will
be two Parish Ministries staff, along with
a driver and a representative of the
Illinois-Wisconsin District. From Mount
Morris the Edu-Coach will go on to tour
Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota,
Montana, Idaho, Washington and
Oregon. It will swing back through
California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas,
Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa,
ending its western tour back in Illinois on
October 16.

At each of its 27 stops on this trip the
Edu-Coach will meet with people from
area churches to acquaint them with pro-
gram resources and to hear local con-
cerns. Inside the Edu-Coach there will be
an exhibit of materials and General Board

program. The event in each area will in-
clude a shared meal, inspection of the ex-
hibit, a slide-tape presentation, gathering
of local concerns and two or three work-
shops. Program materials will be on sale.

Twenty Elgin staff persons will be in-
volved from time to time. They will catch
up with the Edu-Coach at prescribed
points, alternating with each other for
short stints on the team.

Beginning October 25, the Edu-Coach
will do an eastern circuit, hitting con-
gregations in Indiana, Ohio, Penn-
sylvania, Virginia, and in the districts of
West Marva, Southeastern, Florida/Puer-
to Rico, Missouri and Southern
Missouri/Arkansas. December 16 the
Edu-Coach returns to Elgin, having com-
pleted 65 stops around the country.

Shirley Heckman, Parish Ministries staff
for educational development, who
developed the Edu-Coach idea, explains
the need for closer contacts between staff
and congregations: "In many congrega-
tions, persons are raising questions about
their educational programs. They ex-
perience the program as splintered or inef-
fective. At the same time, Elgin staff and
Bethany Seminary are offering resources,
programs and services about which con-
gregations and districts have little or mixed
information. Many of us are working with
dimensions of congregational education,
but no one has the whole picture."

Heckman goes on to say that good
things are happening in education in some
congregations but there are not enough
opportunities for communicating such
positive experiences to other persons.

What does the Elgin staff hope to ac-
complish with the Edu-Coach venture? Its
goals are

— to respond to the uneasiness ex-
pressed in congregations about their edu-
cation programs by promoting a holistic
approach to congregational education.

— to hear from persons in congregations
about what emphases they want to see in
denominationeil programs.

— to provide a setting in which con-
gregations can share with each other their
successes and concerns.

— to provide an introduction to a vari-
ety of resources, services and programs.

— to share information about up to
three kinds of programs at each caravan
stop.

— to have time for persons planning
education on the district level to interpret
what is available, and to hear from them
concerns and joys related to shared educa-
tional programs.

Check with your pastor or the district
office for the Edu-Coach stop nearest you
and be waiting when the Edu-Coach rolls
into your community. It may mark the
beginning of a lively new educational pro-
gram for your church. D

August 1979 MESSENGER 9

%^:m.:-

by Bob aod Mw^y Baucher

With only 83 members, the Live Oak Church of the Brethren was
not hampered but blessed, and was challenged to prove that small
churches can do things of worth and significance.

Lhe telephone rang. "Good morning.
Live Oatc Church of the Brethren and
Child Care Center." That response from
Pastor Ernest Bolz typifies the dual focus
of a Brethren congregation in this small
northern California agricultural communi-
ty determined to be in mission and not
simply to survive. It was Saturday. Pastor
"Ernie" and a work crew were transform-
ing the interior of a new and impressive
church building from a child-care center
to a house of worship. The enthusiasm of
the workers as they spoke of an earlier de-
cision to remain involved with their com-
munity and not separate from it indicated
a good marriage had taken place.

About a decade ago, this small con-

gregation began to seek creative and rele-
vant ways to serve the Live Oak com-
munity and to demonstrate to its youth
religious principles of love, service and
partnership. Concurrently several elemen-
tary school teachers in the congregation
observed that children from non-English-
speaking homes, primarily Chicanos
(Mexican-Americans), had a poor image
of themselves, were labled "dumb" by
other children and had no understanding
of the local customs, food or even toys.
These children often dropped out of
school early and became the lowest paid
farm laborers, as their parents were. Also,
there were voices saying it was time to get
out of the old, falling-apart church

building. Slowly taking shape was a col-
lective dream of a church that could also
serve the community during the week. As
the dream persisted the work began.

Determined to be involved, the Live
Oak Brethren were adamant about
avoiding imposition upon a community.
Meetings were called to which several
churches, women's clubs and represen-
tatives from the non-Anglo sectors were
invited. A questionnaire was prepared and
a survey taken to determine what the en-
tire community needed. A child-care
center figured high on the list. Originally
the Church of the Brethren considered
putting a day-care facility in the old
church, but state inspections and fire

10 MESSENGER AugUSt 1979

regulations ended that dream.

Earlier in 1963, for use by a Dutch-
Indonesian refugee family, a double lot
with a house on it had been purchased on
which volunteers later built and sold a du-
plex. The profit from that sale was applied
toward the purchase of 9.3 acres which
David and Agnes Border offered to the
church in 1965. More than three acres were
reserved for the new church facility to be
built "sometime"; the remainder was sub-
divided and lots sold. On one of those lots
volunteers built and sold a house which,
along with the sale of the old church,
brought the building fund to $54,000.

An 1971 the Live Oak congregation
determined to construct a building de-
signed to more than house a church fam-
ily for worship and fellowship. It would
serve the community too, and be in-
strumental in changing the lives of
children. A day-care committee, spurred
by Evelyn Johnson, began to build pro-
gram and budgets, investigate state regula-
tions, seek funding and draw up bylaws.

The decision makers were incessantly
confronted with a barrage of problems.
The most significant was the design of the
building itself. Architects had drawn a
beautiful, versatile building, far beyond
the means of the church to construct. The
architects refused to modify their plans
and the church was stymied. All doors
slammed shut. Building costs rose relent-
lessly. Codes changed. With no place to
go, but refusing to accept failure, the con-
gregation sought spiritual resources.

Answers came. The church decided to
pay the architects' fees and proceed with
congregationally revised plans, scaled
down in size to use money available effec-
tively and still meet program needs. Sup-
port from the Brotherhood Fund and
Pacific Southwest District resulted in
grants of $27,000 and loans of $103,000.
A professional fund-raising campaign net-
ted $28,000 in gifts and pledges. Heavy in-
debtedness was incurred, but the church
was on the move.

The building, completed in February
1977 at a cost of $165,000, has 6,500
square feet of floor space with an open,
sunlit central section that can be opened
further by sliding the walls back into cor-
ners on ceiling tracks that terminate at the
storage points like a railroad switchyard.
Revealed behind the opened walls along
the perimeter of the building are
classrooms, a multipurpose room,
kitchen, front and rear exits, office space,
a fireside room, restrooms, patio and
well-designed storage rooms.

The congregation of Live
Oak Church of the Brethren
has exchanged its old build-
ing finset, !ibo\e) for the new
combination sanctuary-
child-care center they built
^above/ The congregation
never fell victim to the adage
that small churches can't be
vital. Its renewal and
growth project only served
to heighten fellowship and
commitment. Several mem-
bers took off from secure
jobs to aid in the building.
Bob Smith's wife Mary ran
the family paint store while
he supervised construction.
"I just felt the call, that's
all," he said. One senior
citizen, against the project
from the start, nevertheless
came with his hammer. The
playground fright;, designed
by Chalmers Johnson,
features a gravel-bottomed
pit that can be converted in-
to a wading pool during the
summer and also serves as
the church baptistry.

August 1979 MESSENGER 11

Above: The mobile sanctuary set up for church. It can be re-
arranged for the day-care center in 30 minutes. Pastor Ernie Bolz
(right, center) arrived during the project and ministered at the end
of a cement trowel, designing pencil and hammer. His "kids" were
donated to play with the others. Child-care center director Natella
Franklin boasts of the "spacious, well-equipped facility" with toys
and animals (right top and bottom) created by church members.

IT

-''.he congregation meets for worship each Sunday in the central
section with the walls pulled into place. Whoever sets up on
Saturday decides where to place the pulpit and altar. Pastor Bolz
jests, "I never know where I'll preach from until I get here on
Sunday morning." Sunday school classes meet in the peripheral
rooms. Family clusters, Bible studies, quilters, boards and com-
mittees and community groups such as well-baby clinic, prenatal
nutritional education, Kiwanis luncheons, anniversary and wed-
ding receptions and conferences from other denominations meet
in the building throughout the week.

On Sunday after worship, as in most Brethren churches, the
worshipers visit and greet each other, moving gradually out of the
central meeting room. Soon individuals slip away from the little
clusters of people to put hymnbooks in the book cart, stack chairs
and carry them to the designated area, cover and roll out the
piano, organ, pulpit and altar table. One comments, "This is really
a moving church!" Before long the area is
emptied with only the rays of the sun
streaming down onto the colorful carpet
and warm wooden walls.

Monday morning the child-care staff ar-
rives early and rolls out cupboards, area
dividers, wooden horses and little furniture
and in 30 minutes the room, which 24
hours earlier was a sanctuary, is trans-
formed into a child-care center. Natalia
Franklin is administrator of the child-care
center with a staff of two full-time and one
half-time teachers. Approximately 50
children come for day care, from families
where both parents work, single-parent
families and from families who want a
good day-care experience for their child
even though the mother doesn't work.
Natalia is delighted that the church has
given utmost cooperation without invasion
(Continued on page 37)

12 MESSENGER AugUSt 1979

A summary of the
1 93rd recorded
Annual Conference

Annual Conference is, for the Church of the Brethren, a family council and
reunion. It is a meeting in which respect is paid to pronouncements from the
highest officials of the church. But opportunity is also provided for the
individual member to stand and share with sisters and brothers a piece of his
mind. The family sits down together and threshes out its differences so that in
its witness to the world it presents a unified front. The family feeling was much
in evidence when a potentially divisive paper on biblical inspiration and
authority turned out to be a unifying instrument acknowledging and affirming
Brethren unity in diversity. For the Seattle scene as we viewed it,
read on. —The Editors

Text by Messenger staff.
Photos by Randy Miller
and Nguyen Van Gia.

August 1979 MESSENGER 13

Business flowed smoothly at Seattle, following the agenda closely,
with few surprises. To aid readers who followed business
attentively at Conference, we are reporting on each item in the
order it appeared in the Conference Booklet, noting after each
subhead the corresponding page number of the booklet.

Old business: Problems
that don't go away

Human Sexuality from a Christian
Perspective (p. 98). Seattle was where the
human sexuahty paper was supposed to be
the "biggie" on the agenda. Now it looks
like Indianapolis will host that debate.

The report of the study committee
sparked so much discussion at the
February General Board meeting that it
was tabled for the June/July meeting in
Seattle. Termed by one Board member a
"hot potato," the report was received "as
a beginning" and the Board will appoint a
committee chosen from its members to
prepare a final report — slated for the 1981
Conference agenda.

Belief that too hasty reporting on a
controversial issue would be detrimental
to the concern of the original study re-
quest accounted for the new trackage. In
spite of the study's human sexuality scope,
attention has focused on the parts of the
paper dealing with homosexuality. The
General Board in its action seemed deter-
mined that any report would not only
avoid ambiguity on the church's stance on
human sexuality issues, but would offer
practical help to congregations and in-
dividuals dealing with them.

Biblical Inspiration and Authority
(p. 98). By an overwhelming majority.
Conference delegates approved the work
of the Biblical Inspiration and Authority
study committee. The report sets forth
eight affirmations about the function and
nature of the Scriptures for the church's
faith. It also lists points on which
Brethren cannot yet agree about the Bible.
See story on page 16, "The Victory
Belonged to the Whole Church."

Christian Life-style (p. 113). A task
force studying life-style concerns raised by
two 1977 queries about the use of
resources and global responsibility will

report in 1980. The task force will suggest
practical steps toward responsible and just
life-style approaches. Research is under-
way already — this issue of Messenger
carries a survey questionnaire on life-style
to be completed and returned to the com-
mittee (see page 29). The November
Messenger will be a special issue:
"Simplicity and Solidarity."

Annual Conference Elections (p. 115).
After much debate and the deleting of a
key portion which would have allowed the
General Board to appoint one person each
year to its membership, delegates over-
whelmingly approved the controversial
Annual Conference Elections paper. Ad-
vocates of equitable representation of "all
our people" in the church's elected offices
could take pause from the treatment of
the paper, the 1979 elections and the
General Board reorganization. Women, in
particular, suffered setbacks this year. The
"journey of the sisters" continues. See
story on page 15, "An Uneasy Conscience
on the Status Quo."

Baptism and Church Membership
(p. 121). Annual Conference delegates,
stirred by Three Mile Island, adopted a
paper on Nuclear Power Plants which en-
couraged congregations and districts to
engage in creative responses to critical
Eco-Justice issues. The paper affirmed the
1977 Annual Conference statement on the
church's responsibility for justice and non-
violence; asked the General Board to
make stewardship of creation a 1980-84
program priority; and commended the
National Council of Churches' study
document, "The Ethical Implications of
Energy Production and Use."

The action was in response to a 1978
query initiated by the Castaner, Puerto
Rico, congregation through the

One of the great things about Conference is
the right of everyone to speak on an issue,
whether a delegate or a spectator. Vicki and
Bob Morris of Quicksburg, Va., check facts
before heading for the microphones.

Florida/Puerto Rico District, out of con-
cern for possible adverse environmental
and social effects from the introduction of
nuclear power plants and nuclear waste
storage facilities to its island.

Discussion of the paper centered on the
need to look at the issues surrounding
nuclear power plants. Local congregations
and districts were called to give careful
analysis to their unique local concerns.

World Mission Program (p. 123). A
1978 query asked Conference to direct the
General Board to develop and implement
a more aggressive home and world mis-
sions program to more fully carry out
Christ's great "Go ye" mandate. As
delegates wrestled with the General
Board's response to the query, evidence
was not lacking that there is a great gap
between the official mission philosophy of
the denomination and the philosophy of
the people in the pews.

Despite the realities of tightened
budgets, modern nationalism and a
quarter century of indigenization of
Brethren mission work, the members in
the pews still dream of a vigorous im-
plementation—Hang the cost; we'll give if
you provide program — of the Great Com-
mission. That feeling was articulated by
Bob Nance of Kansas: "We need to
develop new mission fields— there are still

14 MESSENGER AugUSt 1979

thousands of tribes that don't know the
name of Jesus."

A terse answer by World Ministries did
not begin to satisfy delegates at Seattle.
Alert mission advocates immediately were
suspicious of the statement that WMC is
working to incorporate the query's values
"insofar as present mission philosophy
and budget will allow." "What don'! they
allow?" was the first question from the
floor.

Explanations of indigenization policy
and the budget crunch did not stem the
tide of dissatisfaction. Hartman Rice, be-
lieving that the query strikes at the prob-
lem of why people don't support the
Brotherhood Fund, moved to refer the
query to another study committee. A
groundswell of support for the motion
carried this last item of Conference
business to swift completion. A committee
of three World Ministries Commission
members and three members of the
church at large was to be appointed by
Conference officers in late August to fur-
ther study the issue.

Challenge Goal for Per-member Giving
to Brotherhood Fund (p. 124). A 1978
Annual Conference directive brought
from the General Board a new "challenge
goal for per-member giving."

Total giving to the Brotherhood Fund
has steadily declined in recent years (7.8
percent in 1977 compared to 11.5 percent
in 1967). In 1977, giving to Brotherhood
Fund and all related institutions and
causes was a pitiful 2.6 percent of
Brethren collective income. The General
Board is convinced that this can and
should be raised to a modest five percent

An uneasy conscience
on the status quo

From the pre-historical considerations of whether or not women should participate
in the tribal religious dances and become chieftains to the current question of
whether women should be Conference moderators, the debate on equitable par-
ticipation in the religious community spans the millenniums.

The theme of equality in the religious setting consumed a sizable portion of
the business session at Seattle.

The report on Annual Conference Elections in essence called for "a more
equitable participation of all of our people — men, women, various ages, racial and
ethnic minorities, rural and urban segments" in the elected offices of the church.

The proposal called for a more just representation of the demographic make-
up of our denomination stressing the Reformation theme of the priesthood of all
believers. The report did not call for a quota system based on percentages or a
ballot which is any more structured than the present one, but was more in the form
of a strong encouragement to seek out equitable representation. Specifically, it
recommended that the nominating committee of Standing Committee consider the
offices of moderator-elect, secretary. General Board, Bethany Board, Annual Con-
ference Central Committee, Interchurch Relations Committee, National Council
Representative, World Council Representative and Review and Evaluations Com-
mittee in this regard.

After a prolonged debate with numerous amendments proposed, the delegate
body overwhelmingly approved the paper as a whole. However, Conference deleted
a key portion of the goals for election section calling for the General Board to ap-
point one person per year to fill vacancies on the Board to insure equitable
representation. The debate on this matter concerned whether or not this was
extending the power of the Board to become a self-perpetuating institution.

Because this question involved a change in polity, a two-thirds majority was
needed. The supportive vote at 65 percent fell only one percentage point short of
passage on the initial count. A recount indicated a two percent gap.

A Conference survey in 1978 indicated that 43 percent of male delegates con-
sciously voted for women and 41 percent of the women did the same. An over-
whelming 89 percent of all delegates indicated that the main reason for voting for a
candidate was the biographical sketch. Twenty-two percent indicated that they
voted because of the sex of the candidate and only seven percent indicated that
they did not vote for women because of their biblical interpretation concerning
women in positions of leadership and authority. Neither sex nor occupation of the
candidate was particularly important to the delegates, apparently.

The Church of the Brethren continues to function as a predominately patriar-
chial denomination. However, the emotional tone of the spirited debators betrayed
an uneasy conscience regarding the status quo and a desire lo progress, although
somewhat reluctantly, to a more equitable participation.

The discussion of the elections paper came appropriately after an evening
dramatic presentation on the "Journey of the Sisters Among the Brethren." Look-
ing back to the open prejudice expressed toward the 19th century woman preacher,
Sarah Major, one could say, "You've come a long way, sister." But that would
represent the male viewpoint. The women might reply, "Sure, we are now fully par-
ticipating in the tribal rituals, but when will we receive the staff of the
chieftain?" — A. Herbert Smith

A . Herbert Stuiih is pusior of [he Lick Creek congre^uliun, Bryan. Ohio.

August 1979 MESSENGER 15

^1

Brethren Revival Fellowship chairman
James F. Myer emerged the hero of the
day with his persuasive speech urging
acceptance of the Biblical Inspiration
and Authority paper. Said Myer, "The
thing I like is that I can find my posi-
tion in this paper. Instead of this being
a position paper it may well be a heal-
ing position. It affirms that we are
a Bible believing church. "

Much credit for the smooth passage of the
Biblical Inspiration and Authority paper was
due to the committee that framed it and re-
sponded to floor debate questions: (from
left) Harold Martin, Dale Brown, Joan
Deeter, Rick Gardner and Wanda Button.

during the 1980s.

With reservations expressed about un-
fairness to the small-budget church, the
usual complaints about goals and com-
parative categorizing of stewards, the
delegates accepted the proposed giving
goal. "Challenge" congregations are called
to give at least $40 per member per year or
25 percent and above of local budget.
"Partnership" congregations are to give $24
per member or 15 percent of local budget.
"Participating" congregations would give

16 MESSENGER AugUSi 1979

$16 per member or 10 percent of local
budget.

As congregations take up the challenge,
they may find themselves — or place
themselves — in the category to which
Christ calls them, as they best understand
it. For the Church of the Brethren, both
locally and denominationally, the
delegates affirmed that this upgrading of
our financial witness is essential, not just
for growth but for life itself.

General Secretary Bob Neff states that
personal commitment to Jesus Christ is
not enough. We must also acknowledge
his lordship and our discipleship in every
area of our lives. The usual is not enough.
The Conference delegates voted with their
hands. All the Brethren must vote with
their dollars. D

Messenger is indebted lo writers Tim Speiclier
and Alan Kieffaber for portions of this coverage.

Thevictory belonged

The report on Biblical Inspiration and Authority must surely stand as one of the
surprises in recent Brethren history. Amazingly, an issue on which we hold
acknowledged wide diversity, and one which approaches ultimacy in importance to
us, was resolved in a manner that created a sense of unity and respect for each
other within our differences.

How did it happen? It happened first of all when Standing Committee framed
the request in 1977, and the delegates approved a study that would present not the
Brethren understanding on the nature of the Bible as our authority in faith and
practice, but representative positions. This was in contrast to our visual procedure
in seeking to identify the Brethren position that is the vision of the majority of the
delegates at the time. The request specified a committee of five, to include three
appointed by the General Board, one by the Brethren Revival Fellowship, and one
by Bethany Theological Seminary. It was without precedent for Annual Conference
to name a committee by granting a part of the appointment to an unofficial
association (BRF) in which the church at large has no direct determination of
personnel or program.

The request asked for guidance on how we could hold each other in love and
fellowship while holding a diversity of attitudes. The committee not only offered
such guidance in the paper, but seemed to embody love and fellowship in
completing its task. Committee members spoke of the process, first of being afraid
of each other, and then of discovering more shared convictions than anticipated.
Their process became our process in the Tuesday evening hearing and the
Wednesday consideration.

Beyond the assignment and the process, this new unity and respect emerged
from the approach of the report — an approach that did not require us to choose
between the majority and the minority, but emphasized our substantial consensus,
identified areas wherein we are not yet agreed, and gave high visibility to a minority
view which spoke of verbal inspiration and inerrancy. The committee defended its
approach, but had to reach all the way back to a 19th century Annual Meeting
debate on the universal restoration of all souls for its precedent.

The report on Biblical Inspiration and Authority brought together the witness
of the Bible itself; a review of the views of the great streams of the Christian
Church, including Anabaptism and Pietism and the Brethren experience; recent

New Business: Continuing
concerns to challenge us

Diminishing Membership in the Church of
the Brethren (p. 126): Excitement for
greater impact on church growth was evi-
dent when Conference delegates approved
the formation of a seven-member commit-
tee to study the problem of diminishing
church membership. Its response to a
query from Missouri District, with specific
recommendations, will be due in
1980.

In response to the query from the
Missouri District, Standing Committee felt
the concern- would be most completely ad-
dressed by assigning the petition to the
General Board. The delegate body.

however, voted that greater action and
ownership of the concern would be
achieved through a study committee ap-
pointed by the Annual Conference of-
ficers. The committee was to be named in
late August.

The study process will include the in-
volvement of the districts and local groups
as well as the Parish Ministries Commis-
sion, with the final report including
specific methods and procedures for
handling the problem at the local level.

The need for openness was expressed as
to whether churches can actually reverse
their trends and increase membership or

to the whole church

Brethren views, including results of a survey and an identification of some
representative positions; eight affirmations about the Scriptures with related iden-
tification of areas in which "we are not yet agreed"; ways of holding one another in
love and fellowship; and five recommendations.

One of the recommendations asked the General Board to make the statement
available along with a study guide for use by congregations. Messenger readers
will profit by securing and studying the full report.

It was another recommendation, however, that poses the most questions for
the future. It was a recommendation calling for "a more complete representation of
persons holding different viewpoints on the Bible's inspiration and authority at all
levels of the church's life." Representatives of the Brethren Revival Fellowship saw
it as a promise for more involvement, especially in areas such as curriculum
writing.

Some, who feel the Fellowship is already over-represented in Annual Con-
ference programing and General Board attention, are concerned that a very effec-
tive, dedicated minority may unduly shape the whole body. The size of the minori-
ty is open to question -the results of the survey questionnaire may suggest a host
of "closet BRFers" beyond the recognized membership. The committee did not sug-
gest how this representation was to happen and there could be chilling implications
in the recommendations if, in implementation, a member's service could not begin
until the member's viewpoint on the inspiration and authority of the Bible was
determined. Committee members said this was certainly not the intent, and that
any such examination would violate the spirit of the paper.

Clearly, the Brethren Revival Fellowship achieved at this Conference what it
intended with its approach to Conference in 1977. It was, as one member of the
Fellowship said, "a step in the right direction." But the real victory belonged to the
whole church, for we emerged holding each other in love and fellowship and
respect. As a committee member noted, perhaps the prophetic part of the paper
was in permitting the Scriptures to bring us to unity.

Remaining is the task of studying, not just the report, but the Bible itself, and
giving the Scripture authority in our everyday lives. -Leland Wilson

Leiand Wilson is pastor of the La Verne (Calif.) congregation.

may need to accept current membership
and dedicate their efforts to other aspects
of church growth and life.

Support Systems for Those Called to
Set-apart Ministries (p. 126): Conference
delegates adopted an amended recommen-
dation from Standing Committee urging
the General Board to develop a plan of
assistance for persons in set-apart
ministries during times of financial crises.

Recognizing the concern for financial
support when pastors are un- or under-
employed. Standing Committee had sug-
gested that the General Board consider the
development of a plan to address such
concerns. The delegates supported the
amendment which made the Board activ-
ity imperative.

Coming from the Michigan District, the
original query petitioned Annual Con-
ference to study and develop a com-
prehensive support system for persons
called into set-apart ministries, including
unemployment compensation; lack of
equity and assets; spiritual, psychological
and personal demands; and the sabbatical
system.

Believing a study committee was not the
answer, Standing Committee cited several
previous Annual Conference actions
"which, if consistently used as guidelines,
could deal effectively with most of the
concerns expressed." Recognition was
made that "tools" already exist on paper
and now need to be used more creatively.

Citing their adoption of the recommen-
dation, the delegates deleted Standing
Committee's request to return the query to
the district.

Encouragement was given to district ex-
ecutives and commissions "to continue
working at understanding the 'covenantal'
relationship between a congregation and
pastor."

Two concerns were expressed during the
debate: increased attention to the more in-
visible forms of emotional and moral
crises and the willingness of congregations
to support the Brotherhood program in
such a way that monies will be available
for the plan which the General Board will
develop.

Church of the Brethren Pension Plan
(three items; pp. 127-128): Three commen-

AugUSt 1979 MESSENGER 17

Commitment in the 80s

Audio-visual presentations in key morning slots of the business
agenda gave the General Board report visibility in keeping with its
role in the life of the Church of the Brethren. Annual Conference dele-
gates shared in the midst of important business the related involvement of elected
representatives and employed staff.

Three million dollars — less than the budget of one Florida congregation — in
another denomination — buys a lot: a program feeding 600 Haitian children a day
their only regular food, the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees in an Illinois
community, the far-reaching involvement of a busy homemaker who is on the
General Board, and a Pennsylvania scientist whose research and traumatic surgery
inspire his witness that born-again persons must also have transformed life-styles.

So spoke World Ministries Commission. Vignettes from General Services
Commission showed the General Board's attempt to be faithful to the Scriptures in
the world of corporate investment — far from easy when half the largest economic
entities in the world are multi-national corporations. Brethren profit through them,
both as a church and as individual members. Both involvements need critical e.xamin
ation. How would Jesus invest the $30 million the Brethren will have by 1985? South
African stocks are very good, so is Nestle infant formula, and more children than
ever are influenced by tv advertising in this, "The International Year of the Child."

Parish Ministries Commission is reaching out through Mision Mutua to Latin
brothers and sisters, in
interdependent sharing — not
as a one-sided mission effort.
The Womaen's Caucus, far
beyond simply seeking
equality, is reaching to the
world's women through a
voluntary tax. Ribbons
stretching across the
Conference floor connected
commission and staff
members to new churches,
camps, worship workshops,
evangelistic movements,
church schools. Brethren
homes, hospitals and
colleges. There is one body,
but with many members.

Additional concerns of
the General Board focus on

the issues of salvation and justice, and on the renewed sensitivity to the bondage of
our society to nuclear expansion, the specter of the draft and the threat of war. The
energy pinch and heightened competition for the earth's resources concern us. We
feel the tension — consumers called to be servants.

We feel the pressure of shrinking statistics as inflation squeezes personal and
denominational budgets, and secularism and inertia erode church membership —
notwithstanding church renewal, the Holy Spirit revival and the Great Commission.
As goals are projected for the 80s, the Conference issues a challenge to Brethren to
increase their stewardship to one half of a tithe! Rough statistics show that Brethren
have an annual net worth of nearly one and a half billion dollars. Of that, 32 million
reaches church projects and three million is budgeted and spent in the General
Board's program.

The bottom line? Should not we, who so vocally and with such deep spiritual
rootage affirm salvation, justice, equality, healing and shalom for all the world's
brothers and sisters, do better than 2.6 percent stewardship to put our faith into
action? If we are committed to the life of the Church of the Brethren in the 80s, in
the last two decades of the 20th century, this is where it must begin. Increase in per-
sons and dollars must exceed inflation of the forces that drain us. —Alan Kieffaber

Alan Kieffaber ts campus minister for McPherson College, McPherson. Kans.

dations came to Conference from the Pen-
sion Board to update its policies. All were
accepted routinely. One change allows a
member of the Pension Plan, with the
spouse's written consent, to elect a single-
life annuity payable only for the life of
the member. Another clears the way for
more "inclusive" language, since the Pen-
sion Plan now includes many women
members. The other change substituted
new paragraphs in the Pension Plan that
include a vesting provision for the em-
ployer accumulation when members with-
draw personal contribution accumulations.

Goals for the 80s (p. 129): Goals for
the Church of the Brethren to cover the
years I980-I984 were passed with little
amending, indicative of the exhaustive
process by which the goals had been
set — everyone in the denomination having

The General Board report was enlivened
when Parish Ministries Commission
demonstrated with outstretched ribbons
how program lines reach out to congrega-
tions and members.

had opportunity to give input to it in the
past 18 months. An accompanying story
(page 19), "Goals for a Difficult Venture,"
tells how Brethren came to "own" the
goals statement.

Other new business included five items
which came to Conference from Standing
Committee at Seattle and thus were not
included in the Conference Booklet:

Review and Evaluation Procedure
Change: Heretofore the Annual Con-
ference Review and Evaluation Committee
(whose function is to appraise the work of
the General Board in terms of its mandate

18 MESSENGER AugUSt 1979

from Annual Conference) has operated on
a five-year cycle. It has become clear that
the cycle needs to be longer. A new eight-
year cycle adopted at Seattle affords the
General Board a period of time between
evaluations "to experience the operational
realities of any changes made" by the
committee's suggestions.

Resolution on Conscription: Jarred by
major moves to reinstate registration and
military draft, Annual Conference once
again voiced its historic opposition to
military conscription and participation in
war. Conference officers were commis-
sioned at Seattle to make that opposition
known to President Carter and congres-
sional leaders. Educational efforts at all
levels regarding the Brethren peace witness
were urged.

1981 Biblical/Theological Quest:
Theological study conferences of the
Church of the Brethren were held in 1960,
1964 and 1969 — small groups of scholars
meeting to identify and develop
theological grounding and general direc-
tion for the denomination. The 1981
"Conference" will be different. Con-
ference approved a plan whereby a series
of experiences in 1981 will involve many
people throughout the denomination in a
biblical/theological quest. The experiences
will be designed to deepen the theological
awareness of persons in the denomination
as they search in community for that
which will move the church to reaffirm
God's mission as its mission.

Proposed is a January 1981 experience
involving General Board members,
Bethany Seminary faculty and staff, An-
nual Conference officers, Elgin staff and
district executives. The second phase of
the Quest will be the infusion of biblical/
theological reflection into the 1981 An-
nual Conference at Indianapolis. The final
experience of the Quest year will be a
November 1981 meeting of Brethren
ministers from congregations and church-
related institutions.

Refugee Crisis in Southeast Asia: Ad-
dressing the problem of Indochina
refugees (personalized at Seattle by
testimony from Mac Coffman, WMC
service ministries director— fresh back
from a visit to Southeast Asia — and a plea
from Cleo Beery, father of Galen
Beery — who works with "Boat People"
cases in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Con-
ference called on the US government to
normalize diplomatic and trade relations
with Vietnam as one means of stanching
the flow of refugees from Southeast Asia.

Delegates also urged the government to
immediately move from Southeast Asia all
refugees ready for entrance into the US,
using military aircraft or ships if
necessary.

Brethren at Seattle were especially in-
terested in finding ways they could per-
sonally be involved in alleviating the
refugee problem. One part of the adopted
statement on refugees pledged the church
to continue its efforts to provide sponsor-
ships for refugees.

Volunteer Service: A resolution calling
for an emphasis on volunteer service pro-
gram strengthening turned out to be more
a test of who makes program — Standing
Committee or the General Board — than a
bold new service thrust.

The dialog began when the On Earth
Peace Assembly (OEPA) gained access to
Standing Committee to present its concern
for promoting opportunities for youth to
enter volunteer service. There the issue
became whether a program unit of the

Moderator Groff joined other con-
ferencegoers in wearing a "God Calls" but-
ton in support of the approved Coals for
the 80s.

Goals for a difficult venture

One speaker described the denomination's Goals for the 80s as "a vehicle by which
we can move from where we are to where we want to be." Another declared,
"These goals are demanding enough to call for our very best."

Add to these quotes the obvious excitement of Goals and Budget Committee
chairperson Wayne Frahn as he presented the paper, and the post debate
"celebration" in which General Board persons led the delegate body and "God
Calls" buttons were distributed, and the mood begins to emerge.

Designed to give direction to Church of the Brethren program for the next five
years, the goals paper had been 18 months in process. It had involved hundreds of
hours of thinking and discussing, input from countless persons, including 15
percent of the congregations and numerous revisions. The paper even survived,
intact, the attacks of several would be amenders, only one of whom, the delegates
decided, succeeded in improving it. The amendment added the phrase "by diligently
searching the Scriptures" to the end of the goals statement.

It seemed a miracle that so much content could be packed into 30 lines of
print. Could it be that this terse development from Micah 6:8 could speak for
177,000 Brethren? True, familiar Brethren words ring throughout: justice . . .
second mile . . . simplicity . . . non-violence . . . good news of Jesus Christ . . .
peace . . . community and wholeness . . . reconciliation . . . servant people . . .
basin and towel . . . mutuality . . . Lordship of Christ. Yet could this statement
provide, as Fralin hoped, "a reference point to meet our yearning for unity, focus
and renewal"? The delegate body gave a resounding "Aye!"

As the floor debate closed, Luke Brandt of Atlantic Northeast District urged,
"This is a beautiful paper. 1 hope now that we will all 'own' it." The vehicle awaits
the fuelling, the getting on board, the steering.

A part of the steering comes from the printed statement on the goals: "Now
we begin a more difficult venture, the implementation of the goals by the develop-
ment of definable objectives in the local church, the district, the General Board
and the church-related institutions so that we may be in ministry
together."-CHARLES M. Bieber

Charles M. Bieber is execulive/dislrici minister for Norlhern Indiana Dislricl.

August 1979 MESSENGER 19

General Board (OEPA relates to the of-
fice of WMC peace consultant Chuck
Boyer) can bring a business item to Con-
ference. This irregularity was cir-
cumvented by Standing Committee
creating its own resolution on volunteer
service.

But when this resolution came to the
Conference floor the question was raised
whether Standing Committee was not act-
ing as a "program arm" of the Board.
Eventually, with genuine concerns for

supporting Brethren Volunteer Service be-
ing aired throughout, the controversial
Standing Committee resolution was re-
ferred to the General Board for "suitable
implementation."

Little seemed to have been accom-
plished beyond a fascinating display of
Brethren politics at work in the machinery
of Annual Conference, Standing Commit-
tee and the General Board. D

Messenger is indebted lo writer Tim Speicher for
porlions of this coverage.

Those who will lead us

Duane H, Ramsey, 54, pastor of the
Washington City Church of the Brethren
since 1954, will moderate the 1981 Annual
Conference in Indianapolis. On the initial
ballot for moderator-elect, Ramsey was
elected over Patricia Kennedy Helman of
North Manchester, Ind., and Leon Neher
of Quinter, Kans. Neher was nominated
from the floor in Seattle.

William R. Eberly, director of en-
vironmental studies at Manchester Col-
lege, North Manchester, Ind., is the new
moderator of Annual Conference.

Other elections and appointments:

General Board, district representatives
(5-year terms): B. Stanley Bittinger, Kings-
ville, Tex. (S. Plains); Curtis W. Dubble,
York, Pa. (S. Pa.); Robert Mays, Seattle,
Wash. (Ore.-Wash.).

General Board at large representatives
(5-year terms): Karen S. Carter, Daleville,
Va.; Vernard Eller, La Verne, Calif.

William A. Hayes, Baltimore, Md., was
elected to complete the final year of
Phyllis Carter's term. Carter resigned
from the Board to become district execu-
tive for Florida/Puerto Rico District.

Annual Conference Central Committee
(3-year term): Leah Musser Zuck,
Goshen, Ind.

Committee on Interchurch Relations
(3-year terms): Nelda Rhoades, Milford,
Ind.; Paul D. Steiner, Union Bridge, Md.

Bethany Theological Seminary Board of
Electors (5-year terms): Jean Lichty Hend-
ricks, Sheldon, Iowa (representing
alumni); John Gingrich, Pomona, Calif.,
(representing colleges).

Minister's Association (3-year term;
elected by the association): James E.
Tomlonson, Preston, Minn. (Guy R.

Buch, Orlando, Fla., serves as 1980 presi-
dent).

Observer-consultant to American Bap-
tist General Board: Doris Cline Egge,
Roanoke, Va.

Standing Committee's Nominating
Committee: Anita F. Metzler, Nappanee,
Ind., chairwoman; Evelyn M. Bowman,
Frostburg, Md.; Jan Eller, Portland,
Ore.; G. Arthur Hunn, Polo, 111. (1979).
Luke H. Brandt, Harleysville, Pa.; John
Bunch, Marion, Ind.; R. Eugene Miller,
Duncansville, Pa.; Phillip C. Stone, Lin-
ville, Va. (1980).

Standing Committee Study Committees:

1) Energy Crisis and the Future of Annual
Conference: Emily Mumma, Largo, Fla.;
Wilmer Hurst, Timberville, Va.; Byron
Flory, Xenia, Ohio; David Stauffer,
Waka, Tex.; Dorothy Brumbaugh, Joliet,
111. 2) Dissidence and Division: Anita
Metzler, Nappanee, Ind.; Ruth Clark,
Froid, Mont.; Eugene Miller, Dun-
cansville, Pa.; Ross Noffsinger, Leola,
Pa.; John Bunch, Marion, Ind.

(Two committees to be named by the
Annual Conference officers had not been
named by press time: I) World Mission;

2) Diminishing Church Membership.
General Board Reorganization: Clyde

R. Shallenberger, Baltimore, Md., (1981)
continues as chairman. Doris Cline Egge,
Roar^oke, Va., (1980) will serve as vice-
chairwoman. James Myer, Lititz, Pa.
(1983), and Wayne Frahn, Orlando, Fla.
(1981), will serve as members-at-large of
Executive Committee.

General Services Commission: Wayne
F. Geisert, Bridgewater, Va. (1982), chair-
man; Doris Cline Egge, Roanoke, Va.
(1980); Anne M. Albright, Fort

Duane H. Ramsey

William R. Eberly

Wayne, Ind. (1981); James H. Baile, War-
rensburg. Mo. (1983); Dale Detwiler,
Roaring Spring, Pa. (1982); Robert Mays,
Seattle, Wash. (1984); Vernard Eller, La
Verne, Calif. (1984); Wendell Bohrer,
Johnstown, Pa. (1982).

Parish Ministries Commission: Earl K.
Ziegler, Quarryville, Pa. (1980), chairman;
Nancy R. Faus, Lombard, 111. (1982);
Paul R. White, Mogadore, Ohio (1981);
William A. Hayes, Baltimore, Md. (1980);
Dan Petry, Johnstown, Pa. (1983); James
F. Myer, Lititz, Pa. (1983); Guy E.
Wampler Jr., Fort Wayne, Ind. (1982);
Joyce Miller, Franklin Grove, 111. (1983).

World Ministries Commission: Wanda
Will Button, Conrad, Iowa (1983), chair-
woman; Dale Aukerman, Union Bridge,
Md. (1980); Karen S. Carter, Daleville,
Va. (1984); L. Wayne FraHn, Orlando,
Fla. (1981); T. Wayne Rieman, North
Manchester, Ind. (1980); Mary Sue
Rosenberger, Louisville, Ohio (1981); B.
Stanley Bittinger, Kingsville, Tex. (1984);;
Curtis W. Dubble, York, Pa. (1984).

20 MESSENGER August 1979

Also in Seattle . . .

So, what have we missed? Conference
week moves at too hectic a pace for the
Messenger staff to iceep up with
everything. Here is a cluster of brief items
which, we hope, includes the things we
missed in the fuller coverage.

From the General Board meetings. Con-
ference business and other sources:

• The General Board passed a resolu-
tion calling for full voting representation
in Congress for the District of Columbia.
In supporting the resolution, the Board
noted that even though the 700,000
residents of the nation's capital pay
federal taxes and bear other citizenship
responsibiUties, they have no voting
representation.

• The 1980 General Board budget of
$3,460,000 represents a six percent reduc-
tion of program. The cut is due to in-
creased program costs and sluggish giving
to the Brotherhood Fund.

• The Board adopted a Statement on
Editorial Freedom and Repsonsibility for
its communicators. The paper asks the
church "to provide access to information,
freedom of inquiry and the right to exer-
cise editorial freedom."

• Parish Ministries Commission ex-
perienced dialog with representatives of

the Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF).
Affirming the group's desire to stay part
of the denomination, the BRFers ad-
dressed the content of official educational
materials published by the church, the
books listed for use in the three-year
reading course for licensed ministers and
the evangelism and mission posture of
biblical inerrancy. The BRF dialog ended
with the group hoping for more plurality
in Board staffing and programing.

• Parish Ministries also approved a
conference in the summer of 1980 for men
and women sponsored by the person
awareness office and agreed to consider
transferring the work of Parish Volunteer
Service (PVS) to the districts and con-
gregations.

• General Services Commission
established an eight-percent increase in the
1980 base salary for Church of the
Brethren pastors. The recommended
change in the minimum pastors' salary
schedule applies equally across all
categories of the scale and attempts to
speak to rising inflationary needs of
pastoral families.

• The Brethren Press' production serv-
ices will operate experimentally for a
period of up to four years as if it were a

She also leads . . .

Curiously, little has been made of the
fact that the second highest elective po-
sition in the Church of the Brethren is
filled by a woman. Most Brethren
know little about the functions of the
Annual Conference secretary, since
1977, Phyllis Kingery Ruff of Council
Bluffs, Iowa.

Ruff, an Omaha Kindergarten teacher,
came to the Conference position from a ca-
reer in elementary education. She has been
a district moderator and served on impor-
tant study committees. In her Conference
work she is not only responsible for the of-
fical Annual Conference minutes, but also is
a member of Central Committee, and
serves as secretary of Standing
Committee and its Nominating
Committee.

separate corporation. The move is de-
signed to increase efficiency and to meet
impending taxation demands upon non-
profit organizations with unrelated
business activity.

• Personnel shifts among Elgin staff
are noted; Gwen Bobb has retired, Ron
Petry and Jan Mason have resigned,
Jackie Driver and Dale Minnich have
joined the staff, and Bev Weaver is shif-
ting from a BVS assignment to coor-
dinator of BVS orientation.

• World Ministries Commission is
developing plans for a primary health care
system for villages in the Upper Nile prov-
ince of Sudan. The system will address the
lack there of clean water, sanitation,
nutrition, hygiene and pre- and post-natal
care. A Brethren-sponsored worker is to
be there by next March.

• Viewing with alarm the resumption of
capital punishment, World Ministries, in a
resolution, reaffirmed former Brethren ac-
tion opposing the practice, and called for
Brethren to work for the abolition of the
death penalty.

• World Ministries honored four retir-
ing India workers: Joy and Everett
Fasnacht (39 years service) and Rae and
George Mason (27 years service).

• The General Board, after much
debate, adopted a paper on disarmament,
"Choose Life," prepared by church
representatives from the USA and USSR
this past spring. It represented dialog
begun by W. Harold Row and work
facilitated by H. Lamar Gibble. Most
controversial in the paper was the urging
of swift acceptance of the SALT II ac-
cords (the Brethren have repeatedly called
for total disarmament).

• Edward K. Ziegler was honored for
his quarter-century service as editor of
Brethren Life and Thought journal by the
Brethren Journal Association. Only
trouble was that the honored guest didn't
show. Ziegler had suddenly taken ill at
home in Maryland, but guests at the BJA
Luncheon were treated to an excellent
taped address from Ziegler's hospital bed.

• Joan Deeter of North Manchester,
Ind., was elected president of the Brethren
Journal Association at its Seattle meeting.
She serves a three-year term.

• Wilbur H. Neff of Coraopolis, Pa.,
father of general secretary Bob Neff, died

August 1979 MESSENGER 21

July 10, following a heart attack.

• Dr. John Scoltock, who formerly
served at Castaner (Puerto Rico) Hospital,
contended in a speech at the Health and
Welfare Luncheon that "the fee for ser-
vice system of reimbursement for doctors
tends to undermine and dilute what is a
natural human process of caring."

• Old-timers from the 1914 Seattle
Conference were on hand for an ovation
from the 1979 crowd. Recognized were
Alida Larimer Harper, La Verne, Calif.;
Galen and DoUie Leavell, Mt. Vernon,
Wash, (who honeymooned at the 1914
meeting); Raymond Flory, Paradise,
Calif. (95-year-old former China mis-
sionary); Hazel Rothrock, Omak, Wash.;
Eliza Boone Prine, Lacey, Wash.; and
Chalmer Faw, Quinter, Kans.

• The Annual Conference Health and
Welfare Committee appointed in 1972
turned over its work in Seattle to the
General Board. The phased-out committee
is replaced by health and welfare/homes
and hospital consultant Jackie Driver,
newly hired to the Elgin staff.

• Leadership for the 1980 Brethren
Ministers' Association meeting in Pitts-
burgh will be provided by Robert Keck,
of New Wineskins Ministries, Columbus,
Ohio. The theme will be "Prayer and
Meditation."

• The Committee on Interchurch Rela-
tions introduced to Conference 16 repre-
sentatives from various ecumenical groups
and denominational offices in the Seattle
area.

• The Board of Trustees of Bethany
Hospital shared plans for a new health
care campus to be constructed in the
vicinity of the present hospital in Westside
Chicago and utilizing the former site of
Bethany Seminary. The projected cost of
the proposed facilities is $31,900,000,

$2 million of which will be solicited from
individuals and congregations of the
Church of the Brethren. Partners in the
expansion and administration of Bethany
Hospital are members of the Evangelical
Hospital Association, a coalition of health
care institutions in the Chicago area.

• Concern for the right use of nuclear
energy, religious programs of the highest
quality for radio and television, renewed
commitment to the rights and needs of
native Americans, peace in the Middle
East, the use of infant formula in areas of

poverty and
illiteracy,
equal rights
for women and
disarmament
were among the is-
sues dealt with by the
National Council of
Churches in the USA in the
past year. This information, as
well as a survey of the ministries
of Church World Service,

A favorite of the Seattle crowd was 95-year-
old Raymond Flory, consecrated at the
1914 Seattle Conference. Flory served in
China from 1914 to 1927.

*Journey': First step on

In recent years Conference program planners have been varying the evening
program format with presentations other than the traditional preaching. Thursday
evening in Seattle, conferencegoers were treated to the "Journey of the Sisters
Among the Brethren." Wrongly billed as "a dramatic presentation," the work is a
not so unique blend of re-enacted Conference hearings, a reading story-teller and
audio-visual presentations "to portray the work women have done in the church,"
which it seeks to prove is more than baking communion bread and sewing quilts.

The story, using Conference minutes, books, letters, newspapers and
denominational publications, focuses on the Annual Meetings in which women
again got the rights to be deaconesses, pass the cup and break bread as the men
(instead of it being broken to them), the right to be licensed and the 1958 Annual
Conference in which the sisters finally received the right to be ordained.

The intent of the work is admirable — to tell the story of women in the church
from 1708 to the present — if not overly ambitious. The purported dramatic action
isn't, and the slides take in so many noteworthy female doers, leaders and followers
that one never gets to know any of them and hence, to care. How much better to
focus on, say, Sarah Major, Julia Gilbert, Mattie Dolby or Anna Mow, show their
personal struggles and frustrations in the context of their worlds and give an
audience something to grasp onto — more than fleeting glimpses of passing history
on quickly changing slides.

As a dramatic work, "The Journey of the Sisters," is too long and is, as
author/compiler Pam Brubaker Lowe says, "just a survey" with no details or
examples to flesh it out.

The message is one that must be told, the irrational way women have been
treated by the church, first given rights, then having them taken away and fighting
to win them back.

Creation of the "Journey" began when Pam and her husband. Jack, were
asked to write an article on women in the church for Brethren Life and Thought.

They spent time in the archives of Juniata College and researched not only
Annual Meeting minutes but photographs and any other available source to find
out what women were really doing — much of the basic research went into the
article but the presentation idea stuck in Pam's mind.

She asked Brethren artist Joyce Miller to help her develop the concept and

22 MESSENGER August 1979

the right track

Miller updated photos, added music (accompaniment on the Henry Kurtz pipe
organ played by Wilbur Brumbaugh) and cut some of the editorial work. "1 tried
to eliminate some things to improve the balance. We try to keep the interest level
up," said Miller.

But as slides of virtually every woman who contributed to the church flit by, it
is hard to focus one's attention. Florence Murphy, Anna Warstler, Anetta Mow
and more speed by to blur with the others. These glimpses show what truly
dramatic situations are available and what the piece could have become. They do,
also, accomplish one of Lowe's purposes, that of making one want to research on
one's own, to find out what made these women tick.

Lowe discovered that the 1880s and 1890s Annual Meetings dealt with many of
the women's concerns which Conference still deals with today. It was ironic that
while the dramatic presentation was highlighting the progress of the denomination's
women, a ballot was being counted in which the delegates again defeated a
qualified woman candidate for moderator. And the section of the Annual
Conference Elections paper allowing the General Board to appoint one member
each year to assure equal representation of sexes and minorities was also defeated.
"We still have farther to go on the journey," said Lowe.

She is looking forward to 1985, the 100th anniversary of organized women's
work in the life of the church. "'Journey' is just an outline for a story that is just
beginning. As Miller points out, "my purpose is to get people to think about the
rate of progress — and then act."

As "a dramatic presentation," "The Journey of the Sisters Among the
Brethren" is a failure, a list of accomplishments with none of the struggle. As a
purveyor of a message the total church must face and as an educational tool, the
work is a total success.

To see Annual Conference incorporate the dramatic arts into its program is
timely and exciting— a recognition that the church is ready to consider seriously
theater as worship.

With the script and slides for the work available through the Life Cycle
Ministries/Personal Awareness Office, more local churches can take advantage of
the performing arts. The journey, sparked by Conference, of restoring drama to
the church has begun. "Journey" is a first step on the right track.— s.s.

was shared with Conference dele-
gates by Brethren representatives to
the NCC. The report also chronicled
the participation of Brethren associate
general secretary Joel Thompson in the
formulation of an NCC resolution call-
ing for international attention to the
problem of the use of nuclear energy
without proper safeguards. Thompson
chaired a 120 member NCC Energy
Study Panel during the past two years.

• The influence of the Brethren
peace witness in the World Council of
Churches' program for disarmament
during the past years was a highlight
of the report of representatives to the
international faith organization. Mak-
ing the report on behalf of Annual
Conference's three official delegates,
Wanda Will Button cited the leadership of
Elgin staff member H. Lamar Gibble,
who had a major part in drafting the
paper on disarmament and against militar-
ism which was before the WCC Central
Committee in Jamaica earlier this year.

• Bethany Theological Seminary's
report to Conference was highlighted by
the presence of its president, Warren
Groff, as Conference moderator. Other
highlights: a campus fully paid for; strong
congregational backing in direct support
fund-raising; new gifts for an endowment
foundation; increased enrollment; and the
launching of the 75th Anniversary Year of
the school.

• Because of the location, the fuel
crunch and airline travel difficulties,
Seattle was one of the most lightly
attended recent Conferences. Total
registration was 3,099. There were 832
registered delegates and 42 Standing
Committee members. Breakdown of the
delegate body showed 64 percent men and
36 percent laypersons. Curiously, the
Tuesday evening worship drew the largest
crowd, according to ushers' count: 3,052.
Saturday evening drew only 2,341.

• Next year's Annual Conference will
be held in Pittsburgh, Pa., June 24-29.
The 1981 Conference will return to
Indianapolis (1978) and 1982 will bring
the Brethren back to Wichita, Kans.
(1976). Dates for the Wichita Conference
are being looked at carefully to,
hopefully, avoid conflicting with harvest
time for Brethren wheat farmers.

August 1979 MESSENGER 23

^e^-

,.«t(t

Partaking o

/^.

Jroff: "God's promise is an active,
ower that persists even in the face of
ir-ridden, pridefui, unbelieving, dis-
ctions. God wills life . . . yes, 'new

liijfa Ogilvie:

"God — the great
I am' — is in our midst,
ing me to the edge of
jility where I have no
visible means of support."

T. Wayne Rieman: "God asks that we
help in the coming to birth of every
child of the new age. Each of us is a
midwife. By us, through us, the new
life of Christ flows into the lives of
others. Life always comes from life."

Robert W. Neff: "The key to the fu-
ture of the church is the richness of
congregational life supported by the
promise of Christ that wherever two
or three are gathered together in his
name he is in the midst of them."

Virginia Ramey
Mollenkott: "If 1

perceive my oneness
with the whole hu-
man family, I will
'Struggle against un-
just principalities
and powers on
behalf of the other
members of Christ's
body." —

r^^

l^

^iS^r

y

a?.

-^^^

24 MESSENGER August 1979

y;.

th

e promise

"Partakers of the Promise" was the theme
of the Seattle Conference and the five per-
sons who addressed the worship services of
the weetc worked it over well as they
searched the Scriptures to affirm the prom-
ise—first made by God to Abraham — that
is basic to the Christian faith.

Speakers for the week were Annual Con-
ference moderator Warren Groff, president
of Bethany Seminary, Oak Brook, 111.;
Lloyd Ogilvie, pastor of First Presbyterian
Church, Hollywood, Calif.; Virginia
Ramey MoUenkott, professor of English at
William Paterson College of New Jersey,
Hewitt, N.J.; T. Wayne Rieman, retired
professor from Manchester College and a
General Board member, from North Man-
chester, Ind.; and Robert W. Neff, general
secretary of the General Board of the
Church of the Brethren.

Jean Young on children: The

International Year of the Child
has succeeded in getting nations
to take a harder look at the
needs of their "weakest and
most vulnerable — the

children," said Jean Childs
Young, who chairs the US Na-
tional Committee on the Inter-
national Year of the Child. Ad-
dressing the World Ministries
dinner in Seattle, Young spoke
of lYC as a unifying emphasis.
"In this day of divisive one-issue
politics, people need the chance
to be brought together, to work
across racial, social, economic
and political issues. Our belief
and concern for children can
provide this."

A vigil can't be a failure

The cost of a single Trident submarine would cover the Church of the Brethren
General Board budget for years to come. When completed, one Trident
submarine — 560 feet long and over 18,000 tons — will be capable of destroying 408
large cities in a single attack with nuclear blasts five times that of Hiroshima. This
enormous power, along with the uncanny accuracy of these missiles, will enable the
US to visit radioactive devastation onto any country, destroying life and producing a
barren wasteland, unusable for many years. The entire fleet of 30 proposed Trident
submarines will be capable of destroying the earth. They will have as their base port
Bangor, Wash., about 15 miles as the crow flies from Seattle Center.

Ground Zero, a group for nonviolent action against Trident, has purchased land
adjacent to the Trident base and weekly distributes pamphlets to the submarine base
employees. It was in cooperation with this group that Chuck Boyer, World Ministries
Commission peace consultant, and Mike Stern, assisting with the youth program at
Annual Conference, were able to coordinate a silent vigil at the Trident submarine
base on Saturday of Conference week.

When our caravan of Brethren arrived we were greeted by Jim Douglas, a
member of Ground Zero. He took us to a small patch of land called Bunker Hill,
which overlooks a forested land of beautiful trees, wildflowers and birds which
houses the ammunition depot to the Poseidon/Polaris submarines. There our group
of 94 persons of all ages worshiped and prayed while leaning against the barbed wire
fence enclosing potential death and destruction.

After worship the group moved to the front gate for a silent vigil. The front area
of the base with its rolling lawns and clean buildings is marred only with a large fence
and scattered military police.

To the one reporter who was there the witness must have seemed a dismal failure
but to me a silent vigil can never be a failure — only a success. Success for me in such
a venture is marked by the feeling that I have done what I must do — the feeling that I
have been part of the answer to a problem, not a part of the problem itself. As I told
the reporter, it sets my heart at ease a little bit. —Chris Bowman

Chris Bowman is a hi^h si-hool senior unci u member of the Highland Avenue conare^ution. tl^in, lit.

August 1979 MESSENGER 25

The performing arts:
Retreating to the islands

Opening with concerts, and continuing them through the weel<, the Seattle
Conference was blessed with many and varied opportunities for Brethren to enjoy
the performing arts.

Conference opened in Seattle with a concert by the University of La Verne
Chamber Singers. Under the direction of assistant professor of music Janice Long,
the 20-member student group performed religious pieces ranging from Bach's
"Christ Lag in Todesbanden" to black spirituals like "Deep River." Highlight of the
performance was the premiere of "God in the Space Age," a poem by Alvin
Brightbill (written two weeks before his death in 1976) set to music by La Verne
music professor Reed Gratz. The work centers on viewing God through time. The
poet affirms that God "is now and forever" regardless of time and definitions.

Following the number, Brightbill's widow, Mae, was escorted to the stage
where she read another of her husband's poems, and received a warm ovation from
the delegate body.

As a new attraction the four meeting nights of Conference featured dinner
hour concerts with a variety of Brethren musicians.

The series opened Wednesday with the brother and sister pianist team of Lyle
Lichty and Jean Lichty Hendricks. The duo performed four works by Schumann,
Brahms and Dvorak. The trio of Lois Brown (piano), Deanna Brown-Ciszek (viola)
and Donald Miller (clarinet), made up the middle third of the concert, performing
Mozart's "Trio in E-Flat Major."

Ralph McFadden lent his tenor to the proceedings, performing works by
R. Vaughan Williams and James MacDermid. As an added treat for the many
children in the audience McFadden sang a "Handel-ized" version of "Old Mother
Hubbard" (complete with trills and operatic flourishes).

The concert ended with Beethoven and "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee," with
the soloists each taking a verse and the "congregation" joining in at the end.

Thursday brought the return of Deanna Brown-Ciszek on viola in concert with
Susan Radcliff on violin.

"Singer's Glen," (Friday's presentation) performed by University of La Verne
students, concerns the dissension over the use of music and instruments in the 19th
century Mennonite Church. Directed by La Verne faculty members Linda Seger
and Janice Long, the musical toured Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

Saturday night, the closest thing to a Brethren musical celebrity, Andy
Murray, accompanied by his wife and arranger, Terry, proved how he earned that
honor. For an hour the Murray team kept a standing-room-only audience
enthralled as they ran through their hits.

The majority of Murray's songs were those about Brethren heroes. "The Ballad
of John Kline" recounts the work of the Civil War martyr while "Brave Man From
Ohio" continues the Brethren line of service as it speaks of Vietnam War martyr
Ted Studebaker.

Murray also pleased the children, especially with "The Great Botetourt Bus-
Truck Race," a Murray classic about his school bus riding days in Virginia.

Also in the concert were Murray's reworking of the "Lord's Prayer" and his
song about the difficulties of Saturday night for a pastor. Closing with one of his
biggest hits, Andy Murray and "Goodbye Still Night" was a fitting close to a series
of concerts that were islands of calm in a hectic Conference sea.

At the concerts Brethren were able to realize "the music that is within us," to
be inspired, entertained and to enjoy.— s.S.

26 MESSENGER August 1979

Above: The University of La Verne Cham-
ber Singers, directed by Janice Long, per-
formed numerous reUgious pieces ranging
from Bach to black spirituals.

Left: Sister and brother duo Jean Lichty
Hendricks and Lyie Lichty performed
works by Schumann, Brahms and Dvorak.

Below: It was literally standing room only
as Andy and Terry Murray, joined by
Deannu Brown-Ciszek, enthralled their au-
dience with the Murruv classics.

mim

Insight Sessions too varied to recount proved as popular as ever in Seattle. These late
night events Jail roughly into two categories— those sponsored by special interest
groups, such as the Brethren Revival Fellowship, Association for the Arts, Brethren
Genealogists and the Holy Spirit conference; and those sponsored by the three com-
missions' staffs. The latter are usually "how to" sessions, such as this one introducing
the new book of worship resources. We Gather Together. Worship resource consult-
ant Bob Bowman describes the piece.

Bible Study: Feeling unity

"I really do like these Bible studies! Isn't it exciting, Karen?"

Karen was standing on the platform waiting for the Monorail to transport her
to the morning Bible study. While waiting, she had met Alice and Fred. Each was
from a different part of the country. As I listened in on their conversation 1
discovered that Alice, a member of the Brethren Revival Fellowship, was attending
Conference for the first time and Karen had been a delegate for several years.
Because of his regular participation, Fred has been called "The Familiar Face of
Annual Conference."

"Well, Alice ... to be frank, 1 preferred the former format."

"I didn't know it was different."

"It used to be in smaller groups with a variety of leaders coming from the
different special interest groups — like the Womaen's Caucus, Brethren Revival
Fellowship and the charismatics."

"1 don't think 1 would have liked that. Seems like that would tend to fragment
us. This way, we experience together a point of spiritual contact before business
sessions begin."

"But, before, there was such a nice intimate feeling and more discussion. I'm
kind of tired of this steady diet of lecture."

At this point in the conversation, Fred, who had been listening, decided to add
his ideas, "I remember what you're talking about. You're right about the benefits
of the small group style. Another good thing was that you could move around until
you felt comfortable with the approach the leader was taking. But years ago the
style was like it is this year."

Alice asked, "How do you like it this year, Fred?"

"1 like it. Seems like the study has been much more systematic. I just didn't
like the skipping around that so many of the leaders did before. Besides, 1 am
really interested in Ephesians, now. I've felt that Bible study has taken on a whole
new dimension for me this year."

As we got on the Monorail, it occurred to me that we have indeed gone full
circle in our daily Bible study at Annual Conference. Why we have returned to a
style which is centralized was not really hard to understand since it seemed to be
quite in keeping with the paper on Biblical Inspiration and Authority, which had a
reconciliatory and uniting approach. And the use of Ephesians (from which comes
the Conference theme) made this centralized approach especially appropriate since
its theme is a strong plea for unity. The leadership given by Bob Faus, Chalmer
Faw, Vivian Ziegler, Albert Sauls and Theresa Eshbach contributed to a spiritually
based feeling of unity which characterized much of the 193rd recorded Annual
Conference.— John David Bowman

Jut^n David Bownmn is paslur uf the Little Swuturu con^re^atiun. Bethel, Pu.

August 1979 MESSENGER 27

Whal does the Communications Team do at Conference?

Many things at once — publishing an on-the-scene newssheet,
writing and dispatching press releases, dealing with the local
media, keeping logs of business sessions, and doing the prelim-
inary work for MESSENGER coverage are some of the major
tasks. Two of the busiest persons are the director of news serv-
ices Harriet Z. Blake (above), who handles press releases and
the editor of Conference Journal, Messenger editorial assis-
tant Steve Simmons (right), who puts out the newsheet that
keeps conferencegoers apprised of what's happening.

Ogilvie: The message in
a different package

Some listeners fell moved by articulate and inspiring preaching
and challenged by an effective and well-organized pastoral
model. Others felt they were witnesses to a dramatic example of
showmanship in the best style of PTL, the glass church and
electric religion. One called Lloyd Ogilvie the "best preacher I've
heard." Another observed, "The enemy quotes scripture
frequently and tlawlessly."

Charisma and magnetism did indeed How freely during the
Ministers' Association meeting, addressed by Lloyd Ogilvie,
senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood,
Calif., evoking a diversity of reactions such as has always
surrounded spokesmen — prophetic, popular, political — in the
Judean desert, on the patriotic platform and from the pulpits of
history. With strength and popularity came controversy.
Certainly Ogilvie spoke the truth. Whether it was fresh, creative
and spirit-sprung or jaded and simply well-tailored and coiffed
for the occasion; each listener was to judge.

"Nothing can happen ihrougli us until it has happened lo
us." We need to "move beyond superficiality lo authenticity,"
thus to "maximize our ministry." The personal spiritual
experience, loosely but glowingly defined, must center the
effective ministry.

Most Brethren found it difficult to identify with the
sermonic guidelines of the head of a 5,000-member parish,
employing a pastoral staff of eight. Planning sermons two years
in advance, keeping six-category card files on ihem, spending

two working weeks in a year in solitary spiritual and study
retreat, preparing 20 hours a week, rehearsing aloud a dozen
times — such standards seemed both idealistic and luxurious, ^'ei,
a personal devotional life and an ongoing sensitivity to peoples"
needs are keys to effective ministry that few would deny.

How is scripture most effectively read? By memorization
and eye contact, or by obvious attention to the inspired page?
However worship is led, it should include a pointing to God, an
awareness of both sin and forgiveness, sharing of self in
offering, and, in relationship, a clear opportunity for decision
making.

People need to have opportunity to express their love for
God and their loving human relationship in the worship
experience. There is a place for hands joined, uplifted, e\en
applauding. New ways are needed for gi\ing our gifts, for
sharing our personal joys and sorrows, and for all Christians to
express their faith.

Golden-voiced, well-dressed and the epitome of the popular
"good life" in every facet, OgiKie spoke the familiar words — hou
to pastor, how to preach, how to embody sahaiion and to
enable the redeemed community. "All is vanity. There is nothing
new under the sun." It is for the hearers to give llavorful salt,
effective leaven and the freshness of wells connected to the living
water. The message vvui Ogilvie's, Hollywood though he was.
The message is ours, empowered by Jesus. — Aian Kiehaber

Alan Kiflfuf'L'f is campus niiinMtr /in .\/i7VnvsoH C'oth'in'. \ht*hi'n,on. Kun\

28 MESSENGER Augusl 1979

J

SURVEY ON
LIFE-STYLE
CHANGE

An estimated five million people in the United
States have adopted some form of voluntary simplici-
ty. This is the conclusion drawn from a Stanford
Research Institute study on life-styles. The Institute
predicts that by 1985 the number will be 35 million.
In the Church of the Brethren, a Task Force on
Christian Life-style named by the General Board is
gathering similar information on life-style changes that Brethren have
undertaken or are considering. The Task Force is compiling the find-
ings as background for a report to the General Board and the 1980
Annual Conference.

Toward bringing together data on how Brethren look upon their
role as consumers and stewards, the Task Force invites
Messenger readers to fill in and return the following survey by Aug. 27. The form may be either signed or anonymous.

1

2

3

4

5

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

1

J

A

B

Please indicate whether your
response to the survey is on behalf of;

D yourself D your family

n your church fellowship

For each item, select the one of
five possible answers which best in-
dicates your response or opinion and
put a check in the appropriate column.
The code for the columns is as follows;

1— This concern does not apply.

2— Have not thought much about
this concern.

3— Am informed and convinced this
concern is important.

4— Have worked on this concern
and made specific changes.

5— Disagree with this concern.

Comments are requested after com-
pleting the survey. Of particular in-
terest will be information on how
changes noted in column 4 have been
carried out. Attach additional pages for
comments.

Transportation
Driving a more energy efficient car
Owning a car that is more easily repaired
and maintained

Requiring fewer cars in ttie family
Buying a used car
Eliminating use of private car
Using public transportation (or walking
or biking) to work

Sharing in a car pool for work or church
Locating job near home, or vice versa
Combining trips when possible
Shopping less frequently

II. Home Energy
Turning off lights, radio, tv when not in
use

Limiting number, use of electrical ap-
pliances

1

2

3

4

5

C

D

E

F

G

H

1

J

K

L

M

N

0

P

0

R

S

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

1

A

B

C

D

E

Weatherizing home (insulating, weather
stripping, caulking)
D Lowering thermostat in winter
Doing without air-conditioning
Using attic fan in lieu of air-conditioning
Heating only part of house used
Solar heating
Solar water heater
Solar cooking, drying of food
Wood heating (using more efficient
stoves)

Wood cookstove
Washing with cold water
Mowing lawn with hand mower
Planting shade trees
Gardening with little or no power equip-
ment

Using organic fertilizer and pesticides
(no fossil fuels needed)
Methane generator
Building an earth-sheltered home

III. Recycling Materials
Composting kitchen wastes for garden
Using leaves for compost or mulch (less
waste to be hauled)
Saving and recycling newspapers
Reusing writing materials (envelopes,
paper used on one side)
Recycling glass (buy returnable bottles;
use glass for canning)
Salvaging metal (aluminum, tin. heavy
metals)

Buying used equipment, garden tools at
yard sales

Buying used furniture
Using salvaged lumber

IV. Food
Growing own produce at least in part
Reducing amount of meat in daily diet
Eliminating meat from the diet
Keeping meals modest (sufficient, not ex-
travagant)
Using leffovers

August 1979 MESSENGER 29

12 3 4 5

F

G

H

1

J

K

L

M

1

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Curtailing purchase of foods that are
produced far away and require lots of
transportation
Owning no pets

Avoiding purchase of commercial pet
foods

Cutting consumption of heavily proc-
essed foods

Raising foods that can be stored without
energy consumption (some fruits,
squash, potatoes, carrots, beets, cab-
bage, sweet potatoes, peanuts, etc.)
Eating out less often or not at all
Avoiding use of tobacco
Avoiding use of alcohol

V. Clothes and Personal
Buying used clothes
Trading clothes

Wearing clothes out, patching clothes
Selecting clothing made of natural fibers
Being concerned less about keeping in
style

Making your own clothes
Reducing consumption of non-essential
toiletries— hair spray, beauty aids, bath
oils

V! Wator

Not letting water run while brushing
teeth or washing dishes and cars
Flushing toilet with recycled waste water
Using a composting toilet (no water)
Using less water in bathing

Acknowledging the entire global
community as the arena of God's concern
B Repenting after mistreating others,
forgiving those by whom I (we) have
been mistreated

Engaging in political activity on justice
issues

Writing or visiting legislators
Declining to work in industries related to
weapons and defense production
Keeping income down in order not to pay
taxes

Supporting the rights of others in making
decisions which affect their future

1

2

3

4

5

A

B

0

D

E

F

Ig

A

1 B

C

D

E

F

G

H

1

J

A

B

C

D

E

F

Assessing whether your wage or salary is
just in light of what others receive
Avoiding purchase of products or ser-
vices from companies with exploitive
policies or practices

Owning or living in a house no larger nor
more expensive than needed
Urging institutions (including the church)
to use shareholdings to press for cor-
porate responsibility
Lending or investing money with low in-
terest or no interest in order to help
others

Exercising restraint in acquiring real
estate or personal property
Sharing one's money and possessions

IX. Time and Talents

Spending more time with members of the
family

Discovering interests and needs of
neighbors

Being available to others who need you
Giving prime time to prayer and con-
templation

Cultivating inner and interpersonal
growth

Relying less on outside entertainment
(watch less tv, have own family activities)
Keeping one's body healthy and fit
Exercising regularly
Participating in crafts or some form of
the arts
Developing new skills and interests

Acknowledging a source of life and
reason for being beyond one's own sur-
vival

Living simply to use few resources and
generate as little pollution as possible
Witnessing in the way of peace and pro-
testing violence in its many forms
Exploring the gospel's call both to
freedom and responsibility
Recognizing the interrelatedness of all
living things

Participating in a covenant or support
group to work at life-style change

(Comments about your own interest and experience in life-style change (add additional pages):

Age range: D Under 20 D 20-35 D 36-50 D 51-65 D Over 65

D Please send me (if name and address appear below) the results of the survey and any further information on life-style
concerns.

Name of individual or group (optional)

St./RFD

City.

. State .

-Zip

Congregation

(Mail to Christian Life-style Task Force, Attention Howard E. Royer, Church of the Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee Ave. Elgin,
IL 60120, by August 27, 1979.)

30 MESSENGER August 1979

m'i>@mmi

Illness is a common event in most people's
lives. Unfortunately, with the exception of
those devoted to terminal illness, few
resources are available to help us look at
illness in light of faith. Several recent
books, however, provide valuable insights
and raise important questions for our
thinking about illness.

You can help healing

How can I play an active role in regaining
and maintaining my health? How are my
emotions and illness related? Will spiritual
and mental fulfillment insure me a healthy
body? In You Can Help With Your Heal-
ing: A Guide for Recovering Wholeness in
Body, Mind and Spirit, (Augsburg Pub-
lishing House, $3.95) Chaplain Vernon
Bittner seeks answers to these and other
questions about faith, healing and illness.
He maintains there is a direct relationship
between physical healing and spiritual
recovery. Writing about illness in general,
Bittner defines spiritual recovery as a
process of maturing both mentally and
spiritually so that healing can take place.

In the book's opening paragraph, Bitt-
ner writes that being healed or whole
"does not only pertain to one's spiritual
life, but to one's emotional and physical
life as well." He involves the reader in
discovering how to live with wholeness of
body, mind and spirit. He adapts the 12
steps of Alcoholics Anonymous as a guide
for effective spiritual living and takes the
reader through the various stages of illness
while sharing his own experiences of cop-
ing with similar problems.

This book will be of interest to those
trying to more fully understand the rela-
tionship between faith and illness as well
as those seeking to better understand the
inter-relatedness of body, mind and spirit.
Bittner deals with the broad subject of ill-
ness from the common cold to the most
critical cases of heart disease and cancer.

You can grow with illness

Does God will people to be ill? Why did
this disease inflict itself upon me? What
will I do now? Is illness a waste of time?
Again, Chaplain Vernon Bittner attempts
to answer questions related to illness and
faith. In Make Your Illness Count
(128-page paperback, Augsburg, $3.50),
Bittner states his belief that a period of ill-
ness can be one of the most important op-
portunities a person can have.

Writing out of his experience as a parish
pastor and a hospital chaplain, Bittner of-
fers several examples of people who used
their experience of illness to mature as per-
sons, to grow in wisdom and to serve
others.

Bittner uses his knowledge of the Bible,
theology and prayer to come to an under-
standing of illness
and its effect on the
sufferer. It is
Bittner's belief that in
illness people can dis-
cover how to tap the
emotional strengths
and spiritual powers
available to every
person who is a fol-
lower of God. Bittner
concludes by noting
that people can make
their illnesses count if
they are willing to see
their illness as an op-
portunity for God's
healing power to be
released in their lives.

The author confronts the reader with the
question, "Since death is inevitable for all
of us, have you thought of how you want
to die?" He contends that although most
older persons would rather die from a sud-
den brief illness than as senile and totally
dependent invalids in nursing homes, they
deal only with the "risk/benefit
ratio" when making decisions
about treatment — they simply weigh the
chances of cure against those of death.
They do not consider "the forgotten ques-
tion," crucial after age 65. That question,
for Shattuck, is, "What are the chances
that this measure . . . will neither kill me
nor cure me but will leave me in limbo, ex-
isting biologically but with my mind so
damaged or my physical incapacity so great
that I will be doomed to months or years in
a nursing home?" He then offers several

You can decide

tO^^ cV»»^''

A different kind of book is Dr. Louis Shat-
tuck's Let the Patient Decide: A Doctor's
Advice to Older Persons (Westminster
Press, $4.95).

Drawing upon 32 years' experience as a
family doctor, Shattuck raises interesting
and timely questions about the choices peo-
ple face in response to their illness and its
treatment.

The author believes that people have the
right and the responsibility to tell their doc-
tors and families what types of medical
treatment they will — and will not — accept.
Shattuck writes, "Too often today patients
are losing freedom to a technocratic elite.
Only you can decide," he adds, "when you
wish to accept aggressive medical thera-
peutic treatment and when you wish to
avoid this approach."

possibilities
for avoiding this fate.
Shattuck limits himself to raising ques-
tions and offering possible solutions. He
does not discuss the ethical, moral,
theological or legal considerations which
are raised by these questions. However, by
lifting up the questions, he does force his
readers to think about the issues. In so do-
ing, he pushes us one step closer to making
informed decisions about life, illness and
death. Although the book is subtitled A
Doctor's Advice lo Older Persons, the
issues are important to a much wider au-
dience than those over 65.
— Robert F. Blake

Robert P. Blalie. former pastor of the Pleasant Hill
(Ohio) church, is a chaplaincy resident in the Clinical
Pastoral Education program at flush Presbyterian St.
Luke's Medical Center. Chicago, and a member of the
Highland Ave. (Elgin. III.) church.

August 1979 MESSENGER 31

The China Syndrome: Facing nukes

by Stewart M. Hoover

THE CHINA SYNDROME-A Michael
Douglas/IPC Film Production. Released by Co-
lumbia Pictures. Produced by Michael Douglas.
Directed by James Bridges. Written by Mike
Gray, T.S. Cook and James Bridges.

The China Syndrome deals with two im-
portant issues facing society. The film goes
far in giving the viewer insight into them as
well, and whatever its shortcomings, is
worth seeing for that value alone.

Most people are probably aware that
the film deals with an accident in a
nuclear power plant, and in these days
after the Three Mile Island accident, it
has received a great deal of attention. But
it is also a film about the news business,
specifically the television news business,
and were it not for the current interest in
nuclear safety, that aspect of it might
have received more prominence. As it is,
one sees the film and attends to its treat-
ment of the nuclear safety issue, and must
afterward reflect a bit to catch on to its
treatment of tv journalism.

The China Syndrome is the story of a
television news crew which happens to be
on hand at a nuclear power plant when a
potentially deadly accident occurs. The
cameraman (producer Michael Douglas)
surreptitiously films the control room of
the plant during the crisis, and the film
turns out to be a revealing testimony to
the seriousness of the danger at the plant.
The correspondent on the crew (Jane
Fonda) tries first to persuade the news
editor of her station to carry the film on
the evening news, and when that fails,
begins investigating the incident. During
her search, she becomes acquainted with
the chief engineer of the power plant
(Jack Lemmon) who has reason to doubt
the safety of the plant. He is convinced
one of the pumps is defective, a suspicion
that is supported when he discovers the
X-rays used to verify the welds in the
pump lines have been falsified.

The relationship between the tv crew
and the plant engineer provides most of
the plot for the movie, as they work to

32 MESSENGER August 1979

bring the defects in the plant to the atten-
tion of a commission investigating licen-
sing for a second plant by the same power
company.

It is intriguing to see the same sort of
pressure from above blocking the road to
truth both within the power company and
within the television station. The company
cannot bring itself to believe that it is in
the wrong. The television general manager
cannot believe that something serious
could have happened if no other news
people reported on it. In the most telling
bit of dialog between Fonda and her news
editor he exclaims, "There couldn't have
been an accident there today, there's been
nothing on the wires (the news wire serv-
ices, AP and UPI) about it. . . . " The
general manager of the station reinforces
the reluctance of the news division to
handle the story by insisting that the film
be locked up and eventually given to the
power company for their disposal. He also
pressures the correspondent to discourage

Below: Tv reporter (Jane Fon-
da, center) and newscamera-
man (Michael Douglas, right)
visit a nuclear energy plant on
a routine assignment and end
up as witnesses to a near
calamitous accident.
Right: Jack Lemmon, the
power company's supervising
engineer, facing the full dimen-
sions of disaster, struggles with
the ramifications of his
duty-to tell the truth.

her from wanting to do "hard news."

The climax of the film is an exciting
confrontation between the plant engineer
and the power company which brings the
television crew back to the plant so that
Lemmon can make the world aware of the
danger at the plant. But this ending is the
weakest point of the film — there are other
ways that the media and people on the in-
side with information, such as Lemmon's
character, can and do go about affecting
change in society besides violent con-
frontation. In fact, if we learned anything
from the Three Mile Island mishap it was
that the press' snooping around the edges
of an incident can often make it perfectly
clear that those who are in charge really
don't know what's going on anymore than
the rest of us. The film also had an in-
vestigation commission. Couldn't the
process of public discussion and exposure
of such things as the fake welds provide
the film with a way of explaining the pro-
cess of changing societal perspective?

and news

In spite of my concern, the film ciiose
to take another tack for satisfaction of its
plot, and it is a direction that works well.
The conclusion is exciting, and the self-
awareness and revelation we see develop-
ing in Fonda's character is rounded out
well in the end.

What then, does the film tell us about
nuclear power? If it is to be believed (and
the events at Middletown would tend to
support its case) nuclear power is not as
safe as the nuclear industry would have us
believe. It is not foolproof because, in the
movie as well as in real life, people are in-
volved. The possibility of a meltdown (the
reactor overheating until it literally burns
its way through the bottom of the plant
and into the earth below, theoretically all
the way to China— thus the title of the
film) of the reactor core does exist, an in-
cident that would (to quote the film)
"... render an area the size of the state
of Pennyslvania uninhabitable for cen-
turies." The film also says that the nuclear
plant's people are a complex set of needs,
desires, motivations and concerns. They
are no more callous or insensitive than
anyone else. They are just in a peculiar
place, and given a chance, they may have
a change of heart.

The film also tells us something about
television. People who work in television
news have said that its portrayal of that
business is the best yet produced. Tele-
vision news is entertainment. Television
management is as routine and conservative
as power company management. Tele-
vision is a medium that eats people — it
takes their creativity and sucks them dry.
Television news follows the "pack" — rarely
if ever pausing to take a look at itself or
the real news that may be happening,
whether or not "it's on the wires."

The China Syndrome is a finely crafted
piece of work. The direction is good, the
cinematography and editing compelling
and not intrusive. The plot is good
drama, drama that tells us something
about life in today's America. Go see it,
and remember that it is art that predicted
life. Its predictions apply equally to
nuclear power and to television news. D

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• August — fun-in-the-sun vacation time. Being a child of the depression, vacations
were what other people took. I remember vividly looking on as neighbors loaded their Model
A Fords with suitcases and picnic hampers and started out to the World's Fair in Chicago or
to Yellowstone National Park or some other seemingly exotic destination. For us, the
possibility of such a trip was too remote to make even a good fantasy. We entertained
smaller dreams that held the possibility of becoming a reality — one of which was a week at
church camp. August always brought that dream into reality and for many years I checked in
at Camp Pine Lake on Sunday evening for an exhilarating week — the zenith of my year. It
was a great social experience ... an exciting, growing experience . . . more often than not a
life-transforming experience.

Around the nightly campfire . . . made reflective by the harmony and words of special
songs, I watched and listened to the personification of the church — Desmond Bittinger, Al
Brightbill, "Red" Royer, Anna Mow, Ida Shumaker, Raymond Peters, Dan West, Kurt
Naylor, they were my heroes and heroines; they made the church live, they made Christ a
reality. We need to be sure that in this anti-hero culture our young people are not cheated
out of living an experience with the contemporary church leadership. More things are
wrought by campfires than we can know.

• Since the hot August sun is turning Pilgrim's brain to melted Jell-O, I trust I will be
forgiven one grandmother story:

My grandson and his mother were driving east one morning facing the bright light of the
sun. Three-year-old Hamilton, a budding theologian said, "I guess God's up there." His
mother agreed, and the following conversation ensued:

Hamilton: Is God a man?

Mother: God is more than a man.

Hamilton: Is God a boy?

Mother: God is like a girl and a boy and a great deal more.

Hamilton (after a long searching pause): Oh, Momma, you know God's not a girl's
neune!

I must find a way to spend more time with that boy.

• College students strive for records in numerous strange ways. The Cambridge Univer-
sity Student Methodist Society sang through 984 hymns in the Methodist Hymnbook in 45
hours and 42 minutes. By adding 16 requests and 88 more minutes they sang 1,000 hymns in
the Wesley Church in Cambridge, England — a more sacred attempt at record-setting than
squeezing bodies into Volkswagens.

• STOP SIGNS: On a bulletin-board in Indianapolis: The gas war is over — gas won!

• For "light " vacation reading watch for a best seller on the Reader's Digest condensed
book list: the editors are in the process of reducing the 750,0(X3-word Revised Standard Version
of the Bible (copyrighted by the National Council of Churches) to 4(X),000 words or less.

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Joyce Nolen: Changing by
Liv UUmann; Person to Person by Carl R. Rogers and Barry Stevens; In Transition by Judith
M. Bardwick. Kaydo Petry: A Serious Call to a Devout & Holy Life by William Law; A Testa-
ment of Devotion by Thomas Kelly; Of the Imitation of Christ by Thomas A'Kempis.

• One feature of vacationing is to be confronted with many strange faces. When that
occurs, remember these words (From Another Pilgrim's Pen): "We may ignore but we can
nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with him. He walks everywhere
incognito. And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate. The real labor is to remember,
to attend."— C.S. Lewis

See you on the journey

— P.K.H.

August 1979 MESSENGER 33

On changing the name, working together,]

Dick Miller

What to do 'til
you can sing . . .

The February editorial, "A New Name to
Set Us Singing," has had its share of com
ments . . . but so far, the editor has
escaped one criticism that is his due.

In that same February issue in which he
called for a denominational name change
that would not exclude women, the term
"Brethren" or "Brotherhood" was used
nearly 100 times, not in a formal name
way, i.e. Church of the Brethren, The
Brethren Press, the Brotherhood Fund,
Brethren Service Center, or Brethren
Volunteer Service . . . , but as a short-
hand, nickname, shortened version in
referring to the members of this
denomination.

Granted, Messenger is required to refer
to the denomination as the Church of the
Brethren until the name is officially
changed. Messenger is not required to call
us "Brethren" when not using the full
name!

At the same time the editorial called for
more sensitivity in a name, a staff writer
was using "Brethren" 20 times in one two-
page spread. Messenger staff writers were
using it 12 times in news articles and
"Brethren" appeared in six headings/titles
and four intros to articles. Hardly an ex-
ample of inclusiveness!

Until those who are most sensitive to
the use of language and its way of rein-
forcing relationships change the patterns
that we have grown accustomed to, the
name is not likely to be changed.

Christians have been helpful historically
by marching to the beat of a different
drummer. Members of our denomination
have made their witness by living by a law
that was/is higher than man's (sic) law.
Messenger can make a significant con-

To hold in respect and fellowship those in
the church with whom we agree or disagree
is a characteristic of the Church of the
Brethren. It is to the continuation of this
value, and to an open and probing forum,
that "Opinions" are invited from readers.

34 messenger August 1979

tribution by using guidelines different
from those of the general readership.

It is this simple: Whenever the name
"Brethren" is considered in a headline,
title or summary, use another name that is
more inclusive. Suggest that General
Board staff do the same, not only in
Messenger, but in brochures they may
develop. Moreover, add this suggestion to
the "Guidelines (for writers) for Equal
Treatment of the Sexes" appearing as part
of the Parish Ministries Commission ac-
tion, minutes, June 1975.

I'll be better able to wait for that new
name to set us singing if, in the mean-
time, I can hum a few bars with those
who live and write as if we already have
that new name.

A one, and a two and a three: humm-
mmmmmm. D

Dick Miller is a Reallof from Manassas, Va.

Fred W. Benedict

Is it wrong to
work together?

Since I'm an Old Order contributor to the
new three-volume Brethren Encyclopedia,
I ought to clear the air concerning a
touchy issue for many Old Orders. It is
probably due to my own enthusiasm for
the encyclopedia that the Church of the
Brethren assumes the Old Order as a body
supports the work. As Marcus Miller has
intimated (Letters, January), it is true that
the Old Order fraternity has made no
agreement with the other Brethren bodies.
It would be accurate to say that several
Old Order individuals are interested in
writing for the work, a good number have
privately expressed interest and some have
offered cautious support. (Some in-
dividuals however, have expressed extreme
displeasure with the project). But there is
more to be said:

A Brethren encyclopedia will be a first-
rate educational tool. After working
with the proposed list of topics and
writers, I feel the work will express our
gamut of past and present views as found
in official pronouncements. It will not
advocate strange doctrines or aberrations.

Now is the fime to begin work. It is

significant that until now such a project
could not be undertaken. As we approach
the 100th anniversary of the divisions
among Brethren, at least some in each
group feel they won't lose their integrity
by sitting down together with one
another.

Our fathers have given us excellent
misinformation about each of the other
Brethren bodies. Indeed, some people,
making it a hobby, have multiplied the
misinformation. Here is where a Brethren
encyclopedia will be most useful to us.

For myself, I'd like to ask: Why can't
one Brethren body show the same respect
to people in another Brethren body that
they show their Catholic and Lutheran
neighbors? Why may we not rejoice at the
good fortune of Brethren cousins and
sympathize with them in their problems
and distresses, for we have the same? As
we have sometimes worked together in
times of great national crises, why may we
not write together in times of peace? And
who would say it is wrong to pray for
each other?

The Messenger editorial (October 1978)
wasn't far off when it spoke of the en-
cyclopedia project as being a "sign."
While reconciliation of church bodies is
unlikely, we who work together on the en-
cyclopedia experience a Christian spirit of
cordiality. I think our lives will never be
quite the same as before. We think the
Brethren Encyclopedia will promote
understanding. A better understanding of
where we have been and where we are
may tell us where we're going. D

Fred fV. Benedict is a member of ihe Old German
Baptist Brethren and publishes a journal, Old Order
Notes. He is president of the Brethren Encyclopedia,
Inc. Board of Directors.

Steve Longenecker

War is in national
interest, not God's

Well-meaning Christians sometimes fall
into a trap by justifying reduced
militarism with patriotic and pragmatic
argimients.

They fail to realize that occasionally
war is a national necessity and that Chris-
tians are pacifists because of spiritual

struggling for peace

motivations; not because pacifism is best
for the nation.

This is not to say that pacifism does not
have concrete benefits. Christians arguing
pacifism from a pragmatic or patriotic
perspective correctly assume that arms
races, inflationary military budgets and
confrontation diplomacy undermine na-
tional security and threaten peace. Many
of these points will be heard during the
crescendoing SALT debate.

Some pacifists become so enthusiastic
about making their idealism patriotic that
they forget that sometimes national secur-
ity demands that a war be fought. Admit-

tedly, most wars can be avoided, and it is
usually in the best interests of nations to
refrain from war. However, several ex-
amples below show that sometimes war
has been vital to insure national survival:

The American Civil War had to be
fought to keep the nation from being de-
stroyed. To avoid war would have meant
the end of the US in anything near the
form in which it existed in 1861.

The Czechoslovakian crisis of 1938 that
led up to the Munich Conference provides
several situations in which war was
desirable from a national point of view.
The Czechs faced German threats to de-

CUSSIFIEO AOS

WANTED— Director of day-care center. Ouali-
fication: 18 hours college in early childhood
development. Full-time job. Pay negotiable. If
interested, contact Naperville Church of the
Brethren, 1020 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville,
IL 60340. Tel. (312) 355-7171.

WANTED— Used copies, "Shepherd of the
Cowlitz, "autobiography of Ezra Le Roy
Whisler. Will pay reasonable price. Contact
Rose Whisler McGee, 487 Mossyrock Rd., E.,
Mossyrock, WA 98564. Tel. (206) 983-3366.

WANTED— Service Manager. Growing farm
equipment dealership in Colorado requires
topnotch man to supervise, train and moti-
vate personnel, salary DGQ, excellent work-
ing conditions plus benefits. Call manager at
(303)829-4821.

WANTED— Young persons for truck drivers,
21 years or over, good driving record
necessary, Brethren preferred, but not re-
quired, would also do warehouse work, load-
ing and unloading. Contact Eleanor Rowe, Di-
rector of Administrative Services, Brethren
Service Center, Box 188, New Windsor, MD
21776, telephone (301) 635-6464.

WANTED— Experienced teacher wishes to
relocate in Brethren area in east. Social
studies and wrestling coach. M.A. In history.
Interested in education or social action pro-
fessions. Steve Longenecker, 80 Walnut,
Richwood WV 26261.

TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE-See the Passion
play and spend 15 days touring Europe In July
1980. Join Anna Mow, Wendell Bohrer and
Joan Bohrer as your tour hosts. Visit
Schwarzenau, Oberammergau, visit Worms,
enjoy river boat ride on the Rhine River and
visit Reformation Park in Geneva. (Price
$1499.) For information write Wendell
Bohrer, pastor, 96 Penrod St., Johnstown, PA
15902. (814) 536-1811 or (814) 266-2629.

TRAVEL— Grand Tour of Europe, including
Oberammergau Passion play, Schwarzenau
and Kassel. June 16-July 7, 1980. Write Dr. J.

Kenneth Kreider, R.D. 3, Box 660, Elizabeth-
town, PA 17022.

TRAVEL— 15 day Alpine countries and Ober-
ammergau Passion play July 15, 1980. In-
quire immediately for Passion play reserva-
tions. Write for brochure: Rev. Richard C.
Wenger, 314 E. Washington St., Huntington,
IN 46750. (219) 356-7983 collect.

TRAVEL— Juniata College Tours. 1980: Ober-
ammergau Passion play, following Pittsburgh
Annual Conference, 14 days. Includes Ba-
varia, the Alps, Rhine Cruise, Berlin and
Prague. June 30 departure. China: Fall, 1980.
Harold B. Brumbaugh, host conductor. Infor-
mation: Weimer-OMer Travel, 405 Penn
Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652. Tel. (814)
643-1468.

FOR RENT— Brethren retirement. $50 each
per month. Self-service. Roomy, huge oaks,
pecans, azaleas. Near church, stores, bank.
Snow-free, yet not too near equator. Many
fishing lakes. Experimental. Trial stays en-
couraged. Rates hold only until five units are
filled. Contact: Roy White, 407 State St.,
Citronelle, AL 36522. Tel. (205) 866-7154.

FOR RENT— Visiting central Florida— Disney
World, Sea World, Cape Canaveral, Circus
World, the beach? Rent Martin's Retreat
Cabin In Orlando. Completely furnished. For
people who care. $1(X) per wk. Give
references. (Contact Wip Martin, 3800 Martin
St., Orlando, FL 32806. Tel. (305) 859-1364.

FOR SALE— The Michigan District Holy Spirit
Retreat at Camp Brethren Hts. blessed many.
Tapes available. Write Otto S. Zuckschwerdt,
1846 Catherine Ave., Muskegon, Ml 49442.
Full set of tapes donated to District Film
Library, 5505 Union Deposit Road, Har-
risburg, PA 17111. Write library for loan of
tapes.

Christ's rule encompasses every aspect of
life. He Is gathering a community and leading
It himself. Publishers of Truth. 1 S 147 Third
St., Lombard, IL 60148.

stroy their country, yet had the Czechs
resorted to war, many historians concede
that Hitler would have had a difficult task
in cracking the Czechs. With the aid of
hindsight, it is now clear that war in 1938
would have been the best option for the
Czech state because Hitler intended to
destroy that nation. In 1938 the German
army was not the dominating force it was
to become a year later.

War over the Czech problem was also
in the best interest of the Russian govern-
ment. The Soviets correctly guessed that
Hitler's aggression would not end in
Czechoslovakia and that some day Ger-
man panzers would point toward Russia.
The Russians believed it would be better
to fight a relatively weaker Germany in
1938 in Czechoslovakia than to battle the
inevitably stronger German army later on
Russicm soil. Russia's willingness to fight
must be viewed skeptically since the

JHennonite
Vcur

DIRECTORY II, 1979-80

— Travel Directoty listing 1700 North

American overnight hosts.
— 69 International Contact hosts Irom 34

countries
— Special features for the Christian traveler
— 30 different denominations.

Mennonite Your Way,
Box 1525, Salunga, PA 17538

Prices (includes postage and handling to

one address.)

single copy $5.00 each

2-4 copies $4.50 each

5-1 1 copies $4.00 each

12 or more copies $3.00 each

I want .

. copies at $_

. per copy

for a total of $_
(PA residents add 6% tax) $_

TOTAL ENCLOSED (U.S. funds only)$_

Name

Address

Mail coupon and payment to: Mennonite Your
Way, Box 1525. Salunga. Pa 17538

August 1979 MESSENGER 35

TUT

FLORIDA BftEIHREN HOMES INC

P.O. Box 2026. Sebhng. Florida 33870

813 385 0161

We <2Ae tocaXzd -in and nzjxn. Setfujig, In tQuXk czniAal f^toiida,
■ui the midi>t oi bzcuxti^al caXaiu gfuivzi and mojuj takzi,, and auxiy
ifwtn thz congzitzd coaitat aKnoM of^ tht btaXz. fU^ht next doo^
ate ChuAch of, Tfie RnzthAzn conq/izgation^ uiith many othfi chuAtJti/i
manbif u uJeZl ha cormuncty aginc-iti and ihopp^ing oKOJih.

Tfie ?QJLmt. oidzAj, a midt \jaA-ieXy of, optiom, f,oi fiztifinjnznZ
tiv-Lnq - inde.pendeM tLv-Lng f,acAZitieJ> -iimzdiatzZy avjaitabtz
ziXheA AJi town ofi in a lujiat hztJiinq, zonQizQoXz. tivinQ apaAtmej'vt&
on looru Uiith czntAnl ^ood ieA^/ice. and almott no uxiLting tut, and
a hejitth coac tzntZA. We oiio havz iziuonaZ options <n thz way
of, iatt hookup tAavdi homz 6pacz6 and a timiXzd mmbtfi oi izntat
uniXi. In any o^ th&&z f^acAJUXizi yoa Mill (^ind vxuw\, ChAXJttian
^fUeJid&hi.p and fzZZoMkip In an atmoiphzAz o^ ca/Ung concern.

Ai a luidznt of^ Jkz Palm many axLtiviXizi pfizbznt thzm&ztvzt
ioK youA ln<jot\}2jnznX - KziiA(ULtionat, ie.tigi.ouA and iodul jLuictumA
and oppoituniZiti ioi 6tn.vi.cz. Vou izt youA. own pace in a izcuAz,
comftOfUahlz, znjoyabtz &nviAonmznt whztz ti^z nxiintrUni iXt, mzan-
-cng and puJipoAZ.

^2^^^^%a^u-,^

HabznX R. NewcomGA,
Execotii/e ViAzctDi

P.S.: Of C0UA6Z tkzAJL OJLZ Aome thinQit you. wilt rrtUA vAzn you. movz
to Thz VaJbnA - AeucAe coid, Icz, Anew, kigh hzating biXti>
and tkz IaJiz, but we think you am adjust, OthzAi ha.vz who
havz mzzZy cho&zn to tivz hz/izl

Your Retiremenfs
A Way of Life for Us

We're the Board of Benevolence of the
Evangehcal Covenant Church of America and we've
been at the task of providing retirement care and
comfort across the nation for almost a century

Our retirement centers are located in California,
Florida, Washington, Connecticut, Minnesota, and
Illinois, each providing Christian love and care while
maintaining a blend of conservatism, evangelism,
and ecumenism

It's a way of life with us, and one we'd
recommend to you if you are seeking the finest
lifestyle possible for your retirement

If you desire additional information, please let
us know Our way of life could, indeed, be yours

t

President, Board ol Benevolence

tvangelical Covenant Church of America

SUS North California Avenue, Chicago, IL bOb2S, ^12/878-8200. Ext 104

I J Send me additional information about comfortable retirement facilities

I am interested in accommodations in;
U California LJ Florida LJ Washington

U Connecticut IJ Minnesota IJ Illinois

36 MESSENGER August 1979

Soviets bordered neither on Germany nor
Czechoslovakia.

In each of the above circumstances war
was beneficial for national survival and
yet an American, Czech or Russian Chris-
tian would still have called for peace.
Even though Christians recognize Paul's
behef that governments are basically
beneficial, it must be understood that a
nation is a human-created institution. The
survival of a govertunent is not worth the
suffering of war, and the preservation of
the state is not sufficient reason to take
another's life.

While God generally wants us to respect
and obey the govertunent, God does not
expect us to go to war and break every
command in the Bible just to serve the
government.

The best interests of government do not
Jilways correspond with the best interests
of a Christian. A govertunent is interested
foremost in survival, and much of govern-
ment activity serves the purpose of
perpetuating the state's existence. In a
crisis the government does what will keep
it strong and enhance its chances of siu'-
vival.

The bottom Une for Christians is obed-
ience to Jesus. If the govertunent ceases to
exist, that is not the worst fate for a
Christian; the worst thing is to stop living
according to the Word of Christ. Life
under a new government, a weaker
goverrmient or even a foreign regime may
be uncomfortable, but the life of a Chris-
tian sometimes lacks worldly comforts.

Christians are called to sacrifice and to
endure hardships as testaments to their
faith. It is unreasonable to ask others to
lose their lives in war just to keep a
government in power that wUl keep life
comfortable. On the contrary. Christians
must be willing to endure persecution
rather than disobey Jesus.

As SALT debates escalate, all
arguments pro and con will center on
America's vital interests. Many pacifists
will use arguments concerning national
security and make valid points about the
futility of gaining peace by preparing for
war.

While continuing the struggle for peace.
Christians need to remember that the path
of peace occasionally leads to hardship.
Christians must admit that peace is best
for God, and for themselves but not
always for the nation. D

Steve Longenecker is a high school social studies
teacher in Rich wood, W. Ka., and a member of the
Lititz, Pa., congregation. He was a 1974-7} BVSerin the
Washington Office.

(Continued from page 12)
and that the congregation chose to build a
"quality facility for quality care."

The two-way dimensions of relation-
ships and caring are developed on the
center's playground. A toad living at the
foot of the cross in the damp ground
teaches respect for life as does Mr.
Thurber, a large black rabbit. Two kid
goats visiting for a day frolic on the rocky
outcroppings with the children. As the
older men do yard work and repairs
around the playground and building, the
children's joyous greeting of "Hi, Grand-
pa," are heard.

The child-care center is run by a six-
person board of directors, three from the
community and three from the church.
One of the latter is a representative on the
church board. The church and commun-
ity have been careful to have ethnic
representation on the the board, also.
Because the church has trusted the child-
care Board, it has avoided "psychological
control" as owners of the building.

All this sounds like the ideal situation,
but this marriage has not been without its
problems and disappointments. With so
many people deeply involved in the
development of the building and the child-
care program, not all expectations and
dreams have been fulfilled. Some
wondered why have a new building and
program when the old church was perfect-
ly adequate for everything but day-care.
Some had concern about going into debt.
Some people didn't work as hard or invest
as many workdays as others. However,
because moderator Paul Groff laboriously
took time to see that everyone had oppor-
tunity to express feelings and ideas as each
decision came to council, the group
cohesiveness and unity were maintained
with decisive majority votes. Occasionally
the church or child-care staff will leave
clutter in the building or yard, but these
kinds of problems are worked out as a
family. Some thought that with the child-
care center more young parents with
children would come to church, but this
has not been the case.

The dream of a financially independent
child-care center has not yet become a
reality. Some of the money promised by
the state has not come through and the
church "gave away too many spaces" in
their desire for racial balance in the
classes. Hope for both these dreams is
presenting itself in a migrant head-start
program which is running for the first
time this summer. Custodial work, now

several years, they are struggling to go to
God with empty agendas and timetables
rather than lists of instructions for God.
A new church is waiting to be born, a
church drawing closer to God with in-
dividuals looking at that to which they are
committed, a church where individuals
really hear one another. Live Oak con-
gregation has become an even deeper and
more inclusive community dealing with
personal problems and joys as the body of
Christ and as a body of loving strength
for the sake of Christ in Live Oak and the
world. D

Bob and Mary Baucher are members of Ihe
Modesto (Calif.) congregalion.

funded by this program, is a welcome
relief, as it had been done by families in
the church.

Where is the church going from here?
As Pastor Bolz said, "We're no longer
building a building, but we're still building
the church." The Live Oak congregation
has learned much about the mystery of
God's guidance and timing during three
years of delays and setbacks. In the same
way, the Live Oak congregation is begin-
ning to wait expectantly to see how God
will lead them in growing spiritually and
in fulfilling new dreams of service. As
they look at membership and attendance
statistics that are repetitions of the last

vJenuine Christians are people who believe in Christ. They have entered into a per-
sonal, trusting relationship with Christ as their Lord, so that they commit themselves
wholeheartedly to his cause and work in this world. In such a relationship prayer
comes naturally, and is to be regarded not as a substitute for the Lord's work, but as
an integral part of it. Through prayer let us participate in the activity to which our
Lord has called us.

August Prayer Calendar

Aug. 5-11: Uphold in your prayers the Bethany Summer Institute to be held at
Bethany Theological Seminary, AiXg. 6-12 and the Brethren Bible Institute at
Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pa., Aug. 6-24.

Pray for the Conference on the Holy Spirit at Manchester College, Aug. 6-11.

Give prayer support to the work of these districts assembled in conference:
Southeastern, Aug. 10-12; Western Plains, Aug. 10-12.

Aug. 12-18: Pray for Living in Faith Experiences, a Life Lab sponsored by Parish
Ministries Commission, at Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pa., Aug. 12-17.

Uphold in prayer the Northern Ohio District assembled in conference Aug. 17-19.

In your prayers share these concerns with church people of Haiti: the need to find
a new director and other personnel for the Aide Aux Enfants clinic, Port-au-Prince;
for the national leaders of Haiti, that they may hear God's word.

Aug. 19-25: Pray for the work of these districts: Michigan, Aug. 23-26; Northern In-
diana, Aug. 24-26.

Give prayer support to pastors entering new pastorates.

Pray for the pastor of your congregation.

Aug. 26-Sept. 1: Remember the church school teachers and officers of your congrega-
tion as they plan for a new church school year.

Pray for the public school teachers of your community.

Give prayer support to Joan Boatz, a Church of the Brethren member, as she
serves as nutritionist at the Anna Waters Head Start Policy Council of Decatur, 111. D

August 1979 MESSENGER 37

1^lU][r[n]0[n](D pmtrUt

Licensing/
Ordination

Cox, Henry, commissioned lay

spealcer. May 20, 1979, Blue

Ridge, Virlina
Geesaman, Edward L., licensed

May 6, 1979, RouzervUle,

Southern Pennsylvania
Jullleral, Virgil, licensed May 6,

1979, Sugar Creek, South/

Central Indiana
McGuffln, Lois, commissioned

lay speaker, June 18, 1978,

Blue Ridge, Virlina
Waddell, Marc Edward, h-

censed April 22, 1979,

Fellowship Church, Pacific

Southwest
Wills, Douglas, licensed May 6,

1979, Fairview, Virlina

Pastoral
Placements

Cherian, Sam, from interim to
permanent, ArUngton, Mid-
Atlantic

Flory, Donald R., from West
Milton, Southern Ohio, to
Christiansburg, Virhna

Jones, Timothy K., from
Princeton Theological

Seminary, to Germantown,
Brick, Virhna

Kartz, Robert W., from Beth-
any Seminary, to Potsdam,
Southern Ohio

Lcnker, Eugene, from Forest
Chapel, Shenandoah, to
Pleasant View, Northern
Ohio

Lipscomb, Kres, from Bethany
Seminary, to Lower Miami,
Southern Ohio

Martin, LeRoy E., from East-
ern Mennonite College, to
Mechanic Grove, second
staff, Atlantic Northeast

Spangler, Clarence, to Johns-
town, Mid-Atlantic, part-
time

Zigler, Carl H., from Brethren
Home, New Oxford, Pa., to
West View Manor chaplaincy
and Wooster, Christ, North-
em Ohio

Wedding
Anniversaries

Bollinger, Mr. and Mrs.

George T., Elkton, Md.,

60
Eby, Mr. and Mrs. Homer,

Lombard, 111., 50

Gail, Mr. and Mrs. Fred,
New Paris, Ind., 50

Geiger, Mr. and Mrs.
Emanuel, Churabusco, Ind.,
50

Getz, Mr. and Mrs. George
H., Fort Wayne, Ind., 54

Layser, Mr. and Mrs. Frank,
Neffsville, Pa., 64

Naill, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur,
Westminster, Md., 64

Neely, Mr. and Mrs. Mil-
ton, HoUidaysburg, Pa., 63

NeCerer, Mr. and Mrs.
George, HoUidaysburg, Pa.,
50

Rhoades, Mr. and Mrs. Si-
mon, Union City, Ind., 50

Shaniister, Mr. and Mrs.
Owen, Pioneer, Ohio, 55

Wolfe, Mr. and Mrs. Mau-
rice, Westminster, Md., 55

Wolford, Mr. and Mrs.
Charles, Emmaus, Pa., 55

Deaths

Angle, Henry C, 66, Mercers-
burg, Pa., Dec. 7, 1978

Baugber, Steven K., 30, Colum-
bus, Ohio, Apr. 28, 1979

Becbtel, Kathryn, 71,
McPherson, Kan., Apr. 12,

1979

Bowman, Stover D., 80, Calla-
way, Va., Feb. 24, 1979

Brockos, Vera Stella, 87, Nam-
pa, Ida., Feb. 2, 1979

Borkbolder, Aaron H., 88,
Chambersburg, Pa., Apr. 7,
1979

Caton, Mabel, 79, Windber,
Pa., Apr. 23, 1979

Dniley, Rose R., 93, HoUans-
burg, Ohio, Oct. 7, 1978

Ebersole, Nancy, 29, Oster-
burg. Pa., Mar. 30, 1979

Egge, Ralph, 94, McPherson,
Kan., May 6, 1979

Flegal, Bessie M., 70, HoUi-
daysburg, Pa., May 7, 1979

Geiman, Eugenia C.R., 92,
Westminster, Md., Feb. 1,
1979

Glasmire, Leah Sheaffer, 89,
Lancaster, Pa., Mar. 27, 1979

Hackney, OUver, 66, Boones
MiU, Va., Feb. 9, 1979

Howe, Iva Fox, Chambersbiu-g,
Pa., Apr. 17, 1979

Hull, Frank, 64, Chambers-
burg, Pa., Apr. 1, 1979

Kem, Inez L., 77, Garrett, Ind.,
May I, 1979

Klrkpatrick, SaUie, 86, Royal
Oak, Mich., Apr. 22, 1979

Kreilzer, Annie, 82, Dayton,

Ohio, Apr. 1, 1979

Kuehl, Iowa West, 61, Polo,
lU., Mar. 31, 1979

Layton, Carlton W., 78, Green-
wood, Del., Apr. 27, 1979

Lehman, Oscar, 83, Windber,
Pa., Apr. 10, 1979

Lloyd, MarceUe, 85, Dayton,
Ohio, Mar. 31, 1979

McClanaban, David, 89, Mer-
cersburg. Pa., Apr. 13, 1979

Miller, J. Herbert, 63, Hershey,
Pa., Mar. 9, 1979

NaiU, Mrs. Arthur, 86, West-
minster, Md., Feb. 26, 1979

Nanman, Rufus G., 72, Man-
heim. Pa., Mar. 16, 1979

Picking, Charles L., 70, Green-
castle, Pa., Apr. 18, 1979

Renold, Lidia, 71, Spring
Grove, Pa., Apr. 23, 1979

Rubeck, Gemard, 69, Mercers-
burg, Pa., Apr. 26, 1979

Throne, George S., 92, Pioneer,
Ohio, May 4, 1979

Webster, Patricia Naff, 33.
Boones MUl, Va., Jan. 10,
1979

WenU, Clara Osbora, 79, Dun-
kirk, Ind., Apr. 7, 1979

Wickert, MerUn, 60, Dixon,
lU., Apr. 10, 1979

Wingert, Glen P., 71, Cham-
bersburg, Pa., Apr. 9, 1979

9 SlS^pb^rn^
^^'& Denture

Earle Fike, Jr.

William McKinley Beahm was a unique churchman who found great
delight in painting vivid and provocative pictures with picturesque
language. A master of the pun and quip, the Church of the Brethren
minister, missionary and seminary dean both entertained and nurtured
with his pungent phrases and coined words.

But back of his wordplay was a life deeply committed to the will and
mind of God, and a warm, intense love for people. The late Andrew Cor-
dier, Executive Assistant to the United Nations General Secretary, wrote
these words to William:

38 MESSENGER August 1979

"As I walked with Dag Hammarskjold at 4:00
one morning in the midst of great crisis, we
looked to the starry heavens and he said, 'The
twinkle of that star is the span of our life in the
long expanse of time which reaches into eter-
nity. ' This twinkle perhaps varies a bit for
members of the human family, but it proves
again that it is not the length of our years but
what we have done with them that counts.

"Your life has been profoundly rich in a con-
tinuous flow of rich blessings to humanity.
Many thousands of people have been inspired
to better life through your resourceful
teaching and your fine Christian example. "

4^

$4.95 plus 15 ^.r p&h.

Order from

The Brethren Press

1451 Dundee Ave.. Elgin IL 60120

p(^@pi(^(k^(Q}mh

Live from the
Upper Room

X he events of the Upper Room and the
last moments of Jesus' earthly life were
made more vivid and real for members
and friends of the Morrellville (Pa.)
Church of the Brethren as live scenes
from the Last Supper and the Garden
Prayer were staged during the spring love
feast. The pre-publicized innovations for
what had previously been a fairly tradi-
tional and constant service bolstered the
love feast attendance to 162 for the
165-member congregation, a nearly
40-percent increase over previous counts.

Sharing plans for the tableau through
the local newspaper attracted visitors from
other communions to the love feast. Per-
sons were present from the Methodist,
Baptist, Orthodox and Roman Catholic
churches of the area. Neil Lehman, who
portrayed Jesus, is a Mennonite.

Others taking part in the Last Supper
scene were all members of the Morrellville
church, including five of the deacons and
John Hess, whom the congregation will
license to the ministry this fall.

The portrayal was set at the very begin-
ning of the love feast. The Twelve
Disciples and Christ took their places at
the table as the congregation sang the
opening hymn. Then as Pastor Duane

Lewellen read a characterization of each
disciple the corresponding actor struck the
pose familiar in Leonardo da Vinci's
famous painting. Next the events of the
Upper Room were narrated from the
Scriptures by the pastor with the scene
participants acting them out, including the
washing of Peter's feet by Jesus. The con-
gregation then joined in the traditional
footwashing, supper and communion, but
with deeper appreciation and a fresh in-
sight into the meaning of the love feast.

X he service ended on the dramatic note
with which it began as the disciples —
Peter, James and John— and Jesus re-
created the scene in which Jesus went to
the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.
Especially moving were Jesus' words,
"Can you not watch with me . . . ?"

Written comments were solicited in the
days following the special love feast and
nearly one-third of those in attendance re-
sponded. Typical of the enthusiastic en-
dorsement of the dramatic portrayal were
comments such as these:

"A beautiful and rich addition to an
already sacred service."

This service has been one of the most

meaningful and understanding ever por-
trayed at the Morrellville Church."

"The portrayal of the Last Supper was
beautiful and so meaningful my heart just
pounded. The characters were so realistic.
It made the whole service more mean-
ingful and more sacred than ever."

"To me it was inspirational and mean-
ingful. This is what 1 needed as I had
been in a kind of low spirit. I think this
should be a continuous thing."

An 83-year-old member of the con-
gregation wrote: "It was a beautiful serv-
ice. 1 am glad I could be there. It seemed
more holy to me."

And the visitor from the Orthodox
church commented: "A beautiful service,
inspiring and a reminder of the impor-
tance of humility."

Many respondents urged that the service
be repeated and Pastor Lewellen and the
deacons are beginning to plan according-
ly: "1 feel this service helped everyone
present to have a better understanding of
those final hours of Jesus' earthly ex-
istence and to experience the true love
that he had for his disciples. We are
already looking forward to next year when
we will repeat the service, adding more
dialog in place of the narration." — f.w.s.

August 1979 MESSENGER 39

BRETHREN BY ANY OTHER NAME . . .

1 do not enjoy watching pacifists squabble
over a change of name. However, I would like to
see members of our denomination engaged in a
positive, uplifting discussion of the issue. Chang-
ing the name, "Brethren," does not change us
from Christians to something else. We still
believe in Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, we have outgrown the name
"Brethren." In a day when ERA is splashed over
the headlines of every hometown newspaper in
North America, the inclusion of women has
become an issue among Brethren and non-
Brethren alike. And the name — Church of the
Brethren — as much as I love it, does not, on the
surface at least, appear to include women. Let
me cite an example.

My husband, pastor of the Lick Creek Church
of the Brethren in Northern Ohio, has been
working with many young couples as prospective
members. While visiting in their homes, he
learned to his dismay that many of them were
asking, "What is the Church of the Brethren's at-
titude toward women? Does the church allow on-
ly men in positions of power? What can and can't
a woman do as a member of the Church of the
Brethren?"

Fortunately my husband has been able to set
the record straight with them, but what about the
hundreds of couples who never try us because of
the implications of our name? Thus, I propose a
new name for our denomination, not only to
satisfy ourselves, but for the sake of potential
members.

As a direct descendant of Alexander and Anna
Margaretha Mack, 1 have always been proud to
be called one of the Brethren, and it is only with
regret that 1 advocate a change. But for the sake
of both the church and the many young and not
so young people out there who need a fellowship
like ours, but who are afraid to try us because of
our name, perhaps we should.

Jeanne Jacoby Smith
Bryan, Ohio

BRETHREN AGREE TO EVERYTHING

Is it necessary for the modern Dunkers to adopt
a new name? Read the 133rd Psalm and discover
that only members of the Church of the Brethren
are commended for agreeing to whatever is pro-
posed.

Alfred Alling
Cabool, Mo.

RESPONDING TO BIBLICAL VALUES

Thank you for Richard Keeler's fine article in
the March Messenger, "Handling Energy Tran-
sition in the Brethren Tradition." It is especially
appropriate in a Brethren publication because it
ties in with our values of simple living.

From time to time I see letters from readers
who feel the magazine is too secular and should
be more biblical. I sense that there can be no such
distinction. All the articles I am famihar with
have dealt with the responses of individuals or
groups to biblical values. I find this interesting
and challenging — to read what others sense to be

appropriate responses to today's problems.

Especially encouraging to me have been ar-
ticles about "soft" energy and low-energy life-
styles. Our Amish cousins have spared them-
selves some of our current anguish because they
have not been caught up in materialism like the
rest of us.

I encourage Messenger to keep on enlighten-
ing us with such valid articles. I also challenge
church groups to think seriously about alter-
native energies and life-styles. How might the
church facilities be made more energy efficient,
make use of solar radiation and so on. If we want
to help others we have to be willing to limit our
own consumption of energy and resources.

The church I attend in Hawaii is concerned
about consumption and has developed one solar
water heating system, with more to come. We
also have a windmill for pumping water. These
energy producing systems can also be utilized to
do work in other parts of the country — work I
hope Messenger readers will investigate.

Dennis Alger
Kaneohe, Hawaii

MORE PROTESTORS THAN CREDITED

I appreciated your special report in the April
Messenger on the Arms Bazaar (Defense
Technology '79). However, the article suggests
that the largest contingent of Brethren, about
100, demonstrated on Wednesday. Although
Wednesday may have been the focus of Brethren
planning by reason of the General Board and
staff participation, there were about 200
Brethren from Reba Place Fellowship, plus other
small groups of Brethren, present on Sunday as
we led the open-air worship service beginning the
four-day witness for peace.

I offer this correction not because we want any
credit, but because we want to affirm our identi-
ty as members of the Church of the Brethren. It
is newsworthy and inspirational to know that so
many Brethren were involved at various times
during the demonstration.

Dave Jackson
Evanston, HI.

WHEN LOVE IS LEFT OUT

The April Messenger is superb. From the very
beautiful, "alive" cover to the editorial. One
comment on "Letters": Some letters reveal very
un-Christlike attitudes. This says to me they were
written in the "heat of anger" rather than in the
spirit of loving criticism.

We are accountable, as Christians, to one
another. Beware of the spirit which leaves out
loving.

Margaret Zinn
Tampa, Fla.

FACING THE TRUTH OF PRISONS

Thank you for the May Messenger. I hope we
of the church may be alerted to the many areas
lacking justice. Each is important.

I agree with Bob Gross' assertion that "men
going home from . . . prison were more likely to
commit another offense than if they had never

been imprisoned." This is a shattering truth we
must face. Ex-convicts leaving prison with higher
ideals and more capabihty of coping with every-
day life have achieved that in spile o/ their prison
experience rather than because of it.

Steve Simmons' editorial is a fitting cap to the
entire issue: "The world is larger than our
hearts."

Arlene Sheller
Eldora, Iowa

WHAT'S WRONG WITH MESSENGER?

After reading the May Messenger I am sure
that 1 no longer want this magazine in my home.

It doesn't seem to me that you know or care
much about Bible doctrine. Why? Because you
agree with the young leftists? Or have you lost
track of God's way?

Also, the trivia of changing the denomi-
nation's name is below good Christian people
who care.

Mrs. Keith Marchant
Panora, Iowa

THANKS FOR MESSENGER

As a BVSer, I want you to know how much the
Messenger means to me. I look forward to
receiving it each month and enjoy reading it from
cover to cover. Each issue is full of interesting ar-
ticles that keep me up on what's happening all
over the Brotherhood. I appreciate my com-
plimentary subscription and plan to continue re-
ceiving Messenger after my BVS term.

Patti Moser
Bethel, Pa.

PRISONERS NEED CONVERSION

Gary Rock needs conversion — the kind of con-
version which takes seriously the command,
"Thou shalt not kill." What kind of justice allows
a two-time murderer and arsonist freedom in our
society? Gary Rock's problem did not stem from
military service, per se. It stemmed from his
forgetting that the Lord said, "All who take the
sword will perish by the sword." Are prisoners to
be coddled or told that they got e.xactly what they
deserved? "Whatever a man sows, that he will also
reap." If the Lord's grace rehabilitates a prisoner
spiritually, he should receive early parole.

Visit a prisoner.

Comfort and cheer.

Just forget why he's here.

Myron C. Horst
York, Pa.

MENNONITES, TOO, AWARE OF JUSTICE

Hooray for your May Messenger special issue.
Mennonites are also becoming more aware of the
larger dimensions of the bibUcal teaching on
justice.

In my judgment, the Messenger is one of the
most interesting denominational papers in Chris-
tendom.

WiLLLAM T. Snyder
Executive Secretary
Mennonite Central Committee
Akron, Pa.

40 MESSENGER AugUSt 1979

The pace and content of Con-
ference business is mirrored in
the faces of the participants.
Could long-standing tradition
and beliefs have been at stake
when the above photo was
snapped? The roving camera
(right) sometimes catches those
who give unconscious com-
mentary on the proceedings, as
well as those who manage to
effect alert attention even on
the drowsiest afternoon.

Can You Answer
These Questions
About Writing
Your Will?*

TRUE

or

Mark each of the following statements T for True, or F for
False, in the box at its right. For correct answers, see panel
below.

1 — If you do not have a Will and therefore die "mtes- 1~~|
tate," state law will give your wife all of your Estate. I__l

2 — If you die "intestate" while your children are

minors, state law will divide a third of your Estate |~~|
among them. L_J

3— When you leave no Will, the state automatically ap- j~~l
points a social worker and a bank as guardians of your L_J
minor children.

4— Whoever is appointed guardian for your minor|~~|
children has complete say-so in taking care of theml__l
and their affairs.

5 — Lacking a Will, your property will be disposed of I j
more or less as your Will would have directed. I__J

6— Children not mentioned in your Will are excluded I I
from an inheritance. I__l

7— A husband has the same rights to his wife's Estate
as she has to his.

D

8 — A handwritten Will, unwitnessed, cannot be valid, j I
9— Wills never require more than two witnesses. I I

10 — It is expensive to have a lawyer draw up your Will. |~~|

ANSWERS

1— False. Usually not. In some states, your wife gets one-third
if you die without a Will,

2 — False. Many states give two-thirds of your Estate to your
children equally divided among them.

3 — False. It is more likely to appoint your spouse as guardian,
or some other person. But they will have to furnish a bond
and pay the fee for it

4 — False. Even if your wife is guardian, she usually must have
specific permission from the court to spend your children's
share of your Estate on their support or education. She may
be required to render detailed accounts of these expen
ditures.

5 — False Your property would be disposed of according to
the law of your state and not necessarily as you would have
directed

'In most states

6 — False. A child born after the date of your Will might be en
titled to receive whatever would have been provided by the
state if you had died "intestate."

7 — False. This is not always the case.

8— False. In some states, when the handwriting is generally
known, handwritten Wills can be held valid, but questions
about the circumstances under which they were written make
them a very risky proposition.

9 — False. Some states may require three. Any Will disposing
of property located in a three-witness state should have three,
even if you write it while resident in a state requiring only two.

10 — False, Actually, it is usually a very modest amount.
Whatever his charge, the expert knowledge Involved makes it
a bargain

Now while you are thinking about your Will, plan to
see your lawyer as soon as possible. Before you go,
you may find two of our booklets useful. They suggest
information you may want to have at hand for con-
sideration. Write for them now: Making Your Will and
A Record of Personal Affairs.

Write or call today. We will gladly provide information
based on individual circumstances, or arrange for a per-
sonal conference.

Stewart B. Kauffman
Donald L. Stern

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

General Board

Office of Stewardship Enlistment

1451 Dundee Avenue

Elgin, Illinois 60120

Sirs

Please send me without obligation the following booklets:

D Making Your Will

D A Record of Personal Affairs

Name

Address_
City

State

Zip

messenger

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN SEPTEMBER 1979

The College Dilemma:
Finding the Right School

mM(^(fi\^^.

10 How 'Brethren' are the 'Brethren' Colleges? Opening a
cluster of college-related articles, a look at how the six Brethren
institutions of higher learning reflect, express and react to the church.
Story by Steve Simmons.

Ig How Do You Choose a College? Isabel M. Lynn asks and
answers vital questions for anyone considering the college road.

ly The College as Neighbor. The college, community college or
university in your area is a box of surprises just waiting to be opened.
Shirley Heckman tells how.

Ig Three Little Churches and How They Grew. Three brand-
new and struggling congregations face "making it" with hope,
conviction and Church Extension Loan Funds. Story by Harriet Z.
Blake.

01 Church Extension Loan Fund: Uniting Partners in

Ministry. Parish Ministries funds support this new program aiding
churches in site buying, building, remodeling and establishing new
congregations. Explained by administrator Merle Crouse.

22 Thank God for Work. We need to say "Thank God for Monday,
thanking God for more days of opportunities for service and self-
giving. Bible study by Glenn H. Asquith.

In Touch profiles students Lynn Weaver, Pennsylvania State University;
Claudia Carter, Bridgewater College; and Curtis Thill, McPherson College (2)
. . . Outlook reports on Sudan project. Mac Coffman in Vietnam. Brethren in
national college congress. BVS film. World Conference on Religion and Peace.
Aid to Nicaragua, Uganda. Harvard dean. Peace essays. Africa church
information service. Ireland program (start on 4) . . . Underlines (7) . . .
Update (8) . . . Special Report, "To Heal the Wounds of War: A Christian
Imperative," by Barbara Fuller (9) . . . Column, "To Be in Service," by Joanne
Nesler Davis (24) . . . "Integrity is Power," by Dorris M. Blough (25) . . . Book
Review, "New Affirmations of the Family," by Fred W. Swartz (26) . . .
Resources, "Devotional Aids," by Bob Bowman (28) . . . Pilgrim's Pen (29) .
. . Opinions of Pete Haynes, Charles L. Baker, Ruth Nelson and Karen S.
Carter (start on 30) . . . Prayer Calendar (31) . . . Editorial (36)

PUT JESUS IN OUR WORLD

We of the Kaskaskia congregaiion think the
issues of a name change and homosexuality have
received enough pubhcity in our church pubhca-
tion without affecting a positive or negatise
decision. We feel it is time to take a stand on
these issues and make our way onto others.

We also feel too little is said about how to be
born of the Spirit, saved, born again or whate\er
terminology you choose to use. People need to
know how to make Jesus Christ their personal
friend and savior, above all else, and how to bear
Christ's fruit in a sick world. We feel that Jesus
must be in our personal world before he can be in
the larger world.

Jim Baker
Beecher City, 111.

SOMETHINGS WE LIKE

We appreciated "Pentecost — Hallelujahl"
(June). It could happen in our church if people
really believed in and were guided by the Hol>
Spirit.

We were disappointed when some
congregations tossed out the King James Version
of the Bible, We believe it is nearer the original
Scriptures than any other version.

Also we like the name "Church of the
Brethren" the way it is. Jesus addressed his
followers as brethren even though some surely
were women and children as well as men.

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Weaver
Wakarusa. Ind,

THANKS, WE NEEDED THAT

.'Addicted as 1 am to seizing fun and sounding
off upon the merest provocation, I hasten to tell
you 1 was reduced to helpless mirth when my big
brother Ed brought the June Messenger to my
room and asked me to read it aloud to him.

The devastating profiles of conferencegoers:
Oh my! 1 could almost put names to some of
them. Thanks, we needed that!

Florence Ziegler Sanger
Trappe, Md.

EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Steve Simmons

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Ziegler Blake

FEATURES

Stewart M. Hoover, Fred W, Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E. Weaver, Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Doris Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K. Thompson

VOL. 128, NO. 9

SEPTEMBER 1979

CREDITS: Cover art by Dave Horsey, 2-3 George
Keeler, 9 RNS, 13 left Lynelte Miller, 14 middle
Rick Replogle, bottom Cindy Mines, 15, 24, 28
Nguyen Van Gia,

MESSENGER is the olficial publication of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug, 20, 1918, under Act of Congress
of Oct, 17, 1917. Filing dale, Oct, I, 1978,
Messenger is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service. Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, arc from the Revised
Standard Version,

Subscription rates: $7.80 one year for individual
subscriptions; $14.40 two years; $21 three years;
$33 five years. $6.60 per year for Church Group
Plan: $6.60 per year for gift subscriptions; School
.SOC per issue. If you move clip
address and send with new address.
■Mlow at least five weeks for address
change. MESSENGER is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission, Church of the
Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee
Ave., Elgin, 111. 60120. Second-class
postage paid at Elgin, 111., Sept. 1979. Copyright
1979, Church of the Brethren General Board.

■

BRETHREN ARE WEI'

Lois Myers' "Opinion" on name change (May!
is basic and to the point. My experience in being
Brethren has never embarrassed me or been a
matter of ridicule, nor have I ever been ques-
tioned on whether being a woman excluded mc
from membership.

Some years ago our daughter, a B\ Ser,
married a German volunteer assigned to the same
project. Upon introduction to her new father-in-
law as a member of the Church of the Brethren,
his reply was "Oh, 1 knew of the Brethren, long
before I knew about you,"

When asked by a fellow worker to w hat church
1 belonged, I answered, "Ours is a small denomi-
nation; perhaps you haven't heard of Church of
the Brethren, His reply: "^'our denomination
may be small, but your involvement in peace and
relief areas is widely known. Yes, I have heard of
you."

.■\nolher time: "Oh. \ou're the ones who 'wash

feet.' (Yes, some of us still do, believing it to
symbolize service to others as an example set by
Christ.)

To quote Anna Elizabeth, the heroine in the
book of the same name by Lucile Brandt,
"Brethren are we!"

Doris Brandt
Lawrence, Kans.

YOUTH WANT A VOICE

The movie. Coining Home, to be shown to the
senior high youth on Saturday evening at Annual
Conference, was cancelled only four hours prior.
The conference manager fell that due to its R
rating, it would be inappropriate to show lo a
young audience.

The movie was available lo the youth without
COS!, due 10 the connections of a youth leader
with the producer. Contrary to popular belief,
the ratings system, with the exception of X, is not
a legal guideline. It would not have been
unlawful for this movie lo be shown to persons
under 17.

We, the youth, had many concerns over the
cancellation of the movie and the system through
which it was cancelled. On Saturday evening,
five youth representatives (including me) met
with the Central Commillee and the conference
manager. We read a statement which we had
prepared, and presented our proposals to avoid
this type of misunderstanding in the future.

The suggestions were as follows:

1) A Brotherhood-wide advisory council to
work with Central Committee and the youth
leaders in planning youth activities for future
Conferences.

2) At least one senior high youth on Central
Committee.

3) Youth more equally represented on
decision-making bodies, such as the Standing
Committee's nominating committee.

4) More dialog between Conference Officials
and youth.

Eric Baughman
La Mirada, Calif.

LETS FACE ABORTION CONTROVERSY

Mary Hays' lelter in ML.ssLNt.i;R (April) shows
she isn't well-informed about the concerns of
pro-life members of our church. Not that I blame
her, for we find it exceedingly difficult to get an
opportunity to present our concerns.

Our number one priority is thai the church
support the biblical leaching that sex outside of
marriage is wrong. When this principle is
violated and a pregnancy occurs, you can't make
it right by committing another wrong — killing
the unborn child. Our second priority is that sex-
ual relations by married couples are responsible
activities. Those who engage in them should be
prepared lo accept all consequences.

And we musl also face the fact that in spite of
all our leaching lo the conlrary, a lot of people
will persist in irresponsible sexual behavior. We
must make provisions for caring for the victims,
their unborn children. Many Brethren are unwill-
ing 10 face the fact thai these children are as

much victims of circumstance as are victims of
earthquakes and famines. By thai 1 mean that ihe
unborn child is in no way responsible for his be-
ing conceived. As an independent human being,
he is enlilled to the same rights as Ihe baby thai is
already born. And by "independent" I mean thai
he is a,person in his own right, and nol a part of
his mother's body.

Six or seven years ago our church passed an
abortion paper. It provided an educational pro-
gram in our church on abortion. Nothing has
been done lo implement this provision — we have
gotten medically accurate information together
and tried to offer it as a program to our chur-
ches, but we have been unable lo gel any of our
publications to announce ils availability; why?

We are also cautioned that there are two sides
to the issue, and the other side needs lo be heard.
By that same token, we should also have a
representative from the war department present
at our peace programs lo present their side.
However, we are willing lo have them present
their side, for we know the facts support us, and
their presentation only makes ours all the more
convincing.

Wbsi LV Brubaker
Walkerlon, Ind.

JUDGMENT DAY EXPECTATIONS

Jesus said, "If any man would come after me,
let him deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me."

Alexander Mack said in effect that if anyone
would join him, he must denounce one special
way of Satan, that is infant baptism.

When I joined the Church of the Brethren 35
years ago, I was required to renounce all the
ways of Satan and be dipped in water three
times.

It seems that now lo join the Church of ihe
Brelhren one need only nod to the question, "Do
you believe that Jesus was a good man?" and
then be dipped in water three times.

How many of us expect lo hear on Judgment
Day, "Well done, faithful servant, enter inlo the
joy of Ihe Lord"?

Carroll Roop
Union Bridge, Md.

DEATH NO GREAT PROBLEM

To say that God wants us healthy is only part
of it. He does, and we were. Yet it also is Irue
thai God wants us lo die. He does, and we shall.

Doctors study lo save us, and God grants add-
ed time, sometimes. Still, all the healers of past
generations died. So loo did all those they heal-
ed. Healers cannot cheat death. They can defer it
but slightly. God decrees that each generation
musl die and make way for the next.

Evidently we might live until Christ returns.
The early church thought they would. Yet we
probably will die. Chrislian maturity is not lo
seek a healer, or to beg God for more time.
Rather it is lo so glorify God with Ihe days we
have, that it is no great problem when we die.
Roy White
Citronelle, Ala.

OYOTOT'^ Co

.tVboul four years ago, we ran the story
of a 24-year-old Brethren artist and jour-
nalisl Dave Horsey. He was fresh out of the
University of Washington, where he had
been editor of The Daily, the campus
newspaper. He had already become
known as a political cartoonist, and we em-
bellished his story with cartoons from
his book. Politics and Other Perver-
sions (see MESSENC.tR, January 1976,
page 36).

That was the last we
saw of this member
of Seattle's Olym-
pic View congre-
gation until An-
nual Conference
in his home-
town afforded
us a chance to
renew our ac-
quaintance. We
found Dave had
done well by him-
self in the interim.
The award winning
writer/artist, after
four years as a
"straight reporter,"
had just joined Se-
attle's Posi-lntelligen-
ceras political cartoonist.

It was good to see
Dave again and to talk
shop. "1 look at journal-
ism of any kind — whether it's a cartoon or a
photograph or a column or a news
story — as an attempt to latch onto a piece
of the truth and hold it up to public view so
that people can see it, digest it and put it to
use in their lives," Dave says.

"The crazy thing about political cartoon-
ing, and the thing I'm having to get used to,
is that in a cartoon, you reach the truth by
wildly exaggerating the facts of a situa-
tion."

We weren't ready yet for political car-
toons in Messenger (although we get occa-
sional suggestions to try them). But across a
noisy table in the Seattle Coliseum's food
service area, we invited Dave to do the
cover for September, feeling that as a recent
Brethren college student he would have a
feel for the subject. Dave enthusiastically
agreed and we were all set. May we rein-
troduce Dave Horsey. Dave's cover
highlights a cluster of articles that address
the question of how Brethren youth should
choose a college and how we can minister to
the college in our neighborhood.— The
Editors

September 1979 messenger 1

in

h

Lynn Weaver: Brethren beliefs are important

If you don't go to a Brethren col-
lege, you lose contact with your
Brethren peer group. "Wrong," says
Lynn Weaver, a 21-year-old senior
at Penn State University. "Not if
you have an organized young adult
group like the one the Western
Pennsylvania District has."

Lynn, a resident of Windber, Pa.,
is the chairman of this young adult
group made up of the 67 churches
in the Western Pennsylvania
District.

Founded three years ago, the
group has an active mailing list of
some 500 persons between the ages
of 18 and 30. They manage to slip
in meetings during holidays and the
summer, times when Western Penn-
sylvania youth are on college
breaks.

"Brethren young adults are unique
people," says the agriculture and
business management major. "I was
longing for Brethren fellowship at
Penn State because Brethren beliefs
are important to me. Now with our
group's commitment we can share
again."

Their fellowship comes through
square dances, picnics, Bible studies,
parties and retreats. The annual
New Year's Eve party and summer
retreat at Camp Harmony are keen-
ly anticipated events.

Lynn grew up on his family-
owned, 250-acre dairy farm with his
two sisters, Karen and Bev, and
younger brother, Bruce. Bev is a
new member of the Elgin staff,
working as coordinator of BVS
orientation. Together, the family of
six tended to the chores of milking
40 Holstein cows and farming the
lush Windber countryside.

Brethren colleges in Lynn's area
didn't offer his agriculture major, so
he attended the large state univer-
sity. There, the high school valedic-

2 Mi-sstNGER September 1979

torian became active in the Delta
Sigma Agriculture Fraternity as
treasurer, the agriculture economics
club and Campus Crusade for
Christ.

He is a member of the Scalp
Level Church of the Brethren, active
in the Western Pennsylvania District

youth choir, the Christian Education
Board and the Camp Harmony
Board, and has served two terms as
his church's youth president.

Some time in the future, he sees
himself as a licensed minister, but
that will be after his anticipated
BVS stint.

Athletic (he enjoys downhill ski-
ing and was a champion runner in
high school) and charming with
twinkling hazel eyes, a winning
smile and keen sense of humor,
Lynn Weaver enjoys working with
people and feels that for any com-
mitted Christian, the sky is the
limit.

Looking forward to a full and ex-
citing life, he has one wish for the
future, "I hope 1 remain 'young'
forever."

Claudia Carter: 'I war

A disarmingly candid 18-year-old,
Claudia Carter, as some of her fans
see her, is one of the best Virginia
high school women's athletes who
ever put on a uniform.

In track, she is a champion high
school jumper, 880 yard runner and
mile relay specialist, going to state
meets in high jump, and to district
and regional meets in the others.

She was twice named to "American
High School Athletes" for her
performance on the volleyball court
and has led her mixed men and
women's high school team to district
and regional championships.

On the basketball court, Claudia's
graceful 5-foot- 10-inch frame is an
asset and her marks of distinction
are numerous.

Starting in the position of center
or forward for four years, Claudia
holds the record as the highest
average scorer (25 points a game)
for any male or female in the
Roanoke Valley. Besides that, her
desk is crowded with trophies for
being the highest rebounder, highest
free thrower, "all-district" (four
years), "aU-metro" (three years) and
"all-American" in basketball.

Unlike other entering college
women, Claudia was actively
recruited by two colleges. She chose
Bridgewater — her Brethren roots,
her dad's influence ("the kids are
neat there"), her serious determina-
tion to learn — all drew her to the
Brethren college.

Don't forget athletics. Bridgewater
has strong women's sports teams,
and Claudia's athletic prowess will
mesh perfectly with that legacy.

Claudia does not see herself as a
woman trying to play a man's game,
but rather athletics offer respon-
sibility and release. "Manners are
different on and off the courts," she
says with a wink.

I

to live!'

"Athletics are as important as
academics — you need both a strong
mind and body in Hfe," she explains.

With a mother on the General
Board and a father on Standing
Committee, Claudia understands the
term "responsibility." Electing not to
be baptized until 18, she has been
active in district youth cabinet and
choir, church camp and playing her
coronet at Annual Conference.

Being a super athlete means hours
of persistent work. In a family that
includes two younger brothers, Ker-
mon and Leonard, the only person
who will go one on one up against
the board with her is her pastor
father. "He has a sharp turn around

jump shot," smiles Claudia.

At Bridgewater, Claudia plans to
major in physical education and
languages — she speaks French and
German. After that perhaps a stint
in BVS and a career in social work
or teaching private instruction in
athletics.

"I don't just want a job that
makes money: I want to live," she
says. With that philosophy, this
A-average student will be a win-
ner—both on the court and off.

Curtis Thill: A bicycle is his passport

While others were battling the
airlines over bumped reservations
this summer, Curtis Thill pumped
up his red Swiss-made Allegro tires,
flung his backpack over his shoulder
and became part of the American
legend. Starting in his hometown of
Adel, Iowa, 30 miles west of Des
Moines, the newly elected student
council president at McPherson Col-
lege pedaled the 2,210 miles to Seat-
tle, Wash., to join other Brethren at
Annual Conference.

It took him 25 days, and he did it
alone. But this wasn't the first time
Curtis has used his bicycle to get to
Conference. He did it three times
before — to Dayton, Wichita and
Richmond, a total of 4,360 miles.

Relaxing under the shadow of the
Seattle Space Needle, Curtis re-
counted his cross-country trip, a trip
on which he averaged 88 miles a day
and wore out four tires on his bicy-
cle. "America loves the adventurer,"
he explained. "The pioneer spirit is
in all of us, and the bicycle is my
passport for discovering this great
land and making friends."

One non-Brethren family on his
journey invited him into their house,
fixed him dinner, washed his clothes
and, before retiring, told Curtis that
they were leaving early for church
camp. "They told me to help myself
and to be sure to lock the door
when I left," remembers Curtis.
"The man said he wouldn't have
welcomed me into the house if I
were a hitchhiker."

The image that Curtis depends on
is also the one he is projecting. Just
outside of Medicine Bow, Wyo.,
this summer, he found a stolen
purse by the roadside containing
$197 and a Visa card. Curtis bicy-
cled 40 miles up the road and
returned it personally to the owner.

Does this straight-A student like

McPherson? "Oh, yes! I'm a
believer in McPherson. The small
college experience doesn't just
educate the mind; it educates the
total person."

Curtis, the son of Betty and Mar-
vin Thill (the latter is pastor of the
Panther Creek congregation) is a
peace advocate on campus and plans
to spend one year at Bethany
Theological Seminary to establish "a
Christian base" before beginning
medical school. He has been a 4-H
Club president for two years where
he obedience-trained his pet sheep

dog, learned horticulture skills and
raised 40 lambs for market. Not sur-
prisingly, he was the state winner
in the 4-H bicycle project.

Each year, speculation is made
about who traveled the farthest to
get to Conference. Perhaps in the
future, as Curtis' pioneer spirit cat-
ches on, the question should be
"who traveled the farthest and the
simplest?" -George Keeler

George Keeler is ihe auihur uf all three oj Ihis
month's "In Touch" stories. Keeler, former intern on
the Communications Team, teaches journalism at
the University of La Verne and Pasadena City Col-
lege, in California. He is a member of the La Verne,
Calif. , congregation.

September 1979 messenger 3

Brethren, Sudanese join
forces for health care

A major new project to plan and develop
a primary health care system benefiting
villagers in the Sudan was announced by
World Ministries Commission staff at the
July General Board meetings. Staff and
Board members expressed great excite-
ment over the new project, the first ven-
ture in the Sudan for Brethren.

At the invitation of the Sudan Council
of Churches, the Church of the Brethren
plans to have a worker in the Ler, Bentiu
and Mayom districts of the Upper Nile
Province by March 1980. This person, yet
to be einployed, will assess the existing
village organizations and work with them
in developing the primary health care
system.

Health care is a desperate need in this
area, according to staff members Roger
Ingold and Wil Nolen who visited there in
March. An overflow area of the Nile
River, with a population of about
270,000, many parts of the region are cut
off because they cannot be reached by
land nine months of the year. Only two
small civic hospitals and a few related
dressing stations serve the area's health
needs. Malaria, parasitical diseases (such
as schistosomiasis) and malnutrition wide-
ly afflict the population.

A survey conducted at the request of the
Sudan Council of Churches by the Chris-
tian Medical Commission of the World
Council of Churches will serve as the basis
for the Brethren work. Ultimately, the
establishment of the primary health care
system will address many health problems
including clean water, sanitation, nutrition,
hygiene and pre- and post-natal care.

Primary health care, as defined by In-
gold and Nolen, the staff members
responsible for the project, is a system
dependent on village health councils and
village (or community) health workers.
These workers are trained to help com-
munity residents in the prevention and
treatment of common health problems.
Backing up the workers are more highly
trained medical assistants serving a larger
area. The Lafiya project in Nigeria is an
example of a primary health care system.

The Brethren worker will work in con-
junction with the Sudan Council of Chur-
ches for up to three years. Staff members
estimate costs of the initial three-year
period at $250,000.

The map of Africa shows the Sudan, where the Church of the Brethren will soon have a
worker helping develop a community-based health care system, in relationship to its
neighbors. On the more detailed map of the Sudan (lower left), the area where the new
health project will be located is shown by the shaded circle in the southern region.

NCC terminates Ireland
program at year's end

The Ireland Program of the National
Council of Churches will terminate at the
end of the year because organizers believe
its objectives have been met. Established
in July 1975 with funding for 18 months,
the Ireland program was supported an ad-
ditional three years when its continuance
was considered an important factor in
peace building efforts.

The Church of the Brethren responded
to the peacemaking efforts of the Ireland
program with funds and personnel. Seven
Brethren women took part in the Journey
of Reconciliation sponsored by the pro-
gram. More than 100 Americans flew to
Northern Ireland in November 1976 to
learn for themselves about the Peace Peo-
ple's movement and to take part in the
last Peace March at Drogheda on the
River Boyne.

Father David J. Bowman, the Jesuit
priest who headed the Protestant pro-
gram, wrote recently to the journeyers: "I
believe we have accomplished the main
objective (of the program) to sensitize
American churches and others to the com-

plexities of the conflict and' to enable
NCC member churches to be of service to
the Irish and Northern Irish people
primarily through the Irish Council of
Churches. We have channeled close to
$150,000 to a variety of people and
organizations who work for justice-peace-
reconciliation on that island. . . . We have
supported peace groups with 'seed money'
or by our presence as in the Journey of
Reconciliation in 1976."

Cooperative efforts with the NCC work
are not the only Brethren peace efforts
in Ireland. As early as 1972 a BVS vol-
unteer was sent to Belfast's Agnes Street
community. Direct support was
given to Ruby Stickel when she served as
administrative assistant to the Irish
Council of Churches in Belfast, a post
now held by Annette Dawson. Several
volunteers have worked in summer pro-
grams with problem youth from Dublin
and other cities.

Father Bowman told the group of
Brethren women who traveled to
Ireland: "You (the Church of the Breth-
ren) have a particular sensitivity and
talent for peacemaking that is unique
and has been a consistant source
of help to me." — Lois Teach Paul

4 MEsSENGtR September 1979

Brethren staffer tours
refugee camps, Vietnam

Mac Coffman, director of Church of the
Brethren service ministries, returned in
mid-June from a four-week visit to Viet-
nam, Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Coffman and three other representatives
of US church-related agencies made the
trip in response to an invitation from
Viet-My, a quasi-governmental organiza-
tion of Vietnamese church and civic agen-
cies interested in furthering reconciliation
between the people of the US and Viet-
nam.

The group visited refugee camps in
Hong Kong and Malaysia. "We saw dire
need," said Coffman of the Malaysian
camps. "According to western standards,
the living conditions are deplorable." He
cited especially the density of the popula-
tion, inadequate fresh water and lack of
sanitation and medical care.

Coffman would like to see the US speed
up its efforts to resettle Vietnamese
refugees. "Not enough is being done to-
day," he said. "And the needs of refugees
coming out of Laos and Kampuchea seem
to be equally distressing."

After a briefing in Thailand with US
State Department officials and represen-
tatives of voluntary agencies, the group
went into Vietnam where it stayed 14
days. Group members had opportunity to
meet with government officials and,
because two members of the group speak
the native language, the group was also
able to talk with workers and others in in-
formal contacts.

"I was impressed with the overall feeling
of welcome we received," said Coffman.
"Everyone — from officials to common
people — expressed great interest in
establishing relationships with the US.
The people were friendly, gracious and
willing to talk with us."

Coffman is critical of US unwillingness
to help meet the humanitarian needs of
the Vietnamese for adequate food, hous-
ing and education. While acknowledging
that he doesn't "agree with the socialist
form of government," he says "that
doesn't deter my willingness to work to
meet the humanitarian needs."

Normalization of diplomatic and trade
relations between the US and Vietnam is
essential, in Coff man's view. He con-
tends that Vietnam must seek friends
somewhere in the international communi-
ty. Because of US unwillingness to open

relationships, he believes Vietnam is
pushed into seeking the aid of the Soviet
Union.

A resolution passed by the Seattle An-
nual Conference calls for some of the
things Coffman hopes for — normalized
relations between the two countries, in-
creased US activity on behalf of refugees,
a world conference on the refugee situa-
tion. The resolution also pledges the
church to continued work in the sponsor-
ship of refugees.

Churches interested in sponsoring ref-
ugees should contact the Refugee
Resettlement Office, Brethren Service
Center, Box 188, New Windsor, MD
21776, or call (301) 635-6464.

Others traveling in the group, all under
the auspices of the National Council of
Churches, were Douglas Beane, Church
World Service regional liaison for Indochi-
na; William Herod, CWS Washington con-
sultant on Indochina; and Arthur Simon,
executive director of Bread for the World.

Victims of civil strife
receive Brethren help

Victims of civil wars in Uganda and
Nicaragua will receive assistance through
grants from the Brethren Emergency
Disaster Fund.

"Suffering within Nicaragua increases
daily," says Ken McDowell, executive of
the World Ministries Commission. A
number of organizations in neighboring
Central American countries are providing
relief for the victims and the $5,000
Brethren grant was channeled to them
through Church World Service. In one
month this summer, one Nicaraguan agen-
cy receiving CWS funds helped more than
150,000 people.

As reports from Nicaragua revealed in-
creasing brutality and terrorism, members
of the General Board's Administrative
Council sent word to President Carter
asking him to do all in his power "to
bring the intolerable level of persecutions
and atrocities suffered by the Nicaraguan
population to an end."

Across the world, the civil war in Ugan-
da has also created tremendous suffering
and vast numbers of refugees. "Press
coverage has not adequately described the
suffering of the people there," says
McDowell.

The Brethren grant of $5,000 is being
channeled through the All Africa Con-
ference of Churches, the body coor-

dinating relief efforts in Uganda. The
conference estimates some three million
Ugandans have been affected by the situa-
tion and the money will be used to pur-
chase food, blankets, used clothing,
shelter and medical supplies.

World religion, peace
conference meets in US

Shirley Heckman, denominational staff
for education, is representing the Church
of the Brethren at the Third Assembly of
the World Conference of Religion and
Peace Aug. 29 to Sept. 7.

Heckman is among the 265 leaders
representing the major world religions:
Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism,
Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shin-
toism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.

The Assembly delegates are convening
at Princeton Theological Seminary in New
Jersey, with breaks from their main work
and studies Aug. 30 for special ceremonies
in New York City and again Sept. 7 for a
trip to Washington, D. C.

The major work of the Assembly dele-
gates is expected to take place in commis-
sions and seminars, developing the con-
ference theme, "Religion in the Struggle for
World Community." Smaller working
groups are to propose follow-up activities
by their religious groups and by the inter-
national secretariat of the World Con-
ference on Religion and Peace, as well as
its various national and regional groups.

Topics scheduled for review and discus-
sion range from the international
economic order, conflict and disarma-
ment, social justice and human rights, to
the spiritual dimensions of inter-religious
cooperation for peace and inter-religious
dialog in conflict situations.

This is the first meeting of the full
Assembly to be held in the US. Previous
WCRP Assemblies were conducted in
Kyoto, Japan, in 1970 and in Louvain,
Belgium, in 1974.

The World Conference on Religion and
Peace, located near the United Nations
headquarters in New York, was founded
in 1970 and is a multi-religious movement
with regional and national affiliates
throughout the world. Its main purpose is
to foster the proposition that world com-
munity is the destiny of humanity.
Through its Assemblies, the WCRP helps
bring together a worldwide, multi-religious
network of people and organizations com-
mitted to this goal.

September 1979 messenger 5

BRF celebrates 20 years
in life of denomination

The Brethren Revival Fellowship marks
the 20th anniversary of its founding dur-
ing 1979. A special Insight Session at An-
nual Conference and the annual BRF
meeting Sept. 8 are highlights of the year.

Founded at the Annual Conference in
Ocean Grove, N.J., in 1959 when a group
of concerned Brethren met for prayer, the
Fellowship has grown in the intervening
years. Leaders of the movement say it has
no formal membership list but more than
10,000 copies of The Witness are
distributed. In addition to its mailing, the
group has also sponsored an annual Bible
institute and special units of Brethren
Volunteer Service.

Speakers at the Annual Conference In-
sight Session, which drew 150 persons,
were Hartman Rice, Harold Martin and
Paul Brubaker.

Scheduled to address the Sept. 8 annual
BRF meeting at the new Upton meeting-
house near Greencastle, Pa., are Donald
E. Miller, Arlan Longanecker, and BRF
chairman James F. Myer.

Myer says that the fact the BRF is
celebrating its 20th anniversary within the
denomination proves its long-time conten-
tion that it has no desire to split the
denomination, only to return it to its
original and true understanding of biblical
authority.

Members of the BRF and the General

Board's Parish Ministries Commission
engaged in one and a half hours of discus-
sion during the July PMC meeting, a first
for the two groups. Myer serves as a
member of PMC and presented some of
the BRF position.

World order institute
to honor peace essays

The Institute for World Order will award
$20,000 in honor of essays promoting
peace.

The Ira D. and Miriam G. Wallach
awards competition has been organized to
recognize writing "in support of an aboli-
tionist movement against war." Taking a
cue from the writing which spurred the
movement against slavery in the last cen-
tury, the Institute for World Order hopes
the competition will "bring about a new
climate of informed public opinion which
will stimulate national governments to
dismantle the present war system . . . ."

Awards of $10,000, $3,000 and two of
$1,000 each will be made to authors of
the published articles which best demon-
strate the advantages of an enduring peace
system to all nations and groups of peo-
ple. Only articles not exceeding 6,000
words and published in English between
July 1, 1979, and Dec. 31, 1980, are eligi-
ble. Articles may be published in any
newspaper or periodical.

Articles, in their published form, should
be submitted to the Wallach Awards

Christian community members meet at Reba Place

Singing and charismatic worship were all part of the worship experience when more than
500 people gathered at Reba Place Fellowship in Evanston, III., for the eighth annual
conference of the Shalom Covenant, a network of Christian communities from around
the Midwest. Representatives of more than 25 communities participated.

Committee, 777 United Nations Plaza,
New York, NY 10017, soon after publica-
tion. Articles postmarked after Jan. 15,
1981, will not be considered. Articles will
not be returned. Winners will be
announced by April 1, 1981.

Five awards of $1,000 each will be
presented to students registered in
undergraduate or graduate college or
university programs whose essays meet the
above criteria, except that of publication.
These entries must be submitted with a
faculty recommendation form available
from the Institute.

For copies of the announcement, entry
guidelines and faculty recommendation
forms, write the Wallach Awards Com-
mittee at the address above. The
telephone number is (212) 575-0055.

Christianized world
unbiblical, dean claims

The 20th century was supposed to be that
time in history when the world was to
become Christianized, claims the dean of
Harvard University's divinity school.

"Well," said Krister Stendahl, "God has
a marvelous way of putting arrogant
Christians in their place. Now, the pro-
portion of Christians in the world is
smaller than it was at the turn of the cen-
tury. We must realize we are a minority."

Stendahl, dean of Harvard Divinity
School, was speaking at Marquette
University. He was highly critical of what
he called the "Christian conceit," that
tendency of some Christians to think the
world ought to be Christian.

"The Christian phenomenon in the
world is a minority phenomenon," he
said, "... but the Christian of the West
has thought in majority terms for a long
string of centuries."

Stendahl said that from a majority posi-
tion emerged the idea of the "Christianiza-
tion of the world . . . but this
vision of God's plan, this Christianization
of the world, is not a truly sound one
from a biblical view."

The Old Testament view, he said, "is
that a minority in God's crazy, glorious
plan has a purpose."

"My claim, as a New Testament
scholar, is that never in God's plan was it
that the whole world be Christianized.
The Bible did not say see good deeds and
sign up for Jesus and convert, but see
good deeds and praise your Father in
heaven."

I

BVS experience comes
to life in new film

"I've Troubled for You" is the title of a
new 16-mm film produced by the office of
Brethren Volunteer Service interpretation
and recruitment.

Using a narrative format, the film
shows the personal side of the volunteer
experience through the eyes of a young
woman volunteer who teaches reading in
an area of intense poverty. Merv Keeney,
staff for BVS interpretation and recruit-
ment, says the main drama concerns the
volunteer's relationship with Ruby, one of
her students. "Although Ruby is one of
the volunteer's failures in reading," he
says, "something else grows between
them."

Keeney points out that the 15-minute
film can be used to start discussion not
only about BVS but also about general
topics such as service, mission or interper-
sonal relationships. A brochure with study
questions is available.

The film can be obtained through the
BVS Office, 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin,
IL 60120, for a $6 service fee.

Africa tells own story
in new press service

The Africa Church Information Service
has launched the All Africa Press Service
(APS), a news and feature service.

According to an announcement in
ECUNEWS, the news service of the South
African Council of Churches, the new
agency aims to help African peoples,
churches and nations to communicate bet-
ter among themselves and with the wider
world. It also seeks to correct the serious
imbalance in the flow of information ex-
isting between the "so-called developed
nations" and Africa.

Regional correspondents have been ap-
pointed to operate bureaus in Lagos, Kin-
shasa, Lusaka, Johannesburg, and
possibly Addis Ababa.

Kenneth Y. Best, information director
of the All Africa Conference of Churches,
declared that "Africans must stop relying
on foreign agencies to give them news of
their own continent." He described the
new venture as "a small but bold attempt
by African churches, with the support of
their ecumenical partners, to help Africa
tell its own story to its people and to the
world."

y^(ol(t[f|[n](t^

ON THE JOB . . . Former NISBCO f.taf f member Peggy Frantz is now
living in Kansas City, Mo. , and has offered her services as a
peace advocate to churches within 200 miles of her location.
. . . Dennis Metzger , member of the Decatur (111.) church is
director of Illinois CROP. . . . Beverly Weaver , a Brethren
Volunteer Service worker at the Elgin offices since May, has
accepted new responsibilities as coordinator of BVS orienta-
tion effective Sept. 17. She is a member of the Scalp Level
church, Windber, Pa. . . . Donald Aldinger is the new assis-
tant administrator of the Peter Becker Memorial Home in Har-
leysville. Pa. . . . Dan Trachsel is the new manager of the
Brethren Service Center in Nappanee, Ind. A Manchester Col-
lege graduate, he has just completed a year of BVS as assis-
tant manager of Pennsylvania's Camp Eder. . . . Jon and Beth
Stephens Cassel , members of the Skippack church, Collegeville,
Pa. , are headed for Zaire for a three-year assignment with
Mennonite Central Coitmiittee. . . . Continuing her father's
tradition of service to the aging and to the church, Carolyn
Myers Amaral is assistant administrator of Casa de Modesto,
Modesto, Calif. Her father, Del Myers , was the home's ad-
ministrator until his death.

NAMES YOU KNOW

Newly-elected president of Juniata Col-

lege's Church-College Relations Council is Naomi Kulp Keeney
of First church, Harrisburg. . . . Callie and Wanda Callahan
have resigned as directors of Camp Ithiel in the Florida and
Puerto Rico District. . . . The Southern Ohio District is
planning a reception and banquet Sept. 30 in honor of Chester
and Kathleen Harley . Chester has been the district executive
the past 20 years. ... A $10,000 scholarship fund for
Bridgewater College students majoring in music education has
been established in memory of Jessie Mae Connor Eller by her
husband, John C. Eller , and their two sons. . . . Another
$10,000 fund at Bridgewater has been established in memory of
the late G . W. Petcher and in honor of Edith Petcher by their
children. Income will be used in support of the library. .
. . J. Perry Prather of Ashland, Ohio, will celebrate 65 years
in the ministry Oct. 24, In that time, he calculated he has
preached more than 3,600 sermons. . . . Several Brethren were
recently elected to the Juniata College board of trustees: W.
Clemens Rosenberger , pastor of the Lititz (Pa.) church;
Dorothy L. Hershberger , a teacher and member of Memorial
church, Martinsburg; and Latv^rence G. Landes , director of a
counseling service and member of the Hatfield church.

HERE SHE IS . . . The Miss America contest preliminaries in
Pennsylvania were lucky for two young Brethren women. Carolyn
Black, a member of the Elizabethtown church, was named Miss
Pennsylvania and will represent the state in the Atlantic City
pageant. Stepping up into her vacated spot as Miss Lancaster
County was another Brethren woman, Kathy Ann Mellinger, a
member of the Conestoga church.

REMEMBERED

Barbara Nickey , 93, of La Verne, Calif. ,

A medical doctor, she had served at

died Aug. 3 in La Verne

the Dahanu Road Hospital in India for nearly 40 years, from

1915 through 1952.

September 1979 messenger 7

[y][p)(^@te

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ... A special birthday party was a happy oc-
casion even though the guest of honor was unable to attend
when the Messiah church, Kansas City, Mo. , celebrated the
300th anniversary of Alexander Mack' s birthday. Schedule
problems kept the party from being held on July 27, the bap-
tismal anniversary, but Aug. 5 was close enough. Hymns from
Mack's era, including one he wrote, cake and ice cream and a
summary of Mack's life were all part of the festivities.

BREAKING NEW GROUND

Good Shepherd church in Bradenton,

Fla. , broke ground June 24 for its new church facility with
the goal of worshiping for the first time in the new sanc-
tuary on Christmas Sunday, 1979. . . . May 6 was a ground-
breaking date for the Orlando (Fla.) church. The congrega-
tion is adding a new sanctuary to current facilities. ... A
daughter of one of the original builders of the Weston (Ore. )
church building broke first ground April 1 for the educational
wing being added to the present structure. . . . Brethren
Hillcrest Homes , La Verne, Calif. , broke ground for a new
personal services wing to the Woods Memorial Convalescent
Hospital on Sept. 9, part of a 10th anniversary celebration of
the opening of the hospital unit.

MILESTONES

Two days of celebrations Sept. 8 and 9

marked the 125th anniversary of the Pine Creek church in
Northern Indiana District. . . . Oct. 9, 13 and 14 will be
special dates for the Kent (Ohio) church. A musical program
and homecoming services will celebrate that congregation's
75th anniversary. . . . The Ashland (Ohio) church marked its
65th anniversary with special morning and afternoon services
and a meal Sept. 9. . . . The Cedar Lake church in Northern
Indiana District combined a mortgage burning service and the
dedication of new kitchen facilities in special services May
27. ... A full day of services and an open house marked the
dedication June 10 of the Chambersburg (Pa.) church's ex-
panded development program and remodeled facilities.

SINGING TOGETHER . . . Working, eating and singing together
seem to be favorite Brethren pastimes. A Brethren Choir
Festival in Virginia June 3 brought together choir members
from Washington, D.C., Arlington, Oakton, Manassas and Nokes-
ville, Va. , churches for a concert at the Arlington church.
Ensembles and a handbell choir added their talents.

BUYING FOOD TOGETHER

No less than seven food co-opera-

tives are meeting these days in Southern Ohio District
churches. Nature's Cupboard is the 46- family co-op meeting
at Mack Memorial church in Dayton. The co-op of Middle Dis-
trict church, near Tipp City, has a membership of 50 families
with more on a waiting list. It grew so big a group from
north of the area is now meeting in Piqua. The Northwest
Montgomery County Food Co-op with 68 families meets at the
Ever sole church. The 15 families of the Good Food Co-op meet
at the Bear Creek church. One of the newest co-ops is the
Emmanuel Food Co-op in Dayton' s Emmanuel church. Some Breth-
ren are among the 50 families who are members of the co-op now
meeting at the Happy Corner church in Clayton.

8 MESSENGER September 1979

Brethren participate in
church-college congress

Representatives of five Brethren colleges
participated in the recent National Con-
gress of Church-related Colleges and
Universities.

The congress, held at the University of
Notre Dame's South Bend, Ind., campus,
focused on six major issues facing Chris-
tian institutions today: education purposes
and programs, issues of society, relation-
ship between church and college, legal
issues, public policy and financial issues.

These study commissions will continue
to meet and culminate with reports at the
second national congress in Washington,
D.C., next year.

Four Brethren college presidents par-
ticipated: Wayne Geisert, Bridgewater;
Mark Ebersole, Elizabethtown; Blair
Helman, Manchester; and Paul Hoffman,'
McPherson.

Clay Pheasant, director of development
and church relations represented Juniata.
Manchester also sent Paul Bowman, direc-
tor of church relations, and Dick Harsh-
barger, professor of economics. Gerald
Greiner, Elizabethtown's chaplain, was
another delegate from that school.
Bridgewater also sent chaplain David
Metzler and trustee Loren Simpson. Alton
Kurtz, dean of the Free Methodist Spring
Arbor College, was also in attendance.

These joined the more than 700
delegates representing 23 denominations
and almost 800 colleges and universities.

Staff member Shirley Heckman, educa-
tional development and planning/ public
and higher education, worked with the
Brethren delegation and served as a cri-
tique member of the educational purposes
and program paper. David Frantz, United
Ministries in Higher Education staff on
the militarism and education project,
presented a paper on that topic.

John D. Moseley, chancellor of the
Southern Presbyterian Austin College,
Sherman, Tex., is executive director of the
congress. He called the event "a new kind
of ecumenicity wherein we celebrate our
diversity."

Brethren representation on the congress'
national committee is Jesse Ziegler, ex-
ecutive director of the Association of
Theological Schools in the US and
Canada.

Delegates found the conference valuable
because it brought together denomina-
tions not often in dialoe.

jipxtgool ff(tis)@[rij

To heal the wounds of war:
A Christian imperative

by Barbara Fuller

The young man who came to repair the
mimeograph machine was groping for
words as he tried to express his alienation.
"I don't want to have anything to do with
people in this, my own country. My wife
doesn't understand — I hate America."

He went on to explain, "Look, when I
went to Vietnam the government told me
it was the patriotic thing to do. I wanted
to go to college, but they grabbed me
right out of high school. It was hell over
there. . . . We couldn't tell the enemy
from the friendly Vietnamese. When we
stayed in a village, we wanted to help the
people. We gave them supplies from the
officers' mess."

His words were coming faster. "I
vomited for an hour the first time I killed
someone. After that I was numb — and
survival was all I could think about. Yet I
believed I was doing something important.
I was really upset when I heard people
back home were against the war — and
there I was, putting my life on the line.

"Since I've been home, it has been
worse. I feel like the Veterans Administra-
tion and the government don't care what
happens. The Vietnam vets don't have a
GI Bill anything like the one that helped
World War II veterans get a good educa-
tion. My buddies who were injured don't
have decent hospital care. People look at
you like you are dirt if you tell them you
fought in the war. I can't get a good job,
even with an honorable discharge. The
country is still divided about the war, but
no one will talk about it. No one cares
that we did what our country asked. No
one cares that we hated what we had to
do. No one cares what the war did to
those of us who were forced to go."

I was relieved that I could tell him that
the people who tried to stop the war were
opposed, not to him, but to the policy
that put him and 2.8 million other
Americans in Vietnam. But this encounter
in the Interfaith Council for Peace office
caused me to reflect again that the
wounds caused by the war — physical,
psychological, social, pohtical — will

be long in healing, both in Vietnam
and the United States. Many people want
to forget the war in order to avoid the
burden of that tragic, disillusioning and
divisive period in our national life. Yet,
the response to recent movies such as
Coming Home, The Deer Hunter and the
tv special. Friendly Fire, suggest that just
below the surface are suppressed feelings
of confusion, hate, sorrow, anger and
anguish.

The wounds of war — physical, psycho-
logical, social and political — have
not been healed. They fester in these
realities:

— Families mourn the 55,000 men who
died in Vietnam.

— Draft resisters still cannot come
home. Their parents have

lost them.

— Veterans are bit-
ter because they
were sent to
do a job.

and feel the country did not support
them.

Civilians have jail sentences because
they opposed what they believed
to be an illegal and immoral war.
Veterans have dishonorable dis-
charges because they opposed a war
they came to believe was wrong.
Jobless veterans caught in the web of
inner city problems and crime now
comprise a sizable percentage of the
US prison population.

— People feel shame at what
US technological and military
superiority did to a simple
peasant people and an un-
derdeveloped
country.

— Militarists feel
that the anti-
war
move-

September 1979 messenger 9

Washington officials prevented tiiem
from winning the war.

— Friends have become strangers
because of different perceptions and
beliefs about the war.

— Medical and educational benefits are
inadequate for those who fought in
the war.

— The religious community feels a
spiritual inadequacy in a nation that
resorts to military answers to solve
human questions of liberty, justice
and independence.

— Politicians are afraid to advocate
humanitarian aid for the most bombed
people in the history of the world.

— US tradition of sending humanitarian
aid to war-torn and disaster-struck
nations is yet unfulfilled.

— Our national conscience has not come
to terms with the meaning of the
war.

We have not dealt compassionately with
the problems created in our society by the
war. Rather, they have been forced into
the subconscious of our national life.

Our nation has not responded to the
wounds of war in Vietnam, nor to the
continued suffering of the Vietnamese
people — the very people that the military,
the politicians, the religious community
and the peace movement claimed were the
major concern of their efforts. These
wounds of war have not been healed in
Vietnam:

— Over 13 million Vietnamese were
killed, wounded or made refugees
from 1965 to 1975.

— Some 880,000 Vietnamese are or-
phans and half-orphans.

-Over 180,000 Vietnamese are
physically disabled.

— Over five million Vietnamese need
employment.

— Twenty percent of the land area is
contaminated by missile fragments.

— Between 300 and 600 million pounds
of unexploded ordnance lie in the
fields.

— Roads, bridges, railroads and irriga-
tion systems are destroyed or dam-
aged.

— Hospitals, churches, schools, homes
and industries need rebuilding or
repairing.

— One-fifth of the forests and one-sixth
of the crop land were sprayed and are
still affected with herbicides.

— There are over 200,000 prostitutes
and hundreds of thousands of drug
addicts.

— Food shortages and malnutrition
hinder agricultural production and re-
construction efforts.

— Cities are crowded with people who
have no way to support themselves
under the new socialist economic
system.

— Whole villages have disappeared from
the face of the earth.

— Half the water buffalo, necessary for
rice culture, were killed.

— The social fabric and cultural cus-
toms of the society were torn apart.

— The United States refuses to nor-
malize relations with the country.

— Thousands of Vietnamese are leaving
the country as refugees.

Looking at those staggering statistics,
knowing that the US has not sent one pen-
ny of humanitarian aid, and realizing we
have not recognized nor dealt with our own
problems created by the war, one would

Our refusal to make
peace with Vietnam
betrays our inability
to find peace in our-
selves. Christians
must lead the strug-
gle to find peace in
the nation's heart.

have to agree with William Sloane Coffin,
senior minister of the Riverside Church in
New York City, "We have not made peace
with the Vietnamese, because we have not
made peace with ourselves."

1 felt reluctant and fearful when I went
to Vietnam as a part of a delegation in-
vestigating post-war needs. I expected to
return discouraged and depressed. Instead,
1 brought back an Easter hope — that out of
desolation can come new life. I was en-
couraged by the joy the Vietnamese felt
now that they have gained their independ-
ence, and by their determination to rebuild
their country in the face of overwhelming
difficulties. I was impressed by re-
conciliation occurring between people who
been on opposite sides during the war.

There is a great desire for American
friendship on the part of the Vietnamese
despite all that has happened between our
contries. "We Vietnamese long for

friendship with the American people," said
Thich Don Hau, famous Buddhist leader
of central Vietnam, Xuan Oanh, head of
the Vietnamese/American Friendship
Committee explained that Ho Chi Minh
admonished the Vietnamese to learn the
history of the American people "because it
is so great." Ho copied the American
Declaration of Independence when he
wrote one for Vietnam.

The Vietnamese feel an affinity with
Americans, recognizing that we, too, freed
ourselves from an oppressive foreign
government. They are impressed with our
democratic institutions, peace movement,
technology, industriousness, generosity
and pragmatism.

The Vietnamese/American Friendship
Committee (Viet-My) was founded in
Hanoi by the Minister of Culture in 1968 at
the height of the American bombing of the
villages, cities and countryside of North
Vietnam. While bombs fell, the Viet-My
Committee translated, printed and
distributed to the people American history
and classics such as Walt Whitman's
Leaves of Grass and Mark Twain's
Huckleberry Finn, along with Ho Chi
Minh's reminder, "It is the military that is
our enemy, not the American people."

Our most surprising and hopeful ex-
perience was to learn that reconciliation is
offered Americans through the spirit that
prevails in Vietnam as official policy and
everyday practice.

Hoang Trieu, a fishing village, lost 800
people during the war, either massacred by
South Korean troops, bombed at the
market, or dying in the harsh conditions
during detention in a refugee camp. Land
mines made much of their land unusable.
Kham Thanh village had been bombed,
shelled and defoliated. The dike that had
kept their land safe from the South China
Sea had been damaged. While the \illagers
were forced to live in a refugee camp, their
land was bulldozed, army outposts were set
up and the area planted w ith land mines.
Since returning, 70 people had been
seriously injured by those mines — a daily
occurrence in Vietnam.

Hundreds of people were rebuilding the
damaged dike. As we walked among them
they stopped to smile, wave or call
greetings to the Americans in our delega-
tion who spoke Vietnamese. We accepted a
cup of tea from a woman as we passed her
temporary home. We were introduced by
our guides to several former Saigon
soldiers, one of whom had lost his leg when
the American planes mistakenly bombed

10 MESSENGER September 1979

his unit. These people had suffered much
during the war — deaths of their loved ones,
destruction of their homes and crop land —
with the aid of our government's military
supplies and personnel. Yet, to our aston-
ishment, we did not encounter one single
act of hostility that entire day, though we
walked among hundreds of people. We
were greeted with friendliness, generosity,
warmth and understanding — gifts of the
spirit of reconciliation. The vice-chairman
of the peoples' government of Hue summed
up this spirit so evident in all of our con-
tacts and meetings in Vietnam, "What your
government did was terrible, but that is
past. We must focus not on destruction.

but on reconstruction and reconciliation."
Our government's unwillingness to nor-
malize diplomatic and trade relations with
Vietnam and its votes against aid by inter-
national agencies are forms of continued
hosrility. US unwillingness to normalize
relations with Vietnam, especially in light
of US normalization with China, has add-
ed to the instability of Southeast Asia and
increased the political and military ten-
sions, bringing more suffering to the In-
dochinese people.

Americans are a decent, compassionate
people of good will. We need to have our
government live up to the best of our own
traditions — those of helping war-torn and

disaster-struck nations. "We will not have
peace with honor," says Bishop James
Armstrong of the United Methodist
Church, "if we do not play a meaningful
role in the reconstruction of a ravaged
Vietnam." When we reach out to heal the
wounds of the Vietnamese, we will feel bet-
ter about ourselves and more able to deal
with the wounds we have inflicted on
ourselves during this national tragedy. The
Vietnamese interest in our nation, and the
spirit with which they receive us, will be
grace and healing for America. D

Barbara Fuller, afurmer member uf Ihe Manchesler
Church of Ihe Brelhren, North Manchesler. Ind.. is
\ \elnam consullani for The Chnsnan Church
(Disclplesh

A resurrection experience

One way Brethren can respond to the need for reconciliation
with Vietnam is by accepting its homeless people — the "boat
people. " Congregations interested in accepting refugees should
contact Rebecca Eduard, Refugee Resettlement Office,
Brethren Service Center, Box 188, New Windsor, MD 2 J 776.
Tel. (301) 635-6464.

Herbert Smith, pastor of the Lick Creek Church of the Brethren
in Bryan, Ohio, received a phone call from New York City — the
Nguyen family, Vietnamese refugees, was to arrive Palm Sunday
evening! Earl and Billie Kornrumpf, chairpersons of the local
project, quickly mobilized their committees and worked diligent-
ly on last-minute preparations. An interpreter, veterinarian
Trung Trinh, accompanied the Kornrumpfs and five other
members of the church to Toledo Airport. Several of the group
commented that they were missing the final episode o{ Jesus of
Nazareth on television that evening, but all agreed they had the
feeling they were going to the airport to meet Him personally in-
stead.

We waited. And we waited. Billie paced the floor like an ex-
pectant parent. Trung coached the group in Vietnamese culture
and taught them to greet the family with "Chow!" meaning
"Hello!"

The plane landed at midnight. Passengers drifted out one by
one. Then a young mother holding a wide-eyed little boy
wandered into the terminal. Trung hesitated. IVIoments later the
father came with a tiny daughter. Parents and children stood
together for a moment. Trung approached and greeted them.

There he stood — Jesus of Nazareth — Jesus in the form of a
desperate, frightened family. They looked so small and
alone — without a friend in the world. The little boy had no shoes
and wore only a pair of stockings on his tiny feet. All their
worldly possessions they carried in one duffle bag. They had
been traveling for two days and were very tired because of time
changes since leaving Malaysia. Bi, the mother, lost their third
baby only two months before in the eighth month of pregnancy.
Neither Bi nor Hanh, the father, had any command of English.
Confusion gripped them. Trung introduced the members of our
party, and we greeted them with the only verbal link between our
worlds, the word "Chow."

Billie Kornrumpf thoughtfully had brought two stuffed
animals for My and Taun, as a welcome to America. They hes-
itated, afraid to accept them at first. Mother Bi reassured the
children, and their tiny arms encircled the little balls of fur.
Father Hanh broke into a smile and Mother Bi looked pleased.

Earl Kornrumpf offered them warm coats which they gladly
accepted.

The Bryan church met the Christ during Easter week. The
Nguyens, among the "boat people" of Vietnam, had experienced
the cross. In the Bryan community they are experiencing the
resurrection love of Jesus.

The Nguyens escaped Vietnam in early 1979. They were
crowded into a small vessel which sailed for Malaysia, where the
United Nations refugee camps are located. Several on their boat
died during the difficult journey and were buried at sea. When
they finally arrived, two ports refused them acceptance. At the
third port, however, the 80 remaining passengers quickly aban-
doned their sinking, overcrowded ship, jumping into the sea and
attempting to swim ashore. The Nguyens strapped the children to
their backs and struggled for land in what became a watery grave
for many. They were fortunate. Only 10 of the 80 lived through
the ordeal.

The Nguyens were forced to leave a I7-month-old daughter
with grandparents in Vietnam because she was too young to en-
dure the hardships of the journey. The separation is still an emo-
tionally upsetting subject for both parents, but the Lick Creek
church is initiating a complicated procedure which could possibly
reunite the family. If the child's visa is approved by the US State
Department, the visa will be sent to the American Embassy in
Bangkok, Thailand, which will in turn transfer it to the French
Embassy there. Since France still maintains diplomatic relations
with Vietnam, the French Embassy in Bangkok will forward the
visa to the French Embassy in Vietnam. Because the child is a
minor the HEW Refugee Task Force in Washington, D.C.,
has informed the Lick Creek church that chances are greater
that she will be released. Only God knows if political barriers
can be surmounted to reunite the Nguyens with their baby
daughter. D

Jeanne Jacoby Smilh is a free-lance wriler and homemaker. and a member of
Ihe Lick Creek congregalion, Bryan, Ohio.

September 1979 messenger 11

How ^Brethren' are the 'Brethren''

by Steve Simmons

The Church of the Brethren has six institu-
tions of higher learning besides its
seminary. Each has a ministry and its own
unique way of living it. All colleges are
now facing, in the words of Manchester
College President Blair Helman, "the most
challenging decade ever" — competition
with state-supported schools, declining
numbers of college-age youth, soaring ex-
penses caused by inflation and the rising
tuitions they must charge.

But the church-related college is in a
special position. Set apart by Brethren
tradition. Christian morals and dedication
to high standards, the colleges uphold their
relations to the church and know they will
survive. In the words of President Carter,
"I do not believe the mission of the church-
related colleges is complete. I believe
church-related colleges provide a needed
response to the spiritual hunger of our
day." A clinging to their uniqueness will
keep Bridgewater College, Elizabethtown
College, Juniata College, University of La
Verne, Manchester College and McPherson
College distinctive and strong.

Stereotypes of the Brethren schools,
some of them uncharitable, some down-
right unfair, have been widespread. For ex-
ample, Bridgewater is characterized as the
solidly Brethren college with a southern
flavor, Elizabethtown as the non-Brethren
Brethren college in the heart of the
Brethren world (Eastern Pennsylvania),
Juniata as independent yet deliberately
related to the church. La Verne as liberal, a
distant cousin of the church, Manchester as
the most "Brethren" college, and McPher-
son as the small agricultural school.

How true are these stereotypes? McPher-
son's President Paul Hoffman calls his col-
lege "explicitly and avowedly" Brethren.
With the highest percentage of Brethren
students and college presidents Blciir
Helman and Wayne Geisert among other
notable alumni, there is cause for reassess-
ment. The stereotypes don't tell the story.

Each college views its Brethren ties as
special and relates to the church in dif-
ferent ways. As Bridgewater's President
Geisert says it, "There's no way six colleges
can have the same relationship to the

12 MESSENGER September 1979

church." Juniata has never been owned by
the church, Manchester is owned by the
districts it serves, Bridgewater is indepen-
dent as all six strive to be — as partners, not
agents of the church.

College representatives agree on what the
church should be doing for the colleges.
Says Geisert, "The church has many rea-
sons for supporting its colleges. Much of
the church's leadership ultimately comes
from the colleges, and the colleges provide
a continuous point of contact and influence
for the church in relating to youth."

At La Verne, in southern California, the
college farthest to the west and out of the
heart of Dunkerdom, the relationship is
different. "La Verne is not quite as closely
related to the churches as some other
Brethren colleges," says Undergraduate
Dean Wayne Miller. "The Brethren in this
part of the country are so thinly scattered.
But we do feel a tremendous interest and
pride from them."

"I am not happy with our lack of pro-
grams for Brethren students," says Eugenia
Brubaker, La Verne church-college rela-
tions director. "But I have an appreciation
for the ecumenical way we do things.
Brethren students don't want to be set
apart, they want to be integrated with the
total school. But we need to do more."

Summer Service, a La Verne program in
which students volunteer time in churches
and camps for scholarships was originally
for Brethren but has been opened up to the
entire student body. Brethren are still the
major enrollees.

The Burkhart Institute for Brethren
pastors is held regularly on the campus.

According to Juniata's campus
minister, Andy
Murray, "The
church needs to
know what it
wants from the
colleges. For a de-
nomination our
size, six colleges is
incredible. There
is an overwhelm-
ing commitment
to higher educa-
tion," he says.

Juniata has

intentionally decided to be in relationship
with the church. Clay Pheasant, director of
development and church relations, says,
"The church has responsibility to help and
influence." Juniata has a Church/CoUege
Relations Council made up of ad-
ministrators, board of trustee members,
district representatives, faculty and
students. The council recently sponsored
an exchange with the church's national of-
fices in which general secretary Bob Neff
and World Ministries Commission ex-
ecutive Ken McDowell shared a paper Neff
had written. Denominational leaders,
faculty and staff met on academic
grounds — "The church and college got on-
to high ground rather than just school
social policy," said Pheasant. "There is a
need for continuing dialog. The church
must realize it cannot direct and that the
colleges may sometimes have a different
opinion. I think a lot of constituencies just
don't want to understand the college's posi-
tion—the church is possessive."

The Brethren group at Juniata does meet
occasionally, "to know who they are," says
Pheasant. They have planned gatherings
with the Brethren at Penn State, 30 miles
away.

The Church/College Relations Council
sponsors Brethren Campus Day each fall
for Brethren students planning to attend
college; a ministers and spouses seminar;
one full day on an education topic, held
each winter and the Spring Youth Rally for
grades 9-12 in the three districts Juniata
serves. The college, through a student in-
tern, provides staff and program for the
rally.

"The church has to realize," says Man-

colleges?

Chester's Helman, "that every college has
the right to develop program to meet the
needs of its constituency. The colleges and
the church need to strengthen their under-
standing of each other's mission. Man-
chester and the Church of the Brethren
have different missions. We need and get
the freedom — which is essential for run-
ning a college."

Clay Pheasant sees mission as salvation
for the church and education for the col-
leges. "The church wants to see conversion.
They ask, 'What's the return for the
church?'"

"We're a church college," says McPher-
son's president, Paul Hoffman. "We
should be given the same mercy and grace
as the church. When I was a pastor I was
urged to work with alcoholics — but as a
college we are not. We deserve the same

The six ^Brethren' colleges are alive and
welly but like all institutions they are evolv-
ing to meet the needs of the times. They
may not evoke that Dunker image of even a
generation ago, but they very effectively of-
fer quality education . . . and they haven't
forgotten who founded them.

considerations — when the church starts
throwing out these people, then maybe we
will. We aren't a social work agency, but
important social work is done on campus."

At McPherson, Brethren students
have no organized Brethren student
group, but Brethren have chapel services
and hold prayer breakfasts each Thurs-
day. McPherson hosts a Regional Youth
Conference and has a Brethren dis-
aster ministry in which 90 students par-
ticipated last year.

Bridgewater President Wayne
Geisert is unique in that he also
serves as chairman of the Church of
the Brethren General Services Com-
mission. (Manchester's Helman
served the church as Annual Con-
ference moderator in 1976; Geisert in
1974.) He is pleased with the ties and
believes serving as an educator and
churchman is good for both. "The
church has not forced its doctrines
on the students, faculty or staff. The
church is interested and it could
always do more. We have a Christian
orientation we are not ashamed of."

Bridgewater is the home of the
Southeastern Youth Round Table,
held for high school-age Brethren
students in the southeastern districts
of the church. The Shenandoah
District holds its annual leadership
conference at Bridgewater and the
Bridgewater College Spiritual Life

Building to suit their varied purposes, the six
Brethren campuses reflect diversity and con-
stant change: ('from left^ Bridgewater's Kline
Campus Center with dining halts and an art
gallery, Manchester's Petersime Chapel with
30 stained-glass windows showing the rela-
tionship between Christianity and higher
education and Elizabethtown's Cibble Sci-
ence Hall, currently slated for remodeling.

Institute is held for all area pastors is open
to students and the community.

The church influence touches each of the
schools at different levels but in many of
the same ways, through similar activities,
functions and goals.

At La Verne, Wayne Miller speaks of the
person to person relationship and a general
caring about people. "We say, 'This is the
way we live — the La Verne spirit.'"

He says it is reflected in the service-
oriented curriculum. "Our first and major
careers are teaching and pre-med. We
prepare students for service. The influence
is expressed in our insistence that everyone
speak about the meaning of their lives and
morals."

Dean Dale Ulrich of Bridgewater puts
the Brethren influence in human terms,
saying it is manifest in the administration,
faculty and staff. "Our faculty members
are unapologetic about their religion."
Most Brethren faculty and students attend
the local Church of the Brethren, which
sits on the west side of the campus.

Juniata's Clay Pheasant agrees, "The
church's greatest influence is from in-
dividuals. Brethren students have a great
influence — in my opinion they are serious
scholars active in leadership and involved
in extracurricular activities."

McPherson President Paul Hoffman
agrees, "There's no question that the
Brethren students have a special effect on
the campus. They're open people — they

get into a lot of dialog."

Juniata has a deputation club made up
of students from various Christian denomi-
nations. But says Pheasant, "The Brethren
students have mixed feelings about setting
themselves apart as a sect, they want to be
able to invite their friends to be involved in
religious activities."

Jerry Greiner at Elizabethtown deals
with the other end of the spectrum, a small
group of Brethren students conspicuous in
their drive to study their heritage. Brethren
Identity, a two-year-old group, has already

held a joint retreat with Bridgewater
Brethren, sponsored peace activities and
headed services at last Thanksgiving's
Brethren Student/Young Adult Con-
ference.

A yearly love feast is one service the
group sponsors for the college as well as
two worship services.

Elizabethtown is the home base of the
Brethren Bible Institute of the Brethren
Revival Fellowship and hosts numerous
other conferences.

Campus ministers are in a special posi-

"

tion by being Brethren, yet making their
special ministries ecumenical for the entire
student population.

"There is profound witness to the Breth-
ren type," says Greiner. "We strive to show
how faith relates to life. We explore
responses to militarism, multi-national cor-
porations and voluntary simplicity. When
we have an emphasis on world hunger we
have fasts and close the cafeteria, and we
always get complete cooperation. In our
chapel services we expose Brethren and
non-Brethren to methods of simplicity.

Steve Gregory, La Verne's campus
minister, relates to three to five religious
groups (depending on the year). "Our key
worship services are ecumenical. The
groups divide into ranges of evangelical
and social action from many denomina-
tions." Since there is a large Chicano
(Mexican-American) population in the
area. La Verne has a vast majority of
Roman Catholics.

Andy Murray speaks enthusiastically
about Juniata's religious opportunities. "I
think there is a high interest in the church.
And in addition to Christian holy days we
have major celebrations such as the Jewish
Seder and the students in religion groups

Both futuristic and traditional architecture
are found on Brethren campuses, with glass-walled
conventionality predominating. Above: La Verne's
"Supertents" multi-purpose educational facility is a
cable-supported canopy of woven fiberglass and
teflon. Right: G. Edwin Brumbaugh, restorer of
the Ephrata Cloister, designed Juniata's "Cloisters"
dormitory. Below: McPherson's Mohler Hall is an
administrative and classroom center.

SS -.

D C D li , . □

I Q-

WA

i\ p||.riif— T-'

^11

are involved in hunger issues. We have a
strong Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
chapter and approximately 50 students in
deputation clubs."

Chaplain David Metzler chairs Bridge-
water's Council on Religious Activities,
whose task "is to encourage and nourish
religious life" and initiate activities.

Bridgewater has several groups termed

by Metzler as "thriving." Brethren Student
Fellowship, a Roman Catholic group
which celebrates mass each week, a
women's Christian group, fellowship and
Bible study groups and SlRCh (Students
Interested in Relating to the Church).

"I have a good relationship with the
groups," says Metzler. "As a college we
strive for ecumenical leadership. The
issues we deal with are not only spiritual.
We stress the inward and outward
journeys. Our religious
groups have spawned task
groups on ecology, energy
and hunger."
Bridgewater's Summer
Service Program, similar to
La Verne's, is open to all
students though Brethren
predominate.

Robert Knechel, Man-
chester campus pastor con-
fronting the changing col-
lege in his ministry, says,
"We are experiencing shifts
in students, in claims of
faith, both symbolic and
practical. As a college,
preferring to keep a sense
of the holy in all our rela-
tions and in our attitude
toward teaching and learn-
ing, we are are resistant to
secularization."

David Metzler at Bridge-
water believes that the col-
leges are becoming more
secular, "but that is not
necessarily a bad thing. I
wouldn't want the college
narrowly sectarian, but
genuinely Christian. The
college should be marked
by a caring spirit." But
Ulrich and Geisert at
Bridgewater disagree. Says
Ulrich, "I think the pen-
dulum has swung the other
way. Twenty years ago you
had the 'squirrels' (squares).
Now kids are open in their
religious affirmations."

Clay Pheasant describes
Juniata as "an independent
institution founded by
members of the Church of
the Brethren." He goes on,
"I don't like the dichotomy
between the sacred and the
secular, but if it must be

made, Juniata would be identified as
'Brethren.' We uphold 'Basic Brethren'
values — education for peace and human
service. We work for integrity. Religion
and the spiritual quest hold more power
now than ever. Opportunities for worship
experiences flourish. To be good educa-
tionally does not mean you have to be
dominated by a secular theology."

All the colleges agree that the Brethren
influence is felt highly on the level of

"student life-style." As Clay Pheasant says,
"The church deals in social life. Most of
the questions I'm asked have dealt with
policies concerning campus life. Seldom
have 1 been asked about academics. If the
church has higher dreams and desires it
needs to support and push the colleges."
Says Wayne Geisert, "1 think students
would say that our morals and standards
are related to our Brethren roots. We take
(Continued on page 33)

Wayne F. Geisert
Bridgewater College

We are not ashamed of our Chris-
tian orientation. There is a trend to
be strongly academic and that is
what we want, but we also want stu-
dents to know the reality of Christ
and his impact on human life.

Mark C. Ebersole
Elizabethtown College

Christian education keeps us open
and in readiness so that we can hear
the whisper and feel the leanings of
the divine — it keeps us open to re-
ceive the power and charm of new-
born life.

Frederick M. Binder
Juniata College

We have received a great heritage
from the Church of the Brethren. I
know the future will be just as
meaningful — as the church and the
college seek to fulfill their respec-
tive missions.

The presidents speak

A college is more than an intellec-
tual community. It is an environ-
ment where Christian love and a
sense of service permeate the lives
of its members. These virtues inten-
sify the search for truth.

'A mission of outreach' doesn't say
how effective we are in taking evan-
gelism to all people, not just those
in the fold. Some of the most effect-
ive work we do is not with Brethren.

Nobody should go through one of
our institutions without exposure to
the Christian faith (largely by ex-
ample), thoughtful discourse and
without developing a caring for
humanity.

Armen Sarafian
University of La Verne

A. Blair Helman
Manchester College

Paul W. Hoffman
McPherson College

September 1979 messenger 15

How do you choose a college?

by Isabel M. Lynn

How do you choose a college? Carefully,
very carefully! In the nearly 20 years I
counseled high school students I frequent-
ly told them and their parents that choos-
ing the right college might well be the sec-
ond most important decision of their
lives, while choosing a marriage partner
may be number one.

Often students are influenced unduly by
what teachers, peers and parents think of
a school or by the college representatives
who visit the high school. There are
several questions students and parents
should consider as they choose a college.

Should I go to college? There are
numerous vocational choices available
now which do not require college degrees.
It is no longer a social stigma or an
economic detriment not to have a bache-
lor's degree. In fact, too frequently people
with advanced degrees are finding them-
selves overqualified for available posi-
tions. The professions, however, will
always require degrees and there are ad-
vantages to being exposed to the cultural
atmosphere of a college campus.

Many four-year colleges as well as two-
year schools now offer two-year programs
in a number of technical fields. Job op-
portunities are often good in these fields
and salaries can be excellent. In many
technical fields the student can go on for
a bachelor's degree after completing the
two-year associate arts degree if they
desire. It may require an extra semester to
do this. Don't be afraid to look at these
two-year opportunities.

Students should honestly look at
themselves and their motives for attending
college. Most young people do not find
college a satisfying experience unless they
have inner motivation for going.

What size campus will best suit me?
The small campus under 2,000 has the ad-
vantage for students getting to know
almost everyone else. When they live and
eat together as well as go to class to-
gether, they develop a fellowship some-
what like a family. Also, most of the
classes will be taught by the senior faculty
members, which is a real asset. Classes
also tend to be small, with good interac-
tion between teacher and student. How-
ever, the curriculum may be limited and,
for some professional areas, inadequate.

On a larger campus, students tend to
find small group identity in the dorms or
in interaction with students in their major
areas of study. The beginning under-
graduate courses may be in large lecture
sections (100 to 200 students), somewhat
impersonal but not necessarily inferior.
The course choices in any one field will be
much greater than at a small school.

Would I be happier at a private or
public college? This question is related to
the earlier question of campus size. The
private colleges are more often small while
publicly owned colleges are usually large.
Because of size and because the private
college is often church-related, students
tend to be more closely supervised at a
smaller institution.

Another important difference is cost.
Private schools will be more costly
because state legislatures do not under-
write part of the cost as they do public
colleges. Many private schools can offer
financial aid to offset part of this dif-
ference.

Some private schools require students to
take courses in religion and require
attendance at convocations.

What can I afford to pay for a college
education? This question is related to the
above two questions. Private college costs
are now running $4,000 to $8,000 per year
while public colleges are likely to be about
half that amount. There are excellent
financial aid programs at most colleges
and many states now give state scholar-
ship aid to needy students, so don't decide
you can't afford a certain school until you
have investigated all the financial aid
possibilities. Young people from very low
income families have an excellent chance
of receiving financial aid. A high school
counselor or college admission official will
be helpful in this area.

Generally speaking, it is not wise for a
student to work part-time in the first year
of college. Concentration on social and
academic adjustment is quite enough
responsibility for college freshmen.

What are my professional interests? A
high percentage of students change their
major field at least once during the four
years, but some thinking and investigating
of various careers should precede college.
Most high schools have career materials
available. The course work of the first
two years of college ordinarily consists of

general education required courses. These
requirements are similar from college to
college. However, some fields such as
music, engineering and architecture have
special requirements even in the freshman
and sophomore years, so students need to
keep this in mind if they are interested in
such specialized fields.

Should I choose a "Brethren" college?
Before a Brethren student chooses a col-
lege, the considerations outlined above
should be made. Certainly, Brethren
students should also consider attending a
"Brethren" college. While these schools
are no longer as closely associated with
the denomination as they once were, they
still have many Brethren values to offer.
All have religion departments which
emphasize Brethren religious teaching. All
are focal points for Brethren activity and
events in their area. Students on a
"Brethren" campus will have many more
contacts with Brethren youth and
Brethren program than if they attended
other schools. They can also meet and
study under well-known Brethren
scholars, and meet denominational
leaders.

When you consider attending a
"Brethren" college, be aware that each one
is different, and the closest one to you
may not offer the courses you want, while
a farther one specializes in that field. For
example, the University of La Verne has
an excellent journaUsm department and
Manchester is noted for its peace studies
program.

What else should I consider? When
considering colleges a distance from
home, remember the added expense of
travel. On the other hand, going to school
within driving distance of home may mean
traveling home frequently on weekends
and additional expense.

If at all possible, visit the campus you
expect to attend. Arrange for your visit in
advance through the admissions office.
It is best to stay overnight, eat in the
dining hall and visit some classes. Such a
trip will give a student a good feel
for the campus.

Choosing the right college and profes-
sion is extremely important. Take plenty
of time and get all the knowledgeable help
you can find. D

Isabel M. Lynn is a retired high school guidance
counselor, and a member of the Sebring iFla.Jcongpegatk

16 MESSENGER September 1979

The college as neighbor

by Shirley J. Heckman

Assignment no. 1 — Mark a map. Find a
local map that shows schools, fire depart-
ments and other community service agen-
cies. The office of your school district
probably has one. Make a circle on the
map from your church building to include
10 miles in each direction.

Many of you will find at least one com-
munity college within that circle. If you
don't find a community college, you
might find another kind of college or uni-
versity. The ideas below can be adapted to
fit these institutions. If you don't find any
kind of college or university, consider
how you can apply the ideas that follow
to your local senior high school.

Assignment no. 2 — Make a list. Make a
list of people in your congregation who
are involved in or affected by the com-
munity college. The list might include:

Students:

— Young adults beginning their voca-
tional/professional training.

— Adults of any age taking courses to
improve their skills or to retrain for other
work.

— Students in senior high schools who
are in enriched or accelerated programs
using facilities or programs of the com-
munity college.

— Adults of any age who take classes
for cultural enrichment.

Faculty and staff at the college.

Parents of young people who are
students or who soon might be students.

Trustees, members of school boards
and advisory committees— the decision-
makers of the college.

If you have no one on your list yet,
consider how many in your congregation
pay taxes to support the college or have
the possibility of voting for trustees and
on bond issues.

Assignment no. 3— Consider
possibilities. Following are some myths to
be discarded, some examples of college/
congregation ministries and some areas
for cooperation.

Myths. It used to be that when you
asked which Brethren congregations were
in "college towns," the list would be of
congregations in the six towns that are
home to Brethren campuses. The more
imaginative would remember to put down
places like Lafayette Church near Purdue

or Champaign Church near the University
of Illinois.

With the developing of community col-
leges, many of our congregations have
become "college-town churches," maybe
without even knowing it. More than 1,200
community colleges in this country involve
more than 4 million students. Some are
likely to be within 10 miles of a congrega-
tion of the Church of the Brethren.

Another myth that needs to be explod-
ed is about the typical student. In the
past, we have thought about students as
being those who go off to college just out
of high school. Many still are between the
ages of 18 and 25 years of age. Through
the years, there have always been the few
who stay on longer than that in colleges
and universities getting advanced degrees
and those who get a late start on their
higher education.

In the community colleges, the typical
student is married, nearly 30 years of age,
a taxpayer and a commuter. If these
students are to be reached by the church,
it will likely happen in the congregation
rather than on the campus . . . but not
necessarily.

Examples of congregation college
ministries. In Orange County, Calif., an
interdenominational campus ministry has
been developed. Two ministers gathered
together persons from several congrega-
tions who decided to cooperate in an area
campus ministry. They hired one staff
who carries out ministry and develops and
maintains hnks with 130 churches and
nine colleges — seven of which are com-
munity colleges. Six denominations, in-
cluding the Church of the Brethren, pro-
vided funding. The office for the staff is
in one of the church buildings rather than
on a campus in order to symbolize the
primary role which congregations have in
this ministry.

The pastor of a church in Illinois was
hired because of his interest in working
with the community college. Through re-
cent years, the college and the congrega-
tion have worked together. Persons from
the congregation were involved in the
development of the college.

The college aggressively sought grant
funding for a senior citizens center. When
the money was found, the college group
turned to the congregation for space and
facilities. The college provides seminars

and courses for church school teachers,
and encourages the pastor to teach
religion and philosophy courses. The
pastor feels that teaching is a good way to
meet students naturally.

The congregation benefits very little in
terms of increased student or faculty at-
tention or church membership. It may
benefit indirectly as the community is
aware that the congregation is alert to
human needs and involved in service to
people. The congregation has a vision of
ministry which is expressed in service to
the community through the college. The
church and the college need each other in
order to carry out many forms of service.
(These two illustrations are from United
Ministries in Higher Education Perspec-
tives Paper No. \2—The Community Col-
leges: Opportunities for the Church to
Create New Staffing Patterns for Ministry
in Higher Education, by Mark Rutledge.
Available from the UMHE office, 1 100
Witherspoon Building, Philadelphia, PA
19107.)

Areas for college congregation coopera-
tion. Check with the office of community
services at the college about doing any of
the following. The ministries can be in-
itiated by persons from either the college
or the congregation.

Admissions:

— A child play center so young parents
can attend college.

— An annual update on the college tell-
ing the community congregations about the
programs and courses of the college which
minister to the educationally or
economically disadvantaged.

Career counseling:

— Use college counselors with senior
high/junior high events on life planning
and career choice.

— Workshop for clergy on tools and
trends in career and life planning.

Counseling:

— Listing of clergy skilled in counseling
for referral purposes from the college and
of college personnel available to clergy for
follow-up.

— Clergy used as resource persons for
training of college students and staff.

Student activities:

— Provide opportunities in which
students can converse with religious leaders
on issues. This could be part of an

(Continued on page 34)

September 1979 messenger 17

Three little churches and how

by Harriet Z. Blake

In the sub-tropical heat of southwest
Florida, worshipers gather in a hot,
creaky civic auditorium for good
biblically based preaching, singable music
and a loving, caring fellowship.

Farther south along the Gulf Coast,
others meet in a dimly lit, air-conditioned
bank community room where worship in-
cludes good sermons and music, drama
and dance — with cookies and juice after-
wards.

Among the gently rolling hills of north-
eastern Ohio, the familiar smells and
sights of an aging public school gym-
nasium are transformed into a place of
worship as an enthusiastic bunch of Chris
tians gather.

These scenes don't describe
the Church of the Brethren you
know? Probably not, unless
you know the Good Shepherd
Church of the Brethren in
Bradenton, Fla., Christ the Ser-
vant Church of the Brethren in
Cape Coral, Fla., or Trinity
Fellowship in Massillon, Ohio.

Though their meeting places
are different and their names
reflect different emphases,
these three little churches have
a great deal in common. They
are new — as recently as 1975,
there was no Church of the
Brethren in Bradenton, Cape
Coral or Massillon. They are
growing — all average more wor-
shipers than they have members. They are
attracting many people previously not
Brethren. And they are alive and bubbling
over with vigor.*

"We're having the lime of our lives,"

*Time and budget restrictions prevented
us from visiting a fourth new group, the
Latnpeter Fellowship in Atlantic North-
east District. Reports indicate it shares
many characteristics with the new church-
es in Bradenton, Cape Coral and
Masillon.

chuckles Al Pierce, chairman of the Good
Shepherd church board. Like most
members of all three congregations, Al
and his wife, Alberta, have never before
helped get a new church off the ground —
and they are thrilled. "All of my life I've
been involved with churches," says Lulu
Hathaway, a mainstay of Christ the Ser-
vant, "but I've never been involved in the
beginning of a church and that's been
tremendously exciting to me."

In a dozen or more interviews with
church families in the three congregations,
that word "exciting" pops up with amaz-
ing regularity. And a visitor, in describing
the experience of worshiping and visiting
in these new Christian communities, is
hard pressed to find another word as ac-
curate.

That excitement is different in each

congregation, however. In the retirement
community of Bradenton/Sarasota, under
the leadership of Pastor Don White,
Good Shepherd church is made up largely
of retirees. In the Cape Coral/Fort Myers
area, under the leadership of pastor Don
Shank, Christ the Servant church draws
members whose ages cross a wide span of
years. Trinity, under Pastor Herb Fisher,
is full of people who are relatively new to
the community, who have few roots.

But no matter the kinds of people who
become interested, they all cite similar
reasons for their eager involvement.

An essential element is the warm
acceptance and fellowship they find in the
new, small, sometimes struggling con-
gregation. "In a time of need, we can call
on any of the members," says Judy Gibbs
of Christ the Servant. "People have found

Easter sunrise service on the
beach (below) is a popular tradi-
tion at Christ the Servant church
which has drawn new members.
Members also enjoy an unusual
setting for love feast — an out-
door pavilion (left). Pastor Don
Shank and his wife, Eileen, are
at the left.

18 MESSENGER September 1979

In Florida and Ohio, new churches are
stretching Brethren boundaries. With diverse
^ settings and con-

LllCy £rCW gregations, wor-

shipers know they
have the power and convictions to mold
a body of believers into a vital church.

a community here," confirms her pastor.
People at the other churches echo the
thought. Trinity "is almost liice a family.
Nobody puts on any airs," says Larry
Bradley, one of its first members.

Worship differs significantly in each of
the three congregations but the quality of
the worship in each draws members.
Christ the Servant members like worship-
ing "in the round." They like the content
of the worship, too, with its heavy in-
volvement of lay people, surprising bits of
drama or interpretive dance to illustrate a
scriptural passage and the "happy" con-
temporary songs.

Music is one of the drawing cards at
Good Shepherd, where a choir which
started with seven members has grown to
30 and sprouted a men's ensemble, too.
"You go to church for sacred moments,"
says member Alma Williams. "We find a
spiritual uplift there," adds her husband,
Ray.

But the key factor in these churches'
growth, mentioned unanimously, is the
enthusiasm, warmth, vision and sincerity
of the pastors. "Without our pastor the
church wouldn't be here," is the affirma-
tion made in every congregation.

The pastors themselves agree

Members of every age took
part in groundbreaking
festivities June 24 for Good
Shepherd's new church
building (left). Merle
Grouse presented a check
for $19,500, part of a
$50,000 grant from the
General Board. Until the
new facility is completed,
the congregation will con-
tinue to worship (below) in
Jones Auditorium in
Bradenton.

\

I:

that certain leadership methods are
helpful. Don White and Herb Fisher, for
instance, put great emphasis on calling on
prospective members, but both refrain
from directly asking people to join the
church. "It takes some planting of seeds
and then letting them grow," reflects
Fisher. His visiting pays off. He kept call-
ing on some families for as long as nine
months before they started coming.

The pastor's personal style is important,
too. "Herb Fisher lives what he preaches,"
insists Pete Tewes, a self-proclaimed skep-
tic about religion. Members at Good
Shepherd say, "Don is always there if
someone is in trouble. I've never known
any pastor who does as much."

Whatever kinds of leadership the
pastors provide, it is significant that the
new churches' membership rolls are not
filled with the familiar Brethren names.
Few and far between are the Brumbaughs
and EUers, the Bowmans and Gibbles.
The new Brethren names are ones like
Presutto and Tewes, Hathaway and
Gibbs, Williams and Pierce. Few of these
new Brethren ever even attended a Church
of the Brethren before.

Although they are new to it, "being
Brethren" is important to most of the
newcomers and is another aspect of their
excitement. They may express some
hesitation about traditions unfamiliar to
them, such as the love feast or baptism by
trine immersion, but they are just as quick
to say that they want to try them.

Because the denomination's beliefs and
traditions are new to so many of the
members, the pastors have worked
especially hard to provide learning oppor-
tunities about the Church of the Brethren.
"We've told our church people at North
Webster (Indiana) that the people at Good
Shepherd know more about the Church of
the Brethren than we do," say Dorothy
and Preston Gregory, life-long Brethren
who winter in Florida.

Herb Fisher thinks the involvement of
traditionally non-Brethren folks is the way
new church development in the denomi-
nation must go. It's a mistake, he con-
tends, for Brethren to build new churches
only for Brethren, Methodists for

September 1979 messenger 19

Methodists, and so on. "What's most im-
portant," he says, "is creating the kind of
climate people will feel is a significant
Christian community." Fisher, with years
of experience in new church work, thinks
Brethren have too long been self-
conscious about "the things we do that are
different — love feast, our peace stance.
Maybe we're afraid to put our beliefs on
the marketplace — but I think they're pret-
ty good coin."

How do these kinds of church
developments happen? Again, the patterns
differ. Trinity and Christ the Servant were
initiated by district committees which.

with the help of national staff, assessed
the growing areas in their districts which
seemed underchurched, chose locations,
arranged for land and hired pastors.
Those pastors began with no people, no
meeting place, no equipment — only faith,
initiative and the will to succeed.

Herb and Helen Fisher moved into the
parsonage in January 1977. Immediately,
Herb started knocking on doors. His ap-
proach still is to inquire whether the fam-
ily has a church home. If not, he men-
tions that he is working with a newly
beginning church, invites them and says
he hopes they will find some church
home. Most of the original families were
brought in through his visitation. Many of
them are now bringing others and the
church continues to grow through word of
mouth.

B,

► y March 1977, a small group was
gathering in the Fishers' recreation room.
Within several weeks, they outgrew that,
moved to the school and appointed a five-
member steering committee. Now,
membership is 36 and the church plans to
meet a $16,000 operating budget and a
$12,000 building fund this year. A
building site on a main thoroughfare was

A bright banner displaying
Trinity's symbol (above) is
one of many banners which
help transform the school
gymnasium into a place of
worship. Church school for
all ages is an important part
of Trinity's ministry. The
school's cafeteria becomes a
real learning center for
primary and intermediate
children. At right, Helen
Fisher helps youngsters tune
in to a cassette tape. Three
other classes were underway
for tots, teens, adults.

purchased by the district and Trinity
hopes to break ground on Easter Sunday
1980.

When Don and Eileen Shank arrived at
Cape Coral in January 1976, they had
only a vision of what a new church might
be. Don had hoped the church could be
different from the traditional property-
owning congregation. But after a couple
years of struggle, it became clear the
"house church" model would not work in
that setting. Don admits the attempt
probably slowed the church's growth. At
the end of 1978, membership was 46.

Although the vision of the church has
changed (Christ the Servant hopes to
break ground in the spring of 1980), the
continuing mission design of the church is
one of its strengths. Its members are in-
volved in various kinds of community
service and the congregation helps support
the two Brethren Volunteer Service
workers working with migrants in nearby
Immokalee. To plan its building, the
church has a "Building and Mission Com-
mittee" and the church building will be
developed in light of the mission design.

Good Shepherd was born when a group
of about 50 persons left an established
church in the area. Don White had been
the congregation's previous pastor and

they asked him and his wife,
Beckie, to work with the
new group. Don was then
pastor of the Cajon Valley
church in the Pacific
Southwest District and,
l|fek through him, the congrega-

■T tion found a denomination.

Since Don and Beckie
came in 1976, the church
has grown steadily. At the
end of 1978, membership
was 137 with 12 associate
members. Land was pur-
chased soon after Don came
and the church broke
ground June 24 this year.
Although money is a prob-
lem for some young church-
es, Good Shepherd is able to
respond with enthusiasm.
Good Shepherd has not
(Continued on page 33)

20 MESSENGER September 1979

Church Extension Loan Fund:
Uniting partners in ministry

by Merle Crouse

An its Seattle meetings, tiie Parish
Ministries Commission approved church
building loans for two congregations. The
first was for the Christ the Servant
Church of the Brethren, Cape Coral, Fla.,
a new church chartered by the District of
Florida and Puerto Rico in 1977. The
group will borrow $30,000 to build the
first unit of its building which will cost a
total of $92,000. Ground will be broken
during Holy Week 1980.

The second loan is for up to $49,100
and will go to the Hickory Grove con-
gregation in South/Central Indiana. The
church was chartered in 1872 and has
written a long history of witness and
faithfulness in the rich farm country of
Jay County, Ind. Their project is to
replace the present building, which was
constructed in 1913, reroofed in the early
1930s after a tornado and then refur-
bished in the 1940s and 50s.

Like Cape Coral, Hickory Grove's new
building will be multi-purpose, for wor-
ship, fellowship and educational pro-
grams. The Christ the Servant Church ex-
pects to be heavily involved in community
service work also and is building accord-
ingly.

The source of Parish Ministries
resources to undergird the building pro-
grams of these and other churches is the
Church Extension Loan Fund. The fund
now has assets totaling $1,983,000, all of
which are at work through 70 outstanding
loans. There are seven churches now
waiting for money to be available for
loans which are already approved for
them. Newly approved loans must wait a
year for funds to come in. At this time
congregations either must wait a year to
begin construction or else make temporary
loans for a time and refinance when
General Board money is available.

The Church Extension Loan Fund was
established to provide capital funds for
church building and development loans.
Its purpose is to purchase new sites,
establish new congregations, build new
church facilities and remodel existing
buildings. Funds are also used, when not
needed for church buildings, for financing
parsonages and to assist congregations in
the purchase of housing property to
facilitate ownership by low-income
families.

There is a growing movement of new

Providing funds for
church building and
development y the
Church Extension
Loan Fund is a vital
ministry. Many parti-
cipants are giving
and receiving in this
effort to strengthen
the churches for
mission.

church extension in the Church of the
Brethren. New fellowships or congrega-
tions in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania
are now in various stages of land purchase
and facility construction. The financing of
these projects is a partnership of local giv-
ing, district grants and both grants and
loans from the General Board. General
Board grants for this purpose come from
the church extension budget of Parish
Ministries Commission while loans come
from the Church Extension Loan Fund.
Plans are being made in other areas for

new churches. It is expected that the
decade of the 1980s will be a time of
planting many new churches and building
facilities on an increased scale. Many
established churches have not kept
buildings up to present requirements for
program needs, growth in membership,
accommodating the handicapped and ade-
quate conservation of energy. Loans being
made from the fund are going to assist
congregations to cover these needs.

During the past year, the General Board
has authorized an increased upper limit
for the Church Extension Loan Fund,
from $2,000,000 to $2,500,000. An addi-
tional half-million dollars is being solicited
from Brethren investors by the Com-
munication/Stewardship Team. There are
now 2,754 active investors with money in
the fund. Recently the interest rate was
changed from six percent to the current
six and a half percent. Investment notes
are issued for a five-year period and are
automatically renewed unless redemption
is called for. Notes are issued for a
minimum of $500. Smaller notes can be
redeemed immediately, larger ones within
90 days after written notice is received.

Members, non-members, congregations
with special funds on hand, cemetery
associations and other church-related
agencies are invited to place funds in the
Church Extension Loan Fund. For some
investors, there is interest in providing a
voluntary assignment of their funds to the
General Board for its ministries at the
decease of the holders. As of February
1979, new loans from the fund are paying
eight and a half percent interest, up from
seven and a half percent.

The Church Extension Loan Fund is an
important ministry with many par-
ticipants, all giving and all receiving in an
effort to strengthen the church for mis-
sion. Now is a good time to be part of
this unique team within the church. D

Merle Crouse is Parish Mmislnes siafffor church
extension and developmenl.

September 1979 messenger 21

ms

Thank God fof work

Read 1 Cor. 4:12; 2 Thess. 3:10; Matt.
2:26-28; 25:31-46

TGIF is the slogan of a popular television
program at the end of the week: Thank
God it's Friday!

And why is Friday so welcome?
Because it means the end of work for a
while. Do Christians join in this hearty
thanksgiving along with those of other
faiths or no faith?

Labor Day always brings to our atten-
tion the work that we do day by day, the
aggregate work of all and the haunting
question of what work is all about
anyway. Just how do we approach our
work and what is it doing to us? If we
should be asked, "Why do you work?"
what could we say?

The quick answer, of course, would be,
"I am working to make my living" or,
perhaps, "To take care of my family." A
wife or mother who does most of her
work in the home could say the same, for,
surely, she is part of the team that is mak-
ing the living. And this would be a worthy
reason for work — in fact this puts us in
the good company of Paul and his apostle
companions, "We labor, working with our
own hands" (1 Cor. 4:12). Paul stressed
this need of work to make a living when
he wrote to the Thessalonians: "If anyone
will not work, let him not eat" (2 Thess.
3:10).

But would we feel that we had ex-
pressed the whole of the reason for our
work by this answer? Perhaps our next
thought would be, "I am working to keep
myself busy." Have we not discovered
that the body and mind are created in
such a way that they cannot be well and

at ease without activity? Work is seen to
be the third of the three physical
necessities to keep in good health along
with eating and sleeping. We found this
need even as children when we annoyed
our mothers by asking often: "What can I
do? I don't have anything to do." One of
the stories from the life of the noted
writer, Carl Sandburg, is that at the age
of 89, when he was ill and near death, he
wanted desperately to go upstairs to his
workroom. He tried to manage the steps
on hands and knees. In this second
answer of ours we have expressed the
God-given compulsion to avoid idleness.

Even so, we might wish to say
something more to our questioner. We
might word this answer as, "I am working
to fulfill myself by creating." As Chris-
tians, we acknowledge that creative power
is with God, but we know, also, that we
are commissioned by God to do
something creative with what has been put
into our keeping. The ancient privilege
and task set before Adam and Eve — "Be
fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth
and subdue it; and have dominion" (Gen.
1:28) — is a continuing responsibility upon
all their sons and daughters. God placed
the cattle upon a thousand hills but we
must gather them and create dairy prod-
ucts, leather products, wool products. The
silver and gold and oil and coal are in the
earth. We must bring them out and create
things of them. The sand is on the
seashore and we must make glass and
telescopes. There is not one of us who
needs to feel on Labor Day utterly shut
out from an opportunity for creating
something for the good of all. This
answer that we give for working brings to

our mind the great tragedy of unemploy-
ment. Those who can find no work have
bottled up within them this primal urge to
be a part of the great process of creating.
Work and purpose go together; idleness
and despair go together.

Perhaps we are wearing out the patience
of the one who asked us, "Why do you
work?" But are we done yet? Would we
not wish to include: "I am working
because work makes me a necessary part
of what is going on in the world"? A
man who had a heart attack could not
understand his feeling of depression. He
talked to his doctor. The doctor told him
that he was like a football player on the
first team and now his illness had put him
on the bench. He saw the game being
played and he could do nothing toward
winning it. Work is much like that to us.
How can we sit apart and watch what
others are doing? Work gives us a sense
of being bound up in the "bundle of the
living" (1 Sam. 25:29). No matter how
humble our task, we know that without us
something would be amiss in the great
process of human achievement.

However, have we not kept to the last
the greatest reason that a Christian has to
work? The other reasons are good and
convincing, but above all would we not
say, "We are working because we would
serve"? As we look at the word "identify"
which is used so often now, we relate it to
our need to imitate our Lord — we "iden-
tify" with him by ser\ice.

Some words along this line seem to
echo within us: "Whoever would be great
among you must be your servant . . . even
as the Son of man came not to be served
but to serve ..." (Matt. 20:26-28). In-

o our jobs ncludo giving of oursolvosP

22 MESSENGER September 1979

"Adam working in I he field, " by Waller Crane

Stead of thinking and speaking of what we
get out of work we consider what we give
by our work. This is the point of our
separation from those who do not follow
the Lord.

In the scene of the Great Judgment we
find that the big question is how the na-
tion being examined had fed the hungry,
clothed the unclothed, gave drink to the
thirsty and healed the sick (Matt.
25:31-46). We see behind all that should
have been done the work that was re-
quired to live up to God's expectations.

As we have accepted the role of servant
under God, our attitude toward our work
has changed. Perhaps it may be illustrated
by the way that the Church of England
once spoke of a parish as a "living." A
young clergyman was appointed to a "liv-
ing." This is one way to look upon work.
The other is like the admonition of Paul
to the elders of the church at Ephesus:
"The Holy Spirit has made you guardians,
to feed the church of the Lord ..."
(Acts 20:28). We examine ourselves to see
whether or not we are simply living from
the proceeds of the work God has given
us or giving of ourselves.

Labor Day, in the light of these answers
as to why we work, may come to be to us
a "holy day" instead of a "holiday." And
we may choose not to join the chorus of
those who rejoice at the end of the week:
"Thank God it's Friday!" Indeed, we may
go so far as to look at the beginning of
the week with enthusiasm and, with
devout gratitude, say, "Thank God it is
Monday," for there is a new and blessed
opportunity for five more days of service, n

Glenn H. Asquilh is semi-relired after serving many
years as a pastor, teacher and editor.

DuuG^nnnnsauiin

September 1979 messenger 23

(g@[ly[fin]OTl

by Joanne Nesler Davis

To be *in service'

Service is rooted deeply in the Church of
the Brethren heritage, stemming from the
teachings and truths of the New Testa-
ment in the person of Jesus Christ.

The goals of Brethren Volunteer Service
(BVS) are, "to confront the major social
and spiritual issues of our day, to meet
human need, to further social justice and
liberation, to promote peace, to serve and
be served and to experience the meaning
of membership in the global family."

These goals have been uppermost in
BVS since 1948. They are similar in scope
to what Jesus said in Luke 4:18-19: "The
spirit of God is on me, therefore God has
anointed me to preach good news to the
poor, God has sent me to proclaim
freedom for the prisoners and recovery of
sight for the blind, to release the op-
pressed, to proclaim the year of the
Lord's favor" (paraphrased).

About 4,000 persons have been working
toward these goals in the last 30 years.
When the draft was compulsory, the num-
ber of volunteers was greater because BVS
could be used as a civilian alternative to
the military service for conscientious ob-
jectors. The percentage of young men was
greater during that time. Today, the per-
centage is closer to fifty-fifty and women
have a slight edge. As of February 1979
there were 57 women and 43 men in BVS.

The percentage of persons who have
served in BVS whose heritage is other
than Brethren has varied across the years
but recently the ratio is close to 75 percent
Brethren and 25 percent non-Brethren.

Persons who are 18 to 30 years old now
have the opportunity to indicate the orien-
tation unit they wish to be a part of. The
common objectives of each orientation
unit are to develop motivations, values
and spiritual resources; increase
understanding of non-violence as a per-
sonal life-style; increase understanding of
major social issues; learn what it means to

be in a helping-service relationship; learn
how different people live and work in
groups; and to experience project life and
possible living situations.

Men and women have come into BVS
for different reasons. Some have come
with a commitment to service stemming
from a deep faith. Others have come not
so much with a commitment to service but
a desire to discover who they are as per-
sons, what they believe as children of God
as well as to be involved in a helping
relationship. Reasons are sometimes
still in the unconscious of the individual.

In recent years the program has ex-
panded in scope. A Post-30 unit format
came into being in August 1973. Persons
who are 30 years old and beyond have
come together for an eight-day orientation
rather than the usual four-week orienta-
tion. To date, 105 persons have taken
part. I am eager for the Post-30 program
to expand to a wider group of people
within the church. Persons in various
professions and who have a leave of
absence or a sabbatical can use the many
skills they have acquired in a long-term
service program. Also, people who are
retired, are healthy and want to expand
their horizons can also become a part of
BVS. Even if persons are not interested in
an "away from home" service project, the
Post-30 orientation is open to them.

Needs have changed in 30 years. During
the years following World War II, both in
this country and abroad, requests for per-
sons to serve were more of a general
nature. Within the last 10 to 15 years our
nation has become one of specialization.
The needs have also become specialized.
More and more projects are asking for
committed volunteers who have skills in
group work, social work, childhood
development, nursing, medicine and com-
munity organization; for linguists for
overseas assignments; for agriculturalists.

writers, secretaries, accountants, people
who have had business experience. X-ray
technicians, lab technicians, carpenters
and others. More preparation is needed in
a formal way prior to entering BVS.
Volunteers are older, having had work ex-
perience, college or beyond. The generalist
is still needed but to a lesser degree. In
working with the young volunteer as well
as the older volunteer, the BVS staff tries
to meet people where they are in their in-
dividual life and faith pilgrimage. This is
the way I believe Jesus met and dealt with
people with whom he came in contact.

The Church of the Brethren with its
peace witness and its New Testament
foundation has some answers to some of
the problems of the world. We do not
have all the answers. We need to realize
that wherever we go, at home or abroad,
in a helping relationship, we are the
strangers — the "guests." The people with
whom we work are the nationals — the
"hosts." We must be open and willing to
listen, to observe, to be patient, to try to
understand the cultural milieu, folk-ways
and norms of the people with whom we
are attempting to build a relationship —
one based on love and trust. This kind of
relationship takes time.

BVS gives people an opportunity to
share their unique gifts of the Spirit and
at the same time to be open and willing to
receive the unique gifts of others.

If we can help enable people to become
what God intended for them and in the
process are enabled to become more whole
persons, we have been true disciples — true
followers of Christ — "in service." D

Joanne Sesler Davis is World Ministries director of
Brethren Volunteer Service.

24 MESSENGER September 1979

Integrity is power

"Everyone wants power. Some want power
over people. The Christian kind of power is
power with people. That kind is available to
every oney for it does not come from someone
else but is generated within ourselves. "

by Dorris M. Blough

"If I had what it takes, 1 could make him
tell the truth, but I am just a young
kid."

My son Kim was dealing with the
realities of life at 21. He felt he lacked
power.

Everyone wants power. Some want
power over people. The Christian kind of
power is power v/ith people. That kind is
available to everyone, for it does not
come from someone else but is generated
within ourselves.

Kim found that out. He met Bob, a
45-year-old state patrolman, a figure
usually feared and despised by young men
like Kim — who drives a snappy little
sports car. But Bob likes sports cars too,
and following their friendship came a
business arrangement whereby Bob, in
moving around the state on his job as
patrolman, would find sports cars which
Kim would buy and fix up to sell, splitting
the profit with Bob. Kim was cautious at
first, but he gradually came to consider
Bob his friend.

After about a year, Kim began to sense
that all was not well. He had paid $1,800
for three cars which Bob said could be
sold immediately for twice that much. But
the three cars were in poor shape when
they arrived at Kim's shop, certainly not
worth $1,800, not without many hours of
labor and parts. Kim contacted the person
from whom the cars had been purchased
and learned that there had been four cars,
not three, for $1,800, the fourth an
Austin-Healy in beautiful shape. Bob had
let Kim pay for four cars but kept one of
them for himself.

Kim had borrowed money to buy the
cars on Bob's word that it was a good
deal. The bank wanted its money. The

next step was to confront Bob with the
evidence. Kim had the cancelled check
and the testimony of the man who had
sold the cars.

When the opportunity presented itself,
Kim did not list the evidence or say that
he was going to an attorney. Instead he
asked Bob if the Austin-Healy was more
important than their friendship. Bob
protested innocence briefly and then
admitted having bought the four cars with
the $1,800 but he claimed loudly that he
had done nothing illegal.

Kim said sadly, "The car was more
important than being my friend." And he
walked away.

Bob left, but 10 minutes later he called
Kim. "You're right. I realize now that
your friendship was more important than
the car. You can have the Austin-Healy."

"Whatever's fair," Kim replied.

Three days went by, then four, and
five. No action from Bob.

At was a month later, and Kim was
wishing he had power to force Bob to do
the right thing.

"I need the money to pay that bank
loan. Bob doesn't care if I go in debt. He
always did regard me as just a young kid.
And young people just don't have any
power. Who would believe me instead of
a state patrolman?" He paused. "But, you
know. Bob is afraid of me. I haven't seen
him since that day, but he is telling people
that I am mad at him, that I'm going to
sue him. I have always been absolutely
honest with him, and he knows I will tell
the truth about him."

"Kim!" I exclaimed. "You do have
power! You have established a reputation
for telling the truth, and people respect a
person like that. That is integrity, and in-

tegrity is power. Instead of Bob's being
the one in charge because he is older and
in a position of control as a state
patrolman, he actually fears you because
you can be counted on to be honest. He
feels guilty because you have emerged as a
person of integrity, no longer just a young
kid. Bob wronged you, but instead of
threatening him and backing him into a
corner with accusations, you spoke of the
loss of friendship as being the most
important factor. He is on the defensive."

X wish I could say that the situation was
easily resolved, but it was not. Bob's guilt
and fear made him belligerent. Kim is
working through the legal procedures
necessary, but with an image of himself as
no longer powerless.

Brethren should know this, it is part of
our heritage. The Brethren tradition of an
earlier day, "Their word is as good as
their bond," opened doors that would
normally have been slammed shut.

When it was time to choose a chairman
of an important commission, one member
said, "Helen should chair it, her middle
name is integrity."

A person who is known for not paying
debts or for not telling the truth is
powerless. No one entrusts such persons
with great responsibility or looks to them
for leadership.

A person of any age can possess power
by developing those attributes that people
respect — reliability, honesty, faithfulness.
Or as Paul said in Galatians, the fruits of
the spirit — love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.

If you would have power, have integrity. Q

Dorris M. Blough is a member of the Nampa (Idaho)
congregation.

September 1979 messenger 25

New affirmations of the:

by Fred W. Swartz

Families, by Jane Howard, Simon and

Schuster, New York. 282 pages. Hardback.

$9.95

If I Were Starting My Family Again, by John

M. Drescher, Abingdon, Nashville. 62 pages.

Hardback. $4.95

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a
tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call
it, whoever you are, you need one. You
need one because you are human. You
didn't come from I'owhere. Before you,
around you and presumably after you,
too, there are others .... They must
matter a lot to you and if you are lucky,
to one another. Their welfare must be
nearly as important to you as your own.
Even if you live alone, even if your
solitude is elected and ebullient, you still
cannot do without a clan or a tribe."

Jane Howard, a free lance writer, lec-
turer and teacher from New York City,
concludes her book Families with the
foregoing affirmation. With the freedom
and itinerancy of the comic strip
character, "Farley," Howard researched
her book with visits to dozens of families
throughout the US. In many cases she
lived with the family long enough to ex-
perience the dynamics, habits and rela-
tional ties.

Families, she is convinced, aren't dying,
although "in flamboyant and dumbfound-
ing ways they are changing their size, their
shape and their purpose." To be sure,
Jane Howard's definition of "family" is
broader than the proverbial perfect
nuclear unit of father, mother, son and
daughter (or two sons and two daughters).
In her accounts of clans and families she
includes cultic groups, a homosexual ar-
rangement and a communal group of art-
ists (to which Howard herself belonged
for a while).

Howard's writing style is picturesque
and involving. You feel as though you are
sitting in the front room or out on the
patio as she records the dialog of a

family's history and celebrations. In addi-
tion to the book's documentary evidence
that "the family in one guise or another
remains everybody's most basic hold on
reality," Families is an invaluable in-
troduction to cultural awareness. Among
the families that get a full chapter treat-
ment, in addition to the author's own
Midwestern politically aristocratic tribe,
are a black ghetto family, a family of 18
children ruled by an Archie Bunker-type
patriarch, a close tribe of Greek im-
migrants, a Jewish family, several
representative Southern families and a
wealthy Fifth Avenue, New York, family.

The latter third of the book explores
the "new" kinds of families — a single
parent and child; a lesbian couple, one of
whom is the parent of a daughter; com-
munal experiments; and cultic "families"
such as Arica, the Unification Church and
The Farm.

±an

amilies is helpful then both for sharp-
ening one's perspective of the impor-
tance of human interdependence and for
appreciating the cultural uniqueness of the
different families that constitute most of
our neighborhoods. Howard's conclusions
about the qualities of a "good family" are
worth studying, too. She lists 10 ear-
marks common to all effective family
groups: good families have a chief, a
heroine or a founder; good families have
a switchboard operator — someone who
keeps track of what all the others are up
to; good families are as much a part of
the outside world as they are within their
own inner circle; they are hospitable; they
are courageous in tragedy and disappoint-
ment; they prize their rituals; they are af-
fectionate; they have a sense of place;
they find some way to connect with
posterity; and they honor their elders.

A disappointment for me in Families,
and I would guess it may be so for most
Brethren, is that Howard did not report
on a family like mine — a typical middle-

class Anglo-Scixon white American. Her
subjects appear to be the exception and
the sensational rather than the rule. To
draw conclusions about my own family
situation I had to make applications; I did
not see myself mirrored. The principal
"glue" that holds the family together in
Howard's case studies derives from some
extraneous characteristic, such as being a
minority, an immigrant family sharing an
ethnic culture, possessing wealth or some
other kind of controlling power. Why she
skipped the average middle income,
mainline Protestant family is a mystery.

Another word of disdain (and caution)
from a Brethren evaluation — there is some
crude (some would say "vulgar") language
used in the book as Howard quotes some
of her subjects verbatim. It is not a book
designed for church libraries where hands
of all ages can reach the shelves. But it is
a book that the reader can trust as honest
and authentic reporting of much of
American home life.

I suspect the "roots" of John M.
Drescher and those of Jane Howard
would look about as different as the root
of a dogwood and the roots of an oak
tree. Drescher, the former editor of
Gospel Herald magazine has written ff I
Were Starting My Family Again out of his
experience as a father of five children.
(Howard, incidentally, is neither married
nor a parent.) He was challenged by a
counselee, a parent, to answer the ques-
tion, "If your children were small again,
what would you do?"

What he says in 10 chapters is simple
and realistic. He would: "love my wife
more" — particularly with visable expres-
sions; "laugh more with my children" —
taking mistakes less seriously; "intermingle
work and play"; "be a better listener" —
taking time to understand as well as hear;
"seek to be more honest" — admitting your
humanity to others; "stop praying for my
family" — instead of praying that they will
change, praying that one's own attitude
can be improved; "try for more

26 MESSENGER September 1979

Family

togetherness" — taking time for one
another; "do more encouraging" — using
encouragment as a more effective
discipline than reprimand; "pay more at-
tention to little things" — faithfulness to
which determines to a great degree the
happiness of the family; "seek to develop
feelings of belonging" — more sharing of
experiences and celebrations; and "seek to
share God more intimately" — more alert
to the evidence of the Creator in daily
life.

One would be a fool to find quarrel
with Drescher's "ten commandments."
Each one contains a prerequisite to deeply
spiritual and meaningful personal relation-

ships. If I Were Starting My Family Again
is a beautiful little gift book, the ideal
present for new parents or young families.

But therein lies my quarrel with
Drescher and his publisher. Why narrow
the potential readership to parents with
young children? Drescher's children, the
book jacket says, range in age from 13 to
23 years. Drescher's title reads as though
he is reaching the end of his family
responsibility. Nonsense! The 10 sugges-
tions he makes are just as relevant for
grandfathers as they are for new fathers,
A more appropriate title for the theme
might be, "If I Were the Family Member I
Should Be." It is a book for all of us. D

Other new books for family life

The Family Game, A Situational Ap-

tion of one's family life.

proach to Effective Parenting, by

Family Adventures Toward Sha-

Paul Hershey and Kenneth H. Blan-

lom. Ecumenical Task Force on Chris-

chard. Addison-Wesley Pub. Co.,

tian Education for World Peace.

Reading, Mass. Paper. $5.95

Discipleship Resources, Nashville.

A rather systematic treatment of

Paper. $3.50

the subject of parenting with the

Situational and discussion ac-

goal of developing independent.

tivities through which a family can

self-motivated children who can

learn together the values of peace-

take charge of their own lives. Best

making. New Call to Peacemaking

suited as preparatory reading for

is one of the sponsoring agencies

leaders of parenting workshops.

for this book. Although many of

Self-Esteem: A Family Affair, by

the activities are suggested for pre-

Jean lllsley Clarke. Winston Press, Min-

school children as well as older

neapolis. Paper. $5.95

youth and adults, they are definitely

A practical workbook for parents

too incomprehensible for the

who want to undergird each family

younger set.

member with positive self-esteem.

Creative Family Activities, by

Contains a chapter of parenting tips

Valerie Sloane. Abingdon, Nashville.

for each stage of a child's growth

Hardback. $4.95

from birth to age 19.

A very handy book for those

Especially for Parents, by Michael

rainy days when the tots cry,

A. Campion. Bethany Fellowship, Inc.,

"There's nothing to do!" Also hints

Minneapolis. Paper. $3.95

for car trips and helping children

A unique picture book with a

learn some of the unusual tasks of

caption in the form of a question

community living. This book is sen-

on the page opposite each picture.

sitive to one parent situations.

Photos and captions invite evalua-

though it could be more so. F.W.S.

RESOURCES FOR
CREATIVE LEADERS

Building a Young Adult Ministry

Larry A. LeFeber How to reach young
men and women 18 to 35 years old who
nnay not respond to traditional ap-
proaches. Progranns, plus models of
ministry in church, community, and
places where young people gather.
Paper, $5.95

Worship Celebrations for Youth

John Brown Playlets, readings, discus-
sion guides, poems, and group activi-
ties. Everything a leader needs for
celebrations at camps, conferences,
church and home get-togethers. Extra
tear-out pages. Paper, $7.95

At your Christian bookstore or write 1^^

JUDSON PDE(S6 Jr

VALLEY FORGE, PA 19481 \0m

r— \^/~T

SUBSCRIBER
SERVICE

Please include a Mes-
senger address label
to insure prompt
service whenever you
write US about your
subscription.
For change of ad
dress: If you're mov
ing, please let u*
know four weeks be
fore changing youi
address. Place mag
azine address labe
here, print your new
address below
you have a question
about your subscrlp
tion, place your mag
azine address labe
here and clip this
form to your letter

Mail to: Messenger, Church of the Brethren,
General Board, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin,
III. 60120

ATTACH
LABEL
HERE

L— /--x — !

name

{please print)

address

city

state

zip code

September 1979 messenger 27

m'i)@mmi

DEVOTIONAL
AIDS

I vividly remember when I outgrew that
daily devotional book, The Upper Room.
Prompted by other knowledgeable young
friends, 1 scorned it as "spiritual pablum."
In the sentiments of a famous New York
clergyman, we declared that there are cer-
tain things you ought to be able to do by
yourself. You ought to tie your own
shoes, blow your own nose and say your
own prayers. And so I quit letting The
Upper Room say my prayers for me.

I can also remember the time when,
with hectic schedules and children all over
the kitchen chairs, we decided that if we
wanted some regularity to our family
altar, we had better get help. And so, in
humility and gratitude, we let The Upper
Room lead us again. All of which is to
say that while those who are deep in the
faith may spring directly to the throne of
grace without t^e little stories and poems
that fill the multitude of devotional
booklets which are available on all sides,
the remainder of us find that a little struc-
ture is a great help in getting started.

The great multitude of devotional aids
available needs to be screened rather care-
fully. Not all that passes in the name of
prayer and devotions lends itself to
growth and openness. Look for publi-
cations which lead us beyond privatism in
devotions, ones which are not satisfied
with "easy answers." And beware of those
whose underlying aim seems to be to pro-
mote your interest in their mission proj-
ects and perhaps solicit a little money
from you on the side. I am not sure that
any of the daily devotionals ought to be
recommended as a steady diet for a Chris-
tian, but those listed here are some you
might investigate if you have been looking
for a way to get something started at the
breakfast table.

Three kinds of aids

Devotional booklets seem to fall into
three categories:

There is the kind which is available by
subscription and has a message of the
Bible and a devotion for each day. Group
subscriptions to publications of this kind
are often less expensive.

Then there are books ordered or pur-
chased at the bookstore, which have a
year's worth of daily devotionals in them.
These are undated so you can begin
anytime.

Finally, there are those which simply
have devotions of various kinds, but are
not arranged on a day-by-day basis. In
these you are expected to dip in and
choose what you will when you will.

Aids to subscribe to

The old standby devotional aid, of course,
is The Upper Room, still available and
still recommended. Published by the Up-
per Room, 1908 Grand Ave., Nashville,
TN 37203, subscriptions are available for
$3 per year. For those whose bent is
toward a high church tradition, another
popular subscription type is Forward Day

by Day published by the Forward Move-
ment Publications, 412 Sycamore St., Cin-
cinnati, OH 45202. Issued quarterly, it is
priced at 25C a copy or $2.50 for a two-
year subscription. It is thought-provoking
and may at times be over the heads of lit-
tler ones at the table.

The problem of aiming devotional
materials at all levels of maturity is solved
neatly by one of my favorites, the Bible
Reading Fellowship, P.O. Box 299,
Winter Park, FL 32789. These people
publish their Bible Reading Notes on four
levels. Series A is for adults with some
knowledge of the Bible. Series B is for
adults needing "something briefer." The
Discovery Series is for young people
14-18, and the Compass Series is il-
lustrated for children 10-13. It is British
and some of the stories and references in
the younger material needs to be ex-
plained.

From Unity Village comes Daily Word,
which is admired by many, but perhaps
less Christ-centered than some.

Alive Now, the youth publication by
the same people who put out The Upper
Room, is published every other month
and can be subscribed to at the Upper
Room address. A one-year subscription is

28 MESSENGER September 1979

$5. The problem I have with it is that
each of the meditations is so interesting
that I don't want to stop and consequently
I use mine up before the new one comes
out.

The same can be said of Power.
Directed especially to youth, it contains a
variety of styles of devotional material.
Available from the Brethren Press at $5 a
year, it appears quarterly.

Try a book

If you do not want a subscription, but
would like to try a book, be sure to look
at Anna Mow's Going Steady With God
(out of print currently), which, she says,
is for teenagers, but 1 find meat enough
for more than that. Her newest book.
Springs of Love, has 100 new meditations
and after using it for three months, I'll
bet you will want to start again. It was
published this June by The Brethren Press
and sells for $1.95. Order it and any of
the other books recommended here from
The Brethren Press, 1451 Dundee Ave.,
Elgin, IL 60120.

Another powerhouse is Kosuke
Koyama's 50 Meditations by Orbis Books
at $4.95. It seems expensive, but it is only
lot a prayer and has tremendous insight.
Koyama is a Japanese Christian, mis-
sionary to Indonesia and now a professor
of theology in New Zealand. He wrote
these daily meditations for his family, but
yours will profit by them also.

Another series is the Christopher-3-
Minutes-a-Day books published by the
Christophers, New York. Several books
are available in this series, such as What a
Day This Can Be and This Could Be Your
Day. They are all of the "Come-on,
fellow. Try-a-little-harder-and-you-can-do-
it" school of faith. $1.45 each.

But be discriminating

There are other aids, a multitude of
others. My plea, however, is that with
such an abundance of daily devotional
guides available, we can be discriminating
in what we use. And feel free to discuss
:ritically with your family those medita-
tions with which you have some disagree-
ment. Serious grappHng with style and
content will strengthen your family's faith
more than a thoughtless reading. —Bob
Bowman

Bob Bowman is Parish Ministries slafffor worship
and heritage resources.

fo^n o

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

I choose September as my favorite month of the year . . . not without some self-regard,
for it is the time of my personal beginning, my birth month . . . but mostly I choose it for its
burnished beauty . . . and overarching it all is the shimmer of God's grace. With joy we walk
through this emblazoned season under the canopy of that grace.

Hearing the college chimes ring out in the crisp autumn air reminds us that the holy proc-
ess of education is beginning again. One of God's loveliest creatures is a great teacher ... the
gift of teaching, given through the Spirit, is indeed a sacred gift. Schools are readied across the
land, and, from the trembling tiny tots to the sophisticated seniors in colleges and universities,
the process of education is the same . . . opening doors in the mind to let the light shine
in. May God grant a special September blessing to all teachers everywhere who are com-
mitted to the awesome responsibility of transmitting the light.

• The beginning of school reminds me of my own trembling tiny tot who came home
after her first morning at kindergarten and shouted through the front door, "How long did 1
sign up for?" Nineteen years and two degrees later, she finally knows the answer.

• I have been profoundly influenced by teachers in the classroom at school and in
church . . . but some of my favorite mentors have taught me through the written word only.
They include Florence Allshorn, Baron von Hugel, Thomas Kelly, Evelyn Underbill, Mircea
Eliade, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Forbes Robinson, Thomas Merton and many others. Their
words and the lives lived in support of those words attest that they are all heirs to the great
teachings of Christ . . . and such teaching is always life-transforming.

• There are varieties of learning — none so powerful as what occurs when God invades
the mind and heart. After a life-transforming mystical experience of short duration, Jacob
Boehme said, "In one quarter of an hour I saw and knew more than if I had been many years
together at a university at which I turned my praise to God for it."

• To live life fully and joyously .
that is wholeness.

in spite of our hidden and inaccessible wounds .

• From "Northern Indiana News": A survey of 17,000 high school seniors in Indiana in-
dicated that not one felt that the military recruiters were helpful in making a career choice.
The Pentagon is out to change this "deplorable" situation.

With hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars, it is now launching a program to bom-
bard counselors and students with material to make the military more attractive.

• STOP SIGNS: Seen on a bumper sticker — Join the Army! Travel to exotic, distant
lands, meet exciting, unusual people and kill them!

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Anita Metzler— The Con-
fessions of St. Augustine, Your God Is Too Small, J.B. Phillips; To Resist or to Surrender,
Paul Tournier; Bread for the Wilderness, Wine for the Journey, John Killinger. Robert W.
^eff— Reaching Out, Henri Nouwen; The Meaning of Revelation, Richard Neibuhr; the
Book of Jeremiah.

• From another Pilgrim's Pen: "Education is a journey of intellectual exploration but it
also involves a moral and spiritual quest as well. It is a process that seeks to enhance the
quality of life and that leads to self-realization and self-fulfillment. It is the search for a self
and for being and makes the student aware of the person he or she can become through
developing the sacred potential of his or her life." — A. Blair Helman

See you on the journey — p. k.h.

September 1979 messenger 29

^

On name changing, Third Testamenti

Pete Haynes

Name change is
cosmetic surgery

Should our church, in Ught of the male-
chauvinist implications of a word, change
its name? I don't know the answer to such
a question, but I can look at it from dif-
ferent angles.

Let me begin by pointing out that I am a
male. Since I am a male I cannot totally
understand what it means to be a female
living in a male-dominated society. Being a
male who wants to better understand such
problems, I must say that I am an advocate
of women's rights and the ERA. Above all
I am a follower of Christ, who sees the
need to deal with each person as a child of
God, precious in the Lord's sight, not male
or female, black or white.

Does the name "Brethren" exclude
women? When the first Brethren gathered
and baptized in the Eder river, they were a
sexually mixed group. Although I am no
authority on the subject, it would seem
that when straws were drawn to determine
who would baptize whom first, one of
those women involved might have been the
initial baptizer. We have no record of this
since adult baptism wasn't a legal act at
that time. Anyway, women were an in-
tegral part of that first experiment in form-
ing a faithful body of Christ. And that
body referred to itself as simply "brethren,"
and surely not for its sexist meaning.

But a few centuries have gone by since
then, and we have a better understanding
of the ways some groups have exploited
other groups, males over females included.
Our whole language seems at times to leave
out women. I will not debate the fact, but
even our concept of God has

To hold in respect and fellowship those in
the church with whom we agree or disagree
is a characteristic of the Church of the
Brethren. It is to the continuation of this
value, and to an open and probing forum,
that "Opinions" are invited from readers.

been tainted, as we often view God as a
man instead of the omnipotent power of
the universe. Unfortunately our manipula-
tion of the language to change this has not
advanced to the point where we can better
explain the loving relationship of Heavenly
Father-to-Son-to-children in non-sexist
terms. In an age when our mass production
seems to depersonalize us, we need to re-
understand our person-centered religion in-
stead of neutering it.

In any case, I am deeply hurt if my sister
feels second-class, or feels she cannot
associate with God as the Christian church
understands "Him." I am also hurt if she
feels excluded by the name Church of the
"Brethren." If changing our name will help
the situation then I am all for it.

There are two points to be made in
finishing, though. One is that 1 don't
believe the majority of the church is ready
for such a change. Much has changed in
the church of late, as well as in society. It
was little over 10 years ago that the
"brotherhood" narrowly avoided a major
schism or division. In this age, unity is
essential. If such a name change will fur-
ther disunify our church, I must question
it.

The second and more important ques-
tion/point is this: Is a name change a true
step in radical obedience to Christ, or is it a
cosmetic action? I believe that at this point
it would be a cosmetic change, changing
the surface but not what is underneath. If
it is cosmetic change, I am extremely op-
posed to it. Words do not change people.
Christ knew this when the rich man ap-
proached him wanting to be a Christian, or
when Nicodemus did the same. His answer
to both was a radical one. They weren't
asked to put on the name, they were asked
to change themselves either through out-
ward life-style or inner understanding.

A cosmetic change is not a faithful one,
and in the long run it will not be a perma-
nent one. Are we always to follow society
in order to better serve the world? If so, we
are in the advertising business jumping for
the secular market. Or are we to be a vision
of the kingdom to society, offering
something worth changing for? Although
we constantly do the first, we are called to
do the second.

Let us change our understanding until
our name is only a name. Then we can
change it. When called to change that
which causes our brother or sister to stum-
ble, we must change — but it will be wor-
thwhile only if it does not come cheaply. D

B VSer Pete Haynes is Ihe Brethren member on I he
New Call to Peacemaking Peace Caravan.

Charles L. Baker

Third Testament
perhaps due

I feel that homosexuality might better be
classed as an accident of behavioral condi-
tioning rather than a sin; that doesn't mean
that a person who is homosexual is in a
perfectly acceptable and natural condition,
simply that he isn't depraved and evil.
Homosexuality is not a sin. It is not exactly
a sickness, since it no more impairs mental
health and functioning than being
heterosexual does. By most standards of
social functioning, in creativity, productiv-
ity, emotional fulfillment, the homosexual
is as healthy as the heterosexual on a
statistical basis, so the condition (pardon
me) couldn't even be classed as a neurosis.

Christ said in a particular incident, after
pointing up the hypocrisy of most of those
involved, "Neither do I condemn you. Go,
and do not sin again." Read it together,
and use it together, because he said the
whole thing and not part for Mrs. Miller to
use and part for "Ed" (Letters, March). In
tossed gospel salad it seems that some peo-
ple prefer to eat only the carrots and some
people prefer only radishes. Some few
dispense with the salad altogether and jusi
have their favorite dressing.

The problem may be that there are as
many faces of God as there are believers. A
case in point is reviewer Duane Ramsey
(Book Review, March), whose God loves
and accepts everyone, regardless of sexual
or any other persuasion, versus writers
Jerry Kirk and Richard Lovelace, who are
truthfully on firmer biblical ground in their
rejection of homosexuality as a life-style
approvable by the Christian community.
Their books are equally as important as the
two books that more closely agreed with

30 MESSENGER September 1979

gays

Mr. Ramsey's opinion on the issue, if only
to get all the relevant Christian points of
view. Ramsey's dismissal is irresponsible.

The Bible indicates that homosexuality
is a sin, an evil, barbaric perhaps but true.
The fact is that a church full of ministers
would still be a church full of sinners, and
on that basis a homosexual has an equal
place in the church with anyone else. No
sin and no sinner is any better or worse
than any other. If you have even managed
to get through the last week as a 100 per-
cent perfect being, then you may take the
privilege of barring the door against other
human beings seeking God, or telling
them they can't share your pew. I can't.

I have expressed both my personal
view, and what I have found seems true
about what the Bible says on the matter. I
can only add that the human species
evolves the God-concept to match its own
intellectual, moral and cultural maturity,
whether that rises or falls. In the same
way individuals, as I pointed out earlier,
form an image of God reflective of them-
selves. Perhaps the surest measure of a
person is the individual's God, and the
same may be said of humankind. If the
God of Mr. Ramsey and others, a God of
perfect understanding, love and accept-
ance is on the rise, then perhaps a Third
Testament is due, along with a new step
forward in the maturity of humankind. D

Charles L. Baker is a member of the Messiah
Church of the Brethren, Kansas City, Mo.

Ruth Nelson

Don't judge, but
set an example

Over 30 years ago my sister married an
actor. Six years after their marriage and
the birth of three girls, it became known
that he was homosexual. His wife refused
to leave him because she had promised
when she married him, that it was "for
better or worse." Since he died last year,
the newspapers in both the US and
Europe have reported that his homosexual
companion has sued to get half his estate.
So the family has had to face the humilia-
tion of publicity as well as the sorrow

p^(Q\Y(m (mM^(im

Xou are invited to suggest items to the Prayer Calendar for inclusion. Such items
should express concerns wider than local ones. Prayer for persons or programs known
only by a particular congregation may perhaps be most effectively made within the
congregation where the needs are best known. Send items to Prayer Calendar, Parish
Ministries Commission, Church of the Brethren General Offices, 1451 Dundee
Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120. The compiler of the Prayer Calendar, Glen Norris, will give
consideration to all requests submitted and will select items for inclusion in the month-
ly prayer list.

September prayer calendar

September 2-8: Remember the Brethren-related colleges and the Brethren students
there as the school year begins.

Undergird through prayer the service to the Brotherhood planned for Edu-
Coach, Caravan to Brethren congregations, as it begins its tour this week (See August
Messenger, page 9).

Pray for the Church of the Brethren Symposium on Urban Ministries meeting at
Bethany Seminary September 7-9.

September 9-15: Give thanks for the ministry to human needs and rights provided by
the SHARE program of the World Ministries Commission through financial grants to
community programs for disadvantaged persons in areas of special need.

Lift up the districts of South/Central Indiana and Missouri as they meet in con-
ference this weekend.

Remember Brethren Volunteer Service worker Tamara Ritterskamp soon to con-
clude her work with the Sage Memorial Hospital at Ganado, Ariz.

September 16-22: Support with your prayers the districts of Florida and Puerto Rico,
Southern Pennsylvania and West Marva as they gather in district meetings this
weekend.

Remember in prayer Brethren Volunteer Service workers Nancy Lefever and
Michael Reed, soon to conclude their work at Gould Farm, Monterey, Mass.

Pray for Brethren Volunteer Service worker Robert Wierichs, who will soon
finish his term of service at Better Way, Inc., at Elyria, Ohio.

September 23-29: Remember these Brethren Volunteer Service workers who will be
finishing their terms of service the middle of October: J. Martin Moyer, at the Mor-
risons Cove Home, Martinsburg, Pa.; Gary Dean at New Windsor, Md.; Linda
Tucker, at The Solid Rock, Brigham City, Utah; and Norma Nielsen, with Norborne
Day Care Center, Martinsburg, W. Va.

Remember Wendy Oberdick, soon to conclude her Brethren Volunteer Service
assignment at Friendship Day Care Center, Hutchinson, Kans., and Dave Wilson ter-
minating at Camp Mack, Milford, Ind.

September 30-October 6: Remember Todd Smith, Brethren Volunteer Service worker,
soon to finish his term of service at Peter Becker Community, Harleysville, Pa.

Pray for Annette Dawson, soon to conclude her Brethren Volunteer Service
assignment with the Irish Council of Churches, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Pray for Kevin Pobst, Brethren Volunteer Service worker, soon to conclude his
service at Jebel Amman, Jordan.

Remember the continued suffering in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian coun-
tries, praying that the wounds of successive wars may soon be healed. Especially
remember the "Boat People" who are fleeing their homelands to find sanctuary
elsewhere. D

September 1979 messenger 31

his sexual activity provoi<ed.

Not tcnowing anytiiing about homosex-
uality at the time his problem became
known, 1 talked to psychologists and psy-
chiatrists. The narcissism he expressed, the
physical abuse he gave my sister and the
children and the emotional distress he
created were the usual ways homo-
sexuals behaved, according to these
people.

Therefore, when homosexuals try to give
the impression that they are "gay" people, I
don't believe them. My personal experience
with this one homosexual has made me
think he was not only sick spiritually, but
depressing to his family.

However, quoting the Bible that
homosexuality is a sin does not take into
account the important things Jesus said
about no! judging others. Rather than con-
centrating on the mote in the eye of
another, we must remove the beam in our
own. God will not hold us responsible for
the sins of others, but we must answer for
our own behavior.

So, how can we help homosexuals? If we
encourage them to continue immoral
behavior, we will be held responsible for
our part in it. But condemning them makes
our own sins suddenly more obvious. Ac-

tually, I feel that concentrating on our own
behavior, trying to overcome the sins each
of us commits every day, will set an exam-
ple that will be a better influence on
everyone than making negative judgments.

Sex life is not the entire life of each per-
son. I suspect that a majority of people
have had sexual problems. But there are
other aspects of a person's life; so of course
even homosexuals have abilities and activ-
ities that can be judged entirely aside from
their sexual behavior. Therefore, while
condemning homosexuality, we should try
not to wipe out all other aspects of these
people unless they, too, are immoral.

My feelings about abnormal sexual be-
havior are similar to the ones I felt as I
watched Israeli soldiers beating Palestinian
students. My sorrow was stronger for the
Israelis who would have to answer to God
for their actions. We need to remember
how often Jesus said that our behavior
would be rewarded in the next life. Instead
of condemning others' sins, we should try
to live as sin-free a life as we can so that
our example encourages others to try to
overcome their sins. Sin isn't as much fun
as moral behavior in this world, anyway. D

Rulh Nelson Ls a Post-30 BVSer from Elgin. III.,
working in Israeli-occupied lerriiory on the West Bank.

CLASSIFIED ADS

Christ's rule encompasses every aspect of
life. He IS gathering a community and leading
It himself. Publishers of Truth, 1 S 147 Third
St., Lombard, IL 60148.

TRAVEL-Juniata College Tours, 1980;
Oberammergau Passion Play, following Pitts-
burgh Annual Conference, 14 days. Includes
Bavaria, the Alps, Rhine Cruise, Berlin and
Prague. June 30 departure. Harold B. Brum-
baugh, host conductor. Other scheduled
tours: Caribbean Cruise, South America and
Galapagos Islands and China. Information:
Weimer-Oller Travel, 405 Penn St., Hunting-
don, PA 16652. Tel. (814) 643-1468.

TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE-See the Passion
Play and spend 15 days touring Europe in
July 1980. Join Anna Mow, Wendell Bohrer
and Joan Bohrer as your tour hosts. Visit
Schwarzenau, Oberammergau. Visit Worms,
enioy river boat ride on the Rhine River and
Reformation Park in Geneva. (Price $1,499.)
For information write Wendell Bohrer, pastor,
96 Penrod St., Johnstown, PA 15902. Tel,
(814) 536-1811 or (814) 266-2629.

TRAVEL— Grand Tour of Europe, including
Oberammergau Passion Play, Schwarzenau
and Kassel. June 16-July 7. 1980. Write Dr. J.
Kenneth Kreider, R.D. 3, Box 660, Elizabeth-
town, PA 17022.

WANTED— Director of day-care center. Quali-
fication 18 hours college in early childhood
development. Full-time job. Pay negotiable. If
interested, contact Naperville Church of the

Brethren, 1020 W. Jefferson Ave.. Naperville.
IL 60340- Tel. (312) 355-7171.

WANTED— RNs looking for a change and a
challenge in Colorado, Come and help us add
that personal touch to health care. 37-bed
community-owned, church-operated hospital
located in Arkansas Valley. To check on
details please contact Administrator,
Pioneers Memorial Hospital, Rocky Ford, CO
81067, Tel. (303) 254-3314,

WANTED— Director of Nursing in 65-bed
community-owned, church-operated nursing
home For opportunity to use your profes-
sional ability in Christian service and to check
on the benefits and salary of this position,
please contact Administrator, Pioneers Nurs-
ing Home, Rocky Ford, CO 81067. Tel. (303)
254-3314.

FOR RENT-Brethren retirement. $50 each
per month. Self-service. Roomy; huge oaks,
pecans, azaleas. Near church, stores, bank.
Snow-free, yet not too near equator. Many
fishing lakes. Experimental. Trial stays en-
couraged. Rates hold only until five units are
filled. Contact; Roy White, 407 State St.,
Citronelle, AL 36522. Tel. (205) 866-7154.

FOR RENT-Visiting central Florida-Disney
World. Sea World, Cape Canaveral, Circus
World, the beach? Rent Martin's Retreat
Cabin in Orlando. Completely furnished. For
people who care. $100 per wk. Give
references. Contact Wip Martin. 3800 Martin
St., Orlando, FL 32806. Tel. (305) 859-1364.

Karen S. Carter

Our name means
service and peace

Even though I am often accused of
fanatically pursuing women's rights and
"cleaning up our Christian vocabulary"
(Thanks, Vernard Eller, for the expression)
by attempting a more inclusive language in
general and in our church services in par-
ticular, I do want to keep our denom-
inational name.

There is more to the name of a
denomination than meets the eye (or
ear) — it has a historic identity. We are not
known by our origin with Mack's group in
Schwarzenau, but rather by the meaning
which that first group wanted to express in
the name Brethren (Briider) — a loving rela-
tionship among people. Brethren have lived
in this meaning since 1708, not just
through their proclamations but in what
they have done as a denomination.

Look at other denominational names.
Wouldn't it be against 1 Corinthians 3:4-6
to call a group of Christians by their
human leader, "Lutherans"? Many times
denominational names are given by out-
siders. They are intended to be identifying
nicknames to label people who do things
just a little differently from the
"mainstream Christians" of their time and
place — Quakers, Shakers, Baptists,
Dunkers, Congregationalists, Methodists.
When you think of a Methodist, do you
really link that word in your mind (or emo-
tion) to method, from which this de-
nominational name originated in Wesley's
time?

When I talk with people in my many
ecumenical contacts, I don't ever get the
feeling that our church name means to
others "male sibling." Rather, we are
known as a small denomination which has
made its saving, healing, serving impact
upon a broken world, far out of propor-
tion to the number of its members. At a
time when many doors are open to us in
difficult and politically delicate situations
only because our name has historic over-
tones of a servant people and of reconciling
ministries, let us think prayerfully, not just
twice but seventy times seven before con-
sidering to discard it. Continuing the
Brethren name, we only stand to gain. D

Karen S. Carter, a licensed preacher and workshop
resource leader from the Dalevtlle (Va.l congregation, is
a rnetnher o.f the Church of the Brethren General
Board.

32 MESSENGER September 1979

(Continued from page 20)
needed district or denominational funding
I for pastoral support — only for building its
< facilities.

In all three churches, giving is for far

I more than new buildings. Outreach giving

I of even these budgets is targeted at 10

'||; percent, a fact vi'hich pleases and surprises

j the pastors. All contribute to district and

denominational programs and agencies.

The denomination is important to these
young congregations. People in every con-
j gregation speak warmly of the contacts
I they have had with district and national

staff and with other local Brethren. Each
I church has found itself "adopted" by peo-
ple from established congregations nearby
who have come to worship and help. And
the new Brethren can't quite believe that
the denomination is willing to accept them
just as they are.

The services the denomination is able to
supply, especially in financing a new
I building, are key. Without low interest
j church extension loans and church
j development grants for building and

pastoral support, the years between the
I congregation's first meeting and its
i ground-breaking would be much longer.
j Having a church building is vital.
I Without it, the people feel the congrega-
tion has no place to call its own, no visi-
1 ble point of identity in the community.
Excitement for building is universal in the
congregations although some voices warn
of the dangers of extending a fledgling
congregation beyond its financial means.
"If we build before we can afford it," says
John Gibbs, who chairs Christ the Ser-
vant's building committee, "it will be the
I death, not the birth, of the church."

Financing is but one cloud which passes
over new congregations, especially those
such as Christ the Servant, which have
; grown slowly. Members of all three
churches wonder aloud whether the spirit,
the oneness, the love they have for each
' other will survive when the building is
completed and the congregation is larger.
Others wonder what will happen when
this first pastor, whom they so much ap-
preciate, moves on.
The questions are perhaps well found-
' ed. It would be comforting to be able to
supply happy answers. But the chapter in
the church's life that is being played out
in Cape Coral, Bradenton and Massillon
is not simple or predictable and only the
future can finish the story. D

If you've never subscribed
to this quarterly journal,
you've missed out on more
than 20 years of lively
articles, debates, essays,
dialogues, interviews,
poetry, sketches, and re-
views that portray Brethren
life and thought. But
bear up! There's
way more than 20
years of them ahead!

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

BRETHREN

LIFE AND
THOUGHT

Brethren Lite and Ttiougtit
Bettiany Thieological Seminary
Meyers and Butterfield Roads
Oak Brook, IL 60521

Please enroll me m ttie Bretfiren Journal Associatio
and send me Brethren Lite and Thought, as tollows

D Subscribing member at $10 00/year

D Regular member at $12 00/year

D Sustaining member at $100 00

(Make check payable to Brethren Life and Thought )

Name

Street ___^

Oty State _

. Zip_

September 1979 messenger 33

Your Retiremenfs
A Way of Life for Us

We're the Board of Benevolence of the
Evangehcal Covenant Church of America and we've
been at the task of providing retirement care and
^ comfort across the nation for almost a century

Our retirement centers are located in California,
Florida, Washington, Connecticut, Minnesota, and
Illinois, each providing Christian love and care while
maintaining a blend of conservatism, evangelism
and ecumenism

It's a way of life with us, and one we'd
recommend to you if you are seeking the finest
lifestyle possible for your retirement

If you desire additional information, please let
us know Our way of life could, indeed, be yours

1

President, Board ot Benevolence
tvanyelical Covenant Church of America

S14S North California Avenue. Cfiicago, IL fa062S, n2/87H-8200, txt 104
Send me additional information about comfortable retirement fat ilities
I am interested in accommodations in
I I California \ I Florida I I Washington

\ Connecticut ! ! Minnesota I I Illinois

Abingdon Bible Handbook

Edward P. Blair makes a complete
and thorough examination of the Bible
in three sections — The Bible Today,
The Bible in History, and The Bible in
Faith and Life. fi£>H is profusely
illustrated with photographs, maps, and
charts. Also, there is a beautiful
sixteen-page full-color insert on the
Holy Land. f^BH is a must for any
serious student of the Bible. $15.95

34 MESSENGER September 1979

"More than 29 years of evangelical
seminary teaching, research, and
archaeological exploration culminate in
this guide to biblical learning and
Christian living. . . "_ „.„

^ —BAPTIST STANDARD

Qbingck>n

at your local bookstore

(Continued from page 17)
existing series on film or theater or could
be developed around ideas such as "how
my beliefs have changed" or "what gives
me hope for the future" with leadership
shared by college and congregation.
Credit courses:

— Inventory of education and interest
of religious leaders to be shared with
faculty as resource persons for classes.

— Consideration of which religious
issues and topics already in the curriculum
which could be led by persons from con-
gregations.

Continuing education:

— Publicize college offerings through
the churches.

— Discover courses which religious
leaders could lead, such as death and dy-
ing or religious themes in literature.

— Offer courses to persons from
congregations — workshops in life-
planning, creative problem-solving, work-
ing with groups, teaching persons of dif-
ferent ages or ways of teaching.

(This list of possibilities was adapted
from Tool No. 1 of Handbook-Tool Kit
To Initiate College & Religious Commun-
ity Cooperation, by J. Springer,
November 1976, Box 282, Oakmont, PA
15139. Send $2 to J. Springer for a copy.)

Assignment No. 4 — Get Started. (Note:
If you already have a college/congregation
ministry going, please let us know about
it. Write Shirley J. Heckman. 1451
Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

Get together some of the people on the
list you made in Assignment No. 2. Invite
pastors or other persons from nearby con-
gregations to make a list and invite people
to meet with you. Be sure to include peo-
ple from the community service office of
the college to work with you.

Your group might want some further
resources to help you get started. The two
listed below will provide that help:

So There's a Community College in
Your Town is a guide for local church
ministry with the nearby community col-
lege, edited by W.E. Hallman, $3 from
the UMHE office, 1 100 Witherspoon
Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107. The
Workbook — Local Community Parish and
Local Community College Interaction,
1976, $3, available from Agape
House, 1046 West Polk, Chicago, IL
60607. n

Shirley J. Heckman is Parish Ministries staff for
educational development public and higher education.

{Continued from page 15)
the credit or blame depending on how you
loot; at it. Regulations could be handled
easier if we had looser restrictions, but we
don't. The church is generous in refrain-
ing from dictating policy. Our standards
and moral expectations are what we
believe in and deem appropriate. Our
moral stance attracts students and
faculty."

"All of the colleges now have dancing,"
says La Verne's Wayne Miller, "and we
allow smoking in many parts of the cam-
pus. Drinking is prohibited, but we would
be fooling ourselves if we pretended it
didn't exist. Brethren have tried to main-
tain personal morals. But the attempt to
be a haven is in conflict with our mission
of being in service to the world. Why
should we provide a haven? We should
expect students to become ministers to the
world."

Helman is in agreement. "We say 'no
smoking, no drinking, no pre-marital sex'
when speaking of student regulations. We

don't destroy people who break the rules,
but we are traditional; we have the right
to create this community. Our rules are
consistent with our religious beliefs and
the appropriate climate we try to create.
A community needs to be disciplined and
you must remember we deal with people
at a difficult time in life. If they come
with personal problems and are accepted,
that doesn't mean their problems are con-
doned. If we make a difference in a life,
that's a by-product of our concern and an
example of the kind of impact we want to
have."

At Juniata drinking is permitted within
restriction. "We know," says Pheasant,
"that it may be in conflict with the
church's alcohol paper but admitting the
use of alcohol realistically recognizes the
pluralism of our students and helps us
deal honestly with them. There is no con-
sistency in the way colleges make and en-
force their rules. We work at building
sound Brethren values such as responsi-
bility and decision making. Programs

have been initiated to help students deal
with alcoholism. It is important for
students to have and feel integrity — to be
trusted."

Helman concludes, "Once drinking was
rebellion. Now, frequently, we deal with
alcoholics. I don't think we get credit for
all the good we do. Attending a Church
of the Brethren college is a privilege. We
can't give ground on residential behavior
or change our distinctive climate. I know
that if we do our work right we won't suf-
fer in the future."

And so the colleges face the future, de-
termined to preserve the qualities that
make them special — for it is the only way
to survive. Offering life training to go
with what each college believes is an ex-
cellent academic foundation. As Blair
Helman says, "The traditions of the
Church of the Brethren are clear and
evidenced on our campuses. The mark
of the church is on our curriculum. The
problems we face are difficulties we
can solve." D

l^yffiTi)0[ii]D p@mti

Pastoral
Placements

Carmichael, Mark, to Weston,
Oregon, Washington, interim
full-time

Gibbel, Ira W., from secular,
to Johnstown, Westmont,
Western Pennsylvania, in-
terim

Glover, Irving R., from secular,
to Daleville, Virlina

Halstead, L. Elaine, from
ABEC, regional rep.. Facility
Planning Services, Elgin, 111.,
to consultant for congrega-
tional ministry, Mid-Atlantic

Hartman, Ken. from secular, to
Lampeter Fellowship, Atlan-
tic Northeast, interim

Holdeiread, Kenneth O., from
Empire, Pacific Southwest, to
Martinsburg, Middle Pennsyl-
vania

Holl, David L.. from Bridge-
water College, to Roanoke,
Ninth Street, Virlina

Huston, Albert W,, from Good
Shepherd, Mid-Atlantic, to
Dranesville, Mid-Atlantic

Keeling, Calvin, from Bakers-
field, Pacific Southwest, to
Hutchinson, Western Plains

Leininger, Verne H.. from

Price's Creek, Southern Ohio,
to Oak Park, West Marva

Ness, Tommy L, from secular,
to Piney Creek, Mid-Atlantic

Newman-Lee, Burr Jeff, from
Bethany Seminary to Rogers
Park Saturday Afternoon Fel-
lowship, Illinois/Wisconsin,
volunteer

Palerson, Harry J., from Fair-
chance/Fairview, Western
Pennsylvania, to Front Royal,
Shenandoah

Richey.RoyS., from retirement,
to First Phoenix. Pacific
Southwest, interim

Rohrer, Dean, from Peace
Valley, Southern Missouri/
Arkansas, to Clay County,
Florida/Puerto Rico, part-
time

Vandeveer, Loyal, from Wood-
bridge, Mid-Atlantic, to
Manor, Mid-Atlantic, part-
time

Voder, Leon, from secular to
Thurmont, Mid-Atlantic

Wedding
Anniversaries

Baker, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde, Fort

Wayne, Ind., 58
Brubaker, Mr. and Mrs. David,

La Verne, Calif., 50
Brubaker, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar,

Fostoria, Ohio, 60
Caylor, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne,

Udell, Iowa, 50
Charles, Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer,

East Petersburg, Pa., 50
Cruise, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford.

Akron, Ohio, 57
Oenlinger, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd,

Sun City, Ariz., 50
Kish, Mr. and Mrs. Leroy, North

Manchester, Ind., 60
Jordan, Mr. and Mrs. Elza,

Avilla, Ind., 64
Mathews, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd,

New Paris, Ind., 60
Nyce, Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln G.,

Harleysville, Pa., 60
Pairian, Mr. and Mrs. Earnest.

Corunna, Ind., 60
Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence,

San Diego. Calif., 50
Sludebaker, Mr. and Mrs. Stan-
ley, West Milton, Ohio, 50
Thomason, Mr. and Mrs. Posie,

Martinsville, Va., 51
Welborn, Mr. and Mrs. Law-
rence, Largo, Fla., 67
Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph

A., Gushing, Okla., 50
Wingerd, Mr. and Mrs. Paul,

Waterloo, Iowa, 60
Zook, Mr. and Mrs. Gorman,
Wagoner, Okla., 50

Deaths

Blake, Mabel, 84, South Bend,
Ind., May 6, 1979

Bock, Grace R., 89, Fostoria,
Ohio, June 4, 1979

Brandt, Pearl Dresher, 92,
McPherson, Kan., May 30,
1979

Brown, Quinter. J., 81, Law-
rence, Kan., April 16, 1979

Buckingham, Ralph, 64, Prairie
City, Iowa, June 4, 1979

Chambers, Gertrude, 81, Ash-
land, Ohio, May 14, 1979

EIrod, Carl, 86, Prairie
City, Iowa, May 7. 1979

Good, John C, 88, Leola, Pa.,
April 28, 1979

Griep, Carl A., 83, Dayton,
Ohio, May 23, 1979

Haldeman, Jean, 66, Palmyra,
Pa., May 29. 1979

Halterman, Titus Galen, 65,
Harrisonburg, Va., June 1,
1979

Hoffman, Menta, 92, Waynes-
boro, Pa.. April 21, 1979

Hollinger, Irvin, 90. Greenville,

Ohio, Dec. 14, 1978
Kagarise, Glen H., 49. Balti-
more, Md., March 23. 1979
Krebs, Brenda Trosile, 34,

Waynesboro, Pa.. May 28,

1979
Landes, Reta C, 76, North Fort

Myers, Fla., Feb. 24, 1979
Mallott, Kenneth, 21, Pills-
burgh, Pa., March 19, 1979
Merkey, Samuel R.,89, Abilene,

Kan.. May 13, 1979
Miller, E. Vernon, 66, Waterloo,

Iowa, May 30, 1979
Miller, Robert H., 90, North

Manchester, Ind.. May 10,

1979
Mills, Armon, 74. Topeka,

Kan., April 4, 1979
Shick, Valeria, 93, Waterloo,

Iowa, April 17, 1979
Shoemaker, Wilbur D.. 83,

North Canton, Ohio, June 14,

1978
Smith, Edward F., 56, Dayton,

Ohio, Jan. 15, 1979
Stump, Audrey Fern, 88, Perry-
ton, Tex., May 21. 1979
Swigarl, Mattie Showalter, 77,

Bridgewatcr. Va., May 6, 1979
Trostle, Bertha, 95, Nickerson,

Kan., March 26, 1979
W'oodie, L.E., 88, Greenville,

Ohio, May 10. 1979

September 1979 messenger 35

As one of God's children

Having editorialized on UN Ambassador Andrew
Young before (See "Ambassador Young and his
Yardstick," September 1978), I am sure readers
can imagine my reaction to the news of his firing.
It was as stunning as if one of our own 1451
Dundee Avenue crowd had been dismissed.

I had rather come to think of Andrew Young
as "one of us." After all, he has credited the
Church of the Brethren with helping him find
direction in life at a time when he was "lost," refer-
ring to his experiences as a youth at our Camp
Mack, inspired by the Brethren peace stance and
witness, and to his experience in Brethren work
camps in Austria. Involvement with the Brethren
continued through the civil rights movement days.
Andrew Young has been at two of our recent An-
nual Conferences and many of us have been in and
out of his offices during his service as a Con-
gressman and as UN Ambassador.

Ambassador Young's positions on touchy
world issues matched those of the Church of the
Brethren, so well that he wasn't really joking all
that much at the Richmond Annual Conference
when he said with a laugh, "Maybe many of the
problems I'm having trying to be a diplomat are
the result of the fact that I got my orientation
from you all!"

In fact, Andrew Young's "problems" had
scarcely begun to mount up when he spoke those
words in June 1977. During the next two years he
was often under fire for his penchant for telling it
like it was.

He pointed out that we have perhaps thou-
sands of people in our US jails as political
prisoners, and it was a fact. He rightly pointed out
that Cuban troops in Africa had been a stabilizing
influence. He, with good reason, chided the
British for their racist attitudes.

I found it refreshing to hear the truth for once

from a diplomat. I have spent most of my adult
life in the Third World and I rejoiced that Andrew
Young helped to nudge the United States toward a
more sympathetic approach to that world. His
honesty won friends for us around the globe and
he got his foot through overseas doors that had
been shut to American diplomats for years.

How tragic it is that this man who had done so
much for the US and the world had to be sacri-
ficed because of the rules of ridiculous, imprac-
tical, long-outdated diplomatic games. More so,
when the act that undid him held such promise of
prying loose the Middle East logjam.

I am glad that Andrew Young is leaving office
unbowed, unrepentant, still telling it like it is.
"How many lives is this policy (of not com-
municating with the Palestine Liberation
Organization) worth?" he asks. "If you're talking
about a policy of non-communication with a
legitimate power, whether you agree with them,
whether they're terrorists, whatever they are, if
you don't have some other means of allowing
them to express their grievances . . . you're going
to get more deaths, more violence, more ter-
rorism. ..."

A liked the way Tom Swank of Newsweek sum-
marized Andrew Young's UN years: "He didn't
swerve from his passionate sympathy for Third
World underdogs or from his fundamental
diplomatic creed: Go unto your enemies if you
would have them come unto you."

"Andy came at you as one of God's children,"
said a friend of his. "That approach didn't fit our
conventional ideas about diplomacy. But in the
end, it's probably the only way humanity
survives."

How right he is. — K.T.

36 MESSENGER September 1979

MOST SMALL CHURCHE
ONLY LOOK TH^ WAY.

Rural chufch npar Berrysburg, Pa.

Some small parishes claim they'd like the
resources, facilities and stability of a large church.

Just as some large parishes claim they'd like the
intimacy, friendliness, and stability of a small
church.

The plain fact is, no church is superior to another
on the basis of its size.

But America's small churches are uniquely
equipped to meet some of America's deepest
longings.

The first is the longing for an extended family
outside the home. Small church members live in
close proximity and know each other well; they
proudly uphold basic values and traditions. The
informality of a small church setting lends itself to
close human bonds and long-lived ties. Many small
churches are natural centers for retired people.

The second longing small churches satisfy is for

relevance in the community. Throughout rural
countrysides, in small towns, along inner-city
streets, the life of a community can evolve in and
around the church. It can be the source of block
projects, environmental protection programs, even
town government policy.

Small churches satisfy a third longing, too: for
unified group action that does something for the
community, nation, and world. Small churches can
get things done fast— whether it's rebuilding a barn
destroyed by fire, finding jobs for laid-off workers,
or helping a local community alleviate pockets of
poverty.

Your small church is undoubtedly capable of
interpreting God's word and mission in unusual,
surprising ways.

Discover them. Develop them. Celebrate them.

The smallest church can grow big in the ways of
the Lord.

God knows what you can do
for your church.

An ecumenical message prepared by EVCOM and A.D. MAGAZINE

^imiliiU'owP'""""- I,

aw?**'^*-

'r^^rnM

C"

You can bet your beards and bonnets it's not what it used to
be! Today's Messenger has far more to offer than the
magazine we once knew. With photographs, art and stories,
Messenger tells you about members of the church family
who are doing things out on the cutting edge of Brethren
program. News stories tell you about the latest meetings,
new program thrusts, Brethren responses to human need
and disaster, people making headlines. Good Brethren
writers offer spiritually uplifting articles that clarify
Brethren belief and practice. Bible study articles appear
regularly. Board staff tell you about resources at your
fingertips that can enhance the program of your own con-
gregation. We share with you stories of local churches that
can further stimulate your thinking and planning.

Messenger does all this and does it well — well enough
that every year recently the magazine has won national
awards for the quality of its work.

No, Messenger's not what it used to be . . . we wouldn't
want it to be!

Messenger's
just not
what

it used to be!

-■■tf.,- f'^

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN OCTOBER 1979

m'<,

.Mm

What do Brethren
Believe about
the Bible?

m(M.(^^^i

10

12

16
18

24

Children Bring Us Gifts, if we are serious about children we will
refuse to relegate them to Sunday and holiday "performances" and
rejoice in family-centered, intergenerational education — and we will get
to know children as people of worth with contributions to make. Story
by Mary Anne Forehand.

What Do Brethren Believe About the Bible? An excerpt
from the recently passed Annual Conference paper gives an historical
perspective of the issue and lifts up areas of agreement as well as those
of disagreement.

The Cursing of the Fig Tree. God calls us whenever he pleases.
Maybe out of our season, but he accepts no excuses — produce or
perish. Bible Study by Ton van den Doel.

The Groacher File. C. S. Lewis had his Screwtape Letters; Ken
Gibble has found the Groacher File — classified communiques between
one Pharnum Groacher and Raphael of Dawn, agents of Satan and
God, proving that the two rarely make deals.

Divorce: One Church's Response. How does a church
effectively minister to divorced people? Does acceptance encourage
divorce and deny the importance of marriage? In working with divorced
persons, one church discovered their unique ministry. Story by Donald
R. Jordan.

In Touch profiles Charles Anderson, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Gertrude Kiser,
Syracuse, Ind.; and Lucille Clannin, Denver, Colo. (2) . . . Outlook reports on
Sudan personnel. Science and faith conference. Mary Detrick on White House
committee. Holy Spirit Conference. Money for refugee work. Mac Coffman in
Southeast Asia. Appalachian work camp. Annual Conference nominations.
Disaster response. New Stewardship staff. Bethany Hospital. Bethany Seminary
anniversary (start on 4) . . . Underlines (7) . . . Update (8) . . . Column, "Of
Spiritual Things," by T. Wayne Rieman (15) . . . "The Medicine of Mirth," by
Earle Fike (22) . . .Resources, "Celebration Part 1," by June A. Miller (26) . . .
Media, "The 'Electric Church' and the Christian Vision," by Dale Gold-
smith (28) . . . Prayer Calendar (30) . . . Turning Points (32) . . . Pilgrim's Pen
(33) . . . People & Parish, stories from Nocona, Tex.; Atlantic Northeast District
and Richmond, Va., by Harriet Z. Blake (34) . . . Editorial, "A Cue From the
First Conference" (36)

EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Steve Simmons

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Z. Blal<e

FEATURES

Harriet Z. Blake, Steve Simmons, Fred W. Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E. Weaver, Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Doris Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K. Thompson

VOL.128, NO, 10

OCTOBER 1979

CREDITS: Cover, 8, 22, 26-27, Nguyen Van Gia. 4
Wendy Goldsworlhy (WCC), 6 Jan Mason. 10-1 1
Wallowiich, 16-17 art by Marvin Hayes. 18-19 art
by Ken Stanley. 34 Phil Graeber.

Messenger is Ihe official publicalion of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug. 20, 1918. under Act of Congress
of Oct. 17, 1917. Filing date, Oct. 1, 1978.
Messenger is a member of Ihe Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service. Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version.

Subscription rates: $7.80 one year for individual
subscriptions; $14.40 two years; $21 three years;
$33 five years. $6.60 per year for Church Group
Plan: $6.60 per year for gift subscriptions; School
50c per issue. If you move clip
address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change. MESSENGER is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission, Church of the
Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee
Ave., EIgm, 111. 60120. Second-cla,ss
postage paid at Elgin, 111., Oct. 1979. Copyright
1979, Church of the Brethren General Board.

1

SPIRITUAL TRUTHS ARE DEEP

Regarding a name change for the denomina-
tion: If Jesus erred when he said, "all ye are
brethren" (Matt. 23:8), then let's correct him.
Someone might assume we are a monastic order
with no women members.

In behalf of accuracy, surely only one name will
do: "Church of the Siblings." It's terse, scientific
and accurate (almost).

Having disposed of that issue, let's go into that
biased phrase, "Our Father which art in heaven
. . . ." Really, aren't spiritual truths so deep that no
words in the dictionary can tell all of it?

Rlth White
Citronelle, Ala.

LOVE YOUR FAMILY NOW

I am 13 years old and I want to say something
about the family. Sometimes your family really
gets on your nerves and you feel like leaving but if
you do, you will feel so alone. Many people take
their families for granted but just think how it
would be if they were not there. To kids who say
they don't need their families I say to love them
now, because they won't always be there.

GlN.'\ Kropff
Roanoke, Va.

A PRACTICAL ADDITION TO OUR GOALS

I suggest we add this scripture to those men-
tioned in our Goals for the 80s statement
adopted at Seattle: "But you shall receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and
you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all
Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth"
(Acts 1:8).

This would be a practical response to the query
and concern over our loss of members.

O. E. Gibson
Westmont, 111.

BIBLE IS GUIDE, BUT NOT FACT

Thank you for Robert McFadden's article on
biblical authority (June).

He did a fine job explaining the position of
those of us who accept the Bible as the word of
God and as our guide to faith and practice, and
yet cannol accept it as infallible in areas of scien-
tific and historical fact.

Gerald Rhoades
Chicago, 111.

WE WILL STILL HAVE PROBLEMS

As I was driving to a district committee
meeting at one of our larger congregations in
Pennsylvania, I followed the arrow of its direc-
tional sign, which boldly declared: Church of the
Brethren. And something deep inside ine turned
inside out.

Granted, most of the women in my congrega-
tion have assured me that they feel included in
the term "Brethren," but the word is archaic, ex-
clusivistic for some and subject to misspelling
and snickers about the "Sislern." So 1 join the
discussion about a name change.

We cannot afford an identity crisis. What then

will name who we are? The purpose of the early
Brethren was to gather as a community of
believers to search the Scriptures together and
develop each one's statement of faith and life-
style of discipleship. Hopefully we still gather as
such communities of believers. I suggest,
therefore, that we be known as the "Church of
the Believers."

We are, after all, definitely a believers' church,
as Don Durnbaugh has faithfully taught us at
Bethany Theological Seminary. Identifying
ourselves as a believers* church would accentuate
our understandings of believers' baptism and
mutual discipling as well as of the demanding
ethic (including the simple life and peace posi-
tion), free liturgy, scriptural norm and mutual
aid, which are all traits of the believers' church
heritage (see The Believers' Church by Don
Durnbaugh).

It is still risky business to change a long-held
name. And changing our name will not solve our
problems of identity and discrimination. Still 1
hope God will not consider our discussion to be
worthless, for it is his church of believers that we
are trying to name.

James M. Beckwith
Oaks, Pa.

UPDATING THE COOKBOOK

Enclosed you will find the first page of five sec-
tions of my cookbook — pies, cakes, frosting,
cookies and desserts. It occurred to me today that
if 1 am really serious about my commitment to eat
more simply and healthfully (whole-ly, holy), 1
will not need these sections of the cookbook. I cut
them out, both as an offering to God and as a sym-
bol of my commitment, and also as a way to
strengthen my resolution no longer to eat these
things nor to prepare them for my family to eat.

Perhaps the day will come when 1 can do the
same with the meat section; at the moment we are
sharply reducing our consumption of meat and in-
creasing our use of vegetable protein.

Please withhold my name so only God will
receive honor from this letter. 1 hope, however,
that my act may stimulate others to consider
similar action.

Name Withheld
Akron, Ohio

MORE WIT FROM WILLIAM BEAHM

1 have just finished reading Earle Pike's A
Raspberry Seed Under God's Demure (See page
22 of this issue o/ Messenger — Ed). Last fall I
started to tell Earle a William Beahm story. He
said he already had it. As it is not in the book he
must have had another in mind.

When James Beahm (first cousin to William)
was pastor at the First Church of the Brethren in
Chicago (1951-1956) a program was put on by
some Chinese. It was important enough to be
covered by the press. A photographer wanted pic-
tures from the vantage point of the balcony. He
stood up on a seat which promptly closed. His
foot was caught. A member told William (a

Bethany Seminary faculty member) that the
photographer's foot was caught in the seat and
asked, "What shall we do?" William's missionary
experience provided the answer, "Baptize him and
set the trap again!"

Mary Beahm Baber
West Hyattsville, Md.

REPENT AND TAKE UP THE CROSS

1 agree with Ethel Weddle's letter on repen-
tance (July). Let us do as Jesus says, first repent,
then take up our cross to follow him. Then we
can know the true peace and joy that the world
cannot give. It is only in the new life in Jesus
Christ, a life in the Holy Spirit as recorded in
Romans 8, that we can find this truly satisfying
life. We should reread Romans 8 often and
meditate on what it is really saying to us. Praise
the Lord for this great gift he has given us!

Many Christians say they do not believe in war
and could not kill, but as long as we uphold a
strong military position we are only asking some-
one else to do our killing for us. The same is true
as to capital punishment.

Perhaps with more study of the gospel and
more prayer in our lives, we can take a firmer
stand on these issues and truly follow Christ into
a new life.

Ira D. Malott
Wabash, Ind.

EMPHASIS ON JESUS AS LORD

In the February Messenger, a participant in
last Thanksgiving's student/adult conference
said, "We are more concerned with social issues
than the '1 love Jesus, Jesus loves me' self-serving
theology."

I wonder if this person has experienced em-
phasis on personal salvation almost only, to the
exclusion of the social responsibilities. If so, the
reaction is hopeful. However, it seems to be too
much the case, that many church attendants give
too little thought to the basic relationships in the
Christian faith. A personal experience of know-
ing and loving Jesus and making him Lord of
one's life is the primary consideration. The
Christian who has this will give proper attention
to the social issues.

For one who truly loves Jesus it will naturally
follow to give food to the hungry and drink to
the thirsty, to welcome the stranger, clothe the
naked, visit the sick and the imprisoned. And
that person will constantly have in mind the
proper relationship to Christ, seeking God's will
through the Holy Spirit.

Leroy Fish
North Manchester, Ind.

LISTEN TO THE PSALMS

Let us not waste time nor stir up strife; discuss-
ing a name change, for we be Brethren. 'Behold,
how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity" (Ps. 133:1 KJV)!

Florence Mohler Breshears
Omak, Wash.

oYoToW Co

X~\.s soon as Ken Gibbie's "Groacher File"
(see page 18) landed on our desk we knew
we finally had the right story for Ken
Stanley to illustrate. Ken, The Brethren
Press artist, has been illustrating articles in
Messenger for several years, and doing a
commendable job of it. He has done cover
portraits as well as story illustrations and in
1975 his pen sketches graced the Annual
Conference report in Messenger.

But behind the Stanley art
that faithfully interpreted
the Brethren world, there
was another Ken Stan-
ley for whom we had
found no outlet for
expression. This was
the Ken Stanley that sur-
faces in the cartoons he
passes around among
friends, in sketches on his
office wall and in pos-
ters and note cards he
has produced commer-
cially.

In them, fantasy re-
places reality: Fairy tale
castles, dragons, knights,
toadstools, trolls, gnomes
and creepy-crawly things
flow from the Stanley pen
to evoke for us long-for-
gotten memories of a
childhood dream
world.

So, when we got "The
Groacher File," we had the perfect vehicle
for displaying creatures from Ken Stanley's
fantasy land. Ken agreed with alacrity and
you could almost smell the odor of brim-
stone in the art department as quick strokes
of Ken's pen began preliminary sketches of
Pharnum Groacher.

Just as Sir John Tenniel's illustrations for
Alice's Adventures in iVonderland can be the
only "authentic" pictures of Alice and her
friends, so we submit that Pharnum Groach-
er cannot look any way but the way Ken has
perceived him. That's him! We hope you en-
joy "The Groacher File" as much as we en-
joyed facilitating its coming to light.

For those who appreciate Ken Gibbie's
humorous writings (they slip sermons in on
us unawares). The Brethren Press has pub-
lished a collection of Ken's biblical stories
under the title. Yeast, Sail and Secret
Agents. Seven of the stories from that book
have appeared previously in Messenger.
— The Editors

October 1979 messenger 1

int^yfe^

Charles Anderson: In pursuit of peace

"My son Larry spent 19 weeks in
prison after he refused to register
with the draft during the Vietnam
War. The day he entered prison, I
made a commitment to engage in
one mission of direct peace action
for each weei< he spent in prison."
Charles Anderson, a prosperous real
estate broker in Fort Wayne, Ind.,
describes the motivation for his
journeys to Washington, Chicago,
New York and elsewhere in pursuit
of peace.

Charles has logged 10 missions out
of the 19 to which he is committed.
His first major effort during Larry's
imprisonment in 1973 was to support
amnesty for those who refused to
participate in the Vietnam War. On
one trip to Washington, Charles
paraded an estimated 10 miles up and
down Constitution Boulevard and
Pennsylvania Avenue carrying a
sandwich board advocating amnesty.
Subsequently the arms race and the
dominance of the military have been
the overriding concerns. He co-
authored a query supporting the
World Peace Tax Fund approved by
Annual Conference. On a single trip
to Washington he contacted more
than 50 government officials urging
passage of this bill.

Charles admits some pangs of con-
science over his life-style. His own af-
fluence is difficult for him to recon-
cile with peacemaking, since he be-
lieves that the gap between the pros-
perous and the poor breeds violence.
His payment of tax, more than half
of which is used for military pur-
poses, is also stressful. Support of
the World Peace Tax Fund is an ef-
fort to resolve this personal conflict.

Although Charles has become
more zealous since Larry's imprison-
ment, his convictions about peace
developed much earlier. He served
18 months in Civilian Public Service
during World War II and has been a

2 MESSENGER October 1979

member of the Fellowship of Recon-
ciliation. As a young pastor in La
Porte, Ind., Charles helped build a
float against universal military train-
ing for a Fourth of July parade.
"We were cheered and we were
jeered. There was applause, and
there were boos," Charles
remembers.

Ten missions completed and nine
to go in order to fulfill the commit-
ment Charles made when Larry was
sent to prison. Likely this will not
end Charles' efforts for peace.
"Peacemaking," he says, "has
become my avocation." — GUY E.
Wampler Jr.

Guy E. Wampler Jr. is pastor of the Beacon
Heights congregation in Fort Wayne, Ind., and is a
member of the General Board.

Gertrude Kiser: Worn;

She sits in front of her easel hard at
work. Slowly, but surely, a scene
begins to emerge on the canvas. Her
fluid, graceful strokes do not come
from a paintbrush. Gertrude Kiser
prefers to use a palette knife in-
stead.

Gertrude has been using this in-
creasingly popular art medium for
seven years. It is her way to relax
and have fun.

In palette knife painting, the paint
is applied using various sizes of
palette knives. "You don't go into
detail as in brush painting," says the
painter. "You suggest things. I just
like it. It's loose, easy and fast."

Even though this type of painting
ranges more to impressionism than
to realism, it should not be tried
by an inexperienced painter. "You
have to know how to do it first."

In her paintings Gertrude is trying
"to create something that's vital,
alive, real." Her favorite subject is
flowers. She has had a love of
flowers since she was a child.

Gertrude, the mother of five
grown children, lives in Syracuse,
Ind., and is a member of the North
Webster congregation. She started
painting at North Webster High
School in the adult evening class
program, but in her words, "The
best teacher is to do it and I do it
and I do it and I do it."

Besides palette knife painting,
Gertrude works in brush painting,
scratchboard and acrylics. She
paints on a variety of surfaces in-
cluding burlap, barn siding, wood
panels and bark.

During the summer, Gertrude can
often be found among the historic
cabins of Clarksville, in North
Webster. She is the village artist for
Clarksville where she demonstrates
her skills to interested tourists.

One unique demonstration she
gives is spinning yarn on an old-

rith a knife

fashioned wheel. She hopes to learn
how to weave soon.

She comments, "I've always been
a history buff, so it's very enjoyable
to me."

Her love of history also involves
her with the Kosciusko County
Historical Society. At present, she
chairs a committee that has plans to
create county museums out of the
old Warsaw post office and county
jail.

Gertrude, along with her hus-
band, Howard, is a member of the
Lakeland Art Association. Her
works can be found in many places
around the Syracuse area. Recently,
she completed a mural at the
Bethany Church of the Brethren,
Milford, Ind.

Whether for fun or profit, Ger-
trude Kiser sees her art as an outlet
for her own feelings about life. "I'm
a realistic painter. I take out my
feelings in painting. It's a form of
expression for me." — Leslie
Whitman

Leslie U human is a writer for the Syracuse, Ind. ,
Mail-Journal.

Lucille Clannin: Teople helping people'

Lucille Clannin has an easy smile
and a quiet conviction about people
helping people. For the past 16
years she has been involved in
Denver, Colo., in Church Women
United and Inter Faith Community
Service, Inc.

Lucille traces much of her in-
volvement to 1965 when the Platte
River flood left many people in
need. She encouraged a coalition of
seven southwestern Denver churches
(both Protestant and Catholic) and
four community agencies to band
together to sponsor emergency serv-
ice projects. Lucille's efforts led to a
formal organization in 1968 and to
incorporation in 1971 as Inter Faith
Community Service. The organiza-
tion is now called United Faith
Ministries (UFM).

Until 1977 Lucille served United
Faith Ministries as full-time
volunteer director. Seventy hours of
office time a week were not unusual
for her as she thought of one proj-
ect after another that the agency
could take on. Shalom House, the
only emancipation-oriented group
house for adolescent girls in the
state, was one of these — some 70
young women have been aided by it.
Telephone Reassurance (an
assistance program for the elderly),
an emergency food band and "Our
Attic" (a volunteer-staffed thrift
store) were others.

A by-product of United Faith
Ministries has been an ecumenical
spirit developed among its member
churches. Lucille suggested "Inter
Faith Sunday" — an annual pulpit ex-
change of pastors — be initiated and
it has become a meaningful occasion
for both clergy and congregations.

Lack of money has always been a
problem. This led Lucille to involve
Brethren Volunteer Service, which
began assigning BVSers to UFM.
Lucille's husband, Bill, has been

supportive of her work and provid-
ed help with the accounting.

Since her 1977 retirement from
UFM, Lucille has continued to work
hard, serving Church Women
United of Colorado, and her local
congregation, Denver's Prince of
Peace church. Her special interests
there are ecumenism, voluntarism
and hunger — local and worldwide.

For her work with UFM, Lucille
received a community citation in
1978, with $500 presented in her
name to the organization. At that
time she explained some of her

motivation for volunteer service.
"We all came from the farm
sometime in our past, and I think
we all feel a neighborly concern for
each other, even if we are living in
the city."

During the past year Lucille has
been coordinating a senior citizens
meal program, sponsored by
Volunteers of America. She expects
to stay involved with community
services as long as she is able. For
Lucille Clannin, the philosophy of
"people helping people" cannot be
separated from the "God and
neighbor" belief of her
church — K.T.

October 1979 messenger 3

World conference topics
should excite Brethren

Major topics of the recent World Con-
ference on Faith, Science and the Future
should be of great interest to Brethren,
according to two Brethren who attended,
David Miller and Melanie May.

The conference, sponsored by the
World Council of Churches at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in
July, brought together scientists,
theologians, educators, business persons
and others from around the world to
discuss the pressing scientific and ethical
questions of the day.

The energy debate was the most
fascinating topic for both Miller, the of-
ficial voting delegate of the Church of the
Brethren, and May, an accredited visitor.
Speakers at the general sessions, especially
those from Third World countries, were
highly critical of the unequal global
distribution of energy resources and par-
ticularly of US overconsumption. One
speaker, an economist from India, noted
that when energy resources are depleted,
rural Indians and other poor people will
not suffer because they consume few
nonrenewable energy resources now.

"How do we share (energy) in a time of
scarcity when we haven't even learned to
share in a time of abundance," mused
Miller. The questions being raised about
overconsumption, he pointed out, bring to
mind the old Brethren ideal of living
simply that others may simply live.

Miller, who is employed as a health
physicist for a firm which builds power
plants, believes the best way to confront
the coming shortages of fossil fuels will be
to use a balanced variety of energy
sources, including nuclear. The conference
apparently did not agree. Among its
recommendations was one calling for a
five-year worldwide moratorium on
building new nuclear plants.

Nuclear disarmament was another topic
of crucial concern to the Brethren. WCC
conference planners had not included dis-
armament on the agenda despite the
significant evidence linking scientific
research with continued arms develop-
ment. The efforts of an ad hoc group of
concerned participants, including Miller,
shoved disarmament into the spotlight
when conference planners yielded a
plenary session for discussion of the dis-
armament issue. One of the most exciting
general sessions, with leading members of

1 1 mT^J m ^■■■■m^il
David Miller and Melanie May, official Brethren participants in the World Conference on
Faith, Science and the Future, discuss the day's events during an afternoon break.

the scientific community preaching the
disarmament gospel, it resulted in a strong
call for disarmament.

"The thing that's disturbing to me is
that the impulse for (the disarmament ses-
sion) came from the scientists, not from
the church people," said May. A peace
studies major at Manchester and a 1979
graduate of Harvard Divinity School, May
is keenly aware of the need for the church
to speak about peace issues. "I was disap-
pointed that the WCC planning committee
didn't see (disarmament) as important
enough to put on the original agenda."

Both Brethren were also intrigued by
the discussions of the ethics involved in
biogenetic engineering and the possible
uses of recombinant DNA.

Attending the conference was a signifi-
cant experience for both Brethren par-
ticipants. Repeatedly, they stressed the ex-
citement of hearing a global perspective,
especially that of the Third World. "The
Third World has a stirring voice here,"
commented Miller. "Women need to have
the same kind of voice."

The conference, the most significant
WCC event in the US in this decade,
brought together nearly 900 people from
56 countries. Official delegates numbered
313. Other totals included 210 accredited
visitors, 69 stewards, 128 staff and an in-
ternational press corps of about 145.

Among denominational staff working
for the WCC at the conference was Harriet
Z. Blake, director of news services for the
Church of the Brethren. All three Brethren
involved are eager to share information
and perspectives resulting from the con-
ference. They all may be contacted through
the Elgin offices.

Brethren, Mennonites
plan new youth series

More than 30 writers, educators, editors
and designers met in June at Bethany
Seminary to discuss plans for the new
Foundation Series for youth. The Church
of the Brethren is cooperating in the
preparation of the curriculum series with
the Brethren in Christ, Mennonite
Church, General Conference Mennonite
Church and Mennonite Brethren.

A major address of the meeting
centered on the theological basis for a
Believer's Church curriculum. Ross
Bender, Christian educator from the Men-
nonite Seminaries in Elkhart, Ind., said
such themes as simplicity, self-giving love,
discipline, peacemaking and ministry as a
function of the whole people are distinc-
tive Believer's Church qualities which
should be reflected in the curriculum.

In other sessions, writers were encour-
aged to look for positive human images of
various persons — racial minorities, Jews,
women and culturally conservative Men-
nonites. Participants also got a taste of
the variety of media possibilities available
in designing the curriculum.

Brethren writers for the series, and their
topics, are Bob Bowman, "You Are the
Christ" (Mark); Ralph and Mary Cline
Detrick, "Family Life"; Estella Horning,
"Believing and Doing" (James); Hazel
Kennedy, "A Survey of the Bible's Lit-
erature"; and Don Miller, "Making
Choices." June A. Miller is the Church of
the Brethren editor for the series. Serving
on the editorial committee are Don Miller,
Rick Gardner and Ercell Lynn.

4 MESSENGER October 1979

Health project staffing
awaits Sudan approval

J. Roger Schrock and his family will leave
the US for the Sudan in early 1980 if
Schrock's credentials are acceptable to the
Sudan Council of Churches. The SCC has
initiated a project to develop a primary
health care system for residents of the Up-
per Nile Province of the Sudan and re-
quested personnel from the Church of the
Brethren to carry out the program.

Schrock, currently pastor of the Lewis-
ton (Minn.) church, served in Nigeria
from 1971 to 1976 as administrator of the
Lafiya medical program. He is considered
an expert in the field of primary health
care. In the summer of 1978, he con-
ducted a survey for the Presbyterian
Church of Cameroun on the primary
health care needs of that country.

The new program, described in detail in
the September Messenger, teams the
Church of the Brethren in partnership with
the indigenous Christians of the Sudan
through the Sudan Council of Churches. If
accepted by the SCC, Schrock and his
wife, Carolyn, will live under the same con-
ditions as other SCC employees. Schrock's
work will be under the direction of the
SCC although the Church of the Brethren
will support him and his family.

"Roger will be a fraternal worker," says
Roger Ingold, World Ministries Commis-
sion staff responsible for getting the proj-
ect underway. He believes the SCC will be
pleased with Schrock's nomination.

Once in the Sudan, Schrock will be
field coordinator of the new project. He
will use a survey of the area's health care
needs done earlier by the Christian
Medical Commission of the World Coun-
cil of Churches. His role will be to
develop a program to meet the needs ex-

pressed in the report. He will determine
which problems should be addressed first,
develop action strategies, a timetable and
budget.
Heahh needs in the region — much of

Roger Schrock Carolyn Schrock

which is inaccessible by land nine months
of the year due to flooding — are severe. A
primary health care program will try to
bring a trained worker near every area
resident and will attempt to help residents
meet needs for clean water, hygiene and
sanitation. "The project will be a very
broad one," says Schrock. "It will involve
far more than traditional health care."

Staff working on the project had hoped
to have a person ready to go by March
1980. Instead, Schrock plans to arrive in
January with his family following in a few
months. The Schrocks will begin language
training in the spring and plan to spend
some months studying Arabic and Nuer,
the area's tribal dialect.

Schrock, 34, is a graduate of McPher-
son College. A Minnesota native, he
worked with his father on the family's
dairy farm between two Nigerian tours.
Prior to the work with Lafiya, he taught
three years at the Waka Schools in
Nigeria. He and Carolyn have two sons,
Jon, 8, and Jedd, 6, whom Carolyn will
teach at home.

The Church of the Brethren has agreed
to support a worker in the Sudan for up
to three years. Staff estimate total cost of
that initial period at about $250,000.

Bethany Hospital gets
green light from state

Bethany Hospital has received its "cer-
tificate of need" from the lUinois Health
Facilities Planning Board. The hospital
board can now proceed with its plan to
build a new, 232-bed, full-service hospital
on Chicago's west side, according to Olin
J. Mason, director of church relations.

The Illinois Health Facilities Planning
Board reviews appHcations of all health
care facilities to determine whether their

services are needed in the area. The new
hospital could not go ahead until this
determination was made.

The new facility will be located across
the street from the old hospital, on the
site of the former Bethany Seminary cam-
pus using the lots between Homan and St.
Louis streets. Architects are now at work
on design details for the $20 million struc-
ture. Annual Conference actions of 1975
and 1979 allow the Bethany Hospital
board to seek donations of two million
dollars toward the project from members
of the denomination.

Church united by love
is Holy Spirit theme

That Brethren are yearning for an inpour-
ing and empowering of God's spirit was
apparent in the words and worship of
Brethren gathered at Manchester College
Aug. 8-11 for the Church of the Brethren
Conference on the Holy Spirit.

"Building the Body through Love" was
the conference theme, symbolized by a
mobile bearing those words, swaying gent-
ly above the 700-800 participants.

In greetings Wednesday night, William
Eberly, Annual Conference moderator,
asked Brethren to be "conscious of the
role of the Spirit as we make decisions,"
to "hear the Spirit and respond to it"
because "responses are 'gifts.'" Ram-
sumair Harry, pastor of the Swatara Hill
church, Atlantic Northeast District,
preached from Eph. 5:15-21, emphasizing
the need for a singing, thankful, praising
and united church. He reminded the con-
gregation that the Holy Spirit builds faith
and heals the church.

Eighteen different classes Thursday and
Friday further developed the conference
theme. Russell and Norma Bixler taught
"Gifts of the Spirit," naming wisdom,
knowledge, faith, miracles, healings,
prophecy, tongues and the interpretation
of tongues, plus apostleship, evangelism,
teaching and ministering.

In "Fruit of the Spirit," Don and
Shirley Fike emphasized the single and
unified Body of Christ expressed in love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
In yet another class, Chalmer and Mary
Faw cited three essential steps for "Inner
Healing": acknowledging sins, confessing
sins and asking God's forgiveness.

Guest speakers Thursday and Friday
nights, respectively, were Leonard H.
Evans, evangelical pastor of Niles, Ohio,
and Lester Sumrall, pastor of Christian
Church, South Bend, Ind.

J. Richard Greene, pastor of the Frost-
burg, Md., church, closed the conference
on Saturday morning in an apocalyptic ser-
mon calling for the Brethren to repent so
that the body can be rebuilt through love.

Throughout the Conference participants
appeared to share Moderator Eberly's hope
that the Brethren "find out those 'gifts'
which are the best for building up the
whole church," or "Building the Body
through Love." — Rowan K. Daggett

October 1979 messenger 5

Brethren grant $25,000
for world refugee work

As the problems of "boat people" and
other Vietnamese refugees continued to
mount throughout the summer, a $25,000
grant was made from the Brethren
Disaster and Emergency Fund.

Approved Aug. 6, the grant is to be
used for boat people and world refugee
problems, according to Ken McDowell,
executive of the World Ministries Com-
mission.

McDowell points out that precise pro-

grams to receive the money had not been
decided at the time of the grant but that
"all kinds of programs are in the wind."
The money is now available for quick ap-
plication to programs providing immediate
relief to refugees still overseas or for re-
settlement efforts here. Some of the grant
may also be used in supporting Mac Coff-
man's special assignment for Church
World Service in Southeast Asia (page 7).
In addition to making available this ma-
jor amount of money, WMC personnel
are increasing their involvement in the
refugee situation. Coffman, director of
service ministires, attended the United Na-

Appalachian work camp keeps volunteers busy

Physical labor was the order of the day during a three-week work camp in Mud Lick,
Ky., July 14 — Aug. 4. Of the 40 workers, 10 were camp staff, 15 were work camp
volunteers and the remaining 15 were Brethren Volunteer Service volunteers whose orien-
tation unit continued two weeks following the work camp. Jan Mason, who coordinated
the work camp/orientation unit, says that 26 more applications were received for the
work camp than could be accepted. The project was so successful, staff hope to repeat it
next year. Home rehabilitation was the major work undertaken. New roofs and siding
were installed, walls straightened, footers put under houses and paint applied. One group
(below) built a sandbag wall to prevent a house from sliding down an eroded mountain
side to which the house precariously clung. Another group built a footbridge so that a
woman could get to a supply of clean water. In addition to their work in the Mud Lick
area, the group took off for two days of flood relief mudding out houses in Pike Coun-
ty, Ky., in cooperation with the Brethren disaster response network.

tions Conference on Refugees and
Displaced Persons held in July in Geneva,
Switzerland. He stayed in Geneva for a
subsequent World Council of Churches
consultation on refugee resettlement.

The refugee resettlement office at New
Windsor is preparing for an increased
workload as US churches share responsi-
bility for the resettlement of 14,000
refugees monthly, as promised by the
government. Rebecca Eduard, who staffs
that office, is receiving additional
assistance. Congregations interested in
sponsoring refugees should contact
Eduard immediately at the Brethren Serv-
ice Center, Box 188, New Windsor, MD
21776, or telephone (301) 635-6464.

Refugees and displaced persons in
Nicaragua, where civil war has caused
tremendous suffering, continue to receive
badly needed food, clothes and medical
assistance through Church World Service
and CEPAD, a Nicaraguan ecumenical
agency. A second grant of $5, (XX) to help
with this continuing ministry has been
released from the Brethren Disaster and
Emergency Fund.

Public, higher education
targets of joint group

The Church of the Brethren and six other
denominations have formed an ecumenical
ministry called United Ministry in Educa-
tion (UME).

The new organization joins the
ministries of the denominations in higher
education and public education. Previous-
ly these concerns were met through two
ecumenical agencies. United Ministries in
Higher Education (UMHE) and Ministries
in Public Education (MPE), now com-
bined in UME.

The six other churches in UME are the
education agencies of the United Presby-
terian Church of the USA, the American
Baptist Churches, the Moravian Church,
the Presbyterian Church in the US, the
United Church of Christ and the
Episcopal Church. Shirley Heckman,
member of the General Board staff, is the
Brethren liaison to UME.

According to UME staff, the new
agency was formed out of a desire of the
member churches to work with educa-
tional concerns more holistically as well as
to reduce the overlap of efforts of staff
and constituent groups who often found
they were dealing with the same concerns
in two areas.

6 MESSENGER October 1979

Coffman in Asia to help
speed refugee efforts

Mac Coffman, director of Brethren serv-
ice ministries, is spending two and a half
months in Southeast Asia attempting to
speed Church World Service refugee reset-
tlement efforts there. CWS, the interna-
tional relief and service arm of the Na-
tional Council of Churches, requested his
services from the Church of the Brethren.

In his role as CWS special liaison
representative for refugees, Coffman will
relate to the Joint Voluntary Agency Of-
fice in each country where refugees are be-
ing processed — Malaysia, Hong Kong,
Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The JVA office brings together all US
voluntary agencies doing refugee resettle-
ment in each country. One agency ad-
ministers each office. CWS administers the
Malaysian JVA office. Coffman is ex-
pected to find ways for CWS to work
more efficiently within the JVA structure.

In addition, according to Paul Mc-
Cleary, director of CWS, Coffman is
working with the national church councils
in the Asian countries to help coordinate
the NCC work with the work of the Asian
church councils.

US promises to increase dramatically the
acceptance of Indochinese refugees, par-
ticularly those from Vietnam, have created
the need for a more coordinated approach
to refugee resettlement.

The US government has promised that
14,000 refugees will be accepted per
month. This pledge was to begin in July
and, according to World Ministries Com-
mission executive Ken McDowell, doubles
what has been done before in refugee
resettlement.

The "very significant role" the Church
of the Brethren has played in refugee reset-
tlement is one of the reasons CWS came to
the Brethren for personnel for this assign-
ment, says McCleary. "Mac has excellent
background on the process here in the US
and what is going on among the
churches," said McCleary. "In addition, he
is a churchman — an important element in
relating to the Christian councils in Asia."

Coffman left for his assignment Sept. 1.
He is scheduled to return home in October
for the 35th anniversary of the Brethren
Service Center at New Windsor and
General Board meetings, then will return
to southeast Asia until the end of
November. When he left, he expected his
work to be based in Malaysia.

y[n](^(tF|[n](f^

OOPS! ... A misunderstanding resulted in a report in the
August MESSENGER that Kenneth Holderread, who received the
doctor of ministry degree from Bethany Seminary in June, was
pastor of the Big Creek church. Gushing, Okla. That is his
home church — he is pastor of the Martinsburg (Pa. ) church.

NAMES YOU KNOW . . . The executive committee of Agricultural
Missions, Inc. , paid special tribute to long-time board and
staff member Jra W. Moomaw during its July 25 meeting, pre-
senting him with a plaque and spoken tributes. . . . Edward
K_. Ziegler , editor of Brethren Life and Thought, was taken
ill shortly before Annual Conference and was unable to attend
the dinner honoring the journal. He reports "no permanent
impairment whatsoever from the series of small strokes". . .
. Ruby Rhoades , who will become the executive of the General
Board's World Ministries Commission in January, will attend
the Assembly on World Missions in Melbourne, Australia, in
May 1980 as part of the National Council of Churches' delega-
tion. . . . The first life/work planning seminar for volun-
teers nearing the end of their Brethren Volunteer Service
assignments was led by Ken Hartman, director of career de-
velopment of Career Counseling Associates, Lancaster, Pa.
The retreat, Aug. 7-10, helped equip BVSers to make more
intelligent life choices after leaving their posts. . . .
John N_. Stauffer, president emeritus of Juniata College since
1975, will retire at the end of this month. . . . Frank
Ramirez, pastor of the Ladera church, had his first short
story published in the July 1979 issue of Isaac Asimov' s
Science Fiction Magazine.

NIGERIANS CHOSEN . . . Two Lassa members of Ekklesiyar
Yan'uwa a Nijeriya won government posts in the recent federal
elections in Nigeria which returned that country to civilian
rule after 13 years under military government. Bitrus Kajal ,
formerly senior counselor of the Nigeria mission to the
United Nations, was elected a federal senator from Borno
State. Bulama Birdling , former Lassa Hospital administrator,
was elected to the Borno State House of Representatives. The
new civilian government, patterned closely after that of the
US, takes over Oct. 1.

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA STAFF . . . Dennis Martin, a Warsaw, Ind. ,
native with Grace Brethren background, began work Aug. 1 as
assistant editor of The Brethren Encyclopedia. He holds a
Ph.D. in history from the University of Waterloo, Ontario.

STILL IN MINISTRY . . . Harry Smith of the Northern Plains
district marked the 50th anniversary of his ordination in
August. He still serves congregations of the Tri-District
area when needed. ... A dinner July 8 at the Wabash (Ind.)
church marked the 67th anniversary of the ordination of Ora
DeLauter . (DeLauter preached the morning sermon!)

A HISTORICAL SITE

The homestead of Martin Grove Brum-

baugh has been registered as a historical site in Pennsyl-
vania. Brumbaugh was a former Juniata College president.
Brethren leader and historian, and governor of Pennsylvania.

October 1979 MESSENGER 7

yp(ol@te

SEARCHING FOR SONGS

Brethren are encouraged to submit

original music (words, music or both) for the fourth section
of The Brethren Songbook to be published in time for 1981
Annual Conference by The Brethren Press and the Parish Minis-
tries Commission. If you've not written anything original
lately, consider suggesting music your congregation enjoys
singing which is not presently included in either The Breth-
ren Songbook or The Brethren Hymnal. A committee will select
music to be included. Submissions should be sent to Bob
Bowman, Worship Resources, Brethren General Offices, 1451
Dundee Ave. , Elgin, IL 60120, by April 1.

FEEDING FAMILIES CLOSE AT HAND

When illness strikes a

family's homemaker, family members often go several days
without nourishing meals. Three years ago, the Women's Fel-
lowship of the Edgewood church near New Windsor, Md. , set up
its own emergency "Meals on Wheels" program to provide a hot
evening meal to families whose homemaker was ill. Nearly
three dozen meals have been prepared and delivered by 11
teams of three women each since the program began.

FEEDING FAMILIES FAR AWAY . . . Surplus garden produce from
gardeners in the Center church, Louisville, Ohio, goes to
feed hungry people around the world. Members leave their
extras on a table and others "purchase" the fruits and vege-
tables by putting a donation for Brethren Hunger Ministries
in a nearby Brethren Service cup or the offering.

MARKING THE YEARS

The first church of the Brethren in

Indiana, Four Mile church, celebrated its 170th anniversary
with a day of special events Sept. 23. The congregation has
been called the Mother of Brethren in Indiana. . . . The West
Goshen church in Goshen, Ind. , will celebrate its 150th an-
niversary during 1980 and has a full calendar of celebrative
events planned. Highlight of the year will be a homecoming
July 20. . . . Beech Run church in Middle Pennsylvania Dis-
trict marked its 100th anniversary Sept. 2. Among former
pastors speaking was Warren F. Groff, 1979 Annual Conference
moderator. . . . Michigan District's Lakeview church ob-
served its 75th anniversary Aug. 4-5 during a commemorative
weekend. . . . Richland Valley church in Washington celebrated
its 60th anniversary with a day of special services Aug. 19.

DEDICATING FOR SERVICE

Iowa's Panora church dedicated

its new sanctuary Aug. 26. . . . Also in Iowa, the Dallas
Center church dedicated a new organ with special recitals
morning and afternoon Sept. 23. . . . New pews, carpet, and
the repainted sanctuary were dedicated during a special ser-
vice recently at the Bermudian church, part of the Lower
Conewago congregation in Southern Pennsylvania District.

HELPING TEENAGERS .

The Mental Health Task Committee of

the Atlantic Northeast District is developing a new treat-
ment program for young people with emotional/behavioral prob-
lems. The district is looking for persons interested in be-
coming foster parents and creating a home atmosphere helpful
to the adolescents placed there.

8 MESSENGER October 1979

Minnich new member
of stewardship staff

Dale E. Minnich began work Aug. 1 as the
newest member of the General Board's
stewardship staff. Minnich carries re-
sponsibility for congregational support of
denominational programming through the
Brotherhood Fund. He fills the vacancy
created by Ronald D. Petry's resignation.

Minnich came to
the staff from
Winona, Minn.,
where he had been
vice-president for
college relations of
the College of St.
Teresa. He previous-
ly held a similar Dale Mmnich

position at Jamestown College,
Jamestown, N.D. In both positions, he had
development and public relations respon-
sibilities.

A graduate of Wilmington College,
Wilmington, Ohio, Minnich holds a
masters degree from Ohio State University
and studied at Bethany Theological
Seminary and United Theological
Seminary. He served two years in Mexico
with Brethren Volunteer Service as a com-
munity development worker. He later re-
turned to Latin America as a community
development coordinator for the Church of
the Brethren working out of Quito,
Ecuador. He and his wife, Beverly Laird
Minnich, have three children.

Nominations sought for
'80 Annual Conference

Interested individuals, congregations and
boards throughout the denomination are
urged to nominate candidates for the ballot
to be cast at the 1980 Annual Conference
in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The nominating group or person is re-
sponsible for contacting their nominee and
getting the person's consent to be consid-
ered for nomination. Official forms were
distributed in the September Source mail-
ing or may be obtained from the Annual
Conference office. Send all nominations to
the Annual Conference Office, 1451
Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120 by Dec. 1.

Offices open in 1980 are:

• Moderator-elect. Two-year term. In-
eligible: A. Blair Helman, Charles M.
Bieber, Ira B. Peters, Warren F. Groff.

• General Board, district representatives

(three persons). Five-year terms. Ineligi-
ble: Persons from Atlantic Northeast,
Florida and Puerto Rico, Illinois/Wiscon-
sin, South/Central Indiana, Mid-Atlantic,
Missouri, Northern Ohio, Northern
Plains, Middle Pennsylvania, Southern
Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania,
Oregon/Washington, Southern Plains,
Virlina.

• General Board, at-large represen-
tatives (two persons). Five-year terms.
Eligibility: No more than one person from
a congregation nor three at any one time
from a single district, including the district
representative.

• Annual Conference Central Commit-
tee (one person). Three-year term.

• Committee on Interchurch Relations
(one person). Three-year term.

• Elector, Bethany Theological
Seminary. Five-year terms. One person
representing laity; one person representing
ministry.

Bethany Seminary's
75th anniversary in '80

Special events and publications highlight
the 75th anniversary celebration of
Bethany Theological Seminary. The
milestone is being celebrated for an entire
year, July 1979 through July
1980.

The seminary was founded by A.C.
Wieand and E.B. Hoff in October 1905,
when 12 students met in the Hoff home in
Chicago. Then called Bethany Bible
School, the school moved to its first cam-

pus on West Van Buren Street in 1909.
The name was changed to Bethany
Biblical Seminary in 1931. In 1963, the
school, now called Bethany Theological
Seminary, moved to the spacious campus it
now occupies in Oak Brook, 111.
Presidents of the seminary have been
Wieand, Daniel W. Kurtz, Rufus D.
Bowman, Warren W. Slabaugh (act-
ing president), Paul M. Robinson and
the current president, Warren F.
Groff.

To celebrate all these years of history,
the seminary has chosen an anniversary
theme, "For the Work of Ministry." A
special convocation at the beginning of
the new academic year will bring noted
Free Church historian Franklin Littell to
the Bethany campus. (Everyone is invited
to attend this celebrative convocation at 8
p.m., Oct. 1.)

The seminary will be the focus of a
special emphasis the Sunday before
Thanksgiving, Nov. 18. In addition, four
bulletin covers throughout the year will
provide information about the denomina-
tion's only graduate school of theology.

Annual Conferencegoers were treated to
"In Honor of Bethany," a slide/sound
program about the seminary's history
which is now available to congregations
and districts. For ordering information,
contact the seminary's Development Of-
fice, Butterfield and Meyers Roads, Oak
Brook, IL 60521.

Another opportunity for learning more
about the seminary will be the winter issue
of Brethren Life and Thought which will
be wholly devoted to the seminary.

Reconstruction begins
at tornado, flood sites

The Brethren disaster response network
has established a project in Wichita Falls,
Tex., to do major reconstruction of
houses hit by a tornado in April. More
than 8,0(K) families need help in repairing
and rebuilding their homes which lay in
the eight-mile-long, one-mile-wide path of
the twister.

Jan Thompson, coordinator of Brethren
disaster response, reports the project
opened in mid-August. He expects a
handful of volunteers to be on the scene
for three to six months. Skilled and semi-
skilled workers will be needed but anyone
wanting to volunteer should contact their
district disaster coordinator for details
before heading for the project.

Heavy flooding in Virginia and Pike
County, Ky., in mid- July drew almost 60
Brethren volunteers to help mud out
homes in the communities. Volunteers
from the nearby Brethren Volunteer Serv-
ice orientation unit/work camp stationed
in Mud Lick, Ky., were the first outsiders
on the scene in Pike County.

Jackson, Miss., where spring floods
followed by slowly-receding water ruined
many houses, has been the site of a
continuing project. More than 60 Brethren
volunteers have been at work there.
Ironically, a number of workers rebuilt
homes in Rodney, Miss., a community
where Brethren workers rebuilt houses
following heavy floods in the early 1970s.
Thompson reports the workers were
greeted eagerly by the elderly black
residents who remembered the earlier
Brethren crews.

Detrick among planners
of White House meeting

Mary Cline Detrick is among 40 persons
from across the country chosen to plan
the White House Conference on Families.
Detrick and her husband, Ralph, share a
General Board position in life cycle minis-
tries/person awareness. Her appointment
to the national committee was announced
this summer by the White House.

The members met for the first time July
19 and 20, following their official installa-
tion as members of the committee. They
were also guests of President and Mrs.
Carter at a White House reception. So
far, Detrick notes, the opportunity has
proved to be "terribly exciting."

She and the other members of the com-
mittee were selected for their particular
experiences with family life and to repre-
sent a broad cross-section of American
life. Detrick is one of several represen-
tatives of the religious community. She
believes her appointment was made in
consultation with the National Council of
Churches where she and Ralph are past
co-chairpersons of the Family Life and
Human Sexuality Commission.

Detrick is well-qualified to represent the
Church of the Brethren and other Na-
tional Council of Churches constituents
on the committee. A graduate of Bridge-
water College and Bethany Seminary, she
is an ordained minister and has been on
the staff since 1974. In addition to their
professional work in areas of family life,
marriage enrichment, aging and ministry
to singles, the Detricks share equally in
homemaking and parenting responsi-
bilities, providing them with a different
perspective on the family.

The committee's mandate is to plan the
White House Conference on Families.
Beginning directions emerged at the first
meeting. "We are going to take the White
House Conference to the people," de-
clared Jim Guy Tucker, chairperson. To
do this, the committee hopes to have
several White House Conferences around
the country rather than following the
usual pattern of a single Washington,
D.C., event.

Six major themes will guide the con-
ference: family strengths and supports,
the diversity of families, changing realities
of family life, impact of public and
private institutional policies, the effects of
discrimination and concern for families
with special needs.

October 1979 messenger 9

■■■■Hiwyiiiiii

Children bring us gifts

by Mary Anne Forehand

"Let's talk about the gifts children give
adults," I said to a group of mothers.

"Flowers," was the immediate reply.

"Dead flowers!" came a chorus of laughs.

"Or plaques made out of beans and
peas," added another.

* * *

"What do children contribute to our
church?" 1 asked a group of adults in a
church school class.

"I hadn't thought about it," was a frank
reply.

"They're cute! I love the program they
do at Christmas," responded another.

"Hope!" answered still another, perhaps
more mature in insight as well as years.

* * *

"What gifts can we give our church?" I
asked a group of second grade church
school students.

"1 don't know," answered Janie, never
willing to venture the first answer to a
question.

"We don't have any money," offered
another.

"We could help IVlr. Hampton pick up
trash!" came the response from Jimmy,
who remembered that just a few moments
ago we had been discussing church helpers
and the work of our sexton.

* * *

Children do have gifts to offer us as in-
dividuals and as a church family, but
we — children and adults alike — are often
slow to recognize those gifts.

It appears that it has always been so.
Consider the testimony of the prophet
Jeremiah: "The word of the Lord came to
me: 'Before I formed you in the womb I
knew you for my own; before you were
born I consecrated you, I appointed you a
prophet to the nations.' ... I answered, '1
do not know how to speak; 1 am only a
child' " (Jer. 1:4-6, New Enghsh Bible).

Or recall the words of scripture recorded
in the Gospel of Mark: "Some people
brought children to Jesus for him to place
his hands on them, but the disciples scold-
ed the people" (Mark 10:13, TEV).

Remember the experience of Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother, who was faced with
the task of helping Jesus feed 5,000 people.
Andrew studied his resources and ob-
served: " 'There is a boy here who has five
loaves of barley bread and two fish. But
they will certianly not be good enough for
all these people' " (John 6:9, TEV).

Jesus, who had more insight than An-
drew, knew that the young lad had an im-
portant gift to offer in his meager lunch
basket. And on another occasion he
recognized the potential contribution of all
children when he rebuked his disciples for
restraining children from coming to him:
"'Let the children come to me, and do not

stop them, because the kingdom of God
belongs to such as these. I assure you that
whoever does not receive the kingdom of
God like a child will never enter it' " (Mark
10:14-16, TEV).

Children have gifts to bring to our life
together if we — and they — can learn to
recognize them, offer them and accept
them. Those gifts are tied up in the very
quality of childhood and childlikeness.

One of the most meaningful and
frustrating of these potential gifts is hones-
ty. It is inherent in the nature of childhood
until we teach children to hide the gift. To
use a popular cliche, children "tell it like it
is." Sometimes teachers and parents alike

,i^4^i^

10 MESSENGER October 1979

.. 3«'-s^:t'.Tv.

find themselves embarrassed by the honesty
which prompts a child to ask, "Why is she
so fat?" or to observe, "He talks funny!"

On the other hand, we are both chided
and instructed by children who are honest
enough to observe frankly, "That's not
fair!" or to remind us that we have been in-
consistent, have failed to keep our promise
or have done something contrary to the
ideals we have taught them.

Another gift, often given to the despair
of fathers and mothers, is a deep belief in
the ability of adults to get things done. You
will know what I mean if your Susan or
Johnny has p>roudly boasted to the teacher,
"My father will do it. He can fix anything!"
Or "My mother can make the pumpkin
costume."

Children often believe that because we
are adults, we are all-knowing and all-
powerful. They feel that we can do
anything. That is a precious gift. Often as
individuals and as groups, we suffer from

self-imposed limitations. We function
below our capabilities because we fail to
believe in ourselves. Often the thing that
encourages us to do better is the belief of
another in our capabilities.

Because experience has not crippled their
imaginations, young children can offer us
the gift of creative thinking. If you don't
believe it, take a problem to a group of
young children and ask them to brainstorm
ways to solve it. Some of their ideas will be
unrealistic, but then nothing creative ever
came from limiting our vision to what we
know as possible. The world's great inven-
tions and discoveries have come from those
people who dared to expand their thinking
beyond what the world knew to be possible
and realistic.

Children are as uninhibited in the feel-
ings they express as they are in the creative
ideas they express. Young children may be
exuberantly happy or unconsolably sad.
And they do not try to hide the feeling.

They have not yet, as a popular Broadway
song suggests, been "carefully taught" to
control or hide their feelings of love, fear,
hate or joy. As we see them freely and
spontaneously express their feelings, we are
reminded of the deep wells of feeling from
which we as adults have to draw. Young
children remind us that we need to touch
those feelings and discover the joy of shar-
ing them with others.

A related gift that children offer us is
new insight into our often unused sense of
wonder. When we become jaded, when it
seems that there is nothing new under the
sun, children can offer us a new way of
seeing the commonplace. They have not
"seen it all." For a child who has never
made snow ice cream or been riding a horse
or spent the night sleeping under the stars,
those experiences can be the greatest
adventures in the world. Their delight in
simple and routine things ought to teach us
as adults to see where we have been merely
looking in the past.

Young children can teach us to question
the traditional. "Why?" is a favorite word,
as any parent of a three-year-old knows.
To a youngster, there is not a great deal of
meaning in doing something just because it
has always been done. Their desire to know
why and how we do things can prod us at
least to examine the reason for our ac-
tivities.

In the same vein, children can teach us to
question our assumptions and statements.
Some of the most profound theological
questions ever asked me have been asked
by children.

One of my favorite stories points up the
ability of children to see to the heart of
things and to understand what helping is all
about. As the story goes, a little girl was
sent to the grocery store and told to come
back home with the milk as quickly as
possible. More and more time passed.
When the child got home, the mother im-
patiently asked, "Where have you been? I
told you to come straight back!"

"Janie was sitting out on the sidewalk.
Her doll is broken," replied the little girl.

"Oh," continued the mother, "were you
helping her fix it?"

"No," came the response, "I was helping
her cry." What a challenging reply to those
of us who assume we have some insight into
(continued on page 33)

October 1979 messenger 11

A

. nnual Conference in Seattle adopted
a paper on Biblical Inspiration and
Authority. The paper presented represen-
tative positions held by the Brethren today
on the nature of the Bible as their
authority in matters of faith and practice.
It made no attempt to state a Brethren
position on the issue.

The overwhelming endorsement of the
paper by the delegates reflected a unity
felt by Brethren despite a diversity of at-
titudes toward biblical inspiration and
authority.

In an attempt to share the essence of
the long but important report with as
great a number of Brethren as possible.
Messenger here reproduces edited sec-
tions of the paper and quotes verbatim
the affirmative statements on which
Brethren do agree, as well as the areas in
which some still disagree.

Brethren generally affirm the inspiration
of the Bible and the primacy of its
authority for faith and practice. Brethren
differ on the nature of the inspiration, the
equality of authority within the Bible and
the exclusiveness of the Bible's authority
in relation to the authority of the church,
other inspired writing and contemporary
leading of the Spirit.

There are Brethren who believe the Bi-
ble is the divinely inspired word of God,
completely without error in the King
James Version. God controlled the writing
so that each word and phrase should be
interpreted literally and followed exactly.
The Bible's authority is absolute and it is
not open to challenge from any source.

A second group's position is similar to
the one above but with a more Anabap-
tist, traditional Brethren point of view.
The Bible is without error in the original
autographs and any conflicts within the
text are only seeming discrepancies due to
our own lack of understanding. The King

12 MESSENGER October 1979

What do
Brethren believe

about the
Bible?

James Version is not the only English
translation considered reliable. Scripture
passages are studied in light of their con-
text, the laws of grammar and the form of
biblical writing they represent. The total
Bible is uniquely inspired and has the
highest authority for life.

A third group of Brethren point to
Christ as the only perfect Word of God.
The Old Testament is judged by the New
Testament, the whole Bible by the witness
of Jesus Christ, our supreme authority.
Jesus' teachings are the basic guide for
faith and practice, the canon within the
canon. The Bible was created by interac-
tion between God and people and is a
mixture of human frailty and the perfect
wisdom of God. It points beyond itself to
God.

A.

Lnother group of Brethren emphasize
the Bible's roots in the faith community —
written by the faith community, for the
faith community. It is salvation history,
the record of God's action. The focus of
inspiration is the people. "The Bible is the
touchstone to measure our experience
against the record of God's interaction
with his people. The authority is in the
words and spirit, checked by Christian
community today, a continuing channel
for God's revelation." Themes and prin-
ciples are emphasized in presenting its
message for our day.

Finally, there are Brethren who hold the
Bible has great value when understood as
a "human concept of God," open to er-
ror. It is inspired, but other writings are
inspired in the same way. The authority it
has depends on its relevance for life today
and will vary from one book to another
as a result of the differing insights of in-
dividual writers.

Beyond the conscious affirmations
Brethren make about the Bible and its

role as authority, many suggest practice
often does not follow conviction. Instead
Brethren take their authority either from a
set of ideals that may be biblically rooted
and confirmed by tradition and the com-
munity of the church today, or they ac-
cept the authority of society, living by the
values shared by the majority.

The diversity among Brethren is further
evidenced by many Brethren insisting that
the Bible is "without error in all its
statements." Many others are equally con-
vinced of the falseness of that assertion.
Brethren agree that the word of God is
revealed in the Bible, although they
disagree about whether the Bible is, con-
tains or witnesses to the word of God.

Brethren affirm the value of the con-
tinued existence of diversity in our com-
munion, emphasizing unity and love
rather than judgment and rejection.
Brethren are not ready to condemn cur-
rent Brethren preaching, biblical literacy
or biblical commitment. Most suggest our
differences center in interpretation rather
than the authority given to the Bible.

There is strong feeling against the for-
mulation of an official Brethren statement
of basic biblical doctrine or a requirement
that ministers be screened by their will-
ingness to sign such a statement.

Brethren generally are not willing to
give the authority for biblical interpreta-
tion to the community of belie\ers rather
than individuals on their own. They do
not, however, take a purely indi\idualistic
approach to problem texts. Most say they
refer to commentaries or discuss these
passages with a Sunday school class or
other small group. Quite a few rely entire-

St. Matthew receives the gospel from an angel messenger in this painting by Rent.

and live by the faith, a window through
which life is to be viewed.

Finally, Brethren express overwhelming
support for making increased biblical
awareness one of the top five priorities of
the church in the next five years, affirm-
ing the importance of knowing the con-
tent of the Bible as a basis for life
directed by its teaching.

Affirmations for Brethren today. Brethren
are a church deeply rooted in scripture. It
is not enough, however, merely to recount
the story of our biblical heritage. We
must go on to raise this question: What
can we say together about the Bible as a
guideline for our approach to scripture to-
day? The statements which follow invite
us to affirm with one another certain
shared convictions about the Bible — and
to acknowledge those areas where we are
not yet fully agreed. Linked together in
this way, these double statements remind
us both of the rich unity we already can
celebrate, and of the unity toward which
we still need to strive.

ly on the insights the Spirit reveals to
them in prayer.

Although there is a concern about use
of a critical method that seeks to exclude
the supernatural from scripture, a sizeable
majority of Brethren believe the historical
or critical method of Bible study enables
improved understanding.

B,

' rethren still place their greatest em-
phasis on the teachings of Jesus. Most
agree that "no creed but the New Testa-
ment" says what needs to be said about
biblical authority for the Brethren,
although many suggest the phrase must be
defined more sharply to be helpful.

Hardly any Brethren wish to say the Bi-
ble's authority is the same as that of other

books rooted in centuries of experience.
Rather they tie the authority to the Bible's
witness to Jesus and its role as the basic
statement of faith for the church.

Almost all agree that the Bible is the
result of the work of the Holy Spirit with
people, rejecting a focus of the creativity
and imagination of its human writers.
There is much concern among Brethren to
call attention to God's initiative, underlin-
ing the importance of the Bible as a
revelation of God's work in the world
with men and women. Further, the
necessity for continued openness to God
in understanding the Bible's witness and
being able to live its message is frequently
mentioned.

Brethren see the Bible as "our story," a
gift that provides a tool to understand

1) We affirm the inspiration of the Bi-
ble, acknowledging with mind and heart
that the Bible is a book of the Spirit.
Both the biblical writers and those whose
witness contributed to their message were
empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Because of this presence of God enabling
and equipping the biblical writers, we hear
God's own word addressing us through
the words of scripture.

iVe are not yet agreed on whether in-
spiration is a finished or continuing pro-
cess. Some of us believe that God's Spirit
inspires new prophetic witness in the com-
munity of believers in every age, in con-
tinuity with the biblical witness. Others of
us believe that the work of the Spirit in
guiding the biblical writers was unique
and now completed, and that the present

October 1979 messenger 13

Recommendations

In our diversity we are not yet fully agreed on all that it means for Brethren to
respond faithfully to the message of the Bible in our day. We are agreed, however,
on the need for a continuing dialog with and about scripture that we might
experience biblical renewal in our midst. To that end we make the following
recommendations to and for the church:

1) We recommend to the General Board that increased biblical awareness be a
top priority for Board program over the next five years, with serious Bible study as
a basic ingredient in our pursuit of the Goals for the 80s.

2) We recommend to the Parish Ministries Commission that a study guide be
prepared to enable congregations to use this statement as a resource for church
school classes and other small group settings. This study guide could include the
statement itself, additional materials gathered by the committee, suggestions for
group study and recommendations of additional resources for further study.

3) We recommend both the Parish Ministries Commission and to the districts
that Bible study events be designed and carried out which allow for in-
depth sharing of diverse approaches to biblical texts, at both the district and
congregational levels.

4) We recommend to all concerned that there be a more complete
representation of persons holding different viewpoints on the Bible's inspiration
and authority at all levels of the church's life, including the General Board,
national and district staff, seminary faculty, writers for church publications and
Annual Conference committees.

5) We recommend to one another as members of the church that we commit
ourselves afresh as individuals to searching the Scriptures, with sensitivity to the
message of both the Old and New Testaments, opening ourselves to the new light
which may yet break forth from God's word.

role of the Spirit is entirely one of illumin-
ing what the Bible says.

* * *

2) We affirm that the Bible is first and
foremost an account of God's quest to
find us, not merely our human quest to
find God. From beginning to end scrip-
ture attests God's own decisive action to
become known through word and deed.
And scripture itself is a central part of
this divine self-revelation.

iVe are not yet fully agreed on the way
the divine and the human are related in
the origin of the Bible. Some of us would
sharply distinguish between revelation and
normal human processes of discovery and
reflection. Others of us would see a close
relationship between the two.

* * *

3) We affirm that the Bible, rightly inter-
preted, is a fully trustworthy guide for our
lives. In this sense we reaffirm our historic
understanding of scripture as an infallible
rule of faith and practice. With these and
other expressions we honor and acknowl-
edge the unique authority of the Bible.

We are not yet agreed on whether
"trustworthy" means "inerrant. " Some of
us believe that the Bible's witness to its
own authority implies that the statements
of scripture are without error of any kind,
whether factual, historical or doctrinal.
Others of us believe that such a claim is
both contrary to the intent of the biblical
writers and a denial of the true human-
ness of scripture.

* * *

4) We affirm the need to interpret scrip-
ture in the light of scripture. When we fail
to discern how a particular text relates to
the rest of the Bible, we are likely to
distort its meaning or press its significance
in an unbiblical way. We agree that we
need to weigh scripture against scripture
rather than appeal to favorite texts while
ignoring others.

We are not yet agreed on what this
means for a number of particular issues
facing the church. For example: How do
we put together the proclamation that
God's kingdom has already begun to
dawn with apocalyptic predictions of in-

creasing evil in the world? How do we put
together the variety of New Testament
texts which deal with the relationships of
women and men? Etc.

* * *

5) We affirm that all scripture must be
interpreted in the light of God's self-
revelation in Jesus Christ. While God
speaks to us through all parts of the Bi-
ble, we must read the Old Testament in
the light of the New, and the New in
terms of its witness to God's gift of life in
Jesus Christ. It is Jesus Christ who is tru-
ly the Word of God made flesh and
through whom we perceive scripture as
one unified account of redemption.

We are not yet agreed on the scope of
the diversity we find in the Bible. Some of
us believe that all biblical statements are
historically conditioned, and that new
understandings sometimes correct or
supersede older ones. Others of us believe
that there are no fundamental differences
in outlook between the Old Testament
and the New, or between particular
biblical writers.

* * *

6) We affirm the need for a careful,
disciplined approach to the study of the
Bible. This calls for the use of the best
texts and translations available to us. It
also calls for sensitivity to the literary and
historical context of passages we wish to
study. Undergirding all sUch study must
be an openness to the same Spirit who in-
spired the biblical message.

We are not yet agreed on the relative
value of the historical-critical method as a
tool to assist us in Bible study. Some of
us view it as extremely helpful in
reconstructing the origin and significance
(Continued on page 30)

14 MESSENGER October 1979

(g(o)[l[U][nfii[nl

by T. Wayne Rieman

Of spiritual things

Wn

'ill you picture in your minds a huge
spreading tree? Let this be a favorite tree,
a tree of your childhood memories. Its
trunk supports the long branches which
reach outward and upward toward the
sunlight. Season after season it stands
braving the wind and the rain. It gives its
shelter freely to all who seek it. It is a
thing of courage, strength and beauty.
Wherein lies its secret? How can it stand
so beautifully, so solidly year after year?

Beneath the trunk are the long tapering
fingers of an immense root system. As the
leaves respond to the sunlight, so the
roots respond to the pull of water and
gravity. In reality, the size and strength of
the trunk and branches are determined by
the size of the root system. It is the
rootage which explains the quiet strength
and beauty of the tree. Hungry and thirs-
ty roots yield themselves to unseen pulls
and forces.

It is of rootage — but human rootage —
that I wish to speak. For the size, beauty,
strength and effectiveness of a Christian
life are determined by its rootage, and by
the extent to which it is yielded to the
quiet, unseen forces of the spiritual world.

A first duty of the minister and Chris-
tian worker is to know God, to stand in
awe before him, and to enter into intimate
companionship with him. Then, when we
know him, we may hope to open the
hearts and minds of our people that they
too may know and receive him.

Of the many things which hinder our
intimacy with God and our effectiveness
in Christian living, let me point to a cer-
tain poverty of our souls and shallowness
of our roots. In our scientific age, in our
cultural sophistication, in the belief that
intellectualism will yield the answers to

life's pressing problems, many of us have
lost something which helps us to worship.
With our intellrctual pursuits and activism
there come cocksureness and self-
sufficiency. We come to worship without
wonder or awe. We fail to see the beauty
of the mystery of things, for the sense of
mystery is gone. And with the loss of
wonder has gone the capacity for deep
worship — we cannot get beyond our own
self-seeking in prayer.

He

lOw often a little child is struck with
awe and wonder! Except we become sim-
ple, childlike and humble and filled with
wonder, how shall we enter the kingdom?
How insensitive we adults are to the
wonderful things about us: the loveliness
of a tree silhouetted against the high
horizons, the rustle of leaves in autumn,
the soft sounds of slowly falling snow, the
warm handclasp of a friend, the mystery
of a seed — the comfort of the strains of
majestic music, human solidarity, the con-
stancy of day and night, the return of the
seasons. These simple things are the
forms and symbols of a reality of which
we may be a part. Failing to wonder, we
fail to reach out for the spiritual food and
drink which means real growth and Chris-
tian beauty. We are blind to the reality of
the spirit world in which we live, whose
forces may strengthen us and buoy us up,
in which we are immersed.

We are like a minnow in a stream near
the ocean. It comes to know every nook
and cranny in the stream — the pebbles,
the holes, the current, the mad rushing of
the water in flood time. .^11 of these it
may know, but what does it know of the
sun and the moon whose movements

cause the tides, or the trade winds, or the
torrents of rain which flood the stream,
or of gravity and all the other physical
forces which control and shape its
destiny?

So too there are unsuspected deeps and
great spiritual forces which condition and
control our small lives. We live in a world
governed by truth, mercy, justice, il-
limitable love, grace — the will of God!
These are our spiritual heritage. In these
things we may be rooted and grounded.
May our rootage be deep and wide. May
we respond to these unseen, but real
spiritual pulls and attractions.

We need not let the routine and
enmeshing circumstances of the day's ac-
tivities rob us of a vision of God and the
spiritual realities. There may come to us
daily, moments of transfiguration when
we see the wonder and splendor of God,
and from this reverence and humility
come to communion with Him. But these
may be more than moments. We may live
on a level where our souls are constantly
oriented to the reality of God and therein
be lost in contemplation on the majesty
and beauty of God — in the beauty of
holiness —in perfect com-
munion—conscious of the presence of the
eternal — "lost in wonder, love and
praise. " D

T. Wayne Rieman, recently of the Manchester Col-
lege faculty, is a member of the General Board.

October 1979 messenger 15

®M^ §M(if

Th« cursing o

On ihe following day, when they came
from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing
in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to
see if he could find anything on it. When
he came to it, he found nothing but leaves,
for it was not the season for figs. And he
said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from
you again. "And his disciples heard it. As
they passed by in the morning, they saw the
fig tree withered away to its roots. And
Peter remembered and said to him, "Mas-
ter look! The fig tree which you cursed has
withered" (Mark 11:12-14; 20-21).

The cursing of the fig tree is one of the
most perplexing stories in the New Testa-
ment. It raises a host of questions, but does
not seem to suggest any answers.

Jesus is hungry and wants to eat figs.
But he sees this fig tree in April, when the
tree has lots of leaves, but no fruit as yet. It
bears figs in June. So, Jesus curses the tree,
which promptly withers. So for the story.

It is not an elevating tale. Jesus looks
like a rather nutty kind of person. How
does he expect a tree to bear two months
before its appointed season? And why be
so peeved to curse an innocent tree? Is it
just because he does not get his way?

It seems to be out of character for Jesus
to do such a strange thing. When we con-
sider the other miracles of Jesus, we notice
that they always help the understanding of
people and often, also, their immediate
bodily needs. Think, for instance, of the
healings, the miraculous feeding, the walk-
ing on the water. Yes, also, this latter
miracle is not intended to satisfy any ab-
surd need on Jesus' part to walk on water,
but it aims to broaden the understanding
of the disciples. They learn that Jesus is
also the Lord of nature. This can, of
course, also be seen in the cursing of the fig

tree. Yet, we can not neglect the fact that
this tree is cursed out of its season. There
must be some meaning in that fact.

Some commentators have dismissed this
story altogether. It does not make sense to
them and they cast it out. That is the
easiest way out of the problem, but it clear-
ly will not do for us.

Another approach has been to compare
this story in Mark 1 1 with the parable of
the fig tree in Luke 13:6-9. That tree had
never born fruit yet and its owner had a
mind to cut it down. But the gardener
pleads with the master to give the tree one
more chance. "I will add manure, cultivate
the ground around the tree," he says, "Let
us see what happens."

In its context the Lukan story refers to
Israel, which has not yet repented. Israel
has not yet borne the fruit of repentance
and is given its last chance because of
Jesus' coming in the world.

It has been suggested that the story of
the cursed fig tree is of the same type.
These interpreters think that the story in
Mark was originally a parable. Later it was
mistakenly understood to have been an ac-
tual happening, a miracle. It is a possibili-
ty, of course, but for us it also will not do.

Why not take the story at face value and
see what it can mean? Granted that at first
sight it is a strange tale, maybe it will yield
some insight if we poke around a bit.

Let us assume, as a working hypothesis,
that this is not a miracle or a parable, but
an action sermon of Jesus. He loved to use
those. Think of how he placed a child in
the midst of the disciples, how he made a
banquet out of the feeding of the multi-
tude, how he used a coin with Caesar's im-
age on it. The purpose of such action ser-
mons is always to make the point of the
sermon so vivid that it cannot be forgotten.

Qcd accG^Dts no oxcusos- oroducG

16 MESSENGER October 1979

"Christ and the Fig Tree, " by

Marvin Hayes. Reprinted from

God's Images. Copyright '^

1977, Oxmoor House, Box

2262, Birmingham, AL 35202.

All rights reserved.

In this case the dramatic effect is so
strong that it almost obscures the purpose
of the action. But the message is very im-
portant. Just as the poor fig tree is sup-
posed to perform before it is ready, so we
too may be confronted with a crisis
which is so desperate, that we have to per-
form impossibilities or perish.

The New Testament, as well as the Old,
contains many stories of people in just
that position. How do you thini< Moses
felt when he was told to take his people
out of Egypt? Or the 1 1 Disciples when
they were given the charge to evangelize
the whole world? Eleven people! The
whole world! What about Paul, on his
way to arrest Christians, and suddenly
called to become a disciple?

All those people could justifiably say
that they were not yet ready. It was not
yet their season to produce. But they had
to perform, ready or not.

It is this way also for us. God calls us
whenever he pleases and we feel most of
the time that his calls come before our
season. But he accepts no excuses. Pro-
duce or perish, is his motto.

During World War II, many simple peo-
ple performed feats of heroism. With enor-
mous risk of life, they carried messages in
the underground resistance movement
against Nazism and Fascism. People with-
out any formal training often outdid their
superiors in bravery. They could never
have done so under normal circumstances.
But, then, the circumstances were not
normal, it was not yet their season, and
they produced fruit beyond expectation.

If seen in this light, the story of the
cursed fig tree makes very good sense.
Produce or perish. D

Ton van den Doel is a former missionary in Nigeria
and Indonesia.

Dcpacm / by on van dan UOG.

October 1979 messenger 17

Rarely do we have opportunity to go behind the
scenes of celestial wheeling and dealing. When we
do, the revelations are shocking.

The Groacher file

by Ken Gibble

It has been nearly 40 years now since C.
S. Lewis announced his discovery of The
Screwtape Letters, a correspondence from
one Screwtape, a bureaucrat in high office
in Hell, to his nephew Wormwood, recent
graduate of the Tempters' Training Col-

lege and new assignee to an official Temp-
tership on Earth.

Like Lewis, I have no intention of
revealing how the following set of letters
came into my possession. Suffice to say
that the rarity of this kind of cor-
respondence is itself proof of the highly
clandestine nature of demonic activity.

18 MESSENGER October 1979

Addressed to: Raphael of Dawn

The Court of Celestial Light
Heaven

Distinguished Adversary:

\ confess to no little surprise at receiving
your letter yesterday. Had anyone sug-
gested to me that personal exchange be-
tween your world and mine were possible
at all (except, of course, at the highest of-
ficial levels) I would have laughed in his
face.

I confess also to considerable surprise at
the contents of your missive. Behind all
your heavenly jargon ("The Divine
Prerogatives," "Blissful Design," "Prov-
idential Prudence," etc., etc.) I detected
the unmistakable invitation to negotiate,
or as our friends the earthling Amer-
icans are fond of saying, to make a
"deal."

Your letter did satisfy my curiosity on
one point, and in fact, confirmed my
suspicions. I had always wondered, and
thought it quite likely, that your system of
organization had progressed much as ours
had. I'm sure you'll agree that the old
system of assigning one agent (angelic — in
your case, diabolical — in our case) to
every mortal has outlived its usefulness. It
may have served well enough in simpler
times; but, as our teachers at training
school insisted, new realities demand new
methods. The sociological approach
makes so much more sense, don't you
think? With one agent assigned to a
business office, another to a country club,
another to a school, still another to a
local political party, we can each
specialize according to our training and
personal preference. We have the advan-
tage too of conferring with our colleagues
on the progress, or more happily, the
regress of the poor creatures who come
under our jurisdiction.

In fact, just two days ago, in one of
our conferences, we hit upon a strategy
that we have great hopes for. Naturally
the details are classified, but I can tell you
that it involves a bank, a group of politi-
cians and (I'm proud to say) the church
to which I've been assigned. This kind of
collaboration makes possible the achieve-
ment of a delightful level of mistrust, in-
justice and the inevitable resulting despair
which our old methods could never have
achieved.

One thing I'm not clear on, however, is
whether or not an assignment to a church

represents a desirable or undersirable posi-
tion for your heavenly agents. (By the
way, I know you prefer the term "angels,"
but I'm so used to our term — that I find it
hard to make the switch.) Looking at it
from your point of view, I suppose being
made the spiritual overseer of a group of
Christians could be a real honor. The
possibilities for the advancement of your
cause are greater than if you were placed
in charge of a labor union, let's say, or
the Chamber of Commerce. On the other
hand, it could be that your superiors
regard looking after a church as requiring
less effort and creative ability than would
be a secular group. To be blunt, maybe
you're a church angel because you can't
cut it, out there in the real world.

The truth is I have no way of knowing
if you're a top-notch agent or a hopelessly
inept one. I don't mind telling you,
however, that our philosophy here in Hell
calls for assigning only the best agents to
church groups. Our reasoning is that
while Christians do have unlimited poten-
tial for doing the will of the Lord of
Heaven, they have an equally unlimited
potential for serving the Prince of
Darkness. With proper cultivation and en-
couragement, our agents can convert sim-
ple goodness into smug self-righteousness,
sincere devotion into a delicious. Up-
smacking fanaticism. Need I remind you
that some of the earthlings' most vicious
and bloody doings have arisen from their
reUgion? We regard such things as the
continuing upheaval in the Middle East
and "the Jonestown massacre" as two of
our smashing successes.

Cf

^ ou can see, therefore, that my new
^ assignment to the Riverdale
Church is a step up for me. It represents a
reward for my diligent and imaginative
work on behalf of our Malevolent Lord.

But now to the business at hand. In
your letter you state that the good people
of Riverdale have been under your care
for the past 20 years, and that you've
been pleased with their progress. You are
much too modest, worthy counterpart!
Our intelligence network reports that this
church represents a real danger to our
Cause; that its people are united in their
commitment, that they are reaching out to
others in Christian love, to name just two
of their repulsive accomplishments. I con-
gratulate you on your achievement.

What prompted your letter to me, I am

sure, was the headway I have already
made in the Riverdale ranks in the few
short months I've been there. I'm over-
joyed that so soon I've thrown the
proverbial wrench into your plans by
dropping a few half-truths here and there.
My predecessor at Riverdale, as you pro-
bably know, was incompetent. He had
been a political appointment; he was, in
fact, the nephew of Grubgruel, the
District Supervisor.

jV t any rate, your offer, as I under-

%^ stand it, is that you will allow me
to have full ownership of the five River-
dale members, whom you describe as "in-
fluential and respected believers." In
return for these five souls, I must agree to
ask for reassignment to another post.

Your proposal has its attractions, I ad-
mit. It would be a feather in my cap to
announce the capture of five mortals in so
short a time. But I do not intend to ac-
cept your offer. First, because I've ob-
viously given you a scare or you wouldn't
have made the offer in the first place. I
intend to pursue my advantage. In fact,
with hard work and a little luck, I just
may be able to win over a dozen or more
key lay members and maybe even the
pastor before the year is out. I've noticed
that the Reverend Mr. Bliss vacillates be-
tween feeling positive and negative about
his work. If I can catch him in one of
those low periods . . . well, the Devil only
knows what could happen.

Secondly, I'm not fooled by your self-
styled "generous" offer. The five persons
you are so wiUing to sacrifice are, in no
particular order: 1) a gossip; 2) a
hypocrite; 3) a constant complainer about
everything; 4) a marginal member who
usually makes it to church only on
Christmas and Easter and 5) an
ungenerous soul who has plenty of money
to spend on his own personal hobbies,
oyster fishing and coin collecting, but who
screams bloody murder when asked to
make a financial commitment to the
church.

Admit it, you'd be relieved to get rid of
all five of them. So it's "no deal," my
celestial rival.
Yours,

Pharnum Groacher
Agent for Subversion and Corruption
Riverdale Division

P.S. How can you heavenly creatures con-
tinue to delude vourselves? Ultimate

20 MESSENGER October 1979

victory belongs to the Forces of Darkness.
Look what we've got on our side at pres-
ent: the ever-growing spread of nuclear
weapons, inflation, international terrorism
and Hustler magazine. You haven't got a
chance.

Addressed to: Pharnum Groacher, Agent
Riverdale Division
Nether Region
Hades

Sir:

found your recent letter interest-
ing . . . and amusing. Despite your
glowing version of what you regard as
your devilish accomplishments, the truth
is that you are in deep trouble. I happen
to know, for instance, that your financial
records have been under close scrutiny by
the Infernal Revenue Service. It seems
you've been abusing your expense account
privileges. Naughty, naughty! You, of all
creatures, should know you've got to give
the devil his due.

Then there's the matter of your being
"promoted" to the Riverdale assignment.
Horsefeathers! This is your last chance to
make it in an important post. If you fail
this time, well ... as you would so ap-
propriately put it . . . where you'll end up
the devil only knows.

And, of course, your implication that I
was offering you five souls as a bribe to
get rid of you is too ridiculous for words.
I merely pointed out that the persons in
question seem to have more in common
with the methods of your side than our
own. My suggestion that you pull out of
the Riverdale assignment voluntarily was
for your own good. Better to ask for a
transfer than to get kicked out. Face it,
Groacher, you're in over your head. By
getting out now, you may save your
skin — at least for the time being. You're
way behind on your quota, and soon
there'll be the devil to pay. (My apologies
for these witticisms, dear Groacher; bad
jokes are the one temptation I've never
been able to overcome.)

Actually, I've grown almost fond of
you — watching you from this distance.
You try so hard, in your own bumbling
way, that I almost find myself pulling for
you sometimes. It's rather like rooting for
Charlie Brown — the cartoon character? —
to win a ball game. You know he never

will win, but just once you hope he'll get
lucky. I can almost hear you muttering to
yourself as Charlie Brown does: "How can
I lose when I'm so sincere?"

And really, Groacher, that post script
in your letter — you remember, about in-
flation, terrorism, Hustler magazine? Can
you possibly be so naive? Whatever are
they teaching these days in your training
schools?

Surely you must know such things are
more useful to our side, in the long run,
than to yours. An experience of evil,
while it causes much regrettable suffering,
brings mortals to an awareness that
without God they are destined to perish.
Or, to quote a book I know you are
thoroughly familiar with (and choose to
cite frequently for your own purposes),
"the wages of sin is death."

No. The things you really have going
for you are a much different kind. The
people of Riverdale, for example, are
much more likely to be turned aside from
the paths of righteousness by a rising
stock market, by the smiling tv parson
Robert Schuler and his "possibility think-
ing," by life insurance, or by a pizza "with
everything." Not that any of them are evil
in themselves. All those things, you see,
are desirable; the more of them people
have, the better they feel. Until finally,
they begin to believe life can be truly
fulfilling to the degree they possess these
things and others like them.

Maybe that's why you'll never be able
to make it in the big-time temptation
business, Groacher. You have no sense of
subtlety. In a word — no class.

My advice to you is to take what you can
get out of the present situation and request
a transfer to a less demanding post.
Cordially,
Raphael of Dawn

Addressed to: Raphael of Dawn

The Court of Celestial Light
Heaven

Sir:

"Ts or reasons which I am not permitted
^ to divulge, I am willing to come to a
gentleman's agreement regarding the
Riverdale situation. However, in addition
to the five persons we've already dis-
cussed, I'm demanding custody also of the
Collins couple, new and potentially

dynamic Christians, as well as John Stern,
long-time member. The sacrifice of these
three, while it will represent a setback from
your point of view, will nonetheless be a
small price to pay for ridding yourself of
my infiuence. I promise to see to it that my
successor to the Riverdale project will be a
easy-going, unambitious demon.

With this success under my belt, 1 hope
to be able to get an appointment to a top-
level spot — like the World Council of
Churches or maybe even the Vatican.

Let me know immediately if you agree
to my terms.
Sincerely,
Pharnum Groacher

Summons from: Central Offices

Perdition Intelligence

Agency
Doomsgrave Square
Hades
to: Pharnum Groacher
Agent Groacher:

You are hereby summoned to report to
the Central Office Building, Perdition In-
telligence Agency, Room 666, on Monday
next at 1300 hours. You will answer
charges against you of misuse of expense
monies, of willingness to conspire with the
Enemy for personal gain and of general
incompetence.
Sincerely,

Superintendent Moresely Clamper
P. S. — Dear Pharnum,
Haven't seen you since we graduated.
Sorry to have to send you this, old boy,
but rules are rules. Guess you hadn't
heard I'd moved up over here at the PIA.
We've had you under surveillance for
some time now. Never thought you'd fall
for that phony-letter-from-Heaven
business. You should have known their
people don't make deals of any kind. We
got you with the goods, I'm afraid.

Cheer up, though. I'll do my best to get
you off easy. After a century or so of
house haunting, maybe I can even land
you a modest post again — say in one of
the wilderness galaxies, or, if you want
another assignment on Earth, how about
Tibet?

After all, what are fiends (oops), I mean
friends for?
Regards,
Moresely D

Ken Cibble is pastor of the Ridgeway Commumly
congregalion in Harnsburg, Pa.

October 1979 messenger 21

Medicine

William Beahm stored
away humor to be
brought forth in
some cold,
barren

discussion that needed
the medicine of mirth.

William Beahm's wit was both immediate
and planned. In the words of Earle W.
Fike Jr., "He was a connoisseur of words
and idioms, and he pored over his
treasures like a coin collector or a rock
hound. If something struck his fancy, he
stored it away, squirrel-like, to be brought
forth in some cold, barren discussion that
needed the medicine of mirth."

WiUiam Beahm served as a missionary,
seminary professor, churchman, General
Board member and Annual Conference
secretary and moderator. In all his con-
tacts with Brethren he was loved for his
wisdom, wit and humor. Yet he rarely
betrayed — beyond a smile and twinkly
eyes — the fountain of mirth within him.
An anxious niece once asked her mother,
"Uncle William says such funny things,
but he's so solemn. Is it all right to
laugh?"

Yes, it is all right. We hope you enjoy
this small dose of William Beahm's
"medicine of mirth." For larger
doses — the whole bottle — order Earle W.
Pike's book, A Raspberry Seed Under
God's Denture, from The Brethren Press,
1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
($4.95).

• The classrooms in the old Bethany
Seminary had thin walls. William was
teaching Christian ethics in one room and
in the next room Floyd Mallott was
teaching wisdom literature. On one occa-
sion Mallott roared forth, "Why do the
righteous suffer?" Hearing the words
through the wall, Wilham turned to the
class, "I don't know, do you?"

• "There is a standing rule that you are
not supposed to learn anything in
seminary until you pay the treasurer, but
don't let that deter you from coming to
class."

• William made a very caustic remark
in a faculty meeting. Almost-new faculty
member Graydon Snyder added his feel-

22 MESSENGER October 1979

of mirth

ings, which were even more disagreeable
than William's. As if he had been waiting
for the right time, William looked at
Graydon and said, "That's a snider
remark than I made."

• "Grace and salvation are unnecessary
apart from sin. I once knew a doctor who
could only cure people with fits. If they
didn't have fits he would give them fits
and then cure them."

• "Extending the Church through
Christian mission should not be limited to
one or two acceptable methods. It should
be a lavish uncalculating effort. Bet on
every horse and put eggs in every basket."

• He greeted his class in basic doctrines
one morning by saying, "Brothers, today
we are starting the subject of good and
evil, and I tell you, there is more to it
than meets the eye."

• On the relationship between
forgiveness and repentance, he said, "We
have bliss on the one hand and blisters on
the other."

• "The Trinity is like a three-legged
milking stool. The whole stool is God,
and the legs are the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit."

• "Sin is like a raspberry seed under
God's denture."

• William looked long and hard at a
salad served by a women's group at a dis-
trict meeting. It consisted of green Jell-O
with chunks of cottage cheese and other,
red and purple goodies suspended through
it. He toyed at it with a fork and said,
"For fear it may taste the way it looks,
few will even start — if it does, none will
finish."

• WiUiam returned to the Akron City
Church of the Brethren, the church where

he was ordained, for a special service.
There were elaborate decorations of ferns
and fioral pieces around the pulpit. Being
short, as he stood to speak he couldn't see
the congregation for the ferns. Leaning
forward, he parted the greenery and
began his sermon with, "The voice of one
crying in the wilderness."

• "Sin is central, not peripheral, in the
experience of man. You can't clean up the
water by painting the town pump."

• It was not unusual to hear William
answer roll call by saying, "A little Beahm
in darkness, let it grow."

• During the Colorado Springs Annual
Conference, Calvert Ellis was moderator,
and William was writing clerk. Rufus
Bowman, a large man, sat down on a
chair; the chair broke and he went right
on down to the floor. There was concern
about him being hurt, but as he began to
chuckle at his own predicament, William
reached for the mike and said, "Brother
Rufus Bowman has the floor."

• William was short. While moderator
of Annual Conference he stood up and
found that the microphone needed to be
raised in order for him to speak into it.
While working to raise it, he commented,
"It has taken me 55 years to discover that
I am too tall."

• In reflecting on some of his experi-
ences in Nigeria, he shared how difficult it
was there to convert people from the
Islamic faith to Christianity in view of the
fact that polygamy was allowed in Islam,
but not in Christianity. "There is a text," he
said, "to describe our Christian missionary
effort among the Mohammedans — 'We
have fished all night and caught nothing.' "

• At a district mass rally, William was
the featured speaker of the evening. The
event was held at a district camp and

several districts were represented. The
meeting started about 7:30 p.m. and
droned on with many different things tak-
ing place in the service before William was
even introduced. At about 9 p.m. the wor-
ship leader introduced him and said, "We
have given Brother Beahm the freedom to
choose his own subject." William came to
the speaker's stand and began by saying,
"1 would rather have been given the
freedom to choose my own time."

• A favorite phrase upon returning
home after an extended trip: "It's sure
good to be back to your own vine and fig
leaf."

• A concerned sister approached
William and asked him in hushed tones,
"Is it true, Brother Beahm, that in Africa
the people don't wear any clothes?"
"That's not true," he said, "except when
we baptize them."

• "There was this Pennsylvania brother
who went 300 miles to Annual Meeting at
Philadelphia. He wrote home to his wife
and said, 'Dear Ma, If the world goes as
far on the other side as it does this way, it
must be quite a place.'"

• In the early stages of William's ill-
ness, before it was known that his condi-
tion was terminal, a friend asked how he
was doing. He responded, "1 am doing
fairy well, and the doctors have told me
that I will probably die of some other
cause before what 1 have takes me. That
pleased me," he said, "until 1 stopped to
think about it."

• During his hospital convalescence, he
was resting one day when a knock came
on the door. A nurse entered, and she
proceeded to give him a bath, a "wash all
over" as William called it. When she had
finished and was just about to go out the
door, he said, "Nurse, 1 have a question.
Why did you bother to knock?" D

October 1979 messenger 23

Divorce: One church's

by Donald R. Jordan

"The church has not always responded to
divorce helpfully. Congregations are en-
couraged to discover ways in which the
church can support, sustain and redeem
the brokenness of the people involved."
These prophetic words from the Annual
Conference Statement on Marriage and
Divorce became quite real to me as a
result of two conversations in the past
couple of years.

The first conversation occurred during
my interview for a staff position with the
Beacon Heights church in Fort Wayne,
Ind. In response to my question about
concerns facing their congregation, one
woman indicated that the number of ac-
tive members experiencing divorce was
troubling. "How do we minister helpfully
to divorcees? How can we continue to
strengthen others in their marriages?" It
was rather obvious that the pain ex-
perienced by those being divorced was
shared by others in the congregation.

The second conversation occurred some
six months later. In a men's breakfast
group, one man shared his anger and
suspicion toward his former wife. His
feelings stemmed from his difficulty in
maintaining regular visitation times with
his children. Attempts to communicate
with his former wife about this problem
often resulted in broken phone conversa-
tions. Resorting to the help of a lawyer
only caused greater tension, and was ex-
pensive. He wondered if there were not
some way the church could help divorced
persons work through the conflicts related
to their children.

How do we respond to the questions
and concerns raised by these two persons?
Can we carry out the directive of the An-
nual Conference statement?

In the past several years Beacon Heights
has had three marriage enrichment
weekends. Thirty-three couples have given
time and money for the purpose of
strengthening their marriages. Ralph and
Mary Detrick, General Board Parish

Ministries staff for life cycle ministries,
spent a day with us focusing on marriage.
In the next year plans are under way for a
once-a-month Sunday evening workshop
on marriage and two additional marriage
enrichment weekends. This concerted ef-
fort to enrich our marriages represents
one side of the coin in our congregation's
response to divorce. "Let's do something
constructive to help those who are still
married, or have remarried" is the rallying
cry of this effort. Marriage enrichment is
an appropriate response to divorce. Our
churches need to provide resources and
support to those who are married. One
might look at this as preventive
medicine.

The other side of the coin, that of how
to include and minister to those who are
divorced, has been more difficult. The
first concrete step in this direction at
Beacon Heights occurred when the adult
education committee asked my wife and
me to plan and head a church school elec-
tive for adults titled "The Single Person in
the Church." We were elated when per-
sons of various ages and marital status
joined the class. There were divorcees,
singles who had never married and mar-
ried persons, but we soon found out that
one common denominator shared by all in
the class was some personal experience
with divorce. For those not themselves di-
vorced, there was often a child or a close
friend who had been divorced. While we
discussed many aspects of being single,
divorce became our primary focus.

At the beginning the class was invited
to share concerns they wanted to discuss.
From their list my wife and I developed
the topics for the class. Because of the
sensitive nature of many of the topics, we
often began the class by having three or
four persons we had asked earlier to sit in
a small circle on the edge of the large cir-
cle and to begin to discuss the concern.
Then after five or 10 minutes, the total
group joined in. A similar method was
used by dividing the entire class into small
groups or even twos to share at a personal

level for part of the class on the concern
for that day. These methods helped involve
everyone in building a sense of community.
In a positive and healing way, the class
helped the church to bring divorce out in
the open. Divorced persons courageously
shared some of the pain and struggle they
had experienced. For several weeks the
group examined some difficult biblical
passages that deal with divorce. The class
sought to understand the passages and

How do we minister
to divorcees? Is there
a way the church can
help them work
through children
conflicts? Reconcilia-
tion can occur even
when the parents
have no intention of
getting together
again.

their impact on our lives. Custodial and
non-custodial parents shared freely of the
difficulties they had in fulfilling their
responsibilities as parents. Men and
women shared their honest differences
about the impact of divorce on each sex.
Also, several weeks were spent in grap-
pling with the Annual Conference State-
ment on Marriage and Divorce.

One divorced woman, with the respon-
sibility for two teenage children, indicated
that the class had enabled her to deal with
her anger toward men, and her feeling
that the non-custodial parent had all the
advantages. Laughing, yet with a growing
awareness, she commented that she would

24 MESSENGER October 1979

If the church is open to divorced persons it can recognize
X* fDkC^f^fWy CJ pk their special ministry — that God's grace is
1. ^ l3 yj \J A X i3 ^ for all persons, married, divorced or single.

never forget the man who had shared in
the class how he had eaten peanut butter
sandwiches for a whole year in order to
be responsible in meeting his support
payments.

Not only did this church school class
bring divorce out in the open where we
could discuss it and learn from our ex-
periences, but also began a process of
reconciliation for those who had felt
alienated from the church because of their
divorces.

As an outgrowth of that class a small
group of divorced women began to meet
regularly with a pastor in a support group.
They met for eight weeks, helping each
other work through feelings about their
divorces and their new roles as single
women. Being able to share honestly about
their divorces with other church members
made the concept of God's forgiveness
more concrete. As they looked to the
future, the possibility of dating and remar-
riage was important yet frightening. One
woman, who was struggling with her rela-
tionship with a man, indicated that talking
it out with the group had helped her come
to terms with that relationship. The small
group approach for support is not a new
idea, but we found it a good resource in
our ministry to divorced persons.

Another unique opportunity for
ministry occurred when the man who had
asked for help in the morning breakfast
group requested that I meet with him and
his former wife. Together we arranged for
a conference with her and her husband
and pastor. When we met, we spent
almost three hours working through some
of the thorny conflicts they had en-
countered in seeking to be responsible
parents, though divorced.

Several aspects of that session were
significant. Before we met, the pastor of
the children interviewed them concerning
their feelings about their father. When the
pastor reported their conversation to us it
gave a visible lift to the non-custodial
father. It is rather common for the non-
custodial parent to feel isolated from the

children. To hear that his children knew
he loved them and that they still con-
sidered him to be their father was both
reassuring and healing and got the session
off to a good start.

After hearing the report about the
children, we then agreed to make as our
agenda a list of concerns shared by both
parents. When the list was finished we
started with the easier concerns and
worked up to the more difficult ones. It
was evident that the presence of both
pastors enabled this divorced couple to
feel more comfortable in each other's
presence and helped keep the conversation
on a constructive level.

Following the session, the man who had
initiated it indicated to me that he was
feeling much better about his relationship,
not only with his children, but with his
former wife. He was less suspicious of her
and saw her in more realistic terms.
Several months later it was also apparent
that he felt more secure in his relationship
with his children and thus was putting less
pressure on them.

This experience shows how reconcilia-
tion can occur in a family when the father
and mother are divorced and have no in-
tentions of getting together again.

Finally, we confirmed our conviction
that, too often, divorced persons turn to
lawyers when conflicts arise between them
and overlook the help the church might
provide. Sometimes legal help is neces-
sary, but seldom will legal assistance
resolve conflicts and promote understand-
ing and growth as occurred in this situa-
tion.

Another important aspect of Beacon
Heights' response to divorce has been the
individual expressions of concern and ac-
ceptance. Recently a divorced woman
shared with obvious delight how much it
meant to her when a couple asked her to
bowl with the husband in the church
bowling league when the wife had
sprained her ankle. Such expressions of
trust and inclusion are important in the
church's ministry to divorced persons.

Divorced women often feel that old mar-
ried friends cut them off because they see
the divorced person as a threat.

The importance of acceptance was also
reflected in a letter from a young divorcee
after she had moved from our congrega-
tion. She had attended only a year but
was able to say: "1 have grown to love so
many persons at Beacon Heights. You are
such an accepting and warm group of
people. 1 will miss your teachings and
most of all your example of what Chris-
tians can become."

These expressions of acceptance and
trust have been nurtured by the worship
and preaching ministry at Beacon Heights
which has emphasized accepting people
as they are. Creating that climate in the
worship service is often central to its hap-
pening in other areas of the church's
life.

This church's response to divorce has
been a helpful growing experience for its
membership. Certainly we are struggling
with some issues, for we have not arrived.
Two problems have been particularly dif-
ficult for us: How to provide activities for
married couples yet still have programs
that include single persons. And how to
minister to both parties from a divorce,
particularly if one of them remarries. Is it
possible for them both to be active in the
same congregation?

Some churches fear that if they are ac-
cepting of divorced persons, it will appear
they are encouraging divorce or denying
the importance of marriage. This fear is
unfounded. Once the church begins to
open itself to divorced persons, those per-
sons also have a ministry to perform to
the church. In their experience of broken-
ness and failure, they often have some-
thing to teach us about the Christian
faith. They help us to discover and affirm
that the grace of God is for, and is
needed by, all persons — married, divorced
and never married. D

Donald R. Jordan is pastor for nurture in the
Beacon Heights congregation. Fort Wayne, Ind. He
and his wife, Joyce Ann, are trained leaders in mar-
riage enrichment.

October 1979 messenger 25

m%©m(mi

CELEBRATION
PART 1*

'Part 2 next month will continue the theme of
celebration, but with a different twist.

"Praise the Lord! Make a joyful noise . . .
Come into his presence with singing . . .
Enter his gates with thanksgiving . . . For
the Lord is good!"

Out of the depths of our heritage comes
the call to praise, to remember, to sing, to
serve ... to celebrate. At the very heart
of our life as the community of faith, as
the people of God, is the act of celebra-
tion. Each Sunday's worship service
celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ
and the new life we have found in him.
Time and time again in the church's life,
there are special events and seasons that
call for celebration.

The resources recommended here to
help congregations in planning and ex-
periencing times of celebration can be
ordered from The Brethren Press, 1451
Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

We Gather Together . . .

A new resource for worship and celebra-
tion is ^Ve Gather Together: Worship
Resources for the Church of the Brethren

($14.95). "The first worship resource book
of the Church of the Brethren" sees wor-
ship as being "the focal point of a con-
gregation." Many areas of worship and
celebration are explored within the 1 1 sec-
tions of We Gather Together. Some of
these are "Feel Free, Brethren: Toward a
Theology of Worship"; "Make a Joyful
Noise: Instrumental Music"; and "Let the
Children Come to Me; Children in Wor-
ship." The last section, "O Come Let Us
Worship," presents three worship services
for use by local congregations and a hymn
festival highlighting hymns by Brethren
authors and composers.

All resources in We Gather Together
have been created by members of the
Church of the Brethren. Its loose-leaf for-
mat invites each congregation to continue
the creation process, adding their own
celebrative ideas and worship resources to
the book.

Autumn Celebrations

For a congregational, autumn celebration.
Harvest /Thanksgiving: A Congregational
Life/ Intergenerational Experience ($3.95)
offers a multitude of suggestions: Biblical
studies and cultural information about
Thanksgiving; a Harvest/Thanksgiving
filmstrip; learning activities related to the
Feast of Booths and the Feast of Weeks;
instructions for making Thanksgiving ban-
ners and montages, worship resources;
plans for a Thanksgiving party and an out-
door church family event. This is a re-
source which can help call your whole
church family to a challenging and delight-
ful celebration of harvest time and
Thanksgiving.

v<*''^ . ..i^ci"

V

.-'^•^-^:r--

.'^^^ ^v*jS*''

Advent and Christmas

Soon the Christian seasons of Advent and
Christmastide will be here. And celebrate
we will, in one form or another. Plan to
intentionally celebrate the Advent season
as a church family; resources which could
help in your planning are these:

Advent: A Congregational Life/Inter-
generational Experience (51.95) contains
suggestions for both the local congrega-

tion and for families at home in their
celebration of Advent. Six sessions are
outlined, each including a meal together,
a community-building time, a craft activ-
ity and a worship time; sessions focus on
Chrismons, gift-giving, banner-making,
the Jesse Tree, Advent calendars and Ad-
vent wreaths. Also included are services of
worship to use in the home and congrega-
tional worship services for the Advent
season. A section of Advent songs and
hymns and a listing o( Christmas books
and filmstrips adds to the \alue of this
resource.

Programs for Advent and Christinas
($2.95) is a compilation of programs.

plays, pageants and other Advent and
Christmas ideas which have been used
successfully by local churches. Programs
including Bible study, music, drama, art
and the making of Christmas gifts and
crafts. "Christmas Around the World";
"We Light Our Way to Christmas:
Celebrating Advent"; "Jesus Christ: An
Advent Worship Suggestion for Youth";
"A Children's Christmas Eve Service"; and
"Advent's Price Tag: A potpourri of Gift

,— ■ i

*^^

^,

Ideas for Junior High" are representative
of the programs shared.

Any list of Christmas resources needs to
include In Slraw and Story: Christmas
Resources for Home and Church ($7.95)
by Joyce Miller. In the author's words,
this book is "a potpourri of resources,
music, worship services, plays, recipes,
patterns for handcrafted gifts and decora-
tions, and traditions for use in a Christ-
centered celebration for individuals,
families and for churches." There are
special gems for every person in your con-
gregation tucked inside In Straw and
Story, whether your preference is making
gift wrapping, creating a creche, learning
about Christmas traditions from Nigeria,

India or Mexico, cooking special holiday
goodies, participating in a drama or shar-
ing the Christmas scriptures and stories
with others. A book for every Brethren
home and every Brethren congregation.

Pentecost Season

A resource developed especially for con-
gregations who want to enlarge their
celebration of the Pentecost season is
Pentecost: A Congregational/ Intergenera-
tional Experience ($3.95). This packet
contains a planning guide with specific
steps to follow in carrying out special
events related to Pentecost; a booklet.
Surprised by the Spirit, with Bible studies,
questions for discussion, stories for home
or small group use, worship resources for
Pentecost Sunday and suggestions for
post-Pentecost celebrations; and a
Pentecost puppet play. The Firepetals.
The authors of this resource state that
"The Pentecost event was not — and is
not — only a moment of religious ecstacy.
It was — and should be — the birth and re-
birth of an ongoing community that was
spirit-driven to action in the world." This
resource is for congregations who want to
join with the early church in renewing the
spirit of hope and joy within the church
family.

Celebrating Summer

Even as the seasons of fall and winter are
approaching, we know that the compan-
ion seasons of spring and summer will not
be far behind. And summer, especially, is
a time for congregational celebration.
Celebrate Summer! A Guidebook for
Congregations ($5.95) presents ideas for
adults, children and both together, in con-
gregational celebrations revolving around
summer dates and themes. Each
chapter — "Celebrate Memorial Day";
"Fire"; "The Earth"; "The Family"r "Sun-
shine"; "Friends"; "Labor Day" among
others — lists activities for the congrega-
tion, community worship services and
other ideas (scripture readings, related
books, songs). A practical guidebook,
designed to lead people and congregaticms
into experiences and enjoyment, celebra-
tion and appreciation. — June A. Miller

June A. Miller is Parish Minis! nes staff for educa-
tional resources/ teacher training.

^ bIbU

'* GUIDES

g^tgoMlo^W

Reading the Bible for the First Time

John Goldingay Enlightening spiritual
journey through the Bible for those who
find a cover-to-cover reading difficult to
comprehend. Divides the Bible into the
story of God. His people, and the life of
Jesus. Paper, $4.95

Help in Understanding Theology

Norman R. DePuy In dow/n-to-earth talk,
DePuy encourages you to develop a
personal theology by exploring your
experiences with God and seeing Him as a
living power in your life. Paper, $3.95

Jesus of Galilee

Louis Baldwin You'll get to know Jesus
more intimately as you read His story
retold in informal, twentieth-century con-
versation. Events are arranged in chrono-
logical order. Paper, $4 95

Jesus Christ Is Lord

Peler Toon Challenges today's narrow
view of Christ as Lord by presenting a
powerful view of Jesus as Lord of the
nations. Lord of the universe, and Lord of
the Christian's life. Paper, $4.95

Jeremiah: Prophet Under Siege

James M. Efird Very human, flesh-and-
blood picture of Jeremiah the man and his
bitter struggle to make his people under-
stand the message God has called him to
deliver. Paper, $4.95

At your Christian bookstore

juDc^oN vm^%

VALLEY FORGE, PA 19481

JP

October 1979 messenger 27

The 'electric church' and the

by Dale Goldsmith

Telecommunications media are central
in the lives of most Americans. The point
need not be emphasized since it is com-
monplace for us in terms of hours spent
in front of tv or living with the incessant
background sound of radio. They not on-
ly attract and dominate our time but — in
teirns of religious programing alone — they
attract and channel funds far in excess of
the half-billion dollars spent annually on
religious broadcast time. This is not a
criticism but simply shows the importance
of the media; the time and money given
to media religion are an indication of its
importance to us. It shows that it is the
context in which we live much of our
lives.

If radio- and tv-land are where we
"live" — we anticipate, enjoy and discuss
the programs; we buy the products; we
internalize the opinions and values — then
the Christian must come to terms with
those realities just as God came to terms
with our physical and social reality in the
Incarnation of the Word in Christ. The
Word now flows across the airwaves and
is received by persons in a new and
perhaps different manner.

What happens to the Christian message
— the free and gracious gift of salvation
through Christ — when it is thus transmit-
ted and perceived? This is an extraor-
dinarily complex question and only a few
hints about the nature of the media are
possible. (Let us focus on tv because of its
unique and dominant role.)

The very experience of tv alters our
perception of reality. It enables viewers to
disassociate their religious experience from
the immediate and real context in which
they live. Instead of lending itself— as the
Incarnation does — to the expression of a
concrete and specific message, the ex-
perience of tv adds to our sense of anomie
or loss of direction or purpose. Christian
affirmations (e.g., the Resurrection) or
demands (e.g., repentance) which have
traditionally been a part of the "scandal"
of the gospel, become, in the experience
of tv, perfectly consistent parts of a new
whole — the media — managed American
culture.

TV has its own forms and has become
thoroughly identified with our American
culture. There is the danger in media
religion that the forms and values which
thus adhere to the experience of tv will be
mistakenly identified with the Christian
gospel. Christianity may be seen as a col-
lection of ideas or behaviors which can be
grafted onto the life portrayed by the
media — without substantially critiquing or
altering that "electric" vision of life. Will
the slick tv production image replace the
symbol of the repugnant cross? Will the

conversational tone of the religious talk
show replace the proclamatory tone of
earlier times? Will the "American way of
life" become identified with or as the
kingdom of God? The potential of the
media to effect these shifts in our under-
standing should be understood.

TV is experienced in a different kind of
space from that which the Christian has ex-
perienced in the past. The tv set imposes its
own architecture on our homes and living
arrangements — we face it, not one another.
We enter into a new kind of "community"

Media religion — a skewed picture

The Electric Church, by Ben Armstrong, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1979.
192 pages. Hardback, $7.95.

Ben Armstrong takes pride in referring to the fact that the broadcasters included in
his survey do not engage in what he calls side-issues, namely the current political or
social controversies. That is hard to understand when the broadcasting to which he
refers has as its content the "life changing news of Jesus Christ (p. 135)." One
wonders if the consumers believe in a world created by the media or live in a world in
which social and political realities form the primary context of their day-to-day lives.
Armstrong also takes pride in pointing to the numerical and financial successes of
broadcasting ministries, a fact which is undoubtedly true but may not necessarily
prove the legitimacy of religious broadcasting as he describes it. The narrow \iew of
Christianity which soon emerges is underlined by Armstrong's efforts to single out his
kind of Christians through the use of such limiting phrases as "born-again" Christians
and "Bible-believing" pastors. He never discusses the substantial differences that do
exist among Christians.

One only need view for a few minutes the "Here's Johnny!" entrance of Oral
Roberts on a Sunday morning broadcast to wonder if the message has become the
medium. Or changing channels — hear Robert SchuUer in the Crystal Cathedral inter-
viewing Ray Kroc as they discuss how Kroc (McDonald's "golden arches") has made a
fortune with the assistance of his "silent partner" (God) and wonder whether the sides
of the gospel coin are personal fulfillment and financial success instead of judgment
and redemption. The question of content or substance in religious broadcasting needs
to be discussed and analyzed in terms of the fundamental content of the Christian
message as a legitimate means to convey this content. Armstrong simply does not do
this, nor does he provide a critical analysis of the medium of radio and television. His
book lacks prophetic reflections at the very point where they are most needed.

Armstrong does present us with the reality of the widespread use of telecom-
munications in Christian ministry. It is from that recognition that the church should
go on to struggle with the question of the validity of the use of the media and the
manner in which the media might convey the essentials of the Christian message
relevantly to a needy world.

I was discussing the apocalyptic matters with a relative and questioned,him
about his certainty that the world would soon end. I asked, "How will you know
when the world will end?" He said, "They will announce it on television." "Which
network?" I asked, wondering about all of those persons who would not have their
sets on. -Dale Goldsmith

28 MESSENGER October 1979

Christian vision

with the personalities on television. The
communication within this community is
necessarily limited and individual
peculiarities and needs cannot be per-
sonally expressed. The viewer is virtually
forced into general categories. The result:
individuality is lost; community is lost.
There is little give-and-take; there is
almost no commitment necessary. The
large amounts of money contributed
through the media religions is certainly a
tangible expression of some response by
viewers, but it may — on the other hand —
reflect a) an insignificant portion of per-
sonal wealth given primarily to b) salve a
conscience which resists greater involve-
ment and commitment.

If tv religion isolates one from human
community and relieves one of Christian
responsibility, what does it do positively
for people? The tv experience in general
produces "experience" for a large,
homogeneous audience with a limitless ap-
petite. TV religion in particular continues
to satisfy the desire of the American con-
sumer. The religious experience produced
for tv implies an audience (not a con-
gregation) of consumers (not believers);
there is the possibility that this kind of
religion has become an "opium of the
people."

The traditional local church, on the
other hand, confronts us with reality that
is consistent in terms of time, space and
other persons. There we are confronted
with a reality that is not packaged (and
thereby distorted) by conformity to the
demands of the media. There is even an
unpleasantness which enhances that reality
as we are confronted with the problems,
mistakes and failures of others. Christ
presents himself to us in the ordinary and
painful needs of the neighbor about
whom we usually know all too much. This
incarnational medium is indeed at the
heart of the Christian message.

The symbols and forms which confront
us in the church tend to be traditional,
from an earlier technology and history:
cross, dove, flame, bread, water. These
are not easily confused with or harmo-
nized with competing modern ideologies.
The local church confronts us with others,
challenges us to commitment and

demands that we not only consume
(hopefully the grace of God) but also pro-
duce. When a church father said,
"There is no salvation outside the
church," part of what he meant was that
isolated, atomized individuals have not
entered into the kingdom of God since to
be a recipient of God's grace entails inclu-
sion into the community of the saints ("all
those who in every place call on the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ"—! Cor. 1:2).

If we allow it, tv removes us from all of
this and instead opens to us an unreality
which by its very methods and techniques
disorients, anesthetizes, homogenizes and
gratifies. When that happens, it cannot be
thought that Christ is incarnate for us
through the new "electric church." When
that happens it is clear that the media
have not been dominated by the gospel.
This does not necessarily condemn the
media; that, in a sense would be to place
a man-made tool outside the scope of
God's power. But it remains to be seen
whether the church can assert the truth of
the gospel through the media without los-
ing what is crucial in the process. The
losses that have occurred are in terms of
the scandal of the cross, judgment of
God, grace, community and commitment
— among other Christian essentials.

At present the similarities between
media religion and commercial tv are
much greater than are the similarities be-
tween the "electric church" and the tradi-
tional and significant functions of the
local church. Christians must come to
grips with' the interface between the gospel
and all aspects of the world in which they
live. TV is such a glaring reality, and the
"electric church" is such a glaring failure
that it is a demand on each Christian to
reflect on this modern incarnational
challenge.

Our favorite "program" should be to
reflect on this challenge. We can begin
with this commercial message: "I believe
in God almighty, maker of heaven and
earth. ..." The excitement begins when
we bring the telecommunications media
into obedience to that Christian
vision, n

Dale Goldsmith is associate professor of philosophy
and religion at McPherson College, McPherson, Kan.

CUSSIFIED ADS

TRAVEL-Juniata College Tours, 1980:
Oberammergau Passion Play, following Pitts-
burg Annual Conference, 14 days. In-
cludes Bavaria, the Alps, Rhine Cruise, Ber-
lin and Prague. June 30 departure. Harold
B. Brumbaugh, host conductor. Other
scheduled tours; Caribbean Cruise, South
America and Galapagos Islands and China
Information; Weimer-Oller Travel, 405
Penn St., Huntingdon, PA 16652. (814)
643-1468

TRAVEL— Grand Tour of Europe, including
Oberammergau Passion Play, Schwarzenau
and Kassel. June 16-July 7, 1980. Write Dr. J.
Kenneth Kreider, R.D 3, Box 660, Eliza-
bethtown, PA 17022.

TRAVEL— Bridgewater College President's
Tour to Eastern Europe and Oberammergau
Passion Play. Visit Oberammergau, West
Berlin and East Berlin, Dresden, Prague,
Vienna, Salzburg, Heidelberg, etc. 15 days,
July 8-22, 1980. Save $50 by making Early
Bird Deposit ($250) by end of Dec. Contact
Dr. Wayne F. Geisert, Bridgewater College,
Bridgewater, VA 22812. Tel. (703) 828-2501

TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE-See the Passion
Play and spend 15 days touring Europe
in July 1980. Join Anna Mow, Wendell
Bohrer and Joan Bohrer are your tour
hosts. Visit Schwarzenau, Oberammergau,
visit Worms, enjoy river boat ride on the
Rhine River and visit Reformation
Park in Geneva. (Price $1499.) For in-
formation write Wendell Bohrer, pastor, 95
Pen rod St., Johnstown, PA 15902. (814)
536-1811 or (814) 266-2629.

FOR RENT— Low cost efficient hous-
ing—adults only. Near Sebring Church of the
Brethren. Write or call Paul W. Claypool, 319
Ibis Ave., Sebring, FL 33870. Tel. (813)
385-3107.

FOR RENT-Brethren retirement. $50 each
per month. Self-service. Roomy, huge oaks,
pecans, azaleas. Near church, stores, bank.
Snow-free, yet not too near equator. Many
fishing lakes. Experimental. Trial stays en-
couraged. Rates hold only until five
units are filled. Contact; Roy White,
407 State St., Citronelle, AL 36522. Tel.
(205)866-7154.

WANTED— Commitment, patience, love and
courage to share with youth at Adventure
Bound. Our boys believe themselves to be
failures and act accordingly. Hard work, long
hours and low pay. We seek people of all
ages and backgrounds to join us in the Blue
Ridge Mountains. Write; G. Duncan, Adven-
ture Bound School, P.O. Box 574, Charlottes-
ville, VA 22902.

Christ's rule encompasses every aspect of
life. He is gathering a community and leading
it himself. Publishers of Truth, 1 S 147 Third
St., Lombard, IL 60148

October 1979 messenger 29

the scriptural counsel of the community
should be. Some of us believe that the
church's voice should be binding, both
within the local congregation and in An-
nual Conference. Others of us believe thai
the consensus of the church should be ad-
visory rather than binding, and that
anything more would violate our heritage
of "no creed but the New Testament. "
* * *
8) We affirm that a faithful response to
the biblical message involves both believ-
ing and doing. It is the doers of the word
who will be justified in God's sight, and
not those who give lip service to its
claims. Still, obedience with our lives does
not come about apart from a joyful,
trusting acceptance of the biblical message
and its authority for our lives.

(Continued from page 14)
of biblical texts, thus enabling us to enter
into the biblical message more completely.
Others of us view this method as ques-
tionable in its assumptions, dubious in
value and tending lo exclude the super-
natural from scripture.
* * *

7) We affirm the central importance of
the gathered community of believers in
the interpretation of the Bible. Together
with our forebears, we are convinced that
all individual insights into scripture need
to be tested in and by the community.
When it is functioning properly, the
church will be a place where the gifts and
insights of all will contribute to a more
complete understanding of God's word.

We are not yet agreed on how binding

[5)[r(o}y©F (g(o][l#oiid](§]ir

X hose who would serve through the church need to be continually refreshed by the
prayer of the church. You are invited to suggest names and items to the Prayer Calen-
dar. Send your suggestions to Prayer Calendar, Parish Ministries Commission,
Church of the Brethren General Offices, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

October Prayer Calendar

October 7-13: Give prayer support to the Mid-Atlantic and the Atlantic Northeast
Districts assembled in their district conferences Oct. 12-13.

Give thanks for the work of the Brethren Service Center, New Windsor, Md.,
during its 35 years of service, being celebrated Oct. 14.

Give prayer support to the Edu-Coach tour in Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois,
scheduled for next week (See August MESSENGER, page 9).

Remember in prayer the convocation Oct. 14-16, held by the Disarmament Pro-
gram of Riverside Church in New York City.

October 14-20: Uphold in prayer the work of the Church of the Brethren General
Board as it meets Oct. 21-23.

Pray for the Southern Plains District Ministers' Retreat at Camp Spring Lake,
Okla., Oct. 17-19.

Pray that the goals of the International Year of the Child may be progressively
realized through appropriate action (See January Messenger, pages 10-11).

October 21-27: Support through prayer the work of these districts assembled in con-
ference: Middle Pennsylvania, Oct. 26-27; Southern Ohio, Oct. 26-28.

Remember the thousands of Indochina refugees and pray that they may find per-
manent homes.

Pray for the Edu-Coach ministries this week and next in Indiana and Michigan.

October 28-November 3: Pray for the members of the General Services Commission
of the General Board, as they participate in their staff retreat, Oct. 31-Nov. 2.

Pray for the second church-wide conference on outdoor ministries, at Woodland
Altars in Southern Ohio, Nov. 1-4.

Give prayer to the work of the Illinois and Wisconsin District Conference Nov. 2-4.

Uphold the work of these World Ministries Commission personnel employed in
teaching in Nigeria: James and Merle Bowman, Anet D. Satvedi, Carol Smith.

Pray for the Edu-Coach in Ohio Nov. 1-4. D

Holding one another in love and
fellowship. How can we hold one another
in love and fellowship when there exists a
diversity of attitudes among us about the
way in which scripture was given and its
interpretation?

The way is found in the nature of God's
creation, through the example and
teachings of Jesus, through the examples
of our early Brethren, through
acknowledging our human limitations in
understanding and through being open to
the leading of the Spirit who draws all
members of Christ's church together.

In spite of an essential unity, diversity is
God's pattern in creation. God's delight in
variety is expressed in countless ways
(Ps. 104). To those who walk in the
Spirit, varieties of gifts are given (1 Cor.
12:4). Conformity is humanity's pattern.
It is the way of the world to try to force
individuals into a uniform mold. Jesus
denounced the Pharisees for doing this.
The Pharisees showed their authority over
the people by trying to enforce the
minutiae of every law without themselves
lifting a finger to help (Matt. 23:4). Paul
warned the Christians in Rome: "Don't let
the world around you squeeze you into its
own mold ..." (Rom. 12:2, J. B.
Phillips). There have been times in our
history when the Brethren have fallen into
the error of insistence on rigid conform-
ity, when we as church members either
agreed or we were disfellowshiped.

Individuality requires freedom. Respect
for freedom is seen in our traditional
Brethren belief in "no force in religion,"
and so we avoid patterns of enforcement
which violate the freedom of individuals
and local groups. In fact, there needs to
be an appreciation for diversity and a
spirit among us of humility and openness
to learn from one another. We need to
acknowledge that the perceptions and
understandings of all of us are limited and
change with our own experiences, "...
for our knowledge is imperfect ... we see
in a mirror dimly ..." (1 Cor. 13:9, 12).
None of us has captured the kingdom!

However, Christian freedom does not
imply an unchecked individualism. Our
Anabaptist heritage teaches that no one
enters the kingdom apart from one's
brothers and sisters. It is within the com-
munity of believers and for their up-
building that the Spirit is gi\en, and those
who walk in the Spirit are called on to
work toward "... being in full accord
and of one mind . . . (and are instructed)
... to have this mind among yourselves,
which you have in Christ Jesus ..."
(Phil. 2:2, 5).

30 MESSENGER October 1979

Jesus revealed in his life and teachings
the way to freedom and at the same time
life in community — the way to "unity in
diversity." In the Upper Room his
disciples were given a specific instruction:
"A new commandment I give to you, that
you love one another; even as I have
loved you, that you also love one another.
By this all will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one
another" (John 13:34-35). Love for one
another is not optional for Christians; and
in the cross we see just how far Christian
love goes.

It is the love experienced when Christ is
at the center of one's life, that draws us
into unity. We do not create unity or
fellowship. They are gifts. When our lives
are Christ-centered, we can disagree
without being bitter or divisive. It is a
mark of the working of the Holy Spirit
that we can hold one another in love and
fellowship even though there is diversity
among us.

Christian love requires:

— that we acknowledge the integrity and
worth of those brothers and sisters
with whom we cannot totally agree.

— that we make every effort to under-
stand one another by keeping lines of
communication open, by listening to,
hearing and responding to our
sisters and brothers.

— that we be willing to test our percep-
tions and understandings with the
gathered church.

— that we be open to the counsel of our
brothers and sisters.

— that we behave in ways that build up
the church.

— that we be obedient to Jesus Christ.

— that we not attempt to gloss over our
differences, but that we face them
honestly and work at resolving them
"with patience, forbearing one
another in love, eager to maintain the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace" (Eph. 4:2-3).

— that we hold before us the goal of
"being in full accord and of one
mind" (Phil. 2:2).

There have been times in our history
when the Brethren have simply agreed
that at that point in their life together,
they could not agree. Their faith surely
was that as they maintained their unity in

the Spirit, agreement would eventually be
given. For instance, in 1883 a query came
to Annual Meeting asking that one form
of footwashing be established and that the
churches be uniform in having the supper
either off or on the table at the time of
footwashing. Answer: "We desire very
much to see a uniform practice in the
church. But we see no way of ac-
complishing that object at the present
time in the practices referred to in the
query" (Revised Minutes of Annual
Meeting 1778-1885, page 174).

In referring to those Brethren who dif-
fered in their understanding of the Scrip-
tures, especially regarding the footwashing
service, Alexander Mack Jr. encouraged
them to consider different views "in love
and with a calm spirit." He wrote, "...
dear brethren, let us watch and be careful,
and above all preserve love, for thus one
preserves light. The spirit of truth testifies
in 1 John 2:10: 'He who loves his brother
abides in the light, and in him there is no
cause for stumbling.' The good God, who
is the pure impartial love, can and will
supply gradually where insight is lacking
here or there." IZl

Reflections of Faith

The World in My Mirror

Margaret Jean Jones suffers from nearly total paralysis,
and can see the world only through a hand-held mirror.
But she has Jesus in her heart, and this is her testimony of
what He has done for her. Margaret's story will inspire you
and give you hope. $7.95

A Touch of God

Devotional Insights to Help You Live Your Faith

Virginia Patterson says you can't have a touch of God
in your life without that touch making a difference. Writing
primarily for women, she gives an honest presentation of
how she has learned to live her faith. $6.95

a? your local Dooksfore

October 1979 messenger 31

l^yfrtnlQlnlf p(o)D^l^^

Pastoral
Placements

Dill, Gary, from South Bend,
to York Center, Illinois/
Wisconsin

Hosteller, Julie M., From Har-
risonburg, to Macl( Memo-
rial, Southern Ohio, team
ministry

Hosteller, Michael, from Har-
risonburg, to Mack Memo-
rial, Southern Ohio, team
ministry

Kieffaber, Alan, from Bethany
Seminary, to McPherson Col-
lege, campus minister

Nye, Paul, continuing teaching
and to Union, Northern In-
diana, part-time

Stoltzfus, Joyce Anne, from
student, to Sebring, Florida/
Puerto Rico, associate
pastor

Weaver, Bruce, from secular,
to Mount Zion, Atlantic
Northeast

Licensing/
Ordination

Bowman, Dale E., ordained,
June 17, 1979, Leake's Chap-
el, Shenandoah

Brumbaugh, Gwendolyn, li-
censed June 10, 1979, Univer-
sity Park, Mid-Atlantic

Clevenger, Thomas Joseph, Li-
censed June 3, 1979, Pleasant
Valley, Southern Ohio

Copp, Jeffrey Otto, ordained
June 10, 1979, Columbia City,
Northern Indiana

Davis, Kenneth A., ordained
April 22, 1979, Center
Church, Western Pennsyl-
vania

Detrick, Mary Cline, ordained
June 3, 1979, Highland Ave-
nue, Elgin, Illinois/Wisconsin

Duffey, Scott, ordained June
10, 1979, Hagerstown, Mid-
Atlantic

Elmore, Kendal W., ordained
May 20, 1979, Mount Carmel
(Cedar Grove), Shenandoah

Foust, Robert, licensed March
18, 1979, Marion, South/
Central Indiana

Gersler, Daniel G., ordained
April 1, 1979, Pittsburg,

Western Pennsylvania

Hall, James, ordained March
25, 1979, Greensburg, West-
ern Pennsylvania

Hare, Jack Denis, licensed
Jan., 1979, Outlook, Oregon/
Washington

Heishman, Irvin, licensed June,
10, 1979, Marassas, Mid-
Atlantic

Hendricks, Francis, ordained
May 20, 1979, Sheldon,
Northern Plains

Hendricks, Jean Lichty, or-
dained May 20, 1979, Shel-
don, Northern Plains

Hendrickson, Fred D., ordained
March 25, 1979, Amaranth,
Western Pennsylvania

Herr, Eileen Louise, licensed
May 20, 1979, Big Swatara,
(Hanoverdale) Atlantic
Northeast

Hosteller, Thomas Richard, or-
dained June 17, 1979, Pine
Creek, Northern Indiana

Jones, Timothy K., ordained
May 20, 1979, Lampeter Fel-
lowship, Atlantic Northeast

Jessup, Mary, ordained June
10, 1979, Decatur, Illinois/
Wisconsin

Keller, Jay Richard, licensed
May 27, 1979, White Oak,
Atlantic Northeast

Klopfenslein, Ethel Florence,
licensed June 10, 1979, Bea-
con Heights, Fort Wayne,
Northern Indiana

Knepper, Roger, ordained June
3, 1979, Maple Spring, West-
ern Pennsylvania

Lauderdale, Kerby, ordination
reactivated April 14, 1979,
Eel River, South/Central
Indiana

Lipscomb, Kreston, licensed
June 3, 1979, York Center
Illinois/Wisconsin

Morrow, Michael R., licensed
June 10, 1979, Ephrata,
Atlantic Northeast

Richardson, Lee Allen, licensed
June 3, 1979, Walnut, North-
ern Indiana

Risser, Robin, licensed May 27,
1979, York Center, Illinois/
Wisconsin

St. Clair, Ronald, Licensed April
29, 1979, Robinson, Western
Pennsylvania

Smeltzer, Bonnie Kline, Li-

censed June 10, 1979, Dun-
dalk, Baltimore, Mid-Atlantic

Stoner, Peggy J., commissioned
lay speaker, June 3, 1978,
Mechanicsburg, Southern
Pennsylvania

Vachon, Steven Richard, li-
censed May 27, 1979, Colum-
bia City, Northern Indiana

West, Richard T., ordained
June 3, 1979, Pittsburgh,
Western Pennsylvania

Will, Geary, licensed May 20,
1979, Wooddale, Western
Pennsylvania

Wedding
Anniversaries

Arnold, Mr. and Mrs. Levi,

Elkhart, Ind., 50
Bailey, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene,

York, Pa., 50
Bollman, Mr. and Mrs. Luther,

Saxton, Pa., 61
Broadwater, Mr. and Mrs.

Clyde, Lanark, 111., 59
Croy, Mr. and Mrs. Leo, Nap-

anee, Ind., 62
Dyson, Mr. and Mrs. Robert,

Mansfield, Ohio, 50
Fralin, Mr. and Mrs. W. L.,

Roanoke, Va., 54
Forney, Mr. and Mrs. Joe,

Lititz, Pa., 50
Gochenour, Mr. and Mrs.

Floyd, Rossville, Ind., 63
Good, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur S.,

Prescott, Mich., 50
Griep, Mr. and Mrs. Carl A.,

Dayton, Ohio, 62
Hiestand, Mr. and Mrs. Irvin,

Lebanon, Pa., 50
Hiller, Mr. and Mrs. George,

Ashland, Ohio, 50
Hipsley, Mr. and Mrs. Charles,

Cumberland, Md., 55
Hoff, Mr. and Mrs. Charles,

Glendora, Calif., 50
Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Charles,

LaPlace, III., 54
Kinlner, Mr. and Mrs. J. Dana,

Lacey, Wash., 50
McQure, Mr. and Mrs. Harry

B., Englewood, Ohio, 50
Metzger, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph,

Cerro Gordo, 111., 58
NIcewonger, Mr. and Mrs. E.

Earl, Marion Center, Pa., 63
Prather, Mr. and Mrs. J. Perry,

Ashland, Ohio, 58
Robbins, Mr. and Mrs. Carl,

LaGrange, Ind., 50
Rummel, Mr. and Mrs.

William, Hollsopple, Pa., 60
Scott, Mr. and Mrs. C.C,

Abingdon, Va., 65
Snare, Mr. and Mrs. Elvin,

Saxton, Pa., 55
Spickler, Mr. and Mrs. Morris,

Mount Joy, Pa., 60
Slrayer, Mr. and Mrs. John,

Oak ton, Va., 50
Wingert, Mr. and Mrs. John,

Dallas Center, Iowa, 50
Zook, Mr. and Mrs. Ray E.,

Rushville, Ind., 60

Deaths

Akers, Edward F., 77, Floyd

Va., March 21, 1979
Allison, Marguerite, 64, Saxton

Pa., May 24, 1979
Anderson, Frances Strohm, 92,

Worthington, Minn., July 7,

1979
Baugher, Louise, 67, Port Re

public, Va., April 23, 1979
Blough, Cora, 94, Waterloo

lowa^June 11, 1979
Boone, F. Nelson, 85, Duncans

ville. Pa., June 23, 1979
Bowman, Mary Flora, 85

Boones Mill, Va., April 20,

1979
Bridensline, Ronald F., 63, Nap

panee, Ind., April 28, 1979
Burgess, Refa, 78. Port Re

public, Va., May 17, 1979
Carls, Viola, 81, Fort Wayne

Ind., Dec. 4, 1978
Glower, Lewis M., 92, Bridge-
water, Va., June 7, 1979
Cripe, Molly Florence, 90, New

Parris, Ind., June 6, 1979
Curtis, Hazel, 85, Nappanee.

Ind., April 28, 1979
Garber, Mildred, 78, Ashland,

Ohio, June 14, 1979
Halderaan, Esther, 76, Man-

heim. Pa., June 30, 1979
Hammaker, Esther M., 77, Har-

risburg. Pa., May 19, 1979
Hartman, Edna Rader, 67,

Broadway. Va.. May 28, 1979
Hawbaker, Ezra, 66, Dallas

Center, Iowa, April II, 1979
Hiller, Cletus Murray, 86, New

Haven, Conn., June 9. 1979
Kimmel. Katherine N., 66, Hol-

lsopple, Pa., June 16, 1979
Kinsey. William Forest, 62,

Mount Morris, 111., June 1,

1979
Lash, Brandon, 85, Craigville,

Ind., Feb. 25, 1978
Layman, Zenith, 80, Port Re-
public, Va., March 21, 1979
Mann, Clifford, 70, Decatur.

Ind., Sept. 2, 1978
Martin, Hugh, Eden, N.C.,

April 6, 1979
Mensch, Mervyn W., 82, Mif-

flinburg. Pa.. June 13, 1979
Miller, Anna, 98, Davenport,

Iowa, June 1, 1979
Milchel, Carla, 22. Decatur.

Ind., Dec. 26, 1978
Momingstar. Stella M., 73,

Saxton, Pa., April 6, 1979
Moyer, Mildred, 88, Lansdale,

Pa., July 13, 1979
Mummert, Mary, 81, Havoner.

Pa., June 19, 1979
Nickey, Barbara, 93, LaVerne.

Calif., July 31, 1979
Ober, EUzabeth, 81, Manheim.

Pa., June 11, 1979
Patrick, Eugene, 82, PalmvTa,

Pa., June 15, 1979
Piatt, Jacob, 88, Somerset,

Pa., March 4, 1979
Robertson, George Russell, 83,

Warm Springs, Va., June 16,

1979
Schwartz, Joseph, 92, Bluffton,

Ind.. Dec. 17, 1978
Schwartz, Lydia, 91, Bluffton,

Ind.. Oct. 12. 1978
Shank, Clara, 83, Boonsboro.

Md., July 13, 1979
Showalter, Paul, 67. Gainesville.

Va.. July 5. 1979
Switzer. Benjamin Clyde. 77.

Prescott. Mich.. July 3. 1979
Thompson. William O., 72,

Eden, N.C., May 19, 1979
Wahl, William Henry, 75,

Worthington, Minn., April

26, 1979
Weaver. Emory Q., 71. Wind-

ber. Pa., June5, 1979
Wheeler, Flossie, 80, Grand

Rapids, Mich., April 25, 1979
Wies, Sue. 16. Decator. Ind..

Dec. 26. 1978
Williams. Pearl. 82. Helena.

Okla.. JuneI4. 1979
Wilmer, Ronald, 46, Polo, 111.,

May 22, 1979
Young, Claudia, 86, Sabetha,

Kan., May 14, 1979

32 MESSENGER October 1979

(continued from page 11)
the way to help people with their problems!
Because they want to be like us, children
often copy adults. In doing so, they give us
the valuable gift of showing us how we are.
A friend of mine was horrified when her
three-year-old answered her repeated re-
quest that he do a task with, "When I say
no, I mean no!" Where could he have
learned such a thing? The next evening,
when the teenage brother asked a second
time to be allowed to go to the movies, she
was shocked to hear herself saying, "When
I say no, I mean no!"

Part of our inability to receive these and
other gifts from our children is our limited
exposure to them. Most of us live in an age-
graded existence in an age-segregated socie-
ty. This is especially true of our life together
as members of a congregation. If we are
serious about children and about incor-
porating their gifts into our personal and
corporate lives, we will refuse to continue
segregating children to an annual "per-
formance" for the congregation the Sun-
days before Easter and Christmas. We will
rejoice in the concept of family-centered
education, considering as family all of the
members of the Body of Christ. We will
look for opportunities to include in-
tergenerational education in the programs
of our churches. We will individually and
collectively get to know children, accepting
them into our lives as persons of worth
who have unique contributions to make.

One of my favorite poems is one by
Christina Rossetti which I memorized as a
child for a church school Christmas pro-
gram:

What can I give Him

Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd,

I would give Him a lamb.

If I were a Wise Man,

I would do my part, —

But what I can I give him,

Give my heart.*
The gifts of children are indeed gifts of
the heart. May we as adults open our
hearts to receive them. D

•From James Dalton Morrison, Masterpieces of
Religious Verse (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers,
1948), p. 154.

Mary Anne Forehand is on the slaff of the Division
of Communication, Board of Educational Ministries,
American Baptist Churches, Valley Forge, Pa.

Reprinted, with permission, from Baptist Leader,
January 1979.

L

(pDUfffOlnjilS [p)(t[n]

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the skyways of life . . .
and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• The leaves are relentlessly falling and soon the stark branches of winter will be etched
against the fragile October blue. Observing the myriad oak trees in the woods has taught me a
lesson about my life and faith. The oak leaf clings to the tree which gave it life longer than any
other deciduous leaf . . . many of them hang on through the winds of winter ... but when April
comes the dead leaves are finally forced off the branches by the vitality of new life. Our lives are
like that ... we hang on to the death in us . . . hostility, resentment, unwillingness to grow . . .
until new life in Christ forces our renascence.

October speaks to me of beginnings and endings ... the moon grows older and beckons us
toward darkness ... the ending is the death of nature ... of leaves and plants and flowers . . .
yet even in their death, seeds are sown for new beginnings. I ponder my own personal calen-
dar of beginnings and endings with thanksgiving for the cyclical nature of life ... the right
time for beginnings and the right time for endings. My prayer is that all our beginnings and
endings are made sacred by the grace of Christ's continuing presence in our lives.

• As a visitor at the Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Ga., I was struck by the
names bestowed upon their four choirs: "Carpenter's Helpers" (ages four to first grade) —
obviously not named by carpenters; "Peacemakers" (grades two to five) — obviously not named
by parents; "Joyful Noise" (middle and high school) — obviously a name with congruence; and
"Adult Choir" — obviously the adults have lost their imagination.

• While wandering around in the City-County Building in Atlanta, I noticed a large brass
plaque on the wall engraved with the Ten Commandments. Intrigued by this I spoke to an
official who said the city was being sued by a local citizen for this affront to the doctrine of
separation of church and state. More than the lawsuit, officials fear someone will break the
Eighth Commandment and carry the beautiful and expensive hanging off with them.

• The Congregational Christian Church of Red Cloud, Nev., had a most interesting
bulletin recently. The sermon topic was listed simply, "The Sin of Gossip"; the hymn follow-
ing the sermon was, "I Love to Tell the Story."

• That reminded me of my own wedding day in 1947 when my husband-to-be preached at
my home church, the Iowa River Church of the Brethren. The local minister had chosen the
last hymn — unwittingly as it were — "I Surrender All." Truer words were never sung.

• STOP SIGN: On an imposing Methodist church bulletin board in Seattle, Wash.: "Life
is fragile. Handle with prayer."

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Arlene May— A Circle of
Quiet, Madeleine L'Engle; The Politics of God and the Politics of Man, Jacques Ellul;
Learn to Grow Old, Paul Tournier. Robert Mock — Man's Search for Meaning, Victor
Frankl; The Mind of Jesus, William Barclay.

• I concur with other church and society watchers that whenever a cultural crisis occurs a
spiritual crisis accompanies it. If you don't believe a spiritual crisis is abroad in our land,
watch a little late night television — the decadence and spiritual poverty is overwhelming.
Areas for mission abound in the limited sphere of influence of every committed Christian.

• From another Pilgrim's Pen: "We Christians have to let a stream from God flow into the
world. If we are like other people, it is hardly worthwhile for us to be in the world. God must
come into the world with us." — Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt.

See you on the journey — p. k.h.

October 1979 messenger 33

p(§@pi(^(kpmmh

Nocona: 'Just a tiny drop of help in a big
bucket of needy but we're glad we helped. '

Family life, the theme of the Nocona
(Texas) Adult Rally, took on a new
dimension when a third of its participants
took part of their rally time to helping
families repair homes devastated by a tor-
nado which blasted Wichita Falls, Tex.,
10 days earlier.

Five Southern Plains District churches
were represented when the rally began Fri-
day night, April 20. The program was
changed so that following a brief worship
service at the church Saturday morning,
13 participants could take off to do
disaster relief in Wichita Falls. Some
Nocona members, under the leadership of
Pastor Joe Crow, had already been at
work clearing foundations and re-roofing
houses.

Lowell and Maxine Ritchie, of the
Roanoke, La., church, leaders for the ral-
ly, initiated the idea. Says Maxine, "How
could we go to Nocona and sit around in
a meeting when people nearby needed so
much help?" She and Lowell checked with
district executive Glenn Harris and district
disaster response coordinator Golan
Winkler and both were excited by their
plan.

The couple traveled the 500 miles to
Nocona early and worked at the disaster
site Friday prior to leading the rally Fri-
day night. Maxine's account of Saturday's
activities gives a "you-were-there" feel:

"Our district adult rally was modified to
include time for disaster work in Wichita
Falls where a tornado had damaged a sec-
tion of the city eight miles long and nearly
a mile wide.

"When we arrived 10 days after the
storm, streets had been cleared of debris
and street signs had been painted on the
curbs. Most families had labeled their
splinter- and junk-strewn lots with their
names, original address and state of be-
ing. Utility companies were erecting fresh
lines, restoring services to those fortunate

People & Parish is a forum for sharing
stories about church activities that may
encourage other congregations to try new
approaches in their own local programs.
Congregations, groups, and individuals
are invited to submit reports and
photographs to support this cross-
fertilization process.

enough to have a redeemable shelter.

"While the men worked on a roof and
some others helped remove debris from a
home with only the floor remaining, I
helped clean the inside of two of the more
'livable' homes. With rakes and barn
brooms we cleared floors of glass, boards,
rags, bricks and pieces of anything. That
done, we vigorously brushed plastered
mud from the kitchen walls and
cabinets . . .

"As we left for the 500-mile trip home,
tired and dirty, I thought, we are just a
tiny drop of help in a big bucket of need,
but I'm glad we helped."

Golan Winkler directed the workers in
cooperation with Mennonite Disaster

Service. Besides the Nocona and Roanoke
churches, other congregations represented
were Pleasant Plains and Bartlesville,
Okla.

Major last-minute changes in the plans
for a rally may seem a bit radical and get-
ting people away from a meeting and out
working to meet human need is unusual
but the Southern Plains people found
benefits. "We were all richly blessed," says
Darline Six of the Nocona church, "as we
showed our Christian love to those whom
we helped." — H.Z.B.

Akron, Conestoga, Ephrata, Middle Creek
and Mohler: 'Getting to know you!'

Five congregations of the Atlantic
Northeast District have been getting to
know each other better the past two years
while they observe the season of Lent.
The Akron, Conestoga, Ephrata, Middle
Creek and Mohler congregations joined
forces again this year for a series of five
Sunday evening Lenten services.

According to Jay Wenger, who chairs
the Akron Witness Commission, the co-
operative effort is an important way to
worship — and to provide an opportunity

for neighboring Brethren to become better
acquainted. He points out that Brethren
were historically known for their fellow-
ship among themselves as well as in the
community. "However, in recent years,"
he says, "it seems as though the local con-
gregation has developed a closer relation-
ship with neighboring congregations of
other denominations by participating in
ecumenical programs and projects. Each
Brethren congregation," he adds, "has its
own program and an atmosphere of com-

34 MESSENGER October 1979

West Richmond: Southern hospitality for
the homeless, the lonely, the stranger.

petition exists among them. As a result,
the Brethren do not know each other as in
the past."

The joint Lenten services have been one
means of bringing these Brethren
together. Each of the churches hosted one
of the services. Leadership for each ser-
vice came from the four churches not
hosting that evening's worship. When the
first service was hosted by the Aicron
church, for instance, worship leadership,
devotions (the prayers and scripture
readings) and special music were provided
by persons from Ephrata, Conestoga and
Middle Creek. Galen Hackman of the
Mohler congregation preached. Tasks
were similarly rotated on each evening.
All the preaching for the services centered
on the theme, "Behold Your King" with
each of the preachers dealing with a dif-
ferent reason for doing so.

Offerings went for jointly agreed upon
purposes. The first night, March 4, the
General Board's "Think About It" radio
series was the beneficiary. The following
weeks, offerings were taken for the
district's new Lebanon Valley Home, the
Lampeter Fellowship, a mental health
project and Brethren Village, another
district home.

"The series of meetings was supported
enthusiastically," says Wenger, "with an
average attendance of 440 people. Over
the period of five programs, 2,200 were
reminded of the forth-coming events of
Holy Week and Easter."

The day after the final session, a letter
went out to each congregation involved,
sharing a report of attendance and offer-
ings. In addition, dates were set for 1980,
anticipating the participation of all five
churches in a third series.

"Those who are in a position of plan-
ning for their church calendar may want
to consider a similar program for their
church and neighboring Brethren," sug-
gests Wenger. "It has allowed us the op-
portunity to work together, fellowship
together and praise God
together."- H.Z.B.

When a patient is sent to a big city
medical facility for the most advanced
treatment, family members must often
find a place to stay, sometimes for a pro-
longed period, and frequently experience
crisis and grief in a foreign place, far
from the support of friends and family.

The West Richmond Church of the
Brethren in Richmond, Va., has taken
positive steps to assure that Brethren
whose family members become patients in
Richmond are spared that burden of
loneliness.

Richmond pastor Galen Heckman
points out that with the Medical College
of Virginia located in Richmond, the city
is a major place for patients to be sent.
Further, because it is not a center of
Brethren population. Brethren often arrive
there with no connections, no community.

c<

'onsequently, about two and a half
years ago, the congregation's Witness
Commission initiated a new program. It
has no name, according to Pastor
Heckman. "We just refer to it as provid-
ing a place to stay for families of people
who are hospitalized," he says.

That aptly describes the project. About
a half dozen church families agreed to
take people into their homes for whatever
period of time their family member is
hospitalized. Other churches in Virlina
District, and in several surrounding
districts, have been notified that the serv-
ice is available and, through their pastor,
persons needing the service may contact
the Richmond church or a host family.

Providing a place to stay and easing the
financial burden of staying in a hotel or
motel is "just a small part" of the pro-
gram's intention, according to Lillian
Flory, chairwoman of the church board
and member of a host family. Being able
to provide support and Christian
fellowship for the family in crisis is in her
view, the crucial thing. People coming in-
to Richmond, she says, find the big city
"a bit colder — they don't feel quite as
comfortable." She believes it is comforting
for the families to "be able to share and
have fellowship with people they know
sincerely care for them."

That part of the experience was signifi-
cant for Jane Wood of Boones Mill, Va.,

who wrote to Messenger to describe the
church's ministry. Her father-in-law was
rushed to the hospital with chest pains the
Saturday of the the Richmond Annual
Conference in 1977. Mrs. Wood and her
sister-in-law were to stay in Richmond
with him, perhaps as long as two weeks
until his problem could be diagnosed. The
women stayed with Lillian and Sam Flory.

"It was so good to kick off our shoes,
to be able to unwind when we come in
from the hospital, to feel the Christian
undergirding and prayers of these, our
new Christian friends," says Jane Wood.
Although their stay turned out to be
shorter than anticipated, she says, "We'll
never forget the new-found Christian
friends in Richmond."

Lillian Flory confirms that the two are
still in touch. "We developed a relation-
ship that we feel is ongoing," she says.
"We correspond several times a year."
That experience is not unique, she points
out, with other host families having a
continuing relationship with those who
have stayed with them.

"It is a very gratifying kind of
ministry," says Pastor Heckman, although
he acknowledges it has not been used as
often as the church would like — only
about a half dozen times since it was
begun. Apparently, though, its signif-
icance can be judged by the impact it has
had on the families whose lives it has
touched.

Another somewhat similar program of
the congregation has had heavier traffic.
About a year ago, the church learned that
the Travelers Aid was unable to provide
lodging for destitute people traveling
through the city because they were short
of funds. The church fixed up cots and
offered their building to the Travelers Aid
as a place for people to stay. Travelers
may use the kitchen facilities and the
church provides simple breakfast foods.

The programs combine to offer lodging
and care to those Jesus cared so much
about — the poor, the homeless, the lonely,
the stranger. — H.Z.B.

October 1979 messenger 35

A cue from the first 'Conference'

You get so used to people lining up on both sides
of a hot issue that when an issue as potentially
divisive as the Biblical Inspiration and Authority
paper passes Conference by an overwhelming vote
with nobody "falling out," it almost blows your
mind.

When Standing Committee instructed the
study committee to "give some guidance on how
we can hold each other in love and fellowship
when there exists a diversity of attitudes among us
on the matter of biblical inspiration and
authority," 1 wonder if they envisioned that the
committee's handling of the paper would, in itself,
be a "how-to" session on that subject. Obviously
the Brethren held "each other in love and fellow-
ship" at Seattle.

Could we take a cue from the handling of the
Bible paper as, for instance, we continue to grap-
ple with the human sexuality study, due now for
reporting in 1981? Could we not on that issue and
on others discover unity in diversity, not backing
anyone into a corner, but finding a way to ac-
commodate all those who have searched their
hearts and consciences and acted accordingly?

A cue can be taken also from the biblical ac-
count of the early church: When faced with a real
problem that might have divided the church, the
Christians sent their most dedicated leaders to
meet and confer and to pray for divine guidance.
Out of this came a working basis for unity through
diversity.

Acts 15 carries that story. Paul and Barnabas
were not requiring Gentiles to undergo the Jewish
rite of circumcision, but were taking them into the
new church directly. Conservatives were up in
arms, believing "unless you are circumcised ac-
cording to the custom of Moses, you cannot be
saved." "Dissension and debate" resulted. We can
imagine Paul and Barnabas defended their prac-
tice as hotly as the conservatives "from Judea"
repudiated it.

The upshot was that "Paul and Barnabas and
some of the others were appointed to go up to
Jerusalem to the Apostles and elders about this
question."

Wouldn't we all have been craning our necks to
see, if we had been at that "first Annual Confer-
ence"? Not only Paul and Barnabas, but other big
names such as Peter and James (the brother of the
Lord) were there. James was moderator that year.

The query was read and the floor opened for
speeches. Peter, unusually patient, waited until
"there had been much debate," then he worked his
way to the mike. He delivered his familiar story of
the first Gentile converts and made things warm
for those who continued to stress the necessity of
earning one's salvation by law observance.

Paul and Barnabas were sitting on the plat-
form in case there were questions and they were
now given a chance to relate the "signs and won-
ders God had done through them among the Gen-
tiles." Then the moderator summarized, suggest-
ing that Gentiles not be further burdened with the
whole Jewish law, but only a few "necessary
things."

It doesn't say in the Conference Minutes, but I
suppose a vote was taken and everyone said,
"Aye." Anyway, the Conference officers ap-
pointed a committee to go to Antioch, Syria and
Cilicia and report the action taken.

That Conference in Jerusalem freed the church
from the problem of secondhand citizenship for
its Gentile members. No doubt, different churches
applied the Conference statement in different
measures of strictness, but that is "unity in divers-
ity" at work — unity not outlawing diversity, but
diversity being regarded as an expression of a free
and sovereign God.

W,

'ith the Biblical Inspiration and Authority
paper acted upon, we sense a unity in the Church
of the Brethren we haven't felt in a good w hile. We
don't expect the "representati\e positions" out-
lined in the paper to change for any group. We can
expect Brethren of divergent views to be more
ready after Seattle to "hold one another in lo\e
and fellowship." Diversity is God's pattern in crea-
tion. God delights in variety. Let's delight in it
too.-K.T.

36 MESSENGER October 1979

Good Times with Old Times:
How to Write Your IVIemoirs

by Katie Funk Wiebe

For young and old alike, here is a
guide to capturing your experiences
and preserving them for posterity.
How to get started, how to make
writing more effective, problem
areas, and how to get your material
printed.
Paper, $5.95; in Canada $6.90

Tantrums, Toads, and Teddy
Bears

by Sheila Cragg

Here is a tender story of a
hyperactive child and the family that
loved him. All of the raw emotions
are evident, from frustration to hope
to fear to disappointment to joy to
anger, and especially to love.

"I receive hundreds of letters with
requests for assistance from parents
of hyperactive children. From today
I'll ask each family to read Tantrums,
Toads, and Teddy Bears. "■ — Dr.
James Dobson
Hardcover, $8.95; in Canada $10.40

Such Were Some of You

by Kevin LI neh an

The spiritual odyssey of an ex-gay
Christian. The firsthand account of a
person who found the gay life empty
and unfulfilling and who found
deliverance through Jesus Christ.
Paper, $5.95; in Canada $6.90

Evangelicalism and
Anabaptism

edited by C. Norman Kraus

A careful analysis of
Evangelicalism from an Anabaptist
perspective. C. Norman Kraus, J.
Lawrence Burkholder, John A. Lapp,
Ronald J. Sider, Marlin Jeschke, Wes
Michaelson, and J. C. Wenger
discuss the origins of
Evangelicalism, its various branches,
its positive and negative
contributions, its sociopolitical
context, and its theological
emphases.
Paper, $5.95; in Canada $6.90

Herald Press:
Challenging,
Thoughtful books for
Christians

Everywhere

OWj ffiflDS,'"'
TEDI»'

Perceptions of Apartheid: The
Church and Political Change in
South Africa

by Ernie Regehr

A comprehensive picture on the
role the churches of South Africa
played in creating the racial
problems that exist there and how
the churches are addressing the
problems today.
Paper, $7.95

Living in Christian Community

by Arthur G. GIsh

A thorough description of how
Christian community should
function. Both prophetic and
practical. Congregations and
intentional communities will find
much in this book that will challenge
them to open their lives more totally
to God's love.
Hardcover, $8.95; in Canada $10.40

Christ and Violence

by Ronald J. Sider

A challenging biblical book which
looks to Jesus for an example of how
to respond to the violent world in
which we live. Includes the
presentation Ron Sider made at the
New Call to Peacemaking
Convention.
Paper, $4.95; in Canada $5.75

Disaster Response: A
Handbook for Church Action

by John C. Busch

How Christians can organize their
communities to prepare for and react
to disaster. Includes long-range
planning, a discussion of how people
react to disasters, models for
ministry, and comprehensive listings
of governmental, denominational,
and private resources available to
support interchurch responses.
Paper, $4.95; in Canada $5.75

Available at your local
bookstore.

Herald Press

Scottdale, PA 15683
Kitchener, ON N2G 4M5

£^0?

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
NOVEMBER 1979

V

N,

(§,@M^Mi

^2 Simplicity and Solidarity. Moving into covenant community
and solidarity with the world's poor are just two reasons to reassess life-
style. Howard E. Royer presents simplifying rationale.

^5 Shalom Place. Two young women respond to God's call and a
community's neglected and abused children. Story by Anne M.
Albright.

1Q The Big Lie. We have succumbed to the "big lie" — that life is an

abundance of "things." Jesus, the epitome of simplicity, gave his life to
rid us of that lie. Bible study by T. Wayne Rieman.

20 T'l® Promise of Jubilee, a Washington, D.C, inner-city
housing project, motivated by Jesus' teachings, attains low-income
housing and tenant pride. Story by Mary Jo Bowman.

22 Small Farms Find Their Place in the Sun. Letting the sun

shine in, 50 low-income farm families use the research and
demonstrations of the Nebraska Small Farm Energy Project for
conservation and self-sufficiency. Story by Berwyn Oltman.

24 '"'"'^ ® G'liX to Be Simple. Three families, witnessing with their
life-styles, intentionally set themselves apart for commitment, to build
family strength and feel God's closeness. Story by Tim Speicher.

In Touch profiles families making life-style changes: Marie and Don
Willoughby, Marilla, Mich.; Cathy and John Blocher, Greenville, Ohio; and
Judy and Steve Mohler, Warrensburg, Mo. (2) . . . Outlook reports on Annual
Conference. World Conference on Religion and Peace. Documentary on Three
Mile island. TV violence. Young resignation. Urban church symposium.
Refugee workshop. Chinese Bible. Nicaraguan Mennonites. SALT II. South
Africa Christians. Alternative Christmas festival (start on 4) . . . Underlines (7)
. . . Update (8) . . . Special Report, "Paying for Peace: Guidelines on
Military Tax Refusal," by William Durland (10) . . . "Eating Responsibly," by
Marilyn Yoder (26) . . . Prayer Calendar (28) . . . Column, "The New
Simplicity," by Howard E. Royer (31) . . . Resources, "Celebration Part 2," by
Anita Smith Buckwalter (32) . . . Book Review, "Taking Another Look at
Riches," by Estella B. Horning (34) . . . Pilgrim's Pen (37) . . . Turning
Points (38) . . . Editorial (40)

WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN?

As the wife of an Annual Conference delegate,
I'm enjoying your "Seattle Report" in the August
issue. It brings back memories of a great week.
Bui I'm still disappointed there was no mention
of the 130-plus children and their able leaders
who contributed so well to Saturday e\ening's
worship service. I hope someone has a picture of
them for future records. The La Verne singers
rated a side and front view!

You might guess I had a child or grandchild in
the choir but 1 didn't — not even a friend's child.
But somehow at Seattle we came to feel we were
one big family. 1 wonder if those little singers
were disappointed too as they looked for their
picture or a bit of recognition.

Perhaps you could still include something
while we are still in the International Year of the
Child.

A big thank you for all those kids and their
hardworking leaders.

Rlth Seese
Delphi, Ind.

(As ihe father of one of the children In ihe
choir, obviously I wasn't unaware of their con-
tribution. H'e regret that all the persons who con-
tributed to the worship services could nol be
highlighted. -Ed.)

AL BRIGHTBILL'S AFTERGLOW

In the Tuesday evening program at Con-
ference, I paid a tribute to my husband, Alvin,
using part of this poem by him. Would you share
it with Messenger readers?
The day is dying in a flood of crimson flame
That bathes the hills in beauty richly rare
And all the world bows down, and 1 too come
To stand to wonder and to worship; then
A still small voice seems to question me;
When death shall come and 1 must gladly go
Will there be those who love my memory?
O Lord, shall 1 too leave an afterglow?

Mae Brightbill
North Manchester, Ind.

EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Steve Simmons

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Z Blake

FEATURES

Harriet Z Blake. Steve Simmons, Fred W. Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E Weaver, Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Doris Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K Thompson

VOL. 128, NO. 11

NOVEMBER 1979

CREDITS: Cover Joyce Miller. 4 Mervin A.
Keeney. 9 United Nations High Commissioner lor
Refugees. 10, 12. 19 RNS. 15-17 John Albright.
20-21 Jubilee Housing Development Group. 22-23
Nebraska Small Farm Energy Project. 24 Tim
Speicher. 26 USAID. 31 Nguyen Van Gia.

MESSENGER is the official publication of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug. 20, 1918, under Act of Congress
of Oct. 17, 1917. Filing date. Oct. 1, 1979.
MESSENGER is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service. Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version.

Subscription rates: $7.80 one year for individual
subscriptions; $14.40 two years; $21 three years;
$33 five years. $6.60 per year for Church Group
Plan; $6.60 per year lor gift subscriptions; School
rate 50* per issue. If you move clip
address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change. MESSENGER is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission. Church of the
Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee
Ave.. Elgin, 111. 60120. Second-class
postage paid at Elgin, 111.. Nov. 1979. Copyright
1979, Church of the Brethren General Board.

THOUGHTS FROM DISTRICT MEETING

I returned from the V\estern Plains district
meeting with mixed feelings: 1 looked at people
who appeared to be trying sincerely to be Chris-
tians, but weren't finding all they could or
wanted, and I wanted to say, "Try looking over
here instead." But 1 felt like they wouldn't want
to hear that. And that was sad.

There were several times I heard criticism of
people who "draw a box around the Holy Spirit"
saying the Holy Spirit only does certain things.
But I was irritated to hear the same speakers
seemingly draw ing a box by saying what the Holy
Spirit doesn't do. That looked like the other side
of the same coin to me.

Something else struck me: There seems to be a
grovving tendency to criticize the "electric
church." Supposedly it keeps people at home
conifortably by themselves and away from real
live participation with real people, lis aim is to
reach people who wouldn't be in church (the
messages primarily are for conversion and begin-

ning Christian life), and most of those ministries
do encourage finding good local congregations.
For some local churches there needs to be sup-
plementary input from the outside anyway.

1 also heard appeals at district meeting for
money for our own denomination, so that shoots
another criticism at radio and tv ministries. Let's
face it, it takes money to operate, whoever you
are.

At district meeting 1 found good and life
among the Brethren, but I also sensed a suffocat-
ing closemindedness to receiving a// that the Holy
Spirit is doing and would show us about Jesus
and about our life together in Christ.

Gary Frantz
Holmesville, Neb.

MORE ON NO'MEN'-CLATURE

While we are raising hue and cry about the
word "Brethren," might I introduce some con-
siderations?

I heard an address by the noted feminist
theologian, Letty M. Russell of Yale Divinity
School, given before an audience combining the
Bethany student body and faculty, the General
Board and the Elgin staff (an impressive scholar
before an impressive class on an impressive
topic). In the course of that lecture Dr. Russell
congratulated the Church of the Brethren upon
its name, reading "brethren" to say, as she put it,
"men and women working together."

Russell knows the language; there is a super-
abundance of unimpeachable evidence that, at
least as far back as its Greek equivalent in the
New Testament and ever since, "brethren" has
been a totally inclusive and nondiscriminating
term. Who will prove Letty Russell wrong?

If we want to be truly honest and serious about
this business, what we ought to be doing is agitat-
ing the Presbyterians (of whom Letty Russell is
one). Their root term, in its New Testament
Greek equivalent and ever since, has been con-
sistently and totally exclusive, designating, as it
does, not simply "males" but "old males."

Consider, too, that the Brethren are
linguistically purer than the Lutherans, Calvin-
ists, Mennonites, Hutterites, Schwenkfelders,
Waldensians and all whose nomenclature speaks
of allegiance to a particular mate leader. And
how about the Roman Catholics, Greek Ortho-
dox, Anglicans, Moravians and all whose names
imply exclusivism on ethnic or geographical
grounds? If denominational appellations were to
be listed from the most appropriate and inclusive
down to the most inappropriate and exclusive,
"The Church of the Brethren" would come near
the top of that list.

Of course, it might be more/i/n to posture and
fuss as we are doing. But I have a proposal that
would be even more fun: We could take out after
the Mennonites — and not only for naming their
church after a male individual. We might also de-
mand that they reverse the first two syllables so
that the name, instead of reading "Menno,"
might read "No-men."

Vernard Eller
La Verne, Calif.

ARROGANCE TOWARD HUMAN BEINGS

Myron Horst's letter about Gary Rock (August
Messenger) bespeaks a naiveti and moral ar-
rogance we find repulsive. By equating Old
Testament injunctions with this country's penal
system Horst places himself in the comfortable
but naive position of assuming that our govern-
ment is aligned with God. How has Horst deter-
mined that the State of Pennsylvania has carried
out God's wishes in distributing justice? Are
judges and prosecuting attorneys appointed by
God?

If so, our only task is to make "prisoners" see
the error of their ways and not to question the
divine guidance of the courts.

How arrogant to state Gary Rock's ordeal
stemmed simply from "forgetting" one of the
Ten Commandments! Horst's rigid assertions rip
men and women from their human context — a
context which, if Horst chose to examine it,
would show the pressures that sometimes move
individuals to "forget." Perhaps one cause of
forgetting is the conflict between being told to
believe in Horst's platitudes and living in a socie-
ty which systematically enforces violations of
them. Horst sidesteps these issues and absolves
himself of responsibility for the social context of
peoples' lives. His arrogance toward real human
beings belies his concern for justice.

There are thousands of people like Gary Rock
in the USA — more people in prisons than any
other country in the world. And there are more
people, not in prison, whose desperation is
quieter but no less tragic or angering. For Horst
to assert these people need only some mysterious
conversion violates any sense of compassion or
Christian principle as we understand it.

John Hoops
Carol Keller
Cambridge, Mass.

DEALING MATURELY WITH ISSUES

I have read Steve Simmons' story on the
Brethren colleges (September) and would like to
compliment Messenger on a fine article taken
from complicated materials. The article was
seasoned, profound, accurate and helpful. Con-
gratulations for dealing maturely with the issues
involved.

Paul W. Hoffman
President
McPherson College
McPherson, Kan.

READING, WRITING, RENAMING

I am enjoying reading Messenger. I also am
enjoying writing to some of the people in prison
to whom you asked us to write.

1 have been reading quite a bit about changing
the church's name. This would be unfair to our
forebears who worked so hard to keep the church
aglow. Can't we just say "Church of the Brethren
and Sisters"?

We should dwell more on the real spirit of
worship and the true joy that comes with it.

Mrs. Ervin Robison
Roann, Ind.

BXoKgi(%"(S

H.

.istorically, Brethren are "boat
people." Our denominational forebears fled
to the American colonies from European
ports to escape religious persecution. Safe
in America, it would be almost 200 years
before we became involved in helping other
refugees — the Armenians in Turkey.

Since that identifying with the persecuted
of the earth some 60 years ago, we have
regularly concerned ourselves with their
plight and opened our hearts and homes.
Particularly after World War II we welcom-
ed refugees from Europe. Then there were
the Kalmucks from Russia, the Kurds from

Refugees

Great Charter of the course of nations —

As I see floods of refugees
fleeing their native shores
I am reminded that once,
long ago.
You dispersed humankind from its
"God-aspiring"
by confounding languages.

Do You now disperse humankind again
from its "nation worship"
by confounding politics?

Oh, that we might all — as refugees —
seek You
as well as safe haven!

— Mary Sue Rosenberger

Poet Mary Sue Rosenberger is a member of the
Center congregalion, Louisville, Ohio, and a member
of the General Board.

Iran, the Asians from Uganda and now
the Indochinese.

These refugees from Vietnam, Laos,
Cambodia are flowing into the United
States at the rate of I4,0(X) each month.
According to figures from New Windsor,
Md., Brethren sponsored less than 100
refugees per month in the first half of
1979. We need to accept about 150 per
month if we are to assume a fair propor-
tion of the 3,000 refugee cases assigned
each month to Church World Service.

Read carefully our news item this month
on refugee sponsorship. Encourage your
church to become a sponsor.
What does it take to sponsor refugees?
Danny Ludwick, a participant in the New
Windsor refugee workshop, whose West
Virginia congregation has already spon-
sored one family, declares, "If you're real-
ly moved by the Spirit, you can do
it." — The Editors

November 1979 messenger 1

iflt^Ini

Marie & Don Willoughby: *No worries'

Rather than working only for
money, the Willoughbys have pur-
sued a simple and more rewarding
life-style working for God.

Don Willoughby, his wife, Marie,
and six children made a choice to
leave "the professional ladder of
success" — the rat race — in 1972.
That meant leaving a lucrative posi-
tion in a church of 385 members for
a small rural church with a total an-
nual budget of $5,000.

They came to Marilla (Mich.)
Church of the Brethren with a trust
in God for supporting the family.
Three days after arrival Don had a
job at a nearby furniture factory in
Kaleva, Mich.

A few years later, with eight
children, Don accepted a second
pastorate at Lakeview Church of the
Brethren. That meant quitting his
factory job and having less income
working for both churches. It also
meant an intensified effort for a
simple life-style.

Since then the family began
building a large home. The tri-split-
level home is designed so it has
three separate apartment units. Each
unit has a bath, living and bed
rooms and plumbing for a kitchen.
The Willoughbys use their home to
provide shelter for members of the
church, refugees and others.

"Since we started planning and
designing the home," Don said, "all
the parts fit together and worked."
Roger Hart, a carpenter from In-
diana, helped with much of the
building for only room, board and
sharing in the Willoughby family.
Hart told the Willoughbys God's
guidance sent him to help build the
house and ministry.

Not only is the method of
building the home a testament to
simple living and guidance by God,
but the design of the building

2 MESSENGER November 1979

displays their desire for a simple life.

A pantry accommodates 650
quarts of fruits, jellies, vegetables
and pickles which are put up each
year. Much of the produce is from
two large gardens and family
outings for pick-your-own fruits.

Marie points out the "old fash-

ioned and huge kitchen" functioning
as the family gathering spot and
center of family activity.

The attitude of the family reflects
their life-style. The children are
often clothed with hand-me-downs
and yard-sale goods. Don points to
his daughter with a patch on the
rear of her pants: "Some wear
patches for style," he said, "we wear
them out of necessity." Earlier in
the conversation the same daughter
voiced her attitude, indicating she
could think of nothing she wanted
that more money could buy.

"The children have learned
enough to say 'We can't afford it,' "
Marie said. "God is taking care of
us and we have no worries."

"We can be proud of our
poorness," Don said. — Kurt

SCHINDLER

Free-lance writer Kurt Schindler is Manistee
(Mich.) County Planning Director.

Cathy & John Blocher

Fields of soy beans and corn sur-
rounded the comfortable farm home
of John and Cathy Blocher of
Greenville, Ohio. The wind rustled
the leaves as clouds piled up in the
sky and thunder rumbled in the dis-
tance. A bicycle bell jangled and
John rode into the yard.

"Let me clean up and I'll be with
you," John called.

What was a biochemist who had
worked for the Army in chemical
warfare doing in this quiet rural set-
ting? Beginning in 1959, John
worked for the Army— first in
chemical warfare in Ft. Detrick,
Md., and later in the biological lab.

John became increasingly unhap-
py working for the government. "I
felt I was not involved in producing
anything of consequence."

He and Cathy (Swank) whom he
had married in 1963 attended the
Frederick, Md., Church of the Breth-
ren. The influence of the church and
pastor guided their thinking.

With Andrew (now 10) and Karen
(14) the Blochers decided to return
to Ohio; to the "grass roots." In
1966 John began working with his
father, Kenneth Blocher. They farm
397 acres.

Cathy teaches English at the
Greenville high school. Last year she
was chosen delegate to the Ohio
Educational Association assembly in
Columbus, and is presently an offi-
cer in the local teachers' association.

"I'm on the American Friends'
Service call list," she said. "Recently
I was asked to call our representa-
tive concerning a house bill that had
reinstatement of the draft as an
amendment."

She continued, "I find self-fulfill-
ment in being a political activist. I
write many letters and attend many
meetings. There are causes I feel
deeply about, such as peace, nuclear

?leturn to 'grass roots'

energy, human rights, minorities,
children and women."

Cathy and John are concerned
about the draft. "Youth are inter-
ested in more information," Cathy
said. "Our church needs to be lead-
ing in the matter of conscription —
first, educating our youth, and then,
providing information for others.
As a school teacher, I find that
young people have no background
which will enable them to make
right personal decisions about going
into the military. Most of them
don't even realize there is a choice."

The Blochers are conscious of re-
ducing energy consumption. They
bought a smaller car, increased the

insulation of their home, plan to in-
stall a solar water heater, and even-
tually a solar dryer for their corn.

John sums up their philosophy of
life: "We are caretakers of the land
that God has given us. Buildings
come and go, but the land remains.
To misuse the land is a betrayal of
the trust God has placed in our
hands." -Mildred Hess Grimley

Mildred Hess Grimley is a former Nigeria mis-
sionary and a member of the Brookville (Ohio) con-
gregation.

Judy & Steve Mohler: Building on faith

Steve and Judy Mohler sat on a
board in the skeleton-like frame of a
friend's house. They had taken time
out from work on their own
underground home to help a friend.
Helpfulness is typical of Steve and
Judy. Concern for people inspired
them to sponsor a refugee family
from Uganda a few years ago, shar-
ing their home and help until the
family was settled in a home of its
own.

Intentional living of their Chris-
tian faith is now being expressed by
the building of their own energy
saving home. They had been living
in a house which expressed the
culture of the times: affluent in ap-
pearance, larger than needed, ineffi-
cient in the use of energy. The new
home is planned to express their
concerns about the proper use of the
earth's resources and conservation
of energy, as an expression of their
faith.

The Mohlers are their own con-
tractors; they planned their home
after consulting experts on construc-
tion of underground homes. They
are working on a three-bedroom
house with a kitchen-family room,
recreation room, bath-and-a-hailf
and shop. Where possible, natural
materials will be used: Bentonite
clay panels as a moisture barrier;
the earth itself around and above
the concrete of which the house is
made; the sunlight through the
Trombe glass south wall for passive
solar heat and additional light from
three dome-shaped sky lights. Sup-
plementary heat will come from a
woodburning fireplace-stove. In-
sulating shutters and expanded
polystyrene will help keep the heat
in during the winter months, and
out in the summer. In the future, a
garden may grow on the roof. As
needed, the Trombe wall may be

used for air circulation. In humid
Missouri, the Mohlers expect to
need two or three small
dehumidifiers.

While fortunate to have city water
in a rural home, Judy has ideas of a
cistern for soft water in the future;
a carport room might be the source
of collecting rain water for such a
project. Steve and Judy are building
their house themselves, hiring out
the excavating, plumbing and elec-
tric wiring.

"We feel differently about a house
we build ourselves," they say. It is

an experiment in living their faith,
in expressing their creativity, in con-
serving the earth's resources of
energy and materials.

Steve, a member of the Church of
the Brethren Task Force on Chris-
tian Life-style, with wife Judy and
children Justin and Shawn hope to
move into their new home soon. In
the meantime they will be happy to
share information of their project:
Judy and Stephen Mohler, RFD 5,
Warrensburg, MO 64093. -Nettie
Thomas

Nellie Thomas is a licensed minister in Ihe
Warrensburg (Mo.) congregation

November 1979 messenger 3

Urban church focus of
weekend symposium

Why is a denomination composed largely
of German farmers looking at ministry in
the cities? Because the Church of the
Brethren is no longer composed only of
German farmers. This image, however,
still pervades Brethren literature and
thinking and must be challenged, accord-
ing to several speakers at the Church of
the Brethren Symposium on Urban
Ministry in September.

The symposium brought nearly 60 par-
ticipants to Bethany Theological Seminary
for two days of pithy lectures and discus-
sions on ministry in the cities. To a large
extent, speakers contended, urban
ministry involves churches in racially
changing communities. Most of the par-
ticipants were from the 65 Brethren con-
gregations now in such transitional areas.

Brethren have clung to the Old Testa-
ment view of the city as corrupt and evil,
said Grady Snyder, Bethany Seminary
dean, rather than accepting the New
Testament perspective of the city as the
focus of God's activity.

"We need a more universal faith and
culture to appeal and to speak to the
cities," proposed Murray Wagner, Beth-
any professor and librarian. He pointed
out that the success of the Jewish tradi-
tion in cities was built on a transportable
holy book, the Torah, in contrast to the
Brethren tradition tied to rural farm land.

Speakers from outside the Brethren
tradition challenged participants to ex-
amine carefully the city and their own
faith. Stanley Hallett, a specialist in urban
affairs and management on the faculty of

Northwestern University and Garrett
Theological Seminary, asserted that cities
are controlled by the market and that the
market, as an allocator of resources, is at-
tuned not to the community needs and
values but to profits.

On a more experiential level, the group
heard Henry Mitchell's dynamic presenta-
tion, "The Gospel and the Gut." Mitchell,
director of the Ecumenical Center for
Black Church Studies in Los Angeles, in-
sisted that the gospel is not an idea but an
experience. Brethren tradition has de-
emphasized the emotional aspect of faith,
thus weakening its impact on individuals
since "people operate more on their feel-
ings than intellect."

Another Cahfornian, James Lawson,
pastor of Holman United Methodist
Church in Los Angeles, said that justice is
the central theme of ministry today.
Throughout the bibhcal texts and by
Christ's example, he said, "love is justice
on behalf of the neighbor."

The symposium was planned under the
direction of Tom Wilson, Brethren staff
for congregations and communities in
change. He sees the symposium as a first
step in the denomination's commitment to
urban ministry. "We need to abandon the
notion," he said, "that God is better seen,
felt and understood in the rural farm
lands and extend the reign of Christ
throughout the urban setting."

In Wilson's view, the dialog among the
participants (about 1 1 percent were black,
about 15 percent Hispanic; the remainder
white) was an extremely important facet
of the conference and he predicts that the
meeting's real significance will lie in what
happens next, both at the local and na-
tional levels. — Mervin A. Keeney

The Brethren Symposium on Urban Ministry encouraged dialog among participants. Below,
Merle Crouse (left) and Phill Carlos Archbold of the Brooklyn (N. Y.) church talk.

Church leaders lobby
Senate for SALT II

Leaders of more than 25 national religious
organizations lobbied the Senate Sept. 12
in support of the SALT II treaty. The
visits with Senators followed a day of
meetings with top government and
religious leaders to examine the SALT
treaty and the perspectives religious
groups bring to it. Representing the
Church of the Brethren were Annual Con-
ference moderator William Eberly,
General Board member Karen S. Carter
and Ron Hanft, interim director of the
Washington office.

Hanft reports that approximately 150
persons attended the full day of meetings
which began at breakfast with President
Carter and a briefing from Zbigniew
Brzezinski. Following breakfast, par-
ticipants heard a report on the SALT
debate from the majority and minority
leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, Senators Frank Church and
Jacob Javits.

Some of the day's most impressive
speeches, in Hanft's view, were those given
by several of the religious leaders: William
Howard, president of the National Council
of Churches; John Cardinal Krol, Arch-
bishop of Philadelphia; and Alexander
Schindler, president of the Union of
American Hebrew Congregations.

Vice-President Mondale addressed the
group at lunch. Before breaking into
groups to visit Senators, the participants
had a briefing on issues and strategies.

The participants reflected a variety of
convictions, Hanft reports, but "one thing
we had in common was that we had decid-
ed, with whatever misgivings, to support
SALT II." Reflecting on the July General
Board discussion which finally resulted in
most of its members voting to support
SALT II, Hanft said, "The questions peo-
ple were asking and the things people were
struggling with were similar to those in the
Board discussion." He believes the religious
supporters of SALT II were able to clarify
the reasons for their support of the treaty
and their belief that it is only a small step
toward a real disarmament process.

The day concluded with two rounds of
visits to the offices of about 60 undecided
Senators. A high percentage of the delega-
tions from the Senators' home areas were
able to meet with their Senator. "These
visits were the real purpose of the day,"

4 MESSENGER November 1979

explained Hanft. Karen Carter led the
Virginia delegation which visited Senator
John Warner.

Two other Brethren attended the con-
sultation on behalf of other organizations:
Warren Hoover, executive director of the
National Interreligious Service Board for
Conscientious Objectors, and Don Leiter
of the Delmarva Ecumenical Agency, Inc.,
of Wilmington, Del.

Alternative Christmas
at Florida-P.R. camp

An alternative Christmas festival was
celebrated over the Labor Day weekend at
Camp Ithiel in the Florida-Puerto Rico
District. The festival was part of an an-
nual family camp on the theme "A Chris-
tian Christmas."

Preliminary plans had already been
made for the camp when leaders saw a
Messenger item on the work being done
by "Alternatives" and decided to invite
Mike and Colleen Shannon-Thornberry of
the Alternatives staff to be resource peo-
ple for the camp. Alternatives is an
organization helping people find new ways
to celebrate Christmas and other holidays.

The couple led the morning sessions
during the camp and discussions centered
not only on types of Christmas obser-
vances but also on life-style in general.
Participants explored ideas for simpler
Christmas celebrations, spurred by the
Shannon-Thornberrys' personal sharing,
filmstrips and book display.

For the rest of the camp — which was
forced by Hurricane David to close a day
early — traditional camp fun combined
with all kinds of Christmas ideas. A tree
was trimmed with paper chains, popcorn
and chrismon ornaments; an Advent
candlelighting program was presented; a
family worship was suggested by the Sun-
day morning worship. Crafts included
making wrapping paper, decorating gift
boxes, making gifts and decorations.

Despite the camp's early closing, the
campers, ranging in age from 1 Vi to 83,
had been stimulated to think of new kinds
of celebrations, not just for Christmas but
for other holidays as well.

Persons interested in more information
about the work of the Shannon-
Thornberrys and other Alternatives staff
may write Alternatives, 4274 Oaklawn
Dr., Jackson, MS 39206 or telephone
(601) 366-8468. -Wanda Callahan

South Africa Christians
meet across race lines

Six thousand South African Christians of
all races and denominations met for 10
days this past summer in Pretoria, South
Africa. The agenda for the historic
gathering, called the South Africa Chris-
tian Leadership Assembly (SACLA), was
"to discover what it means to be faithful
and effective witnesses of Jesus Christ as
Lord in South Africa today."

Planned by evangelists and missionaries,
the assembly was the first opportunity for
many blacks and whites to converse across
the racial wall.

Mennonite theologican John Howard
Yoder was invited to attend SACLA as a
resource person, counselor and speaker.
He explains that the vision of the planners
was that a better context than politics for
dealing with apartheid could emerge from
a broad experience of church renewal in-
cluding fresh approaches in biblical inter-
TV violence monitoring
shows level down in '79

Violence on commercial television contin-
ued to decline in 1979 largely due to
strong citizen pressure, according to results
of the third monitoring project of the
National Citizens Committee for Broad-
casting (NCCB). The Church of the Breth-
ren helped fund the project through its
media advocacy and education program.

The survey showed that 45 percent of
all prime time network programs this
spring contained no definable incidents of
violence. However, incidents of violence
increased in those programs showing
violence.

NCCB's first monitoring project pro-
vided data on tv violence for the 1976
season. The second NCCB survey in the
fall of 1977 showed that tv violence had
decreased by nine percent and the latest
survey shows a slight overall decrease
from the 1977 figures.

The most recent figures show ABC hav-
ing the most violent programs with NBC a
close second. CBS was less violent than
ABC by about 50 percent. This was a
direct reversal of the 1977 figures when
CBS was the only network which in-
creased its violent programing.

The project also ranked advertisers by

pretation, the widespread use of small-
group fellowship and the new patterns
created by charismatic renewal.

Such experience was woven into the
plans for the assembly. The worship and
song were charismatic and evangelical in
nature, according to Yoder, and the
strongest interpersonal sharing of the
assembly occurred in the frequent discus-
sion circles of six to 10 persons.

Apartheid was the unstated focus of the
entire assembly. "It was the omnipresent
concern," reports Yoder, "the test case for
every discussion of other issues and the
reason the government and Afrikaaner
conservatives feared SACLA."

In Yoder's view. South Africa will not
be the same following SACLA. He
cited the hundreds of volunteers who
planned and coordinated the conference
and the 500 hosts who opened their homes
to guests, 80 percent of whom had never
before had guests of another race.
"SACLA," Yoder said, "will be remem-
bered simply because it happened."

the amount of violent programs they
sponsor. With one exception (Miller Prod-
ucts) the 10 most violent advertisers of
1977 had disappeared from the new list.

The 10 most violent sponsors (in de-
scending order) are Chrysler, Hi C Fruit
Drinks, Budweiser Beer, Duracell Bat-
teries, Mennen Products, Borden Food
Products, Wrangler Jeans, General Mills,
Sealy Mattress and Miller Products. The
least violent sponsors are Nikon Cameras,
Alberto Culver Products, Perrier Mineral
Water, Timex Watches, Shulton Old
Spice, Beneficial Finance, Ace Hardware,
Lincoln Mercury Motors, Fruit of the
Loom and Breck Products.

The definition of violence used in the
study was violence with guns (including
gun fight, gun threat, shooting at a per-
son); personal physical violence (including
beating, strangling, manhandling, fist-
fighting, inflicting wounds, stabbing,
attempted drowning and attempted
suicide); and capital episodes (including
killing, kidnapping and suicide).

Other funding for the project came
from United Methodist Communications,
the Reformed Church in America,
American Lutheran Church and Dr.
Thomas Radecki, a psychiatrist and
NCCB supporter. Ralph Nader chairs the
Washington-based group. — Religious
News Service

November 1979 messenger 5

All life-care contracts
voided at Ohio home

A federal bankruptcy court judge has
declared void the life-care contracts of
more than 250 residents of The Brethren
Home in Greenville, Ohio. The decision is
the most recent in a series of attempts to
keep the financially troubled retirement
home in operation.

The life-care contracts were issued by
the home until 1976 and assured pur-
chasers that their needs would be provided
until their death. Many persons sold farms
or homes to purchase their life-care con-
tracts.

With the life-care contracts void as of
Oct. 1, each resident must pay a standard
monthly fee for services in addition to
bearing responsibility for all other ex-
penses incurred such as medical and phar-
macy bills. The judge approved granting
annuity credit to each life-care contract
holder based on the amount of the orig-
inal lump-sum payment and the person's
life expectancy. The monthly cost of the
room above this credit must be paid by
the resident.

William Bertram, attorney for the
residents' reorganization committee, notes
that this plan will cause a "lot of hardship
on the part of the residents" but believes
it is as fair as could be under the cir-
cumstances. To help residents who cannot
pay the full amount from their own
resources, the home is depending on the
congregations of the Southern Ohio
District to contribute $15,000 to $20,000 a
month to a resident aid fund, according
to home administrator Wilbur Mullen.

Bertram says an appeal of the decision
voiding the life-care contracts has been
filed on behalf of the bondholders. The
First National Bank of Dayton, acting for
the bondholders, contends that the deci-
sion has placed the residents in a position
in which their rights are considered before
those of the bondholders.

The court's decision was sought by
Harry J.W. Fravert, the court-appointed
trustee of the home. Fravert is charged
with developing a plan of reorganization
of the corporation. Voiding the life-care
contracts is only one step in the total
reorganization plan.

The home fell into default in May 1976
when it was unable to make a payment of
$824,000 due on principal and interest on
bonds sold to build a $10 million addition
in 1972.

New Chinese Bible first
since 1949 revolution

A Chinese-language edition of the Bible
will be published in China for the first
time since the 1949 Communist revolu-
tion, according to Yin Ziehzeng, pastor of
Peking's only Protestant church. Yin is
the son of Yin Chi-tsung, the first Church
of the Brethren elder in China.

In an announcement made in late
August, Yin said the government had al-
ready sanctioned translation and publica-
tion of the Old and New Testaments
which he said were slated for completion
by late 1979 or early 1980.

Chinese Communist authorities had an-
nounced earlier that the Koran, Islam's
holy scripture, would be printed for the

first time since 1949, also at state expense.
Both moves are seen as part of a general
liberalization in China under the current
leadership.

Yin said the new edition of the Bible
will be printed in the simplified Chinese
characters adopted by the government in
the 1950s. Many young Chinese have dif-
ficulty reading the complicated script used
before the revolution.

According to Yin, the text of the new
Bible will be decided on by a committee
of former faculty members of the Nan-
king Seminary. The scholars are working
from Chinese-language Bibles printed
before the revolution and are also study-
ing modern Bibles printed in foreign
countries in recent years to learn what
changes have been made in traditional
texts. -Religious News Service

Conference officers set
committees, fees, dates

Annual Conference officers recently
named members of two committees as
authorized by the 1979 Annual Con-
ference meeting in Seattle. Named to the
committee to study world mission
philosophy are two General Board
members, T. Wayne Rieman and Curtis
Dubble, and three representatives of the
church at large — I. W. Moomaw of
Sebring, Fla.; Patty Bittinger Stern of
San Diego, Calif.; and Elsa Zapata De
Groff of Castafier, Puerto Rico. Ruby
Rhoades, who will become the World
Ministries Commission executive in
January, will serve as the staff
liaison.

Named to a committee to study
diminishing membership in the denomina-
tion are Marilyn Koehler of Udell, Iowa;
Dorotha Frye of Defiance, Ohio; Olden
Mitchell of Elkhart, Ind.; Owen Stultz of
Roanoke, Va.; Cynthia Weber-Han of
Warrensburg, Mo.; Lorele Yager of
Churubusco, Ind.; and C. Wayne Zunkel
of Glendale, Calif. Matt Meyer, staff for
evangelism and church growth, will be the
staff liaison.

During its August meeting, the Annual
Conference Central Committee exam-
ined Conference finances and found it
necessary to increase the delegate registra-
tion fee from $30 to $50. Meyer, also An-
nual Conference manager, points out that
this option avoids the necessity of raising
district per-member assessments or in-

creasing the regular registration fees.
In other action, Central Committee
changed the dates of the 1982 Annual
Conference, scheduled in Wichita,
Kan. The new dates are July 20-25,
1982.

TV special to examine
human Impact of TMI

How did the nuclear accident at the Three
Mile Island nuclear power plant near Har-
risburg. Pa., affect the lives of nearby
citizens? What psychological and spiritual
toll did it take on residents?

The scientific dimension of the accident
has been widely analyzed since the events
of late March and early April. Now
WITF, the public television station in
Hershey, Pa., is preparing a documentary
to examine the human dimension.

Titled "The People of Three Mile
Island," the program will be transmitted
nationally on Oct. 28 and will be seen
then in Hershey. Persons in other areas
should check local listings in case it has
been scheduled at another time.

The Church of the Brethren has con-
tributed $1,000 from the Emergency and
Disaster Fund for this exploration of the
psychological damage of the disaster. The
Atlantic Northeast District has also sup-
ported the program. WITF sought fund-
ing from a number of denominations,
pointing to the timeliness and significance
of the project. "If the story is not record-
ed now, it will soon be lost," the project
proposal explained.

6 MESSENGER November 1979

World religious leaders
discuss global agenda

Religious leaders from 10 world religions
and 47 countries have called for a world-
wide movement to outlaw war and all
weapons of mass destruction and for a
new economic order with "growing justice
and equity." The group also declared that
the world's religious bodies must under-
take major educational programs to "in-
crease mutual appreciation of all peoples
and cultures, and foster a commitment to
the values of peace."

The appeals were contained in the
Princeton Declaration adopted by
delegates to the Third Assembly of the
World Conference on Religion and Peace
(WCRP III) at the conclusion of the
10-day meeting in Princeton, N.J., in ear-
ly September. Shirley Heckman, General
Board staff for education, represented the
Church of the Brethren. The two earlier
conferences were in 1970 and 1974.

Homer A. Jack, WCRP secretary-
general, in reviewing the overall accom-
plishments of the Third Assembly, stated:
"For the first time, a group of religious
leaders, truly balanced both as to the ma-
jor world religions and the major world
political tendencies, met to discuss the
global agenda of disarmament, develop-
ment, human rights and conflict resolu-
tion. Heretofore, participation was too
Western and too Christian. However, with
the participation of a Chinese delegation
and of many more Moslems (from 20
countries), we provided an inclusive en-
vironment where religious leaders could
discuss world issues. . . . The Princeton
Declaration and other documents emerged
as significant statements on next steps for
world community."

Of the total 337 participants at WCRP
111, 198 were registered national or
regional delegates, consisting of 28 Bud-
dhists, 85 Christians, one Confucianist, 21
Hindus, eight Jews, three Jains, 31
Moslems, five Sikhs, 10 Shintoists, one
Zoroastrian and five representatives of
new Japanese religions. Also present were
23 fraternal delegates from religious
organizations, 20 observers and 42 staff.

Included in the 47 countries represented
at WCRP III was a delegation of 10 relig-
ious leaders from the People's Republic ot
China, the first time in nearly two decades
that a multi-religious group from that
country took part in an international
religious meeting.

[!^^dl(f[rDDOil@^

ACTING ECUMENICALLY . . . For some Brethren, Annual Conference
is not the only "Big Meeting" they attend. Wanda W. Button,
General Board member from Conrad, Iowa, was an ecumenical
participant representing the Church of the Brethren at the
General Asseitibly of the Presbyterian Church US May 22-30. She
was able to vote in the standing committee on which she served
and could speak on the floor. Charles J. Whitacre, pastor of
Denver's Prince of Peace church, was the Brethren representa-
tive to the Episcopal National Convention in Denver Sept. 9-
20. Ernest Barr of Indianapolis' Northview church will repre-
sent the Brethren at the United Methodist General Conference
in Indianapolis in April. An ongoing ecumenical witness for
Doris Cline Egge , General Board member from Ptoanoke , Va., is
her participation as a member of the board of the American
Baptist Churches. ... A different kind of ecumenical meeting
was the national Conference on Aging, Spiritual Well-being and
Education Aug. 5-7 in Indianapolis. Bethany student Don Booz
attended this meeting which focused on how religious education
should teach gerontology.

HONORS

A farewell tea Sept. 16 at Juniata College

honored Joe and Peggy Mason for their service in the Middle
Pennsylvania District where he has been district executive
since 1967. He has moved to the same position in the Southern
Ohio District. . . . The National Consumer Research Institute
recently honored Armen Sarafian, University of La Verne presi-
dent, and Richard Green for their work in promoting renewable
energy sources. Sarafian started the university's energy
program and Green is its director. . . . The Flat Rock church,
Forestville, Va., honored Galen D. Wine Aug. 5 for his 50
years of service in the ministry. . . . Southern Ohio District
threw a party Sept. 9 honoring Ruth and Ralph Sherfy who have
retired after many years of work with that district's credit
union.

NAMES YOU KNOW

Clyde R. Shall enter ger , head of chap-

laincy service at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and
chairman of the General Board, was the subject of a four-page
article in the Sunday magazine section of the Sept. 30 issue
of the Baltimore Sun. . . . Paul Allen of Sacramento, Calif.,
is the new part-time executive director of Musicians and
Actors Serving the Church/Community, a group which provides
musical and dramatic presentations, and learning experiences
where artistically inclined church people can develop skills
for ministry in the congregation.

WITNESSING FOR PEACE

Keith and Beth Nonemaker, summer

pastors at Chicago's Douglas Park church, worked with the
church's "children's peace center." The center teaches bibli-
cal, non-violent principles about settling differences to
children in this area plagued by street-gang violence. . . .
The board of the Indianapolis public schools recently heard
from representatives of the three historic peace churches
about military recruitment in the schools. Alvin Klotz ,
member of the Northview church, was the Brethren representa-
tive to the meeting which resulted in the board setting up a
committee to study the situation.

November 1979 messenger 7

AN EYE ON THE ENCYCLOPEDIA . . . Progress continues on the
editorial and fund-raising efforts of the Brethren Encyclo-
pedia . The ten-member Editorial Board met at Bethany Seminary
in September. Contributions continue to come in — $86,201 had
been given by the end of September and pledges totaled
$21,994. The goal is to raise $150,000. Donations may be
sent to the Brethren Encyclopedia, 6611 Germantown Ave. ,
Philadelphia, PA 19119.

RAISING MONEY

This year's Disaster Relief Auction in

the Atlantic Northeast District drew more than 2,000 people to
the Lebanon County Fairgrounds and raised more than $18,000
for the Church of the Brethren Emergency and Disaster Fund.
The fund assists in US and world disaster relief. . . . The
Trinity Fellowship near Massillon, Ohio, didn't let its vacant
church lot go to waste. Although groundbreaking isn't planned
until next spring, the lot was already in use this summer as
a corn field. Members planted, cultivated and harvested the
crop and proceeds from the sale were earmarked for the church
building fund.

USING MONEY ... To help women with financial planning, the
Nurture Commission of the Mack Memorial church in Dayton,
Ohio, planned a series of five seminars on Financial Planning
and Economic Awareness. Topics ranged from checking accounts
to credit to investments and were designed especially for
women — but men were welcome, too.

WIND DAMAGE

The Shiloh church in West Marva District

suffered serious damage when a severe wind storm in early
August blew a large oak tree into the building. The roof,
ceiling and one wall in the front quarter of the building
were destroyed. Until reconstruction began at the end of
August, members continued meeting in the building with plas-
tic covering the gaping hole in the building.

MARKING THE YET^S

A month's worth of special services

seemed appropriate to rejoice in the 175th anniversary of the
East Nimishillen church in Northern Ohio District. Special
services began Sept. 16 and closed Oct. 14. . . . The Ma pi e
Grove church in the Northern Indiana District marked 125 years
in its church building with a celebration at the opening of
evangelistic meetings Oct. 21. . . .A full weekend of special
events marked the centennial of First Church, Wichita, Sept.
29-30. Special guests and an historical pageant were among
the festivities. ... A rally day and homecoming Sept. 9
kicked off a four-month spiritual renewal emphasis and cele-
brated the 70th anniversary of the Springfield church in
Southern Ohio District.

MILESTONES

Members of the Parsons (Kansas) church will

celebrate a mortgage burning with a special ceremony and
dinner Dec. 2. . . . Dedication weekend Oct. 13-14 at the Zion
Hill church in the Northern Ohio District celebrated the dedi-
cation of a new church building. . . . Anticipating a dedica-
tion, the Keyser (W. Va. ) church broke ground for a major
addition to the church building Sept. 2.

8 MESSENGER November 1979

Upping refugee sponsors
goal of August workshop

When Beverly Leaf and a group of Lan-
sing (Mich.) Brethren entered the airport
to meet the second Indochinese refugee
family they were sponsoring, they saw a
sad sight — a lost-looking group of Viet-
namese waiting in the arrivals area. Their
descriptions didn't match that of the fami-
ly the Lansing group was expecting and
their interpreter discovered this group was
supposed to be in Kalamazoo. Airhne per-
sonnel had let them deplane a stop too
early. A two-hour taxi ride to Kalamazoo,
courtesy of the airlines, united the family
and the Kalamazoo sponsor.

Bev Lears story is perhaps typical of
many shared during a day-and-a-half
Brethren workshop on refugee resettle-
ment in late August. Representatives from
nearly every Brethren district gathered at
the Brethren Service Center in New Wind-,
sor, Md., to discuss their experiences in
sponsoring refugee families and to prepare
themselves to motivate other congrega-
tions in their districts for involvement in
this vital ministry.

The need for refugee sponsors is
critical. Indochinese refugees continue to
flood camps in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong
Kong, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Those countries, the countries of first
asylum, have grown increasingly insistent
that the world community respond more
quickly in accepting these refugees.

The US government has agreed to ac-
cept 14,000 refugees monthly, doubling
the number previously accepted. During
the first seven months of the year.
Brethren had sponsored about 600
refugees. Refugee resettlement staff would
like to see Brethren sponsoring 120-150
Indochinese persons monthly to assume a
fair proportion of the 3,000 cases to be
assigned each month to Church World
Service, the agency through which 15 Pro-
testant denominations, including the
Church of the Brethren, are involved in
refugee resettlement.

Although today's spotlight is on Indo-
Chinese refugees, thousands of refugees in
other spots around the globe also await
sponsorship. Sponsoring groups will not
necessarily receive "boat people" or other
Indochinese refugees when Ethiopian,
eastern European, Kurdish and other
refugees also need assistance.

One presentation after another at the
workshop reminded participants that im-

Lines for food and
water are long in
refugee camps like
ihis one in Thailand.
To help meet the
pressing need for
more refugee spon-
sors to resettle the
homeless from many
parts of the world,
24 Brethren from
around the country
met for a workshop
in August. The goal?
An increased number
of Brethren congre-
gations willing to
sponsor refugees.

mediate response is needed from Chris-
tians. But immediate response is not all
that will be necessary. Mac Coffman,
director of the Brethren service ministries,
predicts the need for a major refugee
resettlement effort for the next four to
five years.

In addition to outlining the needs, the
workshop concentrated on "how-tos."
One of the thorniest issues, raised by a
number of people who had sponsored
refugees, was drawing the fine line be-
tween doing too much for them and doing
too little. "Our job is to protect them
from exploitation but not to do everything
for them," suggested Tom Keane of the
Northern Ohio District.

Resisting the temptation to generalize
about all Indochinese is also difficult, par-
ticipants discovered. Kim Miller, who is
handling the refugee resettlement program
of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches,
struck a nerve with the group when he
reported on a woman who asked what size
a Vietnamese man's foot is, wanting to
purchase shoes before the refugee's ar-
rival. She seemed puzzled with Miller's
reply — "Two sizes smaller than an
American's."

It is perhaps particularly difficult for
American sponsors to remember that the
refugees they help resettle are adults, peo-
ple who need to make their own decisions
about their life-style, employment and
religion. How to be helpful on such issues
without being coercive was a major topic
of discussion.

"Should we witness about our faith to
them?" several participants asked. Victor
Ziegler of the Atlantic Northeast District,
who has initiated several sponsorships,
shared his perspective. "Just hving out our

faith is a witness," he said. "I tell them,
'If it hadn't been for the Lord Jesus
Christ, I never would have thought of
you.'"

In addition to discussion, participants
saw two films on the current refugee
situation. Staff and participants joined in
a simulation game to discover how it felt
to be a refugee, a resettlement agency
working in Indochina or a US congrega-
tion reluctantly sponsoring refugees. They
also shared a rice meal, eaten with chop-
sticks, to get a feel for suddenly having to
cope with a world foreign to their own.

The workshop was sponsored by the
Brethren refugee resettlement program in
accordance with the Annual Conference
commitment to continue efforts in pro-
viding sponsorships for refugees. Staff for
the workshop were Micki Smith, coor-
dinator of public information at New
Windsor; Jan Thompson of the disaster
response network; Rebecca Eduard of the
resettlement office and Mac Coffman.

The participants headed for home load-
ed with information — from nitty-gritty
details of how the resettlement process
works to ideas for cross-cultural sharing
between refugees and sponsors. These
representatives will be making this infor-
mation available in their districts and will
be working with congregations to increase
the number of groups willing to sponsor
refugees. To get in touch with the
representative in your district, contact the
district office.

Congregations and individuals who
know they wish to sponsor refugees
should immediately contact Rebecca
Eduard, Refugee Resettlement Office,
Brethren Service Center, New Windsor,
MD 21776, telephone (301) 635-6464.

Nicaraguan Mennonites
challenge conscription

Peace churches in Nicaragua are challeng-
ing the new government's decree for uni-
versal military conscription in that country.

The three peace churches. Brethren in
Christ, Evangelical Mennonite Conference
(Fraternity of Mennonite Churches in
Nicaragua) and Rosedale Mennonite Mis-
sion (Nicaragua Mennonite Church), plan
to approach the Revolutionary Govern-
ment of Nicaragua (RON) about its decree
for universal conscription by offering an
alternative service proposal.

The Rosedale Mennonite Mission will
present to the RON the "Belize Document"
on military service and non-resistance, ap-
proved by the 1978 Consultation of Central
American Mennonites.

The Belize Document states, in part,
"that we refuse to participate in all action
that tends toward violence such as war,
strikes, political disturbances and other
violence, and we offer ourselves to serve in
programs directed toward human welfare
such as literacy, health, reforestation . . . ."

The RON took over leadership of Nica-
ragua in July after the ousting of President
Anastasio Somoza.

NGO aides saddened
by Young resignation

Representatives of 24 non-governmental
organizations at the United Nations said
they were "shocked and saddened" by the
resignation of Ambassador Andrew Young
and by the Carter Administration's accept-
ance of the resignation.

Emphasizing that they were speaking as
individuals and not on behalf of their
organizations, the representatives asserted,
"It is self-defeating for a member state of
the UN to forbid its ambassador to main-
tain open dialog with any relevant party in
the international forum."

The statement also pointed to the strides
Young made in opening doors for the US
around the world: "We have seen Ambas-
sador Young's successful efforts to build
the US reputation and its policy toward
Africa and the Third World generally."

Brethren UN representative Shantilal
Bhagat was among those who drafted the
resolution. However, it was intended for
signing by US citizens only so Bhagat's
alternate at the UN, Robert C. Johansen,
was among the signers instead.

November 1979 messenger 9

5[p)(t(gQ(oiD mpmt

Paying for peace: Guidelines

by William Durland

When President Carter's military tax
budget for fiscal year 1979 was criticized,
he replied that he would not apologize for
it. While recommending cutbacks in
health, education and human needs, he in-
creased the portion of the budget
allocated to bombs and bullets.

Many Christians are beginning to realize
that they cannot use mammon for murder
and expect a welcome at the millennium.
So they are looking for advice on ways to
refuse complicity with the war machine.

Recently the Center on Law and
Pacifism was organized in Philadelphia to
serve people who need advice and support
in the relationship of their radical
religious, pacifist convictions to the laws
which attempt to obstruct their conscien-
tious objection to violence. One of the
main projects of the Center has been to
aid people in their quest for information
on how to be military tax refusers. The
Center is in the process of publishing such
a study and the following is an overview
of that report.

People want to know how to withhold
their taxes, what happens if they do so
and what legal remedies exist for them to
witness to their conscientious objection in
the courts of this land. Usually people
who are in this position are employees. So
we will talk about them first, then the
employer, the corporation, the income tax
refuser and the telephone tax refuser.
Employees receive their income in the
form of wages which are subject to
withholding before they see their
check. Employees must fill out a W4
form with their employer. The W4 form
determines the amount of money to be
withheld from each paycheck. The more
allowances you claim the less money is
withheld.

You are allowed a number of allowances
on your W4 form depending upon how
many dependents you have and what your
anticipated itemized deductions are. The
employer determines how much money to
withhold from your weekly paycheck on
the basis of your W4 form. Therefore, in
order to reduce or eliminate withhold-
ing, you can file a new W4 form
claiming more allowances.
There is nothing fraudulent
about this procedure as long as
you inform the IRS when you file
your income tax return as to why
you took the allowances on your
W4 form. When it comes time for
your income tax, it is important that
it be consistent with this claim. This is
done by taking a war tax deduction on
your income tax form under "miscel-
laneous deductions."

This is one of four methods to
avoid withholding. The second
method is by working in an occupa-
tion exempt from the withholding

law. A third method is by becoming self-
employed as a consultant or independent
contractor. Fourth, by earning less than a
taxable income you can avoid not only
withholding, but also any income tax
liability whatsoever.

If you are successful in computing the
sufficient number of allowances — which
will constitute rendering your withholding
to a point where you can take your deduc-
tion on your income tax — then no further
problem remains until that time for the
employee. However, should the employee
choose not to use the allowance method,
but rather to ask the employer not to
withhold any of the withholding tax, then
there is a problem for both employer and
employee.

he Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as
amended, requires employers making pay-
ment of wages to deduct and withhold
from such wages a tax determined in ac-
cordance with IRS tables. The employer is
liable for the amount required to be
deducted and withheld. Any employer
who fails is liable to the IRS for that
amount plus a civil penalty equal to the
tax amount. There is also a criminal
penalty of $10,000 fine and/or five years
imprisonment for willful failure to pay or
collect the amount due.

Some employers have wanted to protect
the right of their employees to exercise
their rights of conscience even though the
employer does not share the same view-
point. In this event, employers ha\e re-
fused to withhold and have been taken to
court. Eventually they wind up paying
and requiring the employee to reimburse
them.

But what if the whole corporation
becomes a war tax refuser, rather than
just one of its employees? In that event
the corporation will not withhold any tax
at all because they are conscientiously op-
posed to paying military taxes.

Recently we have seen some organiza-
tions which were created on radical
religious, pacifist principles beginning to
refuse to pay military taxes as a corpora-
tion rather than simply to support the con-
science of one or more of their employees.
They see this as their own witness to the
immorality of war taxes. There is a

on military tax refusal

possibility of losing tax-exempt status and
other rights, but they are wilhng to
witness in this way and suffer for con-
science's sake.

Everyone who makes a minimum
amount of money a year is required by
law to file an income tax return. Whether
you made your money as an employee, an
employer or are self-employed, you must
file form 1040 and complete Schedule A
("Itemized Deductions") in order to take
an income tax deduction for war. Those
who are self-employed can write in a "war
tax credit" instead of a deduction, and
simply withhold a percentage of the tax
owed and send a letter to the IRS ex-
plaining what they are doing.

Another popular way of resisting mili-
tary taxes has been refusal to pay the tax
on the telephone bill. In times past, the
IRS took quite a bit of time tracing down
telephone tax refusers. Since the end of
the Vietnam War, this has not been the
case, although we have heard of one case
recently where the telephone company
closed down the service of a telephone tax
refuser.

Whatever category you are in, you must
decide how much to refuse and what you
are going to do with that money. Many
organizations, such as the World Peace
Tax Fund and the various chapters of
War Resisters League, are equipped to ad-
vise you on the breakdown of the national
budget. But generally, from year to year,
the military portion of the budget is cal-
culated anywhere from 35 percent to 53
percent, depending upon whether current
military expenditures for past wars are
included.

For those who wish to put their money
to good use while it is being withheld,
there are various alternative funds which
invest in human resources and use your
money for that purpose. Many people
hope that the World Peace Tax Fund Act
— designed to allow the taxpayer to ear-
mark a specific amount of tax money to
go into a federal fund to be used only for
peaceful purposes — will be approved by
Congress soon.

What happens when you take these
steps? How do you cope with the IRS?
No matter what category of refuser you
are, what generally is going to happen to
you is something like this: If a tax is
owed, a notice of tax will be sent to you.

The IRS is required to issue this bill which
is a demand for payment. You are then
required by law to make payment within
10 days of the date of this bill. If the tax
remains unpaid after the 10-day period, a
statutory lien is automatically attached to
your property. The law also provides for
interest and penalty for late payment at
this time.

Once this notice of tax lien has been
filed at your courthouse, it becomes a
matter of public record and may adversely
affect your business transactions or other
financial interests. It could impair your
credit rating; therefore, it is normally filed
only after the IRS has sent you a second
notice of deficiency and tried to contact
you personally, giving you the opportun-
ity to pay.

After the lien has been filed, a levy may
be taken. A levy is the taking of property
to satisfy tax liability. The tax may be col-
lected by a levy on any property belonging
to you. In the case of levies being made
on salaries or wages, you will usually be
given written notice, in addition to the
notice of demand, at least 10 days before
the levy is served.

\ Generally, court authorization is not
required before a levy action is taken,
unless collection personnel must enter
private premises to accomplish their levy
action. The only legal requirements are
that the taxes are owed and that the
notice and demand for payment have been
sent to your last known address. In taking
a levy action, the IRS first considers levy-
ing on such property as wages, salaries
and bank accounts. Levying on this type
of property is referred to as a seizure.

Willful failure to file or pay income tax
can result in a criminal sentence of one
year and/or $10,000 fine. However, we
know of no cases which have ever resulted
in criminal penalties, except where there is
a total failure to file any income tax form
at all.

When you receive your notice of defi-
ciency from the IRS, you will also be
notified that you may elect to appeal your
case to the US Tax Court; if you decide
to do so within 90 days of that time, the
IRS process against you is halted for the
duration of the case. Several people have
gone to Tax Court following this pro-

cedure, although in no case has anyone
"won" there.

The Center on Law and Pacifism has
advised and supported people filing cases
in Tax Court and on the Appellate and
US Supreme Court levels also. If you lose
your case in Tax Court, you may appeal
to higher courts, and ultimately to the
Supreme Court. These appeals are based
on the First Amendment free exercise of
religion and other constitutional provi-
sions.

Many of us are presently refusing 35 to
50 percent or more of our income taxes.
For others just beginning to consider war
tax refusal, or those reluctant to refuse
taxes in those quantities, a new project
called People Pay for Peace, under the
auspices of the Center on Law and
Pacifism, offers an opportunity to partici-
pate.

The Center is coordinating this sym-
bolic tax refusal movement by new re-
formers who withheld from their 1978
tax returns a few dollars, symbolizing
their witness against military armament.
The amount is so small that it is unlikely
the IRS will try to levy it. Multiplied by
thousands of people, this small amount
will constitute a significant conscientious
objection to payment for war.

There is still time to build the kingdom,
time to protest armaments, time to create
a spiritual community for those who turn
from the idols of fear.

If I were to say to you, "I will not kill
my neighbor, but 1 will pay someone else
to do it," would you not hold me ac-
countable? If we refuse to kill our neigh-
bor but allow our government to do it
with our money, are we not to be held ac-
countable?

But then we must witness and suffer the
consequences of our military tax refusal
for conscience's sake. This is the price
some Christians are paying for peace in
1979. D

William Durland is a lawyer and theologian and is
a founder of the Center on Law and Pacifism in
Philadelphia, the Community for Creative Nonvio-
lence in Washington, D. C. , and the Matthew 25
Health Clinic in Fort Wayne, Ind. The address of the
Center on Law and Pacifism is 2016 Walnut St. , Suite
300, Philadelphia, PA 19103; telephone (215)
56S-797L

Reprinted, with permission, from Sojourners,
February 1979. MESSENGER encourages readers lo
contact the Center or to seek other legal advice before
refusing to pay military taxes. This report is only a
short summary of the legalities of tax refusal.

November 1979 messenger 11

Simplicity and
Solidarity

by Howard E. Royer

Even the world of fashion has caught the
message. There is a decisive, buoyant
mood for the 80s, a mood described by
one men's fashion magazine, Gentlemen's
Quarterly, as The New Simphcity.

"Just as Detroit is removing surplus in-
ches from car bodies, we too are remov-
ing those unnecessary dimensions from
our private lives," GQ observed in an
April 1979 essay. "The secret is in trim-
ming down, paring away the nonessentials
to uncover the structure underneath."

In envisioning "the scaling down of
almost everything, from computers to cal-
culators," the fashion forecasters herald as
foremost among the changes the refine-
ment of persons. "Leanness, ease of
operation, natural chic" are the physical
traits of the 80s, but with a simultaneous
emphasis on such mental and spiritual
qualities as "attitude, proportion, vitality
and meaning." "Conditioning yourself is
the key," GQ counsels those who would
prepare for The New Simplicity of the
new decade.

Conditioning yourself is a long-standing
faith concern, a concern more commonly
labeled personal discipline. If the latter
term conjures up images of sackcloth and
ashes, denial and dolefulness, that is
because the concept has been miscon-
strued. To the contrary, practitioners at-
test that the fruits of spiritual discipline
are purposefulness, freedom and fulfill-
ment.

Consider the joyfulness of the Shakers,
who by means of song and dance ex-

12 MESSENGER November 1979

pressed the liberation that God brings
through the discipline of simplicity:

'Tis a gift to be simple,

'Tis a gift to be free.

'Tis a gift to come down where we ought

to be
And when we find ourselves in a place

just right
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend we sha'n't be

ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight.
Till by turning, turning, we come 'round

right.

Turning is a biblical term for conver-
sion, for entry into the kingdom style of
living. Today, prophetic voices warn that
if the church pursues life-style questions
from the depth of biblical theology, we
North American Christians will be faced
with the need for decisive turns in our
patterns of consumption, our use of
energy, our regard for time and the kinds
of relationships and roles we live out. But
with this theological warning comes also a
theological promise, states Lutheran
pastor John Schramm, a theological
promise of "freedom from insatiable appe-
tites, freedom from the need to dominate,
even freedom from the need to succeed
(as the world defines that term)."

In calling individuals and groups to
assess what The New Simplicity means for
their patterns of life, and to condition
themselves for change, this article centers
not on those detailed questions and

Shakers strive for simplicily in this old print.

answers which may best be tramea in a
personal and local setting. Rather, the
focus is to pro\ide a background; arenas
for engaging in personal and corporate
life-style probes.

First, the search for more responsible
life-styles moves us into covenant com-
munity.

Because families and communities and
institutions have had a marked effect on
our becoming what we are, and how we
live, if we are to open ourselves to signifi-
cant change, a co\enant or support group
will he highly instrumental. We will more
likelv be liberated from self-interest and

The gospel calls us to un clutter our lives and to enter into kingdom
living; to transform our economic activity in ways that enable us to
identify with the poor and to enter into partnership with creation.

fear as we share intimately with persons
who encourage, admonish, prod, counter,
hold hands and lead one another toward
new steps of faithfulness.

This requires a support community of
far greater intensity than occurs in the
congregation at large. It entails a level of
engagement far more extensive than the
"weekend parenthesis" much church ac-
tivity presently provides. It calls for a
praying and discerning band of persons
committed to each other and to wrestling
through the freedom and responsibility
given by the gospel.

Models for such covenant groups exist.

One choice guide is, A Covenant Croup
for Lifestyle Assessment, produced by the
United Presbyterian, United Methodist,
Episcopal churches and the United
Church of Christ. From seven to 14
adults, meeting in 12 sessions of two and
a half hours each, address such themes as
consuming, conserving, sharing, playing,
advocating and giving, with an eye to ef-
fecting specific life-style changes consis-
tent with Christian faithfulness.

Another resource for small groups wish-
ing to pray and study over life-style mat-
ters is available from the International
Consultation on Simple Lifestyle, a proj-
ect of evangelical Christians. The group's
emphasis is on life-style change "for the
sake of evangelism and justice."

By engaging in what Ron Sider calls
"communities of loving defiance in a sin-
ful world," Christians can help one
another not only build mutual resistance
to pressures to consume too much and to
yield to the stimulation of avarice, greed
and envy, but to develop a distinct and at
times alternative style of life that is en-
riching, joyful and enabling.

Second, the search for more responsible
life-styles pulls us into solidarity with the
world's poor.

The act of limiting one's use of
resources and of curbing one's spending
opens new possibilities for identifying with
those Mahatma Gandhi termed "the last,
the least, the lowest and the lost." That is,
provided we reach out in tangible ways.

One expressicr. of solidarity is to reject
anything that breeds oppression for
others. For example, to take the issue of
infant formula abuse in developing areas
and mount a personal course of action.
To study the facts and take a stand on
apartheid in South Africa or sanctions for
Zimbabwe. To take potentially explosive

situations, local or global, and try to
humanize relationships and avoid writing
off the opponent in sub-human terms.

Another way of pursuing solidarity is to
become advocates of justice. We can
begin by turning to the biblical founda-
tions for this, God's own interventions to
liberate the poor and the oppressed.

In his book. Living Toward a Vision,
Walter Brueggemann points to Pharaoh
"as the embodiment of order — but what
an order!" Under Pharaoh there was
slavery, coercion, violence. Often what is
seen as order may be only brutality and
suppression.

Brueggemann suggests that in the choice
between order and justice, God character-
istically chooses justice. Frequent
references in the Psalms affirm that God
comes down heavily on the side of justice
and the humane treatment of persons.
This concern is integral to biblical faith.
Much of Jesus' personal ministry was with
those persons shut out of the system.

Writing in Rich Christians in an Age of
Hunger, Ron Sider points up that again
and again God commanded his people "to
live in community in such a way that they
would avoid extremes of wealth and
poverty." By contrast, Sider contends that
the "present economic relationships in the
worldwide body of Christians are unbibli-
cal, sinful, a hindrance to evangelism and
a desecration of the body and blood of
Jesus Christ."

Solidarity with the poor is a biblical vi-
sion. When the bulk of our economic re-
lationships stand in need of transforma-
tion, where shall we begin?

Third, the search for more responsible
life-styles challenges us to express a new
solidarity with nature.

A few years ago when our family was
less concerned with the need to conserve

November 1979 messenger 13

Ten reasons for simplicity

by J0rgen Lissner

Today's global realities call for com-
fortable Christians to review their life-
style. Guidelines for a simpler style of life
cannot be laid down in universal rules;
they must be developed by individuals and
communities according to their own im-
agination and situation. A simpler life-
style is not a panacea. It may be em-
barked upon for the wrong reasons, e.g.,
out of guilt, as a substitute for political
action, or in a quest for moral purity. But
it can also be meaningful and significant
in some or all of the following ways:

1) As an act of faith performed for the
sake of personal integrity and as an ex-
pression of a personal commitment to a
more equitable distribution of the world's
resources.

2) As an act of self-defense against the
mind-and-body-polluting effects of over-
consumption.

3) As an act of withdrawal from the
achievement neurosis of our high-
pressure, materialist societies.

4) As an act of solidarity with the ma-
jority of human kind, which has no
choice about life-style.

5) As an act of sharing with others
what has been given to us, or of returning
what was usurped by us through unjust
social and economic structures.

6) As an act of celebration of the riches
found in creativity, spirituality and com-
munity with others, rather than in

mindless materialism.

7) As an act of provocation (osten-
tatious M«rfer-consumption) to arouse
curiosity leading to dialog with others
about affluence, alienation, poverty and
social injustice.

8) As an act of anticipation of the era
when the self-confidence and assertiveness
of the underprivileged forces new power
relationships and new patterns of resource
allocation upon us.

9) As an act of advocacy of legislated
changes in present patterns of production
and consumption, in the direction of a
new international economic order.

10) As an exercise of purchasing power
to redirect production away from the
satisfaction of artificially created wants,
toward the supplying of goods and ser-
vices that meet genuine social needs.

The adoption of a simpler life-style is
meaningful and justifiable for any or all
of the above reasons alone, regardless of
whether it benefits the underprivileged.
Demands for "proof of effectiveness" in
helping the poor simply bear witness to
the myth that "they the poor" are the
problem, and "we the rich" have a solu-
tion. Yet, if adopted on a large scale, a
simpler life-style will have significant
socio-political side effects both in the rich
and in the poor parts of the world. The
two most important side effects are likely
to be economic and structural adjustments
and release of new resources and energies
for social change. D

Reprinted by permission of Lutheran World Federation, Department of Studies, Geneva, Switzerland.

energy, frequent drives in the country
were among our diversions. When we
came upon an especially choice grove of
trees, 1 would be heard to exclaim, "What
a perfect spot for a home." From the
back seat a budding environmentalist of
1 1 would counter, "What a perfect spot
without a home!"

As of late 1 have come to appreciate
more fully my son's point of view. The
ultimate landscape is not a monument of
human engineering but rather is earth and
sky and trees and water. In looking at a

marsh or a meadow the greater challenge
is not in figuring out ways of filling it in
or paving it over or turning a profit, but
in understanding and affirming the
processes of life that go on there, the in-
tricate systems of structure, the surging
energy of growth and instinct. The chal-
lenge is in recognizing our dependency on
such expanses for sustaining both the
physical world and the human spirit.

When it comes to our care of the earth,
how close the judgment put upon Israel
settles upon us for our own action:

"And I brought you into a plentiful
land to enjoy its fruits and its good
things. But when you came in you defiled
my land, and made my heritage an
abomination" (Jer. 2:7).

The Shakertown Pledge calls us to com-
mit ourselves to lead an ecologically sound
life. The root lies in respect for nature, in
appreciation of how fragile the universe
is, in mystical reverence towards God's on-
going acts of creation.

"Improving the environment should
mean not only correcting the pollution or
other evils of technological and urban
growth," Rene Dubos states in Environ-
mental Improvement. "It should be a
creative process through which man and
nature continue to evolve in harmony. At
the highest level, civilized life is a form of
exploration which helps man rediscover
his unity with nature."

Solidarity for the Christian is to be ex-
tended to the world's poor and oppressed;
it also is to reach to an oppressed earth.

The clarion call of the gospel is to un-
clutter our lives and to enter into kingdom
living. To challenge and support one
another in risking change. To transform
our economic activity in ways that enable
us better to identify with the poor and to
enter into partnership with creation. To
embrace The New Simplicity wherever it is
a response to faith and not to a fad. To
place God's kingdom and God's righteous-
ness first.

What Nobel laureate Alexander
Solzhenitsyn wrote of the artist speaks
also of the Christian intent on more re-
sponsible living: "The task of the artist is
to sense more keenly than others the har-
mony of the world, the beauty and out-
rage of what man has done to it, and
poignantly to let people know."

There is no better way to convince
others and to convince ourselves than by
demonstrating our sensitivity, our convic-
tion in the conduct of daily life. D

Former MESSENGER editor Howard E. Royvr car-
ries a special two-year assignment as an advocate for
salvation and justice issues for the General Board.

14 MESSENGER November 1979

The two young women had a dream of working with children.
Now, with the encouragement of the Wabash congregation, Shalom
Place provides love and care for neglected and abused children.

by Anne M. Albright

Approaching the white home with the pil-
lared porch on quiet North Wabash
Street, no sign indicated this was Shalom
Place. But, the spaciousness of the house
itself, the porch swing, and the de-
coupaged plaque by the front door read-
ing "Let all guests be received as Christ,"
told me I had found it.

Linda Zumbrun and Sharon Larrowe
invited me into the foyer— "as big as the
living room" as Sharon later described it.
There was a sense of peace and order here
— at this point, no sound or sight of chil-
dren; that would come later as first Na-
dean looked into the kitchen where we

talked and then one by one the others ap-
peared to have their pictures taken.

During the two years Linda taught and
coached at Wabash High School, after her
graduation from Manchester College, she
and Sharon became acquainted. Sharon
had grown up in Wabash and after high
school began work at Trinity Bible Insti-
tute in North Dakota.

The two women discovered that each
had dreams of working with children, per-
haps in a foster home or half-way house
setting. Now they began planning together
to fulfill their dream.

"In the summer of 1974, Phyllis and
John Carter said they thought it was time
to make our dream a reality; they wanted

us to share it with the Wabash congrega-
tion," Linda remembered. "At the time, I
wasn't teaching, so Sharon and I had little
income. The church helped with the down
payment for our first comparatively small
home which we bought in September
1975. From the very beginning the church
has been supportive and encouraging."

The facility was licensed, and although
Linda and Sharon didn't feel that the
house was quite ready for children, they
notified the welfare department they
would take youngsters any time after
Christmas.

"On December 27 during the night a
call came," said Linda, "asking if we
would take three children from one family

November 1979 messenger 15

Three-year-old Kenny is an example of l/ie
kind of children Shalom Place cares for.
Neglected and malnourished, he requires
extensive medical ireutmeni lo supplement
the peace and love that Shalom Place gives.
Opposite: Linda Zumhrun and Sharon Lar-
rowe rest with 18-month-old Carrie after a
hard day's work, Linda as a high school
counselor and Sharon looking after the
home.

Previous page: ftiack row) Shalom Place's
current staff — Linda Zumhrun, Connie
Carman, Sharon Larrowe, Maty and Stan
Willmert—with their eight children.

— ages four, two and one. They arrived
hungry, filthy and in ragged clothes.
When we fed and bathed the children and
dressed them in our own clean T-shirts,
they looked like angels."

These three, neglected and abused,
stayed at Shalom Place six months their
first visit. Later, after the death of one of
these children, the remaining two were re-
turned to Sharon and Linda. After a year
and a half, they were adopted.

"Those youngsters will perhaps always
be the dearest to us because they were the
first," admits Sharon. It was hard to give
them up for adoption, but we have a
good feeling about their placement."

Three years passed.

"The church recognized that we were
outgrowing our facilities and encouraged
us to move into this five-bedroom home
which we did in June last year. The
church's gift of $2,500 for remodeling
made it all possible. And the church peo-
ple helped with labor, loo, when we add-
ed another bathroom," Linda continued.

In the years since Shalom Place became
a reality, over 50 youngsters and some
adults have found peace and love here.
They have come through welfare as foster
children and through juvenile facilities for
temporary placement in some runaway
cases. A few short-term residents have
been battered wives with their children.

Currently, eight children call Shalom
Place home: Nadean (15), Bobbie (9),
twins Ronnie and Donnie (8), Stacey (6),
Crystal and Kenny (3) and Carrie (18
months). Carrie has been with Linda and
Sharon since birth; her mother was a resi-
dent at Shalom Place before Carrie was
born.

Sharon and Linda have "mothered" 10
children at one time on a short-term basis.
"If you have more than 10 residents you
become an institution rather than a
home," Linda explained. ",\nd we want to
keep it as homelike as possible. "It was
easier to start as a foster home rather than
as a group home, which we had thought
we might try. Now wc arc inclined to stay
as a foster home. Wc like the mixture of
ages; we feci it is good for the children to
be a part o\' a family setting — it's good
therapy for them. Of course, it's

sometimes difficult for Sharon and me to
adjust to the different needs of the vary-
ing ages."

The daily allowance paid by welfare for
each child barely covers food and a little
clothing; fortunately, medical and dental
expenses are cared for by the county.

Most of the children have been abused
or neglected. An example is Kenny, a
three-year-old whose glasses give him a
mature, bookish look. As the result of
neglect and malnourishment, Kenny's legs
appear too thin to support his little body.
He is undergoing extensive dental work,
in addition to other medical treatment.

"It takes very careful budgeting — but I
want to say that we feel the Lord has
really blessed us — financially, but in many
other ways as well," said Sharon.

Stan and Mary Willmert arrived as we
were chatting in the kitchen. Stan put the
bag of Yellow Transparent apples on the
counter. "They're from my grandparents"
tree, and they'll make good applesauce."

k3tan tied on his carpenter's apron and
he and Mary went up to the attic which
will be their home after the remodeling
project is complete. While Stan commutes
to Manchester to build on his teaching
credential for an accounting degree, Mary
will continue to work as an occupational
therapist for severely retarded pupils in
the Wabash schools. After school hours
Mary will help at Shalom Place, and she
and Stan will be available to relieve Linda
and Sharon occasionally as substitute
houseparenis.

For the past three summers, Connie
Carman has been helping at Shalom
Place. One of Linda's basketball and
track managers at Peru High School,
Connie hopes to become an art therapist
after completing licr college work. The
welcome plaque is Connie's design.

Stan and Mar\ arc not the only mem-
bers of the Wab;ish congregation to help
at Shalom Place Manv persons volunteer
lime in babv silling and child-care. South
C'emral Disirici churches have pitched in
10 help in manv uavs; planning a Christ-
mas pariv and giving gifis to the children,
arraniiiim a Imen shower, donalins cement

16 MhSSBNGER November 1979

for a basketball court, sharing farm pro-
duce, clothing, money and labor.

"The Wabash church board recently
considered putting Shalom Place in the
church budget," said Linda. "But they de-
cided it would be doing us a favor not to
put a limit on what the church would con-
tribute; they left us out of the budget so
that as needs arise, individuals and the
church will feel free to share."

How did Shalom Place acquire the van
that takes the "family" singing, to church,
shopping and community events?

"The Lord provided it. We outgrew the
VW and the six-passenger car. The van
came along at just the right time; it was
just right for us. Yes, the Lord provided
it," exclaims Sharon.

But the Lord works in many ways, and
Sharon and Linda don't sit around and
wait for the blessings to rain down.

"1 guess it is a good thing that Sharon
and 1 don't mind getting our hands dirty.
I hate to say we are self-sufficient," said
Linda, "but we can manage."

And manage they do. When purchased,
the present home was not insulated. So
the three women — Linda, Sharon and
Connie — tackled and completed the proj-
ect. They got the insulation at cost and
were given the use of the equipment.

Connie added, "Linda and Sharon have
cut down trees, too." And painted, made
repairs, worked through legal procedures,
studied, gardened and laughed and cried,

"Of course, we have done those things,"

Linda responded. "Sharon and I are total-
ly committed to Shalom Place. Sharon is
here day and night caring for the children.
For financial reasons, I have to keep my
job, now as counselor at Peru High
School — incidentally, 1 love it — but my in-
come is poured into Shalom Place.
Sharon and 1 are not just staff persons at
a foster home; we are the owners, we are
responsible for Shalom Place."

It began as a dream. It has come true
because two young women were sensitive
to God's call, and, as Linda says, "You
have to make choices and then give your-
self completely. "D

Anne M. Albright Is a nieniher oj ilw Beacon
Heights (Fort H'ayne, Ind.) eonffregatton unci serves us
a General Services Cominlssion member of the Gener-
al Board.

November 1979 messenger 17

THE BIG LI

Read: Luke 12:15

We have succumbed to a lie. There's a
"big lie" at the heart of our churchly and
American way of life. The "big lie" is that
life consists in the abundance of things
(Luke 12:15).

Jesus gave his life to rid the world of
the "big lie." His words are unmistakable:
Life does not consist in the abundance of
things. . . . Don't worry about tomorrow.
. . . Don't be anxious about your life.
. . . Seek first the kingdom of God and
his goodness and all these things will come
as a matter of course. . . . No one can be
loyal to two masters. You can't serve God
and the power of money at the same time.
. . . Where your treasure is there will your
heart be also. . . . How hard it is for
those who have riches to enter the
kingdom of God. it is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle than for
a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
. . . Woe to the rich! (Luke 12:15; 18:24;
Matt. 6:24, 21, 33, 25).

Five little words or phrases describe
Jesus' simplicity: "He went about doing
good." The one passion of his life was
God and his kingdom. Jesus is the
paradigm of simplicity. We learn from
him. The simple life was part of his in-
herited faith. He heard his elders sing:
"The Lord preserves the simple" (Ps.
116:6). He knew the simple life of
Abraham and Isaac, living and moving by
faith, guided simply by what they believed
to be the will of God.

Living by faith, betting one's life on
God, trusting ultimately in divine
guidance — these are simple. There is a
whole catalog of simple faithful folk:
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac,

Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua— all living
and dying, sojourning, moving by faith.
Faith simplifies. Micah testifies eloquently
and simply: "What does God require of
us? To do justly, to show constant care,
to humbly obey God." What religious
manifesto is more comprehensive or
simpler than this?

Jesus is the model of simplicity. Seven
words or phrases describe this:

1) The simple life is intentional. Under
the Spirit's guidance (Luke 4:16-21) Jesus
proclaims his life's work: a manifesto ad-
dressed to the poor, the broken, the
blind, the bruised and those in bondage.
His intentions were clear.

2) The simple life of Jesus had
priorities. "Seek first the kingdom of
God." There is an ordering of matters. If
Jesus is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at
all.

3) Jesus was under orders. He respond-
ed to God's call at baptism; he gave
witness to God's anointing Spirit in his
first sermon in Nazareth. Under orders,
he cleaned up his shop, put the lid on the
glue pot, closed the door and tramped the
dusty roads of Palestine proclaiming the
good news of God. Under orders, he was
obedient, though it led him to the cross.
In obedience, he said of his work, "It is
finished." The simple life is living under
orders.

4) We see simplicity in Jesus' singleness
of eye. You can't serve two masters (Matt.
6:24). Don't worry about tomorrow
(Matt. 6:25). If your eye is single, your
whole body is full of light (Matt. 6:22).

5) Jesus' teachings were simple, terse,
pointed, uncomplicated. Who can miss
the meaning of: salt of the earth, light of
the world, turning the other cheek, going

the second mile, loving enemies, the con-
versational "yea" and "nay," the Good
Samaritan and Prodigal Son stories?
Jesus' speech was frighteningly
simple.

6) Jesus' life was focused. He had been
called; he knew what he was about. The
temptation experience and his Gethsemane
prayer reveal the struggle of his human-
ness to be faithful. Always he yielded to
the will of God. Through the lens of his
life the rays of the love and power of God
were focused to a sharp, burning point,
like the tip of an acetylene torch. And
Jesus helps us to get things in focus. We
lift binoculars to our eyes, make a few-
turns and the fuzzy becomes focused. So
it is when we look at things through the
eyes of Christ.

7) We see Jesus doing one thing. He
was about his Father's business. "Not my
will but thine be done" characterized his
stance. His manifesto was simple; though
risky, he pursued it. He steadfastly set his
face to go to Jerusalem and the cross.
With him there was no dabbling with this
or that, no diffusion of his energies on
too many tasks. He said "no" to many lit-
tle things so that he could say "yes" to the
big things.

X he simple life is rooted in our biblical
faith. Let's explore an unequivocal, cen-
tral simple life text. We may dismiss it;
but we cannot miss it. Jesus said life
does not consist in the abundance of
things (Luke 12:15) The "big lie" turns
this around; we are made to believe that
life is infinitely better if we have more. A
plethora of gadgets, clothing, cars, fur-
niture, tools and appliances promises the

y

Gsus IS [h€ ^Di[om€ o

/

18 MESSENGER November 1979

bu

buHG Ri^man

good life. Under the pressure of Madison
Avenue's intrigue, and the $35 billion
advertising blitz, we buy, consume and
pile things up. We have not learned the
discipline of determining what is necessary
and what isn't.

Jesus calls us to a simple life; it is in
radical non-conformity with our glut-
tonous life-style that piles things up, that
transforms desires into needs, that
seeks satisfactions in the abundance of
things.

The "big lie" turns means (material
things) into ends. The earth is good;
material things may not only be used for
the good life; they are necessary for it.

Jesus taught us to seek first the
kingdom of God, with assurance that
secondary matters will fall into place. We
reverse this and seek and enjoy "all these
things" first. Herein is gross evil. Twin
evils abide in this pursuit.

First, we lose our souls in piling up,
possessing, and overconsuming. Jesus'
words were sharp. Take heed! Pay atten-
tion! Guard yourselves from any kind of
greed. "A man's true life is not made up
of things he owns, no matter how rich he
may be" (Luke 12:15 Good News Bible).
Jesus sounds like a mother whose children
are walking by an unguarded precipice.

Of the rich man who tore down his
barns and built bigger ones, Jesus said:
"Fool! This night your soul is required of
you ..." (Luke 12:20). Jesus speaks of
accomplished fact. We lose our souls.
"Woe to the rich," is his indictment.

A second evil persists. Gluttonous living
and the pursuit of abundance have dire
consequences: 1) The more we use the
more we pollute. The average US citizen
pollutes 50 times as much as a citizen of

India. 2) Our present rate of consumption
overburdens the hmited resources of our
planet. With only six percent of the world's
population, we consume about 40 percent
of the yearly available resources. The world
cannot sustain our super-affluence. 3) Our
consumptive life-style is directly responsi-
ble for much of the poverty and starvation
of hundreds of millions of God's children.
Our high standard of living makes a low
standard of living inevitable for many.
"There's enough for our needs, but not for
our greed" (Gandhi). 4) We are thieves.
Our massive power enables us to acquire,
retain and consume more than we need; we
wrest it from the poor and the powerless.
Our luxurious life-styles deprive others.
Gandhi said: "If I have more than I need
when others have less than they need, I am
a thief!" 5) We lose solidarity with God's
children in the Third World. We cut
ourselves off. An affluent church has
almost nothing to say to the dispossessed
majority on this globe.

The simple life is the good life. All else
is paganism in our churchly life. The sim-
ple life is focused, obedient, disciplined,
single, international, based on priorities,
truth and lived under orders. It is the life
of the Spirit. It knows that life does not
consist in the abundance of things. It says
"no" to the "big he." It knows that wealth
and possessions are the chief stumbling
block in human existence.

Jesus is the epitome of simplicity. The
voluntary simplicity seen in him is re-
quired of us. It is the good life, the Chris-
tian hfe, a healthier, happier way for all
of God's children. D

T. Wayne Rieman is a retired Manchesler College
professor and a member of the World Minislries Com-
mission of the General Board. He is a member of the
Manchester (North Manchester, Ind.) congregation.

November 1979 messenger 19

The

promise
of

JUBILEE

Motivated by the jubilee spirit Jesus echoed
as he lived among the poor, preaching good
news, this project succeeds in demonstrating
that acceptable inner-city housing can be
made available at costs within the budget of
low-income families.

by Mary Jo Bowman

Across the country, people are moving
back to the cities. Crumbling row houses
are being renovated into fashionable
homes for professionals' families. Trash-
cluttered sidewalks are swept clean, and
once-muddy front yards are now covered
with well-groomed grass edged by flower-
ing hedges. After years of neglect and
unrest, it appears that inner cities are be-
ing revitalized.

This is good news for some, perhaps,
but for the people already living in the
crowded inner city, new homes for subur-
banites mean fewer homes for the poor.

Picture this: Three black families are
evicted from a three-story row house so
the building can be sold for $50,000 profit
and renovated for a white upper-middle
class family of four. Around the corner
two more multiple-family dweUings are
for sale. Their owners can no longer af-

20 MESSENGER November 1979

ford to maintain them within the con-
straints of rent controls; their black, low-
income tenants hold 90-day eviction
notices in their hands. The scene is the
capital city of the United States of
America, 20 blocks north of the White
House. The time is 1979.

Acute shortage and high cost of hous-
ing are among the most pressing problems
of the city's low-income residents. The
1970 Washington, D.C., census revealed
that over two-thirds of the District's hous-
ing was renter-occupied, with more than a
third of the tenants averaging an annual
income of $5,000 or less. A considerable
proportion of the rental units are over 40
years old and in poor repair. Spray paint
letters on a ghetto wall decry the frustra-
tion of those whose homes are crumbling
and up for grabs: "Decent housing is a
basic human right."

Hearing that cry for justice, in the early
70s a small group of individuals work-

ing in the Adams-Morgan area of
Washington, D.C., began to respond to
the plea for decent housing. As Chris-
tians, they remembered the Mosaic law
which declared that each 50th year was to
be a celebration of liberation throughout
the land — a jubilee year. Debts were to
be forgiven; land was to lie fallow and
come back to the original steward; slaves
were to be freed. The jubilee goal was not
charity, but justice; not welfare reform,
but transformation of the economic
system. Like Jesus' proclamation when he
spoke in his hometown synagogue, the
jubilee vision promised new hope for all
humanity, especially for the poor.

The concerned group formed Jubilee
Housing, Inc., and as a mission group of
the ecumenical Church of the Savior,
began in November 1973 to transform the
jubilee vision into reahty. Jubilee's objec-
tives were: 1) to demonstrate that accept-
able inner-city housing can be made
available at costs within the budgets of
low-income families; 2) to encourage and
sustain the participation of tenants in the
operation and management of such hous-
ing; and 3) to develop a model process

/

from this experience which could be applied
by other groups in other communities.

With prayer and determination the op-
portunity arose to purchase two apart-
ment buildings in the Adams-Morgan
neighborhood, where the availability of
low-income housing was dwindling at a
critical rate. A developer sensitive to the
problem of displacing the poor allowed
Jubilee to rent and operate the Ritz and
the Mozart until funds were available for
purchase. The occupants of the 90 units
joined volunteers in shoveUng trash from
the corridors and in making cosmetic
repairs on apartments and public spaces.

Six years later, funds have been
gathered from private, foundation and
government sources to finance major
rehabiUtation efforts in the two buildings.
Since then, two other nearby buildings —
the Sorrento and the Marietta— have been
acquired by Jubilee, providing housing at
rents 20 percent below typical market
rates in the surrounding area.

Despite the obstacles, today over 75
percent of the tenants actively participate
in the management of the buildings. Sus-
taining that involvement, confronting

economic and racial barriers, and reckon-
ing with the legal technicalities of
establishing housing cooperatives are the
tasks that now demand attention.

Tenant participation has grown slowly,
amid struggles of breaking through racial
barriers, distrust and low self-esteem.
Many occupants of the buildings expected
eviction and were surprised when the
predominantly white, middle-class Jubilee
volunteers and staff helped improve the
dwellings without displacing any tenants
or raising the rents.

o.

'ccupants often still balk at taking
responsibihty for the buildings and
hesitate to actively participate in the
cooperatives. Many have never had the
opportunity to own a home or to serve on
a committee. Many suffer from a sense of
powerlessness bred by a history of
discrimination and defeat. Creativity and
self-respect, so essential for contributing
to a cooperative effort, often come only
after persistent encouragement and ex-
perience. Lynda Stanback, a mother of
three, who serves on the Mozart Board,

attests to that empowering process: "In
the Mozart I was allowed to express my
views and feelings about how the building
should be run. 1 had never been given this
opportunity before. 1 didn't know what to
make of it. Somebody was actually
trusting my judgment. You know what? I
discovered 1 had a brain. 1 wasn't dumb. I
thank Jubilee for helping me to learn to
trust others, for giving me faith and
respect for myself. But most important,
for teaching me how to love."

Reconciliation across racial and
economic lines emerges slowly as Jubilee
struggles to respond to the broad needs of
an ethnically diverse, rapidly changing
neighborhood. Social support systems, in-
cluding a health clinic, Montessori pre-
school, thrift shop, food bank, scout
troop and house churches help tenants
know they are valuable persons.

People — black and white, rich and
poor — working side-by-side in a non-
bureaucratic, cooperative effort help build
a sense of community rarely found in
public housing projects. Testimonies like
that of Arlene Snoddy, chairwoman of
(Continued on page 37)

Far left: George Davis, a member of Jubilee's board, tends a hand in renovating
an apartment for a low-income family.

Left: Gordon Cosby, a founder of the Church of the Savior, scrapes paint from
windowpanes to brighten a Jubilee home.

Below: Cleaning up trash from around the neighborhood not only improves ap-
pearances, but fosters a spirit of community.

November 1979 messenger 21

Small farms fini
their place in
the

by Berwyn Oltman

How can the concern for conserving ener-
gy and other natural resources be com-
bined with the desire to preserve the fam-
ily farm and traditional rural values? For
50 farm families in Cedar County, Neb.,
the answer is clear. These families par-
ticipate in a Small Farm Energy Project,
launched in 1976 by the Community Ser-
vices Administration for national research
and demonstration.

The project is sponsored by the Center
for Rural Affairs at Walthill, Neb. The
project staff, which provides technical and
other assistance on a day-to-day basis,
works out of an office in Hartington, the
Cedar County seat. Consultant for the
staff is Roger Blobaum, an Iowa State
University graduate with offices in West
Des Moines, Iowa.

Unique features of the project are the
involvement of low-income farmers (25 as
the innovating group and 25 as a control
group), the combination of farm practi-
cality and technical expertise and the util-
ization of an advisory committee of prom-
inent citizens and business people. The in-
novating farmers are challenged to look at
their homes and farms in terms of both

the amount and type of energy consumed.
The goal and, to a great extent, the ac-
complishment of the project has been a
more energy-saving family life-style and a
more energy-efficient system of farming.

The well-kept farms of Cedar County
are situated among the rolling hills of
northeast Nebraska. The farms were es-
tablished in the last century by German,
Czech and Swedish settlers. In contrast to
large farms found elsewhere in the region,
which often rely entirely on grain as their
principal source of income, the family
farms in Cedar County look to hogs and
dairy cattle as their mainstay. Per capita
income in the county is among the lowest
in the state. Average gross farm income in
1977 for project participants was $36,000.
Net income averaged $3,700 a farm. The
average size of the farms is 357 acres,
with 240 acres in cropland (oats, alfalfa
and soybeans). The farms provide most of
the family income and take the labor of
the whole family (average size, five), even
though they are fully mechanized (an
average of 3.4 tractors per farm).

When the Small Farm Energy Project
was first introduced to the farm families
in Cedar County, there was some initial
skepticism. One of the attitudes that had

to be changed was that "people in Wash-
ington" (and even extension offices) don't
care about "the little guy." The farmers
also had to be convinced that there were
technological innovations they could af-
ford. "Hands-on" construction workshops
were conducted to help farmers realize
they had the ability to construct alterna-
tive energy devices. During the first work-
shop, held at a lumberyard in Hartington,
each participating farmer constructed a
solar window box collector. The project
purchased the materials for every farmer
who would agree to build one. Fourteen
were constructed, but only six were ac-
tually used the following winter. Project
leaders learned that farmers need to invest
money as well as labor before they feel
committed to something new and dif-
ferent. The solar window box workshop,
however, is considered the turning point
in the project in terms of participation. It
gave many of the innovating farmers the
confidence they needed to actually con-
struct alternative energy systems
themselves.

Workshop leaders realized that once a
farmer has been shown something worth-
while can be obtained from a project, the
farmer is likely to build and use it. Such

22 MESSENGER November 1979

As the four percent of the nation's energy used on agriculture
rapidly intensifies, so do the efforts of the Small Farm Energy
Project. Fifty low-income families reap the benefits of its research
and demonstration; combating spiraling costs and the scarcity of
non-renewable fuels to achieve self-sufficiency.

was the case with the solar food dryer.
Only one farmer showed up to build a
food dryer at the first workshop. It was
used to dry fruit that was later distributed
at workshop sessions. At the second solar
food dryer workshop eight food dryers
were built and put into use.

Edgar and Theodora Wuebben were
among the first families in the project to
enjoy fruits and vegetables dried in the
food dryer. (The solar food dryer is a
model of simpUcity: a long box with one
side higher than the other, holes drilled
into the sides for ventilation and a lid made
of a clear, glazing material. Edgar
Wuebben increased the operating tem-
perature of the food dryer by connecting
his window box collector to it.) At a winter
workshop, Teresa Shaffer of the University
of Nebraska Extension Services discussed
the advantages of drying foods
and passed around dried
onions and apricots and
tomato and strawberry leath-
ers (a pur^e, spread out on
waxed paper and dried to a
very thin layer). In addition to
the low energy demands of
food drying, dried foods take
one-fourth to one-fifth

the space of original food.

Encouraged by their first experience with
solar application, the Wuebbens decided to
use the sun to cut their electric bill. Using a
system designed by the Domestic
Technology Institute of Lakewood,
Colo., Edgar constructed a "drain-down"
water heater for his dairy barn. This in-
volved adding a south-facing structure
onto the roof of the barn to support an 8'
X 8' collector plate (made with copper
tubing), installing solenoid valves which are
controlled by a differential thermostat, and
utilizing an electric pump to circulate the
water through the system and into a
storage tank. The total cost of the system
was almost $1,000.

Earl Fish and LaVern Truby were the
first farmers in the area tt) construct and
demonstrate solar grain dryer systems. At

Solar energy is a renewable energy
source heartily endorsed by the proj-
ect. Some examples of its utilization
include (left) a vertical wall collector,
described to project farmers by Ken
Stark at his farm and (above) Edgar
and Theodora Wuebben's food
dryer, used for everything from
onions to strawberry leathers. Rick
Pinkelman's new solar farrowing
barn (opposite) will keep his pigs
warm without non-renewable
customary sources such as propane
gas, kerosene, or electricity.

an average cost of $500 these units promise
a five-year pay-back for the farmers. (On
the Earl Fish dryer air is drawn under the
black metal cover of the 6,000-bushel bin.
The black sheet metal cover creates a two-
inch air gap over the bin wall. The Truby
dryer uses a fiberglass cover over black
corrigated metal collector plates. Area
farmers have had an opportunity to
compare the two systems.)

All families participating in the Small
Farm Energy Project have been interested
in innovations and improvements which
save on the costs of heating their homes. A
majority of them have added insulation to
their farm houses, which are mostly two-
story structures built in the 1920s. Several
farmers in the project are converting their
furnaces back to wood. Methods of
utilizing solar heat to supplement the
furnace heat have been used. Rick and
Mary Finkelman have added a 290 square
foot solar collector to their home. Ken and
Jan Stark, after doing a thorough job of
insulating their home, attached a 220
square foot collector to the house at a
materials cost of $715. They plan to add to
the effectiveness of the unit by adding rock
thermal storage.

Another successful project has been the
construction of a solar greenhouse attached
to the home of Earl and Dolores Fish of
Belden, Neb. Utilizing the south wall of
their home resulted in savings in construc-
tion. There is also reduced heat loss by the
greenhouse with the home on the north,
and the home can realize a lower heat loss
by the protection of the greenhouse on the
south. Dolores enjoys the pleasant
surroundings of the greenhouse and the
opportunity to work with green plants year
round.

Encouraged by the savings which the
wall collector made possible in heating his
home, Rick Finkelman decided to use solar
energy to assist in heating the old dairy
barn which he had converted into a farrow-
ing barn. Barns where sows have pigs are
heated in most cases with propane gas,
kerosene or electricity. With the guidance
of Dr. Peterson of South

(Continued on page 30)

November 1979 messenger 23

( y

Tis a gift to be

by Tim Speicher

Why do Brethren decide to live more
simply? What motivates a family to live
counter to society's norms?

Three families, Cliff and Arlene Kindy
of Goshen, Ind., Ruth and Dale Auker-
man of Linwood, Md., and John and
Ann Hartsough of Laketon, Ind., gave in-
credibly similar responses to these ques-
tions. Their concerns cover family, God's
call, attitudes and community.

When Cliff and Arlene Kindy married,
their primary vow "was to be a Christian
family." Intentionally maintaining a lower
income has allowed both parents to give
adequate time towards their daughter
Erin's growing years, an event "one
spouse often misses" due to job obliga-
tions. Cliff "works six months a year or
less" pruning trees and delivering produce
across Northern Indiana. Each summer
their anniversary includes reviewing their
marriage vows and examining their growth
as a family.

Recognizing professional veterinary
practice as the "always-on-call-type of
work that is never done," John and Ann
Hartsough intentionally "decided not to
have children" until they could provide
enough attention to family relations. They
believe "marriage and family rearing don't
just happen, but take concerted effort as
a life plan."

Ruth Aukerman described their family
of five as closer because of a life-style that
allows them to maintain joy and recrea-
tion in their household. Music lessons, for
example, greatly enrich the beauty of their
home. Living on four acres in rural Mary-
land, their children, Miriam, Daniel and
Maren have been able to grow "more
creative within" rather than in response to
pressures of societal expectations.

Both Ruth Aukerman and Cliff Kindy
describe their family life-styles as "Christ-
centered." John Hartsough added that in
family decisions they "want to feel called
in the spirit of the New Testament." Dale
and Ruth emphasize that following the
commandment to "seek first the
kingdom" has allowed them to move
cohesively with Christ rather than in dif-
ferent directions.

Dale has responded affirmatively to

24 MESSENGER November 1979

calls into peace ministries over the past
years. The Aukerman's willingness to live
within the limited incomes offered by
these ministries has fitted those calls. Now
living in their own home for the first time,
they suggest this was God's purpose to
provide them a place for Dale to complete
a writing project, soon to be published.

Realizing it is "hard to catch on to
God's calling" when one's life-style in-
cludes more and more attachments. Dale
and Ruth emphasize the need to be open
and willing to drop things instantly when
called. After explaining the joy they have
in finally harvesting their own garden as a
sign of continuity in their life, Ruth asks,
"Are we too tied to this place?"

Reflecting on their previous ministries
the Aukermans "look back and only

Casa, a low-income housing project while
Arlene is active in neighborhood visiting.

Simple living is hard for John Hart-
sough to define because he sees it as an
attitude more than a formula for action.
For instance, the Hartsoughs do not see
themselves existing with the bare essentials
of a "pump and washboard" life. Rather,
they see changes coming in how they "deal
with a society and a world striving for
material gain and social status and which
does not put human relations in their
proper perspective."

The Aukermans contend they are living
in a way that "frees as God intended."
Their freedom comes in not being caught
up culturally in such a way that they are
"comparing with others in society." Their
land, which one neighbor described as a

marvel." They point out that only looking
at the present creates a black and drab
picture. Only by looking back can one
realize that the "multiplying-the-loaves
miracle still occurs today."

The Kindys' life-style, as their marriage,
is a "commitment in faithfulness to Jesus
as Lord." After a year with New Cove-
nant Fellowship in Athens, Ohio, they are
now "in a time of waiting." They are not
waiting passively, however. "Doing what
you know you're called to do," Cliff serves
on the Northern Indiana District Peace
Action Committee and is involved with La-

"spot nearest to heaven," is secluded
enough that they do not feel "someone is
looking over our shoulder."

Like the Hartsoughs, they emphasize
they are not merely maintaining a drab,
manual self-survival. One member of the
family always holds an outside job. Doing
with less does not come easy and "to let
go requires an element of sacrifice." Yet,
"knowing" the reality of the poor allows
them the luxury of being unable to look
down on others.

Intentionally keeping their income at a
non-taxable level, the Kindys refuse to

simple'

Three families set themselves apart to
witness their commitment — build family
strength and feel God's closeness.

support war. Like the Aukermans, they
are determined to respond to God's call
"at moment's notice." "In no way,"
though, do they view their life-style as a
sacrifice. Kindy points out there are no
hardships which are impossible barriers to
their decisions. "The toughest barriers are
only ourselves in our own willingness to
be used by God." If there is any formula
to life-style change, Kindy notes, it is "to
be open and to listen."

Choosing a life-style aimed toward a
community setting, the Hartsoughs can
"work for people as neighbors rather than
as outsiders who do one thing and leave."
Their jobs are not full-time in the classical
sense, but "take their skills to the grass-
roots level." Ann, a registered nurse,
plans on offering her services visiting
elderly in their homes as an alternative to
institutional care.

Voicing their need for a support group
in "sharing about world and community
concerns," John and Ann "don't want to
feel alone." They appreciate their friends
who can be "sounding boards" for ideas.
John's discussions with others about life-
style often end with someone thinking
about things differently from before.

Because the construction of their house
"fell into place in the spirit of old-time

barnraising through a string of conse-
quences and resources," the Aukermans
feel their home is not "just theirs."
Though the facilities are still small, they
make their home available for Bible
groups, retreats, picnics, visits by inner-
city children and a summer arts school.

Dale emphasizes that living in a "coun-
terculture requires a support group." Since
they are not living as part of a larger com-
munity, their family relationships express
the intensity of support for each other.
Together they carry in wood for their
house-warming stove. Each family
member has responsibilities they know will
not get done unless they do their part. Be-
ing just one family, they recognize when
they "can't bake bread and work the
fields, too."

Like the Hartsoughs, the Kindys are
able to share informally with three other
famihes with similar concerns. Kindy ex-
presses their need to be confronted and
encouraged in their decisions and ideas,
just as the church needs to be confronted
and encouraged in its discipleship. Living
in closer identification with the poor, they
ironically sense a kinship with the rich
because they can decide when to work."

A relationship to the world in the spirit
of the New Testament is maintained by all

These three families
prove that the simple life
can shatter the myths of
intentional living. Ruth
and Dale A ukerman ^f ar
left, with daughter,
Miriam) live with the
uncertainties of being
poor and enjoy "the lux-
ury of being unable to
look down on others."
Cliff and Arlene Kindy,
(\tiX, with daughter,
Erin) feel an ironic tie
with the rich because un-
like most middle-class
families, they can choose
when to work. Ann and
John Hartsough ^righty
enjoy friends who share
their life-style concerns
without comparing them
to the rest of society.

three families. Kindy points out that they
are immersed in social issues all the time.
Seeking a "more modest life-style," has
enabled the Aukermans to understand
others who are in dire need, though they
are "still among the rich in the world."
Miriam, Daniel and Maren face this
directly in school as they sense that there
are "not many poor children that are
smart." Although they do identify more
with the "outcasts" at school, they "don't
fit either gang" of classmates. Even
teachers sense their difference in life-style
and ask them questions.

All three families are examples of
grassroots ministries available for the
church: children's peace books, art
workshops, farming cooperatives, sharing
professional knowledge rather than selling
it, working side-by-side with the poor and
sharing in mutual mission. As Ruth
Aukerman puts it, the beauty and bless-
ings of their life-style decisions are seen
after they have been enacted. D

Tim Speicher is regional direclor for CROP and a
member of the tVashinglon, D.C.. congregation.

November 1979 messenger 25

Eating responsibly

How can we eat responsibly— for our own health and well-being, as
well as showing solidarity with the hungry people around the world?

by Marilyn Yoder

"What is it lii<e to stare at an empty din-
ner plate three times a day? Wait a
minute; make that once a day. Nobody in
a developing nation of the world even ex-
pects three meals a day. Set the empty tin
plate on the table. Hold it; there's no
table; put it on the floor. Sit down — on
the floor, of course. A mud floor."

"He who closes his ear to the cry of the
poor will himself cry out and not be
heard" (Prov. 21:13).

These words, in an appeal for money to
feed the hungry, grip me. I again consider
the question, how do we identify with the
hungry in our world?

For some, identifying with the poor
may be expressed by fasting; others work
toward eliminating some of the injustices
that lead to poverty. For our family, it
has meant exposure to others who have
experienced life in the Third World,
reading and searching with other believers
for what it means to be faithful. The out-
come of this dialog and exposure has led
us into an adventure of eating more simp-
ly and responsibly.

Getting started has meant a gradual
change for us, not a radical overhaul. The
support of the family has been crucial,
starting with the planning. What are the
purposes in making any changes? Is it
symbolic — wanting to express a solidarity
with the world's poor by reducing over-
consumption? Is it for health — eating less
of the non-health producing foods? Is it
for economic reasons — saving money
by eating more simply and buying fewer
convenience foods? Perhaps there are
other purposes to consider.

After discussing the purpose(s), the
family decides what action to take. For
example, we started with several meatless
meals a week, and smaller servings of
meat at other meals. Meat can be ex-

26 MESSENGER November 1979

tended with soy protein, and a small
amount of meat can go a long way in
casseroles and when stir-fried with
vegetables. Children can be involved in
planning menus, using Diet for a Small
Planet (by Frances Moore Lappe,
Ballantine Books, 1971) and Recipes for a
Small Planet (by Ellen Buchman Ewald,
Ballantine Books, 1973). Young children

enjoy helping to prepare food. Even a
two-year-old can tear lettuce for a salad
or peel an onion. In our experience,
children become more interested in the
food which they help to prepare.

To have meatless meals, we substitute
complementary vegetable protein.
Examples of these would in-
clude milk or milk products with

rice, wheat, potatoes or beans; corn and
beans; legumes and rice, wheat and soy.
The two cookbooks mentioned list the
kinds of combinations and proportions
which yield the highest quality of usable
protein.

Land in Third World countries is often
used to provide luxuries for export instead
of food for the people. Much of the ham-
burger for some fast-food chains is im-
ported; Columbian fields are used to grow
carnations; other fields are used for cof-
fee, sugar cane, cocoa and colas. Con-
suming less of these items is not only an
effort to reduce these imports, but con-
tributes to better health and thrift.

Food processing is big business primar-
ily for primarily making profits. Pro-
cessors take advantage of whatever ex-
tends the food and the shelf life. Conse-
quently, fillers are added to trick the taste
buds, camouflage staleness or change the
texture. In addition, big business pays
billions to convince the public these prod-
ucts are needed — add life, produce
regularity, restore vigor and reduce ten-
sion. Questioning the safety of these addi-
tions, knowing advertising costs are in-
cluded in the price, we thus avoid using
convenience foods.

We are looking for other ways to cut
down on wastefulness. The More With
Less Cookbook (by Doris Janzen
Longacre, Herald Press, 1976) gives ex-
cellent suggestions for using left-over food
in the "Gather Up the Fragments" at the
end of each chapter. We have a friend
who routinely dips from the refuse bins at
the grocery and salvages produce that is
to be thrown away. She reports saving $60
in one month.

When we were living with another fam-
ily we found discussing our different ex-
pectations about food helpful. One ques-
tion they asked us was whether it is right
to stockpile our food. I have always
delighted in finding bargains, and in buy-

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN HOME
Windber, Penn. 15963

LOVE SHARES BURDENS

A Church Home

A Nursing Home

Concerned about the whole person -
proper nutrition - medical and nursing -
activities crafts - sociabihty - worship and
spiritual care - dedication to the well -
being and welfare of the aging.
Your interest in assisting or in seeking
help will receive careful attention.
Visit the Home - write -

or phone (814)467-5505

Ralph L. Collifis, NHA
Administrator

Paul Noffsinger, NHA
Assistant Administrator

CUSSIFIED ADS

TRAVEL— Continuing Educational Tour 1980.
EUROPE-Eastern European Highlights (15
days). Departure: July 8, 1980 from Cleve-
land, Ohio or New York. Tickets to the Passion
Play (Oberammergau) are included. We are
now booking on a first-come first-serve basis.
HAWAII Tour-after Christmas 1980. Rev.
Raymon/AnnaBelle Eller, tour hosts and co-
ordinators, 358 Selden Ave., Akron, OH
44301. Phone (216) 724-9595. Travel with a
purpose and with friends.

CAP & GOWN ^COMPANY

Champaign III, 1000 N Market SI

Long Island City. N Y ,'48-25 36tti St

Van Nuys. Cal,' 1 5525 Cabnio Rd

Oklahoma City. Okla/801 N Western Ave

Looking for a peace-oriented portfolio?
Consider

PAX W«»RLD FUND

[a no-load mutual fund seeking income and long-term growth)
"The Fund endeavors through its investment objectives to make a
contribution to world peace . . . "—from Prospectus
Pax World is a no-load, diversified income fund designed primarily for
those who wish to invest in life supportive products and services.
The policies of Pax World include investing in:
-non war-related industries

— firms with fair employment practices.

— some companies abroad which contribute to the standard of
living of developing nations.

Securities are available for sale in: California, the District of Columbia,
Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New
lersey. New York, and Washington Minimum initial investment is $250

A prospectus containing more complete information about PAX WORLD FUND, including
all charges and expenses, will be sent upon receipt of this coupon. Read it carefully before
you invest. Send no money.

To:

PAX WORLD FUND, INC.

224 Slate Street

Portsmouth, N.H. 03801

Please send me a free prospectus and other information on Pa> World Fund.

Name

Address

City, Zip

Occupation Tel. No

November 1979 messenger 27

ing in large quantities when things are "on
sale." I like to have the shelves and
freezer stocked with all kinds of possi-
bilities. But what about the poor of our
world who have no choices? Do those of
us who are seeking to be faithful, volun-
tarily limit the amount of food we keep
on hand in order to identify with those
who have none?

Perhaps being good stewards of our
food resources might mean sharing work
and equipment. Cooking together, can-
ning and gardening together are more fun
as well as energy saving. It also is un-
necessary to have each family own can-
ning equipment and a freezer. Trading off

cooking is enjoyable whether as an
extended family or between neighbors.
Food co-ops usually provide whole grains,
legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grain
flours for less expense than can a
grocery.

Another natural resource that is
sometimes forgotten is human milk. I
have enjoyed being involved in La Leche
League to support other parents who want
to use this natural resource. Along with
the Church of the Brethren General
Board, we are boycotting Nestle products
to protest their aggressive promotion of
infant formula in Third World countries.
People there do not need it, cannot af-

T.

. he work of prayer is not often glamorous. And yet it is the major source of power
for the Christian church and the means by which we bring ourselves into harmony
with the work of Christ within us. Congregations and districts, individuals in leader-
ship and institutions of our denomination ask for your prayers. Let us unite in a
fellowship of mutual support.

If you have items for the prayer calendar, send them to Prayer Calendar, Church
of the Brethren General Offices, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.

November Prayer Calendar

November 4-10: Give prayer support to the following districts in their district con-
ferences: Idaho, Nov. 9-10; Virlina, Nov. 9-10; Pacific Southwest, Nov. 9-11.

Remember in prayer the Edu-Coach, caravan to Brethren congregations, on its
tour in Western Pennsylvania District, Nov. 5-7; Middle Pennsylvania District, Nov.
8-9; Atlantic Northeast District, Nov. 10.

November 11-17: Pray for the United Nations Seminar on Life in a Global Communi-
ty, sponsored by the World Ministries Commission's United Nations office, scheduled
for Nov. 12-15 in New York City.

Remember the ministries of Edu-Coach, scheduled for Shenandoah District,
Nov. 12-13; West Virginia, Nov. 14-15; Southern Pennsylvania, Nov. 16, 18; Mid-
Atlantic District, Nov. 19-20.

Pray for the board meeting of Bethany Seminary, to be held Nov. 15-17.

November 18-24: Give prayer support to Robert Neff, general secretary of the
Church of the Brethren General Board, as he travels this week to Prague,
Czechoslovakia, to speak to church leaders from Eastern and Western nations.

In observing Thanksgiving Day, thank God for inspiration and strength to
reach out to people in need, such as the world's many refugees and the victims of
natural calamities. Ask that our congregations be faithful stewards of God's bles-
sings.

November 25-December 1: Be with Edu-Coach in prayer as it tours Virlina, Nov.
26-27; North Carolina, Nov. 28; South Carolina, Nov. 29; Tennessee, Nov. 30; Nor-
thern Alabama, Dec. 1.

Pray for the Southern Pennsylvania District Retreat, to be held Nov. 30-Dec. 1,
when the district board will consider goals.

Pray for Church World Service's relief efforts to persons suffering from
Nicaragua's civil war.

ford and do not have the fuel, refrigera-
tion or pure water to prepare it safely.

I have suggested some ways we are at-
tempting to be good stewards of our food
resources. You might be thinking, "That
sounds good, but cooking Hke that takes
more time than opening cans or boxes."
Perhaps. I'd like to think with you about
some ways we might simplify and save
time with food preparations.

Cooking in big batches and freezing in
smaller containers, the size that serves our
family, is convenient. Also I like to make
up master mixes (any food you can buy
pre-mixed in the store, can be pre-mixed
at home as well). One friend reported
making eight mixes in one hour. Anything
that requires a long cooking time can be
made in large amounts (for example rice
or beans) to provide a quick meal another
day. One of the most nutritious shortcuts
is to serve fresh fruits and raw or stir-
fried vegetables. I also find offering fewer
choices of dishes in a meal saves prepara-
tion time and lessens my tendency to over-
eat. Instead of providing something from
each of the basic four food groups
(grains, milk, fruits/vegetables and the
protein groups) at each meal, they can be
represented over the entire day.

Recruiting others to help with food
preparation and clean-up saves time. We
take turns going to the nearby farms for
milk and eggs. We also buy large quan-
tities of flour and dry milk twice a year.
With these foods on hand, we make fewer
trips to the grocery. The time saved by
not making as many trips to the grocery
can be applied to baking your own bread
and crackers. I like to make yogurt and
cottage cheese to have on hand for quick
additions to meals. Sprouting seeds re-
quires httle effort and can be a fascinating
project for children. (Simply soak several
tablespoons of seeds in a quart jar over-
night, put cheesecloth around the mouth
of the jar with a rubber band and drain in
the morning. Rinse once or twice daily
with fresh water and keep in a warm,
dark place.) Drying foods is not difficult
whether on screens in an oven that has a
pilot or the light on, or in the sun. Dried
foods do not require extra energy to store.

I have been sharing ways we are trying
to eat more simply and responsibly. We
would like to continue searching with
other believers to discover what being
faithful means to them, and us. D

Marilyn Yoder is a substiluie teacher in elementary
schools, active in La Leche League in Indiana, and a
member of the Manchester congregation. North Man-
chester. Ind.

28 MESSENGER November 1979

A CHECK EVERY
SIX MONTHS
for life . . .

When you make a gift-investment to
your church through the Church of the
Brethren General Board Gift Annuity
program, you receive an income check
every six months for the rest of your life.

Q. Wh\; should I place money or
securities with the Church of the
Brethren General Board?

A. For two reasons; You want an
assured income for life, and you
want to support your church and
its work.

Q. How is the income I am to receive
determined?

A. Your amount is invested with gifts
from others. Your annuity pay-
ment is determined by the uniform
gift annuity rates adopted by Con-
ference on Gift Annuities. For ex-
ample: Mr. Bowman sends in
$10,000 for a Gift Annuity Agree-
ment. At his present age of 70, he
will receive 6.8% , or $680 annual-
ly for life, paid semi-annually.

Q. Are annuity rates the same for all
persons?

A. The rate is determined by the per-
son's age at the time of the
gift/investment. For example, age
65, the rate is 6.2%; age 75, the
rate is 7.7%; age 85 the rate is
10.5%; age 90 and over, 12%.

Q. Are there advantages in transfer-
ring appreciated stock?

A. Yes, there are. While there are
capital gains implications, the
amount is smaller than would be
on the sale of securities and fre-
quently no out-of-pocket capital
gains tax needs to be paid.

Q. Can an annuit]^ agreement be writ-
ten for two persons?

A. Yes, there can be a two-lives—
joint and survivor agreement, al-
though the annuity rate is slightly
reduced.

Q. Is there a tax advantage when in-
vesting in a gift annuity;?

A. Yes, there is a sizeable charitable
contribution deduction the year of
the gift/investment and a sizeable
annual deduction on the annual
annuity payment.

Q. Are there estate tax advantages?

A. Yes, the principal of the gift annu-
ity is not included in one's estate at
death.

Q. How do I report the charitable
deduction and the income I receive
on m\> income tax return?

A. The income tax information will
be computed for you. You will re-
ceive it with your gift annuity
agreement.

Q. How much must I contribute for a

gift annuit]; agreement?
A. Gift annuity agreements are written

for $500 to many thousands of

dollars.

Hundreds of members are now enjoy-
ing a regular income from the Church of
the Brethren General Board. The funds
with which the Lord has blessed them
are being used to secure income for
themselves and eventually will be used
in the world wide mission of the
denomination.

Just fill out the coupon and send it to
the Church of the Brethren General
Board.

The Church of the Brethren General Board

Office of Stewardship Enlistment

1451 Dundee Avenue Stewart B. Kauffman

Elgin, Illinois 60120 Consultant for Special Gifts

Please send me without obligation information on a Gift Annuity Agreement.

My date of birth is . Date of birth of spouse

Name

November 1979 messenger 29

ONSCIENTIOUS
OBJECTION

TAXPAYERS

I

■

Many citizens are not required to bear arms
because their consciences forbid them par-
ticipation in war — And it's legal.

When these same citizens, bound in con-
science, choose not to pay lor others to bear
arms or for the widening arms race — It's
not legal

Join the campaign for a legal alternative to
the payment of military taxes: The World
Peace Tax Fund - S 880 H R 4897 Send
for information today.

2111 Florida Ave.NW,

Washington, D.C. WflidTuiuVixJurJ

20008

Send me information on the WPTF today
Name

Address

City

State Zip

Brethren
Bible Institute

6-week Winter Term

Jan. 7-Feb. 15, 1980

Brethren Service Center

New Windsor, Maryland
FOR — Persons of post high school
age who have a sincere interest in
searching the Scriptures, and a
motivation that will accept the disci-
pline of study.

AIM— To lead participants into
serious Bible study; to grow
together in fellowship; to come to
know Jesus Christ in a more in-
timate way; to become better fitted
for service in the church.
SCHEDULE-Morning: two
classes. Afternoon: two classes.
Evening: recreation and study.
Courses offered are — The Sermon
on the Mount; The Epistles of
Peter, James, and John; Basic
Doctrines of the Bible; The Pastoral
Epistles/Homiletics.
COST- $200 (plus textbooks) for
tuition, room, and board; com-
muters pay $75 plus textbooks.
Financial assistance may be avail-
able if a need exists.
WRITE— Brethren Bible Institute,
Route 10, Box 49, York, Pennsyl-
vania 17404.

In a loaf of bread, the
yeast is the active ingre-
dient. Its presence or ab-
sence, even in small
announts, dramatically af-
fects the whole loaf.

We are a small Christian volunteer
program which tackles tremen-
dous issues — social justice,
human need, peace. Our volun-
teers are spread throughout many
states and other nations.

Can one person really make a
difference? That depends on
the person.

Will you be the dough or the
yeast?

BRETHREN VOLUNTEER SERVICE

1451 DUNDEE AVE., ELGIN, IL 60120

30 MtsstNGER November 1979

(Continued from page 23)
Dakota State University, Pinkelman in-
stalled a solar collector on the soutfi slope
of tfie large gambrel roof of the barn.
(The corrugated sheet metal covering the
roof was painted with a flat black paint so
it would act as a collector plate. Trans-
lucent corrugated fiberglass was suspended
over the collector surface to trap the solar
heat. Air from the hayloft is pulled over
the collector plate by a fan that blows the
solar heated air into a storage area filled
with 850 gallon-size plastic milk jugs. The
jugs are filled with a mixture of water and
methanol.)

Other energy-saving and conservation-
minded projects are a wind electric gener-
ator, wind water pumps (windmills), pro-
duction of methane gas from manure,
handling of alcohol fuel from grain, util-
ization of natural nitrogen, farming with
minimum tillage and use of gasahol. Agri-
cultural extension personnel from both
South Dakota and Nebraska have been
extremely supportive of project partici-
pants, and leaders and materials from all
over the US have been used in workshops.
Staff leaders are happy to share informa-
tion about projects, designs or ideas.
Write to Center For Rural Affairs, P.O.
Box 736, Hartington, NE 68739.

As the Small Farm Energy Project has
grown in its scope and in the involvement
of the participants, a program of outreach
has emerged. Workshops and "open
houses" have been held, to which farmers
from other areas were invited. Partici-
pants have traveled to other areas to share
information about their project. A news-
letter and "Project Focus" descriptions
have been prepared and distributed to in-
terested persons across the country.

Project leaders have frequently pro-
vided input to government agencies deal-
ing with energy and agriculture. They feel
that "if each farm and rural family could
utilize the low-cost solar systems tested in
the project, the savings would be tremen-
dous. It would be an important step in
helping our country become less depen-
dent on petroleum and other non-
renewable energy sources and in helping
us move toward full utilization of solar
and other alternate energy sources." D

Berwyn L. Oilman is pastor of the Stover Me-
morial congregation, Des Moines. Iowa.

(g@Dpfml^

by Howard E. Royer

A new simplicity

Are Brethren in the vanguard of in-
dividuals and families today demon-
strating a simpler, more responsible life-
style?

The more than 200 self-selected
respondents to the "Survey on Life-Style
Changes" published in the August
Messenger attest that at least a corps of
Brethren are on the side of "a new
simplicity." But the returns also make
clear that because of diverse situations
and needs, no single Hfe-style but a
multitude of life-styles characterizes the
Brethren community.

By far the specific points of greatest
agreement — steps indicated by three-
quarters or more — were shopping less fre-
quently and combining trips when possi-
ble, turning off unneeded lights and ap-
pHances, lowering the thermostat in
winter, weatherizing the home and heating
only those rooms in use, doing without air
conditioning, recycling newspapers and
glass, growing at least part of one's pro-
duce, reducing the amount of meat in the
diet, keeping meals modest, using left-
overs, restricting the amount of water
used, sharing money and possessions and
spending more time with family members.

Items which registered by three-fifths or
more of the respondents were driving
a more efficient car, the use of
leaves for compost rather than as
waste, using of scrap paper for
writing material, reduced consumption of
heavily processed foods, avoiding the use
of tobacco, making one's own clothes, less
concern for fashion, avoiding the pur-
chase of products or services from com-
panies with exploitive practices, living in
facilities no larger or costlier than
necessary, being available to others in
need, cultivating inner and interpersonal
growth, relying less on outside entertain-
ment including tv, exercising regularly and
keeping one's body fit, participating in
crafts or some other form of the arts,
developing new interests and skills and

recognizing the interrelatedness of all
living things.

The one item disputed by more than
half the respondents was the elimination
of meat from the diet. A Washington,
D.C., woman noted, "My parents raise
beef, so 1 have not become a teetotaler on
meat." A West Virginia minister explained
that his beef and dairy cattle were grass
fed on land that could be used for little
else. Besides, he added, many people's
ideas on eating meat are uninformed. We
have six active 90-year-old pluses in our
community who are meat eaters."

Pets and taxes also were controversial
topics. More than a quarter of the sample
rejected "owning no pets" as a desirable
step, yet an equal number had adopted
that position. About 25 percent rejected
"keeping income down in order not to pay
taxes," while about 20 percent had taken
such a step.

Others joined in that refrain by describ-
ing how paring down in one area of ac-
tivity complicated life in other areas. A
return to wood stoves, for example, was
reported by more than one-fourth of the
sample, including a young Indiana
minister who reflected, "Believe me, it
costs money and time to save energy!"
But he quickly added that it was worth
the effort. "I'm not always sure the trade-
offs I make are the best choices but 1 do
them simply in faith."

A Pennsylvania couple recounted how
they expected to have to reduce their
benevolence giving on retirement. But by
growing their own vegetables, baking
bread, making yogurt, eating little beef
and pork, buying from a co-op and driv-
ing a small car, they lessened expenses
enough to increase their outreach giving.
"And without the sugar and junk foods,
we are healthier and happier — a double
reward," they exclaimed.

Contradictions with the survey were
also expressed, such as by persons who
feel clothing made of synthetics is cheaper

and easier to care for than apparel made
of natural fibers; by a Messenger reader
who appreciates the attention given to
life-style concerns in virtually every issue,
but who wonders about the ads for
Brethren tours around the world which
also appear regularly; and by several
observers who see life-style as a pre-
occupation of the affluent and not a con-
cern of the poor for whom life offers no
choice of styles.

One woman in her 80s wrote: "I notice
many of the points listed are practices my
generation was taught from the beginning.
We called it being thrifty. The growing
generation knows nothing about thrift."

Yet the largest group of responses — 40
percent — came from the 20-35 age
bracket, equal to the combined responses
of the 36-50 and 51-65 age ranges and
nearly triple the over-65 age range. Life-
style is a concern of the young.

It is also becoming a new concern for
many who have a heritage of simple liv-
ing. "Until very recently I felt ambivalent
about the simple life," a Californian
wrote. "On the one hand, I felt rather
guilty about not living as simply as the
Brethren previously recommended. On the
other hand, I felt that many emphases of
simple living were artificial. Only as I
have been getting more input from non-
Brethren sources have 1 been able to
reconsider my ambivalence and come to
some personal consensus as to how to
eliminate unproductive guilt and be freed
up for constructive change. Now, rather
than feeling embarrassed, I am proud to
work for a style of life which I feel is
more Christian." D

Howard E. Royer serves as staff liaison with the
Christian Life-style study committee.

November 1979 messenger 31

m%@mm^.

Why Celebrate?

Celebrating — the marking of an occasion
or event with ceremony or festivity — is
essential to human existence and vital for
a life of faith. Celebrations are important
for our emotional health because they
help us highlight dimensions of time we
might ordinarily fear, ignore or deny.
Through celebrating the significant events
and changes of our lives, we have oppor-
tunity to recognize and absorb changes we
are experiencing. Then, we are ready to
face the future with anticipation, unafraid
of the unpleasant past repeating itself, or
an uncomfortable present continuing
forever.

Celebrations are also vital for a life of
faith. Celebrations, as stated times for
non-work, help put work in perspective.
Specific times of non-work, such as
observance of the Sabbath, remind us that
human life has importance in and of itself
beyond its capacity for productivity. Full
employment and a soaring gross national
product will not bring our nation or world
salvation. A well-balanced life of faith in-
cludes time of quiet and inactivity for
study and contemplation as well as active
witness and service. Our religious celebra-
tions provide opportunities for us to
recall, retell and relive our history.
Through this process we come to identify
our present reality with the past and form
our identification as God's people. We
remember God's promises to the people
God chose. We recall the stories of God's
action in history — fulfilling those prom-
ises, and through it all we are re-
membered as God's family — as a people
with an origin and a destiny, with mean-
ing and direction for our lives.

Try an Alternative

Eugenia Smith-Durland in Voluntary Sim-
plicity, Study-Action Guide suggests that
it is our celebrations and holidays that ex-
press most fully our values and priorities;
that the patterns of our celebrations
reflect the patterns of our daily lives. This
guideline can be useful for those of us
who call ourselves Christians. Do our
celebrations and our lives express our
faithfulness as a people of God and
disciples of Jesus? Do our celebrations af-
firm that "Jesus is Lord" and demonstrate
that we are "seeking first God's
kingdom"? Under this kind of scrutiny
many of us have to admit that we have
succumbed to the high-powered advertis-
ing and promotion campaigns of our
culture and that most of our celebrations
have become "sell-abrations." The original
intent of many occasions is now buried
under commercially induced habits and
tastes of our society. We have conformed
to the world. Our "worldliness" is
reflected in celebrations that are excessive-
ly consumptive and wasteful of resources
and energy, both human and natural.
Voluntary Simplicity, Study-Action
Guide is a good beginning for Christians
concerned about the values and priorities
demonstrated in their celebrations and
who want to make changes. It integrates
biblical reflection on the signs of the times
with ideas for alternative modes of cele-
brating—all in the context of commitment
to a small group. The author uses Mat-

thew 25 as the context for a close ex-
amination of Christmas, Valentine's Day,
Easter, Funerals, Independence Day,
Halloween, Thanksgiving, weddings and
other festive occasions. The final chapter,
"The Church has the Power to restore the
Holyday" urges the group to begin with
Christmas, the most badly corrupted of all
the holidays, and organize an alternative
Christmas project for their own
community.

A companion resource for the study-
action guide is a 61-frame filmstrip, "The
Celebration Revolution of Alexander
Scrooge." Alexander Scrooge, an
American great, great, great-grandson of
Ebeneezer, also encounters the ghosts of
celebrations past, present and future and
makes some radical decisions about his
celebrating styles. Both the study-action
guide and the filmstrip are available from:
Alternatives, 1924 East Third St., Bloom-
ington, IN 47401.

Gift-giving

The giving of symbols and tokens of our
affection for others is an ancient and im-
portant custom. Gift-giving is frequently a
major aspect of our celebrations and
should be evaluated along with celebrating
in general. For much of our gift-giving
has become worldly as it becomes more
commercial, more impersonal, more ex-
pensive, more wasteful and more ex-
ploitative. The use of consumer goods as
gifts is usually so indirect and ambiguous

32 MtssENc.tR November 1979

as an expression of our feelings that it
may leave the receiver confused. Too
often the only clear aspect of such a gift
is the monetary value which then becomes
the significant factor. For example, have
you ever been embarrassed because some-
one gave you a more expensive gift than
you gave them, or have you ever felt de-
pressed because you didn't have enough
money to show your family or friends
how much they mean to you?

Transformation of our celebrations and
gift-giving requires time, energy, prayer
and support, but is possible. Once you
are convinced and committed to change,
there are some specific ways to get started
(and that is half the battle). First, do
some study on the particular celebration
you want to transform. Libraries usually
have good resources for this. Discover
what the original meaning and purpose
for the celebration was. Then apply the
spirit of that root meaning to the way we
live and celebrate and relate to our socie-
ty. Our task is to maintain the original
meaning and purpose in ways that are
relevant and meaningful now. All this
takes time so be sure to start early. Then
gather the people you will celebrate
with — or usually celebrate with — and
discuss your convictions and the results
of your study. You will need to substitute
new traditions for old ones and
negotiating to find a substitute that is
meaningful for everyone may be a strug-
gle. Finally, make the transition gradual-
ly. Old habits and feelings may change
slowly. You will need to be patient and
flexible.

There are many options for changing
gift-giving patterns. If you want to give
some material item, buy it from a store or
organization that profits or benefits human
needs and concerns such as UNICEF,
SERRV, Fellowship of Reconciliation
or Koinonia Farms. Another possibility
would be to make the items yourself
perhaps from materials purchased from
groups similar to those listed or from
recycled or natural materials which you
have collected. Some parents and grand-
parents choose to begin passing along
family heirlooms as gifts before they die.
They then have the opportunity to pass
along the legends and stories that go
along with the item as well as experiencing

the response of the receiver. For many in
our culture, time is our most precious
commodity. Coupons for gifts of time
and talent are being creatively used by
some persons, such as teaching someone
to sew or refinish a piece of furniture,
taking a friend to a concert or a child to
the zoo. A direct way of gift-giving would
be a special written or spoken apprecia-
tion of what the relationship with another
means for you and/or the gifts you have
received from the other. The combina-
tions of these are endless. For example
when one extended family decided to ex-
change written or spoken appreciation
gifts, they realized that their 3-year-old

ALTERNATIVE
CELEBRATK»45

needed something more tangible. So he
received a cookie cutter set from Grand-
ma and a promise to bake cookies that
day. An aunt gave him home-made finger
paints and promised an art lesson. Distant
grandparents sent books and a cassette
tape of them reading the books.

Good resources for many more specific
ideas on alternative celebrating and gift-
giving can be found in the third and
fourth editions of the Alternative Celebra-
tions Catalogues. The third edition has a
large section that expands on the ideas
listed here for alternatives to purchasing
consumer goods as gifts. This section in-
cludes articles on "Toys: Our Values, Our
Choices," "Rediscover Gift Making" and

"Self-Help Cooperative Craft Groups."
The catalog also introduces the idea of
the "Alternate Gift Certificate" — a system
by which you make a donation in the
name of a relative or friend and they
choose which of the human welfare
groups listed in the catalog receives the
donation. The fourth edition of the
catalog has a few additional suggestions
in the area of gift-giving. It lists a large
number of human welfare groups and in-
cludes financial data on the organizations
for your information when deciding
where to redirect money. It has a
much expanded section on various cele-
brations with many more ideas shared
by people around the country working at
changing their celebration
patterns.

The Alternatives group which gathered
and published the catalogs, the study-
action guide and filmstrip, began in 1973
with a small group of people fed-up with
the way Christmas was being increasingly
commercialized. The first Alternative
Christmas Catalogue sold 19,000 copies
and led to the second edition followed by
the third edition and an Alternative
Celebrations campaign which involved
more than 250 churches in study groups
working to transform their celebrations.
Although not an explicitly Christian
group. Alternatives has been supported by
many major denominations which gave
funds and personnel.

Alternative Celebrations

The goals of the alternative celebrations
movement are: 1) freeing our special occa-
sions from mechanical and materialistic
commercialism; 2) taking celebrations
back to original meanings; and 3) finding
ways to celebrate so that events become
life-supporting, earth-supporting and fur-
ther the values of global peace and
justice.

Transforming our celebration patterns is
in keeping with our denominational Goals
for the 80s: "to do justice, to love tender-
ly and to walk humbly with our God."
Brethren, we are called to repent, affirm
that "Jesus is Lord" and celebrate!
-Anita Smith Buckwalter

Anita Smith Buckwalter and her husband, Richard,
are co-pastors of the Lansing (Mich.) First Church of
the Brethren.

November 1979 messenger 33

CLASSIFIED ADS

TRAVEL— Bridgewater College President's
Tour to Eastern Europe and Oberammergau
Passion Play. Visit Oberammergau, West
Berlin and East Berlin, Dresden, Prague,
Vienna, Salzburg, Heidelberg, etc. 15 days,
July 8-22, 1980. Save $50 by making Early
Bird Deposit ($250) by end ot Dec. Contact
Dr. Wayne F. Geisert, Bridgewater College,
Bridgewater, VA 22812. Tel. (703) 828-2501.

TRAVEL— Grand Tour of Europe, including
Oberammergau Passion Play, Schwarzenau,
and Kassel. June 16-July 7, 1980. Write Dr. J,
Kenneth Kreider, R.D. 3, Box 660, Elizabeth-
town, PA 17022.

TRAVEL-Juniata College Tours, 1980:
Oberammergau Passion Play, following Pitts-
burgh Annual Conference, 14 days. Includes
Bavaria, the Alps, Rhine Cruise, Berlin and
Prague. June 30 departure. Harold B. Brum-
baugh, host conductor. Other scheduled
tours: Caribbean Cruise, South America and
Galapagos Islands and China. Information:
Weimer-Oller Travel, 405 Penn St., Hunting-
don, PA 16652. Tel. (814) 643-1468.

TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE-See the Passion
Play and spend 15 days touring Europe in Ju-
ly 1980. Join Anna Mow, Wendell Bohrer and
Joan Bohrer as your tour hosts. Visit
Schwarzenau, Oberammergau, visit Worms,
enjoy river boat ride on the Rhine River and
visit Reformation Park in Geneva. (Price
$1499.) For information write Wendell
Bohrer, pastor, 96 Penrod St., Johnstown, PA
15902. (814) 536-1811 or (814) 266-2629.

FOR rent-Low cost efficient hous-
ing—adults only. Near Sebring Church of the
Brethren. Write or call Paul VJ. Claypool, 319
Ibis Ave., Sebring, FL 33870. Tel. (813)
385-3107.

FOR RENT-Brethren retirement. $50 each
per month. Self-service. Roomy, huge oaks,
pecans, azaleas. Near church, stores, bank.
Snow-free, yet not too near equator. Many
fishing lakes. Experimental. Trial stays en-
couraged. Rates hold only until five units are
filled. Contact: Roy White, 407 State St.,
Citronelle, AL 36522. Tel. (205) 866-7154.

INVITATION— To families or individuals desir-
ing to relocate in mild climate near a Church
of the Brethren. Roanoke (Louisiana) Church
is between Lake Charles and Lafayette near
1-10. Spiritually vital congregation, mild win-
ters, strong economy, good school system.
Contact Maxine Ritchie, Rt. 1, Box 70,
Roanoke, LA 70581. Tel. (318) 753-2545 or
Ethyl Harris, 1810 N. Cutting, Jennings, LA
70546. Tel. (318) 824-2671.

Christ's rule encompasses every aspect of
life. He is gathering a community and leading
it himself. Publishers of Truth, 1 S 147 Third
St., Lombard, IL 60148.

URGENTLY NEEDED-Physician for South
Missouri town with trade area of 15,000 popu-
lation. Excellent opportunity for anyone in-
terested in geriatrics. Financial assistance
available. Contact Thomas Manor Nursing
Center, 13th and Hovis, Mountain Grove, MO
65711.

34 MESSENGER November 1979

Taking another look

by Estella B. Horning

Among the many books treating life-style
concerns, four stand out as reflecting cur-
rent Brethren life-style concerns.
Celebration of Discipline: Paths to Spirit-
ual Growth, by Richard J. Foster, Harper and
Row Publishers, 1978. 171 pages. $7.95

Discipline can hardly be considered a
major interest of either the church or soci-
ety today. Thus a title which calls for
celebrating discipline seems indeed a para-
dox. Foster initiates his study with the as-
sertion that the spiritual disciplines are the
door to liberation and joy. The most op-
pressive bondage of our human condition
is the slavery to self-interest and fear and
to ingrained habits of sin: anger, bitter-
ness, gluttony, pride, lust and drinking.
Against these the will is of no avail.

Although victory over sin is a gift from
God, the spiritual disciplines "allow us to
place ourselves before God so that God
can transform us." Yet there is danger in
the disciplines. It is possible to turn them
into laws so that they become harbingers
of death rather than life. They may be
turned into a new kind of prison to
manipulate and control others. Christians
must lay aside the burden of needing to
manage other people.

Having set that warning before us, Fos-
ter explores 12 spiritual disciplines. He
works through misconceptions, explores
biblical bases, enumerates specific steps of
"how to . . . ," and elaborates the benefits
of each of the specific disciplines. He
repeatedly reminds his readers that
although the disciplines may be pursued
for their own sake in secular society, or
for personal benefit or for the sake of
political results, the only worthy focus of
the disciplines in Christian living is the
centering of our lives in the will of God
through Jesus Christ.

In recent years Brethren have placed lit-
tle focus on the inward disciplines: medi-
tation, prayer, fasting and study of the
Scriptures. Foster brings an impressive
witness for the power of these disciplines
out of the history of the church and from
his own experience.

We have had fuller experience with the
outward disciplines: simplicity, solitude,
submission and service. Many Brethren

will feel at home in the chapters on sim-
plicity and service, though he expands
definitions and expresses cautions which
are pertinent reminders even to simple ser-
vant people like ourselves. "When we
choose to serve we are still in charge. . . .
But when we choose to be a servant we
give up the right to be in charge ... we
surrender the right to decide whom and
when we will serve."

We may also want to examine and reaf-
firm the corporate disciplines: confession,
worship, guidance and celebration, for
celebration is also one of the disciplines.

Living in Christian Community, Arthur G.
Gish, Herald Press, 1979. 360 pages. $8.95

Growing out of the perspective of the
Brethren free church tradition, careful
study of the Scriptures, and a deep per-
sonal investment in Christian community
over a period of years, Gish brings mature
insight into the risks, pitfalls, joys and
blessings of living in Christian commun-
ity. Early in his book (chapter two) Gish
brings into focus the call to the faithful
community to center its life in Jesus as
the focus of personal commitment to one
another. We become a true community
when we are gathered by God and led by
the Holy Spirit. He reminds us that the
spirit is always a gift, and community also
is a gift. They can never become posses-
sions over which we take control, but
must always be subject to the sustaining
power of God.

Other vital roles of Christian commun-
ity are sharing of goods and life, discern-
ment of God's will in making decisions,
ministering to and being accountable to
one another, total respect for the volun-
tary nature of commitment, centering life
in worship, nonconformity to the world,
but conformity to the mind of Christ, and
witnessing in the world.

In the search for faithfulness in Chris-
tian community, Gish concludes: "The
answer is not easy, but it is simple. . . .
Begin to really seek God's will for your
life, begin to lay down ever)ihing that
holds you back from following Jesus, and
open your life to receiving the gift of
community.

"And remember to wait on the Lord.
Anything you try to do on your own is

at riches

doomed from the start. 'Unless the Lord
build the house, those who build it labor
in vain'" (Ps. 127:1).

For those longing to become part of the
visible body of Christ in community, Art
Gish's book provides guidance based in
prayer, study and the experience of com-
mitment.

Property and Riches in the Early Church,

Martin Hengel, Fortress Press, 1974. 88 pages.
Paperback. $4.50

A scholarly exploration of the attitudes
of church and culture during the early
centuries of the Christian era, this study
explores the attitudes of Judaism, the
preaching of Jesus, the practice of the
Jerusalem church as described in Acts, the
teaching of Paul in the context of urban
communities, and follows the developing
attitude of the church through the first
four centuries.

Especially helpful are his discernments
of the teachings of Jesus in regard to
property: 1) the kingdom of God demands
freedom over possessions, the renuncia-
tion of all care, complete trust in the
goodness and providence of the heavenly
Father. . . . The service of mammon is
idolatry. . . . Possessions acquire a
demonic character because they bind us,
stop our ears and close our eyes to the
kingdom. 2) Jesus had a free attitude
toward property. He was not an ascetic.
He came from a middle class artisan fam-
ily and his disciples came from a similar
social milieu. They accepted the support
of wealthy women. Possessions are to be
used to help the needy, to be lent and
shared. But he did not avoid the wealthy.
He joined in their feasts. He did not at-
tack the social inequities of his day, but
he used them as parables to illustrate the
will of God.

Hengel explains Jesus' "scandalously
free" attitude both to property and to the
powers of the state in the light of his
preaching on the imminence of the
kingdom of God. Forgiveness, assurance,
love and property are God's boundless
gifts which people are to share boundless-
ly with others in turn. Jesus and his first
disciples translated that message into ac-
tion. He raises the question as to whether,
in the light of today's crises. Christians
ought not take another serious look at

Jesus' radical teaching concerning riches.
Throughout history the church has at-
tempted to solve the problem of riches in
various ways. As we search for answers in
today's world we might profitably explore
with Hengel the teachings of the New
Testament and the various approaches of
the early church.

A Covenant Group for Lifestyle Assess-
ment, William E. Gibson, Participant's Manual,
United Presbyterian Program Agency, 1978. $2.95

Several major denominations have
sponsored the preparation of this manual
for use in small groups to examine life-
style in the context to our commitment to
Christ. For those who are seeking a struc-
tured study program, the manual provides
resources, activities and discussion sugges-
tions for 12 two-and-a-half-hour sessions.
Members of the group are encouraged

to examine and evaluate their current
customs and habits and to select areas
where they would like to make specific
changes. It is assumed that to effectively
change any aspect of our life we need the
support of a group. Thus persons are en-
couraged to make their commitment to
the group, be accountable to the group
and lean on the support of the group.

Areas of life-style explored in the study
sessions include consuming, conserving,
sharing, playing, advocating and giving.

For persons who are seriously con-
cerned about their affluent life-style in a
world of hunger and injustice, this little
book provides a useful guide to walk the
murky road of comprehension and
change, n

Eslelta B. Horning is an adjunct faculty member at
Bethany Theological Seminary (Oak Brook, 111. I and a
member of the York Center (Lombard, III.) congrega-
tion.

Know Your Bible

Clarke's Commentary

A favorite for over 150 years, Clarke's Commentary is now
available in three handsome, compact volumes — actually, each is two
volumes in one. So, for the most penetrating and enlightening look
at the Scriptures, choose Clarke's.

Volume I, Genesis-Esther Each volume, $22.50

Volume II. Job-Malachi Three-volume set, $64.95

Volume III. Matthew-Revelation

Qlbif>9^X)n

at your local bookstore

November 1979 messenger 35

Do You Know This Symhoh

The symbol was created to identify the association as a caring, iive,
Christ oriented community. The unfolding flower is symbolic of life unfolding
to its fullest. The upper two petals are silhouetted hands cradling a life [the
circle]. The circular shape of the total design symbolizes the earth and the
never ending cycle of eternity. At the heart of all Christian service is Christ,
symbolized by the flame. The scripture portray Christ as "the Light of the
World."

It is the symbol of THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN HOMES AND
HOSPITALS ASSOCIATION (TCBHHA).

Twenty-five homes and a hospital located in thirteen states from
Pennsylvania to California where Brethren are providing care for the ill and
aging.

Arising from the "Old Folks Homes" concept of the 1800's, most of
TCBHHA facilities today have been modernized to offer a range of living
accommodations from independent living in apartments to full nursing
service in skilled nursing wings.

These homes stand in witness to Christ's love for us and the fulfillment
of his commandment that we love one another. Most of these homes were
built with gift money from people willing to share their blessings with
others. These homes and hospitals need your support as much today as they
did in yesteryear. Won't you send a generous contribution to one of these
homes or hospital today?

For more information about TCBHHA and its member homes call
William W. Hobbs at 316-241-0919 or write him at 1111 East Kansas
Avenue. McPherson, Kansas 67460.

The Church of The Brethren Homes and Hospital Association

36 MESSENGER November 1979

(Continued from page 21)
the Sorrento public spaces committee,
confirm that Jubilee is helping to provide
more than housing.

"Jubilee has helped me to understand
people as a whole, not as black and white,
Chinese, or polka dotted or whatever, just
people as a whole.

"As far as white people were concerned,
1 didn't have too much to say to them. I
might wave good morning, or good eve-
ning or discuss bills. That was it. But
mingling, and really having friendly con-
versations, never! That's helped me an
awful lot."

No doubt the growth has been mutual.
Staff persons of the Institute for Jubilee
Housing — the office that oversees the
buildings, coordinates volunteers, studies
housing problems and alternative
responses and interprets the Jubilee pro-
cess to others who share the vision — smile
and then sigh as they describe their
journey. Although they cite several other
groups having drawn from their model
and experience, they insist that the process
is essentially one of unchartered, adven-
turous faith.

Jubilee-style projects such as Commun-
ity of Hope Church of the Neizarene in
Washington, D.C.; Jubilee Housing of
Kentucky, in Louisville; Good Neighbors
Unlimited, in Annapolis and Concerned
Citizens for Butchers Hill, in Baltimore,
have each found Jubilee's accomplish-
ments instructive, but find that much of
the pioneering must be suited to their
unique situations. The bottom line for all
the projects is commitment to people and
to housing, with a willingness to serve and
be served.

To those called to respond to the poor's
cry for decent housing. Jubilee staff warn:
"Be prepared for struggle, frustration and
anger. Come with patience and prayer. Be
ready for surprises." Their humility no
doubt arises from years of personal energy
invested in fighting an enormous violation
of human dignity, where meager successes
shrink beneath the shadow of spiraling
need. But yet, they smile, motivated by the
jubilee spirit that Jesus echoed as he lived
among the poor, bringing good news.

To receive Jubilee's occasional news-
letter and descriptive publications, or for
other information, write Jubilee Housing
Inc., 1750 Columbia Road, NW, Wash-
ington, DC 20009. D

Mary Jo Bowman lives in Washington, D.C.,
where she is employed by LAOS, Inc., a non-profil
ecumenical agency, and is associated with Sojourners
Fellowship.

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the sl(yways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• November moves into the cycle of the year before we're ever quite prepared for its wind and
barrenness and sudden falling temperatures. The blue October days are over . . . the incom-
parable softness of Indian summer is only a memory . . . the harvest is gathered. November is a
bridge from the flaunting, haunting days of fall to the glorious expectations of Advent. But
crossing the bridge we are reminded to be grateful ... to thank Him who grants us the breath of
life and sustains us moment by moment.

My father lived many different life-styles; they were not intentional . . . they were part of
life's flow ... of the come and go of resources. There were plain little houses and meager apart-
ments bare of everything but life's necessaries . . . and there were lovely homes graced by books,
music, art and a good table. There were days of depression and no work . . . and there were
months and years of a productive, working life.

But there was one thing about his life-style that remained constant: He lived a life of
gratitude . . . ever and always aware that Thanksgiving was not a holiday but a style of
living. As one of his children I rode up and down the life-style roller coaster with him, and his
grateful heart seemed of more import than our surroundings.

Now that my 50th year has come and gone and I, too, have had benefit of two-room apart-
ments, houses with holes that let the outside in, and more comfortable environments, I am glad
to have been taught the graces of gratefulness.

I am especially grateful this special season for the church — the body of Christ on earth . . .
and out of the great church universal it is with thanksgiving that I claim membership in the
Church of the Brethren.

I am grateful for the insight with which our forerunners interpreted the scripture and lifted
up the peace witness. I am grateful for our many avenues through which we see justice prevail in
an unjust world. I am grateful for our compassion that moves from abstractions to the reality
of disaster relief. I am grateful for our vision that sustained the Heifer Project dream, the
Brethren Service movement and all those agencies wherein we try to bind up the wounds of the
world.

I am grateful for our openness to consciousness-raising in many areas of life and society. I
am grateful that women have access to the word of God, to the sacraments and to ordination in
our church life. I am especially grateful for the poverty of spirit that sent Alexander Mack on a
deep quest for a personal relationship with God through Christ and, in the midst of our af-
fluence, pray that our own poverty of spirit will keep us headed toward the City of God.

• When the great theologian Nels Ferre was a small child, he and his brother asked their
mother how to pray. She answered, "Praise Him and thank Him, praise Him and thank Him!"
One who consciously develops a strong prayer life is inadvertently led to praising Him and
thanking Him ... for finally that is all we can do.

• I was speaking recently to a large gathering of Brethren women and was aware of one
lady in the congregation watching me intently. At lunch she sought me out, and I was
startled to learn that she was blind. In correspondence with her later she reported that she
had been blind as a child, had her sight restored during her teens, and when she was nineteen
lost her sight again. Angrily she asked God: "Why? Why?" She said she heard this answer,
"Fear not, I will clothe you in garments of praise." And her hfe has been a continuing song
of thanksgiving and praise for her home and family and for the little everyday blessings that
most of us miss on our hurried and distracted journeys.

• STOP SIGNS: On a Congregational Church in a tiny Indiana town: Untold Millions
Perish Untold!

• Some favorite books of some favorite sisters and brothers: Joan Deeter— Testament of
Devotion, Thomas Kelly; An Ethic for Christians and Other Aliens in a Strange Land,
William Stringfellow; Power and Innocence, RoUo May. Allen Deeter— TAe Idiot, F. M.
Dostoevsky; The Last of the Just, Henri Schwarz-Bart; Short Stories, Leo Tolstoy.

See you on the journey— p. k.h.

November 1979 messenger 37

tmiim§ p@mt.

14l8t BVS
Orientation Unit

(Orientation completed Aug.

19, 1979)

Anderson, Julie L., of Fresno,
Calif., to Peace Caravan,
Reba Place, Evanston, III.

Behenna, Laurie F., of Mis-
soula, Mont., to World Peace
Tax Fund, Washington, D.C.

Drumheller, Vince M., of
Staunton, Va., to Thera-
peutic Home, Inc., Commun-
ity Services for Children, Mo-
desto, Calif.

Herr, Debra A., of Hershey,
Pa., to Good Shepherd Nurs-
ing Home, Fostoria, Ohio.

Horn, Donald R., of Mount
Solon, Va., to Neighbor to
Neighbor, Fort Collins, Colo.

Hosier, Randy, of Manheim,
Pa., to Disaster Program of
the Church of the Brethren

Hosier, Sandra, of Manheim,
Pa., to Disaster Program of
the Church of the Brethren.

Kass, Barbara A., of Arlington
Heights, III. , awaiting assign-
ment.

Miles, Michael R., of Arlington
Heights, III., awaiting assign-
ment

Miller, Cheri L., of McPherson,
Kan., to the Washington Of-
fice, Washington, D.C.

Neher, Marie L., of Grundy
Center, Iowa, to Elgin offices

to coordinate the 1980 Breth-
ren Youth Study/ Action
Conference

Rohtcr, Naomi A., of Elgin,
111., to Council of Southern
Mountains, Berea, Ky.

Shoemiiker, Faye E., of Day-
ton, Va., to The Solid Rock,
Brigham City, Utah

Turner, Elaine L., of Aspers,
Pa., to Peter Becker Nursing
Home, Harleysville, Pa.

Weaver, Rebecca J., of Elgin,
III., awaiting assignment

Zapata, Virginia, of Cochabam-
ba, Bolivia, to Centro de In-
formacion, Elgin, III.

Licensing/
Ordination

Anspaugh, Eric Clay, licensed
Aug. 5, 1979, Eversole,
Southern Ohio

Bailey, Steve A., licensed July
29, 1979, Castine, Southern
Ohio

Bohrer, Bradley Charles, li-
censed July 29, 1979, Prince
of Peace, Northern Indiana

Chertan, Sam, ordained July
22, 1979, Round Hill, Shen-
andoah

Cooper, Scott, licensed July 29,
1979, Mount Joy, Western
Pennsylvania

Fans, Nancy R., licensed Aug.

5, 1979, York Center, Illi-
nois/Wisconsin

Fike, J. Melvin, licensed Jan. 1,
1979, Eglon-Maple Spring,
West Marva

Robinson, Delmer T., Jr., or-
dained Aug. 5, 1979, Reed-
ley, Pacific Southwest

Van Bibber, Mark, ordained
Aug. 5, 1979, Union Chapel,
Western Pennsylvania

Pastoral
Placements

Albln, Charles A., from retire-
ment, to Quinter, Western
Plains (interim)

Allennatt, Lester W., Jr., from
Cajon Valley. Pacific South-
west, to Chico, Pacific South-
west

Baldwin, Terry Lee, to Osage,
Western Plains

Branson, Merrill C, from
Thomas, Southern Plains, to
Clovis, New Mexico, South-
ern Plains

Finkbiner, Audrey, from Em-
pire, intern. Pacific South-
west, to Empire, Team Minis-
try, Pacific Southwest, inter-
im part-time

Finkbiner, Jeff, from Empire,
intern. Pacific Southwest, to
Empire, Team Ministry, Pa-
cific Southwest, interim full-
time

Foster, John M., from Dun-
nings Creek, Middle Penn-
sylvania, to Forest Chapel,
Shenandoah

Freeman, Harold L., continues
secular work and to Harris
Creek, Southern Ohio

Monn, Timothy, from Koontz/
Waterside, Middle Pennsyl-
vania, to Chippewa, North-
ern Ohio

Overboil, James J., from other
denomination, to Nettle
Creek, South/Central In-
diana

Powers, Eugene, from other de-
nomination, to Falfurrias,
Southern Plains

Ritchey, Ronald, from other de-
nomination, to Farmington
Bethel and Canaan, Western
Pennsylvania

Rogers, Albert P., from Lan-
ark, Illinois/Wisconsin, to
Winter Park, Florida/Puerto
Rico

Smiltason, Forrest R., from
other denomination, to
Washington Creek, Western
Plains

Wedding
Anniversaries

Burket, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson,

Martinsburg, Pa., 53
Bush, Mr. and Mrs. W. Floyd,

Martinsburg, Pa., 52

Corle, Mr. and Mrs. Charles,

Martinsburg, Pa., 51
Henry, Mr. and Mrs. Tobias,

Martinsburg, Pa., 56
Herr, Mr. and Mrs. John,

York, Pa., 50
Holslnger, Mr. and Mrs. Paul,

Martinsburg, Pa., 54
Hoschouer, Mr. and Mrs. Le-

land, Gettysburg, Ohio, 60
Kagarlse, Mr. and Mrs. I. Har-
vey, Martinsburg, Pa., 53
Lengel, Mr. and Mrs. Charles,

Windsor, Colo., 50
Lodwick, Mr. and Mrs. Harry,

Keyser, W. Va., 50
Michael, Mr. and Mrs. Howard

D., Seattle, Wash., 69
MlUer, Mr. and Mrs. N. Ray.

Martinsburg, Pa., 52
Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Warren,

Bremen, Ind., 58
Myers, Mr. and Mrs. Walter,

Chambersburg, Pa., 65
Nifong, Mr. and Mrs. Noble,

Plymouth, Ind., 60
Nissly, Mr. and Mrs. Harold,

Des Moines, Iowa, 50
Nyce, Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln,

Harleysville, Pa.. 60
Ritenour, Mr. and Mrs. Stan-
ley, North Manchester, Ind.,

50
Semones, Mr. and Mrs. James,

Roanoke, Va.. 50
Shriver, Mr. and Mrs. Charles,

Hanover, Pa., 53
Warcham, Mr. and Mrs. Irvin,

Martinsburg, "a., 56

r

NBlif worship resources from

The Brethren Press end the

Perish Ministries Commission

WE GATHER TOGETHER

A resource guide for those who have responsibility for planning
and leading worship. Sections include a theology of worship,
general prayers for all worship occasions, suggestions for
enlivening congregational singing, how to make the choir's
ministry vital, and the use of electronic media, drama and
movement in worship. There is also a chapter discussing the
relationship of environment and architecture to worship. We
Gather Together is a looseleaf binder containing 250 pages
8V2 X 11 inches. $14.95.

THE BRETHREN SONGBOOK

In 1972 Annual Conference recommended the continuance of
the 1951 BRETHREN HYMNAL as a major resource and ap-
proved a supplement of contemporary songs in loose-leaf form,
with new music being added periodically. Many of the songs
and hymns are familiar to Brethren congregations. The newer
songs have guitar chord markings as well as piano accompani-
ment. Special effort is being made to solicit songs and hymns by
Brethren authors and composers.

f\

g^

Complete songbook with ,, .,

binder {7x9 inches) and .,' ''^z' ■■ , .-'
89 songs, $5.00 "■''"' ■-.v/- '','■•

Binder only. $1.95 ■''■', ,;■ .

Set of music *1, songs 1-20, $1.25 -■<.- ■"'"

Set of music *2, songs 21-36, 75C

Set of music *3, songs 37-89, $1.75

5% discount on 25 or more of each set of music or complete

songbook.

10% discount on 50 or more of each set of music or com-
plete songbook.

Please send pa\iment on orders under $10.00. Add 75C p&h up to $5.00: 7% on
$5.01 (o $30.00.

V

THE BRETHREN PRESS, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120

38 MESSENOER November 1979

Herald Press:
Challenging,
thoughtful books for
Christmas giving

More-with-Less Cookbook

by Doris Janzen Longacre

For families concerned with eating
better while consuming less of the
world's limited food resources.
Delicious recipes, practical
wirebinding, over 'A million copies in
print.
Wirebinding, $7.95

Good Times with Oid Times:
How to Write Your IViemoirs

by Katie Funk Wiebe

How to capture the past in writing to
preserve it for posterity. How to start,
ways to make memoir writing more
effective, problem areas, and ways of
getting the material printed. For young,
middle-aged, and senior citizens.
Paper, $5.95

Tantrums, Toads, and Teddy
Bears

by Sheila Cragg

"Here is a tender story of a
hyperactive child and the family that
loved him. ... I have received
hundreds of letters with requests for
assistance from parents of hyperactive
children. From today, I'll ask each
family to read Tantrums, Toads, and
Teddy Bears." — Dr. James Dobson
Hardcover, $8.95

Eric's Discovery

by Dorothy Hamilton

Eric faces the problem of vandalism
in his community and how he should
respond with the information which he
has. The author assists the 9-to-1 4-
year-old in dealing with problems
which seem insurmountable to youth.
Hardcover, $4.50 Paper, $2.95

Wilderness Journey

by Ruth Nulton Moore

A historical novel for 9-to-14-year-
olds that follows two boys on their trip
from Ireland to Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. Set in the late 1 8th
century, the reader will learn a lot
about frontier America.
Hardcover, $5.95 Paper, $3.95

Fear in Algeria

by Marian Hostetler

The story of 1 4-year-old Zina, born
in Algeria of missionary parents, who
goes back to visit Algeria as a youth.
Through her visit the reader sees
Algeria as it is today and is introduced
to the people and their customs.
Mystery, intrigue, and danger make
this an exciting story.
Hardcover, $4.50 Paper, $2.95

Days of Terror

by Barbara Smucker

Days of peace turn to days of terror
for a young boy caught in the tensions
of the Russian Revolution. Written for
youth and adults, Barbara Smucker
has recreated the anarchy, famine,
and horrors experienced by Christians
during the Russian Revolution.
Hardcover, $7:95

Herald Press

Scottdale, PA i 5683
Kitchener, ON N2G 4M5

November 1979 messenger 39

The fasting that pleases God

As I was shuffling papers, pencils and file folders
on my desk, avoiding knuckling down to writing
this editorial, artist Joyce Miller burst into my of-
fice to discuss the November Messenger cover.
Typical of Joyce, the first thing she lifted from her
attache case was a couple of cinnamon buns
(freshly baked from her farm oven) for my coffee
break.

I couldn't go hungry if I tried. (Dieting is dif-
ficult enough. Lord knows.) Food abounds! We
just church-picnicked another summer away.
Then there are parties for departing and arriving
Elginites; potluck suppers; trips with my 10-year-
old to Burger King; sumptuous meals, cookies and
cakes from my favorite cook — my wife. Food
abounds!

I — a rank amateur — toss a few seeds about on
my 40' X 40* garden plot each spring, scratch
around with my hoe, go off to Annual Conference
and come home to the chore of disposing of the
excess vegetables. With little effort, we have more
food than we know what to do with. We're eating
frozen vegetables from years past and giving the
fresh ones away — no room in the freezer for them.
Corn goes out by the bushel. Tomatoes, squash
and cucumbers we try to foist off on friends at the
offices. I just dug potatoes and persuaded a friend
to accept a third of the crop.

So it's easy to ask, "Why should anyone go
hungry in today's world?" And it's hard to believe
they do — even right here in our own country.
Why, even back in the depression my family was
never hungry— out diet wasn't all that exciting,
but we were well fed.

The nearest I ever came to feeling genuine
hunger was on a trek in the African bush in my
missionarying days. The food in my knapsack ran
out and my empty stomach produced nausea when
water was drunk. Hungry, thirsty, dehydrated.

I still recall staggering into the kitchen of the
nearest mission station I could reach and calling
(weakly) for "Bread, anything, quick, I'm dying of
hunger!"

Dying of hunger? What of the living human
skeletons I saw in the Sahel in the drought of the ear-
ly 1970s? Or the hollow-eyed waifs along the
railway tracks in Bombay on a recent trip to India?

We have all laughed at untouched food and
reminded each other facetiously, "Remember the
starving children of India," indicative really of our
own inability to identify with the hungry.

How can we, in our isolated culture of plenty,
find and feel with the hungry?

Well, a modest beginning would be a conscious
effort to alter and simplify our own eating pat-
terns and our attitude toward food. Other things
we can do without feeling we are taking on the en-
tire global hunger problem: Give to hunger causes;
get our congregation to start a hunger project; get
involved with community hunger-combating
organizations; work at being a responsible con-
sumer; organize a food co-op; grow a garden; ask
the Brotherhood staff how the 11 suggestions
from Annual Conference in the 1974 Report on
World Hunger are being implemented. (Can you
believe we don't have any "Elgin" staff working
directly with hunger concerns?)

Asaiah, long ago, made our responsibility
clear — (as he scoffed at pious fasting and the
wearing of sackcloth and ashes) the sort of
"fasting" that pleases God is "... to break every
yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and
shelter the homeless poor. If you give your bread
to the hungry, and relief to the oppressed, your
light will rise in the darkness, and your shadows
become like noon" (Is. 58:7-10, JB).-K.T.

40 MESSENGER November 1979

t.

\

raS/Qg.

llMlMhUICM

Brethren^# Resp

onse

I hey crowd into leaky boats and already jammed camps,
clinging to a thin hope that there is a better life awaiting them
somewhere — if only they can hold on. Over 370,000 Indo-
chinese refugees overwhelm the availability of food, fresh
water and medical supplies. Brethren are responding but
much more is needed!

CONGREGATIONS and individuals are sponsoring
refugees for resettlement — about 1,000 since early 1978.
Can we resettle 3,000 by the end of 1980?

BROTHERHOOD FUND is providing refugee reloca-
tion services from the New Windsor Center and has sent
H. McKinley Coffman to Indochina to help coordinate
CWS work with that of other agencies responding to the
crisis.

EMERGENCY DISASTER FUND contributions are
being used to assist refugees directly in the camps and
through resettlement.

In the spirit of Matthew 25:35-46 . . . RESPOND!

Response to

fli>4«cbme«e rePii^ees

979

D Please inform me about becoming a refugee sponsor
n $ is enclosed for the Brotherhood Fund refu-
gee relocation services

D $ is enclosed for the Emergency Disaster

Fund resettlement efforts

Name:

Street/RFD:

City

State.

Zip_

Congregation,

District.

FOR THE

WORK OF

MINISTRY

"And his gifts were that some should bi
prophets, some evangelists, some paste
to equip the saints for the work of ministr
the bod]; of Christ. "

— Ephes

In 1979-80 Bethany Seminary commemorates its 75th
year of training individuals for the pastoral ministry and
other types of Christian service.

Join Bethany in its celebration by responding with your
gifts and prayers so the "work of ministry" may be con-
tinued.

Please send your gift through your local congregation
or directly to;

Warren F. Groff, President
Bethany Theological Seminary

Butterfield and Meyers Roads
Oak Brook, IL 60521

messenger

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN DECEMBER 1979

ALENDAR OF SONGS, PRAYERS AND AFFIRMATIONS FOR ADVENT

(S(o)^teOi]l^^

in Do You Feel a Draft? Draft opponents have won the most recent
Congress skirmish but the battle for conscription still wages. Where are
we now? An overview of the current status of draft legislation, how we
got there and how Brethren should respond. Story by Steve Simmons.

13 Howard and Edith Bosler: God Swept the Road Clean.

With the words, "we need you in Africa" resounding in his ears,
Howard and his wife Edith, became pioneer missionaries to Nigeria.
The leper colony, considered the greatest evangelistic influence in the
entire mission program, was one achievement of their nearly 20 years of
service. "Doc" has worked constantly since his 1950 "retirement" and
now at 80, shows no signs of quitting. Story by Mildred Hess Grimley.

1g A Calendar of Songs, Prayers and Affirmations for

Advent. To celebrate the "coming season" an eight-page compilation
of music, musings and inspiration to mark the holy days. Written and
collected by Charles R. Simmons.

24 Song of a True Believer. Zechariah's song shows us his faith
and lets us share in it. We rejoice with him in the vision of salvation
and new moral order Christ's coming brings. But Zechariah couldn't sit
by and watch — neither can we. Bible study by Maynard Shelly.

In Touch profiles Grace Steiner, Wooster, Ohio; Lowell Dell, Beatrice, Neb.;
and Luther Bartron, Glendale, Calif. (2) . . . Outlook reports on New Windsor
anniversary. Draft legislation. Nuclear issues seminar. Disaster funds to
Cambodia. WCC racism grants. SAC conference. New Call Peace Caravan.
Refugee efforts. Papal visit. Nestle boycott. Nurse to Nigeria honored. US,
German churches push disarmament. BRF meeting. New media curriculum
(start on 4) . . . Underlines (7) . . . Update (8) . . . Media, "J. S. Bach: Joy
to the World," by Steve Simmons (26) . . . Resources, "Worship," by Bob
Bowman (28) . . . Pilgrim's Pen (29) . . . Prayer Calendar (30) . . . Turning
Points (32) . . . 1979 Index (33) . . . Editorial "There May Be No 1990s," by
James Taylor (36)

EDITOR

Kermon Thomasson

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Steve Simmons

NEWS SERVICES

Harriet Z. Blake

FEATURES

Harriet Z. Blake, Steve Simmons, Fred W. Swartz

MARKETING

Clyde E. Weaver, Shirley Brubaker

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Doris Walbridge

PUBLISHER

Joel K. Thompson

VOL. 128, NO. 12

DECEMBER 1979

CREDITS: Cover, 1, 6, 16-21. 28-29 Nguyen Van
Oia. 2 Randy Miller. 3 Glendale Ledger. 4 Micki
Smith. 9. 25 RNS. 30 John Grimley.

MESSENGER is the ofncial publication of the
Church of the Brethren. Entered as second-class
matter Aug. 20, 1918, under Act of Congress
of Oct. 17, 1917. Filing date, Oct. 1, 1979.
MESSENGER is a member of the Associated Church
Press and a subscriber to Religious News Service
and Ecumenical Press Service. Biblical quotations,
unless otherwise indicated, are from the Revised
Standard Version.

Subscription rates: $7.80 one year for individual
subscriptions; $14,40 two years; $21 three years;
$33 five years. $6.60 per year for Church Group
Plan; $6.60 per year for gift subscriptions; School
rate 50ff per issue. If you move clip
address and send with new address.
Allow at least five weeks for address
change. MESSENGER is owned and
published monthly by the General
Services Commission, Church of the
Brethren General Board, 1451 Dundee
Ave., Elgin, HI. 60120. Second-class
postage paid at Elgin, lU., Dec. 1979. Copyright
1979, Church of the Brethren General Board.

raic :>u*

■

A PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCE

Reading the September Messenger was a
pleasurable experience. Dave Horsey's cover was
excellent and attracted my attention to the
outstanding articles on colleges.

The editorial on Ambassador Young captured
his essence — a person of God whose faith
resulted in some highly unorthodox but extreme-
ly refreshing diplomatic activities. .Many
American Baptists will also miss him in our
government, and will be indebted to you for your
incisive analysis.

Philip E. Jenks
Editor
The American Baptist
Valley Forge, Pa.

THAT COVER WAS FAR OUT

We are sending the September cover back to
you. We don't want it displayed in our house
where friends might see our church magazine
with this horrible cover. Let the devil advertise
his own beer and cigarettes. How far out is our
church going, anyway? We don't enjoy
Messenger like we used to 50 years ago . . ;
when it was like it should be now. We really en-
joy other church magazines, which don't have far
out pictures on the cover.

Mr. and Mrs. George H. Getz
Fort Wayne, Ind.

(The September cover asked this pertinent
question: "Can we find good colleges these days
for our young people to attend?" It had nothing
to do with promoting beer and cigarettes. By
your criteria, it could as easily have been an
advertisement for Bibles and tennis
rackets. —Ed. J

NEGLECTED AND AWAITED NEW DAY

Thanks for Harriet Z. Blake's excellent article,
"Three Little Churches and How They Grew," in
the September Messenger. It is satisfying to
observe that apparently a long-neglected and a
long-awaited new day in church extension has
dawned.

Thanks, too, for the brief notation about our
district's newest church extension venture, the
Lampeter Fellowship. It was recognized as a new-
fellowship at the 1978 district conference;
already its membership is 70 and attendance
averages close to 100. We are excited about its
potential and future. Lots of hard work, plan-
ning, sacrifice, prayer and God's blessings are
bearing fruit.

Harold Z. Bomberger
District Executive
Atlantic Northeast
Harrisburg, Pa.

THANKS FOR THE MESSAGE

Thanks to Don Jordan (October) for leading
and reporting on a much needed ministry to
divorcees and those facing divorce. Beacon
Heights is surely not alone among our congrega-
tions in this effort, but many are seeking handles
and encouragement, which are clearly provided

in your article.

Also for Dale Goldsmith's clear indictment of
the "electric rip-off of our society and faith, so
vulnerable to television. The prostitution both of
the medium and the real message of the Christian
gospel badly needs this exposure within our
readership.

Alan Kieffaber
McPherson, Kan.

A THING OF WONDER

Yesterday (September 8) was the 34th anniver-
sary of the arrival of Mary and Ivan Eikenberry
in Nigeria.

Today, 30 believers were baptized into the
fellowship of believers in Jesus the Christ, the
Son of the Living God.

— The baptismal service was planned by
Nigerian believers.

— Those baptized had been instructed and led
in spiritual growth by a Nigerian evangelist.

— Baptism was administered by an ordained
Nigerian minister of Christ.

— The newly baptized believers were assisted
from the water by Nigerian deacon-equivalent
members of the church committee, including a
father who assisted his son.

— They were welcomed into fellowship by a
Nigerian congregation.

— It was a Nigerian believer who raised a ques-
tion regarding the correctness of a statement
made during the baptismal service.

— Mary and I, the only non-Africans, sat
amongst the Nigerian believers, participating on-
ly as witnesses and fellow worshipers.

What an anniversary celebration! Not
celebrating anything that we have done, but
celebrating the work of God the Holy Spirit, the
Nigerian Church of Christ; the Ekklesiyar Yan'-
uwa a Nijeriya (Church of the Brethren in
Nigeria); this miracle of the Holy Spirit; this
potential of the Holy Spirit.

Later that ordained Nigerian minister of
Christ, assisted by Nigerian men and women, led
about 400 Nigerian believers in a confessional,
footwashing, meal-eating, bread-and-cup-
partaking love feast communion. We, as
members of this fellowship of believers, that is,
EYN, shared in it all.

Abin mamake! (A Hausa phrase; usage: "A
thing of wonder, mystery, amazement!") A won-
derful 34th anniversary celebration! Praise God!

Ivan Eikenberry
Mubi, Nigeria

ANGRY YOUTH ACTED BEAUTIFULLY

As one of the persons at the Seattle Annual
Conference present at the "hearing" which
followed the cancellation of the film Coming
Home (See September letters, "Youth Want a
Voice"), I want to respond to the issue. I had
seen the film, found it excellent as a strong anti-
war statement and recommended it — with great
discretion — to adults. I felt and still do feel,
that to show such a film at any Annual Confer-
ence session, youth or otherwise, would be un-

wise and would create unnecessary uproar.

In 1974 I was on the Annual Conference youth
program committee. If someone had at the last
minute taken the heart out of our program I
would have hit the ceiling! So I have great feeling
for the hurt, the agony, the confusion which the
film cancellation must have caused. I wish it
could have been avoided, or that more time
would have given me an opportunity to handle
the matter differently. I am sure there were better
ways. I didn't learn about the showing until the
morning of the planned date. So 1 shared my
concern directly with the Annual Conference
manager, who carried the issue from there.

In the tv version of the film, shown since Con-
ference, much was cut, mainly the explicit sex
scenes. The persons at the "hearing" at Con-
ference felt that the love scenes are a vital part of
the message, because they emphasize the plight,
the frustrations, the hunger for normal relation-
ships, for expressions of love. Most of the anti-
war message remained, especially that beautiful,
moving speech by Luke (Jon Voight) to the high
school class.

Everytime 1 think of that Annual Conference
incident it feels like a nightmare. I think of hurt
feelings, my own inadequate handling of the af-
fair, the disappointment of hundreds of young
people and of the planners, the betrayal and re-
jection felt by Howard Wolff (as a disabled per-
son he played a bit part in the film), who was
sharing his own life and feelings — all of it.

The best thing that came out of the meeting for
me was to be able to see angry youth act so beau-
tifully: They did not come to the "hearing" to con-
demn, to accuse, to insult, to add hurt to hurt.
Rather, they came to hear reasons and present
their case. And then they offered the list of sugges-
tions which were printed in the September Mes-
senger letter. I do hope that they will be heard;
for if they are, we will take a big step together
toward avoiding such nightmares in the future.
Karen S. Carter
Daleville, Va.

A BRETHREN POSITION ON SCRIPTURE

The introduction to the October article, "What
Do Brethren Believe About the Bible?" says that
the Annual Conference paper "made no attempt
to state a Brethren position on the issue." It is true
that in the context of the representative posi-
tions delineated in the paper, the decision does not
opt entirely for any one. This is not to say that one
cannot learn a lot of the Brethren view of the
Scriptures from the paper. Though not quoted in
the article, the section in the historical portion
which outlines the Brethren position represented a
consensus of the committee and was not basically
questioned on the floor of Conference. Likewise,
as quoted in the report of the article, the
statements of agreements can tell us also as much
about the position of the Brethren as we can ever
approach in most any of our corporate decisions
at our "big meeting."

Dale W. Brown
Lombard, 111.

o) oIoY'^ (o

Xn last December's editorial, the writer
told of his family's Nigerian creche. He
pondered the question if the creche should
not be left in place all year to remind him
that Immanuel is "God with us" every day.

This column is a confession that the
creche, in fact, went back into its
customary box in the crawl space (not any
indication that the writer's faith wavered).
But this Christmas it reappears in
Messenger, this time in a photograph il-
lustrating our Advent calendar, which
begins on page 15.

Except for the Nigerian creche, all the
nativity scenes in the Advent piece were
photographed from the large selection in
the Book Store/Gift Shop at the General
Offices in Elgin. Many readers are unaware
that this shop exists, or that it carries a large
selection — in addition to Brethren Press
books and those of other publishers — of ex-
otic handicrafts from around the world.
Almost all of these are SERRV products.

SERRV is a program administered by the
World Ministries Commission of the
Church of the Brethren. Through this pro-
gram, a wide variety of groups cooperate to
offer a market to small crafts producers in
developing countries to sell their products
without being exploited by middle-persons.

International gift shops located in
Church World Service Centers across the
US (particularly the New Windsor, Md.,
shop) account for about 25 percent of
SERRV sales volume.

You may participate in the SERRV self-
help ministry by selling SERRV handicrafts
in your own community. Address all in-
quiries to SERRV, Box 188, New Windsor,
MD 21776. -The Editors.

December 1979 messenger 1

inttg^

Grace Steiner: Putting the pieces together

Next Annual Conference look
around the area where the quilting
party is going on. Either at the
frames, or behind a curtain at the
ironing board or sewing machine,
you are sure to find Grace Steiner in
action. Grace has been the "on-the-
spot coordinator" of the quilting
project since she stepped in at a mo-
ment's notice four Conferences ago.

Grace has assumed major
responsibility for seeing that the
quilting frames are set up, lining,
batting and top are pinned in place
and needles and thread are ready to
go. For the past few years one quilt
has been pieced ahead of time so
that quilting can begin as con-
ferencegoers arrive.

As more squares are brought to
the quilting area they are signed in,
pressed and trimmed. Grace con-
fides, "It would be so much easier
for us if they'd all be the right size."
Three or four women usually work
together in deciding the layout.

Sewn to strips of solid-color
fabric, the squares are grouped
around a center depicting the Con-
ference symbol. Soon another quilt
is ready to be framed. Grace
estimates that with about 10 people
working at a frame it takes 12 to 15
hours to complete the quilting.
After it is bound, the finished quilt
is displayed until the Saturday after-
noon auction. But, with four quilts
to be made, Grace and her co-
workers stay on the job all week.

A graduate of Manchester Col-
lege, Grace taught grades one to
eight in a country school for seven
years before her marriage to Harold
Steiner, a now semi-retired oil
distributor. Grace helped her hus-
band make deliveries in the early
years by drawing gasoline from the
truck and carrying it in buckets. The
Steiners have a son, a daughter and
six grandchildren. They are

2 MESSENGER December 1979

members of the East Chippewa
Church of the Brethren near
Wooster, Ohio.

Grace served on the trustee board
of the Westview Manor Retirement
Home for six years and as president
of the auxiliary for five. Volunteer
work at the retirement home is still
her "hobby" and she regularly

^^■' i ^^^B

P^^^ wiMBr •• m "''v7

crochets afghans for the gift shop.

People wonder if Grace quilts at
home. "I used to," she explains.
"I've made four or five. But now
because of arthritis, I can't
anymore." Grace intends to keep
coming to Annual Conference to
help others quilt as long as possible.
But she is concerned that someone
be ready to take her place.

Quilting has become an exciting
feature of Annual Conference. It
has also been a profitable venture
for its sponsor, the Association for
the Arts in the Church of the
Brethren (AACB), and the
Brotherhood's SHARE program,
which receives half the proceeds
from each annual quilt auction.
Thanks to persons like Grace
Steiner, the quilting party goes on
and on. -Anne Shifflet

Anne Shifflet ts editor of the Association for the
Arts newsletter and is a member of the Glade Valley
congregation, Walkersvtile, Md.

Lowell DelhWitnessinjj

Lowell Dell is a quiet young man
from Nebraska. A "Mr. Average" '

with an average height, an average
beard, an . . . but there the
stereotype ends. The piercing gleam
in his light blue eyes attests to the
major responsibility which is his for
three months of the year and his
continual concern for global com-
munity he carries quietly within. In
his quietness he commands respect.

During the summer months,
Lowell is foreman of a custom com-
bine crew. He is a fourth generation
Nebraska Brethren. Lowell's great-
grandfather Isaac Dell moved to
Nebraska in 1876, homesteading
near Beatrice. Lowell and his
brother-partner, Stan, live near
Beatrice and manage the family
farm.

Lowell and Stan began custom
combining five years ago when
Lowell returned from Brethren
Volunteer Service. He had served
one year in Parkersburg, W. Va.,
working with the Boys Clubs of
America program and two more
years in rural Italy, near Rome.

Each May, Stan remains to farm
while Lowell puts together a com-
bine crew to do custom wheat cut-
ting for farmers in southern
Oklahoma, western Kansas and
Nebraska, on into northeastern
Montana. With an investment price
roughly in the $225,000 range on
two combines, two trucks and sup-
porting equipment, their crew is
small in comparison to many of the
crews who traverse the western
plains. However, no combine crew
is perhaps better received in local
Brethren congregations than
Lowell's. There is a two-way ex-
change of information as Lowell
carries messages from friends in one
church to friends in another. Many
times the crew is introduced to a
new way of work, life and belief.

with a combine

Both Lowell and Stan believe that
one's faith takes form wherever one
is and in whatever situation one
finds one's self. The young men in
Lowell's crew learn not only respon-
sibility but maturity and concern for
others. A mistake may be costly
both to themselves and to the
machinery, but it is not the end.
The biblical concept of stewardship
as found in Genesis is interpreted
through their work to mean the
stewardship of both our natural and
human resources.

Lowell Dell takes seriously the
Christian's responsibility for the
needs and welfare of the global
community. After returning to the
United States following his BVS ex-
perience he became aware of how

insensitive Americans are to other
cultures.

Lowell's approach to his work
and his Ufe-style is one which
witnesses to a sense of dependence
upon God for all we have and a
responsibility to make a Hving
without seeing how much we can
earn doing it or how much we can
squander on ourselves. — Jane
Davis

Jane Davis is a member of the Enders (Neb.)
Church of the Brethren.

Luther Bartron: A disaster-oriented ministry

Standing alone on the sidewalk, the
young man shivered under a blanket
grabbed as he fled flames that were
now devouring his home. He stared
almost transfixed at the fire, asking
only one question of the fire depart-
ment chaplain who walked up to
him: "When can 1 go back in?"

Luther Bartron, "Bart" as his
friends know him, of Glendale,
Calif., is visitation minister at the
Glendale Church of the Brethren.
He and his wife, Mava, have been
there since moving from the Long
Beach church in 1954. But he also
serves as a chaplain with the city's
fire department.

The young man whose home was
in flames did not understand there
was nothing left, nothing to go back
in to find. "Fire is a paralyzing
experience."

Luther Bartron arrives at fires
soon after the fire fighters. He finds
victims crying, injured or just
mesmerized into shock at the scene.
No one asks the chaplain to pray
with them, but they usually ask for
special rites if they are being taken
away to hospitals.

Luther says most people are sur-
prised to see ministers at a fire.
"They are a little hesitant to talk,
defensive at first. We just let them
know we are there and then wait."

For Luther, being a GFD chaplain
is "like coming home." His father
started out on the force in 1914 and
spent 37 years with the Long Beach
Fire Department. "1 know every
time a fire fighter is called to face a
fire, a life is put on the line to save
the lives and property of others."

Through study under District Ex-
ecutive Truman Northup, Bartron
became a minister of visitation in
1968. This not only gave him the
"Rev" title but enables him to of-
ficiate at funerals, visit hospitals
and serve the city. He was president

of the Glendale Council of Churches
in 1974-75 and has been on the
board of directors for Hillcrest
Homes (in La Verne) for 1 1 years.
Chaplain Bartron wears a regula-
tion fire fighter helmet — with one
difference. There is a cross
emblazoned across the front. Serv-
ing with a partner, he comes armed
with prayer in his heart and
telephone numbers of all available
volunteer services in his hand. When
the situation calms, the chaplains
usually marshall doughnuts and cof-
fee for exhausted fire fighters and

the fire victims.

"This is an open ministry,
disaster-oriented, 1 grant you, but
the most rewarding work a minister
can be called on to do," says
Luther. "I'm inspired by the way
fire fighters meet each
crisis." — Jackie Broyles

Jackie Broyles is a staff writer for the Glendale,
Calif, Ledger.

December 1979 messenger 3

New Windsor hosts 500
at 35th anniversary

Sunshine and brisk breezes greeted more
than 500 visitors to the 35th anniversary
celebration of the Brethren Service Center
in New Windsor, Md., on Sunday, Oct.
14. The visitors came from as close as
across the street and from as far away as
Kansas, Arkansas, Georgia and New
York. They came to tour the six program-
centered buildings, to eat at a bountiful
smorgasbord and to attend a program of
commitment to the future.

Featured speaker at the program was
Senator Charles McC. Mathias (R-Md.)
who issued a "Challenge to the Future"
for those "who, like our Lord, keep their
eyes on the sparrow." Noting the Service
Center's "extraordinary record of an-
ticipating human needs," the Senator
called those present to help "build a new
consensus in America — a consensus that
favors looking beyond ourselves and our
parochial problems to the wider world
whose future is so intimately, so in-
escapably entangled with our own." Such
an attitude, said Mathias, was present in
the US 35 years ago but has disappeared
in all but a small constituency, of which
the Center is a prominent part.

Ruby Rhoades, executive secretary-elect
of the World Ministries Commission,
responded to the Senator's challenge with
a commitment on behalf of the Center.
She reflected that the Church of the
Brethren has traditionally worked for in-
ternational solidarity and has a heritage of
conservation and sharing. She committed
the Center and its parent denomination to
work toward normalization of relation-
ships and resumption of trade with Viet-
nam; to renewed concern for the hungry
in a world where 20 percent of the
population uses 80 percent of the
resources; and to act with courage and
creativity on the issue of peace.

Giving a welcome on behalf of the
Church of the Brethren was Clyde
Shallenberger, chairman of the denomi-
nation's General Board. Among the
honored guests at the celebration were
Paul McCleary, executive director of
Church World Service; Terry Ford, ex-
ecutive director of Heifer Project Interna-
tional; John Hostetler, president of Inter-
church Medical Assistance; and represen-
tatives from the American Baptist
Churches, Lutheran Church in America,
Presbyterian Church US, United Church

Afilillb of the PROMISE

BS Years and Beqi

A ceremony committing the New Windsor Service Center to a future of service was part of
the recent 35th anniversary celebration. Above, Ruby Rhoades responds to the challenge
issued to the center by Sen. Charles McC. Mathias (second from left).

of Christ and the United Methodist
Church.

The Center was purchased for the
Church of the Brethren in October 1944.
In addition to cooperating with many
ecumenical service and relief programs,
the Center is headquarters for Church of
the Brethren service ministries including
programs of refugee resettlement, disaster
response, material aid and SERRV. Many
Brethren were introduced to the Center
during their Brethren Volunteer Service
orientation and many still travel there to
give time in clothing processing and other
material aid operations. Among the
ecumenical programs with offices at New
Windsor are CROP, Heifer Project Inter-
national, Church World Service and
Lutheran World Relief. — MiCKi Smith

BRF marks 20 years
at special meeting

The Brethren Revival Fellowship gathered
for a special meeting marking its 20th an-
niversary in early September at the Upton
Meeting House of the Back Creek con-
gregation in the Southern Pennsylvania
District.

The meeting was marked by reflection,
reminiscing and renewal of friendships
among the 260 persons attending. Includ-
ed were expressions of gratitude for the
consideration shown by the denomination
for this minority group. Participants
represented more than 40 congregations
from six states.

The meeting celebrated the accomplish-
ment of the group's early goals while em-

phasizing the need to continue diligently
toward the original objectives. Mistakes
were acknowledged but participants af-
firmed that the BRF has made a strong
biblical witness in the life of the church in
the past two decades.

The BRF has been accused of being a
divisive group in the denomination but
members denied this, declaring that the
group has served instead as an agent of
reconcihation and unity in the church. It
has given witness through publication, has
been in service through the special BRF
Brethren Volunteer Service units and has
been a source of counsel and support to
individuals and groups in the church. Past
and present members of BRF/BVS units
witnessed to the meeting about their ex-
perience.

Donald E. Miller, Arlen Longenecker
and BRF chairman James F. Myer were
speakers for the event, presenting inspira-
tional messages. Myer urged members to
read Messenger in order to know what
is happening in the Church of the Breth-
ren. He also reported that in a recent
meeting with minority leaders of other
denominations he sensed that their con-
cerns are a carbon copy of those em-
phasized by the BRF.

The participants called for a reaffirma-
tion of teaching and emphasis on the virgin
birth, sacrificial death, resurrection and
second coming of Christ. They declared
that the purpose of BRF is renewal and not
division — renewal of faith in an author-
itative Bible, renewal of obedience to the
clear demands of the Scriptures and
renewal of fervency for the Great Commis-
sion.-J. Stanley Earhart

4 MESSENGER December 1979

Nuclear issues focus
of Brethren seminar

The first Brethren workshop to examine
the church's response to both nuclear
power and weapons was attended by a
dozen Brethren and two ecumenical par-
ticipants during the first week of August
in Southern Ohio.

Sponsored by the World Ministries
Commission of the General Board and the
Southern Ohio District Nuclear Study
Committee, the seminar focused on the
linkage between nuclear energy and
weapons, the effects of radiation on the
environment, the morality of weapons
production, the problems of nuclear waste
and a Christian responsibility for earth's
stewardship.

In addition to discussing these issues
and studying the research done by the
Ohio committee, the participants were
able to talk with executives of three
nuclear plants, laborers from one plant
and a contractor. Two scheduled tours of
area nuclear plants were cancelled.

Participants were so deeply engrossed in
the week's study that Juhe Garber, one
participant, reports they found themselves
discussing the issues at all available
moments, including while standing in the
middle of a swiimning pool. Each partici-
pant made a commitment to the rest of the
group for follow-up activity.

Chuck Boyer, Brethren peace consul-
tant, reports that one follow-up event the
group plans will take place at the 1980
Annual Conference "to sensitize people to
what's happening in their own backyards."

Tentative plans are underway for a sec-
ond such seminar in the summer of 1980,
this one to focus specifically on nuclear
energy and to be located in Illinois, an
area highly dependent on nuclear power.

Nestl^ boycott groups
adopt united stand

Hoping to bring the Nestle Company to
the bargaining table, 22 organizations in-
volved in the Nestle boycott have taken
steps toward the formation of an ongoing
coordinating mechanism and negotiating
team.

Meeting under the co-sponsorship of
the Infant Formula Action Coalition (IN-
FACT) and the National Council of
Churches, the boycott representatives set
up a committee to prepare a formal pro-

posal for a coordinating mechanism and
negotiating team, to be submitted to all
organizations involved in the boycott.

They also voiced a working consensus
of "unity on the Nestle boycott demands"
and commitment to "pursue the boycott
until they are met." The demands ask that
Nestle stop all promotion of infant for-
mula. Any negotiation with Nestle would
be to seek agreement to that demand in
return for an end to the boycott.

Those present at the Sept. 1 1 meeting
included representatives of INFACT, the
NCC, the Interfaith Center for Corporate
Responsibility (ICCR), Protestant denom-
inations from the US and Canada (in-
cluding the Church of the Brethren) and
the Women's International League for
Peace and Freedom. Two major American
trade unions have also joined forces with
church groups in support of the boycott.

The Nestle boycott was launched in
1977 by INFACT, a Minneapolis-based
organization with grassroots chapters
across the country. INFACT and others
contend that widespread use of powdered
formulas in the Third World, often the
result of hard-sell marketing by corpora-
tions like Nestle, leads to malnutrition
and disease far in excess of that which
would occur if mothers stayed with breast
feeding.

The boycott is aimed at all products
made by Nestle, the giant of the infant
formula industry. Some of the more visi-
ble targets include Taster's Choice,
Nescafe, Nestle's QUIK, Nestle's Crunch
bars, Nestea and all products and services
of the Libby and Stouffer corporations.
The Church of the Brethren General
Board endorsed the boycott at its
February 1979 meeting.

Juniata youth meeting
to precede conference

Plans are underway and excitement is
mounting for the 1980 Youth Study/
Action Conference scheduled at Penn-
sylvania's Juniata College June 20-24.
Drawing its theme from the denom-
ination's Goals for the 80s, the conference
will examine how individuals and the
church can "Do Justice, Love Tenderly,
Walk Humbly."

At its first meeting in late September,
the conference steering committee decided
the conference will involve extensive Bible
study and theological reflection on the
Micah 6:8 theme. Group activities will ex-
amine how youth can respond to the
theme's challenge.

Among goals for the three-day con-
ference are engaging participants in Bible
study, a look at Brethren heritage, ex-

displaying the conference symbol. Registra-
tion fee will be $90. The conference will
begin Friday evening and finish at noon
Tuesday.

Adult advisers for the conference are
Andy and Terry Murray of Juniata Col-
lege. Dennis Benson will be a key resource
person with four Brethren Bible scholars
working with him. Coordinator of the
conference is Brethren Volunteer Service
worker Marie Neher. Serving on the SAC
steering committee are Beth Bowser of
Gettysburg, Pa., Karen Lease and Richard
Moyer of Elizabethtown, Pa., Anita Long
of University Park, Pa., Bruce Weaver of
Altoona, Pa., Robin Weber of Cumber-
land, Md., Karen Norton of Juniata Col-
lege, the Murrays, Neher and Ralph and
Mary Cline Detrick, General Board staff.

More information is available from
Marie Neher, SAC Coordinator, Brethren
General Offices, 1451 Dundee Ave.,
Elgin, IL 60120.

amination of social

issues and an ex- The symbol for the June 1980 Youth Study/Action Conference
perience of Christian repeats boldly the conference theme from Micah 6:8.
community. Discus-
sion, recreation and ^^^^ 11 ■ JSFS^^r^

z;:ir " DOJUSllGC

Youth now in ^^^

beyond high school ^h W Lm IkllarLMllLI

Those registering Ul^l 1^ UIIuJDIw

prior to April 1 Vial It IHIMDI I

receive a free T-shirt ■ a^MMl m ■ ■ I ■ I Ah Micah 6 8

December 1979 messenger 6

Brethren seek $100,000
for starving Cambodians

Massive starvation in Cambodia has
prompted a Brethren appeal for $100,000,
and two grants from the Emergency and
Disaster Fund totaling $30,000. Other re-
cent grants amounting to $20,000 have
assisted victims of Hurricanes David and
Frederick.

For the first time since 1975, two inter-
national assistance organizations were per-
mitted into Kampuchea (Cambodia) this
past summer. They report extreme
physical conditions and widespread starva-
tion and estimate 2.25 million Kam-
pucheans are facing starvation.

Voluntary agencies, including Church
World Service, immediately requested
funds for purcheise and distribution of
food and medical supplies for Kam-
puchea. A grant of 55,000 was made from
the Brethren Disaster Fund. In late Oc-
tober, President Carter pledged $69
million in government aid and asked
religious and voluntary agencies to supple-
ment this funding. An urgent appeal
went to Brethren seeking $100,000 in
designated gifts for this cause and an im-
mediate grant of $25,000 was made from
the Disaster Fund.

Brethren staff member Mac Coffman,
returning to the US in mid-October during
an assignment in Indochina, has visited
the Kampuchean border. He calls the
present Indochinese situation, including
the Kampuchean starvation, "the worst I
have ever seen" and urges Brethren to
continue their refugee work.

The Dominican Republic and Dominica
were among areas hardest hit by Hur-
ricane David. In the Dominican Republic,
more than 1,300 people were killed and
more than 150,000 left homeless. Most of
the year's food crop was damaged.
Dominica also suffered severe crop loss
and projjerty damage. A grant of $10,000
has been made in response to the hur-
ricane's destruction in the Caribbean.

Hurricane Frederick, striking the
southern US, was one of the worst storms
in recent years. A grant of $10,000 was
made from the Brethren fund in response
to the destruction. Brethren disaster
response workers had established a project
in the Citronelle, Ala., church not far
from hard-hit Mobile shortly after the
storm and Jan Thompson, coordinator of
disaster response, predicts a long-term
project there to assist in reconstruction.

During his US visit in September, Bishop Albrecht Schonherr (center) found himself the
honored guest at a surprise birthday party at the general offices. With him are his inter-
preter, Barbara Green, and Brethren staff member H. Lamar Gibble.

US, German churches
call for disarmament

Religious leaders from the US and the
German Democratic Republic issued a
joint call for unilateral steps toward dis-
armament by the US and the Soviet
Union.

The call was issued from a September
consultation between representatives of 1 1
Protestant denominations, all members of
the National Council of Churches, and
representatives of the GDR's Federation
of Evangelical Churches and Association
of Free Churches. Chairing the consulta-
tion was Brethren peace and international
affairs staff H. Lamar Gibble.

The consultation followed a similar
meeting held in Chorin, East Germany, in
April 1978. The representatives focused
on continuing theological reflection on
peace and disarmament, the economics of

disarmament and peace education.

The report issued by the three groups
emphasized that "alternative security sys-
tems must be developed" and "trust-build-
ing measures between governments must
be strengthened."

"The task remains for Christians and
churches to find a common ground from
which they can encourage the world
around them to give up the balance of ter-
ror and mutual distrust, plan for eco-
nomic conversion from arms production,
practice peaceful coexistence and under-
take joint actions for peace," it said.

Prior to the consultation the five Ger-
man leaders visited congregations and
church leaders around the US. Bishop Al-
brecht Schonherr, head of the visiting
delegation, preached at the Highland Ave-
nue Church of the Brethren in Elgin and
visited at the general offices. He is bishop
of the Evangelical Church in BerUn-
Brandenburg and chairs the Federation.

Book, curriculum series
examine media, values

Two new resources examining television,
its values and effect on viewers are being
produced with Church of the Brethren
participation.

A revised edition of Television
A wareness Training: A Viewer's Guide
was published this fall by Television
Awareness Training (T-A-T). The Church
of the Brethren was among four agencies
which created T-A-T.

The new book is a collection of writings
which analyze television content such as
violence and sexuality. The new edition
includes sections on sports, minorities,
theology, soap operas and game shows.
Also examined are television and children.

cable tv, public broadcasting and commer-
cials.

Although the revised book will be used
by T-A-T workshop participants, it is of
interest to a much broader audience — any-
one who wants to better understand televi-
sion. It is available for $14.95 from The
Brethren Press.

The second project is a Christian educa-
tion curriculum dealing with television's
impact on people's lives. Called Crowing
with Television: A Study of Biblical
Values and the Television Experience, the
series will be available for five age levels
and can be used in many settings. The
Brethren Press will be printing the
materials for older elementary youth.

The series will examine biblical values
over against the world's values that are
imparted by the media. The printed

6 MESSENGER December 1979

materials will revolve around the television
experience at home and allow opportunity
to "debrief television experience and
relate it to biblical, cultural and personal
values.

Materials will be available from The
Brethren Press after Sept. 1, 1980.

Brethren churches, staff
keep up refugee efforts

Brethren members and congregations and
the refugee resettlement staff at the New
Windsor office continue to respond to the
increased demand for refugee sponsors.

The Brethren Service Center at New
Windsor, Md., has been designated the
Church World Service short-term transit
center on the east coast. Several transit
centers around the country are used to
temporarily house refugees who arrive in
the US before sponsorship arrangements
are finalized or whose cases are com-
plicated for other reasons.

A short-term employee is working with
the refugee resettlement office during this
time. John DiCara is available to help
refugees located at the center in any way.

To further increase congregational
sponsorship of refugees, Ralph and Betty
Ebersole, refugee resettlement coor-
dinators for the Middle Pennsylvania
District, coordinated a regional refugee
resettlement workshop Sept. 30. More
than 30 persons attended, representing 14
congregations. Preliminary response shows
a handful of new sponsors emerging from
the group.

Rebecca Eduard of the resettlement of-
fice notes that the need for sponsors con-
tinues to be critical. Through the end of
September, Brethren had sponsored more
than 400 non-Indochinese refugees and
over 500 Indochinese refugees in 1979.

Although the need for Indochinese
refugee sponsors is in the headlines,
refugees from other parts of the world
also await sponsors. Eduard points out
that by following international news, one
can predict where the next flow of
refugees will come from as people flee the
world's troubled areas. Refugees are com-
ing now from such places as Irem, Iraq
and Ethiopia.

Congregations or individuals wanting
information about refugee resettlement
should contact Rebecca Eduard, Refugee
Resettlement Office, Brethren Service
Center, P.O. Box 188, New Windsor, MD
21776 or call (301) 635-6464.

m(^i

HEADED FOR AFRICA

A telegram from the Sudan Council of

Churches has confirmed the appointment of Roger Schrock as
field coordinator of an SCC project to develop a primary
health care system for residents of one area of the Sudan's
Upper Nile Province. Roger and his wife Carolyn and their
two sons will leave soon for t±ie Sudan from the pastorate of
the Lewiston (Minn.) church. That congregation has experi-
enced exciting change during the Schrocks ' time there. A
commissioning service at the church Dec. 30 will express the
congregation's gratitude to the Schrocks and its continued
prayers for the family in their new ministry. . . . John and
June Fike of Sebring have gone to Nigeria where he has ac-
cepted a short-term BVS assignment in the Church of the Breth-
ren Mission business office in Garkida until a Nigerian, Jesse
Shinggu, completes his studies at Manchester College and as-
sumes the post. . . . Daryl and Martha Parker , veteran Breth-
ren overseas medical workers, left for Nigeria in November
for a short-term assignment.

NAMES YOU KNOW

Long-time Brethren peace and service

activist M_-R_. Zigler was the recipient of an Outstanding
Service Award from Bridgewater College at the annual Presi-
dent's Dinner Nov. 2. . . . Harold B_. Statler begins the new
year as executive of the Indiana State Co\incil of Churches,
headquartered in Indianapolis. He leaves the executive posi-
tion of the York County (Pa.) Council of Churches. . . .
Southern Pennsylvania's Brethren Home in New Oxford, Pa., has
a new chaplain in Vernon F_. Miller, formerly pastor of the
Arlington (Va.) church. . . . Goshen City (Ind.) layman Ronald
Workman has been reappointed to a four-year term on the Indi-
ana Rehabilitation Services Board. . . . Nelda Rhoades , former
pastor at Northern Indiana's Bethel church and a member of the
Committee on Interchurch Relations, is a student at Chicago's
Lutheran School of Theology. . . . Willard and Jewel McDaniel ,
resident managers of Camp La Verne in the Pacific Southwest
Conference, plan to retire at the beginning of June.

INFLUENCING GOVERNMENT

US Brethren continue to hear

from Nigerians who have been elected or appointed to positions
in Nigeria's newly-elected civilian government. The latest
list of EYN members in government includes Jabani Mambula ,
Commissioner of Health in Borno State; Stanley Balami , Com-
missioner of Education in Borno State; and Paul Wampana (a
former student at the Waka Teachers' College), Speaker of the
House in Gongola State . Borno and Gongola states are the
states with the highest concentration of EYN members. (EYN
means Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria — the Church of the Breth-
ren in Nigeria.)

WORKING FOR PEACE ... A Manchester (Ind. ) area group has
organized to support a fulltime worker to do regional work
in peacemaking. Volunteer worker Julie Garber and others are
engaging in peace witnessing and education by providing work-
shops, seminars, worship speakers and other resources. The
project relates both to the Fellowship of Reconciliation and
the New Call to Peacemaking. A grant from the South/Central
Indiana District helps fund the work.

December 1979 phessenoer 7

a5[p)(ol(o]te

ECUMENICAL AWARD CREATED ... An "Ecumenical Award" honoring a
person who has worked to increase cooperation among all Chris-
tians locally, regionally, nationally or internationally will
be presented for the first time this year by the Committee on
Interchurch Relations . Nominations are due by Feb. 5 and the
recipient will be announced at Annual Conference. Nominees
should have made a significant contribution in bringing a
sense of oneness to the body of Christ; should exemplify
wholeness in their Christian life; should be an active member
of their local congregation. The names of nominees and a
paragraph describing each one's ecumenical involvements
should be submitted to Committee on Interchurch Relations,
1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120 by Feb. 15.

SETTING GOALS

Among goals adopted by the Atlantic

Northeast District Conference for the 1980s is the establish-
ment of two new congregations in the decade ahead. The
thriving Lampeter Fellowship — a new congregation in the dis-
trict— doesn't coimt toward the goal. ... In Southern
Pennsylvania District, a shorter-term, challenging goal has
been established — the resettlement of 100 refugees in the
district in the 18 months ending June 30, 1980. A half-dozen
congregations have already sponsored refugees or applied for
sponsorship. Another dozen are interested. Denominational
staff hope to see the Church of the Brethren resettling 120
to 150 refugees per month. For information, contact the
Refugee Resettlement Office, Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776
or call Rebecca Eduard at (301) 635-6464.

FOR YOUR CALENDAR

The winter term of the Brethren

Bible Institute sponsored by the Brethren Revival Fellowship
is Jan. 7-Feb. 15. For details, write Brethren Bible Insti-
tute, Rt. 10, Box 49, York, PA 17404. . . . The Church of
the Brethren Conference on the Holy Spi ri t 1980 is planned
for June 29- July 2, directly after Annual Conference, at
West Liberty State College, West Liberty, W.Va., an hour and
a half drive from the Pittsburgh Conference site.

MILESTONES

A book about the Frederick (Md.) church

records the 100-year history of the congregation and com-
memorates the 25th anniversary of the erection of the present
building. 1980 is the "silver centennial" year. ... A
Homecoming Day Dec. 2 climaxed a year of celebration for the
Lorida (Fla.) church which is marking its 50th anniversary.
Other activities included burning the parsonage mortgage in
January and breaking ground for a new sanctuary on Oct. 14.
. . . Members of the h'ena tehee (Wash.) Brethren Baptist
Church Uni ted marked the 50th anniversary of their church
building Dec. 1 and 2. . . . Homecoming, Love Feast and
special services of dedication marked the Nov. 2-4 celebra-
tion of the 30th anniversary of Southern Ohio's Middle Dis-
trict church. . . . Oct. 28 was a festival day for the Potts-
town (Pa. ) church as it burned the mortgage on its education
building. . . . Two Atlantic Northeast congregations cele-
brated Sept. 30 — Skippack dedicated its new social-fellowship
hall and East Fairview dedicated a new organ and remodeled
facilities.

8 MESSENGER December 1979

Peace caravan gets new
staff for second year

The Midwest Peace Caravan, a project of
that area's New Call to Peacemaking, has
begun its second year. This year's team
has a full complement of workers, one
from each of the three cooperating church
groups.

Representing the Church of the
Brethren on the team is Julie Anderson, a
Brethren Volunteer Service worker from
Fresno, Calif. Dave Bowman of Akron,
Pa., is the Mennonite representative Jind
Elaine Crauder of Yellow Springs, Ohio,
represents the Friends. The caravan will
again have its headquarters at the Reba
Place Fellowship in Evanston, 111.

During its first year, the caravan was an
Illinois based and supported team. The
new team has broadened its territory to
include Iowa and parts of Minnesota and
Missouri.

The team was gathered by mid-
September and began its work in mid-
October. It is eager to present programs
on peacemaking to school and church
groups, at conferences and fairs. Persons
interested in hosting the caravan or in
providing financial assistance should con-
tact the Peace Caravan, 723 Seward St.,
Evanston, IL 60202.

Groups fighting racism
receive WCC grants

Nearly $350,000 has been granted to 33
different groups working against racism
on every continent. The grants were made
from the World Council of Churches'
Special Fund to Combat Racism.

The continent receiving the largest
amount for racially oppressed groups is
Europe where $120,000 was granted.

Eight US groups received grants total-
ing 575,000. Among them was the Indian
Law Resource Center in Washington,
D.C., a recipient of a 1978 Church of the
Brethren SHARE grant. Among other US
organizations receiving funding are ones
addressing the rights of California
Chicanos, Haitian refugees, and Native
Americans.

The Patriotic Front of Zimbabwe was
granted $35,000 in 1979 to help support
its technical and secretarial services at the
constitutional conference in London. The
Patriotic Front is among the groups
engaged in the struggle for liberation of

Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia). Con-
troversy has surrounded the Programme
to Combat Racism since its grant in 1978
to the Patriotic Front.

AH those receiving grants pledge that
the money will be used for humanitarian
purposes such as social, health and educa-
tional purposes and legal aid.

Funds for the grants come only from
designated gifts. The Church of the
Brethren is not a contributor to the
Special Fund to Combat Racism.

Congress rejects draft;
issue likely to return

The House of Representatives voted in
September to kill the proposal to renew
draft registration but opponents of the
measure fear the victory over conscription
is only temporary (See story, page 10).

The House action came Sept. 12 and
was soon followed by withdrawal of a
similar measure in the Senate, ending any
chance of the draft legislation being ap-
proved this year.

"I'm very thankful for what's hap-
pened," said Chuck Boyer, General Board
peace consultant, who testified against the
bill. He has talked with scores of youth
about the possible implications of a return
to the draft since the legislation was in-
troduced in the spring. "There should
have been some way to celebrate this little
victory," he said. "We don't win
many — and we've only won temporarily."

Boyer expects that the issue will be dor-
mant for several months and that "we
won't hear much until the autumn of
1980." He hopes it will be an issue in the
presidential campaign because "it's to the
advantage of the opposition to have it
debated as widely as possible." He is skep-
tical, though, whether it will become an
issue of broad debate.

Although the immediate possibility of a
return to conscription is past, Boyer urges
young people to continue to file evidence
with his office of their conscientious ob-
jection to serving in the military. (Boyer
was receiving forms from approximately
one church youth group per week in the
early fall.) "Just because we won this time
is no guarantee that we'll be able to avoid
conscription forever," Boyer pointed out.

Youth interested in receiving peace
packets with instructions for documenting
their conscientious objection position
should write Chuck Boyer, 1451 Dundee
Ave., Elgin, XL 60120.

Peace, justice, liberation on Pope's US agenda

The historic visit of Pope John Paul II to the US in early October put religion on the
front pages of major newspapers for a week and reminded Catholics and Protestants
alike of the agenda facing the church in the coming years. The Pope raised the
issues — peace, justice, Hberation, women's rights, abortion. Whether Brethren agreed
with his positions, they found themselves among the millions who heard and watched the
Pope on television and in person and many were hopeful that his warmth and personal
appeal would quicken the nation's spirit and further the cause of world peace. He spoke
eloquently for peace and disarmament when he addressed the United Nations General
Assembly (above): "The life of humanity today is seriously endangered by the threat of
destruction . . . The continual preparations for war demonstrated by the production of
ever more numerous, powerful and sophisticated weapons in various countries show that
there is a desire to be ready for war . . . Are the children to receive the arms race from
us as a necessary inheritance?" The Pope's reception was generally warm but a court case
was filed in Philadelphia when Mayor Frank Rizzo declared the city would pay the ex-
penses of the Pope's visit rather than following the lead of other cities where the Catholic
archdiocese bore expenses of the Catholic liturgy. And in Washington, D.C., persons
protested the Pope's refusal to consider the ordination of women.

Nigerian official lauds
retiring Brethren nurse

Retiring Brethren nurse Grayce Brum-
baugh was honored recently by the Borno
State Commissioner of Health for her dis-
tinguished service to the people of Ni-
geria. The speech and ceremonial gift
were given when Brumbaugh was in
Maiduguri to complete her contractual ar-
rangements with the government. She is
the first expatriate nurse so honored by
the Borno state government.

Brumbaugh is terminating her work
after 42 years of service, a record for
Nigeria missionaries. After completing
nurse's training at Bethany Hospital in
Chicago, she went to Nigeria in 1937. Un-
til 1974, she served at Chibuk and Lassa
where her primary assignments were

medical work. She also was always active
in the work of the Nigerian church.

During the 1970s drought in the Sahel,
Brumbaugh worked in Niger in the
Agadez government hospital.

She and Mary Dadisman were both
cited by the General Board for their long
and devoted service in February 1977.

Dadisman is also retiring after 38 years
in Nigeria. A nurse and an educator,
Dadisman served as teacher and adminis-
trator of Hillcrest School at Jos in her
early years in Nigeria. Later, she was a
teacher and acting principal at Waka
Schools. She taught numerous courses in
the medical field to hospital and dis-
pensary workers. She also worked with
the Lafiya program helping teach village
health workers.

Both women plan to retire to Hillcrest
Homes in La Verne, Calif.

December 1979 messenger 9

Do you feel a draft?

by Steve Simmons

With the House vote against registration
(Sept. 12), draft opponents won a victory,
a minor one, but a triumph nonetheless.
Yet the battle will continue.

By squelching the registration amend-
ment, tacked onto an arms appropriation
bill, the house killed six bills dealing in
some way with the return of the draft.

As a historic peace church, The Church
of the Brethren has always waged war on
war, opposed compulsory servitude and
supported war resisters. Again the church
is working singly, and with others, to stop
the preparation for war and find alter-
natives. For the Brethren, deeply rooted
in a passion for peace, the issues are ones
that never die.

As Washington office interim director
Ron Hanft said in a Senate committee
hearing: "We believe that the security of
the citizens of our country does not de-
pend upon military forces, but upon the
strength of our moral, economic, social
and political institutions and upon the
awareness of the global interdependence
of the human family."

Now there is no legislation in either the
House or the Senate calling for draft
reinstatement. When the House turned
down registration it voted for an amend-
ment by Rep. Patricia Schroeder
(D-Colo.) to delete registration provisions
and called on President Carter to study
Selective Service System needs and report
to Congress next year.

All the report does, according to Hanft,
is postpone the registration process. "The
report could have an effect but it will not
keep the issue from being raised. There
are legislators who currently have pro-
posals of their own to resume the draft."

When next year's report is out (prob-
ably in February), Hanft does not expect
the results to dictate the Congressional
response and Senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.)
will again propose registration. No matter
the findings, militarist forces in the
legislature will have counter data.

Efforts to resume the draft came to a
head last year when several Congress
members criticized the All-Volunteer
Force (AVF), the nation's recruiting arm
since 1973 when the draft ended.

Critics of the AVF contend it is below

1ft MESSENGER December 1979

personnel requirements in the reserves,
has recruited too many people with less
than high school educational ability and
has too high a percentage of minority
recruits (primarily black) and desertion.

Yet the AVF reached an all-time high in
the recruitment of women and "has pros-
pered" according to a Pentagon report,
"America's Volunteers." The Pentagon has
declared the AVF a success and said there
is no need to return to the draft.

Hanft points to the December 1978
study by the Department of Defense
which concludes that the All- Volunteer
Force has "provided the military service
with a full-strength, active force of a
quality equal to or superior to that
achieved under the draft."

Congressional critics have voiced con-
cern about US mobilization capacity — our
ability to go to war as needed. Strongest
proponents. Senators Sam Nunn (D-Ga.)
and John C. Stennis (D-Miss.), state that
without registration or classification of
draft-eligible youth, the US will not be
prepared for war with Russia, which could
break out in Europe, the Persian Gulf or
Africa.

For Hanft and Church of the Brethren
peace consultant Chuck Boyer, the man-
power (the voted-down amendment exclud-
ed females) assessments are the key issue
and the crux of debate. "The Department
of Defense isn't that far from its personnel
quota," says Boyer, "The military is just so
used to getting what it wants. If they want
two million in active duty, they feel they
should have them. But we don't know how
they decide how many recruits or how
much money they need."

is there a significant shortage of combat
power? Senator Nunn's figures are based
on the scenario of a NATO war against
the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact coun-
tries. He holds it as the major planning
contingency and the foundation for De-
fense Department figures. Says Hanft,

There are several moral issues tied up in a
return to registration besides the one on
the sign carried by a 1971 demonstrator
(right}. Many denominations and groups
hope the US learned from Vietnam and
that youth will again voice their objec-
tions. Conscription is expected to again
reach legislators by late February.

"The figures are based on assumptions of
what we should be prepared to do. The
studies done, such as 'Nifty Nuggets' sug-
gest that we could not call up enough forces
for a sustained land war in Europe if num-
bers of people were killed at the outset."
Senator Nunn believes that "the less
capable we are in a conventional sense
(with normally equipped combatants), the
more likely it is that nuclear weapons
would be used at the start" — that if we're
not prepared to win conventionally, we

► CARD

It is building to gale forces and storm warnings from Congress are
still up. Will 'Onward Christian Soldiers* be our cry?

will resort to nuclear war.

Hanft and the Washington office pre-
sent the argument that nuclear weapons
are likely to be used at the outset (he
points out that the atomic bombs were
dropped on Japan to shorten the war and
save lives and there was similar temptation
during the Vietnam conflict) and the pro-
jected combat forces are not needed.
Nunn concludes this could become a self-
fulfilling prophecy.

Neither Hanft or Boyer is ready to buy

Senator Nunn's arguments. "They say there
are not enough reserves and National
Guard personnel as needed," says Boyer,
"yet the Selective Service says that if they
have new mechanics and technology they
can process the people in the Congress-
mandated time frames." Hanft adds, "No
one is arguing with the time requirement,
just the process of recruiting people and
what they will be required to do."

And so combat numbers (How many?
Why are they needed? Who decides how
many and on what criteria?) remain the
center of debate. The church's
Washington office maintains the position
that these are the areas of foreign policy
and may call for reassessment of such.
Hanft considers the two entities closely
intertwined and asks, "What kind of
foreign policy do we have and what do
mihtary personnel have to do with it?"

Rep. James Weaver (D-Ore.) and others
have argued that since the most volatile
area of the world is the Middle East, a
return to registration represents inter-
vention on behalf of our economic in-
terests around the world, rather than find-
ing answers within our own borders.

/veryone uses their own figures for
assessment," says Hanft. "If the draft is
part of foreign policy then it increases the
likelihood of war. More personnel and
weapons set us up for nuclear holocaust."

Boyer and Hanft also raise questions
about the implementation of a renewed
draft. Both believe that since the Vietnam
War, resistance to military force has
stabilized. "We are still trying to heal the
wounds of that war," says Boyer. "That
conflict is not lost on the legislators when
I talk with them. We got out of Vietnam
at the end because so many people refused
to cooperate with the war machinery. And
it is a concern of legislators. When I
testified before the House Subcommittee
on Manpower and Personnel they couldn't
have cared less about my beliefs, they just
wanted to know if there would be
resistance among young people.

According to Hanft, many proponents
assume that all will co-operate with an in-
duction system and have not looked at the
problems of implementation: How will it
be handled? How will people be notified?

Will the privacy act be suspended for the
Selective Service?

In his testimony before the Senate Sub-
committee, Hanft pointed out that the
constitutionality of the peacetime draft
has not been finally decided in the courts
and that a peacetime conscription "is a
gross violation of personal rights in viola-
tion of constitutional prohibitions against
involuntary servitude."

In 1975 when it was suggested that
school records could be used for registra-
tion, many institutions, including church-
related schools, took non-cooperative
positions against what they saw as viola-
tions of privacy and grossly in confiict
with their missions. For Hanft, the use of
educational institutions "for the militariza-
tion and the regimentation of our young
people" and the waver of the Privacy Act
create serious problems and should be
prohibited.

Hanft sums up Brethren concerns: "We
feel that we are viewing proposals for
draft registration which are a threat to
personal liberty and an unjustified disrup-
tion of civihan life. We believe they are
unconstitutional; will use public and
private institutions as instruments of the
military; will violate the rights of privacy
of citizens and involve problems of en-
forcement that are cumbersome, costly
and socially disruptive."

Boyer, who also serves as chairman of
the National Interreligious Service Board
for Conscientious Objectors (NISBCO),
wants registration and the draft as a cam-
paign issue, as does Hanft. "Many
Senators balked at the way conscription
was introduced on the floor without
opportunities for open debate," said
Boyer. Liberal Senators such as Mark
Hatfield (D-Ore.) and George McGovern
(D-S. Dak.) threatened filibuster if the
draft again arose without public participa-
tion. "It would help in the long run to
have it out," says Boyer.

"I think it is something the people
should not let go of," says Hanft.
"Legislators think they can ride it out
through the coming election year. All they
have to do now is tell people they've acted
on it and put people off. The draft is not
a past issue. It is vitally important for
people to find out where their officials
stand before they vote."

December 1979 messenger 11

Not until after the elections will the
draft again become an issue, predict
Hanft and Boyer. The 96th Congress has
adopted the style of not involving the
public. Hanft points out that the more the
public is involved, the less supportive it is
of a return to conscription.

Proponents of conscription will keep up
the visibihty. The major "problem people"
for opponents are in Congress. The Presi-
dent and the head of Selective Service are
not calhng for a draft-registration.
Legislators may change their positions,
but currently the President does not sup-
port a peacetime draft. It is Carter's
prerogative as Commander in Chief to in-
state a draft and some legislators and
militarists are trying to force his
hand.

According to Boyer, the President's
position is clear — he has taken a position
against draft-registration but, "might
reinstate it if it becomes politically expe-
dient and helps with the passage of SALT
H, if the negotiations carry out too long,
or if the House and Senate were to over-
whelmingly move toward conscription.

The President's advisors say he can
work with the Selective Service in its cur-
rent form. Boyer and Hanft want issues
like mobilization scenarios open to the
public.

Hanft is quick to point out that the
Pentagon has never had its assessments
challenged. "They set quotas only they
can understand — certainly they cannot be
understood by the average citizen — and
then they can call their information
classified. The public has no check and
balance except to say 'No.' The military is
not used to being challenged or being ac-
countable to the public. They see
themselves as experts not to be ques-
tioned. There is also a strong, determined
group in Congress and the public is most-
ly apathetic with a great lack of informa-
tion. If a peacetime draft were proposed,
not all public segments would oppose it.
The public simply isn't used to asking
questions ," Hanft says.

The current victory, "our first one in a
long time," says Boyer, is attributed great-
ly to churches' marshalled opposition.
Presbyterians, Methodists, the United
Church of Christ and peace churches
launched campaigns to get the issue from
Congress halls to public forums.

For both Hanft and Boyer, and the
church, now is the time to strengthen the

Church of the Brethren commitment.
Hanft, calls on Brethren and all peace
churches to call attention to the issues and
keep interest keen. "Peace churches have a
special burden to bear in this difficult
task," he says. Boyer urges the church to
look within: "Will we stick with our open,
non-violent, non-cooperation stance?"

"As a church," says Boyer, "we need to
encourage and support our youth strug-
gling with the issues. Peacemaking is a life-
long struggle which goes beyond the draft."

Boyer urges Brethren to work with their
legislators (in letters remember to express
pleasure as well as disappointment with
actions) and groups such as NISBCO and
CARD (Committee Against Registration
and the Draft) who oppose conscription
and keep the public alerted.

B<

>oth Hanft and Boyer have served in
positions of leadership of Brethren
Volunteer Service, Hanft as orientation
co-ordinator, Boyer as director. One of
Boyer's aims then was "to relate to the
Selective Service System in keeping
Brethren aware of the need for ongoing
peace education and avoidance of
supporting military service."

Boyer's ties with the Selective Service
began when he was a BVSer in Europe
and strengthened during his five years as
ecumenical minister to international
students at Purdue University. In his cur-
rent peace consultant role, Boyer con-
tinues to work with the SSS, legislators
and young people wrestling with conscien-
tious objector issues.

The church will continue to struggle
with the conscientious objector form and
status. Boyer points out that the Selective
Service, "in deep standby," is not register-
ing and COs do not currently have the op-
portunity to register their convictions.
Many believe that when the draft resumes
it will be under a computerized system
that does not give conscientious objectors
a chance to register opinion until after
they receive induction orders. Boyer en-
courages all youth between 18 and 25 to
consider the CO position and fill out SSS
Form 150, available from Boyer's Elgin
office or NISBCO (500 Washington
Building, Washington, DC 20005).

No one knows what validity the forms
will have if draft-registration is again in-
stated, but "it points to sincerity," says
Boyer. Filing a claim with any religious

organization early speaks to any questions
of action out of expediency that could be
raised by SSS personnel.

Boyer also encourages church school
classes to study and use his office's "peace
packet." Along with the old SSS Form
150 it includes aids on guiding thinking
for answering the questions, a statement
of the church on war and papers on a
biblical basis of a peace witness and obed-
ience to God and civil disobedience. Boyer
notes that the Selective Service no longer
honors the form and it isn't official. "In
1973," says Boyer, "I received only two
CO forms a month." Last fall they started
coming in eight a week with 40 percent of
the forms reaching Boyer's desk from
women.

Considered a threat, the National Ser-
vice makes involuntarily conscripted
forces a reality. The National Service con-
cept, youth working at least a year for the
country, is seen as a way to work around
the draft.

Brethren have had an eye on the pro-
gram for 10 years. "We haven't found a
form we could support," says Hanft. "Its
primary purpose is to become and provide
a base for the mihtary, a conscripted way
of getting people involved in service pro-
grams. A conscripted force violates our
conscience and negates the purpose, use
and 'sense' of BVS," says Hanft.

Alternative service or draft resistance
will be items of contention for the church
as well as the role of Brethren Volunteer
Service. National Service, for Hanft,
would be a major question to settle
in whether to support or withdraw.

The return of the draft in one form or
another is likely to occur. "I doubt we will
have nine months to rest before attempts
to bring something to the government
start cropping up," says Boyer. Militarist
voices say the US should be prepared for
anything and make the draft a national
security issue. From Congress observers
one hears, "The situation is unclear, we
just don't know what way it will go."

One thing is clear, all that the anti-draft
forces have won is time. But it is time to
educate more people, form a cohesive
strategy and build a solid draft opposi-
tion. If education and organization are ac-
complished, the draft can be defeated,
registration can be defeated and the na-
tional youth service can be turned down
when a few members of Congress and the
military renew their full-scale efforts. D

12 MESSENGER December 1979

Howard and Edith Bosler:
God swept the road clean

by Mildred Hess Grimley

Their zeal to aid a
sick and suffering
world has taken the
Boslers to Nigeria
and back. And
hasn't ebbed yet.

Xt was raining hard and the water was
rising rapidly in the Dzongola River. But
Howard Hosier, Herman Landis and
Kurawa were on an errand of mercy and
high water was not going to stop them. A
call had come from Marama— 40 miles
away — to aid a woman in a difficult
delivery.

It was 1:30 a.m. and pitch dark. Six
inches of water ran over the bridge, a
concrete slab with no guard rails. The
men drove carefully through the water but
found to their dismay that the bridge ap-
proach on the other end had been com-
pletely washed out.
"Nothing to do, but go back!"
As they started backing across the nar-
row bridge, a wall of water rolled in,

December 1979 messenger 13

covering the floor boards of the car and
rocking it precariously. Bosler and Landis
scrambled out. Kurawa, apparently
reasoning that safety was anywhere out of
the water, climbed to the roof of the car.
There was a short rope in the car, so
Bosler tied one end to the car, and,
holding onto the rope, leaned into the
swift surging water, sliding his feet along
the ledge until he reached the cement post
at the end of the bridge. Landis followed
along the rope, but Kurawa kept to the
car roof.

Suddenly the rope snapped! Helmets,
glasses, money, lantern, umbrellas, car
and Kurawa disappeared downstream. But
miraculously, the Nigerian clutched the

pep!"), elephantiasis ("Today I operated
on a man and removed an 80-pound
scrotum), malaria, pneumonia, meningitis
and huge abscesses. Bosler once wrote,
"Pus runs deep in Africa." And on top of
it all was leprosy.

It's all a part of the call of the Lord to
a land such as Nigeria. And who counts
the cost when the Lord calls? Several mis-
sionary graves at Garkida testify to the
dedication of those who have selflessly
given their all.

Young Howard Bosler first responded
to this call at the age of 1 1 when he "went
forward" in response to the preaching of
George Studebaker.

"The Lord touched me and something

end of the rope and was pulled to safety,
whereupon he collapsed in the grass and
wailed at the top of his voice.

This was the rainy season in north-
eastern Nigeria in the early days of mis-
sion work there. The rainy season with its
overflowing rivers, cars bogged down in
bottomless holes, sand flies, malaria,
dysentery, ulcers ("At the present time
we're treating 150 ulcers," Bosler wrote in
1933), followed by the dry season with
dust, rutted roads, chilly nights, torrid
days ("The sweat is dripping off my
elbows as 1 write. The days are awfully
hot! I'm all washed out, and low on

happened to my soul. I promised him 1
would go and do whatever he wanted."
Howard was baptized in Albert Gump's
watering tank in which a heater vainly at-
attempted to heat the water and melt the
ice at the same time.

Getting an education was not easy. He
had heard his father say more than once,
"Want to spoil a child — send him off to
school!" And with 10 sisters and two
brothers, and living on a farm — the possi-
bility of further education seemed like a
dream.

But the Lord was faithful and Howard
managed to finish high school.

"I wanted so much to go to Manchester
College, but there seemed no way. 1 threw
myself down in the alfalfa field and cried
my heart out. And then it seemed as if the
Holy Spirit was right there with me. I
asked Jesus to help me. Suddenly the
frustrations were relieved and 1 felt calm
in my heart. 1 knew God was in control
of the universe . . . and me."

Years later Howard expressed the same
joy when writing from Nigeria. Although
he had had an unusually hectic schedule
with many setbacks and disappointments,
he wrote, "But really, as we stop and
think of it as a whole, we praise God that
we have such a great opportunity to serve
in such a needy place."

Below: Drs. Studebaker and Bosler with
Nigerians Thlama and Kwangula at the
Garkida hospital in 1938, seven years after
the Bosiers arrived in Nigeria. As Bosler
recalls that early period, "I had to perform
surgery I had never seen before. And I didn 't
know the language. I felt the gap in our
cultures and prayed, 'Lord, show me the
way. ' " By 1950, the Garkida Leprosarium
had earned the respect of Nigerians and the
medical world, evidenced by "Doc's" con-
sultations with visiting leprologists (left).

The Lord fulfilled his promise in the
alfalfa field, but the road was not without
detours. Before entering college, Howard
had to work two summers. Then he re-
ceived a loan from a neighbor, and was at
last able to enter Manchester in 1920. Six
months later, however, the neighbor asked
for the loan to be repaid, so he left col-
lege and worked in the Goodyear Tire
Company in Akron, Ohio, until it closed,
then on to Kansas wheat fields and finally
two summers as a California cowboy.
With joy in his heart for God's leading via
rubber, wheat and horses, Howard en-
(Continued on page 23)

14 MESSENGER December 1979

A

Calendar

of

Songs,

Prayers,

and

Affirmations

for

Advent

by Charles R. Simmons

ords fail me. That's what
I say when the thoughts
■jn and feelings I want to
express exceed my vocab-
ulary. Advent tells us that
God is coming to articulate
his very word of love in an abso-
lutely human way. The Word in
person is particular and totally
universal at the same time.
Bethlehem is the beginning
place for us, not Eden — that's gone. It is
remarkable that the story begins in an out-
of-the-way town in an occupied land. A
certain carpenter and his young wife travel
to the ancestral homeland just in time to be
caught without even a decent room for the
birth of their child.

We locate the time and place of the event
in history and on the map. At the same time
we know that this is not only history but an
invitation to enter in. In this simple nativity
we discover something that calls us to see in
it our birth, our hope, our light and our
peace.

"Advent" is an exciting word. Having the
same root as "adventure," it speaks of the
thrill of something happening, or about to
happen, which is quite out of the ordinary.
This is the "coming season," quite
(Continued on page 22)

IRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 2

What is the crying at Jordan?

by Carol Christopher Drake

Traditional Irish Melody
Harm.: Norinan Mealy (b.l923)

i^ r r r n ij J J ir ig-n^

i^''j J J

n

-H ■

1 1 H ^-^^

^ r---
^^^

^^=^
^^^

t ^ — r

n-|r r r 1

1. What is the crying at Jordan
Who hears, O God, the Prophecy?
Dark is the season dark our hearts
And shut to mystery.

2. Who then shall stir in this darkness
Prepare for joy in the winter night?
Mortal in darkness we lie down
Blind-hearted seeing no Ught.

3. Lord, give us grace to awake us,

To see the Branch that begins to bloom;
In great humility is hid
All Heav'n in a little room.

4. O Gate from Eden to Heaven,

Come Gate and Garden at once at hand.
Opening now to Bethlehem
That leads to Jerusalem.

Copyright ® 1971 by Walton Music Corporation

"Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise ..." (Jer.
33:14).

Today we begin with God's promise. He will bring justice and righteousness. He is
not a Santa Claus in the sky but a god who comes to us and calls us to live according to

December 1979 messenger 16

the promise. This is the time to look for the places where the Good News must be ex-
pressed.

Lord, give us ears to hear, hearts that are open and wills that may be changed.
Amen.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 3

"When Daddy comes home you're going to get it!" A small child threatens an older one
with such words. How do we respond to words that speak of the end? Is the word of the
end a threat or a promise? It is surely a call to be faithful where we are good stewards of
the resources of life, brothers and sisters on earth and children of the Father who loves
the last and least of us. "When 'Abba' comes" is good news. Let's pray in the light of it
and live in harmony with our prayers.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4

Are you sending packages overseas? Are there cards to order? Letters to be written? It is
difficult to send a gift or prepare a Christmas letter long before we are in the mood. But
on a deeper level. Advent calls us now in the middle of a week in early December to
remember that God could not come in Christ without the preparation of prophets and
simple folk who gave him a place in their home. Now let us "prepare Him room."

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5

Because Christmas is the good news of the gift of love in the person of Jesus Christ, we
must question messages which make it above all else the world's great sales pitch. There
is no need for us to denounce the commercialization of the season; but there is need for
us to consider a creative rather than a consumer approach. You may wish to consider an
"alternative" Christmas this year. Publications such as the Alternative Celebrations
Catalogue ($5), Alternative Christmas Organizers Manual ($1.50 plus $1.50 p&h) and
Voluntary Simplicity: A Study/Action Guide ($3) for church groups are available from a
nonprofit group: Alternatives, P.O. Box 429, Ellenwood, GA 39206.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6

Wake up! Who wants to hear that?

Advent is a time of awakening. We remember Jesus' story of the householder who
came back from his journey at the time when he was least expected. We may not be
"struck by lightning" but surely this is a time to wake up to God's purpose in our use of
resources and abilities. To awaken from sleep may be to suddenly discover that happiness
is not on sale. The alarming ring in our ears may tell us that an elderly person or a little
child is more in need of our time and our company than of one or more gadget or
trinket.

Wake up. Christ is coming. When Abba comes, he surely wants us to be sharing the
gift of his love. Pass the word.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7

"Remember." Just what was it that Americans were to remember? The Alamo? The
IVlaine or the tea party in New England? Oh yes, Pearl Harbor.

And what do Christ's people remember? Bad memories cannot be erased, not even
with other bad memories such as My Lai and Hiroshima.

Our memories must go all the way back to the reason for this hopeful season of the
Coming. Reconciliation and renewal have been given birth.

As we continue to move through life we are always called to be midwives to the
Coming Christ. There is something in us, and in others, yet to be born.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8

Lord,

You are alive in the birth that is to come.

You are doing more than we know or see in life.

We want your Spirit to give us hope

because we have too much news and too little of the Good News.

We need your power because we use things and materials

and so little of our energy is centered in love.

We give thanks that you awaken us to what is really happening in and to our world.

Come, Lord, beginning and end. Amen.

16 MESSENGER December 1979

ECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

DECEMBER 9

A Mary Carol

by Ronald P. Hanft

1 . Mary said, Where will he lay his head?
He'll never own his bed
And by the birds be fed. Mary said.

2. Mary cried, Who will be by his side?
His friends will run lo hide.
Hanging alone, he'll die. Mary cried.

3. Mary smiled, Life will nol be defiled.
His love is strength though mild.
Lulay thou little child. Mary smiled.

Copyright " 1971 by Ronald P. Hanft
(Number 28 in The Brethren Songbook)

"The people who walked in dairkness

have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,

on them has light shined"(Is. 9:2).

Anyone who has been in the utter blackness of night knows what the light of Advent
really is. Those who have been surrounded by the darkness of despair and loneliness
know what it is to dwell in deep darkness. During the days of December we look forward
to the coming of light which floods the world. But this light begins as from a flickering
flame, frail and insignificant. As we light the candles of Advent let us also bear witness
to both the light that has come and is yet to come in fullness.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10

This is Human Rights Day and this is the International Year of the Child. United Na-
tions pronouncements may not make much difference in keeping a day or making this a
special year, but we do see all the peoples of the world as persons of dignity and worth
who rightfully deserve freedom, justice and peace. Each child in the huge cities and bar-
ren rural places is now to be seen in a new light.
Father and Mother of us all.
Let your care of your children be unhindered
by our waste and selfish use of resources.
Forgive us our narrow definitions of family
and our tribal and national loyalties
which limit love — even yours. Amen.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11

"Can you wait, Daddy?" a little boy asked.

"Yes," I replied, "I can wait until Christmas."

For various reasons, most of which are well known to the general adult population,
there is an anticipation gap in many homes this season. From "I just can't wait" to
"There's too much to do" to "I'm so tired" to "I'll just be glad when it is over," our
moods and expressions run the gamut.

Children do have something to say to tired and bored parents and neighbors. An-
ticipation is important in all our lives. It is important in the community of faith. The
church that expects nothing new — in mission ventures, in community outreach, in growth
in nurture ministries, in a greater sense of stewardship — is not an Advent church. If we
are simply waiting with no hope and no enthusiasm for the future, we may need to be
awakened.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12

My wife and I were students a long way from home with little to live on, but with much
to do. When packages came for Christmas the words "Do not open until ..." were ig-
nored. Christrtias Day came. We had no gifts to open. It wasn't a bad Christmas. There
was much to be thankful for, and we were not hungry. But we did miss the surprise and
the joy of waiting until just the right time to open the gifts.

Anticipation calls for some tension in our lives. There are times when we lose pa-
tience vnth another person. We refuse to let a child grow into an adult. We expect now
what will come later. We may open a cocoon but we cannot force a butterfly to appear.

December 1979 messenger 17

Jesus came at the full time, the right time, God's time.

As we Hve and work, let us also learn to wait for God's sense of creative time.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13

John the Baptist recited words from Isaiah:

"Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled,

and every mountain and hill shall be brought low,

and the crooked shall be made straight,

and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (Luke 3:4b-6).
For us this may be saying:

"Clear the way for the coming of God!

Don't try to give God a little place in your life.

Don't expect Christ to come by way of the back roads.

Clear the rocks and debris from the highway of your life."
How many road blocks and detours have we placed before the Christ? John says, "Re-
pent, turn from the things, the thoughts and deeds which keep you from God."

Prepare the way for the Lord;

Clear a straight path for him.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14

Anticipation includes rejoicing cis well as repentance. As we turn around from the despair
of the locked-in hate and greed of the world to the loving freedom of the God who leads
us in new life, we know the joy of prayer. Anticipation is not anxiety. Caring in the
spirit of Christ is not a burden. Prayer will enable us in the midst of life's chores,
demands, routines and ruts to also know the peace of God. (See Phil. 2:4-7.)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15

God, You have a way of surprising us.

We think that you are far away and uninvolved

and then you come and catch us

by the light that flashes across the dark background

of the whole world.

Help us to wait with eagerness for ways in which

you unwrap your love and

bring it in person.

Help us now to live by the light yet to be revealed. Amen.

HIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 16

Tomorrow Christ Is Coming

(May b« sung to "St. Theodulph," commonly used for "All Glory, Laud, and Honor," number 155
in The Brethren Hymnal. )

1 . Tomorrow Christ is coming,
as yesterday he came;
a child is bom this moment,
we do not know his name.
The world is full of darkness,
again there is no room;

the symbols of existence
are stable, cross and tomb.

2. Tomorrow will be Christmas,
the feast of love divine,

but for the nameless millions
the star will never shine.
Still is the census taken
and men are on the move;
new infants bom in stables
are crying out for love.

3. There will be no tomorrows
for many a baby born.

Good Friday falls on Christmas
when life is sown as corn.
But Jesus Christ is risen
and comes again in bread
to still our deepest hunger
and raise us from the dead.

4. Our Lord becomes incarnate
in every human birih.
Created in his image

we must make peace on earth.
God will fulfil his purpose
and this shall be the sign:
we shall And Christ among us
as child or youth or man.

From Pilgrim Praise, copyright « 1968 by B. Feldman & Co. Ltd.

18 MESSENGER December 1979

Advent is a time for answers. The Comii)
more like a nativity play in which we all i
istence, we discover that we are not up ii
"Immanuel" means that God is with us. ' '
our participation.

Frederich Buechner described the apj
her about the coming miraculous birth,
because she seemed so young. Then, Buet
the child was to be named, and who he \'
was to come upon her. 'You mustn't be i\

"As he said it, he only hoped she wci
wings he himself was trembling with fear
now on the answer of a girl."'

MONDAY, DECEMBER

Does it really matter how 1 answer the qi
the middle of hfe now? Have you ever fe:

as: "Will you be a missionary?" "Are yoi
teach a class?" but not with the kind of c
the right thing to do. Remember Joseph I
expecting. He struggled with the decision i
didn't put out a bulletin or a news story <
fashion. He quietly responded to the wor
We, too, must answer God with live;
know only part of the story, or judge by
day in the "affirmation of faith" that is n
the move just before who knows what.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER

Dag Hammarskjold, the former Secretary
ings: "I don't know Who — or what — put
don't even remember answering. But at sc
Something— and from that hour I was ce

r;nt is not a drama which we watch. It is
Ja role. When God comes into our ex-
I balcony, but we are on stage in the action,
toming Christ must have our response and

nee of the angel Gabriel to Mary, who told
hough he could hardly believe it himself
■ writes that Gabriel "... told her what
1 be and something about the mystery that
, Mary,' he said.

t notice that beneath the great, golden
ink that the whole future of creation hung

ins that come not from the sky but from
it God comes to people with questions such

ng to be a minister?" or "Are you ready to
ons that catch us not knowing just what is
;nly shaken to know that his bride was
rding the decent thing to do. Then he
ining that God worked in a rather unusual
i faithful, loving way.
cannot always be explained to people who
*'ard appearances." Answers are given each
oken in church just before a hymn, but on

eral of the United Nations, wrote in Mark-
uestion, I don't know when it was put. I
noment I did answer Yes to Someone or
that existence is meaningful and that,

therefore, my life, in self-surrender, had a goal."^

And later he wrote (Gustaf Aulen's translation): "As 1 continued along the Way, I
learned, step by step, word by word, that behind every sentence spoken by the heros of
the Gospels, stands one man, and one man's experience."

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19

Al Laney was a sportswriter in New York. With a lull in his regular reporting he wrote
some human interest stories on several formerly well-known sports figures. Among these
was Sam Langford, a black boxer, once known as "The Ghost of the Ghetto." After a
long search in Harlem he discovered the "retired" fighter now blind and forgotten. Hav-
ing been on and off welfare rolls, Langford existed with the help of a kind butcher who
gave him scraps of meat. Laney found him in a terrible room with only a bed for fur-
niture and a single bare light bulb hanging above. The stench in the room was as terrible
as the gloom. But the old blind fighter was cheerful and delighted to have company.

As a result of the visit, Laney wrote an article that was to receive the greatest
response of any piece he ever published. After it was picked up by The Associated Press
the response was even greater. From all over the country stamps, currency and coins
poured in. Laney took gifts and cash to Sam Langford. Then he made a visit during
December: "Sam was wonderful, and there was this one wonderful touch. He was blind,
remember, but he said, 'I got a little money. Buy me a couple of candles, will you?'

"He fished into his pocket and gave me a quarter. 'I want you to light the candles. 1
can't see them. But 1 want the candles lit for Christmas.'"'

And L too, in my spiritual blindness, want to light candles that shine with Christ-
light.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20

A poem, "The Stable," tells the story of the first cry of the infant Jesus on a cold winter
night. The animals all crowded around the baby — to warm him, to shelter him and even
to lick him — and everything became chaos, then

"The virgin, confused among such horns

and whiteness of breathing

fluttered hither and yon

unable to pick up her Child.

Joseph arrived laughing

to help her in her confusion

and the upset stable was like

a forest in the wind."''

— Gabriela Mistral, translated by Langston Hughes

Perhaps this picture is closer to reality than that of creche and Christmas card. As
we prepare our homes for Christmas, the confusion may remind us that birth has a way
of upsetting old routines. Christmas chaos may enable us to see the promise of God's
way of setting things right and bringing reconciliation where the world's old way is that
of revenge. How good it is that God turns life around and upside down.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21

We speak of the coming of Christmas. There is another sense in which we come to
Christmas as much as it comes. In our activities, our gatherings, our greetings and in the
giving of gifts, we have the opportunity to move toward the One who is come. This is a
time for spiritual pilgrimage. The true light that enlightens every person is coming into
the world. In this illumination of love we have the opportunity to re-order the direction
of our life. In John Erskine's poem, "Kings and Stars," one of the wise men says:

"The world widens

By starlight.

The mind reaches;

Stars beget journeys."'

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22

O God of Bethlehem's beckoning call,

we have been moving about,

but we are uncertain of the direction of life.

We pray that You would grant us

the simplicity of shepherds

and the vision of the wise

that we might move

to the manger

and then discover

Glory splashed across all life

each day

Move with us, move through us,

that our life journeys might

be enlightened now. Amen.

December 1979 messenger 19

OURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

DECEMBER 23

Light of the World

i^60 StoorHLY

by Patricia Kennedy Helman
music by Reed Gratz

20 MESSENGER December 1979

\

Light of the World

by Patricia Kennedy Helman
music by Reed Graiz

Didn't the world shine?

Like any world

invaded by Light
Didn't the world shine

on that long ago night?

Didn't Joseph beam?

Like any father

who had seen the Light
Didn't Joseph beam

on that long ago night?

3. Didn't Mary glow?

Like any mother
who had brought forth Light
Didn't Mary glow
on thai long ago night?

4. Didn't Jesus sparkle?

Like any Son
Who came as Light
Didn't Jesus sparkle
on that long ago night?

5. Didn't the world shine?

Like any world

invaded by Light

Didn't the world shine

on that long ago night?

Copyright ^ 1979 by Patricia Kennedy Helman and Reed Gralz

The songs and symbols of this season may cause us to miss the reality of Christmas. An
Anglican minister, Trevor Huddleston, described an experience in Sofiatown near Johan-
nesburg, South Africa, which awakens us to awareness that this is not an occasion for
escape but a call to faith and work. Huddleston recalls the visit of several black Africans
who had returned home after work to find the roofs stripped from their shacks:

"I went with them to see for myself and found a woman in labor under the winter
stars that night. 'There was no room for them at the inn' — and so, on a winter night in
Bethlehem nearly two thousand years ago, the Son of God had entered His world in the
bleak and barren shelter of the stable. It has come back to me again and again in the
richest city of the southern hemisphere just how easily man can reject the Christ he pro-
claims to worship. But in that dejected little group in Edith Street, the picture of
Bethlehem and the rejection there, came to life. It has never left me and I pray it never
will. I think that the carols, beautiful as they are, of our day, can distort the truth: can
be a dangerous escape from the realities of the Christian faith if we do not remember
that, in fact, God's entry into the world was unwelcomed and uncared for when it hap-
pened: that 'He came unto His own and His own received him not.'"'

MONDAY, DECEMBER 24

Today, tonight, we remember "Silent Night."
The memory of that birth, that time, that place
speaks to us, saying:

"God's undeserved kindness has burst upon us,
bringing healing for all humanity."

We have read the papers and heard the news.

There is much to shame us in what we have done to one another;

and in what we have failed to do and say

to bring kindness and hope and healing.

This is a time for silence

and also a time to break silence — to break

— our mute consent to injustice for the powerless

— the stillness of indifference

— the quietness of bitter isolation

— and the apathy that consents to hunger in other homes.

Christ comes always

all the way across the "communication gap"

between God's love and our life.

Let us now go into Christmas

that always and in all ways in our life

Christ may appear

in birth which brings healing —

the ground of our hope —

the starlight that has come

all the way into the stable-cave and the tomb-cave

and into our darkness too.

December 1979 messenger 21

HRISTMAS DAY

DECEMBER 25

Sing Ye All Hosanna

by Steve Engle

1 . Twas a frosty winter morn when the Holy
Babe was born

In a manger so rough and bare.

But the Child was safe and warm; He was

sheltered from life's storm
By the mother love — kindled there.

2. Came three wise men from afar, being

guided by that star,

Over Bethlehem it came to rest.

There they found the Babe and knelt, bear-
ing gifts of precious wealth:

OfPring gold and myrrh and frankincense.

3. Virgin Mary soft and mild, bending o'er the
sleeping Child:

Did she know the hymn the angels sang?
And the joy he was to bring to a world

long suffering:
Of peace and love to ev'ry land.

4. Centuries have now gone by since our
glorious Savior died.

Sisters, brothers, if you're wondering.
In this sinful world of ours you can walk

beneath the stars.
If you'll Hsten hear the angels sing.

Chorus: Sing ye all hosanna! Sing allelulia!
Glory to God, Peace on earth, to

all good will!
Sing ye all hosanna! Sing alleluia!
Glory to God. Peace on earth, to

all good will!

Copyright " 1979 by The Brethren Press
(Number 73 in The Brethren Songbook)

In The Genesee Diary, Henri Nouwen recounts a period in his life of renewal through the
simplicity of life in a monastery. He writes of Christmas:

"What can I say on a night like this? It is all very small and very large, very close
and very distant, very tangible and very elusive. I keep thinking about the Christmas
scene that Anthony arranged under the altar. This probably is the most meaningful 'crib'
I have ever seen. Three small wood-carved figures made in India: a poor woman, a poor
man and a small child between them. The carving is simple, nearly primitive. No eyes, no
ears, no mouths, just the contours of the faces. The figures are smaller than a human
hand, nearly too small to attract attention at all. But then — a beam of light shines on the
three figures and projects large shadows on the wall of the sanctuary. That says it all.
The light thrown on the smallness of Mary, Joseph and the Child projects them as large,
hopeful shadows against the walls of our life and our world. While looking at the in-
timate scene we already see the first outlines of the majesty and glory they represent.
While witnessing the most human of human events, I see the majesty of God appearing
on the horizon of my existence. While being moved by the gentleness of these three peo-
ple, I am already awed by the immense greatness of God's love appearing in my world.
Without the radiant beams of light shining into the darkness there is little to be seen. I
might just pass by these three simple people and continue to walk in darkness. But
everything changes with the light."' D

Charles R. Simmons is pastor of First United Methodist Church, Ventura, Calif.

'Frederick Buechner, Peculiar Treasurers: A Biblical Who's Who, Harper and Row, 1979, p. 39.

^Dag Hammarskjold, Markings. Alfred A. Knopf. 1964, p. 205.

'Jerome Holtzman, No Cheering in the Press Box, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973, pp. 92-93.

'The Selected Poems of Gabriela Mistral, translated by Langston Hughes, Indiana University Press, 1963.

'John Erskine, "Kings and Stars," quoted in Christ and the Fine Arts, ed. Cynthia Pearl Maus. Harper & Bros.,

1959.
'Trevor Huddleston, Naught for Your Comfort, MacmiUan, 1963, p. 32.
'Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Genesee Diarv: Report From a TrappisI Monastery, Doubleday & Company, Inc.,

1976, pp. 190-191.

22 MESSENGER December 1979

(Continued from page 15)
literally. In these December days we look
forward to the celebration of the coming
of Christ. But it is not merely a matter of
getting ready for Christmas. Advent
reminds us that we are called to awaken
to the coming of God in Christ breaking
into time. The first entrance and the last
are in the message of Advent. We cannot
remember the Christ who came without
living today in the light of the Christ who
is to come. The fulfillment of the pro-
phetic promises in Jesus are for us the call
to Hve faithfully. Now. From that new
beginning in Bethlehem the end shall have
its meaning.

Creches made out of native materials
with the particular gifts of carvers, potters
and artists attempt to say "Christ is born
among us."

The marvelous mixture of music,
legend, poetry and great paintings also
says to us that the wonder of it is beyond
our words. The mystery that is expressed
in Advent and Christmas is unfolded first
in the simplest of tales, but they tell us
that in this Coming everything has
changed.

As we enter into the season let us never
forget that this wonder is not a fantasy,
though it may be expressed in myth and
music. Let us never fall prey to the de-
lusion that this is winter madness which is
only an interruption in the way things
really are. Yes, this is the time for dreams
and imagination, for glory and for ab-
solutely amazing light to come into our
midst. But in it God speaks the true word,
gives real meaning for all time.

Angels are in the accounts, but so are
closed doors and stable smells. There are
not only the marvelous star and the
heavenly voices but also the human
doubts and troubled questioning. Jesus
Christ was born. Born, not ushered in
with a palace guard or delivered from
space. The birth includes fear and pain.
This helpless newborn infant is born in a
West Bank town to a displaced couple.
The story includes not only Luke's
shepherds and Matthew's wise men, but
also Herod. The threat of violence and
the reality of death was there.

God did not wait, and will not wait,
until we have cleaned up our act and
prepared the house for the perfect party.
He came and He comes . . . ready or not.
So let's not tie all our preparations to one
day. Advent is the time when we are sum-
moned to be, right now, part of the
kingdom which we hope and pray for. We
are alreadv in what is to come. D

(Continued from page 14)
tered La Verne College and finished his
first year.

In 1923 Howard completed his B.A. at
Manchester in chemistry and all pre-med
requirements. During his senior year,
Edith Mae Gump, a neighbor from home,
entered Manchester. Both Howard and
Edith became actively engaged in the
Volunteer Mission Band in college.

Edith had been interested in missions
since she was five, having had contact
with China missionaries George Hilton
and Mary Schaeffer and children of India
missionary Wilbur B. Stover. And later,
at Manchester, she heard Albert Helser
speak of his work in Nigeria.

"From that day there was no doubt in
my mind about what and where I wanted
to serve," Edith said.

After graduation, Howard taught two
years in Montana and two in Indiana,
during which time he asked Edith to
meu'ry him and "go wherever the Lord
leads." They were married in June 1926.

Life was good as Howard worked for
and received his M.D. degree. Yes, life
was good, but Howard questioned, "Now
what. Lord?"

Just before Howard's graduation from
medical school, Manchester president
Otho Winger spoke on missions in the
Pleasant Hill church in Indiana. As soon
as the service was finished, Howard
rushed to Winger and asked, "Is there

The road to the church and medical building (left) lined with patients and guests. Efforts of
"Doc" Bosler and the hospital staff (above) made the leprosarium "the greatest evangelistic
influence in the Brethren mission program. "

any place you need a doctor and a
teacher? Appalachia maybe?" Without
hesitation, Winger replied, "Howard, we
need you in Africa."

"I rushed over to the women's side of
the church and asked Edith if she would
be willing to go to Africa."

"But you have no license to practice
medicine yet; you don't even have your
diploma."

"Mr. Winger doesn't care. He says we're
to go now!"

The young couple arrived in Garkida,
Nigeria, September 1931.

"The first three years were frustrating,"
Howard recalls. "I had to perform surgery
which I had never seen done before. I
diagnosed tropical diseases with which 1
had had no previous experience. I had lit-
tle time to study the Bura language. I felt
the great gap in our cultures and ways of
thinking. My prayer was often, 'Lord,
show me the way!'

"Under such intense pressure of caring
for the multitude, however, I grew spirit-
ually. I felt that if the Africans were to
know our Lord and Savior, they needed to
see Christ through me — as an example of
faithful Christian day-to-day living."

This desire gave Howard such calmness
and joy in these frustrating situations,
that the Africans began to call him "the
laughing doctor."

For part of the time, Howard was
medical administrator of Garkida
Hospital, as well as doctor and dentist to
the many missionaries and their children.
At times he was the only doctor within a
hundred miles. His work also took him
into villages beyond Garkida. Snake bites,
deliveries and meningitis called him into
Nigerian homes at all hours.

But the work which won Howard the
most distinction was at the Leper Colony.
It began with a handful of lepers willing to
walk the many miles (some as many as 150)
to live in the colony, away from family and
friends, to receive injections of medicine.
Leprosy was cured ("arrested") slowly so
patients lived at the colony several years.
But as other lepers witnessed the help their
friends received, they too joined the grow-
ing group. By 1950, when the Boslers
retired from the mission field, 2,000 per-
sons were being treated annually.

"This has been a great day," Howard
wrote in 1933. "We again injected the
lepers. To handle a group of 400 people
and keep them acting intelligently so it
might all get done in a day and also that I
can hold my patience with the excep-
tionally contrary ones, 1 find a great task!
And when I come and take a bath, I feel
like a rag the rest of the evening. But
after it is all done, one gets a great joy
out of it, for it is helping people on a
great scale and I think God is with us in
such work. It is a terrible, awful disease."

The Leper Colony was a large under-
taking. It had developed into a 500-acre
farm colony where the patients could
work their farms (if physically able), and
sell their produce. A large orchard sup-
plied fruit to the patients. A well-
organized system of government within
the colony helped maintain order among
the many tribes represented.

Edith supervised the elementary school
with more than 350 pupils, training the
teachers through lesson plans she had
drawn up, often teaching classes of
religious education herself. She was the
colony treasurer and at times supervised
(Continued on page 30)

December 1979 messenger 23

Song of a Uuc believer

Read: Luke 1:5-80

We dare call Zechariah a man of faith.
He was a witness to his community, not
just because he was a priest, but as a per-
son who kept the commandments. He was
indeed a true believer. He believed fully
and completely in God.

But he had a harder time believing in
himself, and that gave him a bit of trou-
ble. It happened when an angel told him
that he, old man that he was, and his
wife, just as old, would have a child.

That was just too much to believe. He
could trust in God, and in that he set an
example for everyone. But to believe in
God working through people, and
especially that God would work through
him, well, that taxed his belief to the
limit.

But he was given nine months of silence
to work that one through. And once the
miracle happened with the birth of a child
called John and the people asked, "What
then will this child be?" (Luke 1:66),
Zechariah began to speak. In fact, he
found that he had a lot to say and a lot to
sing about. He sang in words from the
Old Testament, words that showed just
what he believed and how much he be-
lieved it.

But had he learned to believe in people
as much as he believed in God?

Let's look at the poem that he left for
us, a song of blessing which has been
called Benedictus, after the Latin for
blessing. His hymn (Luke 1:68-79) carries
on the convictions of Magnificat, the song
of Mary, Elizabeth and Hannah (Luke
1:46-55). For, like them, Zechariah praises
the new order and the new society of
which the child born into his house will be
the forerunner.

Zechariah also gave depth and defini-
tion to the song of the angels, especially
to the meaning of the words "on earth
peace among men with whom he is
pleased" (Luke 2:14). All the biblical
songs of Christmas move around this
angels' song, for it is God's song and
represents God's intention.

Salvation is the theme of the song by
Zechariah. God had visited and redeemed
His people. God had set His people free,
working through a mighty Savior who
came from the house of David.

He saw the salvation event in the stir-
ring drama of the Exodus — the people
crossing the Red Sea, escaping from their
enemies engulfed in the waters or left
behind on the other shore. He believed
the word of "holy prophets from of old"
who had given the promise of God "that
we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all those who hate
us" (Luke 1:71).

o.

'ne of these prophets was the psalmist
who told of people "saved . . . from the
hand of the foe, and delivered . . . from
the power of the enemy. And the waters
covered their adversaries; not one of them
was left" (Ps. 106:10, 11). When people
are in trouble, that's the kind of salvation
that they want — a saving that's complete
and final.

Such redemption has a purpose: "That
we, being delivered from the hand of our
enemies, might serve him without fear, in
holiness and righteousness" (Luke 1:74,
75). The people God has rescued live in a
new way and with new power. Zechariah
talked about and knew power.

God, he said, "has raised up a horn of
salvation for us in the house of his servant

David" (Luke 1:69), referring to the
Messiah and to Jesus who was to come
from the house of David (Luke 1:32).

The horn of salvation is a figure of
speech for the power of the Messiah. The
psalmist says that God will cause "a horn
to sprout for David" (Ps. 132:17). This vi-
sion includes a glimpse of a new order
that has special meaning for the poor, for
God says that when he comes to dwell in
his Jerusalem, "I will abundantly bless her
provisions; I will satisfy her poor with
bread" (Ps. 132: 15) -a phrase that
reminds us of Mary's praise for the bread
that comes with the new Jesus economics
(Luke 1:53).

In the new moral order, people will be
saved from their sins. John, the forerun-
ner of the Messiah, will "give knowledge
of salvation to his people in the
forgiveness of their sins" (Luke 1:77).

The new order will be greeted with
much joy. The day of salvation comes
"when the day shall dawn upon us from
on high" (Luke 1:78). When the "day-
spring will visit," according to an alternate
reading found in some margins and foot-
notes, the people will rejoice. So, the
prophets proclaimed: "Arise, shine; for
your light has come, and the glory oi the
Lord has risen upon you" (Is. 60:1).

But it remained to Malachi to show us
how rousing the coming of the light and
the new life in Christ could be: "You shall
go forth leaping like calves from the stall"
when "the sun of righteousness shall rise,
with healing in its wings" (Mai. 4:2).

Isaiah put music into the theme when
he wrote, "The people who walked in
darkness have seen a great light; those
who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on
them has light shined" (Is. 9:2).

Zechariah took this theme to describe

Zechariah had a lot b sing abou

24 MESSENGER December 1979

"The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness, " by 1 7th
century Italian artist Giovanni Barbieri symbolizes the
beginning of Advent. Zechariah praised in song the new
order and the new society of which his son John would
be the forerunner.

the purpose of the new order: "to give
Hght to those who sit in darkness and in
the shadow of death" (Luke 1:79). Thus
Jesus also spoke of his own ministry as
one of "recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at Uberty those who are oppressed"
(Luke 4:18). And that became the sign of
the "acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke
4:19), year of Jubilee and the "way of
peace" (Luke 1:79) in the last words of
Zechariah's song. The old systems of the
world have been replaced with the new
life in Christ and a new order.

That was the stuff of Zechariah's faith.
He rejoiced in it and so do we. It's the
way God planned it and God is putting
the plan to work. But Zechariah couldn't
sit by and watch it happen. He had to put
himself into the thick of the action. The
carrying out of this salvation plan depend-
ed on Zechariah and on Zechariah's son,
John (later to be called "the Baptist").
"And you, child, will be called the proph-
et of the Most High; for you will go
before the Lord to prepare his ways, to
give knowledge of salvation to his people"
(Luke 1:76, 77).

Zechariah, after those long nine months
of silence, came to see what he might
otherwise have overlooked: God's new
salvation community includes people who
will serve other people. Some will be
priests and prophets, but many will be or-
dinary people and people who will con-
sider themselves too old or too tired or
even too busy. God has work for all such
believers in the new order of living that
Christ's coming created.

It takes a true believer to believe this,
but a real believer to give life to that
faith. D

Maynard Shelly is a Mennonile free lance writer
from Newton, Kan.

ou Maunard Sh^

December 1979 messenger 26

J. S. Bach: Joy to the

by Steve Simmons

THE JOY OF BACH, a Lutheran Film
Associates production. Executive producer,
Robert E. A. Lee, produced by Lothar Wolff.
Directed by Paul Lammers. Written by Allan
Sloane.

We have seen the word "joy" exploited
lately — linked with cooking, sex and
numerous other activities. Granted, those
can all be justified, but a truly legitimate
use of the word is its application to Bach
and the sensations one feels listening to
his music.

The Lutheran Film Associates have
done that with "The Joy of Bach," an
hour-long public broadcasting special to
be telecast December 23 at 8 p.m. (time
and date may vary in a few places). LFA
executive secretary Robert E. A. Lee
terms the production, "a musical
Christmas gift to the American
people — and it is our hope that the pro-
duction will become a perennial television
favorite."

The program is an international salute
to the influence of Johann Sebastian Bach
on serious and popular music over two
centuries. "Joy" tells the story of the
musical genius and shows how his music is
appreciated today in churches, concert
halls and even discos.

Since joy was chosen as the dominant
motif of the program, a major goal of the
program is to communicate that joy to a
public unacquainted with the magic and
energy Bach's music possesses — to share
him with those who find his genius high
brow and unattainable.

To not only show the historical Bach,
(composer, organist, organ tester, director
of church music in Leipzig, court musi-
cian and family man), but to also il-
lustrate the power his music still wields,
the producers have mixed vignettes of
Bach's life with artists performing his
works. Bach is played by British actor
Brian Blessed ("Blessed is Bach") who also
serves as host. Thus the production has a
"counterpoint" approach; snatches of the
life of the Lutheran composer interspersed
with segments illustrating the broad range
and use of Bach's music from his lifetime
to today.

The Church of the Brethren uses Bach
to good extent and he is well represented

26 MESSENGER December 1979

in The Brethren Hymnal as both com-
poser and harmonizer. "With Happy
Voices Singing" and "O Joyous Easter
Morning" share the same tune. Bach's
famous "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" is,
of course, included. "Oh, How Is the
Time So Urgent" forms the most unique
tie of Bach to Brethren, featuring Bach's
music to the words of Alexander Mack
(the two were contemporaries). Of the
nine hymns Bach is associated with in the
hymnal, he is composer of five and har-
monizer for four.

"Joy" pays special attention to the way
Bach compositions have held their
popularity to the present time, as the
music is presented through individual art-
ists, choirs, ensembles and dance.

In selecting pieces for inclusion, the
producers searched Bach's repertoire for
both sacred and secular music (Bach made
no distinction between the two) and use
organ and other keyboard works, choral,
instrumental, ensemble and solo work.
There are also examples of cantatas, the
Brandenburg Concerti, the passions,
chorales, dance music and, of course,
some of Bach's "greatest hits," "Jesu, Joy
of Man's Desiring," "Bist du bei mir,"

"Sheep May Safely Graze" and the "Toc-
cata and Fugue in D minor."

Performers in the production include,
Yehudi Menuhin, Jean-Pierre Rampal,
Rosalyn Tureck, Christopher Parkening,
Swingle II, the Canadian Brass, Larry
Adler, Virgil Fox, the Brooklyn Boys
Choir and Andre Benichou.

Filming took place in five countries, in-
cluding Bach locales in East Germany.
Much of the filming was done at original
settings, as the St. Thomas church in
Leipzig (where Bach was cantor) and the
Leipzig city hall. Other historical se-
quences filmed in the German Democratic
Republic were at Dessau, Forcheim,
Potsdam and Roetha.

Since most of the audience would not
have an acquaintance or knowledge of
Bach and his music, Lee realized that the
pictures would have to capture their atten-
tion. One of Lee's concerns was to keep his
audience watching and not simply listening
to Bach music on television. To help
viewers share in the joy, performers were
filmed in innovative styles and locales.

Harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler was
filmed at Bank Street School in Manhat-
tan, surrounded by children as he per-

"The Joy of Bach, " to be telecast December 23, includes vignettes from his life such as
Bach's (Brian Blessed) stint as instructor of the St. Thomas Boy's Choir in Leipzig.

world

formed his own arrangement of "Sicilliano
from Sonata 2 in E flat for flute and
harpsichord."

Violinist Yehudi Menuhin is photo-
graphed playing in the music room of his
Highgate, London, home. The camera
moves in from the garden at twilight and
peers through a lighted window before
showing the face of the rapt performer.

Classical guitarist Christopher Parken-
ing, who studied with master Andres
Segovia, performs "Sheep May Safely
Graze" against the snow-capped moun-
tains and streams near his ranch in Mon-
tana. Segovia claimed it would be impossi-
ble to transcribe the work satisfactorily
for guitar, but Parkening was successful
by retuning his instrument for the work.
A background of water from the moun-
tain stream is appropriate for the pastoral
quality of Bach's music.

Flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal is
discovered atop the red and blue Pom-

pidou Center in Paris. He stands in the
breeze, with the roof-tops of Paris and
the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop lost in the
"Boure6 Anglaise from the Sonata in A
minor for unaccompanied flute."

Designed primarily as an entertainment
for television, the production, according
to Lee, also "communicates something of
the profound spirituality that people have
discovered in Bach's music."

He feels Bach's faith is already present
in the religious dimension and gospel con-
tent of the music. In dramatic sequences.
Bach is shown as a perfectionist — an artist
who dedicates his manuscripts with the in-
scription SDG — Soli Deo Gloria, Glory to
God Alone — and insists that music and
worship be as perfect as possible.

I yiithpran Film Associates broke into
commercial films 25 years ago with the
film Martin Luther. Bach, considered the

second most influential Lutheran in
history, was chosen as a sequel.

Difficulties with scripts and treatments
left the project on the shelf until 1973
when LFA went to work. Funding was
provided by the Lutheran Brotherhood,
The American Lutheran Church, the
Lutheran Church in America and The
George Gund Foundation.

Lee and the LFA are hoping the pro-
gram will not only acquaint audiences
with the 18th century composer, but bring
him to contemporary people who
sometimes shy away from the stuffed-shirt
images his name conjures.

There is no hard-sell to remind viewers
of Bach's motivating Christian faith, but
"The Joy of Bach" presents his words and
music in the same tone as Christ when he
comforted his disciples, "So you have sor-
row now, . . . your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy from you"
(John 16:22). D

Counting'Wb Cost

The Life of Alexander Mack ^ ^ ^^^

The documented story of an eighteenth century Anabaptist whose con-
science led to a separation with the established church.

Although Alexander Mack preferred not to be known as the founder of
the German Baptist Brethren, it is clear that from his spirit and conviction
came the impetus and direction for the family of churches now commonly
referred to as the "Brethren."

"I am enthusiastic about the publication of a biography of Mack," com-
ments Brethren historian Donald Durnbaugh. "We have really done little to
perpetuate his memory. A study of his life is not only worthwhile, but it is also
essential for understanding the Brethren."

The volume was thoroughly researched through a ten year pilgrimage
in which the author literally traced Mack's footsteps from Schriesheim to
Germantown.

"This book," writes Willoughby, "is an interpretation of Mack's life, of the
impact of that life upon many other people, and of the subtle changes he
made in his style of leadership. Throughout his life Mack pursued a dream— a
dream which never dimmed, although his understanding of it was con-
tinuously modified by new insight and experience."

$9.95 cloth; $6.95 paper; plus 7% postage & handling

The Life of Alexander Mack

Counting
WeCoi

The documented story ot an eighteenth centory

Anabaptist whose conscience led to a separjlton

with the established church :

The Brethren Pre//

1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120

December 1979 messenger 27

m%©m(mi

Early in the 50s, Moody Monthly printed
an article which ended with the ringing
call, "If biblical Christianity is to survive
the present world upheaval, we shall need
to recapture the spirit of worship. We
shall need to have a fresh revelation of
the greatness of God and the beauty of
Jesus. We shall need to put away our
phobias and our prejudices against the
deeper life and seek again to be filled with
the Holy Spirit. He alone can raise our
cold hearts to rapture and restore again
the art of true worship."

Thirty years later, the renewal of wor-
ship in the church is still high on the
agenda. Some recent resources which may
be of help to you and your congregation
are mentioned in this article. Keep in
mind that much of the best writing on
worship renewal is being done today by
those denominations which have a long
liturgical tradition, Lutheran, Episcopal
and Roman Catholic. While our own
understanding of worship differs from
theirs in some respects, reading what they
have to say is of great benefit as we
rethink our own traditional worship.

History and Theology

Pastors and ministers within congregations
will be interested in some books on the
background history and theology of wor-
ship. One of the good offerings in this
field is The Future Present (by Marianne
Micks, Seabury, 1970. $4.95). It is a
heavy book and 10 years old, but Micks

28 MESSENGER December 1979

has explored the whole range of worship
and pointed to many of the elements
which have become a part of worship ex-
perience in our churches.

Worship as Pastoral Care (by William
H. Willimon, Abingdon, 1979. $9.95) ex-
plores worship from a direction we usually
overlook. Dr. Willimon attempts to in-
tegrate the roles of pastor and priest. He
points to many areas where the resources
of pastoral care and counseling can enrich
worship life and how, in turn, the liturgy
of the church can serve as a form of
counsel and pastoral care. Definitely a
recommended book.

Two magazines are recommended for
continuing study of worship. Worship is
published bimonthly as the organ of the
North American Academy of Liturgy. It
contains a minimum of actual worship
aids, but concentrates on theology of wor-
ship. Modern Liturgy appears eight times
a year and, while it does have some ar-
ticles on the theology of worship, contains
more resources and articles on how to go
about it. It is Roman Catholic in orienta-
tion, but its resources are for all.

Planning and Learning

Worship committees as well as pastors will
be interested in the new book of worship
resources. We Gather Together ($14.95),

published this past summer by The
Brethren Press. In a loose-leaf binder are
more than 200 pages of Brethren authored
suggestions and resources for worship
committees. Already it has been received
with enthusiasm among the Brethren. A
copy ought to be in your church library.

Worship committees will also be in-
terested in the book Liturgy as Life-
Journey (by Wilham B. Oden, Acton
House, 1976. $4.95). After a sound in-
troductory chapter, the book consists of
worship resources for the year following
the lectionary of the United Methodist
Church. Preparing the Way of the Lord
(Abingdon, 1978. $6.95) and the resource
book which goes with it, Cod-With-Us,
(Abingdon, 1979. $5.95) are two books by
Miriam Therese Winter, composer of the
popular song "Joy Is Like the Rain." These
books will be appreciated by persons
responsible for worship in a congregation.
In addition to her usable resources and
study of how to go about preparing a wor-
ship service. Sister Winter approaches the
more difficult topic of learning to worship.

Teaching ourselves to worship is also
the theme of Don't Waste Your Time in
Worship, an excellent new book by James
Christensen (Revell, 1978. $5.95). It is a
worship handbook for worshipers and
ought to be required reading for member-
ship classes.

\ PREP-'

'**v?gf«cst

Music and Children

Remember resources for special interests
within the congregation. For music leaders
and ministers, Ministry and Music by
Robert Mitchell (Westminster Press, 1978.
$5.95) is a worthy companion to the older
Music and Worship in the Church (by
Lovelace and Rice, Abingdon, 1976.
$12.95 revised and enlarged) which is also
available in a revised edition making it
more valuable than ever.

For those who have responsibility for
worship where only children are involved,
one new resource is Everything You Need
for Children's Worship (Except Children)
(by Jack White, St. Anthony Press, 1978.
$3.25). Again, this is one of the exciting
new resources from the Roman Catholic
Church, but with the exception of one
worship service for a "Saint's Day," the
book is quite usable by Brethren congre-
gations.

Joy and Dedication

Thinking about what goes on in our wor-
ship, needs to continue among us if we
are to move toward making the Sunday
morning congregational worship a great
"shout of joy" which entails offering
ourselves "as a living sacrifice to God,
dedicated to his service and pleasing to
him."— Bob Bowman

Bob Bowman is Parish Ministries staff for worship
and heritage resources.

by Patricia Kennedy Helman

The pilgrim is a wanderer . . . over the highways, on the byways, through the skyways of
life . . . and as she wanders, her thoughts meander along.

• God came down to us in a storm of glory ... the surprised stars shook in the winter
sky ... the angelic host filled the heavens with a treasure of sound . . . gloriously new and
unforgettable to all who heard it.

God was embodied.

The Word became flesh.

"The abstract became concrete.

The universal became local."

The all-wise, all-seeing, all-powerful
God is really a small bundle of de-
pendent protoplasm, wrapped in
swaddling clothes.

His face is the tender, trusting face of a
child.

God's high hand of command is the
tiny fist of a helpless baby.

The Voice of Yahweh is an infant cry-
ing in a manger.

Alpha and Omega is one hour old.

That which was hidden is seen.

The unknown becomes known.

God gives His Son as a gift of Love.

The Gift is a beginning again.

"The language of law becomes the lan-
guage of love."

"The old order ... the ancient hatreds

are broken by the gift of embodiment."

The Word became flesh and dwelt
among us. . . . "The human image
... the mirror of our divinity is re-
stored."*
In the new birth ... in the restoration
... is our hope of a mysterious sec-
ond birth —
To broken spirits
To lost souls
To families split asunder
To relationships gone sour
To alienation between the genera-
tions
To a torn, bruised, longing world.
He comes . . . and in His com-
ing is the possibility that each
of us may have a spiritual
birthday.
In our spiritual renascence, we become
heirs of the most glorious legacy . . .
a legacy of Love.
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!

• Even though the energy crisis is a reality, Christmas lights will again burn brightly in
America this year. The lights of the world may fluctuate in their dimness or brightness, but the
Lumen Christi — the Light of Christ — will always dispel the darkness.

• To celebrate Christmas in the City of God would be to sit at the table knowing that all of
God's family had food ... to warm myself at the fireside, knowing all of God's children were
warm ... to walk in freedom, knowing that all of God's children were free.

• Years ago Pilgrim's 2 Vi -year-old daughter was helping put up the creche. As she placed
the various figures she named them, saying, "This is Baby Jesus, this is the IVIary, this is the
Joseph." When she came to the wise men she looked puzzled, then brightened up and said,
"One baby sitter, two baby sitters, three baby sitters."

• One of the nicest gifts I received came as a complete surprise. I was looking out my
kitchen window one spring morning and a glorious host of daffodils had appeared in the
woods. After some sleuthing I discovered two dear friends had surreptitiously planted a basket
of bulbs in the fall and waited patiently for me to be surprised. How about a real "surprised by
joy" gift for someone this Christmas?

• How grateful I am to have this special time when I can come to the manger and bow
down in adoration before Him who gives meaning to every hour of my life. Hearts are captured
again by the haunting drama of Bethlehem . . . the manger becomes a throne. And if a manger
can become a throne, cannot darkness become light, hate become love, defeat become victory,
death become life? We live in hope. May that spirit of hope attend a joyous holy season.

See you on the journey — p. k.h.

• To Dr. David Martin, London, England, friend and teacher, I'm indebted for quota-
tions which appear in the opening statement.

E>ecember 1979 messenger 29

Looking for a peace-oriented portfolio?
Consider

PAX W«»RLD FUND

(a no-load mutual fund seeking Income and long-term growth)
"The Fund endeavors through its investment objectives to mal<e a
contribution to world peace . . . "—from Prospectus.
Pax World is a no-load, diversified income fund designed primarily for
those who wish to invest in life supportive products and services.
The policies of Pax World include investing in:
-non war-related industries.

— firms with fair employment practices.

— some companies abroad which contribute to the standard of
living of developing nations.

Securities are available for sale in: California, the District of Columbia,
Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New
jersey. New York, and Washington. Minimum initial investment is $250.

A prospectus containing more complete information about PAX WORLD FUND, including
all charges and expenses, will be sent upon receipt of this coupon. Read it carefully before
you invest. Send no money.

To:

PAX WORLD FUND, INC.

224 State Street

Portsmouth, N.H. 03801

Please send me a free prospectus and other information on Pax World Fund.

Name

Address

City, Zip

Occupation Tel. No.

p)[r(2]y#F (g(o]D©[riidl(o]F

December Prayer Calendar

December 2-8: Pray for Brethren Volunteer Service workers Sandra Mason and
Burdene Stauffer serving at Hospital Castaiier, Puerto Rico.

Remember these Brethren Volunteer Service workers who will soon conclude
their assignments; Charles Schaefer at Krakow, Poland; Kenneth and Leona
Holderead at Esperanza School, Woodstock Home, Woodstock, 111.

December 9-15: Pray for these Brethren Volunteer Service workers on assignment:
Conni Nafzinger with the International Fellowship of Reconciliation in Holland; Scott
Lecrone, at Jericho in the Middle East; Carol Edelen in Dublin, Ireland.

December 16-22: Pray for Kristin Flory, BVSer in Deutsche Friedens-
gesellschaft/Vereinigte Kriegsdienstgegner (Germany).

Give support to Roger Schrock, former administrator of Nigeria's Lafiya pro-
gram, and his wife, Carolyn, as they prepare to work with the Sudan Council of Chur-
ches in developing a health system for the Upper Nile province of Sudan.

December 23-29: Uphold in prayer Ruby Rhoades who will assume her duties as ex-
ecutive secretary of the World Ministries Commission, Jan. 1, 1980.

Pray for James and Merle Bowman, at the Waka Schools, Biu, Nigeria.

While celebrating Christmas, remember to thank God for giving us a Savior.

December 30-January 5: Remember BVSer Mark Steury in Berlin, Federal Republic of
Germany.

Uphold in prayer Chet Thomas and Maria Anieta Thomas, World Ministries
Commission personnel serving in Guatemala city, Guatemala. D

30 MESSENGER December 1979

(Continued from page 23)
the nursery. In her "spare time" she
helped adults learn to read in several near-
by villages and also conducted school for
the missionary children.

By 1937 there were 600 lepers in the
colony and the number of Christians had
increased from 80 to 200. Edith
remembers, "The Leper Colony church
was a joy and inspiration. They were so
grateful and responsive to know that
someone cared for them. Over and over
they would say, 'In former times we never
met hke this except to fight. Now we sit
here as brothers and sisters. This is what
Jesus Christ has done for us.'"

In 1936 Howard wrote, "The church
building was built when there were about
100 cases in the colony. It was built to
hold 200 when full. Today there were 230
present, some sitting outside. We hope to
build a larger church next year, to hold
about 500 or 600."

It has been said that the Leper Colony
was the greatest evangelistic influence of
the entire Church of the Brethren mission
program, for these Christians returned to
their villages as farmers, teachers, medical
workers and evangelists.

As a result of his "devoted service to
lepers" Howard was awarded by King
George VI of Great Britain the coveted
Honorary O.B.E. medal and scroll
(Honorary Officer of the Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire). The
ceremony took place in the Nigerian
capital, Lagos, on June 28, 1950, and the

^

presentation was made by His Excellency,
Sir John McPherson, Governor-General
of Nigeria. This honor conferred upon
him the title of Howard Hosier, A.B.,
M.D., O.B.E.

Their last Sunday at the Leper Colony
was celebrated by a parade and a four-
hour church service. "They seemed to
have forgotten all our sins and weak-
nesses. Any good traits they intensified
under high-powered magnification. I'm
glad only two other missionaries were
present," Howard said.

One of the heartaches of the early mis-
sionaries was leaving their older children
in the States, since there were no school
facilities in Nigeria. So daughter Esther
Gene remained with her Gump grand-
parents after the Hosier's first tour, while
Howard and Edith returned to Nigeria
alone. Much to their joy, Cynthia Ann
was born in 1948, at the Leper Colony.

To build a new life upon returning
from the mission field is not easy. But the
Hosiers were eager to share the healing
ministry wherever they went. They settled
and worked in the Goshen, Ind., area for
14 years (1950-1964). While in general
practice there, Howard did most of his
own major and minor surgery, as well as
maternity cases. In the summer of 1958
the urge to again practice medicine at the
grass roots level took the Hosiers to Puer-
to Rico to work as volunteers in the
Castaner Hospital for several months.

During their stay in the Goshen area,
Howard represented the Church of the
Brethren on the Mennonite
Psychiatric Hoard to plan, fi-
nance and construct the Oak-
lawn Center at Elkhart, Ind.

From 1964 to 1972, Howard
and Edith were involved in still
another avenue of healing.
They worked at the Norman
Beatty Hospital for the men-
tally ill.

Nearly 50 years after going to
Nigeria the Boslers show few
signs of slowing down. Howard
returned to general practice
when they settled in Goshen,
Ind., and they volunteered in
Castaner Hospital in 1958.
From 1964-1972 "Doc" and
Edith worked with the criminal-
ly insane and with elderly men-
tal patients.

Howard says, "For five of those years I
worked with the criminally insane in max-
imum security. There was a case load of
530 people; 160 of them had committed
murder. There were five steel gates be-
tween the entrance and my office. It gave
me a strange feeling as each gate clanged
behind me. I felt vulnerable!"

After five years Howard requested a
transfer to the infirmary, where he worked
with 300 elderly mental patients "helping
the old forgotten cases to be happy." He
reflects, "This was a new challenge."

At the age of 73, when most persons
are "taking their ease," Howard had be-
come so entrenched in "giving" as a way
of life that he contracted with Goshen
General Hospital for service in the
emergency room for three years. During
this time, his desire to be up-to-date with
his treatments took him to seminars for
emergency medical care in Orlando, Fla.,
Ann Arbor, Mich., and Philadelphia,
Pa.

In 1975, Howard and Edith "retired" to
the Greencroft Mennonite Retirement
Home in Goshen.

And now, at 80, what are they doing?
Howard has been a volunteer for the past

two years, 20 hours a week, at "The
World Missionary Press" in New Paris,
Ind. His eyes light up with enthusiasm
and joy as he describes how they prepare
and mail Christian literature in 132 dif-
ferent languages to many countries of the
world. He often takes four or five
volunteers along to help.

For two years he has been conducting
free blood pressure clinics at the Goshen
Salvation Army every five weeks. He is
now serving his second three-year term on
the Greencroft Foundation Board.

To explain his latest project, Howard
smiles, glances at his watch and hurries
out the door, calling as he goes, "Six eve-
nings a week I feed wheelchair patients
here in the home. Can't be late for that,
you know!"

The Nigerians have a blessing they offer
departing guests: "May God go before
you and sweep the road clean." For
Howard and Edith Bosler the road has
been long and challenging, but God has,
indeed, gone before them, sweeping their
road clean. D

Mildred Hess Grimley is a freelance writer, a
former Nigeria missionary, and is a member of the
Brookville (Ohio) congregation.

CLASSIFIED ADS

TRAVEL— Grand Tour of Europe, including
Oberammergau Passion play, Schwarzenau,
and Kassel. June 16-July 7, 1980. Write Dr. J.
Kenneth Kreider, R.D. 3, Box 660, Elizabeth-
town, PA 17022.

TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE-See the Passion
play and spend 15 days touring Europe in July
1980. Join Anna Mow, Wendell Bohrer and
Joan Bohrer as your tour hosts. Visit Schwar-
zenau, Oberammergau, visit Worms, enjoy
river boat ride on the Rhine River and visit
Reformation Park in Geneva. (Price $1,499.)
For information write Wendell Bohrer, pastor,
96 Penrod St., Johnstown, PA 15902. (814)
536-1811 or (814) 266-2629.

TRAVEL— 15-day Alpine countries and Ober-
ammergau Passion play July 15, 1980. In-
quire immediately tor Passion play reserva-
tions. Write for brochure: Rev. Richard C.
Wenger, 314 E. Washington St., Huntington,
IN 46750. (219) 356-7983 collect.

TRAVEL-Juniata College Tours 1980:
Oberammergau Passion play, following Pitts-
burgh Annual Conference, 14 days. Includes
Bavaria, the Alps, Rhine Cruise, Berlin and
Prague. June 30 departure. Also, July 19
departure from Washington, D.C. for 17 days
to Paris, Oberammergau and the Passion
play, Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Lucerne,
Luxembourg, Moselle Valley, Marburg and
Schwarzenau. Harold B. Brumbaugh, host
conductor. Other scheduled tours: Caribbean
Cruise, South American and Galapagos
Islands and China. Information: Weimer-OTler

Travel Agency, Inc., 405 Penn St., Hun-
tingdon, PA 16652. Tel. (814) 643-1468.

WANTED— Registered Nurses, Licensed
Vocational Nurses— come to sunny California
to live and work. Casa de Modesto Retirement
Center has new 59-bed nursing wing. Need
RNs, LVNs. Large, community-based retire-
ment center; warm, caring service top prior-
ity. Church of the Brethren in Modesto; many
members residents, patients, employees or
volunteers at Casa de Modesto. Phone Felton
Daniels, Adm., (209) 529-4950, or write:
Felton Daniels, Adm., Casa de Modesto, 1745
Eldena Way, Modesto, CA 95350.

WANTED— Young people for truck drivers, 21
years or over, good driving record necessary,
Brethren preferred, but not required, would
also do warehouse work, loading and unload-
ing. Contact Eleanor Rowe, Director of Admin-
istrative Services, Brethren Service Center,
Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776, telephone
(301) 635-6464.

FOR SALE— Unique custom-built brick house.
Overlooks Bridgewater, Va. four-bedroom;
two-and-a-half baths; two fireplaces; recrea-
tion room; family room. Two-story workshop
with root cellar. One acre land. 100 Breeze-
wood Terrace, Bridgewater, VA 22812. Tel.
(703)828-3141.

Christ's rule encompasses every aspect of
lite. He is gathering a community and leading
it himself. Publishers of Truth, 1 S 147 Third
St., Lombard, IL 60148.

December 1979 messenger 31

Mmk]i(§j pm^M.'.

Licensing/
Ordination

Kelster, Sharon Louise, licensed
May 20, 1979, Buffalo Val-
ley, Southern Pennsylvania

Nye, Paul Edward, licensed
Aug. 19., 1979, Plymouth,
Northern Indiana

Spaeth, Ada M., licensed Aug.
20, 1979, Hollidaysburg,
Middle Pennsylvania

Pastoral
Placements

Bloom, Louis D., from Wiley
Ford, West Marva, to
Koontz, Waterside, Middle
Pennsylvania

Cassell, David, from other de-
nomination, to Weston, Ore-
gon/Washington

Calania, Robert, to Mount
Pleasant, Western Pennsyl-
vania

Driver, Brent, from secular, to
Auburn, Northern Indiana

Fasnacht, Everett M., from
missionary, India, to Peace
Valley, Southern Missouri

Fulk, Roy. from Oak Grove, Il-
linois/Wisconsin, to Girard.
Illinois/Wisconsin

Glass, Jeff, from Bethany The-
ological Seminary, to Clover-
dale, assistant pastor. Virlina

Kelster. Sharon L.. to Indian
Creek, Atlantic Northeast,
Director of Christian Nurture

Relnke, J. Herman, from Oli
vet. Southern Ohio, to White
Cottage, Southern Ohio, in
terim, part-time

Ridge, Arthur, from other de
nomination, to Enid, South
em Plains

Roberts, Donald E.. from Net
tie Creek. South/Central In
diana. to Lanark
Illinois/Wisconsin

Rowe, Devfey, from retirement
to Salkum. Oregon/Washing
ton

Shank, Walter E.. from Eden
Valley. Western Plains, to
Arcadia, Florida/Puerto
Rico, part-time

Thomas, Ralph F.. from Silver
Creek, Northern Ohio, to
Rice Lake, Illinois/Wisconsin

Toller, Thomas, from other de-
nomination, to Bakersfield.
Pacific Southwest

Waggoner, Wesley, from
secular, to Bowmont, Idaho

ZuckschwerdI, Otto, from
Muskegon, Michigan, to
Florence, Mich., Northern
Indiana

Wedding
Anniversaries

Bechtold, Mr. and Mrs. Jay,

Mount Morris, lU., 50
Burner, Mr. and Mrs. Mark,

Dixon, 111., 50
Dalzell, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur

C, Sidney, Ohio, 60
Detwiler, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry,

New Enterprise, Pa., 50
Doss, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth.

Roanoke, Va.. 50
English, Mr. and Mrs. Ray-
mond, Huntingdon, Pa., 60
Fitz, Mr. and Mrs. Robert,

Waynesboro, Pa., 59
Flora, Mr. and Mrs. Claude,

Roanoke, Va., 50
Grossnickle, Mr. and Mrs. C.

Elbert. Myersville. Md.. 64
Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil,

Glendora, Calif., 60
Klepinger, Mr. and Mrs. Ray-
mond, Englewood, Ohio, 50
Kline, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd A.

St., Anderson, Ind., 50
Kreig, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur,

Cerro Gordo, 111., 65
Kretchmen, Mr. and Mrs.

Alvin, Windber, Pa., 60
Lengel, Mr. and Mrs. Charles

H., Windsor. Colo.. 50
Livengood, Mr. and Mrs. Car-
ton, Bedford Pa., 50
Luper. Mr. and Mrs. Fred.

Rossville, Ind.. 59
Nobles, Mr. and Mrs. Carl,

Fort Wayne, Ind., 50
Rilchey, Mr. and Mrs. Delmar,

New Enterprise, Pa., 51
Roberts, Mr. and Mrs. Lyle,

Quintet, Kan., 50
Roth, Mr. and Mrs. Emmerson,

Rossville, Ind., 60
Sassetta, Mr. and Mrs. Joe,

Kent, Wash., 50
Semones, Mr. and Mrs. James

A., Roanoke, Va., 50
Shock, Mr. and Mrs. Emerson,

New Lebanon, Ohio, 51
Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. John,

New Enterprise, Pa., 50
Wareham, Mr. and Mrs. Paul,

Marlinsburg, Pa., 50
Wenger, Mr. and Mrs. Paul D.,

Leola, Pa., 55
Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Ray,

Tonasket, Wash., 50
Yeager, Mr. and Mrs. Ray-
mond, Chambersburg, Pa..

50

Deaths

Adams, Otto, 78, Eureka.

Calif., Aug. 8, 1979
Barr, Paul E., 79. Altoona, Pa..

June 18. 1979
Barrett. Freda. 75. Windber,

Pa., Sept. 1, 1979
Bechtel, Donald, 50, New

Enterprise, Pa., May 16, 1979
Bevington, Grace, 77, Council

Bluffs, Iowa, June 13, 1979
Bibbee, Helen, 78, Marion.

Ohio, June 24, 1979
Bollinger, Hiram B., 89,

Manheim, Pa., Aug. 20. 1979
Bomeman, Edith Z.. Royers-

ford. Pa.. May 12, 1979
Brower, Estella Virginia, 89,

South English, Iowa, July 5,

1979
Buckingham, Ada, 96, Cerro

Gordo, HI., July 13. 1979
Clair, Galen, 88, Lena, III., July

25, 1979
Cllne, Herman. 89. Port Re

public, Va., Aug. 22, 1979
Coffey, Goldie, 80, Girard, 111.

July 2. 1979
Cole, Abe, 71, Tonasket

Wash., Aug. 11, 1979
Coon, Essie, 81, Roanoke, Va.

July 31, 1979
Crowe, Dorothy Ann, 56, Cum

berland, Md., Aug. 16, 1979
DeCoursey, Frank J., 86, Nam

pa, Ida.. Aug. 17. 1979
Diehl, Clark. 88. Port Re

public, Va., Aug. 30. 1979
Donmoyer, Viola. 65. Lebanon

Pa.. July 5. 1979
Dove, Effie Carr, 87, Nokes

ville, Va., June 16, 1979
Eikenberry, Velma, 69, Green

ville, Ohio, April 12, 1979
Eshleman, David, 81, Ephrata

Pa., Aug. 14, 1979
Frantz, Hazel. 68. Eureka

Calif., Aug. 12, 1979
Gary, Silas, 71. Erie. Pa.,

7, 1979
Gibbel, Elizabeth W., 83,

Neffsville, Pa., Aug. 4. 1979
Gordon, Joseph C, 68, Mar-

tinsburg, Pa., July 16. 1979
Gottshall, Samuel M., 83. Har-

leysville, Pa., July 29, 1979
Groff, Elam N., 73, Mount

Joy, Pa., Aug. 2, 1979
Heck, George Sr., 58, Wood-
bury, Pa., May 19, 1979
Hilbert, Warren D., 63, Harri-
sonburg, Va., Aug. 19, 1979
Howerton, Frank, 94, Eden,

N.C., Aug. 4, 1979
Huje, Maude M., 74, La

Place. 111.. Aug. 20. 1979
Jones. Charlene Harris, 52,

Eden. N.C., Aug. 4, 1979
Kagarise, Mabel 1.. 77. Curry-

ville. Pa.. Aug. 4. 1979
Kauffman, Sadie, 96, Columbi-
ana, Ohio. June 19. 1979
Koenig, Katharine, 92, South

Bend, Ind., June 28, 1979
Kreilzer, Lottie. 81. Richmond.

Ind., Aug. 1, 1979
Lane, Mary Katherine, 64, New

Carlisle, Ohio, Sept. 8, 1979
Lashley, Daniel K., 65, Curry-

ville. Pa.. Sept. 1. 1979
Law, Maude E.. 90, DLxon, III.,

July 10, 1979
Layman, Cecil. 97, Peru, Ind..

July 19. 1979
Lineaweaver, Amy, 87, Ann-

ville. Pa.. April 1979
Lineaweaver, William H., 89,

Annville, Pa., July 13, 1979
Long, Howard C. 92, Roaring

Spring, Pa., July 18, 1979
Markey, Tillie, 95, York, Pa.,

June 25. 1979
Martin, Rhoda, 95, Mercers

burg. Pa., July 13, 1979
May, Adele, Port Republic,

Va.. Sept. 4. 1979
Mead, Alta Shafer, 73, Oak

wood, Ohio, June 1, 1979
Meyers. Eva Jane. 86. Water-
loo. Iowa, July 4, 1979
Miller, Fred. 73. Mercersburg,

Pa.. June 8, 1979
Moon, Howard, 86, North Li

berty. Ind., Aug. 31, 1979
Myers, Paul A., 76. York. Pa..

Aug. 14, 1979
Neff, Ida E., 85. Milford. Ind..

Aug. 18. 1979
Neskovich, Alex, 63. Lebanon.

Pa., June 19, 1979
Orendorf, Ronald, 34, Green

wood, Del., Aug. 19, 1979
Parker. Ina, 66, Cumberland

Md., Sept. 8. 1979
Patterson, Irene Susan, 86

Vale, W. Va., June 10, 1979
Poffenberger, Robert. 68. Polo

lU.. July 19. 1979
Rhodes, Lois, 72, Nampa, Ida.

Oct. 21, 1978
Roberts, Clarence H. 80, Cerro

Gordo, lU., Aug. 26, 1979
Robertson, Alwilda, 78, North

Liberty, Ind., June 10, 1979
Roeder, Roy, 66, Peoria, III.,

June 26, 1979
Rogers, Edyihe. 73. Roanoke.

Va., Feb. 24, 1979
Sawyer, Ethel Rebecca. 66, Sil-
ver Spring, Md., Aug. 1, 1979
Shalto, Lottie, 88. Sidney,

Ohio, July 25. 1979
Shue, Harvey E., 85, Man-
chester, Pa., July 12, 1979
Smith, Nancy Yager, 43. Col-

legeville. Pa.. June 23, 1979
Sollenberger. Betty M., 58.

Martinsburg. Pa.. June 24.

1979
Spessard. Keller, 94, McPher-

son, Kan., July 14. 1979
Stambaugh, Clara, 87. Spring

Grove. Pa., June 20, 1979
Statler, Margaret, 66, Windber,

Pa.. Oct. 5. 1979.
Stem, Newton P.. 48. Martins-
burg. Pa.. June 12. 1979
Stoner, Charles, 76. Greenville,

Ohio. March 10. 1979
Sullivan, Harn' E., 86, Thomas-

ville. Pa,, July 27, 1979
Thompson, Pearle C, 85, At-
lanta, Ga., Jan. 28, 1979
Walker, Grace. 82. Piqua.

Ohio, May 25. 1979
Walter, Roy W., 71, Lititz, Pa.,

July 2, 1979
Wampler, Jacob W., 73,

Wevers Cave, Va., June 6,

1979
Ward, Jeanne P.. 58, Marion,

Ohio, July 21, 1979
Weaver, Charles E., 76,

Manheim, Pa.. July 19. 1979
Wilhelm, Roy. 73, Lebanon.

Pa.. July 24. 1979
Williams, Kenneth. War-

rensburg, Ohio, June 19,

1979
Worley, Gertrude, 84, Han-
over, Pa., Aug. 30, 1979

32 MESSENGER December 1979

INDEX 1979

Listed on these pages are articles, poems, editorials, and
names of contributors which appeared m MESSENGER dur-
ing 1979- Classifications have been made according to author
and subject matter, Numbers indicate issue and page.

AUTHORS

Albright, Anne M 11-15

Archbold, Phill Carlos 5-33

Arn.Win 7-28

Asquith, Glenn 6-34, 9-22

Bailey, J. Martin 3-10

Baucher, Bob and Mary 8-10

Bhagat, Shantilal 5-10

Bieber, Charles M 8-19

Blake, Harriet Z. 3-2, 4-10, 714, 9-18, 10-34, 10-35

Blake, Robert P 8-31

Slough, Dorris 4-3, 9-25

Bowman, Bob 9-28, 12-28

Bowman, Christopher 7-18, 8-25

Bowman, Cordell 5-34

Bowman, John David 8-27

Bowman, Mary Jo 11-20

Bowman, Walter D 6-38

Boyer, Charles L 5-3

Brethren Revival Fellowship 6-24

Brown, Robert McAfee 112

Bucher, L. Gene 1-28

Buckwalter, Anita Smith 11-32

Carter, Karen S 4-18

Coffman, H. McKinley 7-13

Crouse, Merle 9-21

Davis, Jane 12-2

Davis, Joanne Nesler 9-24

Detrick, Ralph L 3-30

Dull, Joy 5-34

Durland, William 11-10

Early, Mary C 1-22

Eshbach, Theresa C 4-32

Farringer, Dean L 7-34

Fenner, Frances Holsopple 1-39, 4-12, 4-16

Fisher, Herbert A 1-27

Forbes, John 1-23

Forehand, Mary Anne 10-10

Fralin, L. Wayne 1-15

Frantz, Evelyn M 1-2

Frey, Esther 5-33

Fuller, Barbara 9-9

Gardner, Rick 4-29

Gibble, Ken 7-26, 10-18

Goldsmith, Dale 10-28

Grimley, Mildred Hess 3-18,5-2,11-2,12-13

Gross, Bob 5-30

Grout, Paul 2-18

Harms, Arlene 6-3

Harvey, Mary Ann 2-39

Heckman, Shirley J 1-30,2-28,6-22,9-17

Helman, Patricia K. 1-37, 2-31, 3-31, 4-35, 5-39,

6-41, 7-31,8-33,9-29, 10-33, 11-37, 12-29

Hess, Robert A 7-10

Hoover, Karen 5-33

Hoover, Stewart M 6-40, 8-32

Horning, Estella 5-16, 11-34

Jordan, Donald R 10-24

Katonah, Janine 5-42

Keeler, George 9-2

Keeler, Richard 3-13

Kieffaber, Alan 8-18, 8-28

Long, Inez 5-35

Lynn, Isabel M 9-16

Martin, Jan 3-2

McFadden, Barbara P 1-3

McFadden, W. Robert 6-25

Meyer, Matthew M 7-30

Miller, June A iO-26

Miller, Vernon F 7-2

Morse, Kenneth 1 5-18, 7-23

Myer, James F 5-35

Myers, Barbara 4-38

Norris, Glen 4-32, 5-45, 6-33, 7-38,

8-37,9-31, 10-30, 11-28, 12-30

Oilman, Berwyn 11-22

Pomeroy, Dave 2-30

Purden, Carolyn 4-24

Ramsey, Duane H 3-28

Rhoades, Nelda 2-23

Rieman, T.Wayne 10-15,11-18

Rock, Martin R 5-34

Ross, Jimmy R 1-21

Royer, Howard E 5-27, 11-12, 11-31

Rupel, La Von 2- 14

Schindler, Kurt H 2-3, 1 1-2

Scoltock, John 1-24

Scrogin, Michael 2-12

Shelly, Maynard 12-24

Shitflet,Ann 12-2

Shuler, Judith M 2-38

Sider, Ronald J 5-24

Simmons, Charles R 12-15

Simmons, Steve 1-16, 2-10, 5-12, 5-38, 5-48,

6-10, 8-23, 8-26, 9-12, 12-10, 12-26

Smith, A. Herbert 8-15

Smith, Jeanne Jacoby . 9-11

Speicher,Tim 5-2, 11-24

Swartz, Fred W 1-2, 2-2, 2-39, 3-3, 4-2, 4-28,

4-38, 5-40, 6-2, 6-32, 6-46, 7-3, 8-2, 8-39, 9-26

Thomas, Nettie 11-3

Thomasson, Kermon 1-40,2-40,3-40,4-40, 5-11,

5-15, 6-15, 6-20, 6-48, 7-2, 7-40, 8-2,

8-9, 9-36, 10-3, 10-36, 11-40, 12-3, 12-36

Tomlonson, James E 3-26

Turner, Darrell 1-10

Ulrich, Larry K 7-32

van den Doel, Ton 3-16, 10-16

Wampler, Guy E. Jr 6-16, 10-2

Whitman, Leslie 10-2

Will, Harpers 2-27

Willoughby, William G 3-38, 719

Wilson, Leiand 2-24, 8-16

Wilson, Thomas 3-22

Yoder, Marilyn 11-26

Ziegler, Edward K- 5-22, 7-17

Zunkel, C. Wayne 5-35

SUBJECT MATTER

AFRICA

Africa Tells Own story in New Press Service 9-7

New Code Urged for US Firms in South Africa 8-8
South Africa Christians Meet Across Race

Lines 11-5

Tears Still Flow for the "Beloved Country,"

Robert A. Hess 7-10

ALTERNATIVES

Alternative Christmas at Florida-P.R. Camp 11-5

Celebration/Part 2, Anita Smith Buckwalter , 11-32

Christians Encouraged to Celebrate Simply 6-9

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

AACB Plans Exhibit, Quilting, Museum Tour 2-5

Also in Seattle 8-21

Annual Conference 1979, Steve Simmons 6-10

Annual Conference Elections: The Issue of

Equitable Representation 6-23

An Uneasy Conscience on the Status Quo, A.

Herbert Smith 8-15

Bible Study: Feeling Unity, John David

Bowman 8-27

Biblical Inspiration and Authority: Where Do

the Brethren Stand?, Fred W Swartz 4-28

Commitment in the 80s, Alan Kieffaber 8-18

Conference Officers Set Committees, Fees,

Dates 11-6

Don't Disdain the Scriptures, Brethren Revival

Fellowship 6-24

Don't Restrain the Scriptures, W. Robert

McFadden , 6-25

Exciting Business, Site Anticipated in Seattle 2-4
Goalsfor a Difficult Venture, Charles M. Bieber 8-19
"Journey": First Step on the Right Track,

Steve Simmons 8-23

Life-style Task Force Seeks Brethren Input 3-5
New Business: Continuing Concerns to Chal-
lenge Us 8-17

Nominations Sought for '80 Annual Conference 10-8
Ogilvie: The Message in a Different Package,

Alan Kieffaber 8-28

Old Business: Problems That Don't Go Away 8-14
Partaking of the Promise 8-25

(The) Performing Arts: Retreating to the

Islands, Steve Simmons 8-26
Renewing the Covenant, Kermon Thomasson 6-15
Seattle Report: A Summary of the 193rd Re-
corded Annual Conference 8-13

Sorting Them Out in Seattle 6-28

Those Who Will Lead Us 8-20

(The) Victory Belonged to the Whole Church,

Leiand Wilson 8-16

BETHANY HOSPITAL

Bethany Hospital Gets Green Light From State 10-5

BIBLE

New Chinese Bible First Since 1979 Revolu-
tion 11-6
New KJV Editor: Saved Old Scholarship, Style 8-6
What Do Brethren Believe About the Bible' 10-12

BIBLE STUDY

(The) Big Lie, T.Wayne Rieman 11-18

(The) Cursing of the Fig Tree. Ton van den Doel 10-16
God Asks Us to Give, Ken Gibble 7-26

HeartheWord, Jimmy R. Ross 1-21

Jesus a Feminist?, Michael Scrogin 2-12

(The) Message Entrusted to Us, Estella Horn-
ing 5-16
Pentecost-Hallelujah!, Glenn H. Asquith . 6-34
Song of a True Believer, Maynard Shelly 12-24
Stretchout Your Hand, Ton van den Doel 3-17
Thank God for Work, Glenn H. Asquith 9-22

BOARD PROGRAM

All Life-CareContracts Voided at Ohio Home 11-6
Brethren Young Adults: A Sense of Timing,

Steve Simmons 210
BVS/PVS District Reps Learn Their Business 7-6
Church Extension Loan Fund: Uniting Part-
ners in Ministry, Merle Crouse 9-21
(The) Edu-Coach Is Coming. Kermon Thom-
asson 8-9
Examining Faith, Life Offered at "Life Lab " 6-9
Global Women's Project Logo, Materials Ready 5-6
Goals Statement Draws Response From

Churches 4-4
Juniata Youth Meeting to Precede Conference 12-5
MESSENGER Recognized in National Competi-
tion 6-5
Ohio Home May Cancel Life-Care Contracts 6-4
Survey on Life-style Change 8-29
Symposium to Address Needs of Urban Church 7-9
Three Little Churches and How They Grew,

Harriet Z.Blake 9-18

Unit Links Stewardship, Communications

Teams 7-6

Urban Church Focus on Weekend Symposium 11-4

BOOK REVIEWS

Making Pastoral Ministry Effective, L. Gene
Bucher 1-28

Media Religion— A Skewed Picture, Dale Gold-
smith 10-28

New Affirmations of the Family, Fred W.
Swartz 9-26

Rediscovering Wholeness and Peace. Larry K-
Ulrich 7-32

Sounding the C^ll for a New Jubilee, Fred W.
Swartz 5-40

Straightening Out Our Attitudes Toward
Homosexuals, Duane H. Ramsey 3-28

Taking Another Look at Riches, Estella Horn-
ing 11-34

BRETHREN COLLEGES/SEMINARY

Bethany Faculty Named to New Chair, Posts 8-8

Bethany Seminary's 75th Anniversary in '80 10-9
Brethren Participate in Church-College Con-
gress 9-8
Enrollment Increases at Most Brethren

Schools 1-9

How "Brethren" are the "Brethren Col-
ages?, Steve Simmons 9-12
June Graduation Honors 31 Bethany
Graduates 8-4

BRETHREN ENCYCLOPEDIA

Brethren Encyclopedia Editorial Board Meets 1-9
Encyclopedia Funding Nears Halfway Point 4-7

BRETHREN LIFE

Beyond Crisis to Promise, Thomas Wilson
Divorce: One Church's Response, Donald R

Jordan
Live Oak: No Dead Wood Here, Bob and Mary

Baucher
(The) Promise of Jubilee, Mary Jo Bowman
Shalom Place, Anne M. Albright 11-15

'Tisa Gift to Be Simple, Tim Speicher 11-24

3-22

10-24

8-10
11-20

BRETHREN REVIVAL FELLOWSHIP

BRF Celebrates 20 Years in Life of Denomina-
tion 9-6
BRF Marks 20 Years at Special Meeting 12-4
Evangelism Ministry and Bible Teaching,
James F. Myer 5-35

December 1979 messenger 33

BRETHREN VOLUNTEER SERVICE

Appalachia W/ork Camp Open to BVSers,

Others
Appalachian Work Camp Keeps Volunteers

Busy
BVS Experience Comes to Life In New Film
BVS Telsvision Special Taped in Pennsylvania
BVS Unit's Letter Spurs Look at Bank Policies
BVSers Explore Projects, Liberation of Op-
pressed
BVSers. Navajos Share During Orientation

Unit
Exploring Self and World: After 30 Years, BVS

Orientation Still Prepares Youth for Service,

Steve Simmons
Village Health Workers Now at Work in

Ecuador

4-9

10-6
9-7
1-6
2-6

4-4

1-16

3-5

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

Catholics, Methodists Keep Congress Majority 5-9
Maryland's Broadfording Leaves the Denom-
ination 1-5

COLUMN

Alternatives to Detachment, Dean L. Far

ringer

Cults and Commitment, Shirley J. Heckman
Decisions, Decisions!, Christopher Bowman
Getting Beyond Barriers, Nelda Rhoades
(The) Luxury of Injustice, Janine Katonah .

(A) New Simplicity, Howard E. Royer

Of Spiritual Things, T. Wayne Rieman
(A) Partnership Venture, L.Wayne Fralin . ,
To Be "In Service," Joanne Nesler Davis -
We Will Never Be the Same Again, Theresa C
Eshbach

7-34
6-22
7-18
2-23
5-42
11-31
10-15
1-15
9-24

4-33

CONSCRIPTION

Boyer Testifies Against Return of Registration 5-4
Church Councils Oppose Return to Con-
scription 8-7

Congress Rejects Draft; Issue Likely to Return 12-9

Do You Feel a Draft, Steve Simmons 12-10

Nicaraguan Mennonites Challenge Con-
scription 11-9
Three Studies Support Return to Registration 3-8

DISARMAMENT

(The) Arms Bazaar That Bombed, Harriet Z.
Blake 4-10

Church Leaders Lobby Senate for SALT II . . . . 11-4

Historic Consultation Calls for Nuclear Ban .. 6-5

National Disarmament Convocation Draws
700 2-6

San Francisco Vote May Foretell National
Trend 4-5

US. German Churches Urge USSR, US Dis-
armament 12-6

(A) Vigil Can't Be a Failure, Christopher
Bowman 8-25

World Order Institute to Honor Peace Essays 9-6

DISASTER RELIEF/
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT

Brethren Churches, Staff Keep up Refugee Ef-
forts 12-7
Brethren Grant $25,000 for World Refugee

Work . 10-6
Brethren Seek $1(XI,000 for Starving Cambo-
dians 12-6
Disaster Coordinators Share Ideas at Seminar 4-8
Major Spring Disasters Draw Brethren Re-
sponse 7-7

(The) Nails Remind Us, H. McKjnIey Coffman 7-13
Reconstruction Begins at Tornado, Flood Sites 10-9
Upping Refugee Sponsors Goals of August

Workshop 11-8

Victims of Civil Strife Receive Brethren Help . 9-5
Volunteers, Money Help Kentucky Flood Vic-
tims 2-6

Why We Were There, James E.Tomlonson . 3-26

ECUMENICAL ACTIVITIES

Ecumenical Coalition Offered Mill Purchase , 4-5
Ecumenical Leaders Denied Prison Visit . 7-4

World Religious Leaders Discuss Global
Agenda 11-7

EDITORIAL

As One of God's Children, Kermon Thomasson 9-36
Avoiding Moral Rigor Mortis, Kermon Thom-
asson 3-40

(A) Cue From the First "Conference." Kermon

34 MESSENGER December 1979

Thomasson 10-36

(A) Cruel and Unusual Thing Kermon Thom-
asson 7-40
(The) Fasting That Pleases God, Kermon

Thomasson 11-40

How Many Miles to Jonestown?, Kermon

Thomasson 1-40

Ministry Through Communication, Kermon

Thomasson 4-40

(A) New Name to Set Us Singing, Kermon

Thomasson 2-40

(A) Not So Isolated Island, Kermon Thomasson 6-48
There May Be No 1990s, James Taylor 12-36

(The) World Is Larger Than Our Hearts, Steve

Simmons 5-48

EDUCATION

Brethren, Mennonites Plan New Youth Series 20-4

(The) College as Neightrar, Shirley J. Heckman 9-17
Congress Approves Study of Peace Academy

Idea 1-9

Foundation Plans Two-Year Adult Course 3-8

How Do You Choose a College?, Isabel M. Lynn 9-16
Public, Higher Education Targets of Joint

Group 10-6

ENERGY

Handling Energy Transition in the Brethren

Tradition, Richard Keeler 3-13

Nuclear Issues Focusof Brethren Seminar . . . 12-5
Nuclear Safety, Ethics Debated at Manchester 6-6
ReactorScare Touches Pennsylvania Brethren 6-4
Small Farms Find Their Place in the Sun, Ber-
wynOltman 11-22

EVANGELISM

Church UnitedbyLovelsHolySpirit Theme 10-5

(The) Pastor and Church Growth, Win Arn 7-28

Program Set for National Holy Spirit Con-
ference . . 5-9

GENERAL BOARD STAFF

BoardStaff Influence Ecumenical Agencies 6-8

Brethren Staffer Tours Refugee Camps, Viet-
nam (Coffman) 9-5
Church Press Challenged to Influence Society

(Royer) 7-5

Coffman in Asia to Help Speed Refugee Efforts 10-7
Detrick Among Planners of White House

Meeting 10-9

Driver, Jackie: Affirming Life's Worth, Evelyn

M.Frantz 1-2

Elgin Offices Lose Two: Three Others Join Staff 4-9
Major Personnel Shifts Announced at Offices 1-8

Minnich New Member of Stewardship StatI 10-8

Nigerian Official Lauds Retiring Brethren

Nurse(Brumbaugh) 12-9

Personnel Shifts Noted Across Denomination 7-9

RhoadesAppomtedHeadofWorld Ministries 4-6

World Religion, Peace Conference Meets in US
(Heckman) 9-5

HISTORICAL

Easter in Jerusalem 1899 4-16

In Heart and Conscience Free, Kenneth I.

Morse 5-18

In Search of Our Roots, William G.Willoughby 3-38
Justice: A Brethren Testimony, Edward K.

Ziegler 5-22

Laying the Foundation in Schwarzenau,

William G.Willoughby 7-19

Medicine of Mirth 10-22

Returning to Seattle, Kermon Thomasson 6-20

Walking the Streets He Knew, Kenneth I.

Morse 7-23

What Made D, L. Miller Tick?. Frances Holsop-

pleFenner 4-12

Your Two Cents Worth: Gospel Messenger

Readers Counsel the Editor in 1889. Frances

HolsoppleFenner 1-39

INSPIRATIONAL

AreYou Ready?, MaryC, Early 1-22

(The) Bible: God's Good Gift, Harper S. Will 2-27

"Born-Again" Christians: The Only Kind?,

Herbert A. Fisher 1-27

(A) Calendar of Songs, Prayers and Affirma-

tionsfor Advent, Charles R.Simmons 12-15

(The) Groacher File, Ken Gibble 10-18

Integrity Is Power, Dorris M. Blough 9-25

Magdalene, Mary: The Faithful One, Karen S.

Carter. 418

Simplicity and Solidarity. Howard E. Royer . . 11-12

ISSUES

Al Focuses Attention on USSR Protestants . 6-6
"Baby Beer" Withdrawn in Face of Opposition 1-7
Brethren Write Eagerly to Death Row Pris-
oners 5-5

Children Bring Us Gifts. Mary Anne Forehand 10-10
Church Must Make Us All One Family. Esther

Frey 5-33

Concern for Peace Biblically Rooted. C. Wayne

Zunkel 5-35

Do We Have to Put People in Jail'. Bob Gross 5-30
Eating Responsibly. Marilyn Yoder 11-26

Fallen. Fallen . . , Babylon the Great. Paul

Grout - 2-18

(A) Growing World of Hispanic Brethren, Phill

Carlos Archbold 5-33

Heavy Influence at the Local Level, Joy Dull 5-34
(The) Human Face of Justice, Kermon

Thomasson 5-11

IfYou Do, I'll Sue You!, LeIandWilson 2-24

International Year of the Child 1-10

J Is for Justice, Howard E. Royer 5-27

Look What the Profit Motive Is Doing to Us

Doctors!. John Scoltock 1-24

Nestle Boycott Groups Adopt United Stand . 12-5
Our Ultimate Goal: "Go Out of Business."

Karen Hoover 5-33

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Ronald J.

Sider 5-24

Silent Resistance to Outmoded Roles, Inez

Long 5-35

Speaking for Those Who Have No Voice, Mar-
tin R. Rock 5-34

Taiwan and the American Reality, J. Martin

Bailey 3-10

To Heal the Wounds of War: A Christian Im-
perative, Barbara Fuller 9-9

(The) View From Below 1-12

Wall, Wallis Discuss Modern Christian's

Agenda 3-4

Who Says Families Are Dying?, La Von Rupel 2-14
Working Together for Mountain Life, Cordell
Bowman - 5-34

MEDIA

(J. S.) Bach: Joy to the World. Steve Simmons 12-26

Book. Curriculum Series Examine Media.
Values 12-6

(The) China Syndrome: Facing Nukes and
News. Stewart M. Hoover 8-32

(The) Deer Hunter: Salt in a National Wound.
Steve Simmons 5-38

(The) "Electric Church" and the Christian Vi-
sion, Dale Goldsmith ia28

Good and Evil Battle in "Animated" TLOTR.
Dave Pomeroy 2-30

Parceling Out a Scarce Commodity. Stewart
M. Hoover 6-40

Proposed FTC Ad Rules Supported by
Brethren 2-8

TV Awareness Training Expands Interna-
tionally 5-8

TV Special to Examine Human Impact of TMI 11-6

TV Violence Monitoring Shows Level Down in
79 11-5

MISSIONS

Brethren. Sudanese Join Forces for Health

Care 9-4

Church Hears Mandate for Third World Work 7-6
Cuban Church Representatives Visit US

Brethren 8-6

German Churches Assist Nigeria Wells Project 5-4

Health Approval 10-5

Indochina Expert Calls Church to Action There 7-4
Mision Mutua Committee Values Mexican

Seminar 3-6

Nigerian 3.500 Baptisms in '78 8-7

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

Communicators (insider Future Satellite

Usage 1-9

Executive's Dismissal: Overspending Blames 1-6
Federal Grants Helps NCC Aid Jailed Vietnam

Vets 2-7

National Council Delays Action on Energy

Policy 1-4

NCC Says Energy Policy Should Exclude

Nuclear 7-4

NCC Terminates Ireland Program at Year's

End 9-4

Young Georgia Minister Elected NCC

President 1-6

NEW CALL TO PEACEMAKING

New Call Peace Caravan Needs Staff to Con-
tinue 7-8

New Call Schedules Next National Meeting in
1980 8-8

Peace Caravan Gets New Staff for Second
Year 12-8

Peace Institute Studied by New Call Group 3-9

NEW WINDSOR

Anniversary Celebration Set for Service

Center 8-8

New Windsor Hosts 500 at 35th Anniversary 1 2-4

ON EARTH PEACE

On Earth Peace Approves Plan of Organiza-
tion 3-9

OPINIONS

Americans Crucify the Lord Each Day, Bever-
ly Ott 7-39

BVS— Finished or Just Begun?, Don Hoover 2-36

(The) Case for a Small War, Sarah Alexander-
Mack 7-36

Delegates Expect to Be Needed, Chauncey H.
Shamberger 3-32

Don't Judge, But Set an Example, Ruth Nelson 9-31

ERA Is a Fraud Posing As Rights, Roberta
Holiday 7-37

(A) Forgivable Sin, and a Curable One, James
F. Myer 1-34

(A) Friend Recalls Dan West, Joe Van Dyke 3-34

God Forgives Us. Can We Accept?, Amy
Langdon 4-34

Great Finally to Be Alive, Randy E. Newcomer 1-33

Hypocrisy Just a Flimsy Excuse, McKinley
Coffman 2-32

If They Hadn't Heeded Jonah, J. Richard
Greene 5-46

Impressions From a Visit to Cuba, Elsa Za-
pata deGroff 1-32

Is It Wrong to Work Together?, Fred W.
Benedict 8-34

Jonestown Cause: Over Commitment?, Dave
Jackson 3-32

Just A-Singin' in the Reign*, Dick Miller 4-36

Letting Go of Our Self-Made Image, Christian
Bashore 1-32

Making a Case for Defensive Medicine,
Marge Bhagat 5-44

Making the World Safe for Children, Leonard
C. Carter 7-36

(A) Name Capturing Our Wholeness, Francis
Hendricks Jr 2-34

Name Change— A Question of Priority, Lois
Myers 5-44

Name Change Is Cosmetic Surgery, Pete
Haynes 9-30

On Our Becoming a "Family of Christ,"
Richard Buckwalter 5-44

Our Name Means Service and Peace, Karen
S. Carter 9-32

Quit "Building" God's Kingdom, Nettie
Thomas 4-37

Sharing Our Faith Through Love, Cindy Eller 2-32

Third Testament Perhaps Due, Charles L.
Baker 9-30

Three Mile Island: What's the Cost? Blaine
Miner 7-37

Trade Indulgence for Commitment, Geral-
dine Crill Eller 2-32

War Is in National Interest, Not God's, Steve
Longenecker 8-35

We May Soon See a Memo, Sarah Alexander-
Mack 4-34

What to Do 'Til You Can Sing, Dick Miller 8-34

WPTF: Money for Urgent Needs, David and
Annabelle Fouts 7-39

PEOPLE

Anderson, Charles: In Pursuit of Peace, Guy
E.WamplerJr 10-2

Barnes, Edith: Facing Life Purposefullly, Ker-
mon Thomasson 8-3

Bartron, Luther: A Disaster-Oriented
Ministry, Kermon Thomasson 12-3

Blocher, Cathy and John: Return to "Grass
Roots," Mildred HessGrimley 11-2

Bosler, Howard and Edith: "God Swept the
Road Clean, "Mildred HessGrimley 1213

Bowman, Laird and Sarah: The World on
Their Doorstep, Fred WSwartz 1-3

Brethren Woman Tried in Rocky Flats
Witness 2-9

Brumbaugh, Geoff: A Silent Servant of
Sound, Barbara P. McFadden 1-3

Buckle, Wayne:AMatterofFaith,JanMartin 3-2

Carter, Claudia: "I Want to Live!", George
Keeler 9-3

Clannin. Lucille: "People Helping People,"
Kermon Thomasson 10-3

Cox, Henry B: A Global Christian, Fred W.
Swartz 2-3

Cubbage, JoAnn: Helping People Cope, Ver-
non F. Miller , ,7-3

Decoursey, Ottie: "Brethrenism" in Person,
DornsBlough 4-3

Dell, Lowell: Witnessing With a Combine,
Jane Davis 12-2

Dull, Ralph: Quiet Activist for Peace and
Justice, Mildred HessGrimley 5-2

Gibbel, Hilda I.: Joy in Serving, Fred W.
Swartz 3-3

Graybill, David L,: A "Nuts and Bolts"
Ministry, Fred W. Swartz 6-2

Groff, Warren: Naming His Gifts, Guy E.
Wampler, Jr. 6-16

Hinkle, Cyndi: Headstart in Photo-
Journalism, Fred W. Swartz 4-3

Houff, Robert A.: Putting Lives Together
Again, Fred WSwartz .8-2

Hykes, Pat: Artist byChance, Fred W. Swartz 2-2

Jasiorowski, Henryk: A "Thank You" to
Brethren, Kermon Thomasson 8-3

Johansen, Robert C: Searching for Peace,
Harriet Z.Blake 3-2

Johnson, Olga: Taking the Stranger In, Arlene
Harms 6-3

Keuss, Jeff: Seattle's On-Location Coor-
dinator, Fred WSwartz 6-2

Kiser, Gertrude: Woman With a Knife, Leslie
Whitman 10-2

Kurtz, Earl: From Campus to Pulpit, Fred W.
Swartz 4-2

Layman, Edna Barnhard: Creative Hands of
Love, Fred W. Swartz 7-3

Macedonian Missioners Enriching Church
Life 3-6

Mohler, Judy and Steve: Building on Faith,
Nettie Thomas 11-3

Russell, Sheila and Allen, Connie: Sisters
Again, Kurt H.Schindler 2-3

Smith, Marcy: One-to-One Enabling, Tim
Speicher 5-2

Snider, Don: Peacemaking in Many Forms,
Charles L. Boyer 5-3

Sterner, Grace: Putting the Pieces Together,
AnnShifflet . 12-2

These Women Transform Lives, Carolyn
Purden 4-24

Thill, Curtis: A Bicycle Is His Passport,
George Keeler 9-3

US Pressure Helps Free South African Leader 3-6

VerySpecialJibaro, John Forbes 1-23

Warstler, Anna: A Ministry of Teaching,
Mildred HessGrimley 318

Weaver, Lynn: Brethren Beliefs Are Impor-
tant, George Keeler 9-2

Willoughby, Mane and Don: "No Worries,"
KurtSchindler 11-2

Wolfe, Howard: Running With a Winner, Ker-
mon Thomasson . 7-2

Ziegler, Edward K.: BL&T Is More Than a
Sandwich, Harriet Z.Blake 7-14

Zimmerman, Jean Lives a Vision, Steve Sim-
mons 512

PEOPLE & PARISH

Akron, Conestoga, Ephrata, Middle Creek
and Mohler: "Getting to Know You!", Har-
riet Z.Blake 10-34

Champaign: Sharing in a Community's Con-
cern for the Needs of the Homeless, Fred W
Swartz 6-46

Danville: Learning the Heritage by Reliving
EarlyFormativeYea'S, Fred WSwartz 4-38

Harrisburg: Enthusiasm for a Novel Approach

to Vacation Bible School, Barbara Myers 4-38

La Verne: Annual Youth Project Promotes in-
ternational Sharing, Mary Ann Harvey 2-38

Live From the Upper Room, Fred W. Swartz 8-39

Muskegon: A Community Ministry on Call
Twenty-four Hoursa Day, Fred W. Swartz 4-39

New Paris: Congregations Hindered by Snow
but Gathered in Spirit, Fred WSwartz 2-39

Nocona: "Just a Tiny Drop of Help in a Big,
Bucket of Need, but We're Glad We Helped,"
Harriet Z.Blake 10-34

Reading: A Congregation Plans a Weekend
Retreat to Find Utopia, Judith M. Schuler 2-38

Rocky Mount: Nurturing Children Toward an
Active Participation in Church Life, Fred W.
Swartz 6-47

Tonasket: A Congregation Constructs Its Own
Organ for the Praise of God, Fred W. Swartz 6-46

West Richmond: Southern Hospitality for the
Homeless, the Lonely, the Stranger, Harriet
Z.Blake 10-35

RADIO MINISTRIES

Brethren, Mennonites Plan Joint Radio Series 5-9
Brethren, Mennonites Produce Radio Series 1-5
New Radio Spots Ready: First Series a Success 5-5
World Radio Conference Draws Brethren In-
terest 8-6

RESOURCES

Bible Study, Shirley J. Heckman 2-28

Biblical Authority, Rick Gardner 4-29

Celebration/Partl,JuneA. Miller ia26

Covenant Living, Shirley J. Heckman 1-30

Devotional Aids, Bob Bowman 9-28

Evangelism/Church Growth, Matthew M.

Meyer 7-30

Human Sexuality, Ralph L.Detrick 3-30

Illness, Robert P. Blake 8-31
New Brethren Books Join Old Favorites in

Seattle 5-9

Outdoor Ministries, Walter D. Bowman 6-38

To Do Justice, Washington Office Staff 5-36

Worship, Bob Bowman 12-28

SHARE

Needy Americans Receive $135,000 Through

SHARE 3-4

SHARE II Helps Raise Bethany's Awareness 3-7

SHAREHOLDER ACTIVITIES

Corporate Stockholders to Vote on Resolu-
tions 5-6

Nuclear Weapons Project Confronts Arms
Plants 3-4

Shareholder Resolutions Aimed at Three
Firms 2-8

South Africa Resolution to Union Carbide Fails 7-5

STEWARDSHIP

Couple's Gift Prompts Generosity of Others
First Reports on 1978Giving Show Increase
Leadership Development Goal of Area

Seminars
Striving for Partnership, Fred W. Swartz

4-6
3-5

1-5
6-32

TAXES

Church as Tax Collector Protested by Men-
nonites 4-7
Letter Campaign Backs World Peace Tax Fund 2-9
Paying for Peace, William Durland 11-10
WPTF Bill Introduced; New Call Backing Cited 8-8

UNITED NATIONS

NGO Aides Saddened by Young Resignation
(A) Personal Touch at the UN, Shantilal P.

Bhagat
UN Disarmament Talk Buoys Representative
UN Seminar to Push Life in a Global Com-
munity
UN Supports Refusal to Enforce Apartheid

WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

Action Begins on WCC Disarmament Priority
Disarmament Program New WCC Priority
Groups Fighting Racism Receive WCC Grants
Science, Faith MeetingWill Include Brethren
Special Fund to Combat Racism Aids 29

Groups
World Conference Topics Should Excite

Brethren

5-10
4-5

8-5
5-5

6-7
4-6
12-8

5-7

1-6
10-4

December 1979 messenger 35

There may be no 1990s

The one world concern that must be solved during
the 1980s is disarmament.

If we fail, there may be no 1990s. Sophisti-
cated computer projections by various world ex-
perts agree: If present arms trends continue,
World War III will begin sometime between 1988
and 1998.

Many other crises threaten human survival,
from disease and starvation to industrial pollution
and energy shortages. But only one — nuclear war
— offers instant extinction.

Even if World War III can be postponed some-
how, the amount of energy, talent and money we
squander in the arms race makes peace an ever
more distant dream.

Consider the immediate threat first. The Soviet
Union is supposed to have enough nuclear
weapons to destroy the United States 25 times
over. The US, in return, can wipe out the USSR 50
times over. Last January, President Carter
boasted that a single Poseidon submarine, about
two percent of US nuclear firepower, could
destroy every major and medium-sized Soviet city
all by itself.

Tragically, this world is considerably smaller
than 50 USSRs or 25 USAs.

Meanwhile, the stockpile increases at about
three bombs per day.

The arms race, intended to provide security,
has become the world's greatest threat to security.
Arsenals are no longer protection, for future wars
will not be fought as past wars were. The only
defense against war today is peace.

Yet, compared to what we spend on war, we
spend next to nothing on peace.

At a time of financial squeezes, every dollar
spent on war is a dollar taken from peace — from
development, from programs to create justice and
defuse the tensions that flare into war. Even while
most nations cut back on human welfare pro-
grams, they spend about $400 billion a year —
nearly $1 million a minute — on programs that can
only increase human misery. A few years ago,
Canada saved $200 million on its family allow-
ance; it spent twice as much on armored cars.

Around the world, there is now one soldier for
every 250 people — but only one doctor for every
3,700 persons.

Consider employment. Far from creating jobs,
the arms race makes unemployment worse. The
same money that creates 100 jobs in military proj-

ects would provide 113 jobs through local govern-
ment spending, 128 jobs in health and welfare, 155
jobs in education. That's from the US Department
of Labor. Other research studies give even higher
non-military job figures. A Michigan research
group calculated that US military spending cost
the country 840,000 jobs each year between 1968
and 1972.

Or consider energy. At a time of gas station
lineups and cancelled flights, the US Air Force
alone burns up half as much fuel as all the coun-
try's commercial airlines together — without ac-
tually moving anybody or anything anywhere.

A few comparisons show that our priorities are
dangerously out of kilter.

— World renowned economist Barbara Ward
estimates that just IVi hours worth of the world's
military spending would provide clean water sup-
plies for the whole world. (Other economists sug-
gest she's too optimistic — it might take up to three
days' worth.)

— The entire United Nations staggers along on
about nine hours of arms spending.

— Stopping the arms race for just 13 hours
would free enough money to vaccinate all the
world's infants against infectious diseases. Pre-
ventable diseases kill five million children a year in
developing countries.

— Less than one day's spending would be more
than enough, according to World Health Organ-
ization estimates, to wipe out malaria forever.

— One day's spending could teach every adult
in the world to read and write.

— The cost of one Trident submarine equals a
year's schooling for 16 billion children in develop-
ing countries; one strategic bomber equals a
10-year program to eradicate smallpox.

Xt's time Christians put their money where their
prayers are, and started putting their
resources — and the resources controlled by their
elected governments — into peace instead of war
efforts.

For of all the world's problems, there is only
one that the arms race is capable of solving.

It could cure the population explosion. Per-
manently. - James Taylor

James Taylor is managing editor of The United Church Obser\er.
This guest editorial was selected from editorials on disarmament shared
with each other by the editors of Interchurch Features, an informal
association of 10 US and Canadian church publications, to which
MESSENGER belongs.

36 MESSENGER December 1979

Make This Christmas
l\4ore Beautiful

The Trees of Christmas

No book can more easily get you into the
Christmas spirit than this one! And now, it's available
in an inexpensive paperback edition (in addition to
the cloth edition). The Trees of Christmas is a visual
delight with its beautiful full-color photographs of 23
different trees from around the worid. There are
easy-to-follow instructions for making the exotic
ornaments that adorn them. $6.95, paper: $8.95,
cloth

Christmas Crafts for Everyone

Evelyn Coskey tells about Advent wreaths,
creches, molded string cages — you name it, and it's in
here! The step-by-step instructions are easy to follow
with Roy Wallaces helpful line drawings. $8.95

The Grandmother's Book

Joan Lowery Nixon shares the special joys of
grandmothers with grandbabies — and their very special
relationship with God. $5.95

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
of the Bible (Deluxe Edition)

The Deluxe Edition of the incomparable Strong's
Concordance features a durable leather-look binding
with a matching slip case and ribbon book marks. No
other concordance matches this one! $29.95

Abingdon Bible Handbook

Edward P. Blair shares a wealth of information on,
and interpretation of, the Scriptures in this
indispensible volume. One of the most popular
resources of its kind! $15.95

Bah! Humbug?

Lorna Balian tells the delightful story of Margie,
who stands up to her big brother's persistent nagging
that there is no Santa. The perfect children's gift. $8.95

Letters to Karen

Chariie W. Shedd shares some very special letters
of advice to his soon-to-be-wed daughter. Both parent
and daughter should derive much from this popular
book. $8.95 (boxed gfft edition)

The Will of God

Leslie D. Weatherhead's well known work is for
anyone who seriously desires to know God's plan for
his or her life. $4.95 (gift edition)

The Mature Heart

Helen B. Emmons shares 150 meditations that
will provide spiritual refreshment for every day. $6.95
(large print)

Bless This Mess and Other Prayers

Jo Carr and Imogene Soriey cover everything from
the home to the community with these prayers. The
humor and the insight of the authors will sustain you
year after year. $4.95

Choose to Win!

Ernst G. Schmidt, in a challenging book, details
what he calls the "opportunity attitude," which can
make you a "winner" in life! $6.95

dbingdon

at vour local bookstore

In response to the Christ of Hope, may we continue to minister
and witness in His/ name. Your gifts to the Brotherhood Fund in
support of its many ministries may be sent to:

Chj/jrch of the Brethren General Board
14^1 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, III 60120

K^if

TMiA^M

'^h-^,.

<=ex ''^'^ ■"-